Synopsis
Trailers
Reviews (165)
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It’s honestly a miracle no one died during the construction of Disneyland
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J
I’ve always loved spending a day or two in Disneyland. I’ve been lucky enough to visit two different parks, and each time I leave with the same feeling of pure happiness mixed with a kind of childhood nostalgia that’s hard to explain but instantly familiar. Watching Disneyland Handcrafted made me appreciate the place even more. It’s not just about the experience of being there, but about the incredible thought, detail, and creativity behind it. You start to realise that every corner, every ride, every small detail wasn’t random. It was carefully imagined and brought to life by people who truly believed in creating something magical. What stood out to me is the passion behind it all. It’s not just a…
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Take a shot every time the workers do something a labor union today would sue over
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M
I admit I am a sucker for any documentary about Disneyland (and theme parks more generally). I love visiting these spaces and am fascinated by the stories behind them. But this one is a cut above most of the others. It’s almost a non-fiction procedural. It shows what a monumental construction project Disneyland was, and in a way I have never really seen in other comparable films and shows. It takes you from a big empty orange grove just one year prior to the park’s opening and shows its transformation through a combination of hard-headed determination, back-breaking labor, and delicate craftsmanship. Interview subjects (heard but never shown; the entire film is comprised of archival footage and some news broadcasts) explain…
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A documentary built entirely from archival footage—no talking-head interruptions. The grainy 1950s cinematography is pure charm, and the editing gives it a beautiful sense of rhythm and purpose. It’s lovingly assembled, visually rich, and knows exactly when to end.
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C
“The most dangerous place on Earth” – probably that one worker who almost got pancaked by the tipped over bulldozer.
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The first people to go on those rides were brave af because these bitches barely tested anything???
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TTyler Scott 8 月 16, 2026
I love watching all the peculiar situations that the construction workers put themselves in when building Disneyland. Something you’d never see today.
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L
A wonderful little documentary taking you through how the first Disney park was built, it’s great to see all this archive footage that hadn’t been seen before. It’s also incredible that they were able to build it in the amount of time that they did.
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Y
Lots of dangerous footage!
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SSteven Mellina 8 月 16, 2026
Starting to think this Disneyland thing might work out
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Mmatty_staggs 8 月 16, 2026
As increases in technology across time take us farther and farther away from the people who made things with their hands (and farther away from that as something we experience, in general), it’s really astounding to see something that is now so big start out as something a bunch of guys made. Wearing slacks and ripping darts. Who thought this was certainly going to be a conclusive failure. We used to be something, didn’t we?
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P
Not much to say it’s keeps you interesting and the process is interesting just no like wow factor but not in a bad way, it’s good that’s all lol
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rad
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Walter Elias Disney, I love your tenacity, optimism, passion, & most of all that you’re a dreamer.
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Chain smoking and a total disregard for workplace safety. That’s how you get shit done. Working class families used to be able to afford to go there, that’s what’s so irritating ab Disney Land/World but this is an amazing documentary nonetheless.
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This was the quietest documentary I’ve ever watched, lol.
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It’s kind of amazing so much archival footage and audio survived
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I’ve always found the claim that “disneyland isn’t a museum” an odd one. Its rooted in this idea that museum are static unchanging places, frozen in time but i can think of no major museum that fixed in place. They have both permanent and changing exhibits and even the permanent ones change and shift over time. Disneyland is the ultimate living museum. It is a reflection of the history of the company and people that made it, of Southern California,…
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J
Ever question why OSHA exists? You won’t after watching this
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J
It’s just amazing, the artists that created Disneyland by hand in under a year. And it looks like it did when they finished. Really amazing
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Would’ve loved to hangout with freemason Walt while he’s constantly smoking a cigarette or smiling. 8/10
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A
Timelapse of a construction site. 70/100
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B
Can we please shoot all documentaries on film like this from now on?
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Pas assez communiste à mon goût, alors sur y’avait matière à
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M
We couldn’t make it out without at least 1 racist caricature- that’s my 1955 Disneyland.
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L
A beauty!
