So What's Coming to the New Pleasure Island?

[wezee]

Originally Posted by zulemara

Haven't you heard? The demographics are changing! People are getting older and want to be back in their rooms at 10pm now. (quote from Lee Cockrell on the DIS podcast cruise btw)

All those people spending money in a bad economy...that's just the wrong element that we don't want here at Downtown Disney. We prefer cheesy dance parties, empty buildings, and an increase in prices across the board to keep that wrong element away.

Whoa wait a minute...DH and I are 50+ yrs old and definantly do not want to be back in our room by 10:00pm. How do I get ahold of this Lee Cockrell guy and tell him he is nuts????

[Luv2Roam]

Lee retired a few years ago. Although he has always been well respected.
Just a shame he can be so wrong. Just sounds like a spin excuse to me.
DH and I are 50+ and no PI keeps us from not staying on site as often as we use to because there really isn't much to do with Disney after dark that is unique. I mean, we love Disney. But we can go to parks during the day. And I know we are not the only ones who feel the same.
But they made their decision, and it saves me a lot of $.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

According to Disney advertising, there is tons of nightlife at Downtown Disney:

* Cirque (at just $70 per person)
* Cigar Bar (smoke 'em if you got 'em)
* Dance an Irish jig at Raglan Road (always high on the list)
* A little Salsa at Bongos (ok, this might be decent)

So who needs Pleasure Island when you got these kind of options!

BobK/Orlando

[ConcKahuna]

Originally Posted by KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

According to Disney advertising, there is tons of nightlife at Downtown Disney:

* Cirque (at just $70 per person)
* Cigar Bar (smoke 'em if you got 'em)
* Dance an Irish jig at Raglan Road (always high on the list)
* A little Salsa at Bongos (ok, this might be decent)

So who needs Pleasure Island when you got these kind of options!

BobK/Orlando

Bongo's can be decent some nights, but unfortunatly the only real nightlife at DTD any more is House of Blues

[Kelly B Disney]

I am sooo disappointed at what downtown disney has become...which is totally outdated and lame except for the restaurants. Marketplace is of course better for shopping but still no adult nightlife there. My favorite place ever was Pleasure Island. I love Disney and my kids but love to go out and dance and have adult fun at night on vacation! I went down there on every disney trip to dance (used the baby sitting services or the kids clubs on property)! Pleasure Island with the band, the dj's , the clubs and the New years eve show... was a great part of my Disney trips. I Even brought my teens when they got older and had a blast at 8 trax dancing !

I was at Disney in June, July and Aug this summer and am going next weekend. There is no place to go at night that has any atmosphere and fun. The Boardwalk Atlantic Dance was a bust this summer even on Sat-- except for the DJ's 2 dancers that were the only ones on the floor. Jelly Rolls is ok at times but they were charging a $10 cover when I was there!!!! I refused to pay it and went back to my room with nothing to do. Someone needs to re-open Pleasure Island . I almost feel like I should re-think getting my annual pass next year and go back to cruising ... Wake -Up Disney!

[KYMickey]

Originally Posted by zulemara

Haven't you heard? The demographics are changing! People are getting older and want to be back in their rooms at 10pm now. (quote from Lee Cockrell on the DIS podcast cruise btw)

That's certainly a funny comment. Especially since older people without kids is what PI was built for and was the target audience. It wasn't designed for families with kids (who go to bed early!), it was designed for the 20 somethings without kids and older couples whose kids have already moved out. Certainly seems like those groups are still quite prevalent in today's society and actually the older couples probably have more money to spend than any other demographic group.

[bgohre]

I'm sure I'll get flamed here. But....I've been going to Disney since I was 17 years old, lets just say, I'm a "touch" over that rignt now. We generally go to Disney at least once a year and usually twice. I have never, and seriously, NEVER been to PI. I don't come to Disney to go Dancing, listen to DJ's or drink beer. Thats something that I can do at home anytime I want.

So to me, PI has always just been a big waste of space and money.

[rpmdfw]

Originally Posted by bgohre

I'm sure I'll get flamed here. But....I've been going to Disney since I was 17 years old, lets just say, I'm a "touch" over that rignt now. We generally go to Disney at least once a year and usually twice. I have never, and seriously, NEVER been to PI. I don't come to Disney to go Dancing, listen to DJ's or drink beer. Thats something that I can do at home anytime I want.

So to me, PI has always just been a big waste of space and money.

Pleasure Island was SO much more than just "drinking and dancing". If you never bothered to visit, you don't know what you missed.

I feel bad for you. By never giving it a chance, you missed the single most amazing immersive Disney experience that imagineering ever created: The Adventurers Club. Nothing we've ever done at WDW, Disneyland, DCL, or Disneyland Paris has come close to the "Disney Magic" we felt in that one building. It was the pinnacle as far as I'm concerned.

[Scurvy]

Originally Posted by rpmdfw

Pleasure Island was SO much more than just "drinking and dancing". If you never bothered to visit, you don't know what you missed.

