History
Videopolis opened in 1985, a short distance to the west of It's a Small World. During the day, the theater was used for theme-park shows, but in the evening, it transformed into a dance club where music videos played. Videopolis featured 70 video monitors that displayed music videos and/or live feeds that allowed guests to watch themselves. The venue included a snack bar called "Yumz".
The theater was featured in the television program of the same name on the Disney Channel. Filmed live at Videopolis, the show broadcast concert performances from an array of Top 40 bands and singers including Debbie Gibson, New Kids on the Block, Tiffany, Glenn Medeiros, New Edition, Pebbles, Janet Jackson, and The Jets. The dance club concept was abandoned in 1989 after several high-profile gang-related incidents, and Videopolis was converted for exclusive stage-show use.
The Children's Miracle Network Telethon also made use of Videopolis from 1987 to 1995. The show's hosts included singer and The Dukes of Hazard actor John Schneider, Marie Osmond, Entertainment Tonight co-host Mary Hart, impressionist Rich Little, Olympic Gold Medalist Mary Lou Retton, NFL Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, and the 5th Dimension's Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.
Read more about this topic: Videopolis (Disneyland)
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