Disney

A Disney superfan’s top 5 documentaries on Disney Plus

If you’re so inclined, there’s perhaps no time like the present to immerse yourself in Disney world.

Now fanatic is not a term used lightly — I’ve been to the Florida parks five time in the past six years, and have seen every Disney film released in recent memory. Thankfully, Disney knew its superfans would be looking for additional premium content, and is working to satisfy that craving on their new-ish streaming service Disney Plus. As such, what follows is a list of Disney documentaries for those who want something more than the standard fare, or a more behind the scenes view of the company and its parks:

The Imagineering Story

This series of six, hour long episodes follows the Disney parks story from its inception with Disneyland to the opening of Shanghai Disneyland. The plethora of insider photos, interviews and details will satisfy even the most savvy fan. It’s also refreshingly self-critical.

One Day at Disney

This hour-long documentary serves as a springboard for the similarly titled shorts series. It features ten interviews, including one with former CEO Bob Iger, in which Cast Members lovingly describe their jobs and roles in the company. If you’ve ever contemplated working for the Walt Disney Company, you may find it impossible to resist after watching this.

One Day at Disney shorts

Like the aforementioned documentary, this ongoing series of shorts profiles various Cast Members (what Disney calls its employees). They vary from six to nine minutes and touch on most areas of the company from ESPN sportscaster to Pixar recording engineer. While the CM’s are clearly carefully chosen, their love for their jobs is unparalleled. 

Pixar in Real Life

This ongoing series of shorts plays like a version of Pixar candid camera. The five- to seven-minute episodes feature a well-known Pixar character(s) or object(s) moving about in the real world, allowing people to either interact with them, or react to them. The result is both sweet and hilarious.

Disney Insider

This is the latest docuseries to premiere on the service. The only episode thus far is 18 minutes long and consists of three shorts of varied lengths. They play like DVD/BluRay extras of mixed lengths and quality. The last one, about Pixar’s Onward (which will be streaming soon), is the strongest and most interesting. ■

Find all the content, including more Disney documentaries, on the Disney Plus website.

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