Before Disneyland was magical, it was risky, rushed and unfinished. And before it became a destination, it. Was built by hand. This week I'm honored to welcome filmmaker Leslie Iwerks for a powerful conversation about Disneyland Handcrafted, a documentary using only archival footage that lets us experience how Disneyland was built under pressure, with craftsmanship, belief and no guarantees. I'll also share my full review and discussion with my guest, Adam Bankhurst from Ignition after attending the world premiere on the Walt Disney Studios lot, and why this film will change how you walk through Disneyland. This isn't just about Disney history or nostalgia. It's about the reality of what it. Took to build Disneyland in less than a year and the people who made the dream come to life. Hello, my friend, and welcome to WW Radio, your guide to the Disney parks and experiences from around the world. I'm Lou Mongello and this is show number 853. And whether this is your first time listening or you've been with me for more than 20 years, welcome back and welcome home. Don't forget to be part of the community and conversation over in the clubhouse@www.radio.com clubhouse. Watch and chat with me this and every Wednesday night at 7:30pm Eastern for WWE Radio Live on Facebook and YouTube. And get a weekly dose of Disney in your inbox. Plus a free gift when you subscribe to my newsletter updates@www.radio.com Newsletter and when you're ready to plan your next Disney vacation, visit. And more importantly, trust my friends over at Mousefan Trav for completely free expert planning from the people that I've relied on for more than 18 years to make every trip seamless, unforgettable, and truly magical. So let's go ahead and get right into it. I am excited and honored and grateful to be able to share my conversation with Leslie Iwerks with you. It took place in Burbank, California on the Walt Disney Studios lot. That is not lost on me to be to have this conversation in such a special place where since 1939 the true magic has been made. I then from there went to Disneyland for a couple days to do research on A slightly secret project. And it was a remarkable two days I spent by myself, really sort of taking in the atmosphere of Disneyland. I did not ride a single attraction, but just took the time to take in the sights and the sound. Yes. And the tastes of Walt's park. And then was invited back to the studios for the blue carpet premiere of Disneyland Handcrafted. And to be able to watch that film in that theater, surrounded by true Disney legends, in a place that I know Walt and his animators and imagineers screened countless films, really just punctuated an incredible few days where I was able to be so deeply immersed in Disney history and the people that continue to make the dreams a reality. So after my conversation with Leslie, it would go right into my review of Disneyland Handcrafted and my conversation with Adam Bankhurst from ign. And I need to start off with an apology for the audio quality or the way I feel, sort of lack thereof. And in the interest of full transparency, because you are my friend, there was a technical issue on my end. I didn't catch it until after we were done recording, which is a total rookie mistake. And I did the best that I could over a few hours of trying to repair and recover the audio as much as possible. So I asked for your patience and understanding, and hopefully, more importantly, you take away the essence of our conversation rather than what I continue to hear as the audio issues. And I also decided that because I want the conversation really to focus solely on my conversation with Leslie and Disneyland Handcrafted, I'm gonna skip the trivia contest this week. I'll push it back one week so you have one extra week to answer the question and enter for a chance to win a Disney prize package. And I hope that you enjoy my interview with Leslie and conversation with Adam as much as I did having those discussions, and again, the privilege of being able to both of them with you before. Disneyland Handcrafted debuts on Disney and on YouTube on January 22nd. So I hope that you enjoy the show, and if you do, please rate, review and share it with a friend. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WW Radio show.

To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here, age relives fond memories of the past, and here, youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. Thank you.

Disneyland has been talked about, written about, analyzed, and celebrated. For more than 70 years. And we often talk about what it became, the magic, the memories, the moments. But far fewer times do we get to talk about the story, about how it was made. Because before Disneyland was a destination, it was a dirt lot. And before it was magical, it was risky, Rafour was polished, it was loud and chaotic and rushed and unfinished and extremely handcrafted. And my guest today has spent her career telling the stories that live behind the curtain. Leslie Iwerks is the Academy Award nominated filmmaker, the creator of the Imagine Ring story, which I love, by the way, and someone whose personal and professional history is deeply intertwined in Disney itself. And her latest documentary, Disneyland Handcrafted, draws more from than 100 hours of as yet unseen footage to show us how Disneyland was created. Not about the mythology, but really as a lived experience. And it's not just about nostalgia. It really is about intention and pressure and craftsmanship. Leslie, it is an absolute honor to meet you and especially to be able to chat with you in such a special place.

Thank you. I'll say. And that was really well stated.

Thank you. I have been an admirer of your work and your family's work and your history for a long time. You come from a family whose fingerprints are all over not just this place, but Disney as a whole. Your grandfather obviously was of Iwerks, who helped really sort of define Disney's visual language, and your dad, Don, helped capture how those stories were told. You've talked in the past about that legacy and how sort of the access that you have had brings a bit of responsibility. And you've taken that responsibility and told the imagineering story, and now Disneyland handcrafted. And I have to get a sense that there isn't just a sense of that personal interest, but like you said, that responsibility in carrying on, in this case, finding and sharing those stories.

Yeah, I think the responsibility comes from doing these projects well and living up to the. The authenticity of them, of the real history. And in this case of Handcrafted, it really was about taking all this footage that we. That we found some of it that's been seen on, you know, on the TV shows, but a lot of little moments and scenes that I've never seen, never seen anywhere, and really bringing those to life in a narrative structure in a way that the audience can watch it and feel it and feel the pressure of what it must have been like to build that park in less than a year. And with this footage, when we found it, it came in reels, we had them transferred and they were almost like Work prints where you got scenes all over the place and you didn't know what was what and you had to cut it up and start, you know, almost like forensically piecing it together based on what plot of land is this and what direction are we pointing this time lapse camera, you know, what is it shooting and what time frame was it in? And we were able to get the, you know, really sit with it and sort of figure it out. But then ultimately we got support from like, Tony Baxter and Don Han and Tim o' Day and Jonas and Pete. Jonas Rivera, Pete Docter and Tom Morris, who are my brain trust to, to sort of look at some of these cuts and say, okay, is this, does this feel like it's in the right order? Does anything seem in the wrong spot or out of place? And for the most part, we were, we were pretty accurate. It, you know, some of them were stumped you a little bit. But overall it was cool to, to see it now in a, in a chronology that you, you land in one land and then you can kind of see its evolution. And then once we had that visually all put together, we then started looking for sound bites. And we scoured, you know, hours and hours, hours of archival transcripts, audio transcripts of people that were there on the ground. Only first person, no talking head, no interviews. We did no filming or interviews for this. It was just all found footage. And I think that was what made it unique. Indifferent. We, you know, it's easy to say, okay, pull this together and then cut away to a still photo or somebody telling you something more about that moment. But we didn't want to do that. We just wanted you to, to live in almost experiential, experientially live through it and, and hear what these people are saying and feel it more than anything. So that was, that was fun to do. And, and then from there, you know, it was about, how do you bring the silent footage to life? Because it was all silent. And so we did a layer of audio editing with sound effects and everything. You know, it was kind of rough, but it was important for me and all of us to bring a real authenticity to this and to make sure that it felt like of the era. And you might not think that like the sound of a saw or a hammer or a tractor truck or what have you matters, but it does. I mean, we went to great lengths to get sound effects from the 50s, you know, and from the, from that era. And then ultimately the foley artists of Skywalker. And by the way, our mixer was Bonnie Wilde, and she's phenomenal. And she. There's a Foley artist at Skywalker who basically spent an entire day with her team recreating these sounds directly in sync to picture. And you would not know that this was not shot with audio on the day, you know, that one of these cameramen has filmed it.

