The Imagineering Story

2019 star 8.1 tv1 Season play_circle6 Episodes

Explore the past, present and future of Walt Disney Imagineering with noted filmmaker Leslie Iwerks. Ms. Iwerks comes from a family with deep Disney history — her grandfather was an early Disney animator and her father is a former Imagineer — and her previous work includes profiles of Pixar Animation Studios and visual effects house Industrial Light & Magic.

Documentary

tv Seasons & Episodes

Episode 1
E1

The Happiest Place on Earth

Walt Disney gathers a group of artists and engineers for the purpose of building a dream into reality. These ‘Imagineers’ formulate a set of design principles that transport people from their everyday lives to lands of imagination. Never has there been a place with themed environments, faithful to a story. Walt Disney vows, unlike a film that gets finished, Disneyland will never be completed.

Nov 12, 2019

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Episode 2
E2

What Would Walt Do?

Without Walt’s guidance, the development of Florida’s Walt Disney World is a risky endeavor, but Roy O. Disney fulfills his brother’s wish. A second generation of designers carry out the last of Walt’s ideas - EPCOT, where the Imagineers achieve a higher purpose beyond entertainment. Simultaneously, the first international park opens in Japan. No future plans threaten the survival of the company.

Nov 15, 2019

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Episode 3
E3

The Midas Touch

Michael Eisner and Frank Wells save Imagineering and encourage widespread growth. They make Disney cool and relevant with teenagers. Every design project the Imagineers touch turns to gold. The crown jewel, Euro Disneyland, goes over budget and encounters resistance. Poor press coverage and cultural missteps cause low attendance. Humbled, management shies away from future Magic Kingdoms.

Nov 22, 2019

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Episode 4
E4

Hit or Miss

After a tragic downturn, Michael Eisner steps back from creative stress and hires business-minded managers to fill the void. The pendulum swings from art to commerce. The Imagineers enter an era of austerity. While some projects enjoy enormous success, others are cancelled, and still others, disappoint. The pattern seems irreversible.

Nov 29, 2019

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Episode 5
E5

A Carousel of Progress

Under Bog Iger's leadership, the Imagineers begin a creative renaissance, plussing parks worldwide.

Dec 6, 2019

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Episode 6
E6

To Infinity And Beyond

The Imagineers open a new Disney resort in China, then blockbuster worlds of immersion.

Dec 13, 2019

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people Cast

Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett

Narrator (voice)

Walt Disney

Walt Disney

Self (archival footage)

apartment Production Companies

ABC Studios ABC Studios

public Countries

United States of America