In memory of Merriweather Pleasure....(aka P.I. memories)

[Macca1111]

The very first time we went to PI, they were serving drinks in tiny little Kungaloosh mugs (about an inch tall, neon colors) My parents had several, so that my sister and I who were underage could keep the mugs. There's still one sitting in my parents china cabinet, and it makes me smile whenever I see it. It's a little bittersweet seeing it now, but I'm glad I got to go out last month to say goodbye properly. Kungaloosh!

 

[ImprovGal]

You know...I've been going to WDW since '99. And it wasn't until last week that I could find someone willing to head to PI and AdvClub with me. Man...so bummed. But, at least I got to go, albeit on the next to last night. Better late than never I guess.

Aha!
I'd thought I passed by you in the AC, but then I thought.. "Nahhhh.. It can't be goofy4tink... she doesn't go to AC, just JRs".

 

[jenny105]

I know everybody loves Adventurer's Club but my favorite was 8Trax. The music they played was just plain FUN and I loved that they had the music videos to go along with it. Everytime I was in WDW, I had to make a stop there. It'll be missed

 

[OK!]

I know everybody loves Adventurer's Club but my favorite was 8Trax. The music they played was just plain FUN and I loved that they had the music videos to go along with it. Everytime I was in WDW, I had to make a stop there. It'll be missed

One of my favorite memories of PI was the time that my brother and I caused the entire dance floor to be cleared in 8Trax after I requested "I Think I Love You" by the Partridge Family. We didn't care; more room for us to make fools of ourselves!

After that, we drank our way through the remainder of PI, missed the last bus back to the Doubletree, and had to walk home. Getting up for rope-drop at MK the next morning was pure, unadulterated misery. Totally worth it, though.

 

[CanadianGuy]

One of my favorite P-I memories comes from before I met Conck!

It was June of 2006? and we were at the bottom of the hill by the DJ booth that over looks that area..

I was well lubricated with CocoCabanas.. and talking to EVERYONE. "Where you from.. where YOU from?" Etc.

And someone found out I was from Canada.. and this one dude says "Canada! I can't go back there.."

And I joked, "Yeah, those felonies are a *****, what did they pinch you for..?"

"Aw man, car theft and armed robbery. It wasn't even my fault," he said.

I did one of those spit takes where I spit my drink in my mouth all over the ground and turned and said "yeah man, I know.. it never is! Just like me and that incident with the knife.."

And he laughed and walked away. I was totally joking. He was not.

My buddy and I still laugh about that whole deal.

Knox

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

We found the AC quickly and I purchased an AC polo which I proudly wear sparingly now.

Jump up to recent times....my DH and I spent our first "date" there (stayed for Hoopla), he took the boys there the night before our Wedding and we met our guests there 12 hours after we were married at the WP.

Closing was announced before we could make it back to our beloved AC.

Last month, on our "Anniversary" trip, we went by to take pics.

I hope Disney will reconsider on it.

 

[celerystalker]

Here's an excerpt from my trip report:

Cast -
Me - Formerly gay.
Tammy - Girlfriend at the time
Mother - 60, conservative Church of Christ member

My mother does not drink.
Tammy does not drink.
I drink like a little fishie.
Hmmm.
And what part of going to Pleasure Island did I think was a good idea?
I have no clue!

Anyway, we go to Pleasure Island.
We did not take the ECV, my mom just took her cane.
I think we let her out at the front and went to park the car.
We got tickets and went to the Adventurer’s club.
I only had two more drinks.
I think.
Maybe.
Anyway, my mom liked it.
I LOVED it, as usual.
I guess Tammy liked it. She was frowning, so I’m not sure.
Anyway, I have this bad habit of wanting to go dancing after I’ve been drinking.
And what is across from Adventurer’s club?
Huh?
Anyone?
MANNEQUINS!!! Woo!
With good music (gay house is the best, let me tell ya), a super cool lighting system and a dance floor THAT SPINS!
How in the heck in my drunken stupor did I convince my mother and girlfriend to go into a dance club?
I don’t know.
I always thought that Babynurse = persuasive, but I’m starting to think Celery = persuasive too!

So there we are. On the second level of Mannequins looking down.
Me, swaying to the music (and to the alcohol flowing through my veins. heh).
Tammy frowning.
My 60 year old (“I’m ONLY 59!!!!”) mother just looking (and probably frowning).
This is NOT close enough to the action for me! I have to go dance!
Wait.
At some point, I saw a martini glass that glows, so I had to buy a drink with it.
So me, with my flashing super cool glass stagger down the stairs and onto the dance floor.
With my mom and Tammy watching me, right? Right. Cuz you can SEE the dance floor from where they are standing.
So I dance.
And who knows how long it took, but at some point, me, with my big clutzy butt, fell.
OH NO!
I HATE being embarrassed in public.
Plus, I spilled my drink.
So I decide I need to get out of there. I look around for Mom and Tammy, but don’t see them, so I go out to the area between the Irish pub and Mannequins.
I stand around for awhile.
Knowing that at any second they’re going to come out the doors.
Cuz they HAD to have seen me fall, right?
Hmmm.
I wait for what seems like forever.
I really have no idea how long it was.
(Drunks don’t tell time very well.)
Finally I decide that they must have left out of the other door and headed to the car.
So I head to the car.
I get there, they’re not there.

