Defunctland: The History of Disneyland’s Teen Nightclub, Videopolis
This is a remaster and extension of the original Season 1 video. To watch the original, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqgJ0N99eGg
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In this episode of Defunctland, Kevin dives deep into the 80’s and discusses perhaps the most decade-defining phenomenon: teen nightclubs. Specifically, Knott’s Berry Farm’s Studio K and Cloud 9 and Disneyland’s infamous Videopolis.
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@Joy-zp3bt
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
1:53 There’s not a much more 80s name for a teenage boy than Breck
@Richualistik
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Now they have gay parades.
@tomoaries
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Anybody wanna do some Homosexual Fast Dancing me?
@gtrdriver27
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
8:24 H O M O S E X U A L F A S T D A N C I N G
10:42 Homosexual slow dancing
@theotherjared9824
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
14 to 21 is a very interesting age range.
@nicholasdigaetano
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
As a 24 year old i feel like this needs to come back for people my age so we can socialize more who agrees
@Bird_iverson
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
I want to know more about cage lol
@catthbert
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
they were not 'men' they were teenage boys
@adrenalineunlimited
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
When you said clubbing and the 80s, crack very much came to mind, definitely did not expect it to actually factor into the narrative here, but thoroughly impressed that it did.
@Feralhog-o2q
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
"there's a lot of females here" said the gay dude after being discovered gay slow dancing.
@terrordarky
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
i still can't tell if people thought videopolis was cool or uncool because the testimonials from the teenagers say both.
@DeinonychusCowboy
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
As a gay guy growing up in the 00s I wish I could have gotten thrown out of disneyland for homosexual fast dancing in the 80s
@permabearxbt
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
bring back banning same sex dancing!
@sbemail
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
1:50 ?????? Breck???? BRECK????
@vanessaashford9203
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
"homosexual fast dancing" is my favorite dance style
@avalolllll
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
to this day this is still one of the funniest fucking videos i’ve ever watched
@ran_haitani-24
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
micheal izner is the ronald reagan of disney
@sophiebella5933
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Gang fight at Disney land teen club is sooooo funny to me
@JackgarPrime
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Are we entirely sure that "Robert" wasn't actually an android that escaped from the Imagineer labs?
@ERINDungle
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
14 – 21 year olds. That's awful
@ghostiepokie
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
im sorry, eisner's son's name is Breck?
@voidenterprises
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
the dry humor of this video is spectacular and not enough people are talking about it
@calebyost9228
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
I'm in my 30s and did not live through this time…the amount of times this story took incredibly unexpected turns for me is wild. I'm blown away by this whole story, thanks for sharing. Teen night clubs as a whole seem foreign to today's time.
@SpencerMusicSchool
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
True Story: So back in 1985 I was a junior in high school but in a successful teen New Wave band called In Common Hours, and went to school with Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots) who was in a band called Soi Disant, Warren Fitzgerald of The Vandals as well. The Disneyland House teen band that played Tomorrowland was Polo. Josh Freese one of the drummers (now drummer of Foo Fighters, Night Inch Nails etc) well his father headed up Disneyland Entertainment. Back in those years– I had the absolute pleasure of being part time ragtime/stride pianist at Coke Corner on Main Street and doing some top 40 work with Krash, and Get Go (other Disney park bands) . Those years were a brilliant. It was amazing that Disneyland annuals were only $125 with free parking, no black out dates and 20% discounts on all food etc. After 5 passes were $40. Anyway. Disneyland was the perfect "night club" for under age. So always enjoyed dancing at Videopolis and seeing all the top bands. My first husband (who passed away) and I met at Disneyland. He later designed some of the digital and surveillance security at Disneyland that went into the park around 89. Prior to that Disneyland was GAY cruise central. Not only many employees were gay, but it was a great place to meet etc What was funny is the whole park was really pretty free in those years till a few people made a fuss. Then I remember being at Videopolis right after some guys were kicked out for "gay dancing LOL" and Channel 11 news was interviewing kids about it. Though I was out to everyone, I came from a rather homophobic Christian family and remember racing home to make sure m parents weren't watchng the 11 o clock news where