Pleasure Island: Kind of sad

[LSUwest]

We just got back from WDW the other day. Our last trip was 5 years ago. We also had another one 5 years before that. On both trips, we spent a lot of time at PI. We had fun at PI, DD, and the West End portion. Last week we went there and it seemed a shell of its former self. We didn't go to any of the clubs at night, but we were there in the early evening (on a weekend) at it really was dead. Sad, because we had so much fun there on our prior trips. Mostly at the Adventurers Club, but at others too.

 

[bearzabout]

This must be why they decided to tear so much of it down starting in January. I hope they keep the Adventurer's Club, but I hear that may go too.

 

[goodeats]

The Adventurer's Club seemed to still have a hefty crowd last week. I wasn't interested in the other clubs, so that's the only one we went too.

They better not get rid of the Adventurer's Club!

 

[TDC Nala]

AC was pretty crowded on Saturday, not so much Sunday or Monday but still had a decent number of guests hanging around for hoopla. The rest looked pretty dead but I'm not really concerned about the rest.

Actually I did not mean to copy Goodeats' post.

 

[WaltD4Me]

In 98' when we went to PI we had a blast...we did the Adventurer's Club, a comedy club and another place I can't remember, then we went outside for the "New Year's" party. It seems alot has changed recently though, so it isn't so much fun and I've read alot of complaints here on the DIS about alot more drinking/drunks than I remember seeing when I was there in 98' - it also seems from posts here that the crowd at PI has gotten alot younger. I think it might have been better when you had to show ID and be 21 just to get into the gate at PI. Maybe allowing everyone into the grounds, hasn't turned out to be such a great idea for Disney.

 

[TSR6]

Thus far, I have not heard anything about Adventures Club being slated for demolition. Thus far, the only things they are slated for construction/removal are the West End Stage, the "Hub Stage" and the bridge that DTD Cast members know as "Bridge 5" - or the one that bypasses Pleasure Island, next to Planet Hollywood.

The crowd there has seemed to become younger. Now that it is ungated, a lot of the local "youth groups" seem to hang out on Pleasure Island. They may not be old enough to get into some of the clubs, but it is still the atmosphere on the Island that they come out for.

During the day ( Pleasure Island opens at 3pm now ) - it is competely dead. This is expected, and the only reason they even open it so early is that Raglan Road opens up at this time. The Island opens for them. Pleasure Island doesn't traditionally open until 7pm, and it doesn't become "Busy" until after 9.

 

[DeterminedOne]

Thus far, I have not heard anything about Adventures Club being slated for demolition. Thus far, the only things they are slated for construction/removal are the West End Stage, the "Hub Stage" and the bridge that DTD Cast members know as "Bridge 5" - or the one that bypasses Pleasure Island, next to Planet Hollywood.

Please say it isn't so - Not the West End Stage! Do you know if they will replace it with something similar? No more Johnny and the West End Boys?
No more 'Radar Love'? Just wait 'til I tell DH ...

 

[theycallmered]

Honestly when I was there back in Oct. with my Hubby we were not too terribly impressed with the actual PI. Don't get me wrong, we had a great tim in the AC, but when walking about in the PI area it was just too much for us when it came to dodging strollers and little kids. And when I say little kids I do not mean teenagers I mean 8 and 10 year olds running around with their parents screaming for them to come back.

If anything Disney should reinstate their old gate policy in order to bring back more of an adult atmosphere.

 

[TSR6]

The West End Stage is going to be removed for a new walking path through Pleasure Island.

The stairs & elevator situation next to the West End Stage has always been a challenge for Pleasure Island guests. The elevator breaks down at least once a month, making it difficult for guests with disabilities to go through Pleasure Island. While the stairs aren't exactly the first thing that you want a drunk guest walking down at 2:30am.

Plus, that whole side of Pleasure Island is going to be re-worked so it isn't as confuesing. The way they work it now, the bridge that goes under the yellow bridge, and then next to Pleasure Island is only a day-time bypass for when Pleasure Island is closed. Once Pleasure Island is open, that is chained off, and the yellow bridge that goes above it is opened. Guests who took the closed bridge minutes early come back to see it chained off, and truly assume that the Marketplace is closed, as the MarketPlace sign hangs above that bridge. They actually have to have someone explain that they just walk through PI instead to get to their destination.

 

[chyam]

I have also heard and please tell me it isn't so.........that the nightly fireworks will be ending in January also. It seems Citiwalk at Universal has kinda taken away alot of people that would have normally gone to PI.

 

[Equidae]

For a Thursday, last night PI was pretty well populated. I have been going there for years and have always noticed that there are times it seems dead. If you were there early in an evening then that would explain why it seemed so dead. Last night the AC was fairly crowded for a Thursday, although understandably more people were then when we went on a Saturday at the beginning of the month. I do agree that the attendance seem to be somewhat lower than a few years ago. When we were there earlier this month it was packed there though. Now with the open gate policy I have noticed a LOT more kids than before. What's up with that? I know most adults don't want to go to a club with kids there, and I think that may hurt PI, especially with the locals. Church Street is starting to make a comeback lately so that may be luring locals away too. There is also a lack of special events there too. I went to Jingle Ball 2001 and the area in front of the west end stage was so crowded you could barely move! Last night there were hardly anyone in front of the stage, and I even saw parents with toddlers just sort of bopping around.

Oh, and yes, the fireworks are going away starting the beginning of the year.

 

[TSR6]

Yeah, The "Nightly" fireworks will be gone, but I have been told that they aren't completely removing them, and will still have special event fireworks.

I don't see how that is true, as all the firework Tech's are being sent to other areas. We'll see what happens.