Reflections on Disneyland Handcrafted

If you have Disney+ and are a Disney enthusiast I recommend taking the hour and 18 minutes to watch Disneyland Handcrafted. It is a beautiful show about the year leading up to the opening of Disneyland. I took many lessons from it and found it inspirational. Walt hired a film crew to record the building of the park and the footage has been weaved together and audio added to tell the story of this park that would change family entertainment. 

As the show began, I got chills and a strong urge to go to California. Then wonder settled in seeing the blank canvas where Disneyland was built. Walt was ahead of his time having a time lapse video made and thoughtful of every detail, like building a berm around the park to block the sounds from the world. My wonder transformed into a chuckle watching the playfulness of the workers. There is dancing, picking of an orange and backscratching with some large equipment. I see it as foreshadowing of the fun that Disneyland will bring to the millions of guests that will visit in the years to come. There is this incredibly hard work happening to bring about something brand new and yet they take time to enjoy some light hearted moments.

I appreciate Walt’s perspective on money. He spoke about it as something to use to create and not to collect. I like that sentiment. He was an optimist and a dreamer, but more than that he was a worker. He was thoughtful and present in the work while letting people do their jobs. He hired them, trusted them and collaborated with them. He knew exactly how much was being spent and it weighed on him yet he had been broke before and the risk of being broke again didn’t deter him. 

As the time for the park to open approached, It was suggested to postpone the opening from July to September. The response was to honor the original opening date. It had been announced to the public and with all the problems, postponing could have meant never getting it off the ground. Sometimes you have to go for it. There will never be a perfect time. When work started on Disneyland, they had only 10% of the plans. Often the motivation doesn’t come until you start. 

Walt famously said the park would never be finished. I feel this way often. Things are never complete. The time comes and it is what it is. If I had more time, I would do more work. As Voltaire put it “perfect is the enemy of the good.” In my real life as a Camp Director, I am never ready for camp. Camp happens. It starts on the first day and we go from there. I will always keep planning and tweaking given the time.  

Throughout the film, Walt expresses gratitude to the workers and acknowledges that this incredible feat is because of them. It is meaningful to recognize all the hard work that went into bringing his dream to life. I, too, am thankful for the people in my life. The ones who make my dreams come true and anyone reading this is one of those people. Writing on this site is one of my dreams. I appreciate each and every one of you taking the time to read my words. 

Disneyland Handcrafted is a portrayal of an incredible accomplishment. When the park opened, twice as many people showed up than expected. It outperformed. Not without its issues, but still. Imagine having twice as many people want to participate in your creation as anticipated. So much that was created in that year leading up to the opening is still there today. Not just the physical things but the spirit. There are even Mickey balloons. The creativity of something built 70 years ago that still captures hearts is exceptional.

Walt wanted all who visited to have a smile on their face when they left. There is a smile on my face watching Disneyland’s origin story, and I hope you have something to smile about today too.