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S
A thoughtful and wonderful documentary about the creation of the happiest place on earth.
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Maybe it’s because I’ve seen the Imagineering docuseries which I absolute adore but this was kind of a let down for me. What is presented in this documentary is also presented within Imagineering, with more personal anecdotes and background to Walt’s passion for this project. I feel as if the first episode of the docuseries captures the same information presented here, only with a much more sense of urgency in the lead up to opening day. I would also like…
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Highly recommend for any parks fan. I’m glad this got released as it’s very interesting footage of Disneyland’s development. I’ve always heard about the troubles the park experienced during construction but this really shows how much work they had to put in with just a few months.
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P
Archival footage like it’s shown here scratches a specific itch in my brain that I can’t quite articulate. Do wish this was made from an objective standpoint, this glazes over how wildly unsafe the construction seemed to be. Framed as a triumph of a visionary’s dream more than anything. I’d welcome similar documentaries from either a more critical standpoint or how these parks evolved over time
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M
look I know we joke about this man’s love of trains but did you SEE his face light up as he drove the train in for the Opening Day broadcast ????
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Listen I know the lack of health & safety precautions and the copious chain smoking should concern me but unfortunately everyone working on Disneyland looked cool as hell
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J
Some really great footage that captures the spirit of the pure imagination and hard work that went into delivering on a seemingly impossible dream. But the pacing was just a little too slow, especially in the middle, for it to fully engage me throughout.
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C
An excellent insight into the creation of the happiest place on earth with archival footage and interviews. It’s crazy now over 70 years later and over 1 billion people visited, Disneyland still feels as fresh as ever.
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Who needs workplace safety when you’re having such a great time?
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it’s crazy to see what it was vs what it has become now
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TTyler Deck 8 月 4, 2026
Disney+
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HHyperNermalization 8 月 3, 2026
Meditations on Disneyland Part 2 of 2 Essays and Musings #3 The Hyperreality of Bread: The SF Boudin Sourdough store at a Fisherman’s Wharf I have been trying to understand Baudrillard’s observations on simulation and simulacrum and concepts of hyperreality. I think it finally clicked for me at the SF Boudin Bread store at San Fransokyo Square inside California Adventure. Disneyland is a classic exploration of Baudrillard’s hyperreality. Disneyland and California Adventure creating fantastical versions of the world we want…
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Bunch of men smoking cigarettes and building things. Health and safety were non existent, and i think if i fell out a tractor while it was falling on top of me and you put it in an archival documentary for everyone to see you’d be hearing from my lawyers.
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no wonder so many people smoked back then 😓
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Thank god there was no health and safety in the 50s, that definitely wouldn’t have got built so fast! Was actually a super interesting documentary.
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C
Always cute and all but I don’t think I learnt even one new little factoid.
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Jjaysmth 7 月 29, 2026
Who could’ve guessed Jay liked the theme park documentary. Pairs extremely well with the book Disney’s Land. Much of what is described there is shown here. Side note- such an incredible read. Easily one of my favorite books and I’ve never even been to Disneyland in CA. So. Many. Safety. Issues.
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CChris Oliver 7 月 27, 2026
Very nice to watch Disneyland built up from a pile of dirt before your eyes.
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Incredible restored footage from the creation of the Happiest Place on Earth. You can see the care and work put into getting this together. While she’ll never capture the magic of The Imagineering Story, I appreciate the dedication Leslie Iwerks puts into preserving the history of Disney in a modern age. The funny thing is this can almost play the opposite way of its original intent in that it’s also a damning document of the pressure and sometimes near carelessness…
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Disneyland really was built by hot guys in cool clothes and Walt is incredibly lucky that OSHA didn’t exist yet
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Solid doc that builds out the story of building Disneyland over a year from the launch of the show to the launch of the park. This subject has been revisited many times by Disney including two dvd treasures sets, but here Iwerks has gone back to the source footage and archival interviews and culled them to craft a more moody modern documentary style than is typical . The visuals are heavy on the process and detail and logistics of building,…
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R
Obligatory fuck Ronnie Reagan And fuck that union-busting, anti-communist, racist, antisemitic, twerp Walt Disney.
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finally showed my boyfriend this masterpiece!! I truly love disneyland history🫶🏼🫶🏼
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I watched this with my girlfriend and I had a blast learning about the park both from the movie and her! I had no idea they had that strict of a deadline for the park!
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J
Walt Disney really built something special
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Worth watching to see how Disneyland built it’s foundation.
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That footage beautiful
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Hhil_laryy 7 月 21, 2026
This was really cool! if I didn’t know better I’d think it was AI it’s so crazy We have so much footage.
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GGio 7 月 21, 2026
Nearly 80 minutes of “wow guys you don’t get it, we barely got it made!” *Proceeds to show them getting it made with little to no setbacks portrayed or documented…*
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Walt Disney vs the Project Management Triangle
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Que visionario que grabó todo el proceso y que shock que lo lograron en un año watafak.
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‘Look the guy has no regard for money. That’s not true. I have regard for money. There’s some people that sit and worship money as something you’ve got to have piled up in a big pile somewhere. I’ve only thought of money in one way. And that is to do something.’
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Such a peaceful type of documentary, just calming music playing behind old never before seen footage and nice voice overs of those involved in the creation of Disneyland. It was nice seeing it being built from the orange groves up.
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The 1950’s grain is so perfect. It’s amazing to see this footage, and realize how much was truly put into the dream of it all 🥹
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Aally 🪱 7 月 16, 2026
sometimes a girl’s gotta foam. it makes my head spin to think about how quickly it all came together—i’ve crashed out over doing much less in much more time. it’s a real treat whenever they show clips of the workers fucking around. a spiritual predecessor to DJN, where the freaky ass chimps throw that shit back on you crazy style
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ASMR, history, and enjoyment all in one. This was a lovely watch and to be able to see Disneyland before it was even built and how different it looks now was really interesting.
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even seeing all this footage clearer, sharper, and more colorful than i’ve ever seen it before and hearing the brilliantly crafted soundscape by the artists at skywalker sound, i still find disneyland, from its conception to its creation to its success, unfathomable. walt disney very famously said, “it’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” i hope this incredible documentary by the incomparable leslie iwerks reminds everyone of just how literal that statement was, is, and can be. for all of us.
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C
Actually loved the footage, but the choice to put imovie sound effects over what was obviously silent footage and NEVER address what you had done was silly
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J
A pretty chill collection of archival footage for what definitely did not seem like a pretty chill project. A Hearts of Darkness style dive into Walt would have been great but I don’t think that would have flown for Disney, this does the job. Any archival footage of the most important theme park ever is quality content for me. I don’t know how they did all that in a year, let alone have all the workers survive 1950s workplace regulation. There were audible gasps when that bulldozer toppled over.
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F
I feel like they left most of the meat and potatoes out. But hey, Disneyland is pretty sick am I right?
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M
Watching Disneyland being built and it’s completely magical.
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M
I’m generally pretty immune to whatever makes people go gaga about Disney, but this was an enjoyable Sunday afternoon dad documentary.
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G
Well produced with gorgeous footage, the doc doesn’t cover a lot of new ground but does act as an immersive step back through time. Particular thought has to go to the incredible sound design that effortlessly restored the silent footage to its most compelling state.
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Watching Disneyland rise from nothing should’ve been more exciting than watching another construction project. And yet… somehow, it still worked. This isn’t a documentary full of shocking revelations. It’s mostly delays, budget overruns, impossible deadlines, and people trying to build a dream before the money—or the patience—runs out. If you’ve ever watched a home renovation show, you’ve already got the vibe. It’s undeniably well made. Maybe even a little too well behaved. Everything is polished, informative, and… vanilla. But here’s…
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M
Walt Disney was just doing anything huh
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This lowk made the little kid in me so happy. Growing up I had this unhealthy obsession with Disney, especially the history, and this documentary had so much footage I haven’t seen before
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Eevan 7 月 11, 2026
they hated Walt Disneys broke crazy ass
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J
I always find early Disneyland footage riveting, and this more than delivers with fantastic behind-the-scenes stuff. Each time the countdown graphic popped up on screen — 10 months to opening, 5 months to opening, 4 months to opening — I felt actual anxiety that they might not pull it off. What a feat of resolve, creativity and ingenuity. Fun watch.
