New PI Closing Information

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Mannequins Dancers were back this weekend and will be there for the final nights as well. There was a lot of cheering going on during their performances.

On Final Night I understand that all 3 dj's from Mannequins will get a shift at the turntable to do their final sets. Hopefully weekend dj Jim Fox (DJ Peapod) will get the last set since he's the main guy.

All dance clubs open at 8pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The comedy clubs opening at 6pm was previously announced.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Jason71]

We were there at opening, and closing, with the pyrotechnics CR viewing and CW show in between. (Great night and obviously will never be repeated.)

My favorite part of the night (well, besides Emil's special guest) was when two of the "permanent members" who shall remain nameless nearly missed their cue for a show because they were outside watching the fireworks with the rest of us, making jokes--not the kind of memory you'll ever get from a T-shirt stop or a Planet Hollywood.

This morning Jim Hill [yeah, yeah, insert credibility joke here] says WDW will have contingency plans for Saturday night by Wednesday. Very curious to know what they have up their sleeve...the management types this weekend seemed shocked to see the line of people outside the AC at 5:30.

 

[zulemara]

My favorite part of the night (well, besides Emil's special guest) was when two of the "permanent members" who shall remain nameless nearly missed their cue for a show because they were outside watching the fireworks with the rest of us, making jokes--not the kind of memory you'll ever get from a T-shirt stop or a Planet Hollywood.

This morning Jim Hill [yeah, yeah, insert credibility joke here] says WDW will have contingency plans for Saturday night by Wednesday. Very curious to know what they have up their sleeve...the management types this weekend seemed shocked to see the line of people outside the AC at 5:30.

They're shocked because they can't think past the next quarter's financial statements! They DON'T GET IT! Morons..

Anyway, I look forward to The Mannequins dancers. mmmmm that'll be fun!!

 

[WDWFan4Life]

I wish I could be there to say goodbye to PI. The first time I got to go to the clubs was this summer since I just turned 21 in January. I had so much fun in everyone I went to. The AV club will be missed terribly by me. I never went to 8trax but wish I had been able to because I love the music from that era.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

This morning Jim Hill says WDW will have contingency plans for Saturday night by Wednesday. Very curious to know what they have up their sleeve...the management types this weekend seemed shocked to see the line of people outside the AC at 5:30.

Security this past Saturday was tremendous. While security guards usually come and go from the dance clubs, Saturday they were in the clubs in force and didn't leave. Heck, one of them was IN MY SPOT at Mannequins!!! Fortunately for him I was on the floor all night and didn't need my spot. Out in the parking lot I saw some thugs go at each other early in the evening and OCSO deputies and Disney Security pounced on them within seconds.

I told my regular bartender that I was bringing one of those long pole saws we use to trim dead palm tree fronds so that I could saw down one of those mannequins hanging from the walls. The half-chuckle indicated that he thought I might be serious!

Saturday night is going to be crazy folks; there are a lot of upset people who feel Disney has paid them nothing but lip service. But I think the biggest problem is (and I've said this before) is that there is an unlimited number of tickets outstanding that can be redeemed that night, hundreds or maybe thousands of annual passes and the ticket windows will be open. That means crowds that can't get into ANY venue due to capacity controls which equates to many people going to feel they were ripped off. And that is a recipe for trouble.

Kungaloosh!
BobK/Orlando

 

[Jason71]

Security this past Saturday was tremendous.

Yet it still was unable to stop a mask from getting ripped off the wall in the Mask Room of the AC, not to mention protect a couple artifacts that went missing from the Treasure Room.

King Bob, you make an excellent point on the number of potential tickets out there. I'm very curious to hear this "contingency plan" WDW is supposedly working on--I still don't think they "get it." This seems to me just like EPCOT Center's 25th anniversary, where WDW seriously underestimated the number of hard-core fans, except that at least Epcot has a lot more room to spread out.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

King Bob, you make an excellent point on the number of potential tickets out there. I'm very curious to hear this "contingency plan" WDW is supposedly working on--I still don't think they "get it." This seems to me just like EPCOT Center's 25th anniversary, where WDW seriously underestimated the number of hard-core fans, except that at least Epcot has a lot more room to spread out.

My recommendations:

1) They announce that PI will remain open through the following Saturday, October 4th. Those coming from out of town are stuck coming this weekend due to prepaid airline tickets but a lot of other people will divide up between this weekend and the next, thus reducing this weekend's attendees. I'm sure PI employees are available and that their new positions can wait another week.

