20 Extraordinary Documentaries on Disney+ That Give You a Peek Behind the Magic

This bittersweet documentary covers the life of the late, great lyricist Howard Ashman. The film highlights Ashman's knack for wordplay and storytelling which helped define the "Disney Renaissance" era of animation starting in the late 1980s. In addition to covering his Disney-era work with his longtime writing partner Alan Menken, the documentary also explores his quirky and experimental off-Broadway work, his personal life, the tragedy of the AIDS crisis, and his legacy.

Watch "Howard" on Disney+.

"Behind the Attraction" gives viewers a look at different rides in Disney parks from around the world. From fun facts and history, to how the attractions are transformed and tweaked for each new park, there's a wealth of information in this charming docuseries. Featured attractions include the Haunted Mansion, the Jungle Cruise, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and more.

Watch "Behind the Attraction" on Disney+.

Movie prop collector Dan Lanigan documents his journey to reunite classic Disney props from iconic movies with the people who worked on the films. Along the way, the filmmakers, casts, and crew share stories from behind the scenes as they help restore lost pieces from Mary Poppins, Tron, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more.

Watch Prop Culture on Disney+.

This eight-part docuseries goes behind the scenes of "The Mandalorian", following the show's cast, crew, and creative team as they build out the universe of "Star Wars" beyond the Skywalker Saga. Featuring in-depth interviews and roundtable discussions, the series offers viewers a peek at every step of the process.

Watch "Disney Gallery: Star Wars: The Mandalorian" on Disney+.

This docuseries follows people across Disney to show what a normal day of working for the Mouse looks like. From the animation studio to the legendary Imagineers, each episode shows just how much work goes into creating the magic we're used to seeing from Disney.

Watch "One Day at Disney" on Disney+.

If you've ever wondered about the enormous amount of work that goes into creating Disney's most immersive experiences, this docuseries is for you. In this six-part miniseries, the story of the Imagineers — a group of highly creative and technically masterful experts who work on Disney's parks — is revealed. The series covers challenges Imagineers faced during this tumultous time such as changes in leadership, near-shutdowns, major failures, and more.

Watch "The Imagineering Story" on Disney+.

Over the course of 20 bite-sized episodes, viewers get to meet several of the people who are tasked with bringing the classic Pixar magic to life. Each episode covers a different aspect of work at Pixar, and walks viewers through the entire creative process from start to finish.

Watch "Inside Pixar" on Disney+.

Ballet is serious business, and that's exactly what this docuseries is all about! "On Pointe" follows students, dancers, and staff over the course of a season at the School of American Ballet in New York City. Throughout the year, dancers undergo intense training and challenges as they pursue their dreams of dancing on some of the world's biggest stages.

Watch "On Pointe" on Disney+.

Before the Disney's renaissance period in the 1980s, there was a dark era in which the future of the groundbreaking studio was in jeopardy. This documentary follows the hardships the animation team faced as they worked towards bringing Disney films into the modern world.

Watch "Waking Sleeping Beauty" on Disney+.

Originally a 2004 film produced for a special edition DVD release of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, this documentary takes viewers behind the scenes of the films. The documentary features interviews with the cast and creative team behind the original "Star Wars" trilogy, with extra special footage from the set. This is definitely a must-watch for diehard fans of the series.

Watch "Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy" on Disney+.

The Sherman Brothers produced some of the most iconic songs from the golden era of Disney, writing notable tracks for Disney theme parks and movies like "Mary Poppins". Off screen, though, their lives (and their relationship) was a little more complicated.

Watch "The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story" on Disney+.

"Marvel Studios' Assembled" is one of the more recent documentaries to hit Disney+. Each episode in the series offers viewers a glimpse at previously unseen footage and intriguing interviews with cast and crew from specific Marvel TV shows. So far there are episodes that cover "WandaVision", "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier", and "Loki".

Watch "Marvel Studios: Assembled" on Disney+.

"Light & Magic" is a newly released six-part series that follows the journey of special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, founded by George Lucas to make "Star Wars", "Jurassic Park", and other iconic industry films.

Watch "Light & Magic" on DIsney+.

This documentary follows singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo as she takes a road trip from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, while writing her debut album, "SOUR". During the journey, Rodrigo reflects on the ups and downs of writing and creating her ground-breaking album.

Watch "Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u" on Disney+.

Narrated by legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson, "African Cats" is a nature documentary film about a pride of lions and a family of cheetahs as they struggle to survive in the African Savannah.

Watch "African Cats" on Disney+.

Presented by National Geographic, "We Feed People" focuses on chef José Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen's journey from being a lowly group of volunteers to becoming one of the most prominent food-focused first responders over the course of 12 years.

Watch "We Feed People" on Disney+.

"Polar Bear" is a documentary film by Disneynature that focuses on the story of a new mother whose memories of her own youth prepare her to conquer motherhood in the trying environment that polar bears experience on a daily basis.

Watch "Polar Bear" on Disney+.

In this climate change documentary, actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio meets with scientists and activists to discuss the cons of climate change and possible solutions.

Watch "Before the Flood" on Disney+.

Starring some of Hollywood's biggest actors, including Natalie Portman and Owen Wilson, "Dolphin Reef" tells the triumphant story of Echo, a young dolphin who sets out to explore the coral reef, and eventually learns how to survive in it.

Watch "Dolphin Reef" on Disney+.

This concert film documents singer and actress Miley Cyrus as she embarked on her first tour under the identity of Hannah Montana, playing into her role on the popular Disney series, "Hannah Montana".

Watch "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" on Disney+.