So there's a couple things there. So one, the fact that there was such foresight for someone to say, you know, we should really sort of chronicle exactly what's going on here. Just get this sort of background action even with no audio being taken. But, you know, you keep talking about how you found this footage. And I want to pause there for a second because I want to know, like, how did that actually happen? And then what was your. I get the feeling from even the short clip that I saw of Disneyland handcrafted. Tell me about sort of your emotional response to finding this footage and then starting to be able to comb through it.

Well, so when we were doing the imagineering story, we had asked the film archives, can you give us, you know, behind the scenes footage of, you know, the making of Disneyland or the making of Walt Disney World, any behind the scenes of all these. These parks. Right. And they, they had sent us a ton of footage that we got and we went through. And I know that some of this has been seen on the web before and. And I know Tony Baxter has shown quite a bit of it out there as well. But there were a lot more. There was a lot more than I'd ever seen anywhere. And so that's what we focused on. We focused on the stuff we hadn't seen before. Of course there's going to be footage that, you know, are more establishing sh. Plans and things like that you kind of want to show. But what, what really impressed me were some of these scenes of the. Of the people in the park working, like pulling the Mark Twain and trying to get that in and working on the. On the river to hand. Hand building the train track. And it wasn't just about showing like a quick clip. It was about finding this. The shots within a scene that weren't always all together on these work prints that we got. Like, let's take for example, the, you know, the. Just the railroad track alone. There were so many different angles of that scene. And so what we did was we created it as if it was. Those cameramen shot it for somebody to edit like they imagined it to be. And no one's ever done that. And so what was so cool is I felt like when we really sat with this footage and started editing it together as it was a scene. A wide shot, a tight and over the shoulder, a low angle, a tight shot of the, you know, hammering of the nail. These things, you know, have never been edited together in a way that you could watch it as a scene. And that's what was the magic of what we did, you know, what we were able to find and piece together. And then to have the. We also had this amazing composer, Cyrus Reynolds, who I really said, I want this to feel like hand forged music. Like, I want it to feel heavy and like this is like the building of this amazing thing. And I want us to feel that pressure in the music. And he even used instrumentation. They. They scored this in Budapest with a whole orchestra and they use sound effects in the instrumentation that sounded like the clanging of the, you know, of the railroad iron, you know, the track. So it seamlessly, the music seamlessly integrates into the sound effects of. Of that. So that was kind of just some of the tricks that we really tried to bring to this to make you feel like you were. You're immersed in it. And then of course we, we mixed it in 5.1 and Dolby Atmos. And you know, Dolby Atmos is just when you're at Skywalker and you're mixing the hammering in the speakers behind you. I really wanted the audience to feel that they're sitting in the park and that they can hear it, everything going on around you. So all those little pieces are what kind of make. Makes it a fun theatrical experience.

Yeah, and I'll say it is. It's going to feel like that on something that I don't want to watch certainly on my phone or on my laptop. I want to watch it in my living room with surround sound because I think there's a feeling of being there. I think the sound has so much to do with. And I have to imagine as a filmmaker, there's both challenges and more importantly, I think opportunity with taking that unpolished footage as opposed to taking something that somebody had sort of laid out and scripted and storyboarded because it gives you sort of the creative freedom to help put those stories together. But you find this footage and correct me if I'm wrong, you find all this incredible footage. But it was somebody else who came to you and said, leslie, you need to make this into a documentary.

Well, actually, what happened was we were looking at all this footage when we were doing Imagineering Story. And my editors and I, Mo Stobe and Mark Catalina, they were. They were the ones that said, you know, maybe we could, we could make this just complete verite footage and do it chronological so you're sitting in it and without interviews and all that, talking heads. And I'm like, that's a great idea. Let's do that. Let's do a proof of concept and let's, let's share it with Disney. And that's what happened. We had a seven minute proof of concept that we cut together. And some of it had sound and some of it didn't. And you could really see, once sound effects were added to it, it really brought to life. Was brought to life. And then once you added the audio sound bites on top of that, that's really what helped to give it structure and meaning and emotion. And then we, we pitched that to Disney plus and they said, this is great. Marjan Giovanni, who was at Disney plus then, really believed in it and shepherded a development phase of it, which we got to like a 70 minute cut. But it was still rough. It was just a rough cut with not many audio bites or anything. And then the project kind of went on hold for a while with, you know, for whatever reasons, restructuring and things. And so it sat on the shelf and until the day I met with Jason Wrecker at Disney and Jason said, send me a link. And I sent him a link and he was like, this is insane. This is so good. And we need to make this. And it should come out for the 70th anniversary of Disneyland and we should just really make sure the world remembers what it took to, to build this park. So I was thankful that, you know, as an artist, as a filmmaker, you can create all the projects you want, but it takes somebody within a system institution like Disney to say, I believe in that. Let's get it, let's get it made.

A very wise man talked about it takes people to make the dream a reality. And clearly this was a project not just of you, but somewhere that put it together. And speaking of Walt, you know, we've heard stories of opening day and what that was like, but you call this the ultimate story of risk. And I really love the perspective of looking at Walt in terms of the enormous amount of pressure that I cannot fathom he was under. But from the few clips I did see, we didn't see a lot of that. We saw Walt smiling, saw Walt having fun. We saw the dreamer and the doer talk about this, the pressure and what you were able and what we, as who get to see it, are going to sort of understand about this abstract and physical and Audible and sort of constant pressure that Walt and the team was on.

So, okay, so once he signed the deal with abc, they basically shook hands and said, this is going to be within a year. This has to be built. We're announcing it mid summer 1955. And that was it. So he had to marshal all his teams, all his people, under his singular vision to bring this to life, to bring this virtually impossible dream to life. And that's what he did. And he drove, drove, drove hard on everybody to get this done. And what I found fascinating when some of these sound bites was at first person interviews was that they didn't have it all baked in right at the beginning. They were doing it as they went. They were evolving. And it was. Saw a lot of trial by fire, a lot of new ideas coming in late in the game. And even I was shocked to learn that Tomorrowland was so late, like, like months before the park opened. And, you know, I just don't even know how they do that. You can't even remodel a kitchen in a year now. So to think that they built an entire, basically a city within a city in less than a year, that was incredible.

That's something that had never been done before too.

Right.

And I love, I love the title. I love the fact that it's handcrafted. I love that you show so many of the craftsmen and artists that put, to put to put this together who are using their skills and their experience. My hope is that somebody is going to see this, watching it with their kids and go, that's your grandfather. That's your grandfather who's helping to paint this area, to help put this together. I love the fact that there is also attention and focus on the individual and collective workers whose names we've never heard before, we might never get to know, but just how important they were in terms. In terms of making this dream a reality.

