Can Disney Fix DTD?

[buzz5985]

I had heard Disney was having problems with security at DTD. Locals I think. I think they had to make a change. I'm sure they will come up with something good. I do enjoy a adult beverage in the evenings but I hate Drunks. I just don't get it. Spend a bunch of money buying drinks to act stupid. I can do stupid without the drinks I've seen me do it.

We spoke to some local Police our last trip, about a week before it closed. They told us it was being closed due to gang activity and being afraid that the problems were escalating out of control.

 

[Dizny Dad]

DW and I find no loss in the changes at Pleasure Island. We found it to be intimidating in 1990 with so many young drunks, jello shots for sale on the plaza, people running around with drinks in hand sloshing them here and there. We re-visited in 1998 and found it different but just as uncomforting, just plain out of any reasonable control. We found the best way to enjoy Pleasure Island in the evenings was to be in the hot tub at Congress Park and seeing the action from a distance.

As frequent visitors, we do expect the controlled atmoshpere that Disney is famous for, with security in the croud but not in your face, and the feeling that one doesn't have to watch their back to be safe. Most of the world offers the "be careful after dark" experience. Disney offers the promise of a difference. We are glad to see they are moving to keep the magic in place!

To those that will miss the atmosphere that once was, please remember that Orlando offers many many places to feel the call of the jungle, but few for those that wish a truely Disney Family experience.

 

[gkrykewy]

Raglan Road is amazing, and the balloon seems cool too. Most importantly, though, I thank the OP for adding the word "borken" to my repertoire. Great word.

 

[movie77]

Let's just make WDW dry and only allow those with kids to enter. I have two kids myself, but the wife and I actually enjoyed (gasp) 8 trax and mannaquins on occasion. We don't get downtown to go dancing anymore with the kids, but we enjoyed being able to do that at Disney. I think losing Pleasure Island was a big mistake. There were other steps they could of taken to clean up the place, but I think they used that as an excuse to make more poor decisions.

 

[Chellymouse]

Maybe I'm about to be flamed, but here goes. I miss PI! DH and I loved most of the clubs and it's one of the few times DH will actually take me out dancing! Having said that, Atlantic Dance Hall and Jellyrolls are ok, but unless one is staying at BWV or BCV, it's a pure pain in tailfeathers to enjoy what skimpy night life is now offered. This is primarily due to a lack of decent transportation. PI didn't use to be all that bad, BEFORE, when you had to pay and show ID at the bridge and no one under 21 was permitted to enter otherwise at that point. Disney's big mistake, IMHO, is when PI was opened up to families to "cut through" instead of having to use the area under the bridge or walk around. Once that was done away with, it seemed to get bad in a hurry with more people complaining about people who are "over-served" (to borrow a nice way to put it from OP) and it seemed like the number of locals increased tremendously from that point forward. Now, we are stuck with an $80 cab ride to go to CityWalk (now we only go out one night) for our adult entertainment. Face it, we all have our opinions on what nightlife should be offered for the adults and furthermore, who hasn't seen someone who has been "drinking around the world" and gotten sloppy? Is this good Disney behavior, or anywhere else for that matter, absolutely not. The few people who can't control themselves or hold their liquor are going to ruin it for everyone. Prime example: PI. Let's hope that these folks don't ruin it at Epcot for the rest of us. (and yes, we have drank around the world on many occasions, but we have NEVER been sloppy or obnoxious. We're adults and know when to take a break!)

 

[JaysAGator]

Let me jump on board with these last few posters before this thread starts to swing back the other way My wife and I find that leisurely strolling around World Showcase, having a couple beers or glasses of wine, browsing the shops and enjoying the scenery, is one of (if not our outright) favorite acitivites to partake of in WDW. I have never, even during Food and Wine, seen someone I would classify as out of control drunk in any park. To say that Disney should abandon all adult nightlife and drinking is closed-minded. We don't have kids and just bought into DVC because we love the times we spend up there, drinking and dining included. We should not be punished because someone saw a drunk guy once on line for a ride.

 

[Conan the Librarian]

You didn't see the guy who attacked my wife on EE one EMH last year. He decided to climb under the metal polls going from the fast pass line into the front car line. When my wife pointed out that he shouldn't do that, he showed that either: he was a total jerk (proved true later) or he had had too much to drink.

When she mentioned it to the CM running the line, he went off on her (she is only 5 foot in her shoes and he was about 5'8"). I had to 'convince' him that he needed to back away from her quick or bad things would happen.

We got our ride out of it and an appology from the Disney folks (something they didn't have to do), and as near as we can tell, he got to stand by and watch others ride.

We always assumed he was just drunk, but, like I said, he could have just been a jerk.

 

[wildernessDad]

I loved the Adventurers Club. I hope that they bring it back. They can move it if they want to. Just bring it back.

On the plus side, Cooke's of Dublin has great fish and chips and there is an open air bar there serving Smithwick's!

