People tend to think about Disney Plus originals when they think of big tentpole franchises. Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar are all common examples. There’s more to Disney Plus than that, and I discovered some of its hidden gems recently: Disney-centric docuseries.

Disney Plus isn’t a stranger to documentaries. Disney bought Fox, which meant that they also acquired National Geographic, a brand prominently featured on the Disney Plus homepage. While there are some crossovers, I am referring to Disney-specific documentary shows.

Particularly, I am referring to the docuseries on the company’s history and the various gears that make it work. The stories of Disney’s movie studios and theme parks, as well as behind-the scenes views at the day-to-day operations and other details that offer a glimpse into Disney’s world.

Although it seems to be very well-researched and doesn’t portray the company in a negative light, I find these docuseries fascinating.

Disney Docuseries provide a fascinating look into the company

While I am not a Disney obsessive, I do love Disney and have a lot of Disney memories. Two of my favourite franchises, Star Wars and Marvel, are owned by the company. I also have an active Disney Plus account. That’s all I have.

These docuseries still resonated with my heart over the last few weeks.

A few things you should know about me. First, I don’t have enough content to watch so any new series is a win. It’s especially great if there are many episodes that I can get into. Second, I am always interested in learning new things about how things work. I will be going to Disney World in the fall, my first trip there since I was six- or seven years old.

I feel like a child again because of the meticulous planning involved in this trip. My girlfriend has grown tired of me talking about it even though she is coming along with me.

Imagine my excitement when, while flicking through Disney Plus, I come across a series called “Behind the Attraction”. It’s a series that reveals the history behind various Disney Park rides, as well as the changes over the years.

The first episodes kept me captivated, and that more than compensated for the fact that the later episodes weren’t to my liking. Disney Plus started recommending more documentary series, and I was happy to participate. There was a wide variety of docuseries I found that I liked and added to my watchlist.

Disney has accomplished a lot in the past years

Light & Magic is among the things I have seen. The Magic special effects studio, Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom from National Geographic and Prop Culture offer a glimpse into physical artifacts of Disney movies.

The Imagineering Story is currently halfway through. It focuses on the history and creation of the many parks and attractions around the globe by Disney’s Imagineering Department. It’s not dampening my excitement about my trip, but it is helping me to decide which attractions I should avoid.

Disney, I will not be able to step foot in It’s A Small World despite all the propaganda and documentaries.

It’s incredible to see the things I take for granted today that were not possible when Disney was involved. Motion simulator rides, which are found in almost all museums and attractions I’ve visited, were virtually non-existent back when Star Tours was developed in the 1980s.

While some of this might be propaganda and I wouldn’t recommend Disney’s words at face value, I find it to still offer an amazing glimpse into the past.

It’s not all about Disney

There are many docuseries available on Disney Plus. But not all of them focus on the Walt Disney Company or its production houses. Other series that caught my attention include Airport Security, Marvel 616, and some stuff about the Apollo Space Program.

However, even though space documentaries may seem attractive after For All Mankind’s finale, I might have to wait until my trip to Florida. If I pay to visit Kennedy Space Center, I would rather learn on-site to get my money’s value.

Although there’s a lot of good stuff there, I would rather not watch it. Disney Plus may not contain a lot true crime, but it’s not something I am interested in. I’m also not interested in people getting married at Disneyland.

I won’t abide by poorly-detailed Disney advertising. A stay at a Disney-owned hotel can cost a lot. I would rather not learn how much it costs to get married there.

Bottom line

Because there are so many franchises on Disney Plus, it’s easy for people to get overwhelmed. While Andor and She-Hulk might be a great way to get people signed up, other items are what keeps them engaged.

Although the Disney docuseries has only a few episodes and seldom gets a second season of its original series, they are still worth watching. They aren’t background noise. You must actively pay attention to what is happening.

It’s worth looking at the Disney Plus section for docuseries if you are having trouble deciding what to watch.