Yeah, I mean, it really was a team effort. And when you think about Walt's idea to create a place of happiness for families to come to and the impact that it's had all these years, I don't know another site on the planet that is such a pilgrimage site for so many people over, you know, over time, meaning, you know, children. And then they. Those children experience it, then they get older and teenagers and adults and now with kids and then. And then those grandchildren that they bring. And then ultimately it's. It's all over again. Then there's this energy around a Disney experience at a park that is unlike anything else. And I think Walt really knew that and he told his designers. You know, I want, I want to ask you that there's nothing more important than no matter anything you do that I ask you to do. The main thing I want is a smile on their faces when they leave this attraction, when they leave this park. And that, to me, is what a great gift for a CEO to. That's his goal, you know, that people have a smile when they leave.

I absolutely love the fact that you called Disneyland as the blueprint for happiness. And more importantly, that Walt is the original seed that this all grew from. Was there anything that you maybe learned or took away about Walt from this or that you hope that we who get to watch this will take away from it?

I think that it's the ultimate risk that he took. It was a high wire act of, you know, finance and reputation. If it had failed, he would have lost his reputation. He would have lost a lot of money. And I think, you know, I'm in awe of the risk that he took for the betterment of human humanity, that this. He died, you know, about 10 years later and look what he left for Everybody. You know, 12 parks around the world that continue to get better and better and better and more exciting for new generations of people. And I'm just honored that I was able to take this footage with my team and build something that the world can see and appreciate in a new way, appreciate Disneyland in a new way, and appreciate what Walt did, what he sacrificed to bring it to life.

I think that's what's gonna happen. I'm going to Disneyland tomorrow. And I know just based on a little I've seen, I'm going to look at it differently. And I think that the long term impact that this is going to have on guests generationally who go to Disneyland is going to be very, very profound. I think what you captured and what you're able to put together is absolutely beautiful. And again, like you said, is a blueprint for happiness. Thank you so much for continuing to preserve Walt's story and the Craftsman story and the Disneyland story for all of us who are guests and trusting us with this sort of unpolished truth that, you know, put together in Disneyland and Crafton. So this guy works. Thank you so much for your time today.

Thank you. Thanks for coming all the way out here.

I would not have missed it.

Cool.

God, I have so many. Fine. You have so much, Leslie. We need more time together. In what was an incredible way to punctuate a remarkable personal week for me, both at the studios and At Disneyland, I was also invited to not just interview Leslie Iwerks, but also attend a world premiere back on the Walt Disney Studios lot. If I could go back in time and tell seven year old Lou Mongello that those words are going to come out of his mouth one day, he would not believe me. And while it was an experience I will never forget, I also wanted to share my review of Disneyland had crafted with you. And before it premieres on Disney on January 22nd, second market calendars. And in doing so, I want to do it a little bit differently, I think, than a typical Disney documentary recap or even new movie or Disney plus series premiere. Because Disneyland Handcrafted isn't just showing us what happened. It's showing us in very real, tangible, historical ways how something becomes real through craftsmanship and pressure and an enormous amount of, as it happens, problem solving. I think there's some lessons we can all take away from this and I think it's also quietly asking us what we've preserved as the parks have evolved and maybe how we can even look at Disneyland a little bit differently next time we visit. And I also decided that I did not, cannot, should not do this alone. So I brought in somebody who I not only shared this experience with, but a fellow band friend. And really he's just an all around nice guy. I want to welcome for the very first time, hopefully not the last, Adam Bankhurst from IGN and the Talking Disney Magic podcast. It is good to see you again, buddy.

It's such a pleasure, Lou. I've been a fan of WDW Radio and your work forever and finally being able to become your friend, I'd like to say. And we shared a big journey to Germany and did all this stuff together and it's been such an honor to be able to experience this with you. And this was one of those other moments where I had really a great honor of sitting next to you during this premiere and doing this. And I always talk to people that the real magic behind Disney is the people behind Disney and that includes the media and the people we work with. And being in one of these incredible moments sharing it with you made it even 100% more special. So such an honor to be able to share that and this with you. Thanks for having me.

Well, thank you, Roland.

I appreciate it.

Yeah, like we, I'm trying to think like, I mean was, I think Poppenberg was the first time. We may have been like in the same route other things before, but that was the first. And the bromance blossomed Very, very quickly, at least from my perspective. But then we did that. We did Catino.

There was a lot of home. Catino. Right? There we go. We're closing soon.

Our big job, like the 70th in Destination D23 in Beacon Ballet. And like you, you know, I instantly felt, you know, this friendship and kinship with you, because I think we see a lot of things the same way. And to be able to share those and this experience with you, which, you know, I kept on seeing it as I was there, I was like, clearly, I'm gonna get abducted by aliens, because I don't know what I did to deserve to be on this lot at this time and have such a remarkable, memorable experience. Cause I think before we even talk about the film, I think context matters, like, where we were and who we were surrounded by and what it felt to experience this story in that setting. I don't think it shaped how I received it, but it certainly made it much more special. And I've been very fortunate to visit the Walt Disney Studios lot before on our WW Adventures by Disney. But something was different about this. It just felt different. Tell me about, for you, what it was like getting to that lot and stepping onto that lot for the first time that night.

Yeah, it was so. This was my first time on the lot. I had the. It was very surreal. Like, you're walking in, you first drive in, and you see the Mickey water tower there, and you're walking through the lot, and you just look to your right, and there's the archives, and there's the old animation building, and just the people we were there from, you know, old presidents and imagineers and just different people that have shaped all these things that we love and cherish and hold so dear to us. And I think one of the most special things, and you kind of hit on this, too, was that the people who created this documentary and a lot of this were there. So, like, when we were in the documentary and Clinton, like, in the theater where, like, so many incredible films have been screened and things have happened, and we were clapping and cheering, we weren't just clapping for the screen. We were clapping for the people, for Leslie Iwerks, for the people who brought this to life. And I think that's what makes it so special, because we love and celebrate these things, but it's very rare that we get to really let the people know how much we appreciate what we did. And I think that really made it something even more special where it wasn't just, like a screening. It was something where we could really show how much we appreciate what they did and what they made and how special of a piece history this is. It was a very surreal night in so many ways.

I know. I mean this sincerely. I got to the lot by myself and I saw Friend of Mine and then I walked over to where this was happening and I saw all these true Disney legends coming into the blue carpet. I mean, it was like a real Hollywood movie premiere event. And I'm standing there talking to myself because I'm a lunatic and I'm like, what are you doing here? Somebody is going to realize you are not supposed to be here. Mongello. And take that credential, escort you off the lot. But I love, to your point, seeing these people, Leslie included, right from the imagineering story and the Pixar story here, whose work we have known and appreciated and enjoyed for so long, so genuinely excited, even, like they had that same sort of excitement, I think, that we did being at that place. Like, Adam, when we went into that theater, I'm like, could you imagine the people who have been in here, Walt being in here screening movies, going back to the very beginning and we get to sit in the same very seats and screen something. Again, this review is not about you and I and our, like, nerd out, like fanboy moments. But it was, and I was so, like, it was and continue to be every day, like, grateful for the privilege of being there. Being able to see this, then connecting it to today, being able to share what we did and more important than our thoughts about the film with you.