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Disneyland Handcrafted 2026 I thought it was brilliant.
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Magic Kingdom could never. (Also I need to see the California Adventure grand opening special)
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Walt Disney lies den Bau von Disneyland Filmen. Hier sehen wir diese Aufnahmen und höhren Stimmen von Beteiligten und Begleitern wie sie die 10 Monate des Baus empfanden. Es ist spannend diese Aufnahmen zu sehen und zu höhren was für unglaubliche Dinge gemacht wurden. Es ist aber auch ungewöhnlich keine Erzählstimme zu haben die einen führt.
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Quaint doc full of archive footage that really gives you the sense of making something massive.
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M
Get a Mickey shaped waffle and shove it down my throat immediately
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Footage was insane!
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Walt Disney was soms een beetje delulu… maar toch kwam hij uiteindelijk uit op de solulu.
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K
Walt is so lucky that he had found groups of incredibly talented people who were just as crazy as he was. This was an insane undertaking to build such an ambitious theme park like this and watching so much raw footage of everyone working on it was fascinating. That one guy sliding down the metal beam was nuts; that other guy almost becoming a pancake when that bulldozer tipped over was even crazier.
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9.2 / 10 Documentaries have always been my favorite type of movie, just like autobiographies are my favorite type of book, and this one really hit the mark. The fact that Walt Disney had the foresight to capture the construction of Disneyland through time-lapse footage and old Disney film archives gives you an incredible perspective on the engineering, craftsmanship, and sheer scale of what they accomplished. It’s hard to believe they built the very first Disneyland in just 10 months,…
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I really loved this, I just find the BTS fascinating and love the fact that the old footage exists. It’s wonderful
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I couldn’t pay attention to this for more than 15 minutes at a time if you paid me to
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J
Kinda wished they included some of the crazy ideas Walt wanted originally, like real animals in the Jungle Cruise, but I’ll settle for this
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Filmado na época da construção da disneyland
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M
Fantastic footage and sound design. OSHA hates it.
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People can drink Coke and Pepsi but they can’t pee in the street. While the archival footage was nice to see, don’t expect to learn much. I was hoping to hear more about the aesthetic choices or engineering challenges. Instead, it’s a lot of “We didn’t know if we could open in time. It was a lot of work and cost a lot of money” said in different ways.
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I fear I will be a Disney Adult when I’m older. Just a marvel to see a this archival footage from the opening of Disneyland. From the panoramic shots to the intimate moments this film shows you a remastered side of Disney history in a colorful way.
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RRyan McDuffie 7 月 3, 2026
Coincidentally watched this the day Disneyland welcomed its one billionth visitor, 8-year-old Andres Robles from Arizona.
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This is sure to be a treat for anyone who loves theme parks.
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C
An interesting concept, but at some point all the scenes of dirt and questionable construction work started to blur together.
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I hope to one day be as happy as Walt Disney is when he sees a train
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U
Damn, the archival footage in itself is fascinating.
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J
a park built on sheer determination and cigarettes
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V
Es increíble ver el proceso de cómo se creó el lugar más feliz del mundo y poder ver cuánto a cambiado
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W
Disneyland Hand Made is my exact kind of chill documentary: machines, dirt, wood, paint, gears, and imagination slowly bullying an empty patch of land into becoming Disneyland. There’s something incredibly relaxing about watching holes in the ground and handmade tricks turn into something someone would pay fifteen cents to see. It’s less slick Disney nostalgia and more process nostalgia — the magic is watching people physically build the magic. Very soothing. Very nerdy. Very “competent people making a fake jungle and somehow improving society.”
