Happy 4th everyone! As you can see, this is a LONG episode. Originally a two-parter, I decided to combine it into one long video, so we'll see how that goes over. The production value in this episode is thanks to all of my wonderful Patrons! Thanks to them, we were able to do some really cool things with this video. If you want to support the channel and hang out on our Discord, consider throwing us a dollar at patreon.com/defunctland. Also, thank you to all of my wonderful KZfaq friends for helping me out with this video! Check out their channels below! Alicia Stella - kzfaq.info Disney Dan - kzfaq.info/love/eqwjbVfwiPVg75sNPZvxmw Jack from Park Ride History - kzfaq.info/love/WPa4aE_b2OfhW7oA87wT2Q Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films - kzfaq.info Jason, Mike, and Scott from Podcast: The Ride - twitter.com/podcasttheride Lindsay Ellis - kzfaq.info Mark from Yesterworld - kzfaq.info/love/mOy2-vrvwDh6O1bTUB5m_g Quinton Reviews - kzfaq.info/love/M0V8r4kuIWIl6Sy-NHj2lg RobPlays - kzfaq.info We'll see you soon with another episode of DefunctTV and podcast episode before our next Season Two episode. Have a great week!

"We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave." - Bob Weiss, Imagineer "You *WHAT?!* " - Tom, Krusty Krab patron

Dearest Martha, the wait for the Escape Slavery ride is over 90 minutes. Supplies are running low and the long trudge to the Dole Whip stand bring weariness to my bones. I fear help will not arrive with Fastpasses before winter. Yours forever, Patrick.

I will say, "Industrial Revolution," is a pretty sick roller coaster name.

Only in American politics can you have a debate about whether Disney is allowed to build a theme park practically on top of the site of two of the most consequential battles in American history and have somebody turn it into a debate about whether Mickey Mouse is pro or anti slavery.

"We want to make you feel like a slave." -Bob Weiss, 1993.

“Would Mickey have worn blue or gray” isn’t something I was expecting but GOD is it a thought

I love that the African American historian’s defense for working with Disney was basically *”Look they are gonna do it anyway, I might as well be there to damage control”*

"Alright this hearing is to decide if the Walt Disney Company can build their park here." "That's cool and all, but what side of the war was Mickey on? 🤔"

NOVELIST

"we want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave" I'm sure there was a sincere history lesson behind that, rather than just a ride based on human rights abuse for shits-and-giggles, but they REALLY could've (and should've) phrased that better

"walt wouldnt have just asked us to trust him" -historian *walt furious at the thought of people being able to vote in his epcot town*

"We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave." - Bob Weiss, Imagineer I hear that Disney has pretty much done this with their Florida employees.

"There stands General Goofy, like I stone wall." -Unknown Union Soldier.

I don't know why the images of Disney characters photoshopped into old American war pictures were so goddamn hilarious but I literally had to pause the video to compose myself from laughing too hard

"If Disney were a country, it'd be Israel. Their reputation is almost a burden. There are things they cannot do with impunity that other companies can." Hoo boy, this got spicy

If Disney's America ever came to successful fruition, I'd like to think that once a year, every Halloween, they'd do a Salem Witch Trials reenactment to reflect on Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney World.

It took me a bit to realize that the quotes were read out by other theme park KZfaqrs. Easily the most well made episode to date. Prop Kev.

Considering what Disney does now to their themed sections, focusing more on their franchises and characters over their initial theming, Disney's America, had it succeeded, would have become Captain America Land in 2018

As someone who lives in DC, we dodged a flipping missile Also it's funny that Disney was trying to make history "interesting" cause DC has several museums and events that do the same thing and then some FOR FREE

32:51 So, instead of an homage to American history in a historical setting, we get suburban sprawl in a historical setting. A great W for the historian community, I’ll say.

I don't doubt Disney and Eisner meant well, but there is NO WAY an entire park based on American history would have worked. No matter how it had been depicted, there would have been two camps: One side would be angry that the park was too critical of America, and another would be angry that it was not critical enough. Ask 100 people what America means to them, and you will receive 100 different answers. Make a park about America and put 100 people in it, and 100 people will tell you that you did it wrong. Disney's brand is based on selling dreams. Dreams are where Disney needs to stay.

"We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave" --how could such a concept fail?

I believe this can be summed up with an old Monkey Island quote "Your heart's in the right place dear, but your mind is somewhere cold and dark and covered in spiders."

