Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Engaging behind-the-scenes docu about making of theme park.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Disneyland Handcrafted
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
DISNEYLAND HANDCRAFTED tells the story of the months of detailed and stressful construction of the popular Anaheim amusement park in 1955. With a set opening date planned for July of that year, dozens of workers came together to clear the land and build Disneyland out of nothing. Walt Disney faced criticism as well as bankruptcy in pursuing his dream of building a first-of-its-kind family entertainment park. The film uses archive footage of presentations by Disney as well as recorded interviews with key people involved in the park's design and construction to document the tension, excitement, hard work, artisanship, and ultimate success of their joint venture.
Is It Any Good?
This calmly paced, behind-the-scenes documentary will engage older audiences and Disneyland fans (of which there are, of course, many). Disneyland Handcrafted does a professional job showing the artisanship and dedicated work that went into the construction of the happiest place on earth. Director Iwerks, whose grandfather helped design Mickey Mouse, pulls from never-before-seen archival footage, here colorized, restored, and set to music, as well as voice-overs of people involved in the construction. It contributes to the film's focus and flow that we're not cutting away to talking heads.
It's also fascinating to see the day-to-day footage from 70 years ago and hear the firsthand accounts of the stress and excitement around the project. A female attendee of opening day acknowledges how uncomfortable the women were in their requisite pantyhose and high heels. Knowing how hard the craftspeople worked and that Disney himself was "scared" about the financial risk and potential lack of interest in his vision makes the success of Disneyland—900 million-plus visitors since opening day in 1955—that much sweeter.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what new information they learned about the plans and construction of Disneyland by watching Disneyland Handcrafted. How did Walt Disney demonstrate courage in following through on his vision for this amusement park?
The footage of the film is from 1955. What differences from today did you notice?
What struck you most about the designers, mechanics, craftspeople, and construction workers who contributed to building Disneyland? Would the timeline have been feasible without their teamwork?
Have you been to Disneyland? Does this film make you want to visit?
The director of this film is the granddaughter of the man who designed Mickey Mouse, Ub Iwerks. Where can you go to find out more information about him?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 22, 2026
- Cast : Walt Disney
- Director : Leslie Iwerks
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Disney+
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : History
- Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
- Run time : 78 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : February 6, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate