Disneyland Handcrafted was released on Disney+ and strangely on YouTube for free over the last few days and this beautiful insight into the creating of Disneyland really is as behind the scenes as you can possibly get.
Disneyland paved the way for the future of theme parks as we know it with rides no one had seen designed before, theming beyond the amusement park setups at the time and techniques still relevant in art and design as they are today.
So ahead of its time that the project was documented it’s baffling to me how this footage has been kept so private until now but this documentary truly goes into the heart of building Disneyland with many a heart-in-mouth moment as it was constructed during a time when health and safety wasn’t even a thing.
Construction equipment going up steep slopes and nearly wiping out the driver, a man on a swing being craned into the air with no harness and many more heart-in-mouth moments which makes it an absolute miracle that no accidents occurred in the construction of the theme park.
Seeing the apprehension in Walt’s voice (shown in archive footage and recordings) when discussing the park and after walking through the park concerned that no one would want to pay to see it during certain stages, it was incredible to see him so confident in his vision yet at the same time so vulnerable in guessing if others would adore it as much as he has envisioned it.
This Disneyland wasn’t created in a board room or with much oversight or direction it was executed with a plan and workers just simply getting on with their jobs cobbling their skills together to create this theme park from model miniatures, plans and more that were used as guidance for art directors and more.
All of the footage within the documentary is 16mm archive footage that was originally going to be used in Walt Disney’s Wonderland World of Color TV show but instead has been sitting in a vault only recently unearthed during the production of The Imagineering Story documentary by director Leslie Iwerks.
But instead of Leslie putting it in that glorious documentary it deserved its very own and Disneyland Handcrafted was born as not only do we see the handcrafted nature of the theme park being built but the handcrafted work the team have put into this silent footage from 1954 and 1955 that has been rested and colorised with sound effects added on-top to give you a fully immersive feel, like you’re a fly on the wall taking every inch of construction in.
The film begins one year before opening as this seemingly impossible task to open a theme park within 12 months has been set. The park is in the middle of nowhere and how this park was even opened within such a short timeframe is beyond me.
Yes, it had its struggles upon opening but over time these were ironed out and Disneyland has since welcomed 900 million guests and that number isn’t slowing down any time soon.
Disneyland Handcrafted is a testament to all of those who worked on this fantastic creation, this footage deserves to be shown on YouTube for free so the wider universe outside of Disney Plus subscribers can truly appreciate it too.
Walt makes the odd cameo appearance as his vision shines through, it’s a true love letter to the craftsmanship of this park and the millions of fans who will appreciate the legacy of this theme park.
A rewarding watch in every aspect and without me talking too much about it, you can check it out for yourself below!
Our Rating
Summary
Leslie Iwerks and Disney documentaries go together in perfect harmony to deliver a true celebration of craftsmanship, dedication and bringing a dream alive.