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I have never been so concerned for people’s safety but in awe of their craftsmanship
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CCL 6 月 24, 2026
Softball, but a lot of good moments
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Je retiens 2 choses : -les normes de sécurité des années 50 etais TRÈS banquale -ils leur a fallue seulement 1 an pour construire un parc de 65 hectares alors que aujourd’hui il leur faut 6 mois pour restaurer un pont ….
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TTeddy 6 月 24, 2026
Some magnificent colour photography!! Doesn’t offer much insight besides that, I’m in desperate need of a documentary or a book about the creation of Disneyland and Disney World that ISN’T made or funded by Disney themselves.
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Voix off du patron du parc Astérix *j’ai plus un rond nom de zeus ouvrez vite le parc ou j’vais être sandomicilfix*
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M
It was cool to see the park being built from the ground up, loved getting the lore and insight to that. However, still doesn’t justify that you basically need to take a small loan out to enjoy their parks. By design.
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Almost all the footage you’re seeing is authentic archival material from the construction of Disneyland between 1954 and 1955. The documentary was specifically crafted around newly discovered 16mm film reels and original audio recordings found in the Disney archives. Director Leslie Iwerks aimed to narrate the story primarily through footage and voices captured during that era, rather than relying on modern recreations. Since much of the original footage was silent, modern sound design was incorporated to enhance the experience. This…
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M
You know how right at the end of a Great British Bake Off challenge, the hosts say “10 minutes left!” and you start to go “holy FUCK they are never going to finish that cake in time!” and it’s a mad dash of creativity and panic to hit a deadline? Yet we still describe Bake Off as a “relaxing” show? Adam is frequently yelling at the contestants “OH GOD THERE’S NO TIME! JUST FROST IT!! FORGET ABOUT THE RIVER OF…
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So cool to see Disneyland being built from the ground up! I knew there were problems leading up to and on opening day but wow that was stressful to witness the footage😅 I’m glad Walt didn’t hold on to a pile of money and instead he pursued his dream and built this magical place. Now I wanna go back 😭 Time is crazy. ✨wheel spin: documentary • current year release
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SSamuel Lee 6 月 22, 2026
This was actually surprisingly an interesting watch. The fact they opened it in time is a miracle considering what it was like 5 months before opening. What’s even more of a miracle is that no workers or guests died considering the steps they must’ve skipped to open it on time. Still the most magical place on earth.
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Ssethtrei 6 月 22, 2026
Nice to rewatch after my first trip to Disneyland. Really pleasant doc that is just nice to hang out with. Pretty color grade and great foley. Wish there were more docs like this about the construction of iconic places
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B
It is an alright documentary; it basically covers the creation of Disneyland, using archival footage, and focuses on the ABC broadcast of the opening. My largest issue is that it doesn’t feel very informative, more of an excuse to release never-before-seen footage. It also goes over the major problems of the opening. Crazy to see Ronald Regan in it, though.
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Not one health nor safety was considered in the making of this theme park
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EEnrique Trejo 6 月 19, 2026
Qué bonito. Para mi Disneyland siempre será mi lugar especial
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👍🏽
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H
The most stunning archival footage I’ve ever seen
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i love disneyland but how did no one die building it?
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Des images magnifiques, assez saisissantes sur les conditions de travail déplorables des ouvriers américains dans les années 50. Le film fonctionne grâce à la force des archives exploitées, mais tout est trop appuyé avec une musique désagréable.
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Eem !! 6 月 16, 2026
WE USED TO HAVE CRAFTSMANSHIP! WE USED TO HAVE ARTISTRY! WE USED TO HAVE IRENE DUNNE!
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I
No shit, cómo se hizo Disneyland
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This is a very interesting Documentary done in a non-interesting way. Its entirely footage of the building of Disneyland, with some dialogue over it. While the footage is new, a lot of the information isn’t, and has been done before and better. This is only going to appeal to real hardcore Disney fans, or fans of construction. I’d say I’m a hardcore fan, but even I started to get bored with this. Its amazing footage, but its only of the…
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D
Super interesting!
