Pleasure Island - Here Today - GONE Soon?

[CanadianGuy]

The rumor mill is getting louder and louder on this one..

I've already heard from a couple of sources that P-I wasn't accepting new 'group bookings' after June 1st..

And today comes this:

A rumor swirling around Lake Buena Vista says that P-I will be phased out in favor of ... exactly what we expected -- more branded experiences that will lease space from Disney..

Pleasure Island as we know it today will cease to exist by the end of this year... probably sooner.

This is coming from at least three sources right now..

As with everything -- until it's on Disney letterhead with a press contact you can never be sure.. but if Pleasure Island was on life support before now, I'd say you can get on the phone to call someone about last rites..



Knox

 

[Cinderellafifi]

This makes me very sad. I have such fond memories of good times at PI - back in the day, as they say. I know change is inevitable, but I wish they would revamp PI, not completely change it. (SIGH)

 

[ChrisFL]

I think...as odd as this sounds, its location is the problem...how it splits east and west side. I wouldn't be surprised if it's either one of two things that are going to happen:

1.) Disney is looking to create another more adult themed area near the new hotels

2.) Disney has abandoned the less than family friendly idea of the clubs and are going for more family based experiences.

Either way, they'd better not close Raglan Road!

 

[Disney Brat]

This would be so sad, there are so many memories there for us, and I am sure a lot of other people....

 

[AdventurerKat]

Thanks for the info.

I think it would be a mistake for Disney to close down all its evening entertainment options. I am an Adventurers Club fan and I certainly don't want to see it go, but outside of that, not having anything to do at night but basically shop or see a movie would be really disappointing. That was one of things I disliked about Disneyland when we'd go in the mid 90s, there was absolutely nothing to do at night. Now, I think there is a bit more but their DTD is still lacking quite a bit in the entertainment department.

 

[Scurvy]

Well, really Pleasure Island as it once was is almost gone already.

I love the Adventurers Club and would be horribly sad to see it go. As AdventureKat already pointed out, it would be a real mistake for Disney to eliminate the evening entertainment options that are left. I don't want to see a movie while I'm at WDW, but sometimes I don't feel like going to a park, either. If WDW closes the Adventurers Club then I'll start going off Disney property in the evenings. Eventually it might be easier to stay off site as well.

However, since they've already changed Pleasure Island itself so much, I don't care too much about them keeping what's left of the Island as-is. They could easily do away with "Pleasure Island" as a concept and still keep the Adventurers Club, Comedy Warehouse, a dance club, and Raglan Road. They could lease the rest of the space to outside entities and actually make the Downtown Disney/West Side area more popular than it is now. That would make ticketing a bit more complicated for the remaining clubs, but it's certainly not impossible to do.

I would be sad to see Pleasure Island go, but it hasn't been the same since they opened the Island to everyone and got rid of the Jessica sign! And if they could increase traffic to the area while keeping the Disney branded Clubs as well, then that would be an improvement in my opinion, even if means bringing in other "outside" venues.

Not that I think they really will keep the Clubs, but I hope they will. The last few times I've gone to the Adventurers Club it's been quite crowded. It would be a mistake to close it just because they want to change Pleasure Island. I would think that Raglan Road should be safe, since it fits with what they seem to be planning to do with the area. I just don't see why it has to be an either/or situation - it seems to me that Disney owned options (like the AC, CW and Mannequins) and outside venues could exist quite well together.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Raglan Road is in no danger.. in fact, you'll probably see more of this 'third party brand' opportunity.

I was thinking about this -- Comedy Warehouse could become a branded comedy experience .. imagine "The Comedy Store : EAST" or "Laugh Factory : Orlando"

The Adventurer's Club is such a uniquely Disney experience because it's the ultimate themed nightclub. The only thing CLOSE to this that I've ever seen outside of Vegas, is the Hermosa Beach Comedy & Magic Club... which is not even close the AC really.

The other clubs - as much as I love Manniquins & 8-Trax etc - aren't really all that unique at all. Those probably could be closed and replaced with a 3rd party branded experience. Ironically, they'd probably realize better revenue that way. Tragic really.

As much as it pains me to think this way, I think the window of opportunity for fixing Pleasure Island passed some time ago. The opening up of P-I as an east-west thoroughfare from Marketplace to Westside was the fatal error that ruined the P-I gated experience and started the inevitable downhill slide.