I just LOVE how you structured this exactly like a history documentary... the cut ins with quotes, the voice acting, the way they credit quotes with the same voice actor... I LOVE IT!!

love the way defunctland disney edition is basically just "and now on the mikey eisner fucked up show"

19:10 “Building a park about American history on top of historic ground was akin to building a theme park based on California in California.” OH, THE IRONY!!! THE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE IRONY!!!

My favorite thing about Larry Craig’s absolute bonkers “blue or gray” argument, aside from it being Larry “bathroom stall” Craig saying it, is like… imagine if Disney stuck Mickey in a confederate uniform? Like just truly imagine that. I, too, would love to watch Disney try to tell that story.

“We want to make you feel like slaves” Why not send us to where you make the toys then

I'm so happy that KZfaq is producing Ken Burn style programming to attract PBS viewers like me.

The idea of Disney describing parts of their own park as "painful, disturbing, and agonizing" sounds like something from an Onion headline, not the official press release. Good comedic timing too with the "In hindsight, this was the wrong thing to say." Once again, excellent job!

Nothing ages a newspaper like the headline: “DELOREAN: The New, Improved”

Gotta love how both sides lost in the end and the area was developed anyways.

"No one wants a Coney Island in their backyard!" I do...

"The company that brought you Mickey Mouse and friends promises 'painful, disturbing and agonizing' exhibits at its new theme park." That quote is pure gold, I love the subtle snark. It made me laugh more than it really should have lol. Thank you Washington Post.

The fact that this is edited like a Ken Burns documentary is so hilarious to me. Incredible attention to detail.

As a person who grew up less then 5 miles from where this was supposed to be built let me say that it was very popular in the local area. People from prince William county are still mad at Ken burns because he made these people from half way across the country famous enough to block what the local people wanted. I went to a county council meeting on this and for over 3 hours everyone just said that they wanted Disney there. We saw what had happened to Orlando where a small city that no one want to live at became a thriving city. Instead that area turned into housing that almost no one can afford (most cost over $500k-1.5M) and a golf course for the super rich.

Williamsburg didn't have the population to hold a theme park. Busch Gardens: "Hold my beer."

The dedication to Ken Burns theming makes me happy and I don’t even know why. I might just be a nerd.

It is crazy how hallowed they talked about that land and then they just built a bunch of houses over it.

James Horton’s a true G for his views on helping Disney try to achieve their vision in a correct way.

The fact that you just deadass made a Ken Burns' Civil War spoof documentary and then played it completely straight is why I love this channel.

Knott Family worried that Disney would change too much of their park. Cedar Fair: "Hold my beer."

The only problem with this park and the idea behind it is that it's DISNEY'S America. I completely agree with the lady saying that Disney's reputation is almost a burden. They could have funded and built something educational and interesting and real that sparked interest in Virginian and American history without being held back by Disney's reputation and expectations, but they HAD to slap the Disney name on there because ultimately this was all an exercise in bolstering or adding to the Disney brand. It's such a fumbling, predictable 90s rampant capitalism move that the Disney of today is too savvy to make. They don't call it Disney's Star Wars or Disney's Marvel's The Avengers because at some point they realized the burden of their name and reputation. Without the Disney name and reputation this sounds scarcely different to any other historical reenactment experience of which there are thousands across the country that have been built and operate mostly without a hitch. Truthfully I don't even know if this is really on brand for Disney anyway. I always saw Disney as being more about magic and fantasy and escapism into fiction rather than about reality let alone the extremely gritty reality of early America. Just one more reason why it was completely unnecessary to make it Disney's America. If Disney had just funded it or done it without making reference to Disney or its intellectual properties I think the whole thing would've been fine.

"We want to make you feel like a slave." That's gonna be a "Yikes" from me, dawg. I think I'll stay my ass at home, thanks.

Oh, wow. Didn't expect to see my old history professor (James Horton) in this video. I never knew he was involved in some way with Disney.

Your commitment to Ken Burns' documentary style is admirable. Well done!

That goof doofus "We wanna let you know what it feels like to be a slave" I cringed so hard I have my own gravitational field.

Didn't want to build it due to the destruction of historic battlefield sites and town. Using the map at 13:02 as reference, the areas in present day are now 2 country cubs and large housing district

Mickey was made in California, so he would likely be Union.

