CityWalk's Star Rises in Orlando

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Good article in today's Orlando Sentinel regarding how Universal's CityWalk entertainment complex has taken over and continues to improve now that Disney has closed Pleasure Island:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/orl-cover2908dec29,0,4387699.story

I think one major point missed is that Disney conceded this to Universal; Pleasure Island was reportedly profitable. Disney simply decided to abandon the market for adult evening entertainment and basically handed it over to Universal for free.

BobK/Orlando

 

[tjkraz]

*Universal is partnering with three restaurant chains -- Burger King, Moe's Southwest Grill and Panda Express -- to bring more fast food to CityWalk by next spring.

Yeah, I think Universal can keep this one...

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

It's quite significant really...What's going on at PI? LOL ... No one knows.

Disney got out of another game they chose not to play, like top flight hotels, valet parking, real restaurants and bus service because they thought they could make easier money another way. Thing is with PI, those geniuses somehow didn't see the recession coming and my oh my do they look stupid now.

City Walk is truly a great place to wander and be entertained. No it doesn't have Adventurer's Club but maybe in time...

This seems like more of an indication that WDW brass doesn't have a clue more than an all out endorsement of Universal.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

Let's be fair... Pleasure Island now has T-Rex compared to Panda Express.. And McDonald's as compared to BK..

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Let's be fair... Pleasure Island now has T-Rex compared to Panda Express.. And McDonald's as compared to BK..

Play fair and compare apples to apples. CityWalk will have a Burger King and DTD has a McDonald's. That's a fair comparison. A themed experience such a T-Rex should be compared to themed experiences at CityWalk such as NBA City or NASCAR Cafe or Bubba Gumps. PI's "El Dolbe" South American restaurant and night club can be directly compared to CW's Latin Quarter.

Pleasure Island options were WAY better than most everything at CityWalk. Unfortunately Disney simply shut them down rather than enhance them and advertise them. OMG, can you imagine how much revenue Disney has lost at PI since the September 27th shutdown?

BobK/Orlando

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

Play fair and compare apples to apples. CityWalk will have a Burger King and DTD has a McDonald's. That's a fair comparison. A themed experience such a T-Rex should be compared to themed experiences at CityWalk such as NBA City or NASCAR Cafe or Bubba Gumps. PI's "El Dolbe" South American restaurant and night club can be directly compared to CW's Latin Quarter.

Pleasure Island options were WAY better than most everything at CityWalk. Unfortunately Disney simply shut them down rather than enhance them and advertise them. OMG, can you imagine how much revenue Disney has lost at PI since the September 27th shutdown?

BobK/Orlando

I was more or less making a joke.. which I assume you picked up on since I put a after my comment..


By the way, TREX is AWESOME!!!!!!!

 

[OrlandoMike]

I went to City Walk last weekend. Watched a rather drunk woman deck an Orlando Police Officer....

Not very Disney like to say the least....

 

[ChrisFL]

yeah, the recent incidents at DTD/PI were MUCH worse than that!!

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

yeah, the recent incidents at DTD/PI were MUCH worse than that!!

What he said.

 

[mitros]

I went to City Walk last weekend. Watched a rather drunk woman deck an Orlando Police Officer....

Not very Disney like to say the least....

Hopefully the cop tased her.............hopefully!

 

[zulemara]

maybe they will get the hint from the crazy crowds paying 40 bux for DJ tiesto and actually play techno in their clubs.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

maybe they will get the hint from the crazy crowds paying 40 bux for DJ tiesto and actually play techno in their clubs.

Unfortunately, Hard Rock Live is technically not a part of the Universal-owned CityWalk clubs (which are in a completely separate grouping) and thus I'm not sure how much CityWalk management notices what goes on over at HRL. Good point though. On the other hand, surely they must receive a portion of "the gate" on live events so maybe they do notice.

BobK/Orlando

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Beginning January 29th, former 8TRAX DJ Doc will host a weekly 80's NIGHT at the Groove in CityWalk. Advertising mentions that he will be spinning Dance, New Wave, Hair Bands and more. Doors open at 7pm and admission is FREE! It appears that this will be a weekly event.

So now we see that CityWalk is trying to do things to keep the PI customers they captured after the closure as well as increase Thursday night attendance. Very interesting.

BobK/Orlando

 

[zulemara]

Beginning January 29th, former 8TRAX DJ Doc will host a weekly 80's NIGHT at the Groove in CityWalk. Advertising mentions that he will be spinning Dance, New Wave, Hair Bands and more. Doors open at 7pm and admission is FREE! It appears that this will be a weekly event.

So now we see that CityWalk is trying to do things to keep the PI customers they captured after the closure as well as increase Thursday night attendance. Very interesting.

BobK/Orlando

Hurray! Now lets start up talks for a techno night and we'll be in business!

 

[Jason71]

Ronald Logan, a professor in the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management and a former Disney entertainment executive, thinks CityWalk has a better layout and better mix of entertainment than Pleasure Island did. The clubs are set off to the side along a wide walkway.

"The reason it works is it is really an eclectic mix. They hit about everybody," Logan said.

Yeah, if only PI had set its clubs off--say, with a seperate gate and tickets--and had a more eclectic mix of entertainment--maybe thrown in a true jazz club and a country & western bar...

 

[zulemara]

Ronald Logan, a professor in the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management and a former Disney entertainment executive, thinks CityWalk has a better layout and better mix of entertainment than Pleasure Island did. The clubs are set off to the side along a wide walkway.

"The reason it works is it is really an eclectic mix. They hit about everybody," Logan said.

Yeah, if only PI had set its clubs off--say, with a seperate gate and tickets--and had a more eclectic mix of entertainment--maybe thrown in a true jazz club and a country & western bar...

they had a country club twice and a jazz club that closed in late 2004 or early 2005 when I was a CP. If they would have just kept it gated, it would have been fine, but then the west side businesses would complain that they weren't getting foot traffic. It's all about location unfortunately. It's obviously not the money since they decided to close before the busiest season of the year.

 

[Jason71]

they had a country club twice and a jazz club that closed in late 2004 or early 2005 when I was a CP. If they would have just kept it gated, it would have been fine, but then the west side businesses would complain that they weren't getting foot traffic. It's all about location unfortunately. It's obviously not the money since they decided to close before the busiest season of the year.

I know, I was being facetous. Hard to believe to those who know me now, but back in the day, I spent more time in the PI Jazz Co. than even the Adventurers Club.

As I recall, one of the main reasons given at the time for tearing the turnstiles down was to make it more "open" like CityWalk. I remember pointing out that this is crazy, that CW used geography rather than turnstiles to set off its clubs, but the effect was the same. I really think that it was doomed PI more than anything.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I really think that it was doomed PI more than anything.

I agree with you; I think everyone agrees. It was like falling dominoes. Once they opened the island, it became too much of a hangout for those not spending money. When that happened they had to eliminate the stages and the bands to make it less attractive as a hangout. When that happened it was less attractive for those paying too. Couple that with a complete lack of advertising during the past 3-4 years and you have a venture that is less and less profitable.

BobK/Orlando