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Leslie Iwerks' Documentary 'Disneyland Handcrafted' Premieres Jan. 22 on Disney+ and YouTube

The feature uses newly scanned 16mm outtakes to reveal the race to build Disneyland before its 1955 opening.

Overview

  • Disney Parks Blog unveiled the project with a poster and trailer, confirming the Jan. 22 streaming debut.
  • The documentary presents an unpolished, fly-on-the-wall view of construction hurdles, breakthroughs, and opening-day pressure.
  • Filmmaker Leslie Iwerks mined over 100 hours of archival material, creating high-resolution scans of previously unused reels without timecode.
  • It spotlights on-site artists and Imagineers in 1955, showcasing the five original lands and the park’s early craftsmanship.
  • MickeyBlog corroborated the release details and highlighted Iwerks’ lineage as the granddaughter of Disney legend Ub Iwerks and daughter of Don Iwerks.