Sometimes we're like "dang, Defunctland hasn't updated in a minute", and then Defunctland pops up like "Oh, sorry, we wrote and animated an opera, it took a while".

To know that while in the midst of creating this absolutely incredible and unprecedented piece of storytelling art, Kevin was also filing through emails about what people got up to on the Garfield dark ride, makes it all the more confounding.

I love how Kevin is just like "hope you don't mind me trying out a new style!" And just drops the most beautiful, artistic, and well crafted piece of media I've ever seen

Watching EPCOT's journey from experimental city to research lab to a wholly corporate funded advertisement center of products and image washing was truly a sight to be hold. Horrifying yet somehow also inspiring

I want to emphasise the insane amount of practical artistry that went into literally every scene in this documentary. For example The newspaper sequence at 17:05 onwards was created over 2 YEARS. The majority of the shot isn’t digital, it’s real practical paper painted to look like the newspaper running on a homemade conveyor belt system mostly using Lego parts with certain parts done frame by frame. That is just 1 blink and you’ll miss it sequence in this amazing project!

Let’s all take a moment to acknowledge the fact that these videos ARE DOCUMENTARIES, and Kevin has a more legitimate claim to refer to his content as such than half of the producers working with Netflix.

Crazy to think Walt Disney World was originally budgeted for roughly the price of GotG: Cosmic Remind.

As a child Epcot inspired me. The optimism of the late 1980s-early 2000s deeply moved me and made me hope for a better world. I wish Disney would continue that instead of making everything a movie tie in.

Hey everyone, thanks for giving this a shot. I’ll be back with some classic narration style videos soon. If you enjoyed the music, consider supporting our limited vinyl run: www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-dream-calls-on-vinyl

This is the epitome of "show, don't tell" and it's amazing to create a documentary this way

This was a lovely experience, the stop motion looking newspaper section I especially loved. It's wonderful to see the channel take risks and try new things and this was a fun and unique watch. Loved the soundtrack too. I did miss the wit and humour of the more traditional defunctland videos but it's always great to see people experiment with their mediums. You never know what will work unless you give it a go. Inspiring stuff

I started watching this once it came out; realized it was not just something to keep on in the background at work and needed my full attention, and finally watched it in its entirety in December 5. I didn’t realize it was Walt’s birthday, but the universe works how it does. I don’t have words. This was beautiful; if not a typical documentary, one that pushed the limits of innovation to see what could be done. Seeing the behind the scenes and then everything in the finished product, I was in the verge of tears. Kevin, I have my doubts you will see this; this is a lost comment only good for viewer engagement stats. But you deserve every word of praise you receive. Thank you for being a storyteller.

It's so inspiring to see the boundaries of what a KZfaq video (or even a documentary in general) can be pushed to these new artistic heights.

I feel guilty watching this masterpiece for free. Seriously, the amount of work onscreen at every moment is staggering. The most powerful “show don’t tell” I’ve seen; it’s crazy how allowing this story to speak for itself (with some very intelligent curation) does even more wonders than explaining it.

We can watch this for free???? Are you kidding? This is incredible. You have worked so hard and have succeeded in creating art and something educational. Thank you.

I’m an archivist and I’m so jazzed by your use of primary sources and archival material. Way to keep history relevant! Amazing.

Dude, seriously. I’m like 60 years old and I’ve never watched anything like this. You elevated the medium into a new art form. Plus, I lived all the years portrayed and, well, what a ride!

This needs to be seen in schools, movie festivals. I was NOT expecting this amount of quality in one video. Absolutely blown away.

This is the most elegant piece of “Show Don’t Tell” I’ve ever seen. I’m glad to have been around for the full journey when you started this season

I started watching this in the background and then stopped when I realized what was really going on here. Incredible work. Everyone in this cast and crew should be proud of what they made here. While I do miss your actual voice, Kevin, your creative voice is on full display here, and it's fantastic.

I swear, this video was Kevin's own EPCOT. Thank you for taking the risk, man. It was absolutely worth it and you should be proud.

Kevin, you’ve completely outdone yourself. This is not only your finest work, this is one of the most inventive documentaries I’ve ever seen. You’ve created an incredible new storytelling format. I truly have no idea how you came up with this, but you’ve truly made a film that’s as clever and avant-garde as Epcot itself. This video is simply a monumental achievement of filmmaking, let alone for a KZfaq video.

