by Beth Keating
Review
DisneyBizJournal.com
April 30, 2024
There have been a number of very good docuseries on Disney+ for those of us who appreciate Disney history, or even the backstory of Disney rides. (See, for example, The Imagineering Story, One Day at Disney, The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or Behind The Attraction on Disney+, each one very different takes on the docuseries format.)
Now, there’s a well-done series debuting on the History Channel over the next few weeks, bringing a closer look at Walt Disney, the man, and how the Disney Empire came to be. The six-part series, How Disney Built America, features actor re-creations, interviews with historians and experts, film clips and cartoon shorts, and archival material.
You may already be familiar with the other entries into the History Channel’s “The Stories That Built America” series, including The Engineering That Built the World, The Machines That Built America, The Mega-Brands That Built America, The Titans That Built America, The Cars That Built the World, and The Food That Built America.
The Disney-based series premiered April 28, and will continue to drop one episode per week on Sundays at 10/9c for the next month and a half. Episodes will be available for streaming at the History Channel the next day.
According to the History Channel, “How Disney Built America is a nostalgia-filled ride that paints a vivid picture of the world of Walt Disney and the history-making empire he and his brother Roy Disney built. Each hour-long episode focuses on a different example of game-changing brilliance in Disney’s history including creating the world’s most recognizable characters, establishing the animated features industry, revolutionizing the concept of merchandising, and using groundbreaking design and engineering to construct Disneyland, Walt Disney World Resort, and beyond. Viewers will hear from legendary Disney Imagineer Bob Gurr, a direct hire from Walt who developed over 100 designs for Disney theme park attractions, to gain surprising insights into the unique innovations and struggles involved in realizing the dreams of a visionary. The series utilizes rarely seen historical material, original dramatic recreations, and key interviews from Don Wildman, Margaret Kerrison, Douglas Brinkley, Mindy Johnson, and others to expand on how the brand is forever woven into the fabric of American life.”
A brief synopsis of the first three episodes includes:
Episode 1: The Birth of Mickey (April 28)
“A struggling cartoon studio creates one of the most recognizable characters in the world. Mickey Mouse begins as a pencil sketch, and through a journey of failure, betrayal, innovation, and guts becomes an American icon, and the foundation of an iconic media empire.” Run time: 43 minutes.
Episode 2: Dawn of the Animated Blockbuster (May 5)
“Facing soaring costs, mounting criticism, and a tight deadline, Walt Disney pushes the limits of technology to create the first full-length animated feature film. It’s Disney’s magic combination of passion, brilliance, and tech innovation that gives rise to the billion-dollar business of animated films.”
Episode 3: Destination Disneyland (May 12)
“Walt Disney overcomes immense obstacles to create the first Theme Park, where instead of thrill rides, he gives the visitor an immersive journey into a story, like the experience of being inside a movie.”
Episodes 4-6 haven’t been posted to the History Channel’s calendar with their descriptions yet, but will air on the following dates: Episode 4 (May 19); Episode 5 (June 2); and Episode 6 (June 9). Upcoming episodes will look at Imagineering; merchandising of the Disney brand; and the creation of Disney World.
The first episode, “The Birth of Mickey,” is now streaming online with the History Channel for those who don’t have the History Channel on their cable systems. It was an hour well-spent, an engaging kick-off to the series that was entertaining without descending into a dry look at a history with which many Disney mega-fans already have at least a passing relationship. The technological discussions were also woven into the episode remarkably well, placing the early years of the Disney Company into historical and industry context without getting bogged down in the weeds. You’ll find yourself rooting for Walt and Roy, even though you already know where the story is heading.
If the quality of this docuseries continues at this level, we are indeed looking forward to the next five segments.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at
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