"Disneyland Handcrafted"

  ☆☆☆☆ 

For many of us, Disneyland has always existed. Even for those old enough to have known a world without the physical theme park in it, Disneyland has become such a ubiquitous presence — not just a place but a concept, an ideal — that it's basically impossible to conceive of it not existing.

But, as the fascinating new documentary Disneyland Handcrafted shows, there was indeed a time when Disneyland was just an idea, and not a very popular one at that, and when all that land in Anaheim, Calif., was just a bunch of orange groves.

Walt Disney is one of the most remarkable people ever to have lived, and it really is something of a shame that the company he created owns and cultivates his image so carefully that we'll likely never get a true look at the complexities of the man. Disneyland Handcrafted is no exception: You'll find no shots of Walt Disney smoking or drinking, rarely doing anything except smiling, certainly not angry or frustrated or worried.

And yet, surprisingly, filmmaker Leslie Iwerks (granddaughter of one of Walt Disney's earliest colleagues) a certain outline of that complicated man emerge in a 95-minute film filled with rare color footage of Disneyland's creation. Walt himself, perhaps oddly, isn't really at the center of the documentary — no single person is, because this is a film about the people who actually built Walt Disney's vision.

Most of them are glimpsed only briefly, though they are heard through audio recordings. Ardent Disney fans will likely know all the names, though it's a little tough to keep up with who's who as they speak off screen. But what they say is revealing throughout the movie, which begins one year before the planned July 1955 opening date of Disneyland.

As the film opens, that opening date seems impossible: there's nothing but dirt in the midst of orange trees in what appears to be the middle of nowhere. Today, Disneyland is in the middle of the urban sprawl of greater Los Angeles; back then, it seemed so impossibly far away as to make people laugh.

Iwerks stitches together truly revelatory footage, augmenting it with extensive foley work — detailed sound effects that fool you into thinking that silent footage actually has original sound. The effect is uncanny, even if it futzes with the strict definition of a documentary.

There are astonishing scenes of accidents and fumbles, along with shots of small details being put in place, some of which still exist at the theme park to this day, making the movie a true love letter from and to Disney fans. Full disclosure: I worked for Disney at its Burbank corporate headquarters, both as employee and consultant, for more than a decade, and have visited Disneyland frequently over the years. Seeing how many of the original touches remain in place is part of what makes Disneyland Handcrafted so special.

But what makes it really worthwhile for Disney fans and history buffs in general is the footage that brings a very early version of Disneyland to vivid life. No matter how many times you've been there, you've never seen Disneyland look like this.

It's worth noting that your appreciation of Disneyland Handcrafted will likely depend on your own fondness for Disney and its history. Those who aren't as familiar with Disney may want to drop a star or so from this assessment, but even for them Disneyland Handcrafted is a worthwhile trip down memory lane — with a tantalizing hint of the complexity of the man who risked everything he had on Disneyland, and lived to see it succeed beyond his wildest dreams.

Viewed January 21, 2026 — AMC Burbank 8

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