The way you blend archival footage with your own original content either animations or music or sketches is so seamless. I can’t even begin to compare this to something like a PBS or BBC documentary. This is so much better than that

Impeccable work here. You mentioned in your Disney Channel video how you worry about not being seen as a "real" filmmaker and documentarian. I can say with unbridled confidence that this changes that. Defunctland has transcended from mere "videos." It has become something wholly unique. I can't wait to see what you and your amazing crew accomplish next. Every single person working at Disney today needs to watch this - better yet, anyone who wishes to accomplish anything of real matter.

I admit I personally prefer the usual style, but this entire thing is such a flex of talent and creativity I can’t help but love it.

This is the fantasia of documentaries. It won't be for everyone but honestly I think this really ties into the end of the Disney channel theme documentary incredibly well. This is art.

posting this here for myself: Act One: Lightning flash: [3:20 - 3:21] Camera flash: [04:05 - 04:13] Strobing: [14:58 - 15:01] Light strobing/camera flash: [16:37 - 16:52] Act Two: Bright, moving/spinning lights: [34:40 - 34:54] Act Three: Lightning flash: [51:26 - 51:29] Light flickering images: [01:01:23 - 01:01:34] Light flickering images: [01:01:48 - 01:02:16] Light flickering images: [01:02:27 - 01:02:48]

In my humble opinion, Kevin is one of the finest documentary film makers I've ever had the pleasure to watch. He has the fantastic ability to turn what maybe the most mundane topics into an exciting story of education and understanding.

This feels like I stepped into a grand opening to a new Disney historical exhibit. I am encapsulated by this production. I am in awe of the production value of this. You've truly outdone yourself.

I've never seen a documentary transmit information by *feeling* before. I was genuinely moved to tears during the shadow puppet sequence. The entire Defunctland team should be so incredibly proud of this work of art and storytelling.

This is Defunctland’s Fantasia and I love it

Oh my goodness, at first I was hardcore missing your classic deadpan sarcasm and narrative story telling, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance. The sheer quantity and quality of the production value is staggering. From neon wireframe cgi to physical paper cutouts to full on shadow puppetry, not to mention the actual sets, props, and actors that made this come together, this is truly a masterpiece. And that production cast list holy. The digital and practical effects were so good I swore it was going to be a collab with you and a bunch of artists.. but it's just you. That's crazy

An experimental documentary for an experimental concept. The thing about experiments is that they don’t always work. But when they work, they often stand above so many others as some of the greatest pieces of art in history. You are a documentarian, good sir. You are also one of the most exciting artists I have ever seen. Bravo.

Kevin, without speaking a single word you've redefined and set the standards for every medium you touched in a just-over-an-hour runtime. This is flawlessly executed. This is far more than a documentary. This is far more than a video essay. This is a work of art.

Genuine artistry on display right here-certainly the most aesthetically pleasing, professionally done video on KZfaq. Absolutely blown away by every scene, from the practical, to the animated, and even the acted…such an innovative way to tell the story of Epcot. Who needs narration when the story is curated to the point where it tells itself. Cannot imagine how much time and effort was put into this, congrats to everyone involved!

That newspaper sequence is the sickest newspaper/headline montage I have ever seen in my life. And the voice actors you got all sounded crazy good! Like...holy shit, how did you manage all this. And the music... the animation... dude! Love your "traditional" videos but I hope you continue to be inspired to make insane stuff like this too. My only real complaint here is this video could use some chapters! I have no idea how that works on KZfaq, honestly, but I know in the future I would love to revisit certain sequences.

this has to be one of the most creative, high production value, and breathtaking documentaries I've ever seen, let alone KZfaq videos. we are so so so lucky to have you defunctland

I honestly think this video is Sundance worthy and will be a treasure for years to come. Replicating the outfits during the meetings is genius.

That was absolutely magical! The whole laser sequence at 12:00 blew my mind, I can't believe you took the time to do that practically but I'm really glad you did. The 3D graphics being reproduced by real physical process is just so evocative of the technological optimism that EPCOT was all about. Stunning work, will watch again!

:20 seconds in and I’m already so delighted. THANK YOU for including a sensory guide. A childhood friend of mine lost her life to epilepsy and it’s so wonderful to see the world making those little accommodations for people like her to exist longer. Ok, back to the video (which I’ve been told is a cinematic masterpiece).

Never before has a video made me go "Wait, it's OVER?!" as soon as the credits started rolling. That did NOT feel like an hour had gone by. Absolute kudos to you and your crew, Kevin.

