Leslie Iwerks Heads to the Walt Disney Archives in the Latest ‘Disneyland Handcrafted’ Documentary
While Disney+ is primarily known as the home of animated blockbusters, Marvel and Star Wars series, and young adult favorites like Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the streamer is also home to some of the best Disney Parks content ever created.
On January 22, Disney history buffs will finally get some new content when the highly anticipated Disneyland Handcrafted premieres.
Photo: Disney
The latest feature documentary from Leslie Iwerks, Disneyland Handcrafted, will explore the extraordinary artistry and grit it took to make Walt Disney’s dream a reality.
The feature will follow the creation of Disneyland from groundbreaking to Opening Day.
“Through newly unearthed materials from the Walt Disney Archives, Iwerks and her team uncovered long-forgotten 16mm film reels and audio recordings,” the documentary’s synopsis reads.
Photo: DisneyParksBlog
“The result is an unpolished, fly-on-the-wall perspective that captures what was truly happening behind the scenes, told through the firsthand accounts of the artists, craftsmen, and Imagineers who were there.”
A Visit to the Walt Disney Archives
With just two weeks to go until Disneyland Handcrafted debuts, Disney took to social media to share a new trailer for the documentary.
Photo: D23
In the clip, numerous artifacts from the Walt Disney Archives are highlighted. These include the iconic Disneyland sign and an opening day ticket book.
Photo: Also DisneyParksBlog
Other items, including Disneyland souvenirs and early promotional materials, are also previewed.
Watch the Trailer
To see what other treasures were unearthed, check out the video below.
Every artifact tells a story of imagination, innovation, and magic ✨🏰 Don’t miss the premiere of “Disneyland Handcrafted” when it debuts January 22 on @Disney YouTube and @DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/3zGSL075GK
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) January 8, 2026
Disneyland Handcrafted will debut January 22 on Disney+ and YouTube.