Yeah, 100%. And just one more thing to add on to that. Like you said, it's so much more than just a film. It's so much more than just a place. It's a history. It's a company that's been around for over 100 years. Disneyland, over 70 years. And like you said, we see these people that are just as excited as we are. And it really does make a difference and makes the hard work and the efforts that we put in to cover this thing that we love so much. That's why we do it. Because we're not just covering a movie. We're covering people. We're covering dreams. We're covering hardships and failures and people coming over adversity. And you can feel that when you walk through these halls and sit with these people. And that's what I think made this just so incredibly special. Yeah.

Yeah. When I left that night, I was like, I need to text Becky from Mouse Fan Travel. Like, I think we need to do five more Disneyland. And I still call it backstage magic like Disneyland, Southern California Adventures by Disney so that people have the opportunity to come together and come step foot on this lot. Because it really is a special place. That theater is a very special place. And you know, when it comes to the film, I also sort of felt the same thing. Right. Leslie's work and forget just family legacy, but her work perceives itself. I think the maturing story is absolutely brilliant. And I think we were even talking about this on a lot of. I think unfortunately it almost got. It didn't get the attention that it deserved because it launched with Disney. I know. I was just so excited about Disney itself and this fire hose of Disney history and series and movies, things like that. It didn't get something like this. The imagineering story didn't get. And I think what's going to happen, and I hope what's going to happen is Disneyland Handcrafted is going to turn the attention of over to the imagineering story. And my hope is that it's going to be so well received once again that it prompts Disney and Leslie to say we need this series to continue and go on with the season two.

Yeah, without a doubt. I mean this. I think the imaginary story, like you said, it came out with a lot of other things, a lot of episodes. Disneyland Handcrafted, it's more of a shorter experience. It's also going to be on YouTube which I think will be really interesting. And I think what's so special about this film is it really lets you live in Disneyland in the 50s. It really is like a time machine or a portal. And they don't cut away to talking heads. They don't do a lot of that. They really let you sit in the good and the bad of all this. And I kind of. There's a lot of people who love watching like World of War in color or these other things where like you get to see something and experience it because you always see clips. But it's very rare you get to live in a time like this. And I think that's. It's really remarkable how they captured. I think it was like over 200 reels of rarely or never before seen footage and putting it together. And I think one of the most incredible pieces is that it was all silent film. Like they went to Skywalker Ranch and recreated all the construction sounds and banging in the nails and doing all these things. So when you hear it, that's more handcrafted. That's why the title's so perfect because they really made it so you can feel like you were there when it was happening.

Yeah, I found myself in a lot of different fields all along the entire sort of journey of watching this documentary. Somebody asked me how long it was. I said, I have no idea. I was not even conscious of how long it was because it was just the right length. Like it didn't feel too big or too small or too. Or too long. But I was so like deep into it and it's. And I. I'm looking forward to see it again because I think you almost have to, because I was sort of like reflecting on how did this film sort of land overall emotionally, right from what surprised me, how it felt different. And you sort of know right from the outset that it's going to be something not just different, but something special. And to your point, using only the archival footage. Look, I've been a Disney history nerd since, I mean, I'm still the same height now, but since I was a. And we've never seen most of this before. We've never heard a lot of these sounds before. And I loved the foresight that Disney had to say, you know, we need to make sure we chronicle this. And I think like the building of Disneyland itself, they just sort of let these guys go out and just capture everything in it. And the fact that it never got put together into something until now makes it even more special. Getting to see this in 2026.

Yeah, and there's a lot of the whole thing. I think one of the most amazing things about all this too is how this was done in one year. And there were probably like, maybe a few safety issues or like concerns. Like there's literally people climbing up steel beams without, without any harnesses. You know, people using construction vehicles in a funny way, construction vehicles tipping over. It's just like, how did nobody die? How some serious things happened exists back and forth. Seriously, it's mind blowing that these incredible, incredible group of people came together and built this. And I'm so glad they finally get the spotlight because sure, we may never know their names, but now we know more of their story and what it took. Because we love Disneyland. We love the magic, but the making of it is just as magical. It's just. It's really mind boggling that this thing was made in the time it was made, in the way it was made.

Yeah, I think we, and I think that's what this brings home. We talk about sort of the mythology of building Disneyland, but now we actually get to see how it Happens. And look, I'm a huge fan and student of studying Walt, just not in terms of Walt Disney the filmmaker, but Walt Disney the entrepreneur and the risk taker. And you really get to get a sense. And again, that feeling of Disneyland as risk, not this inevitable outcome. And it shows that it was very uncertain and very fragile. And under immense pressure, it reframed for me or maybe even sort of more solidified for me. Not just Disneyland, but Walt in terms of this act of sustained belief under pressure. Leslie calls it this ultimate story of risk. And when we watch these things, Adam, I think we sometimes watch a lot of different eyes. We need to see the literal and figurative big picture. But I was watching not just the nameless people that I said when I talked to Leslie that I hope that somebody's watching with their kids and go, that's your grandfather. And connect stories to who these people are. But I thought a lot about Walt, and this is not a film about Walt, but we do see him a number of times. And when we do, we see him smiling in front of the camera, even though we know he's under this inordinate amount of pressure. And I think that's an important contrast that Leslie shows. Like, it shows the factual evidence of the mythology of just Walt, of how much he put in there. But I will tell you, going back to, like, feeling the way the documentary is crafted is that it's sort of a countdown right from a year out, which, again, sounds unbelievable. But as she's getting down to three months and two months, I'm having, like, an anxiety attack. I'm like, there's no. And I know how the movie ends. There's no way you are going to finish this. Like, thank God you're sitting next to me because I grabbed your arm. Like, you know, look like the schoolgirl in the 50s watching a monster movie. So I was like, they're not going to fishes and dime. It was. It shows in a real, tangible way the kind of creative risk that we don't see. Certainly not in modern corporate storytelling.

Yeah, 100%. And I think the thing about Walt, like, I'm the same type of nerd that you are about Disney history and doing stuff. And I think what is so amazing about Walt's story is that he had a lot of failures and he was open about it. And just like you hear the story, like, everyone who had successful is a failure. And I think there's a great quote by Walt about everyone should have a good failure when they're young. But the difference between Walt and why he succeeded is because he never gave up. When there were issues, when there were problems, when everybody doubted him, he didn't take that as, like, a stopping point. It was just another obstacle. And I think what's so special, like, he. He was a master at telling a story and turning a story. Like, there's always this famous quote about how Disneyland will never be finished. And a lot of that came about because it really wasn't like when it opened, like people. Women's heels were getting stuck in the. In the. In the. In the ground. Mark Twain riverboat was sinking and teacup cups were breaking and all these things. But Walt kind of took that story and turned it into something inspirational. And I think he had another quote where he was talking about money. How, like, you know, a lot of people pile up money and do it, but I like spending it and using it. And you could also tell that was also maybe because he went. He almost went broke a lot of times doing this stuff. He put everything on the line, but he didn't give up, and he didn't let these things stop him. And he inspired people and made things happen. And I think that's one of the most inspirational things besides seeing Disneyland come to life. It's showing the power of humanity and resilience and perseverance. And that's so much on display just as much as we see some of our favorite attractions being built.

