Pleasure Island questions

[tinkerbellwdw2000]

I noticed that apparently you can take underage children into PI and only in two bars must they be 21. does that mean that don't sell drinks in the other bars? My friends and I are wanting to visit and each have an 11 yr old DD. When DD was 5, we went to the comedy club and she just laughed and laughed (stuff over her head). Is there a curfew for the kids? Can they dance as well?

Thanks!

 

[PammyK]

This is a sticky subject...
Kids are allowed at PI from opening until closing, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they are welcomed. All of the nightclubs sell alcoholic beverages and as the evening progresses, the level of inebriation amongst the patrons goes way up. I believe kids can dance in the streets to the band at the West End Stage and in the clubs that are not age limited but please remember that these are NOT venues that are aimed at a family audience.

I think it is all a matter of what you feel comfortable exposing your kids to. There is no curfew for kids, however, if you do feel comfortable bringing your kids to PI, I'd definitely recommend getting there early and leaving early.

I know you didn't ask but personally, I feel PI at night is an adult oriented venue and kids really do not belong there. But...since they are not prohibited it is up to you to decide whether it is an appriate venue for your kids.

 

[TDC Nala]

Uh, er...
They sell drinks in the bars. They sell drinks on the street. At times they have people walking around selling shots. If you're concerned about seeing people drink, this ain't the place to be.

Kids are allowed but they have to be accompanied by parents or guardians at all times. If you bring kids, go early. PI opens at 7. The Comedy Warehouse and the Adventurers Club will start shows at this time if they haven't been booked for a private party (much more likely at AC than at CW). There are more likely to be other kids there. The dance clubs are pretty dead that early, too, although I don't usually go to any of them and can't say so with any authority.

 

[Eeyore2U]

You need to decide what's right for you and your child. Since many think alcohol is the root of all evil you may get biased opinions. You have the info, now it's up to you.

 

[brunoflipper]

i think that the morons who take their children to PI are the same people i've seen walking around at night, with their kids, on bourbon street (i've seen it more than once!)... i also think, that with the removal of many of the stores that used to be at PI, disney has also made an attempt to shift the crowd (but it was probably simply cost cutting)... the place does have a comedy club but the dance clubs/live music venues are all about alcohol... in the streets, there are several alcohol kiosks and waiteresses wander about with gimmicky glow in the dark and/or test tube shots.... my wife and our friends usually go a couple of nights every trip... we've observed many minors sneaking drinks from older "friends"... i think that PI is great but i really think that if disney was really concerned about something than the almighty dollar, they would institute some sort of an age requirement... simply put, it is not an appropriate place for kids... i have always thought that they should have j. worthington foulfellow standing out front handing out cigars to all the "kids"... if you want to take them somewhere, take them to downtown disney... as a side note, i am a 32 yo, father of two, pediatrician who knows his lambic from a lager... sorry about the rant

 

[ilovefh]

It all depends on how you feel about your kids seeing people drink (note I have no opinion about kids seeing people drink, so I am neither encouraging, nor discouraging you from going). Like many people have said alcohol is sold everywhere. If you decide to go, I would, like many have stated go early. If you leave aroun 10 you miss most of the"younger" heavier drinking crowds. And avoid Monday and Thursday nights. It is Cast Member night and those nights many of the students on the WDW College Program go to PI. When I was on the College Program (fall 2001) we went almost every monday and thursday night since it is free, but we hardly ever left our apartment until 11 pm.

 

[Bill From PA]

tinkerbellwdw2000,

Despite some moronic advice offered here, you know your kids and you have your own values. I've never seen anything at PI that I haven't seen at the local pub on a Sat. night in my home town, and the entertainment is less risque than the average Drew Carey episode. If Disney wanted this to be adults only, they'd have made it adults only.

Bill From PA

 

[pouncingpluto]

>>If Disney wanted this to be adults only, they'd have made it adults only.<<

Well, yes and no. I think this is clearly an adult-oriented area, not a family-oriented version of night clubs (which could be a fun idea, in a separate area). Even though Disney is leaving it up to parents to use good judgement, that doesn't mean they actually *want* kids running around at PI. I think that as soon as a lot of kids started coming, they would have to do something about it, such as impose age restrictions, either on all of PI or on several clubs.

 

[DizneyGurl]

As somebody who's been to Pleasure Island as a kid (12) and now 18, I didn't appreciate it and it certainly wasn't worth the $100 my parents spent for our family of five to go. My brothers were younger, 10 and 8, and it was our family's first time to DW so we wanted to take everything in. However, the money was wasted and we spent an hour down there, watching the street performers and then left.

