Defunctland: The History of Disneyland's Teen Nightclub, Videopolis 

“I like the females. There are a lot of females here.” - Guy trying not to get busted for homosexual fast dancing

absolutely insane to think about a kid gang member possibly saying, "videopolis is our turf, go back to knott's berry farm where you belong" and being dead serious about it

I love how they were so concerned about "homosexual fast dancing" while kids were literally screwing in the bathroom lol

gay rights, but only for those two homosexual fast dancers

"You can't dance on Space Mountain" says local coward.

"My friends are here. The lights are really weird" 😂 14 and high as a kite

Imagine having such a lame gang that you get in a turf war over Knott's Berry Farm.

My parents met at videopolis. if it wasn't for that place, I wouldn't be here.

The line “Homosexual Fast Dancing” should be hung at a museum somewhere, the same for “Charles Entertainment Cheese”.

“i like the females here. there are lots of females” -robert

I love how the Videopolis theme actually slaps for the first 7 seconds, then starts to slap significantly less after they stop coming up with lyrics and just say "Videopolis" three times

Whenever people complain about the newer generations being too sensitive, I’m gonna remind them that “homosexual fast dancing” was once seen as a ban-able offense. Edit: homosexual fast AND slow dancing

"You can't dance on Space Mountain!" Well, not with *that* attitude.

"I LIKE HUMAN FEMALES THERE ARE LOTS OF HUMAN FEMALES AT THIS PLACE" -Testimonial Bot 8000

"My friends are here.. the lights are weird." "There are lots of females here, I like the females." Friendly reminder, kids. Teenagers in the 80's didn't have any better a grasp on their composure than you do, take pride in your triumphs and relish in your awkwardness, you aren't terrible for minor mistakes.

why did i tear up at the “I like Disneyland, it’s a nice place to go” quote from one of the guys who were thrown out just for dancing like damn let them be

Same-Sex Couples: "So, can we dance together at Videopolis or not?" Disney: "Well, yes, but actually no, but actually yes"

I just need a Footloose style movie about an uptight theme park transformed through the power of homosexual fast dancing.

Said one viewer, “I love it in Defunctland. There are so many great videos here. I especially like the fact that there are slow and fast videos.”

I can’t be the only one who finds the age range on 14-21 very weird. You mean whole adults are in the same club with 14 year olds???

What I expected: poor management ..... What I got: Gang violence and homophobia

Videopolis' theme song straight up sounds like something you would have made for this series.

I'm legit saddened by the fact that Teenage Nightclubs came and went so quickly. Wish we had something like that while I was going through adolescence in the 2010s. Teens have nowhere to go and party together, play loud music, and just be out of the house until midnight.

14:54 "Disneyland after dark becomes cuddleville." That sounds like the title of a PSA about keeping pedophiles out of the park.

Honestly this is wholesome because Eisner just wanted his son to think he was cool but, like a classic Disney villain, he just went too hard and ended up with nothing. You can almost see him sitting in the faint neon lights of YUMZ hoping that maybe *tonight* will be the night that his son decides to stop by for a churro with the old man. The homosexual fast dancers spin around him, lost in their own revelry, and his son parties the night away at Knott's Berry Farm, oblivious to his father's despair. "Euro Disney," mutters Eisner as he picks at his soggy churro. "That will make things right."

It’s 1985. I’m a 16 year old high school girl from California. I won a softball tournament and to celebrate I’m going to Disney for the first time with my best friend. I’m a bit shy, but she encourages me to dance with her. It’s fun, but I’m still sore from the tournament, so I start to slow down. Big mistake. Mickey mouse emerges from the shadows and beats me with a churro because my dancing has transitioned from “homosexual fast dancing” to “homosexual slow dancing”. I get a lawyer, four months later, I am one of only two women allowed to engage in homosexual slow dancing at a Disney park in the state of California

Wait, hold up, you just glossed over the fact that there was a BMX group called the "Wizards of Rad."

Just watched The Owl House episode where Luz and Amity, a semi-confirmed (EDIT: confirmed) same-sex couple, dance-battle the monster of the week. After 35 year, Disney finally allowed homosexual fast dancing.

Opening on a picture of Eisner is the most Defunctland thing I can think of

I’m not sure it’s possible to have a more 80s sounding name than “Videopolis”

As a female homosexual, I too “like this place, there’s lots of females”

My mom always tells us stories of Videopolis and ‘homosexual fast dancing’. Basically, she admits that her friends would all go and have fun as heterosexual fun-loving teens but as soon as they got on the floor, they’d dance next to each other so they could hug and express PDA as anyone wanted. It is absolutely hilarious.