Yeah. You know, there's the quote Walt Disney said, you know, Disneyland will never be complete as long as their imagination left door has. I think you probably said that multiple times. Like, Disneyland is never going to. We are never going to get this finished in time. And I think I said to you after the film, you know, we talk about what pressure feels like. And, you know, we all go home at night and we lay in bed. Sometimes we think about the thing that we're worried about, or our kids or the job or, you know, this one thing that. Could you imagine what it was like for Walt two months beforehand? And they're not even. You cannot even envision how they're going to get this done. And all of the workers and all the pressure and all the money and all. And it's something that happened, you know, from. Look, Walt was turned down for financing for Disneyland literally hundreds of times. And even as it's sort of coming to fruition, it doesn't look like it's getting done. Like, it reframed for me, what real pressure really is. Like, I slept a little bit better. That, like, you don't have Pressure. Imagine what it was like for Walt in, you know, April and May as he's counting down. And he has this very hard deadline of when this park is going to open. Not just for him, but for the entire world to see.

Yeah. And, you know, he set this deadline himself. He said, we have a year to do this. We're gonna make it. And he stuck to it. And he took all the things in stride, like I said, People doubting him, things happening. And I think it's like, you come to think of it, like one of the more famous stories about Disneyland is how Walt had to choose between running toilets or drinking water. Like when the park was gonna open. Like, imagine having to make that decision. And he obviously chose toilets. Cause he's like, we can't peen in the streets. And then they know. He got a lot of flack for saying that he was trying to push Coke or Pepsi or whatever it was. But he think of how many decisions he must have to make on the fly, doing that. Just holding on to his belief. And it's incredible that they were, like I said, able to make this, make this be done. And I think you said it perfectly. It really puts in perspective pressure and putting this thing. But like I said, that resilience of, like, there may be a roadblock, but let's not let that stop us. Let's find a way. There's always a way. And that's what Walt and this. This story proves.

And look, it takes people to make a dream reality. And I really applaud Leslie for the focus of this film not being on Walt. He's not in this a lot. Relatively speaking. The focus is on people and the craftsmanship. And the focus is on the people. We don't really normally talk about the builders, the craftsmen, the problem solvers who literally shaped Disneyland by hand. And again, I think handcraft is such a brilliant thing. And I think there was probably a lot of basic idea of what to go out and do. And there was a lot of sort of individual and collective problem solving that was happening on the ground without sort of going back and having meetings and blueprints and things like that. Like, you just figured out and get it done. Was there a moment for you while watching that really captured the idea that Disneyland was, quote, unquote, handcrafted?

Yeah, I think it's kind of a small moment, and I think it's the perfect. And it was also placed perfectly. But it was when that giant. There's a giant rocket that got erected up in Tomorrowland. I forget what that retraction was called. Do you remember what that was called?

Yeah, the twa, the rocket to the. Yeah, yeah.

So, yeah, when the big rocket was put up and you get to see one of the workers, he was holding the top, like, the nose top of the rocket, and he was, like, polishing it, and then he climbed up with, like, socks so he didn't scuff the rocket. You put it up, and then you kind of see it being raised up and put up. And that was kind of such a big moment because, like, throughout, like I said, throughout the whole film, you're like, how is this going to be done? How is it going to happen? But that was one of those moments that I bet the team was like, we're doing it. We're getting it done. This is, like, such a big milestone that we got this. And not only do we see this big rocket, but we got to see this gentleman, which I wish I would know his name to be, like, thank him to the heavens. But to see what he did, how he just climbed up this rocket like it was nothing and just screwed in this piece that would now become iconic. And this whole thing was just filled with such little moments of these people that it just was another day. But they just were so meticulous about making every piece perfect and making sure everything worked. And I think that was a really special thing because that was also right before we jump to opening day and get to live in what it was like being there and seeing it from the people's perspective. And I thought that was just a really striking moment that captured it for me.

Yeah, I keep thinking it's a Michael Eisnerism, where he talks about everything, speaks, and I view the world like that, and I try and teach my kids and I teach momentum and things like that, the importance of how every detail matters. The thing that you are going to see is not all the light bulbs that are on. You're going to see the one that is off. And you can see every single one of these workers had that same level of intentionality and detail. Like the way that they polished the thing that nobody would ever get to see close up. The way that they were doing paint for or shadowing or aging of something that would be, you know, dozens, if not hundreds of feet away from a guest. But it was important that they spent that extra time, usually with a cigarette hanging out of their hand.

Has a lot of cigarettes, very, very.

Few safety restraints in place. The fact that they all cared so much, and you can see that that level of care is put into it. And it doesn't just come from the top, but it trickles all the way down. I think seeing the workers like that changed the way I think about the word. Like imagineer. And there were so many details and tasks that I saw that made me say, I can't believe somebody did this by hand. Right when they were pulling the mark twain, when they were diving into, you know, very basic scuba deer diving into the rivers of the Jungle Cruise. You know, pulling these things together and hammering changes the appreciation of it. And I think there is a level of dignity and respect that is now restored to what I think was previously, quote, unquote, invisible labor. And I love the fact that we don't see names of really many people, but we see their faces. And I think that it attaches a little bit of quote, unquote magic to the metaphor. Like, it is manpower and it is mastery. And it credits not just the ideas, but the hands that actually put it together.

Yeah. And I think that was one of the most special moments too, of the screening and of the filming. And everyone will be able to see this part. But right at the end of the credits, the last thing you see is the thank you to all the creators and the artists and the dreamers and the people that brought this to life. And that was such a perfect way to end it. And that got such a huge pop from us in the audience because it's so true. Like you said, when you go into this documentary, you think you're gonna see the making of Disneyland. But I don't think you really appreciate and understand the power of humanity you're about to witness. It's really incredible. And I think so much to that point, so much of these creators and these artists, a lot of them really did come from the studio. They came from the animation studio. They came from working on films and putting into positions they never thought they would ever be doing. But because of Walt's vision, because of their belie of the team they put together, they did the impossible as it was. And it shows that these things are possible with the right leader and vision and everything. And it's so inspiring to see these problems being solved in inventive and imaginative ways. Like you said with imagineers, it's really such a great thing because they had to be so imaginative. One of my favorite stories is for the Jungle Cruise. They had orange groves. And there's not really orange groves in the jungle. So they literally put ads in the paper and went and picked up trees from people around Anaheim in Los Angeles that had. That had, like, trees that were grown enough so it could make you look like the jungle. Like, they had to come up with those. Those ideas. And it's just. It's so cool to see in person and see it come to life.

