Disneyland Handcrafted, an upcoming documentary from The Imagineering Story's Leslie Iwerks on the making of Disneyland and the "trials and tribulations behind the rapid construction of the park leading up to its opening day in July 1955," will officially debut on Disney+ and Disney YouTube on January 22, 2026.
As detailed by Disney Parks Blog, this story will be told through "rare archival footage and insightful soundbites." Viewers will be able to go behind-the-scenes in a way never possible before and see the highs and lows of what it took Walt Disney and his team to build Disneyland.
Iwerks, who is the daughter and granddaughter of Disney Legend Don Iwerks and Ub Iwerks, respectively, searched through over 100 hours of raw material that captured Disneyland as it was built. She and her team produced high-resolution scans of these reels via a "revolutionary process that had never been tackled before."
"With a chance to peek behind the orange groves and experience the making of the park like never before, this documentary will take you back in time to visit the Disneyland of yesteryear and provide a look at the dedication, expertise, and focus that was required to turn a dream into reality," Disney Parks Blog wrote.
"Hand-forged with an assortment of dedicated, invested individuals constantly working around the clock, Leslie mentions that the film encapsulates the raw DNA of Disneyland, featuring the five original lands and the overall sense of overpowering happiness that went on to become the foundational blueprint for future Disney Parks around the world."
For more, check out our Disneyland in 2026 guide, our exclusive interview with Disneyland President Thomas Mazloum on the park's past, present, and great big beautiful DisneylandForward, and what to expect from Walt Disney World in 2026.
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.