Of COURSE the 80s had a period of time where there were only two dudes in the entire world who were allowed to gay dance at Disneyland.

disney: No gay dancing! boy and girl: heading to the "hang out spot" bathrooms Disney: wait-

Never in a million years did I expect to see a still image of Michael Eisner with a crushing heavy metal guitar riff over top of it, but here we are.

14:53 dude can you imagine if your parents conceived you in a disneyland bathroom? you've gotten be born with some sorta magic powers then, right?

The weirdest part of this by far was learning that Michael Eisner has a son named "Breck".

My uncle asked me what I was watching. I mentioned this as a “Documentary on Videopolis” and he went “OOH I REMEBER THAT. That’s where I sold drugs over high school summer breaks” I know you mentioned the drug problem last time but listening to his account (we’re socal locals) of being a teenager during this time was hilarious.

I will say, being responsible for the proliferation of churros throughout the Disney empire is a pretty great legacy. There are few things better than a Disneyland churro.

Shoutout to the review from 14yr old kid at 11:02, he's a little confused but he's got the spirit

As a gay man, I prefer homosexual medium dancing

“Homosexual fast dancing” that’s just me doing the just dance 2 dance to Britney Spears’s toxic with no music for no reason

8:26 "We didn't want to have two women dancing and have some guy go out and hassle them" Ah yes, because that'll stop guys from hassling women. "Man I really want to be a jerk, but there's only one woman over there! Damn it! I guess my plan is foiled!"

“This was a huge win for the two men... and no one else.” This was a great video, quite the insightful watch! I love that you include various news articles from the time, it’s super fascinating reading the public perceptions of the events you’re covering.

"I like the females here, there are lots of females" Did one of the animatronics gain life and give an interview?

Imagine finding out your parents hooked up at Disneyland and you were the product. “Son you were conceived at the happiest place on earth”

when they say "be gay do crimes" they mean "homosexual fast dancing"

I love the fact that they needed to hold separate trials for fast and slow dancing. That's fantastic.

I think the argument of “Its not a discriminatory rule, we had it since the 50s” is legitimately one of the stupidest things I heard in my entire life

all of those quotes from "real teens" sound like dril tweets

Somehow, the 61 year old woman showing up every week to hang out with the younger crowd is oddly sweet in a "young at heart" sort of way. I wonder what eventually happened to her. I mean, it's been over 30 years, so she's likely long passed, but it makes you wonder what she did after Videopolis shut down. Did she find a new place to go to hang out and dance, or did she quietly retire to dance in her home?

21:37 Agent: Hey! I got you a part in a play for Disney! Actor: Sweet! What part did I get? Agent: The propeller. Actor: Uhhh, what?

4:07 No one gonna mention how sick Brer Bear’s moves are

Oh boy, I can't wait to learn about a Disney dance club! Kevin: "This created a class divide"

"from 1955 to 1957 it can be assumed dancing was banned" xD imagine getting kicked out because you tapped your foot

I love the phrase “homosexual fast dancing.” Thanks for such a well-researched and well produced episode. So glad I stumbled on this channel!

"Lucky for him, it was the 80s." This is both the most amazing and most terrifying sentence ever. 🤣

Disney: *Opens an area for adolescence teens and young adults, expecting them to be civil and act like adults.* The Teens and Young adults: *Act like young adults* Disney: Wait, that's illegal!

"You can't dance on Space Mountain." Spoken like someone who's tried.

17:50 So that's what inspired An Extreme Goofy Movie lol

This whole Videopolis is basically a 80s version of a “Hello Fellow Kids” corporate fad.

I’d pay real money for a shirt that says homosexual fast dancing

I feel sorry of the teens who loved Videopolis. I'd be crushed too if my favorite hangout spot was closed forever. It was a product of its time, but it was fun for genuine fans.

Watch out Imma serve ya'll with a club classic: *HOMOSEXUAL FAST DANCING*

"6 are stabbed, 21 arrested in gang violence at Magic Mountain" is one sureal headline

"'...I like the females here. There are lots of females' - Robert, 16" They need to put that on a giant golden engraved plaque

This went in a direction I was REALLY not expecting...

Love the 80's aesthetics of this episode. Great job!

The “Dancing Mama” is one of the most hilarious thing in the entire attraction. Good for her for having fun at being over 60!

I know everyone loves Kevin’s delivery of “Homosexual Fast Dancing”, but can we just talk about him saying, “I like the females here. There are a lot of females”?

imagine being a teen in the 80s and seeing that disney has a cool new area especially for teens and paying for tickets to go there with your significant other, just to get thrown out because your love is apparently "unsafe" and "offensive to others"

“...I like the females here. There are lots of females.” -Robert, 16 **Also Robert, 16 (In his head): “I actually like dudes. Like, a lot. But I can’t say that. Because it’s 1985. Soooo, yeah... yay females.”