And planted them upside down. Like, they'll ever plant stuff up. It'll look exotic or it wasn't in the documentary. But I know, like, if you look around Disneyland, you can still see some. There's little signs that are in sort of real and kind of almost like fake Latin around some of the plants. They put them there so people had something to do. Like, it was so that you would slow down and be like, oh, it's a Disneyodendron exodus. There is no such a thing. But they would make those things up because, again, they were trying to sort of control the flow and give people things to look at it and see. But I think, again, it goes back to this idea of craftsmanship as a worldview. This park really is a crafted object. It is like a film set that is brought to life. And I think it's why Disneyland still feels like authored today. And I think it shows, too. You can see the origin of the Disney standard, not as policy, but as pride. All of these craftsmen really took pride in everything that they did. And again, from a storytelling perspective, from a choice and immersion view, I think one of the smartest choices that Leslie did in this documentary is how immersive it is. It doesn't pull you out of the era with any sort of modern commentary by having new interviews or talking heads. And it felt like the sounds themselves and these craftsmen and some of, you know, the original voiceover, like, from Walt acted more like a very personal guide as opposed to, like, this authoritative documentary.

Yeah, 100%. It was such an interesting way to watch the story unfold because, yeah, you usually do see talking heads, and they. They have great insight, and you can see emotion on their faces, and that's always good. But there's something to be said of. Like I said, it's. It's literally like a. A time machine. It's like a portal back in time where you really get to sit there and, like, experience and enjoy yourself. I've heard, you know, people talk a lot about Avatar, these. These films where they're like three hours long. And while they may, you know, probably could have cut things out here and there, what they love is being able to live in the world of Pandora. And that's kind of what you get with this experience. Like, you're literally living in the 50s and you get to see what it was like, how things were so different, but how they were also so much the same. I think one of the most like, special things about Disneyland, obviously is the nostalgia is walking down Main Street. It's going place to a home that you may have never lived, but it feels like home to you. And you can see that in the faces of the guests that were there on opening day. And like, you look at it, you're like, that's like you and me, Lou. Like that's us there all those years back. Then 70 years later when we walk through, we get those same feelings and those same experiences. And I feel like it kind of brings us closer to that time and those people and understanding that, like that's why this park was successful, because it tapped into something that is so universal and I think it's just so. It's so great to see it uninterrupted because clips, I mean, I feel like the social media in the days is ruled by clips. And it's very rare you get to live in something like this. And I think that's one of the things I'm most grateful for.

Yeah, to point about the other guests. The one thing about the guests in 1955, they were dressed way better in some of the overseas parks, especially in Japan. You see this too. Going to the parks is an affair. Like you dressed up for it a lot. I mean, I'm sort of of. It's a broad stroke of the brush. But I did love seeing that in, in the footage. And I think that's the thing too. When you don't cut away to modern quote unquote experts or even modern imagineers talking about helps you to stop. Like you don't watch history from above. You feel like when you watch this that you're experiencing it from the inside out. And you talked earlier. I think it's such an important element. And when you, our friend who's watching, when you watch Disneyland handcrafted, pay attention to not what you see but what you hear. Because once one you learn about what went into recreating it, it becomes impossible almost not to notice it. And for me, knowing that ahead of time, like did it, I think it enhanced the experience for me and how I watched the film. Because we're not just hearing the sounds of the Mark Twain or the Lily Bell or these familiar sounds, but the sounds of the saw, the sounds of that sort of background chatter, the sounds of a tractor or whatever it is, really helps bring this footage to life. And I think it feels so much more alive than it does archival.

Yeah, 100%. Because I think it's such a great time for this to be released now. Because, you know, the technology is at a great point. Like I said, where Skywalker Ranch was. Be able to recreate this. Because if you saw these silent films, it'd be amazing. Like, it'd be great to see them and see the clips and do that. But the sound is such an important part of it. And like you said, this feels so real, even though we know it was crafted at, like, a studio. But they made it feel like it was real. Cause they matched it. Like, the tones of them nailing is different. They really made it feel like you were living in that moment. And that makes such a difference. It brings you into it. Like, with the music. When you hear an iconic theme song, or like you said, you hear a saw, you're not just. Just, like, watching it. You become a part of it. Because your brain knows what that sounds like, and they get it right. And that's another thing that feeds into this really feeling like more of just a documentary, but a piece of history that you shouldn't be able to go back in time to, but you're able to.

Yeah. And I think the way this was done really shows Leslie and everyone else on her team's respect for the footage. And I think the sound helped sort of. It helped sort of act as a little bit of the guide for us. It made it feel very sentimental. Like it wasn't the sound that's used here wasn't sort of used to, like, decorate the film. It sort of, like, completes the reality of it. Right. We could have watched it without and maybe just some nice music or Disneyland songs, but it would have felt different. It wouldn't have felt as though we were standing there watching something that was sort of coming to life around us. And I think that's one of the things, too, is it completes sort of the four corners of us watching this and connecting it to the timelessness and, you know, even sort of the emotional continuity of seeing Disneyland now. Because one of the things that you'll see when you watch. And again, I was very fortunate to be able to have been, you know, I was at Disneyland the day before, so I was able to connect a lot of things. And now I want to go back. It's how familiar the park still feels in the footage, even though it's brand new. And you get a sense as you walk through Disneyland now, like, yeah, this, to a certain degree, is how it felt on opening day, because I'm now able to see exactly what it was like the day, the week, the month before, and then when those guests first came in the front gates.

Yeah. And I think that's what's. You know, speaking of those gates, that's what's so special, too, is the way these parks were designed. It's. It's. There's one entrance, there's one exit. All these. Everyone that went in 1955, when they entered that. That park, that's the same entrance we go. When you turn that corner and you see Main street and you see the castle, that same. There. Sure, there's. There's things that have changed and attractions that aren't there. And even, like, seeing the ticket booth is fun. Cause it's very. It's a lot, like, less grand. It feels like it still looks very cool. Cool. But it looks a little different. But, yeah, it's a lot of the same experiences. It's part of your brain kind of tricking your brain. Like, yeah, I know that place, but I don't. It's like, kind of when you go from Walt Disney World to Disneyland and you're like, I know where this is, but it's different over here. There's something else over here, but it's not there. It has that thing where your brain is so familiar. Like I said, that's Disneyland. That's nostalgia. They're tapping into something. It's more of a memory. It's like a feeling. It's a place. It's a place you can go. That's comfort. That's safety. That feels great. And that's so much. That's why I think it's so timeless, like you said, because it's not tying it to, like, one specific thing. It's more of a grander idea that was alive back then, and it's just as alive today.

You know, we see it a couple of times, and then we had a chance to. And I like to visit Walt's office when you. You know, where Walt, in his working office, literally laid the blueprints down, and. And he. And some of the imagineers would sort of lean over, and you sort of got the sense that that blueprint for Disneyland was being drawn kind of real time. They had a sketch, but they were really sort of figuring out the details in real time, and you were sort of able to trace that back. And then Leslie talked about this, too, how Disneyland and I love, love, love, this is the blueprint for happiness. And not just us going in and, you know, Going to the little red wagon or getting a cozy comb. But it's the blueprint for happiness through research and iteration and passion and patience and compromise and all these things. And you really get a sense, when you sort of look at it in that way, that the DNA of Disneyland becomes very visible. Not just the DNA in those things that we didn't really get a chance to see beforehand, but in the pub and the sight lines and the pacing and all of the transitions. And I think to that point, Adam, I think there's a lot that we can take from this as Disneyland fans, as Disney fans, as Walt fans, but even just lessons beyond Disney itself about creativity and leadership and perseverance, et cetera, et cetera.