Now I'm excited to go down in 2 weeks and party it up on the dance floor, esp. since I'm of legal age to go in and chill with my friends.

If you wanna go, maybe you could put to use that baby-sitting service, they have in room and places to take the kids I think, I've heard the kids have a better time at those places than they do in the actual parks!

 

[tinkerbellwdw2000]

Boy, did I start something The girls wanted to dance so we were thinking about going and not staying late. Do they have a family dance place? My DD has been to the Indy 500 and, unfortunately, has witnessed her share of obnioux drunks (and her share of the "women show us your ...)! She was just talking about one drunk last night that fell over sitting up and passed out! Another one fell down in front of us while walking back to the car. That's the time when I stated you never want to drink too much or you'll end up like them We drink around the girls, but don't get drunk. Basically, we wanted to see comedy and dance. Too bad there isn't a place. We had a blast at the MNSSHP at the dance areas.

In Indiana, it's against the law for a child to even walk through a bar on the way to the bathroom!

Thanks for all the responses!

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by Bill From PA
tinkerbellwdw2000,

Despite some moronic advice offered here, you know your kids and you have your own values. I've never seen anything at PI that I haven't seen at the local pub on a Sat. night in my home town, and the entertainment is less risque than the average Drew Carey episode. If Disney wanted this to be adults only, they'd have made it adults only.

I'm in agreement with Bill. From what I've seen, there are certain places in PI I wouldn't want to take underage children, but mainly because they'd be bored stiff. Some of the greatest entertainment I've ever witness was watching Pamela Perkins work a trio of children (appr. age 8-12) at the AC. The children were entertained, and we were entertained watching them. That tells me the PI CM's are prepared for children. I'd hardly say they don't like them running around.

There are drunken jerks at PI. There are jerks everywhere. In the end, there are far less jerks at PI than a lot of other places kids will have to face. And most of the overt drunkeness at PI takes place late into the evening, when your kids will probably be asleep. In my opinion.

Pat

 

[brunoflipper]

"I've never seen anything at PI that I haven't seen at the local pub on a Sat. night in my home town"- exactly, i (and i think most parents) don't take my kids to the bar with me at home either... aren't jellyrolls and atlantic dance 21 and over only?... why would disney set the age limit at those bars but not PI?... i think it is all about money... they charge to get into PI and not the boardwalk area... if they set up an age limit at PI they'd lose cash... plain and simple... my 2 cents

 

[Bill From PA]

{Quote}
aren't jellyrolls and atlantic dance 21 and
over only?... why would disney set the age limit at those bars but not PI?...


Because, WDW wants JellyRolls and Atlantic Dance to be adults only and does not want PI to be adults only. Two trips ago our younger daughter was 20. We didn't try to sneak her into JellyRolls when we went but she, and her 15 yr. old brother came to PI with us. My family seems not to be too upset at the sight of people having a good time that involves Demon Rum.

Bill From PA

 

[maxie]

"I've never seen anything at PI that I haven't seen at the local pub on a Sat. night in my home town"- exactly, i (and i think most parents) don't take my kids to the bar with me at home either... aren't jellyrolls and atlantic dance 21 and over only?... why would disney set the age limit at those bars but not PI?... i think it is all about money... they charge to get into PI and not the boardwalk area... if they set up an age limit at PI they'd lose cash... plain and simple... my 2 cents"

They do charge to go into Jellyrolls and Atlantic Dance so I don't think it's a $ thing. ($6 admission to get into JR when I was there).

 

[pnelson]

Not that this is going to change anyone's opinions BUT I absolutely hate little kids on a dance floor in an adult setting. It's one reason I didn't have children at my wedding. We have taken our son through Pleasure Island but there really wasn't much there that interested him and it was fairly early in the evening. Isn't there somewhere else that little kids can dance besides PI and with all the other things to do at WDW-Do they really need to "dance" that bad???

 

[tinkerbellwdw2000]

pnelson: Yes, they (11 yr olds) LOVE to dance. We have a blast dancing together (did at her 11th birthday party). We do get to dance the chicken dance at the Biergarten though One year, one of the boardwalk bars had a street dance and our friend's DD had a blast. We go to street dances around here (when they have them... like once a year). Like I said, dancing at MNSSHP was the most fun of the evening! Parents and the kids having fun dancing. They really need a dancing place for families to have fun. We love to do the slide and other line dances. And they wanted to see the comedy show as well. Someday when you have a little girl maybe you'll understand Girls gotta dance

Thanks everyone. I think we'll find the girls will find something else to do. But, a lot of you are right. Why do they allow underage children in to some and not others?