Pleasure Island - Here Today - GONE Soon?

[zulemara]

Theme-wise it might fit at Animal Kingdom Lodge but it might not work with the quiet and relaxing atmosphere there. The only resort I could see it really thriving at would be the Boardwalk. I could actually see it being a perfect fit there, especially since I think the Boardwalk is also set in the 1930's.

And to the posters who wonder why some of us obeject to the outsourced shopping and dining (and new theme restaurants). . . I don't, entirely. I enjoyed Raglan Road quite a bit before the recent menu change. I think La Nouba fits well in DTD. If my son was still small I might be interested in T-Rex. I object to the idea that unique entertainment options are being eliminated to make way for shopping and dining that are available elsewhere. I can go to my local Mills Mall and eat at Rainforest Cafe, as can many other people across the country. I can buy Legos at Walmart. While I don't object to those places being at DTD I don't want that type of thing to be the only sort of thing at DTD. I enjoy the mix of unique Disney entertainment and other shopping and dining. If I just wanted to go to a nice outdoor shopping and dining facility I could go to any large (or not so large) city in the US. When I am at Disney World, I want to do things that aren't available anywhere else. The Adventurers Club is completely unique and it's being closed so shopping and dining venues that are not particularly unique can be added. While I don't enjoy the dance clubs, they are entertainment options (and apparently are fairly unique when it comes to dance clubs) and those are being taken away in favor of yet more outsourced places to shop and dine. I can certainly see why the dance club fans aren't happy about that, even if it doesn't directly affect me.

A mix of unique Disney entertainment options with outsourced shopping and dining can be good. Just outsourced shopping and dining isn't "Disney" - it's no better than any other shopping/dining center anywhere else.

And for those of you who still don't understand how we feel . . . Imagine that your favorite ride in one of the parks was closed only to be replaced by a character meal and shop - for example, what if they removed "Pirates of the Caribbean" and replaced it with a Pirate themed restaurant. Wouldn't you be unhappy about that? You might not mind the addition of a themed restaurant to the park, but you might object to losing a ride to make room for the it. In the case of Pleasure Island, they are completely getting rid of the attractions and replacing them with only dining and shopping. Imagine if they did the same with the Magic Kingdom - the outcry from fans would be deafening!

beautifully stated and I appreciate your statement about the dance clubs as well. Those of us who are AC fans, but perhaps more dance fans feel a little left out sometimes in this campaign against Disney's decision. So thank you for acknowledging us.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think Cirque du Soleil at DTD is pretty unique. I mean unless you go to Las Vegas or Montreal, Quebec Canada it's pretty hard to see a show. I know they had one for I think 10 weeks in NYC last winter (or the year before-I can't remember), but that's not the same thing as a show that runs year round.

Yes. Cirque is unique. But how many times can I go see it? I've seen it three times. I could probably stand another viewing at this point, maybe that's something I can do one night in the absence of AC. Of course I think it costs about $80 for me to go see it.

Other nights? I don't know. I'm into theater, not live music. (I'm not local and I usually don't have a car - I haven't needed to have a car.) I don't really want just dinner. I prefer a show - something I can go to by myself if necessary. And not the same show all the time - and I mean a theater-type show, not music. Jellyrolls was fun, but it's a music show, not a theatrical production. I don't see WDW having any "theater" experiences outside the parks.

So IMO, the problem with putting AC or any other popular venue in a Disney hotel is the hassle involved in getting to it.

Guests go to the Boardwalk for Jellyrolls (and probably Atlantic Dance but I think mostly for Jellyrolls) every night of the week so it can't be that much hassle.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Guests go to the Boardwalk for Jellyrolls (and probably Atlantic Dance but I think mostly for Jellyrolls) every night of the week so it can't be that much hassle.

Jellyrolls admittedly does well but Atlantic Dance is usually dead. I've not been to either.....do you have to go through a security gate to visit shops, restaurants and clubs at the Boardwalk?

BobK/Orlando

 

[TDC Nala]

Jellyrolls admittedly does well but Atlantic Dance is usually dead. I've not been to either.....do you have to go through a security gate to visit shops, restaurants and clubs at the Boardwalk?