I feel like this would have been a major disaster if had come to fruition. There is no way Disney could have kept the park child-friendly while being historically accurate.

Kevin, have I mentioned that this is my favorite episode? The Disney walkaround characters photoshopped into Civil War photos haunts me.

"It does not erase the good done by both, and it does not disqualify them from improvement." Wise words. I wish more people understood that

This video shows exactly why I love the channel. Well written, well researched, and perfect in it's execution. Thank you!

"...would be like building a california themed park, in california" *glares suspiciously at Disneys California Adventure*

29:39 the way he says “Novelist” 😂

The Civil War/Ken Burns documentary spoof is such a deep cut, I'm in hysterics. Well done!

Really the 90's was just a rough time for Disney I also sometimes think that Kevin Perjurer is Michel Eisner

Give this man an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony fucking anything! This dude needs to be commended for his work if it has reached this level of quality! Give him everything! Perfect video! Can't wait to see what you will do next!

"We want to make you feel like a slave" *CONTINOUSLY SPITS OUT DRINK FOR SECONDS*

This series is a masterpiece that continues to intrigue people who otherwise never would have realized how much goes into amusement parks and the history within.

This seems like such a good and such a terrible idea all at once. Given how properties-heavy the parks have become, the park would probably get remade into something involving Star Wars and Marvel at this point.

The voice acting for the excerpts here are genuinely phenomenal.

I know there is a lot of insensitivity to issues surrounding early America, but the idea of a battle reenactment with the ironclads sounds awesome. If I ever went to D.C. I probably would've visited this park if I had the chance. I love history in general, so I was probably their sucker target audience.

It's true: the traffic on I-66 has never improved. I retroactively wish this park was up the freeway from me just so 66 wouldn't be so awful.

Disney's America Don't catch you slippin' up Don't catch you slippin' up Look what I'm whippin' up

No one not a soul: The Headline on the right at 1:12 : "Hmm interesting."

I live really close to the WW1 museum and the Harry Truman museum and you PERFECTLY captured the "i am a historical person saying a historical thing" voice lmao

I didn't realize how obsessed I am with these videos until I saw the notification and silently cheered

Wait wait wait! The area now has tons of homes on it? What happened to the destroying of landmarks and battlefield argument? Perhaps some of these historians that were opposed had investments in real estate? I think Alan was right. Some deep pursed people pushed disney out.

“Give a farmer seeds and he’ll create food. Musician a melody and he’ll create music. Give a soldier an enemy and he’ll create nothing. He only destroys, kills... I wonder if God watches the events that unfurl when men take up arms against men, and I’m afraid that when I die, God will care about the things I’ve done. But I think that I’m more afraid that he won’t. That he’ll sit there, picking his nails, barely able to summon the energy to judge me. Because what then? What if bad men aren’t judged fairly? People tell me to fear hell, but there comes a point where you’ve done such awful things that you have to wonder if the devil will welcome you as a friend when you arrive. The truth is... I don’t believe in anything anymore.” *- Mickey Mouse, 1969*

“We want to make you feel like you were a slave” is by far my favorite Disney executive quote

"It is a Blitzkrieg by the Panzer Division of......" Walt in his grave dreaming about the glory of the US: WHAT?!

I can see both sides. I would be worried about a watered-down, trivialized version of history... but then, at least it might spark interest into deeper historical study with some guests, and the revenue could be used to promote/maintain historical artifacts, etc. In the end, the area ended up a McMansion Suburb... which is possibly worse. Ugh. Having said all that -- this was a very well-done, balanced look at the issues. I've been binge-watching the first two seasons of Defunctland over the past week and I'm amazed at the increased production values throughout. Great work!

This is one of the best Ken Burns homages since Community

"We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave..." All they have to do that is to hire them as a cast member...

