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Disney's 'Disneyland: Handcrafted' Debuts on Disney+ and YouTube After Years on the Shelf

An internal advocate revived Leslie Iwerks' archival documentary following a 2020 pause.

Overview

  • The film is now available to stream on Disney+ and to watch for free on Disney’s YouTube channel.
  • Leslie Iwerks says a 70-minute rough cut was shelved in 2020 when Disney put the project on indefinite hold.
  • Disney Experiences executive Jason Recher is credited with rescuing the project after viewing the rough cut.
  • The 78-minute documentary assembles newly unearthed 16mm reels and audio to chronicle Disneyland’s July 1954–July 1955 construction.
  • Reviews praise the fly-on-the-wall footage, audio-only interviews with Disney veterans, and unvarnished glimpses of risky mid‑century jobsite practices.