“Built America Presents” usually airs Sundays at 8:00 PM, but this Sunday, December 15, at 6:00 PM, they’re giving us a supersized, four-hour look at how one man, driven by an almost maniacal vision, transformed a dusty orange grove into a cultural touchstone: Disneyland. The episode, titled “Making Magic,” focuses on Walt Disney’s quest to build the world’s first theme park – and let me tell you, it wasn’t all singing animatronic birds and churros.
The central narrative isn’t about engineering feats, though there are plenty. The show examines how Walt stubbornly refused to focus on mere thrill rides. He wanted Disneyland visitors to feel as if they had stepped inside his movies. He wanted to make them believe, for a few precious hours, in pirates and princesses and talking mice. It’s that struggle to craft a genuine narrative experience, a persistent pursuit of a difficult creative vision, that gives “Making Magic” its true bite.
Disney, a man both deeply sentimental and ruthless in his pursuit of perfection, might seem like an odd subject for a show about infrastructure and engineering. But “Built America Presents” reminds us that creating lasting landmarks isn’t just about steel and concrete; it’s about crafting experiences. And Walt Disney, whatever else he was, was a master storyteller. So tune in and prepare for a detailed look behind the Mouse-shaped curtain. See the origins of the Magic Kingdom – the pixie dust, the screaming kids, the exorbitant prices, the whole enchilada.
“Built America Presents” airs Sundays at 8:00 PM on History. This special episode, “Making Magic,” will air Sunday, December 15, at 6:00 PM.