This feels like an attraction. Like I would go to Disneyworld and be inside for a hot second and watch a video on how they made EPCOT. This video. I hope that's what you were going for because you nailed it.

I've never been to any Disney park before, and I admit to never really being quite sure what EPCOT actually is. Until now, thanks to this beautiful piece of work. Thank you for taking us outside of the box with you. Spectacular.

This is the most insanely ambitious KZfaq documentary I have ever seen, and it feels only fitting that it was made for EPCOT, the park whose ambitions have oftentimes outstretched its abilities, but who, even in its current form, encourages a sense of wonder

That wireframe/laser sequence was beautiful. I felt empty after it ended, and still am almost speechless. Fantastic work. Absolutely fantastic.

everyone who worked in this should feel very proud of themselves, this was all so well done & put together

Kevin said "thank you for watching" and I'm saying, thank you for letting me watch this. My mind can't understand how this is on KZfaq. There wasn't even an annoying commercial for some product that every channel or podcast is pushing right now. Thank you Kevin for being so passionate about your videos. This was truly amazing! I'm blown away! Awesome job by everyone involved!

I rarely comment on a video however this video has made it to the list of my favorite videos on the entire platform. This style of video essay is incredibly refreshing and gives the viewer that sense of childlike wonder and amazement. Everything from the visuals to the music was absolutely incredible. I hope you’ll do another documentary with this style. This video is truly your Magnum Opus.

Kevin never disappoints us. The journey of EPCOT from its conceptualization as a city of the future, to its final form as a theme park celebrating advancements in technology, science, and the cultures of the world, is quite a fascinating one. And I love the way in which you chose to cover it here. This documentary is one of the best, most high quality productions I've ever seen. Amazing work.

If this video doesn't prove that Kevin is one of the best documentary makers of our generation, the I don't know what could. This is art!

As a kid, ECPOT fostered my current love for travel so it’s dear to my heart. This was truly a work of art, a revolutionary form of story telling. So many thanks to the team who created this.

I absolutely loved this. I took my first Disney World trip in 1989, when I was 7. I'll never forget how it felt to stand and see Spaceship Earth for the first time. With the entrance music swrilling around me, I was just in complete awe. My dad felt the same way, and Epcot quickely became the favorite for both of us. Trip after trip my dad and I would go into Epcot almost every evening, just the two of us, after the rest of the family were done for day. Sometimes we would just grad a snack to sit and listen to the music. When he got sick, he would ask me to play Illuminations for him or just the entrance loop. Since he's passed, Epcot has become so much more to me than just a theme park. This October, my husband and I took our 6 year old twin sons for their first Disney trip, and guess what? Their favorite park was Epcot. Since we've come home it's all the talk about. They watched this whole video with me and loved every second. Thank you for this.

This isn’t just a documentary This isn’t just a video This is an artistic experience which needs, imo, to be seen by any who has been to Epcot itself.

Theatrical release when? Bravo. Your ability to tell such a compelling story without a single line of narration is nothing short of genius. This is a masterpiece.

Every frame a painting! Utterly gorgeous video. If this doesn't win awards, I'll be shocked!

dang the historical companion is also a visual buffet. viewed this for a second time just to have the sonic background but i was curious about what the historical companion was about. was not disappointed! not only does it take a closer look at the history seen in this documentary, but it also reveals some of the process in making this video. and i cannot emphasize enough how nice the graphics are! it's been a while since i've been this happy to look through a slideshow.

Disney itself should pay Kevin and the entire Defunctland team to show this film AT EPCOT itself and on Disney+. This is more passionate, creative, and mature than any of the behind the attraction episodes on Disney+. Well done team, truly outstanding!

Love to see a KZfaqr going this hard on the aesthetics. Inspiring work for all of us to catch up to. Edit: I unexpectedly started crying at the creation of Dreamfinder and Figment. What a powerful piece you’ve made. 😭

Took me a while to find the time to give this project the attention it both calls for and needs - but today was the day. I hope that you understand the level of quality and style you were able to achieve here, from the soundtrack to the manifesto. These are the things that keep my love for videomaking alive. Thank you for this!!!

kevin casually dropping an actual tv movie documentary for free on youtube seriously the production value for these videos keeps getting better and better, and i love recognizing so many names in the credits

I've never even been to Disneyworld, but through Kevin, I feel I've lived it! Defunctland truly is a beautiful place~

