The 10 Best Episodes Of Defunctland

The 10 Best Episodes Of Defunctland

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Defunctland: The YouTube series where lost parks and attractions are found again. What are some of the best episodes of the show?

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Defunctland is a YouTube channel that started in February 2017. Created by filmmaker Kevin Perjurer, the documentary series focuses on the creation and history of lost theme parks and attractions. It eventually extended beyond recent decades and examined rides from as far back as the late 1800s.

High production value, comprehensive examination, and witty narration epitomize the best episodes of Defunctland. With the vast amount of attractions discussed, the very name of the series harkens to a theme park. And like a park with good attractions, some episodes stand out among the rest.

10 The History Of Disney’s Worst Attraction Ever, Superstar Limo

Now the episode with an intro that parodies Arrested Development, and the one ride that was heavily criticized. It is Defunctland’s look at Superstar Limo, one of the original attractions of Disney’s California Adventure. Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! eventually replaced the ill-fated ride.

This one is great to watch because the narration does not hold back. Though Defunctland episodes usually maintain a neutral tone with occasional snark, it is less restrained here because of universal negativity against Disney’s Superstar Limo ride. The criticisms are evident during the visual walkthrough of the attraction showing the cartoon cutouts and celebrity figures.

9 The Failure Of Hong Kong Disneyland

Season 2 of Defunctland discussed international parks and attractions. However, occasional episodes concerned a handful of Disney ventures throughout the 1990s that involved former Disney CEO, Michael Eisner. The season 2 finale strengthened this connection by discussing Eisner’s last theme park project: Hong Kong Disneyland.

This episode looks at the park’s development and Eisner’s last few years. Despite the detailed troubles of Hong Kong Disneyland, the episode ends optimistically with its expansion plans, such as the upcoming Disney park attraction based on the Frozen movies. It is also notable that, after the season showcased Eisner’s shortcomings, the epilogue defended his strengths of creativity and risk-taking. It is a fitting finale for a season that underlined how these traits resulted in many wonderful theme parks and attractions, worldwide.

8 The History Of The 1964 New York World’s Fair

Season 3 is rooted in futurism and progress, and it focused on the parks and events that made an impression on one particular advocate for these ideas: Walt Disney. This episode on the 1964 World’s Fair shined a spotlight on Walt’s contributions, such as The Carousel of Progress. These successes were crucial for Walt’s plans and elevated his reputation as an innovator.

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It was a sharp contrast compared to the other person discussed in this episode: World’s Fair president, Robert Moses. His controversial escapades in using the park to salvage his legacy were on full display and the subject of much ridicule through the narration. This examination of Walt and Moses at the World’s Fair makes this one of the most rewatchable episodes of Defunctland.

7 The Mystery Of The Abandoned Santa Claus Theme Parks

In this Christmas special, Defunctland goes full-on noir and detective caper. The episode gives the short history of various Santa Claus-themed parks and attractions that came, went, and are still around today. It attempts to answer who their founders were, why specific decades saw a significant spike in holiday parks, and why other decades did not have any.

While the mystery at the heart of this episode is intriguing to ponder, the histories of the Santa parks and attractions are incredibly captivating. In various cases, they are even heartwarming due to their continued ability to entertain for decades and bring holiday cheer to many. This episode is a great video to put on for Christmas viewing.

6 The History Of Disneyland’s Adventures Thru Inner Space

Before Star Tours in Disneyland took guests far, far away, its predecessor, Adventures Thru Inner Space, took guests somewhere much closer. This dark ride, operating from 1967 to 1985 in Tomorrowland, took riders on a journey through the molecular and atomic workings of a snowflake. One of its innovations was pioneering the “Omnimover” ride system seen in many attractions today, such as The Haunted Mansion, one of Disney’s most immersive attractions.

This episode not only discusses the ride but also its sponsor, the Monsanto Company, amidst the backdrop of the Vietnam War. It makes the tributes to Full Metal Jacket even stronger and poignant beyond a simple homage. This episode is highly educational and entertaining, like the defunct ride it discusses.

5 The Craziest Party Walt Disney Ever Threw

This episode is perhaps the most unusual outing of Defunctland because it does not discuss theme parks. Regardless, it is important because it ties into season 3’s focus on Walt Disney and delves into a significant turning point for him and his company. It tells the story of the friendship between the Disney animators, a bombastic party, and the repercussions of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

In the style of 1990s college films, the episode draws from historical accounts, dramatized and voiced by other theme park YouTubers. It provides a unique look at the studio’s early years and its familial atmosphere that led to the titular craziest party. The jovial focus on these antics makes the tonal shift in the latter half of the episode even more striking.

4 The History Of Coney Island

Once upon a time, New York’s Coney Island was more than a neighborhood and entertainment area: it was a wonderland of thrills, amusement, and miracles. These tales of Coney’s zenith and decline are presented utilizing a mixture of historical footage, photographs, and puppetry. The narration also takes on a more humorous tone, befitting the wild and dramatic nature of the era.

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This rollercoaster of an episode tells of the events that gave Coney Island its nickname, “Playground of the World.” The legendary theme parks and attractions of Coney (Steeplechase Park, the original Luna Park, and Dreamland) are given the spotlight, alongside the stories of their closure that marked the end of an era. The parks may be gone, but, as the episode’s final line says, “their existence was a miracle.”

3 The War For Disney’s America

This season 2 outing discusses the conception and development of Disney’s America in the 1990s. The canceled Disney park was one of the many projects helmed by Michael Eisner and intended to celebrate the history of the United States. Plans for park attractions included the Ellis Island building, a classic wooden rollercoaster, and a whitewater raft ride.

Defunctland takes this historical angle further by homaging The Civil War by Ken Burns, from certain players voiced by actors to the multiple chapters throughout the video. Replicating the miniseries makes for an educational, entertaining, and informative episode that shines a light on the park’s controversy and the company’s behind-the-scenes tumult.

2 Disney’s Fastpass: A Complicated History

When Disney reopened their theme parks after 2020, one of their longest-running park staples, the FastPass, was discontinued. The ticket system served as a prime topic for Defunctland to focus on, resulting in the episode with the longest running time at nearly two hours and covering over 50 years of tickets, lines, and customer satisfaction at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

The episode is complex yet simple in its presentation, as shown by cutaways with graphics of dots representing queued park visitors. This is taken further when attempts are made to examine the effects of the FastPass systems through graphed simulations and charts. It all culminates in a huge twist that casts a new light on the Disney park experience.

1 Walt Disney’s City Of The Future, E.P.C.O.T.

Decades before its opening at Walt Disney World, EPCOT was an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. The concept was the newest passion project of Walt Disney after the success of Disneyland, intended to be a futuristic city with cutting-edge technology sponsored by major corporations. The city never came to be, as Walt passed away before it got off the ground.

Citizen Kane is heavily homaged in this episode, and just as that film attempted to solve the mystery of “Rosebud,” an attempt is made to solve the mystery of EPCOT. The narrative examines Walt’s most ambitious ideas that were both groundbreaking and questionable in their applications, and the concept of legacy is at the forefront. Though it may not be the final episode of season 3, it very well could be with its production and conclusion.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/best-episodes-defunctland-youtube/

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