Disneyland Handcrafted is the most fascinating documentary on Disney+ right now — here's why I loved it

06 Feb 2026, 00:30 · TechRadar

TechRadar Verdict

Disneyland Handcrafted provides a captivating, often shocking look at the people who turned a big dream into an even bigger reality.

Pros

+Plenty of fascinating archive footage
+Brings you closer to iconic rides and locations
+Gives you a new appreciation for the theme parks we now take for granted
+Short and easy to watch

Cons

-Walt Disney himself doesn't feature much which may disappoint fans
-Doesn't provide a comprehensive look, it's more of an abridged version

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In 2026, theme parks are a massive part of society. There are attractions all over the globe, competing to build the biggest and best rides to entertain thrill-seekers. They've become so successful that even Disney’s newest CEO comes from a park background, solidifying their importance in modern culture.

But back in 1955, the idea of a large-scale theme park like Disneyland in Anaheim, California, was seen as ridiculous, impossible, even. Such a feat had never been attempted before, and many people thought Walt Disney's dream was simply that, and could never be realized.

It's genuinely fascinating to watch all this unfold through Disney+'s new documentary Disneyland Handcrafted. I've been to a couple of Disney parks in my life, and I'll admit I might take them for granted at times. But imagine being there to witness the first-ever Disney park, built in just over a year? It's a remarkable achievement, and it's no wonder it's gone down in history.

I loved witnessing so many iconic attractions from start to finish, like the water ride Jungle Cruise and Mark Twain, which, at the time, was the first functional steamboat built in the US in 50 years.

There are some anxiety-inducing moments, too, as workers are seen climbing to great heights without the safety equipment we have today. The construction site for Disneyland looked nothing like modern-day ones, and it's so special to have all this archive footage preserving the process.

Disneyland Handcrafted is a love letter to Walt Disney's ambition and to the way he embraced television to spread the word about his theme park. He gave progress reports and marketed its development in a way that was groundbreaking back then, leveraging new technologies and ideas.

So many people worked hard to build Disneyland, from its attractions to Sleeping Beauty's castle, a huge structure that I'm constantly in awe of even now. Immersion was everything to make Disneyland a success; without an effective theme, it would've all fallen apart.

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