 

[DVCGeek]

I loved the Adventurers Club. I hope that they bring it back. They can move it if they want to. Just bring it back.

I hope they bring it back too - I've never been but have heard LOTS of good things and would love to get a chance to see it!!! Otherwise I'm not a club person, but I would like to see other things brought back for those who miss it PROVIDED the "Disney Safety" veil can be maintained; too bad about the post on possible 'gang activity' spoiling things for everyone else, but if there were legit safety concerns then I have to agree with Disney closing things.

Adventurers Club w/ dinner sounds intriguing- time will tell!

 

[logan115]

Unless things get completely out of control there's no way they're going to stop selling alcohol at WDW.

Do you know how much profit is in a $5 bottle/draft beer - about $5

And whether we want to believe it or not WDW is there to make money, and there's no way they're going to turn down that $$$$. Would be cheaper to hire extra security guards to maintain a "drunk patrol" to take care of the few bad apples than to ban booze in the parks/DTD.

On the other hand, banning booze in the parks may make people place more value on the fridges in the DVC units - perhaps that could be what finally starts making resale prices reverse and increase.............

Chris

 

[ems_mom]

I totally agree with JaysAGator. My husband and I both would rate Epcot as our favorite park. One of many factors in this that Epcot, particularly the World Showcase, does seem to have a slightly more adult vibe. I am not down on anyone there with small children...; I've been there and done that too. But eventually those cute little babies grow up!

Back to PI. While we never were a couple who went "clubbing" or anything like that locally, we always enjoyed our evenings at the Adventurer's Club and the Comedy club. The entertainment. esp. at the AC, was completely unique. Yes people were drinking adult beverages, but we never saw any outrageous behavior, at least from the guests. More often from the performers!

 

[PurpleTurtle]

We should not be punished because someone saw a drunk guy once on line for a ride.

Hey, that 'someone' was me! A little respect! Just kidding

 

[gkrykewy]

You didn't see the guy who attacked my wife on EE one EMH last year. He decided to climb under the metal polls going from the fast pass line into the front car line. When my wife pointed out that he shouldn't do that, he showed that either: he was a total jerk (proved true later) or he had had too much to drink.

When she mentioned it to the CM running the line, he went off on her (she is only 5 foot in her shoes and he was about 5'8"). I had to 'convince' him that he needed to back away from her quick or bad things would happen.

We got our ride out of it and an appology from the Disney folks (something they didn't have to do), and as near as we can tell, he got to stand by and watch others ride.

We always assumed he was just drunk, but, like I said, he could have just been a jerk.

I fail to see the relevance. Are you advocating a dry WDW because of one jerk who may not even have been drinking?

 

[Conan the Librarian]

No No! Heaven's No! Disney takes WAY to much money from the drinkers to stop, and, it keeps cost down for those of us who don't.

Someone upstream said something about never seeing drunk people in the parks. While I don't claim that it is pervasive, I was just pointing out that they do show up sometimes.

For the most part, I don't pay any attention to drunk people.

(I am pretty sure the guy had been drinking. He didn't act very sober)

 

[eliza61]

I loathe hate and despise the new DTD. It's like one gigantic strip mall. I never had any problems with drunks at pleasure island and I never took my young kids there. I never ever thought it was some place to take young kids. My dh and I loved having an adult place to sneak to that was on disney property.
Absolutely no imagination in what replaced it. T-Rex is just another rainforest cafe except it's with dinosaurs and even the shops are a rehash of the same merchandise.

Bad move IMO

 

[rutgers1]

I don't mind Dinosaur Cafe, or at least the idea of it (I haven't been there yet). I just think that Disney - and its guests - are missing out if the plans don't include more entertainment. I don't care if they make it completely "upscale" so it won't attract local hoodlums, but they definitely have to do something.

 

[M & M]

When we decided to purchase at SSR the adult entertainment at DTD was a deciding factor. If the broken DTD does not improve I see our 2 trips a year becoming 1 trip every 2 years and if that is the case I will not need as many points anymore.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I really wish a few of these clubs (Adventurer/Comedy) would come back, as I think it is nice to have adult entertainment especially for those who have been to Disney many times and enjoy a more relaxing/less park focused vacation.

It will be interesting to see DTD in a few years once more things are built as to what the atmosphere will be like.

 

[MarriedAtDisney]

just walked thru DTD today. t-rex looks like my 3 and 5 year olds will like it.

i can understand dialing back the "nightclubs", but add me to the list that would like something different than eating and buying disney stuff from china.

bowling? comedy club? billiards club? something for my DW and I to do on the one or two adult night outs our kids "grandparents" give us each trip....

 

[Ksp]

Definitely not so much to do other than eat and shop now....not too sure why I would go back for late night entertainment. I think we'll try the Boardwalk next visit for late night fun things to do. Hope DTD perks up soon.