Yeah, it all comes back to one of my favorite quotes of Walt. It's such a simple one, but when he was talking to his wife Lillian about this park, he was saying, the other theme parks are dirty. They're gross. Why would you want to do something like that? This isn't going to be what you think it is or whatever. And Walt was like, that's the point. Mine isn't like that's. It's that little bit of. Of extra belief, of heart of things that not only Walt did, but all these people that handcrafted Disneyland, like, they wanted to make something different. They wanted to make something special and lasting, and that shows. And that was held to a higher standard. That's why back in those days, like theme parks or, you know, attractions were dying. There wasn't. Wasn't a thing because it wasn't being built the proper way. And Walt said, you know what? We're gonna do this different, and we're gonna make this different. And he spread that down the line. And you see that. And it really feeds into that. Feeds into 100, like, 70 years later, how they made this blueprint and built it to the parks all around the world. Because that message, even though Walt's been gone for a long time, his belief and his message and what he believed in making things different and going that extra mile and doing that thing and making it feel like this is a performance, the cast members, the guests, it's all about that. And that feeds into making it feel different than anything else. And that's why it's been such a success. Yeah.

One of the things that continued to really resonate with me, and I've been thinking a lot about since, is this idea of. And you mentioned it, is faith and believing. Right. Look, I'm sure Walt had faith in a higher power that he probably Leaned on a lot. But I think it's also true belief in what he was doing. I think believing right and having that belief is so critical as not just Walt, but even us as leaders, as entrepreneurs. Years ago, at my Momentum Conference, I gave everybody. I think it was my retreat, I gave everybody, like a little polished stone that had the word believe in it. And Walt talked about it. When you believe in a thing, you need to believe in it, unquestionably, et cetera. And it's not just for you. But had Walt not believed in this project, how would all of these other people have believed in it as well? Because you have to imagine watching this, Adam, that there were probably some quiet conversations that were had over the lunch pails, again with the cigarette, about people not believing. I wonder how many people started to question their belief and maybe didn't because of just how. How much Walt believed in this. When everybody else thought it was going to be another Disney's folly, when bankers wouldn't finance the project, when it was going over budget, when they couldn't get resources and people and all these things, having that unwavering belief. And then July 17th coming and it actually coming to fruition again. I think especially if you are a leader or an entrepreneur, you can watch Disneyland, Headcraft and through a variety of different personal lenses and take a lot from it.

Yeah, I mean, it just shows how much Walt was a lighthouse in a foggy storm. I mean, that you can't see what's in front of you, that you can't even see the ocean below the ship, but you know where you're going, you can see that light in the distance. And, you know, you mentioned that Walt's not really in this documentary as much, but, like, people mention him, they mention his belief, his idea, his this, his that. Like, he's so much a part of the story, even when he's not there, like you said, he's just kind of always there in his vision and his idea. And I think that's one of the most important things is that when the person in the front of the line believes so much, that inspires the people below. When you have a leader that's not like that, that's in it for the wrong reasons, that is changing their minds all the time. Doesn't listen to what's happening, et cetera, et cetera. That's when you have a lot of breakdown and miscommunication and problems. But this was all held together by that belief that even when he wasn't in the room, he was. And I think that made a big difference. Difference.

And I think too, I think there is also going to be, and I hope that there is going to be and I think there will be a modern, personal, relevant impact of when you watch this, because I think this, I think watching Disneyland Handcrafted is going to change how you visit Disneyland. I do not think it's possible to watch this and walk into Disneyland the same way again. I think you will look at things and experience it differently after watching Handcrafted. I think you will go to different locations and appreciate them more because of what you saw. And like, oh, I saw this coming together. I saw the top sort of decorative things or the fiddles being put on in this movie. And you'll be able to connect what you saw to where you are. And I think one thing it's going to do, if you allow it and however deep you want it to go, it will deepen your Disneyland experience. And I know I told you that night, as we were very reluctantly leaving the lot, we're like, oh, you're leaving tomorrow? I'm like, maybe I'm supposed to. And I had just come from Disneyland. I wanted to go back. I wanted to go back to Disneyland and I wanted to see it again because I know that the things that I had seen just the day before were going to look and feel differently because of how I saw it coming down. I wanted to go into Tomorrowland and see the top of what is now the Pizza Planet rocket and be like, I saw the guy that put it there. I want to see the top of. Do you remember the flagpole? Oh, God, again, having the wild anxiety talk about it. But I was like, yeah, there was a man who literally put his life on the line to put all these things together. And I almost wanted to go, not just for myself, but I wanted to go and thank every person who obviously we would never meet or be able to, and whose names maybe did not make it into the end credit of that documentary. Be like, I want you to know just how much I. We individually and collectively appreciate the work that you did seven years later.

Listen, I love covering the new attractions, like When Villains Land and all these big moments. Love covering the big news. But the reason that I do this every day and wake up and do all this stuff is to uncover those stories, like you said. And a lot of times it's written word. And I wish people could be in the room when we're talking to these people and you see them tear up after they reveal a hardship or something. They put into the ride. Because it is a people. It's people putting their everything into these experiences. And it doesn't get the spotlight enough. And that's why I think is so special, because you do get to see it. Like you. It's. It's. You can't feel it as much when you're reading a story or doing things while the word is incredible and being able to hear their stories that way. But living in this and seeing this, you don't get to do. Like, you don't get to see this. And like you said, it does make you appreciate it because it's one of those things that you wouldn't know unless, you know, like, you wouldn't understand. You think it would just be a standard construction job that they built all these things and it was just something that. That was just another Tuesday. But it's so much more than that. Like, the skill, the confidence, the laughter, the camaraderie. What these people must have went through and what they came through together to build this in one year, it's on display in a way that you really can't experience. Besides, in a documentary like this, that I'm so thankful, you know, for that deal that Walt made with ABC to televise this and televise the opening at Disneyland, because that's the reason we got all this footage. And I'm so grateful for it because I'm so glad this isn't going to be lost to history. This is something that can be celebrated for. I mean, forever.

Yeah. Yeah. Again, you know, to all the cameramen who were like, we should just. We should just get this. We should. You know, the time lapse stuff is incredible. And having that foresight, maybe not even knowing what was going to happen with it, but however. And whomever discovered it and all the people that had their hands in making this happen, and I very much appreciate it. What do you think, or hope Adam, people are going to carry with them after watching Disneyland handcrafted?

Yeah. You know, I've been thinking about this a lot because I think, like you mentioned, this is going to be such a big thing for Disney fans. But I think this is one of those things, like on the level of the Last Dance, like a Michael Jordan documentary. It's like, you don't even have to like basketball. It's not really about basketball. Like, this is about Disneyland, but, like, it's kind of. Not that it's kind of about people. It's about strength. It's about creativity and perseverance and making the impossible possible and making Your dreams come true and being okay with failure, but not letting that be the end of your story. I think that's what's so special about this documentary is that so many things could have went wrong. So many things did go wrong, but it didn't stop them. And I really hope people take that with them. That it's okay to mess up. It's okay to let your Caterpillar construction vehicle fall down and almost crush you to death. Death. It's okay to make these mistakes because that's how you get to where you're going. There's always going to be bumps. There's always going to be things. But if you surround yourself with incredible people and you have a mission that you believe in and a dream that you know is going to change the world for the better. Like, there's nothing greater than that because you really can do the impossible. And you don't get to see this. Like, we don't know how the pyramids were built or all these other, like, great works of art were built, but this Disneyland is something so special to so many people around the world and has brought so much happiness. And being able to see this brought to life is such a special thing that I think I never even really knew I wanted. Like you said, I didn't even. I mean, it's great to see this historical footage, but being able to see it this way and shining the spotlight on the people who made it happen, I think, I hope people take that with them and realize what it takes to bring this together and that you can do it too. Like, you can make your dreams come true. And it's okay if there's bumps along the road, but like, these things can be done and are done by people that have this belief in this dream.