I feel bad for you. By never giving it a chance, you missed the single most amazing immersive Disney experience that imagineering ever created: The Adventurers Club. Nothing we've ever done at WDW, Disneyland, DCL, or Disneyland Paris has come close to the "Disney Magic" we felt in that one building. It was the pinnacle as far as I'm concerned.

I agree with you 100%. I loved that place. No where else can even come close.

And bgohre, isn't it nice that we all have such different interests? I think princess stuff is nauseating, so to me the new Fantasyland is a huge waste of space and money (especially given that it primarily will appeal to young girls and not at all to boys or most adults). I know other people will enjoy it, though, and I don't begrudge them that. Dancing and drinking may not be my thing (at home or on vacation) but I know some people really enjoy that sort of thing when they are on vacation, so as a stockholder I think it's a mistake for Disney to turn their back on those people. Especially since it appeals to people of many different ages. Disney is forcing those people them to take their money off premises for their evening entertainment. I've been taking my money to a comedy club and a playhouse off premises at night now that the Adventurers Club is gone, and I'm not the only one. I think it was foolish and short sighted of Disney to eliminate these evening entertainment options. Oddly, a well known comedy club and a really nice new theater are being built in Orlando, so clearly someone realizes that people are still interested in that sort of thing. Someone will still be making money on that kind of entertainment in the evenings, but it won't be Disney.

[skier_pete]

Originally Posted by rpmdfw

Pleasure Island was SO much more than just "drinking and dancing". If you never bothered to visit, you don't know what you missed.

I feel bad for you. By never giving it a chance, you missed the single most amazing immersive Disney experience that imagineering ever created: The Adventurers Club. Nothing we've ever done at WDW, Disneyland, DCL, or Disneyland Paris has come close to the "Disney Magic" we felt in that one building. It was the pinnacle as far as I'm concerned.

Boy, you hit that one on the head....the PP comments sound more like the common Disney response "Why would I want to go to WDW, Disney is for kids!" AC was my very favorite thing in WDW, as it was for many others. True Disney entertainment aimed at an Adult audience. It wasn't about drinking or dancing, but the show. Sorry, PP, that you were unable to experience it.

If they announced they were re-opening the AC, I would book a trip tomorrow. (Of course, I already have a trip booked, but you get my point.)

SkierPete

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally Posted by rpmdfw

Pleasure Island was SO much more than just "drinking and dancing". If you never bothered to visit, you don't know what you missed.

I feel bad for you. By never giving it a chance, you missed the single most amazing immersive Disney experience that imagineering ever created: The Adventurers Club. Nothing we've ever done at WDW, Disneyland, DCL, or Disneyland Paris has come close to the "Disney Magic" we felt in that one building. It was the pinnacle as far as I'm concerned.

I also agree 100%. Nicely said!

MG

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Originally Posted by KYMickey

....Especially since older people without kids is what PI was built for and was the target audience. It wasn't designed for families with kids (who go to bed early!), it was designed for the 20 somethings without kids and older couples whose kids have already moved out. Certainly seems like those groups are still quite prevalent in today's society and actually the older couples probably have more money to spend than any other demographic group.

And those at conventions and meetings on Disney property or nearby. Those people want evening activities after their meetings are finished. Those people used to go to PI too. Other than Atlantic Dance Hall (which is not promoted and thus usually empty), those staying on Disney property have few nightlife options.

Originally Posted by ConcKahuna

Bongo's can be decent some nights, but unfortunatly the only real nightlife at DTD any more is House of Blues (

I agree; was there this past Sunday night and it was packed.

BobK/Orlando

[dolphingirl47]

For the first time ever I set foot on Pleasure Island and Westside last weekend. Unfortunately I was never in the position to visit PI when the clubs were still open. I am sure I would have loved AC. Well, I found both those places seriously depressing. I cannot believe that Disney is just not doing anything with them. There were plenty of people there, but they had nowhere to go and nothing to do.

Corinna

[gemstone1952]

It is sad to see what is there now--I remember PI when it was "alive" at night. The stages, live bands, learning to dance swing when BigBadVoodoo Daddy played the West End stage. Fireworks, stilt walkers, confetti....every night and the clubs...amazing. All PI is now is a boarded up wasteland. My daughter was a "regular" at 8trax and the AC when we were at Disney. She does head over to Atlantic Dance and JellyRolls now when we are at Disney and she enjoys it, but she misses PI and what was there. We are from Massachusetts and I can still call her a regular because when we went to Disney, she didn't go out much during the day to the theme parks. She waited for the nightlife that was PI. Downtown Disney used to be a "must see" for us when we went to Disney and sometimes, we didn't (as a family) even go to a theme park at all and only went Downtown. Disney Quest, Earl of Sandwich, maybe some shopping and then PI at night. Great times, great memories......but only a shadow of it is left. Even the WestSide is looking more and more like a wasteland. We'll keep going as long as DisneyQuest is there, but if it goes we will probably not set foot Downtown at all except to eat at the Earl of Sandwich occassionally.

[anthony2k7]

Is the Diana exhibition still there or has that finally given up and closed? any new rumours what might take over that store once its available again?