BobK/Orlando

If you are driving, yes. Although they do have a parking lot across the street - I don't think it has a gate but it's a pretty good walk to that one.

I'm not usually driving. I've been to Jellyrolls once. Fun and I'll probably do it sometime again if I have a chance, but only for one night, not all the time like I did AC.

 

[IAmSteppp]

i may not be so familiar with this but why take it away

 

[Jason71]

Guests go to the Boardwalk for Jellyrolls (and probably Atlantic Dance but I think mostly for Jellyrolls) every night of the week so it can't be that much hassle.

Eh, yes and no. JRs can draw a crowd, but compared to the similar Howl at the Moon on I-Drive or even PI, no comparison in the volume of people. And Atlantic Dance has been dead or closed every time I stopped by. I think the hassle of getting in there (and then sometimes having to park across the street) contributes to that.

The other thing to keep in mind about relocation to Boardwalk or AK Lodge--how would DVCers react to hoardes of drunks (you know that's how it will be described on the boards) outside their window every morning at 2:00 am? I always figured this was one reason WDW never seems to push the nightlife at Boardwalk as much as they could.

 

[Disneybag]

Fun and I'll probably do it sometime again if I have a chance, but only for one night, not all the time like I did AC.

Yep, repeat visits will really drop. You can only hear "Brown-Eyed Girl" so many times in one week.

 

[ztbz]

Not sure if anyone has posted this before, but at work, we have been told that the Pleasure Island Bus Station will also be closing with the rest of PI. The Buses will go to the Marketplace and then to the Westside Bus Station instead of the PI Station. This will start at the same time when they close down Pleasure Island.

 

[doconeill]

Not sure if anyone has posted this before, but at work, we have been told that the Pleasure Island Bus Station will also be closing with the rest of PI. The Buses will go to the Marketplace and then to the Westside Bus Station instead of the PI Station. This will start at the same time when they close down Pleasure Island.

Is the West Side stop even in reasonable shape? I don't know how long ago they abandoned it...

I'm not sure this makes a lot of sense anyways. The PI stop gets you to the West Side just as well as the West Side stop did, just at the opposite end. Perhaps its there way to get more foot traffic through West Side itself?

 

[ztbz]

The PI bus stop is in Bad shape more then the west side, West Side was and is still being use for the Lynux Buses. They may moved the PI stop to closer to the World of Disney store, also with PI going away theres a possiblity that the Buses at Downtown Disney will close earlier then 2 am.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Not sure if anyone has posted this before, but at work, we have been told that the Pleasure Island Bus Station will also be closing with the rest of PI. The Buses will go to the Marketplace and then to the Westside Bus Station instead of the PI Station. This will start at the same time when they close down Pleasure Island.

Well if that ain't the final nail in the coffin.
If the bus drivers have been told PI is closing, it must be so.


BobK/Orlando

 

[TDC Nala]

Eh, yes and no. JRs can draw a crowd, but compared to the similar Howl at the Moon on I-Drive or even PI, no comparison in the volume of people.

Jason - you know I am not local - I generally don't have the slightest idea where the people with cars go.

Not sure if anyone has posted this before, but at work, we have been told that the Pleasure Island Bus Station will also be closing with the rest of PI. The Buses will go to the Marketplace and then to the Westside Bus Station instead of the PI Station. This will start at the same time when they close down Pleasure Island.

Raglan Road is going to LOVE that.

 

[Jason71]

Raglan Road is going to LOVE that.

I was actually wondering about this last weekend while at Raglan. If people without cars have to catch an 11:15 or 11:30 bus, the pub's going to lose a huge chunk of its customer base for the last two hours. Throw in the loss of traffic from people heading to PI (a lot of PI-goers stop for dinner first or wander over during the evening) and things may not be that great for them.

 

[rpmdfw]

I was actually wondering about this last weekend while at Raglan. If people without cars have to catch an 11:15 or 11:30 bus, the pub's going to lose a huge chunk of its customer base for the last two hours. Throw in the loss of traffic from people heading to PI (a lot of PI-goers stop for dinner first or wander over during the evening) and things may not be that great for them.

Gosh, with the third party vendors suffering from the PI closure, how will they ever attract new ones?

What a pity.

Not