I was with my partner LOL. Sadly it was mostly Vietnamese trashy gang members from Garden Grove High that started the problems and got Videopolis closed down. Also there were many kids of lower income families that pissed at the wealthier kids, so most of the Westminster and Garbage Grove crowds went to Studio K. And I admit there was a bit of the "stay out of our turf" . Those days were clicky. Many of us with Disneyland passes were hard working kids and we felt that these gang members were spoiling things and creating needless drama. Disneyland Videopolis was mellow for the first few years. The music media was much freer in those years so Being gay or bi was no big deal and most kids were not homophobic. In fact I was totally out to all my friends, never had any problems with homophobia at the park at all. Being in entertainment had so many advantages. I hung out with MJ, was at the premiere of Captain E0 and my grad year even filmed over 5 days the Summer Vacation 86 special which is up here on Youtube too. I miss the music, the fashion and care free times. So different today with the shit of Disneyland now. Over $150 for one day admission with reservations, needing apps to reserve dining. Blue Bayou charging $35 for some crap pasta dish. I remember when they had real Creole cook and change the menu every month LOL. I miss the days of Horseshoe Revue, Jazz orchestra at Carnation, Tahitian Terrace, 3 course dinners/musicals at the Grand, etc. I miss the nights at Videopolis with favorite videos, fashion, hanging with Richard Blade, Swedish Eagle etc. I could also cruise from Disneyland back to my home in HB in under 30 minutes LOL. Kids today have no idea what went on at Disneyland before the start of the 90s. We used to call Voyage Thru Inner Space. . Voyage thru intercourse. Tom Sawyer's island got wild too LOL I do remember one scary February winter storm and hanging on for dear live in the sky lift when the electricity went down. Also Boy George completely wasted on heroine back stage before the Grad NIght filming. GEN X power LOL
@Slagroot
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Its always so funny how so much stuff in the past sound like they come from people who are dazed "banned homosexual dancing? Wdym? I love dancing with my friends as much as i love dancing with guys!" Like so close dude but not yet
@StephenMorris-Émigré
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
What about mid tempo homosexual dancing?
@9adam4
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Homosexual Fast Dancing sounds like something you could major in at college.
@Faith_Soprano
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Imagine being the only gay couple in the world allowed to dance at Disney.
@JP-1990
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
They should bring Videopolis back, place it in Hollywood Studios, and have it be a sort of live, interactive exhibit/concert dedicated to the art of the music video.
@animalfreak462
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
What’s the name of the industrial rock song in the beginning of the video?
@Smollusk76
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
14-21 is a very terrifying age range for videopolis to have welcomed😭 the 80’s seriously were a… different time, weren’t they?
@s70driver2005
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Tonight I'm going to the Italian Disco night at a local bar. Can't wait to see all the homosexual fast AND slow dancing there!!!
@gotmybootyout5793
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
14-21 year olds. Well that doesn’t sound like a recipe for predation.
@christiancorona5640
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
I wish we could go back to the good ol days
@freddycalifornia1384
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Sometimes I forget that 2020 wasn’t JUST lockdown and had about 3-4 “normal” months (in the US) before “the big C” hit California.
@bridgetromano619
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
why were they so homophobiccccc😭😭😭
@algator55
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
I'm sure Jeffrey Epstein was a regular there
@SpiralPoli
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Disney being bigoted? Color me surprised.
@chrislee5268
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
With how predatory the LGBT movement got, stopping those gay guys was the right call.
@listinglazily
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
I never imagined I'd hear the term "homosexual fast dancing" so many times in a 24 min video 😆
@annborn
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
I’m dying over Disney saying “it’s just this couple”😂😂
@robertphillips6296
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
Videopolis East on Pleasure Island did not allow Males to Dance as it was seen a One Male challenging the other. Disney Speak for Gangs “School Groups.”
@Nikki-tx6kh
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
"Homosexual Hot Dancing" As a Eurovision Nerd, that probably describes at least two entries every year.
@IanPhilmore
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
We already had teen night clubs. They’re called roller rinks
@Haydenthemaker1000
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
This video just dropped the origin of the churro?
@juliagoodwin9510
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
…how could they even tell the two guys were gay?
Aso, saying only a specific pair of gay guys can dance together is incredibly petty.
@camerinerowe9282
March 22, 2026 at 11:43 pm
7:38
Comments are closed.