The Imagineering Story
2019 American documentary television miniseries
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The Imagineering Story is a documentary miniseries created, directed and executive produced by Leslie Iwerks. The series is focused on Walt Disney Imagineering and takes an in-depth look at the history and creation of the Disney theme parks and attractions around the world.[1] The series premiered on Disney+ at the launch date of November 12, 2019.[2]
| The Imagineering Story | |
|---|---|
| |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Created by | Leslie Iwerks |
| Written by | Mark Catalena |
| Directed by | Leslie Iwerks |
| Narrated by | Angela Bassett |
| Composer | Jeffrey Kryka |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer |
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| Producer | Michael E. Tang |
| Editors |
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| Production companies | Iwerks & Co. |
| Original release | |
| Network | Disney+ |
| Release | November 12 – December 13, 2019 |
Production
Originally announced as a feature documentary in 2013, the Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger announced that the film was being revamped as a series of six one-hour episodes for the upcoming Disney+ streaming service. In April 2019, the series was formally announced.[3][4] In August 2019, it was announced that Angela Bassett would be narrating the series.[5]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Happiest Place on Earth"[6] | Leslie Iwerks | Mark Catalena | November 12, 2019 | |
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Focuses on the creation and evolution of Disneyland and its attractions up until Walt Disney's death, as well as Imagineering's involvement with the 1964 New York World's Fair. | |||||
| 2 | "What Would Walt Do?"[6] | Leslie Iwerks | Mark Catalena | November 15, 2019 | |
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Topics covered include Roy Disney's supervision over the construction and opening of Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom, the subsequent conception of Epcot Center, and the first international expansion with Tokyo Disneyland. | |||||
| 3 | "The Midas Touch"[7] | Leslie Iwerks | Mark Catalena | November 22, 2019 | |
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Topics covered include Michael Eisner and Frank Wells' takeover of Disney, the addition of Disney-MGM Studios, the building and initial failure of Euro Disneyland, and Wells' death. | |||||
| 4 | "Hit or Miss"[7] | Leslie Iwerks | Mark Catalena | November 29, 2019 | |
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Topics covered include the success of Disney Cruise Line, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Tokyo DisneySea (with inputs from Wing Chao); the unrealized projects of Disney's America and WestCOT; and the failures of Disney's California Adventure, Walt Disney Studios Park, and Hong Kong Disneyland. | |||||
| 5 | "A Carousel of Progress"[7] | Leslie Iwerks | Mark Catalena | December 6, 2019 | |
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Topics covered include Bob Iger stepping in as CEO, the overhaul of California Adventure, the creation of Cars Land, the revamping of Disney attractions such as Haunted Mansion Holiday, adding Jack Sparrow to Pirates of the Caribbean, and the initial outcry of the addition of Disney characters to the Disneyland version of "It's a Small World", the creation of Mystic Manor, Ratatouille: L'Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy, and the announcement of Shanghai Disneyland. | |||||
| 6 | "To Infinity and Beyond"[7] | Leslie Iwerks | Mark Catalena | December 13, 2019 | |
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Topics range from the groundbreaking of Shanghai Disneyland, Pandora – The World of Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and future upcoming projects. | |||||
Release
The Imagineering Story premiered on November 12, 2019, on Disney+, in the United States and in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2020.[8]
A supplemental book based on the series written by Iwerks entitled The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering was published by Disney Editions on November 8, 2022.[9]
Reception
Critical reception
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating for the series with an average rating of 6.84/10, based on 13 reviews.[10] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 62 out of 100 based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]
Joel Keller of Decider praised the series for depicting the construction and development of Walt Disney World in Florida, and the achievements of Disney employees working at Walt Disney Imagineering, but said that the documentary could have been more lively.[12] Melissa Camacho of Common Sense Media rated the documentary 3 out of 5 stars, stating: "The Imagineering Story is a documentary series about the creative teams that conceptualize, design, and build Disney theme parks and their best attractions. It highlights the importance of pushing boundaries and being creative, and the role of STEAM principles in this process."[13] Gretchen Smail of IGN rated the series 6.5 out of 10, praised the documentary and found it interesting for providing information and anecdotes on the history of Disney parks, stated that the series forms a tribute to the people who created and worked on Disney's parks and attractions that highlights their innovative contributions, but said that the documentary does not engage with the history of the Walt Disney Company with enough balance.[14]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Narrator | Angela Bassett ("The Happiest Place on Earth") | Nominated | [15] |
| Online Film & Television Association TV Awards | Best Voice-Over Performance in an Animated Program | Angela Bassett | Nominated | [16] |