I lost my mind laughing at the homosexual dancing ban fiasco... Gay couple: "Can we dance here?" Disney: "No." Gay couple: *sue Disney* Disney: "Okay, you can dance together, but no other gay couples can." Other gays: "Wait wha--" Disney: "Okay, gays can dance together, but they aren't actually gay because kids can't be gay." The gays: "Um... thanks? We'll just ignore that last part, we see this as an absolute win." Part 2: 3 gays: *Get told they can't slow dance together* Disney: "H O M O S E X U A L F A S T D A N C I N G O N L Y" 3 gays: *sue Disney again* Disney: "Okay, gays can dance together."

You, a simpleton: Panic! At the Disco Me, an intellectual: H O M O S E X U A L F A S T D A N C I N G

Michael Eisner: has an idea *It's always sunny theme plays* "Michael shits the bed again"

“In case you missed it, Janet, Patrick wants to dance with you.” “Yeah, Yeah... That’s dope...” felt that.

Let's take a moment to appreciate the real hero's, those who fought Disney so all homosexuals can dance at whichever speed they desire

Hey everyone! This is not a reupload! This is a remastered Videopolis history triple the length of the original video. There’s a lot of new info and story and I hope you enjoy it! Also here’s your Homosexual Fast Dancing shirt, all proceeds go to The Trevor Project. teespring.com/shop/homosexual-fast-dancing

"After they decided to legalize and regulate dancing in the park" is underrated

Amazing mini doc! I always appreciate the historical context that goes into these videos, from teen gangs to the crack epidemic and the rise of MTV. It’s so important. Thanks for putting so much effort into cataloguing these unique moments in time.

on paper this kinda sounds like the sort of place 5 teenagers with attitude would hang out to practice kung fu and talk to their watches

I love that there was a point where it was likely/possible that Disney could be bought out. That's just laughable today.

I attended Videopolis many many times in between 1985 and 1987. I would go hang out before it opened while they always played Andreas Vollenweider's White Winds album. During the fireworks, they would always play Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Two Tribes, one of the 80s-est songs to ever 80s in the 80s. Going back there is definitely on my time travel bucket-list.

You have one heck of a great channel! Fantastic and deeply accurate research. Perfectly edited with a crystal clear story line. Exciting and Crisp Presentation! Historic film clips never before seen. What a show!

Imagine a Disney themed nightclub nowadays, kids dancing to "Let it go" eating Dole Whips and churros lmao.

"Homosexual Fast Dancing" will be the name of my new album.

15:14 I can't! The evil witch, I can't stop rewatching her dance!!

"I'm just homosexual fast dancing" is something I will always say from now on.

"You cant dance on Space Mountain!" Watch ME

Remember kids, no Homosexual Fast Dancing allowed. Homosexual Slow Dancing is fine, just don't go above 100bpm.

I love how your videos start with a catchy theme and always end up talking about important matters

When bad things happen in adult clubs they get to stay open but, when it teen clubs they act as though its something thats new

Kevin i remember when the original version of this premiered, and I remember thinking how much you had improved in just the few episodes you had out at the time. This version is friggin amazing and makes my heart so happy to see what a talent documentary director you've grown into. Also I need a ring tone of you saying "homosexual fast dancing" I always thought Charles Entertainment Cheese would be the best defunctland line, but boy I was wrong.

As an afficionado of both fast and slow homosexual dancing, I appreciate your attention to these issues and I absolutely love your deadpan sarcasm when talking about it!

I never went clubbing, but I do know that like the girl interviewed explained, girls and women dance together to 1) Help ward off creeps and 2) Gather confidence to talk to guys they're actually into. If they actually do want to dance seriously together, that shouldn't be the concern. The REAL concern should have been that bathroom that was a well-known hookup spot where God knows how many assaults happened in. Back then they may not have given a fuck that a 21 year old could be way too close to a 14 year old, and had that ease of access to a hookup spot like that. Hell the 21 year olds could have gone drinking at one of the other clubs, then came here and did whatever awful shit and the bouncers were so preoccupied with who was dancing together that there's so much shit like that they most likely missed...

OG here. Summers 86’ - 88’ - was there dancing a few times a week. Amazing memories. The stories my friends and I still reminisce about were epic

"gays cant dance here" "you're violating their rights! let them dance" "ok. these two specifically can dance...we dont need to respect anyone else's rights tho"

"I like the females here. There are lots of females."

The aesthetic of Videopolis was so violently 80s, I want to consume it and make it a part of me.

“Ayo bro I’m hungry, let’s hit up Yumz” Such a stupid name, I love it