And they didn't have computers, Excel, spreadsheets as slack like they were just, you know, they had, you know, basically, you know, paper and pencil. I don't know.

It's unit. It's mind boggling.

Yeah. And we'll talk about how the pyramids and things like that were built.

It may or may not.

Aliens.

Next episode.

I think watching Disneyland handcrafted didn't make me love Disneyland more. It made me understand it better. It reframed the park for me as something that was built through all the things you talked about. It was risk and craftsmanship and this relentless willingness to figure things out along the way. You are a parent too know we sometimes teach our kids figure it out. Not because we don't want to teach them, but because figuring it out is how you get things done. It's how you sort of learn these lessons. And I think that watching that happen reminds us that Disneyland didn't begin as magic. It began as work. And real people like solving problems by hand, under pressure, with no guarantees that it was all going to come together. And I think it makes the quote unquote magic more meaningful. And I think if you care about Disney and history and creativity and what it takes to bring an idea to life in this world, this is going to be a film that's going to, I think, stay with you as it has for us a long time after the credits roll. It for me not only deepened my appreciation of what Disneyland is, but really for the people who had the courage and the skill to not just have the vision, Walt and team, but who built it by hand under pressure and not knowing how it was all going to turn out. And I think that perspective is a gift and it's one, I think worth spending time with. And for you, our friend who's watching, who's listening or watching when you watch it, I want to know what detail or moment for you. Can you not stop thinking about? I have a few that keep sort of coming back to me. I can't wait to see this again and sort of revisit those moments. I would love to hear from you. One of two ways. You can either come and comment and let's talk about Disneyland handcrafted over in the wwradio clubhouse@wdwradio.com clubhouse or I want to actually hear from you and I will play your voicemail on the air. You can call the voicemail at 4-07-900, 9391. That's 407900, WDW1 because like Disneyland and Disneyland had crafted, it takes people to make a dream a reality. It's you have made my dream reality. Adam Bankhurst from ign. Tell people where they can find you as well.

Yeah. So yeah, all my work is on ign. You can follow me on socials, Instagram's the main place, but also on TikTok and other places. And yeah, we also do a podcast called Talking Disney Magic which ranks and reviews the biggest films in Disney and Pixar's catalog, talks about the biggest news and about these adventures we have and sharing what it's like behind the scenes and spotlighting these people that bring Disney magic to life and giving a sneak peek at what's next.

Awesome. I will link to all that in the show notes for the podcast and over at www. Radio.com Adam, I'm so happy we finally got a chance to do this, brother. I appreciate it, experiencing this with you, something so special in such a special place with such a special person. I appreciate your friendship and support, brother. I can't wait to do this again. Again.

Lou. Yeah. You know, I. I haven't really told you this, you know, in person, which I've always wanted to, but you're one of the reasons that I got into this and doing this and being able to share these experiences and these moments, literally, it means the world. I'm still kind of new to this. And you were one of the first people to welcome me in with open arms and show that, you know, meet your heroes, meet the people that inspire you, because a lot of times they're even better than you can imagine. And being able to share something like this with someone like you, who has the. That same passion and love, that's what makes it. It would be amazing to go on the studio a lot and see these films. But so like you said, have you grabbed my arm and is it going to make it? And us are debriefing after doing this. It makes all the difference. It's all about the people. Like we talked this whole podcast. It's about the people and it's about you. So thank you for everything you've done for me, for Disney fans, for Disney. It doesn't go unnoticed, man. It's incredible. And I so appreciate this honor of being able to join you for this.

As if the Disneyland handcrafted the documentary didn't want to make me cry. You are the one to make me cry. I need to pull it together. So thank you for that, man. I appreciate that. All right, last question for you. If we could snap our fingers and go and celebrate our bromance together in Disneyland and eat someplace, my treat. Where would we go?

Oh, at Disneyland. You know what? It's all about the vibes. And I just can't get over the Blue Bayou. It's just so such a great place to end a night and watch pirates. It just feels so Disney, Disney and alive. I just, I love that place.

We are going to make it happen. We're going to do a review of the Blue Bayou together next time we get to go to Disneyland. Adam Bankhurst, I appreciate you, brother.

You as well, Lou. Thank you.

That's going to do it for this week's show. Thank you so much not just for listening this and every week and being part of the WW radio community and family, but more Importantly, this conversation, these conversations, I had the opportunity to go and see Disneyland Handcrafted bring this conversation to you. Does not happen without your love, friendship, support and for listening. And obviously huge thanks to Disney for inviting me out to experience and share these with you. I hope that you tune in to Disneyland Handcrafted on January 22, go back back and watch the Imagineering story also on Disney plus. Go to Disneyland, experience and really take in firsthand a new appreciation for what Walt, his imagineers, the dreamers, the doers, and every single one of those artists and craftsmen put into a place that continues to be so incredibly special. Remember to be kind, choose the good, have a great day and even better tomorrow. So until next time, I love and appreciate you. See ya.

Hey, this is Sean from Ohio. Just love your show, love the podcast. We will be heading to the Contemporary in June, end of July of 2026. So we're looking forward to it. Trying to do Disney every year. Thank you.

Bye.

Hello, it's Patrice again. I had to go to YouTube to look it up to remember exactly what you had said in that video because come to think that what you said, you said you didn't know what you did to deserve the past couple of days. And when I heard that last night and when I just heard it again, I wanted to say, no, no, no, no, that cannot stand. I know what you did to deserve it. You've been fascinated with Disney since you were a kid. You've studied it since you were a kid. You have enthusiasm that you share so beautifully. You have knowledge that you share so beautifully. You're always upbeat and positive. I have no problem with you saying you're grateful to the people who like listening to you, because of course, every artist needs people who appreciate their art. But you're the artist and you're the one who's doing this. And you're doing the hard work and you're doing the traveling. There's probably some days I've been not traveling like you, but I don't have to know that sometimes it's not that much fun. Sometimes things don't work out and it's hard, pretty hard. So things you're putting together are great and people appreciate them. And I just can't let you say that you're not the equal of everyone who appreciates it because without you, it wouldn't exist at all. I'd be listening to podcasts about Knott's Berry Farm or something, so. So, no, I can't let that stand. It simply can't. I know what you did to deserve it. You earned it and you appreciate it. And I'm so glad. And I'm sure many, many, many, many people are glad that you are having that chance. Because you do deserve it. Glad you got it. Take care.

Well, it sounds pretty good. In fact, that's just the right spirit.