2) They bring back the turnstyles at island bridges for both weekends; only those with tickets can go onto the island. That will eliminate those just passing through and it will get the armbands on the patrons at the entrance. That makes the entry to each club a "Re-entry" without the long delays caused by checking ID's and putting on armbands. The lines are so unpleasant because it takes just one newcomer gettting an armband for the first time to cause the line to stop moving. This will encourage club hopping and that's a benefit because even if clubs are at capacity, there will be a constant flow of people out of clubs which allows new people into the clubs. In the current state I don't dare leave the club I'm in for fear and I can't get back!

3) If equipment is still in there, reopen RRBC for each weekend and move Hip Kitty and Frankie into that venue. The more places to go, the better the traffic flow.

4) Better figure out where everyone is going to park. Parking was chaos during the 4th of July fireworks show at DTD and this will be worse. Traffic on Buena Vista Drive was at a near standstill because there was no place to park.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Jason71]

Good ideas all. I especially like your thought of reopening RRBC, tho it does depend on the equipment being available.

As for parking, after having spent a couple Fourths of July at DTD, I don't think there is a contingency plan...I haven't even seen police manually control the traffic lights, which is common in Daytona during Race Week. Short of, say, running buses from EPCOT's overflow lots or something, I don't know how they could park people elsewhere. WDW may well be counting on limited parking as one of the checks on crowds.

Biggest problem I see is that fully 50%-75% are hoping/planning/expecting to get into the Adventurers Club. I know half-a-dozen regulars who are serious about camping out overnight, if security will let them. Even if not, I expect a huge crowd outside whatever gate is set up by early morning--I'll be shocked if the line isn't in the hundreds by mid-afternoon. That's going to translate into a lot of angry, sun-stroked fans who made a special trip just to be left outside.

 

[zulemara]

I completely agree with every scenario that has been prevented. The people who make these decisions just don't get it. It's not like closing a ride or a show. This is an area many people have an attachment to and want to visit it. Heck I'm flying down on Fri and coming home on Sunday. I would NEVER do a weekend trip like that for anything else. It sure makes me glad I'm staying at a hotel that's walking distances from DTD.

I won't touch the AC line with a 10 foot pole. I completely agree with the people who love the club. It's unique and a terrible shame it's closing. Luckily, I don't have the attachment to that club like I do the others. I'd rather see one more CW show and then dance all night in mannequins. Mannequins is the biggest club in terms of capacity so I know my chances are best to get in there.

I'm glad to hear there will be 3 different DJs. I love DJ Pea Pod. It's funny, when I was there in June it was a weekend and my friend said "well they wouldn't bring back DJ Pea Pod if they were closing the clubs" I still have so many unanswered questions about why they refurb the clubs and then close them. What is going specifically in the club spaces? Why not outsource the clubs? That's the one outsourcing I'd approve of if it meant the clubs were open(dance, not necessarily talking about AC or CW)

I usually don't like to go to early CW shows because A) people aren't as drunk and B) the shows tend to get a little more risque as the night goes on. I'm hoping I catch a gem by getting in the first one.

I don't care HOW hung over I am on Sunday, I'm gonna party it up like there's no tomorrow on Saturday night. Because for PI...there will be no tomorrow.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

It sure makes me glad I'm staying at a hotel that's walking distances from DTD.

You convinced me! Have booked us into the Buena Vista Palace for Saturday night. Will check in as early as possible and then head over to PI to see if it's on lock-down. If the island is open, I'll see if there really are people in lines mid-afternoon. Hilton DTD is sold out for Saturday night.

We actually live just a 20-minute drive from DTD but being able to park away from the complex will alone make it worth it. And to be able to stumble back after they close down will allow me to have a few extra drinks.

BobK/Orlando

 

[zulemara]

And to be able to stumble back after they close down will allow me to have a few extra drinks.

BobK/Orlando

BINGO! muhahahaha! I'm used to stumbling home anyway and given it's oktoberfest here this weekend, I would be doing LOTS of stubling

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Has anyone heard if Disney announced it's "contingency plans" for Saturday night yet?

BobK/Orlando

 

[zulemara]

nothing that I have heard yet. I'll see if I can get word from my friend in ticketing, although his last night was last sat