"its battle fields you cannot build here!!!" "builds homes on the spot where they cried Disney would"

I love how you create an overall artistic theme for each video. You really nailed the Ken Burns feel.

this is such a loaded topic. on one hand I agree that bringing history into the forefront of people’s thoughts and creating scenarios where people can truly empathize with history is a good thing. it allows us to connect to these real people on a level that reading excerpts from a textbook just cannot do. I really appreciated the fact disney genuinely tried to bring in historians to keep this accurate. however, I just know that no dream or idea is left uncorrupted. let enough time pass and disney would’ve totally screwed up everything in favor of “what sells”. and it’s somewhat frightening to think about handing over history to one of the most wealthy and influential corporations of the 20th century. they could easily “soften” it or change important details which could effectively alter the perception of history for many (considering the reach that disney has). but at the same time, the very intellectual endeavor of “historicism” feels gatekept. it almost feels like they purposely keep it mundane to keep the public ignorant about it. giving history a compelling medium doesn’t necessarily mean it transitions into the inaccurate. when we ignore history, we forget it, and when we forget it, we repeat it. I agree with many other commenters here that disney could’ve easily funded a project like this if they really cared about history, but their incessant need to brand it with their logo and include their little characters trivializes it greatly. and their crappy attempt to bribe lawmakers with early private showings of their films reeeeeally just comes off as underhanded and manipulative.

So I actually live in the area that was to be Disney's America, a small area called Bristow. The area has since boomed in population, and has entered the bid for Amazon's new campus. Right now, they are in the final running under the "Northern Virginia" Bid, and since most of the population of PWC, Manassass, and Bristow weren't around for the Disney's America fight, ironically everyone is rooting for Amazon to come here, since home costs would skyrocket.

I just find it ridiculous that people opposed Disney developing the land, but then did nothing when it was paved over for housing developments. Maybe it was just one of the arguments, but it was a stupid one.

The Ken Burns style really makes this work--brilliant.

7:11 oh maybe they could have a rollercoaster go through a sweatshop fire no wonder this didn't work out

Im from haymarket va and ive lived in dominion valley just around the area that was discussed for breaking ground. Locals talk about it and they all sound like they regret not having the park there. The local business would BOOM

"I approve of how this video parodies the PBS documentary Civil War and take it as a compliment and not an insult." - Ken Burns

"Let's think about it, what side would Mickey Mouse be on in the Civil War?" "Sir, this is a senate hearing."

The sad thing is that the general concept wasn't a bad idea. How history in general was taught when I was growing up tended to be rushed and also boring, due to how much teachers had to cram in to class. I ironically didn't get into history until middle age, thanks to a browser game that the dev hoped would get people more interested in learning WW II naval history, even though the lead dev openly admitted certain problematic aspects had to be left out for entertainment value. If a theme park could be made along similar lines, including transparency about how much it can cover and why they did it the way they did, it could possibly work better in getting people interested in learning more - in a way school didn't. Pity that too much about this project was bungled.

I remember all this well, as I lived in the area. Honestly, most people I knew really wanted this. It was a much smaller but much more vocal minority that tied it up in so much red tape it wasn't worth it anymore. That area is now a pretty gross looking clutter of McMansions which honestly....probably was way worse. I think I'm going to forever be upset about it never coming to be.

LOL the historical pictures with Disney characters

This is the best of the Disney episodes so far. You've really captured the feel of a Civil War documentary in it. Great work.

Man the editorial cartoonists really had a field day with this one.

Man, I could be wrong, but it seems pretty stupid to fight Disney about this. What good did it do? In the end the land ended up bulldozed and turned into a housing development. How is that any better? At least Disney was trying to make a celebration of America, instead of another suburb.

Lol, I love how you made this video like one of those old, educational, civil war videos we had to watch in school, back in the day.... Where quotes from soldiers and generals were read off by voice actors and such! Lol! Brought back memories, felt nostalgic, educational and informative yet also entertaining... Also, a VERY PATRIOTIC theme for a 4th of July video! Lol! Anyway.... Good work as always! And, of course, keep it up!! :) ~~

"The night they drove old Disney down...and all the bells were ringing..." 🤣🤣🤣

This idea reminds me of Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford museum in Michigan-a big museum that explores some of the darker events of American history while still featuring a large walk around village-it’s very cool!

a child of ken burns, you are. well done.

"as the American Indians once found out, just because you got there first does not mean you get to make all the decisions" my jaw actually dropped, I can't believe a human person let that sentence out of their mouth

Ken Burns style titles were great on this one, I love that each episode has its own unique intro :) edit: my god you went all the way with it

6:40 that concept art is gorgeous

I find it funny that Knott's didn't want to sell to Disney because they though Disney would change too much, when Cedar Fair has tried to turn it into another Six Flags. The park has only begun returning to its roots these past few years, with the classic ride restorations, Ghost Town Alive, and the Boysenberry Festival. Still, I really wonder what that park would be like if Disney bought it.