This absolutely blew me away. You clearly took the Experimental in EPCOT seriously and I couldn't imagine any historical piece more true to the spirit of the park than what you've done here! On a personal level, I've been a fan of the channel for a long time and it's been amazing to see you elevate your craft each time you put out one of these more ambitious documentaries. I've lived in Orlando my entire life and have so many happy memories visiting Epcot and Disney World with friends and family since childhood. Getting to learn more about their origins, inspirations and development through such a unique and artistic lens is so exciting and emotional. Thank you so much for making these for us, I know I and many others are super grateful for it and will be there for whatever else you decide to do, no matter how out-of-the-box it may be!

leave it to the guy that constantly covers dark rides to understand good storytelling in sound design better than any of them. This is lovely.

The low view count on this documentary is positively criminal. What a passionate, creative, and beautiful blend of artistry and history. The music is absolutely outstanding, and serves as a wonderful "glue" to hold the narrative together. And the visuals! Absolute work of art Kevin!

I cannot accurately explain why the shadow puppet segment of this moved me so deeply but my god did it ever. When the countries’ names appeared on the wheel I just started crying? That whole segment was one beautifully done piece of a whole beautiful documentary. Kevin, this is incredible. I have no words. What a blessing it is to bear witness to your talents. This is a masterpiece.

There is more love and reverence for the idea of EPCOT here than there seems to be at Disney these days. Absolutely breathtaking work.

A bit bummed when I first realised this wasn’t your typical video but soon got over it and just enjoyed the ride, love seeing what you can do on this channel and excited to see what crazy idea you have next

I came in kind of skeptical at the premise of a non-narration history, but good lord this was so good, and you honestly got the entire story you need to from the music, visuals, and archival footage. Yet another master class in storytelling from Kevin

You went from voice over commentary to putting on whole productions, this is like a stage play, this is fantastic.

I’ll admit that I was kind of skeptical of this new format at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that taking the “video essay” format in this new direction is the most EPCOT spirited thing I could think of. You conveyed the beauty and legacy of the park that so many of its diehard fans love, and you did so with an attention to detail that made your passion clear. The CHILLS I got during the sequences where the attractions were coming together (particularly when Tony Baxter was introduced) and Spaceship Earth was being conceptualized/constructed were very powerful. AND you composed all of the music yourself??? Kevin, I hope you give yourself a nice long rest after this, you have MORE than earned it. Amazing amazing job ❤

It’s so awesome to watch Kevin challenge himself into doing something unprecedented and special. A masterpiece

This is such a breath of fresh air for a genre that has really reached peak maturity over the last 5 years. This style is unlike anything I’ve seen before and I was captivated the whole time. While it is definitely a departure from the typical content on this channel I hope we see more of this in the future, not just from Defunctland but from all video essay creators. Thank you Kevin and team for creating this wonderful feature film!

I've been following the making of this video on Twitter for the longest time, Defunctland is back again!

Kevin has changed the game for the world of Documentaries. The immediate future of video journalism and storytelling is being molded by this man.

the shadow puppet segment got me teary-eyed lol. but for real, i am truly in awe by this. ive never seen anything like this and the boundaries you and the team pushed here to create a truly unique, beautiful, and educational documentary and film is beyond incredible. thank YOU for making it (to respond to the message at the end)

Wow. I remember the "we can do it!" song/refrain from the TV special... I so wanted to go to EPCOT after seeing that and consider myself lucky not only to have gotten to but to have experienced Journey into Imagination in its original form. And as for this video, WOW, what an amazing tour de force! Excellent, excellent work by Kevin and crew. Standing ovation!

This is a huge departure from your usual style, but I'm in awe of how well you managed to convey the history, ideas, and *story* in this format. The effort, dedication, and enthusiasm the entire team poured into this shines through. This is such a work of art with so much love in it.

Absolutely cried when the narration of Spaceship Earth started. This is a gorgeous work of my most favorite park. Thank you and your teams for the extremely hard work put into this film. What a beautiful masterpiece. 10/10.

I never thought I’d want to cry over EPCOT?! I’m not even a Disney fanatic, but this had me so in the feels pulling for EPCOT and watching all the different countries pass up the chance to be a part of it, plan after plan broke my heart. You did an incredible job on this film!! Thank you for making absolute quality content! I’ll look at EPCOT with a new set of eyes after this.

Visited Epcot in 1987. This brings back memories.

