- Disney Worldbuilders lands on Disney+ on August 20, 2026
- Leslie Iwerks’ new documentary goes inside Disney Imagineering
- Expect behind-the-scenes stories from Galaxy’s Edge, Pandora, Pixar, and more
If you’re a fan of the many franchises under the Disney umbrella — Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, or Disney Animation — or simply love visiting Disney Parks around the globe, the company has another documentary arriving on Disney+ later this month.
I say “another” because earlier in 2026 we got a fresh look at how Disneyland was created with Disneyland Handcrafted. Now, the same director, Leslie Iwerks, has sat down with many of the creative minds behind Disney’s biggest franchises, including Kevin Feige, Dave Filoni, Pete Docter, Jon Favreau, Jared Bush, Jennifer Lee, James Cameron, new Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, and former CEO Bob Iger.
It’s an impressive lineup of people who helped create many of these iconic worlds and, just as importantly, bring them from the screen or page into the physical environments we can actually experience.
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From Pixar Pier and Toy Story Land to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Zootopia, Pandora, and countless other destinations, Disney Worldbuilders promises to show how these lands came to life through the people who imagined and built them. It also looks set to tease upcoming expansions and entirely new experiences.
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As you can see in the trailer, Worldbuilders explores both these iconic lands and the creative process behind them through interviews with the people who made them possible. Jon Favreau, who most recently directed The Mandalorian & Grogu, says, “We can push the limits of technology to pursue something mind-blowing,” and that feels like an apt description of Disney Parks today.
Just look at the recent update to Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland with its new projection-based Audio-Animatronic, or the overhaul of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, which now feels even more like a video game thanks to Unreal Engine-powered updates. That same drive to push technology forward can also be seen in the free-roaming BDX Droids in Galaxy’s Edge, the walking, talking Olaf robot, and even experiences aboard Disney Cruise Line ships.
There’s a good chance Worldbuilders explores many of those innovations. While it will almost certainly lean more heavily on interviews than Handcrafted, Leslie Iwerks’ involvement gives me confidence it’ll have the same warmth, care, and strong narrative that made that documentary so enjoyable. That’s especially true if you’re a fan of Disney Parks, Disney’s many franchises, or simply enjoy documentaries about how ambitious creative projects come together.
Beyond the technology, it also appears the series will follow the journey from early concept art to construction and finally opening day, while showing how these lands continue to evolve through new characters, refreshed attractions, and entirely new destinations. I’m especially curious whether the Pixar section will include a look at the upcoming Monstropolis land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as well as The Magic of Disney Animation, which opens there next month.
Disney Worldbuilders premieres exclusively on Disney+ on August 20, 2026. Unlike Disneyland Handcrafted, it won’t also be available to watch for free on YouTube. If you’re looking for something to watch before then, I’d also recommend We Call It Imagineering, Behind the Attraction, or Disneyland Handcrafted for a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney’s magic is made.
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