Leslie Iwerks | Disneyland Handcrafted | Walt Disney's Impossible Dream

Imagination Skyway

Matthew Krul

History, Places & Travel, Society & Culture, Kids & Family

4.9 • 846 Ratings

🗓️ 8 January 2026

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Disneyland Handcrafted documentary debuts January 22, 2026 on Disney Plus and Disney YouTube, and I had the extraordinary opportunity to interview filmmaker Leslie Iwerks at the Walt Disney Studios Lot in Burbank, California about her new film. "Disneyland Handcrafted reveals the extraordinary artistry and grit it took hundreds of craftspeople to bring Walt Disney’s impossible dream project of Disneyland to fruition – from groundbreaking to Opening Day on July 17, 1955." (Disney Plus). "An Oscar and Emmy nominated filmmaker, Leslie Iwerks comes from a family steeped in Disney legacy. The granddaughter of Ub Iwerks (Walt Disney’s original animator and designer/co-creator of Mickey Mouse) and the daughter of Don Iwerks (a Disney camera technician and inventor), Leslie is the producer and director of the new documentary film." (Disney Parks Blog) To plan a trip, be sure to work with KMV Travel. Get bonus content, ad-free episodes, and more at patreon.com/imaginationskyway. Tag me and join the conversation below. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imaginationskyway Instagram: www.instagram.com/imaginationskyway Facebook Group (ImagiNation): https://www.facebook.com/groups/imaginationskyway Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginationskyway TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@imaginationskyway Threads: https://www.threads.net/@imaginationskyway Twitter: www.twitter.com/skywaypodcast Email: matt@imagineerpodcast.com How to Support the Show Share the podcast with your friends Rate and review on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-imagineerpodcasts-podcast/id1244558092 Join our Patreon Group - https://www.patreon.com/imaginationskyway Purchase merchandise - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/imagineer-podcast?ref_id=8929 Enjoy the show!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Have you ever wondered how Disneyland was created? Well, today's episode is especially for you.
0:08.1	Welcome aboard Imagination Skyway, your guided tour through the worlds of Disney and
0:12.7	Imagineering. I'm your host, Matthew Kroll, and it's my job to explore the stories and places
0:17.9	we love and the people who bring them to life. Today's episode is a special one
0:22.5	because we're going to explore the story of the origins of Disneyland by interviewing Leslie
0:27.8	Iworks, who just created a brand new film called Disneyland Handcrafted, available on January 22nd
0:34.5	on Disney Plus and Disney YouTube. The story of the origin of Disneyland is an
0:39.5	incredible one, and Leslie has created something that is perfect for any Disney fan, or anyone who's
0:46.3	looking to be inspired by the story of the happiest place on Earth. As you fasten your seatbelt,
0:52.0	I encourage you to take out your mobile devices and
0:54.2	search for Imagination Skyway on your favorite social media app. And better yet, if you don't
0:58.9	already, be sure to subscribe on Patreon by heading to patreon.com slash Imagination Skyway for bonus episodes
1:05.7	and even more content that you can enjoy. And when you're ready to plan your next trip to any Disney destination,
1:11.6	reach out to our travel partners at KMV Travel by heading to KMVTravel.com slash skyway. As we begin
1:19.3	our journey, please remain seated. Keep your hands at arms inside the podcast at all times
1:23.3	and enjoy your journey aboard Imagination Skyway.
1:36.3	Leslie, thank you so much for joining me here at the Walt Disney Studios lot. It's incredible to get the chance to chat with you.
1:39.3	I know we have Disneyland Handcrafted releasing in just a few weeks.
1:43.3	I'm really excited to see it.
1:45.6	You covered Disneyland in the first episode of The Imagineering Story.
1:50.6	So what compelled you to dive deeper into the subject?
1:54.8	Well, because when we were making the Imagineering story, we found all this footage that
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