ok. Maybe they’re walking to the car, but coming from the OTHER exit of PI.
So I go back in that way.
No sign of them.
I circle all of PI one more time, just to make sure, and still don’t see them.
Argh!
I go to the car.
Because no matter what, eventually they have to show up at the car, right?
Right.
I get tired of standing, so I lay down in some grass right beside the car.
One BILLION hours later, Tammy shows up.
Mad.
I explain what happened.
She’s still mad and says she’s been listening to my mother talk non stop about how I’m an alcoholic.
Grr.
I ask where my mother is.
She left her at the entrance.
I say “Ok. Stay here. I’ll go get her.”
So I go and get my mother.
And as soon as she sees me, she starts her mouthing.
I just roll my eyes and head her in the right direction.
Which means she has to yell at me louder.
In public.
Cuz we KNOW I love being embarrassed in public.
About halfway across the parking lot, she starts saying things like “Where are you going? Do you even know where you are? You don’t know where the car is, do you?”
ARGH!
We get closer and closer to the car.
Wait.
It’s not there.
There’s an empty parking spot where the car was.
Oh my goodness.
Where the heck did Tammy go?
My mother is still yelling at me, because in her mind, I’m so drunk I don’t know where I am.
I finally spot a group of guys and beg to use their cell phone (Who knows where mine was.). So if you guys are out there, and you let me use your cell phone at 1 or 2 in the morning on 9/20/07, Thanks!
I call Tammy.
“Where are you?”
“Near the entrance.”
“Why?”
“I was coming to pick you up.”
”STAY WHERE YOU ARE.”

We make it to the Pilot.
Thank the lord it’s a short drive from Downtown Disney to Bonnet Creek.
We drop my mom off at the resort and go to park the car.
Tammy gave me an earful and then went inside.
Argh!
I do not want to go inside!
Crystal and Mike have one bedroom.
My mom has the living room.
Tammy and I have the other bedroom.
ACK! There’s no where for me to go.
So I decide I’m going to explore the resort.
Ha!
Yes, it’s 2 in the morning.
So what?
I walk to the pool area.
And lie down on a chaise for awhile.
I think I fell asleep for awhile.
When I get cold, I go back to the room and sleep.
And wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed!


Ahh. Memories.

 

[zulemara]

LOL I can't believe you took your church of christ member mother into mannequins! That'll open her eyes a little bit!

 

[celerystalker]

LOL I can't believe you took your church of christ member mother into mannequins! That'll open her eyes a little bit!

She was already on vacation with her lesbian daughter. If I hadn't overindulged, she would have been ok.

 

[goofy4tink]

Aha!
I'd thought I passed by you in the AC, but then I thought.. "Nahhhh.. It can't be goofy4tink... she doesn't go to AC, just JRs".

And now...it will have to be just JR's again. A day late, dollar short..that's my middle name.
wish you had stopped and said hi!!! I was there with katieelder.

 

[momxx5]

Oh the memories of all our fun times are coming back to me.

DH & I went to PI many times while dating. We were FL residents and a short 3 hrs away = many trips for a young dating couple.

The happiest memories that stick out are visiting PI during our honeymoon. We had a blast. We stayed at WDW for a week and I think we were at PI 3-4 nights.

DH's all time favorite place is the Adventurer's Club, he still tells stories about it, 15+ yrs later.

I recall 8Traxx, love the 80s.

Somehow I do not remember the roller skating. I do remember the bar where live bands performed. That place was so fun. And of course the bar with the moving dance floor. DH could only handle that place for a certain amount of time. LOL!

I recall learning some line dances and having fun at the country bar, and of course the nightly "New Year's Eve" celebration.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.



PS What are the plans for PI now?

 

[ConcKahuna]

So did anyone manage to get tickets to the special Adventurers Club party comming up??

 

[FosterChild]

I was planning to visit AC on my next trip to WDW.
Guess not. It sounded like so much fun.

 

[tink771]

So did anyone manage to get tickets to the special Adventurers Club party comming up??

When is it? I haven't heard anything about this!

 

[BillSears]

So did anyone manage to get tickets to the special Adventurers Club party comming up??

I'd book a special trip to WDW if they offered one more chance to visit the AC! So when is this? I'm guessing tickets are all sold out already?

 

[tink771]

One of the last nights AC was open

 

[kindra657]

Found this thread and had to post!! DH and I have created some very wonderful and very funny memories thanks to PI!! We said our farewells during the last weekend it was open. We went on Sept 26, 2008 after our Victoria and Albert's dinner. We were all snazzy dressed and took ourselves down to 8trax to boogie the night away!!

Some other wonderful memories:

-drinks from a sandbucket

-dancing in the middle of the dancefloor at Mannequins for almost an hour with DH before I realized I was like the only female in the room...and there was a lot of lovin going on!! The funniest part: We stayed! hey, the music was great!!