The other thing that Disney failed to remember is in the nightclub business - renewal is constant. You have to budget for, plan for and actually do regular renovations to stay fresh and current with the rest of the world. Disney didn't have a strategy for keeping the Island fresh in the face of competition.

Remember, the vacationer would like to experience something unique -- and there is little at P-I today that I can't experience in any minor U.S. city - except for Adventurers Club. The previous 'unique markers' like nightly fireworks, the "closed street" feel, the outdoor band and New Year's every night... have slowly been eroded, in part because, they got stale with no strategy for 'what next'.

On another note, two my sources cited the on-going problem with 'roving youths / possibly gangs' .. The DTD complex as a whole attracts distracted tourists with cash in their pocket and who may have let their guard down because "I'm at Disney". So as for the 'gang' problem.. I see that more as opportunistic thievery and I don't see how removing P-I will help that for the most part.

I do think that Disney could 'start fresh' on a nighttime entertainment complex elsewhere on property... possibly even on the extreme Westside of the current property or even in the new Beltway/Western property development.. but I doubt they will bother.

And that makes me sad.



Knox

PS> One other thought came to mind -- Given ticket prices increases in the last two Augusts, I suspect that P-I will be eliminated as a plus option in this years ticket price revisions.

 

[OrlandoMike]

I have a feeling that PI will start to look a lot more like Disneyland's DTD. That seems to be the direction they are headed.

All in all not a bad move.

 

[MJMcBride]

the Orlando Sentinental has an article about a new South american eatery and tequila bar. It doesn't mention where it will be exactly but it could be part of the PI overhaul

 

[crazy4wdw]

the Orlando Sentinental has an article about a new South american eatery and tequila bar. It doesn't mention where it will be exactly but it could be part of the PI overhaul

It's rumored that its going to replace the Rock & Roll Beach Club.

 

[DisneyExplorer]

its situated in the wrong area because you walk through it to get to West Side from Marketplace or vice versa without paying any attention. plus Citywalk i think caters for the exact audience that PL requires.

 

[MJMcBride]

It's rumored that its going to replace the Rock & Roll Beach Club.

I understand. Certainly, the rumor makes sense

 

[ChrisFL]

its situated in the wrong area because you walk through it to get to West Side from Marketplace or vice versa without paying any attention. plus Citywalk i think caters for the exact audience that PL requires.

It's also closer to a lot of locals. Also agreed about the location which became a problem once they built out the West Side, PI was suddenly stuck in the middle and getting around it was a chore

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

It's also closer to a lot of locals. Also agreed about the location which became a problem once they built out the West Side, PI was suddenly stuck in the middle and getting around it was a chore

Getting around PI was always a chore and that's the main reason they opened it up to pedestrian traffic. I expect the South American-themed bar and restaurant will go in the PI building renovated a couple years ago and sitting empty (former home of Harley Davidson and the Missing Link fast food restaurant). It's a 2-story building overlooking Village Lake as described in the article and is already freshly brought to current codes. All they need to do now is theme it. The Rock'n'Roll Beach Club building needs a LOT of work before anything new can go in there.

Bars and nightclubs are cash cows. It seems silly to devote more and more space to just restaurants when there are already so many both inside and outside Disney property. There are only so many mouths needing to be fed. So I sure hope that some of the nightclubs remain viable for evening activities. They certainly are compatible with the direction PI has been moving.

BobK/Orlando

 

[TDC Nala]

My hope is that the AC will remain and move to a nightly cover charge like Jellyrolls has. Or a drink minimum.

 

[AdventurerKat]

My hope is that the AC will remain and move to a nightly cover charge like Jellyrolls has. Or a drink minimum.

Either of those would be fine with me.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

I will be 100% ticked off if The Adventurers Club or the Comedy Warehouse are closed. I have very fond memories attached to both!

 

[OUShrek]

I too would be upset to see PI close I had many fun nights there as a College Programmer.

 

[EltonJohn]

I have a feeling that PI will start to look a lot more like Disneyland's DTD. That seems to be the direction they are headed.

All in all not a bad move.

I agree. Pleasure Island with all it's nightclubs doesn't really appeal to vacationers like me. If I wanted nightclubs and dancing then I'd go to Miami.

 

[DisneyExplorer]

seems strange that renovating/up-grading the area last year to suddenly decide to tear it down. the building work must have been unsuccessful in bringing in customers.