I’m 4 mins in and am blown away by the production value on this! The intro alone was incredible and these recreated scenes are beautiful. Defunctland has just raised the bar for feature length creator documentaries. This looks like it had a multi-million dollar budget.

One thing I always love about Kevin as a Documentary Filmmaker - he's never afraid to be ambitious and try new ways. I loved it

Wow... I'm so emotional after watching this and I don't know why. The best way to describe it is this makes me nostalgic for a time I never lived in - visionary, optimistic, idealistic, forward-facing. It's crazy to see the amount of cooperation there was between international governments, private corporations, and the Walt Disney corporation in trying to put this together. I wish I could have seen it back when it first opened, to experience the wonder of human progress and the excitement for the future. It is somewhat regrettable see how EPCOT has increasingly changed over time: an IP-filled mash up of themed attractions.

Kevin is a genius. I used to think he was just a good researcher and editor, but he is so much more, weaving together fantastic imagery and original music in such an engrossing, creative, and informative way that it puts most anything Disney itself has put together in recent years to shame. This is truly a gift. Bravo!

Listen... I'm about a third of the way through the video. It's fantastic. I would love to see more videos like this from Defunctland. But I REALLY hope this video style doesn't replace the usual Defunctland video style. It feels like a documentary, but one that suits museums and long attention spans. Definitely not seeming to be a "pause and come back later" type deal. Love the skits, the visuals, the audio! This is absolutely your masterwork! Edit: halfway through and my breath has been stolen. The shadowpuppet and acoustic guitar sections brought me to tears. Edit 2: just finished the video. 100% worth every ounce of work put into it. This will be your masterwork, your magnum opis, for years to come. Experimental and incredibly moving.

That was one hell of a documentary! Despite my initial sadness at the lack of Kevin's brilliant narration, the soundtrack, acting, and editing more than made up for it. Possibly Defunctland's best doc yet!

i got SO EXCITED when the newspaper scenes you tweeted about filming finally came on!! this was so incredible!!

I can't believe that this is just some youtube video i can just watch, and not a movie nominated for several awards, because it should be. This is an incredible masterpiece

Every time I think Kevin has made his best documentary, he releases a new one that peaks that much higher.

This is a masterpiece of filmmaking and journalism. Can’t recommend this video enough to everyone I know.

Marvelous touch for the captions at 1:01:15, where the phrase “And now, here is Walt Disney” is shown through the entire photo montage of Walt’s life, only to turn off right before his last photo is covered by the plans for EPCOT.

Without a doubt one of the best Defunctland videos I've seen yet. Epcot has always been one of if not my favorite theme park, so getting to learn about it's history from concept to production up to opening is a real treat all on it's own. But for it to be done via an orchestra, blending the music with the visual using both real audio from news and public broadcasts and acted out scenarios instead of the traditional tour through each act with Kevin was not at all what I expected and made for an unforgettable experience. I can't imagine the work that had to be put in for each part of this documentary, truly stands as one of the best documentaries I have ever seen.

I’m speechless. The practical effects, the music, the storytelling-it blew me away. What a captivating, evocative, and comforting documentary! A massive bravo and thank you to everyone involved.

To Kevin and the rest of the team who worked on this beautiful project, thank you. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for sharing this masterpiece with us!! This feels like the most professional, big budget documentary I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. To all those who helped fund this video, from Patreon or other sources, you guys should feel proud in knowing your money helped make art come to life.

I genuinely think this is this channels' magnum opus, it's so beautifully, lovingly crafted and the obvious passion for all these different mediums and styles just perfectly intertwining is just something beautiful to behold. I love when creators don't just stick to what's popular and actually take risks with their creations, it is such a joy to watch. Bravo.

This was MAGNIFICENT. Absolutely a work of art beyond anything I've seen from this field of interest. 10 out of 10.

As you upload, I find myself saying "THIS is his magnum opus", with each new doc! Continuing to up the standard of your own work, the way you have is remarkable! Sitting here in awe trying to find other words to describe is impossible, incredible work!!

This particular style isn't for me, but not everything in this world has to be. I can appreciate it as a masterpiece, congrats to the creator, and I wish more people would take big swings like this.

every single documentary that kevin makes is more enrapturing than the last, truly. i’m so blown away by the level of artistry and passion that went into making this and i’m so grateful to kevin for taking risks with his style to pursue visions like this - it’s phenomenal.

So glad I decided to just sit down, put on headphones, and watch this, instead of having it play as background. The visuals were fantastic, and the audio put me into the scenes. Great work.