-me and bff flirting with the shiny guys on the stilts man are they hot!

-getting that 1 last drink at the comedy club and not heeding dh's warning... then waking up late for breakfast with pooh...

-dh and I dancing the night away and not worrying about driving anywhere...then laughing with the bus driver all the way back to the resort

SO MANY FUN MEMORIES!!! I miss PI!!! It was the only time DH and I got to go out, dance, drink, be merry, and not have any cares in the world...until morning

 

[kungaloosh]

So many wonderful AC memories, hence my screen name. I'll be wearing my AC t-shirt when I'm there next week. I only wear it down there so that it will last me a long long time. I think I bought it around 98.

We were pulled into so many shows over the years. It was my son's favorite place since he was 12 and he's 22 now. He told me he heard Otis T. Wren finally won the Balderdash Cup on the final night. I would have loved to seen that. I always cheered for him.

 

[zulemara]

I continue to have dreams about what will become of Mannequins as the destruction of all things waterfront seems so near. I have to put down a few of my fond memories:

It should be noted that when I became a CP in 2004, I had gone through a year of college, a season of drum corps, and now was living in this crazy place called WDW. 2004 was a big year for me in so many ways. PI played a huge part in that.

Prior to going to PI for the first time, I absolutely wouldn't dance anytime anywhere. NEVER. Yet for some reason, as my friends went to BET and Motion, I found a liking in 8-trax. Over the next several months, I became a regular on Mon and Thurs nights, slowly gaining confidence in dancing. Again, for emphasis, when I started, my idea of dancing was left-together right-together in beats of 4 haha.

I met the boy who would eventually be my first kiss at 8-trax. Dezmond Meeks..season 5 American Idol. He made it just short of the top 24. Anyway..

I met my first boyfriend at 8-trax.

My bf taught me how to "grind" at mannequins. Little did I know how much I would learn to love that club. more on that later.

After my first college program ended, I extended. I started signing up for extra hours as door host at 8-trax and that's when things really really took off. I was working at the golf course all day and then going straight to PI to work at night. 16 hour days, but boy did I love it! I danced all night and got paid OT to do so! The guests loved it and I loved it. I'll never forget grad nights though. They all looked at me like I was crazy. I thought whatever, you're in high school, I'm in college, thus I'm >you.

I met my 2nd bf through working at 8-trax. It was to the point where I was either working or visiting PI nearly every night of the week. I loved it and it really was a second home(note I was not 21....not a lush...yet lol)

I met one of my closest friends, known as WDWPI(though he never posts) through PI. He was in ticketing for 15 years.

There were just so many nights of fun, I can't even remember them all. I look back at that year as one of my best.

After leaving the college program and not having PI, I was lost in a city with no clubs and you couldn't even go in a bar unless you're 21.

I made several trips back to the island after my college program. I was a campus rep, which meant free admission and good discounts on trips, so I was down in FL as much as possible. I had the opportunity to take my best friend and another close friend to 8-trax and mannequins. Everyone loved it. There was nothing like a good night of CW followed by 8-trax and then Mannequins. I grew to love techno more and more as time went on. I also got the opportunity to take my bf, now of 4 years, to Disney for a 10 day trip in Dec 2007. We went to PI several nights and since he had never been to Disney, nor did he understand my obsession, I really got a chance to show him how Disney does it bigger and better. I can only surmise by the blurry pictures of Mannequins, that he had a ton of fun.

In June 2008, literally the weekend before the announced closure, I made what turned out to be my last visit to 8-trax(this was the trip with my best friend) after dinner at boma and drinking around the world at EPCOT, we made it over to PI. I now find it so fitting that on my last trip to 8-trax, not only could I now dance, but I took over the dance floor as DJ eric(still my favorite DJ) cranked up Thriller for me Luckily, I had a camera man to document it. It was the last time I visited 8-trax, and a visit I will always remember.

2 weeks before the closing, I was convinced to be crazy and fly down for the last weekend. Our trip started that Friday at 4am as we drove 2.5hrs to the airport, flew out in the early am, and arrived at WDW. We went to MNSSHP that night, then EPCOT on Saturday before getting ready for the final night at Mannequins.

We started the night at the first show of CW for one last laugh before heading to the line for Mannequins. The booze were flowing at 8pm with 2 long beaches in hand(hey I'm from WI) and a night that was fun beyond fun. The atmosphere, the crowd, and the music just can't be beat. I still fondly watch videos of the last night.

For me, PI single handily changed my personality. I'm more outgoing on social situations and proudly do Thriller at every opportunity. I dedicate as much time as possible to watching the island as they slowly destroy it.

RIP PI, you are very very much missed.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Y'all can actually remember your nights at PI?!?

Last time I was there I think we were on the 2nd floor of Mannequins. I was with a friend (yeah, that's what I'll call him here on the boards). He took me to a particular bartneder who he claimed made the best drinks.

There was a large cocktail involved. Things get kind of hazy after that...Next thing I know I'm making out with some guy on the dance floor... That's about all I remember.

I sure miss AC though.