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Kkataclysms 6 月 15, 2026
the score brought me right back to childhood at disney parks
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C
“I’ve only thought of money in one way. And that is to do something.” — Walt Disney Tight, well-crafted, and occasionally beautiful doc. Features some captivating archival footage and a lovely score. Watching this while holding my newborn daughter and I can’t help but get a little emotional.
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Watching this lit for the second time made a profound impression on me
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M
This doc doesn’t give any new information to anyone who has watched other Disneyland documentaries, but the archival footage is interesting to see (when they aren’t editing it into a million cuts) and includes many examples of exactly why OSHA was created lol The movie is not very ambitious. Personally, I loved seeing Disneyland built for the umpteenth time, but I think it could have used some footage of the park now to connect to modern times or more of…
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No sé cuántas infracciones de seguridad y salud en el trabajo he visto en este documental, jaja. Pero tremendo ver lo que la mano humana es capaz de hacer! Hermosooo
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B
OSHA nightmare fuel
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L
So interesting to see the making of Disneyland!
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behind the attraction was better.
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I am a Disneyland adult
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L
watching opening day footage makes me so nostalgic for something i never even experienced
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I’ve probably seen this story dozens of times now but I’m a sucker for theme park documentaries, so you know I’ll watch the next one
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V
Oddly beautiful. It’s a look at the artists, craftsmen, and engineers at work, as they turn a horrible swampy mess into goddamn DISNEYLAND, using nothing but $50, their bare hands, and some of the most janky looking machines you’ve ever seen. Watching it all come together is really amazing. The documentary wisely just lets the work speak for itself, with incredible footage and crisp sound bites. The access they had was amazing. And I mean the cinematography is genuinely modern-feeling…
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B
Really enjoyable, even though I already knew most of what happened. It’s nice to see different angles, footage and interviews about Disneyland being built and it’s first day.
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Walt Disney moving like an autism stereotype this whole documentary
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S
If there was only one kind of documentary topic that is perfectly catered to my sensibilities, it is a documentary about theme parks. I’ve travelled the world over and whenever I visit a new city, I will try and attend all of the theme parks they have to offer. Ever since I rode my very first high-speed Rollercoaster. I was hooked like a crack-addicted junkie. Only my high was the thrill of the theme park. When it comes to Disneyland…
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C
C’est un documentaire vraiment hyper intéressant, je ne regarde pas souvent de documentaires (à part des affaires de crimes) mais là c’était sur DISNEYLAND donc j’ai direct regardé !!! J’ai passé un super moment, c’était très captivant. J’ai vraiment comme objectif d’aller sur ce Park un jour, en tant que grande fan de DISNEYLAND PARIS. Surtout que celui ci est le premier que WALT a créé (et que je rêve d’aller au ETATS UNI). ⭐️ Enjoy your Movie ⭐️
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K
I wish the world still dreamed like this. | 👷♂️ • 🏰 • 🧑🧑🧒🧒 |
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S
Really cool look into the construction and process that went into making Disneyland that I found really fascinating all the way through. With it being primarily all archival footage, I thought that it did a really good job of immersing me into the timeframe and showcasing what it was actually like making it. It was also good at getting Walt’s vision across and an in-depth look into how he was thinking and what his thought process was. It was nice…
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Why we have OSHA: The Movie. Truly spectacular footage. Good reminder than nothing simply appears. Every detail in a theme park was conceived and created by people.
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D
I’m just such a sucker for any kind of archival Disney footage, especially the Parks kind
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T
I love how this intersperses the development of Disneyland with that final construction day. It was amazing and breathtaking to watch. My only complaint was that it I wish it had featured less voiceover and more talking heads. I do appreciate the non traditional documentary approach.
- Synopsis
- Oscar and Emmy nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks returns with an all-new Disney documentary giving viewers an up-close look at the dedication, effort, and passion that was required to realize a dream that would go on to inspire millions around the world.
- Director
- Leslie Iwerks
- Studio
- Iwerks & Co.
- Country
- USA
- Language
- English
- Year
- 2026
- Runtime
- 78 mins
- USA22 Jan 2026
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