Today is the day. Disneyland Handcrafted is officially streaming on Disney+, inviting fans to step back in time and experience how Disneyland was built from the ground up.
Directed by Oscar® and Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks, the documentary offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the dedication, creativity, and collaboration that shaped Walt Disney’s original park. Using seldom-seen archival footage, the film traces Disneyland’s journey from concept to its historic Opening Day in 1955.
To mark the release, D23 published a companion blog highlighting the Disney Legends who appear in the film. Some are well known. Others worked quietly behind the scenes. All helped bring Disneyland to life.
The Disney Legends Featured in Disneyland Handcrafted
Below is a complete list of the Disney Legends featured in Disneyland Handcrafted, with a brief look at who they are and what they contributed.
- Milt Albright — Disneyland’s accounting lead who helped make the park financially workable and created the original Grad Nite program.
- Roger E. Broggie — Walt Disney’s original Imagineer and mechanical genius behind the Disneyland Railroad and early Audio-Animatronics.
- Harriet Burns — The first woman hired by Walt Disney Imagineering, shaping Sleeping Beauty Castle, New Orleans Square, and the Haunted Mansion.
- Bill Cottrell — First president of WED Enterprises who helped define attractions as immersive “experiences,” not rides.
- Marvin Davis — Master planner who worked closely with Walt on Disneyland’s layout, architecture, and visual identity.
- Roy E. Disney — Walt’s nephew who later revitalized Disney animation and carried the studio’s creative legacy forward.
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Bill Evans — The horticulturist who transformed orange groves into Disneyland’s lush landscapes, including Jungle Cruise.
- Joe Fowler — The Navy veteran Walt trusted to build Disneyland and later oversee construction of Walt Disney World.
- Blaine Gibson — Sculptor behind many classic Audio-Animatronics figures and the iconic “Partners” statue of Walt and Mickey.
- Harper Goff — Concept artist who shaped Main Street, U.S.A., the Jungle Cruise, and designed the Nautilus for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
- Bob Gurr — Legendary Imagineer responsible for Disneyland’s Monorail, Autopia vehicles, and the Matterhorn Bobsleds.
- John Hench — Creative visionary who helped design Tomorrowland, EPCOT, and served as Mickey Mouse’s official portrait artist.
- Richard Irvine — Founding leader of Walt Disney Imagineering who guided design of Disneyland’s classic attractions.
- Fred Joerger — Model maker and rockwork expert whose work shaped Pirates of the Caribbean and Big Thunder Mountain.
- Art Linkletter — National TV personality who hosted Disneyland’s live Opening Day broadcast in 1955.
- Bill Martin — Art director of Fantasyland and later a key designer of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
- Dick Nunis — Operations leader who helped define Disneyland’s guest experience and later ran Walt Disney World.
- Charlie Ridgway — Publicist who documented Disneyland’s construction and managed press for multiple park openings worldwide.
- Herb Ryman — Artist whose concept paintings defined Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle, and New Orleans Square.
- Marty Sklar — Creative leader of Imagineering for decades and the only person to attend every Disney park opening.
A Companion to the D23 Deep Dive
Disneyland Handcrafted tells the story of Disneyland through the people who built it. The D23 companion article expands on each of these Legends with additional history and insight.
For fans who love Disney history, the documentary and D23’s deep dive pair perfectly together.
Disneyland Handcrafted is now streaming on Disney+.
