Restriction Lifted to Pleasure Island

[sugermouse]

I read today that Disney is going to experiment for a twelve week period which I believe starts at the end of this month by lifting the restriction to enter pleasure island. You will still have to pay to get into the nightclubs, but you will be able to bring your kids to play the street games, eat, browse in the shops and experience the fireworks at midnight.
We are going in July, this is great news!

 

[IloveWINNIEthePOOH]

Thank you for the info!! That will be great!! We are HOPEFULLY going in July, around the fourth, and may just fit PI into our trip this time! THANKS again!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I am unsure as to how exposing one's children to an atmosphere quite reminiscent of New Orlean's Bourbon St. after dark is a great thing for a family vacation. While DW and I enjoy the Adventurers' Club and the street scene of PI (just as we have enjoyed Bourbon St. in New Orleans), it's not the place for children.

 

[Baloo]

Interesting news.

I have a feeling Universal's City Walk has been out doing PI so Disney is going to try it their way for awhile!!!

Thanks for the info!!

 

[elosoloco]

How shocking does the street scene at PI get. Having second thoughts about taking DD (11 yrs) to browse inside PI

 

[krissy3483]

I was there in March for a few nights right around St. Patrick's Day, and up until 10:00 or so it seemed to stay pretty quiet and wouldn't be a problem for kids. Once it starts to get a little more busy though (and the drinks start to catch up with people) I really don't see it as a place for children, especially on the weekends. I didn't see anything shocking happen and I was there during Spring Break season, but I wouldn't have wanted my little sister (13) there.

 

[elosoloco]

Thank you.
If she really wants to go I guess we will go early otherwise we will probably skip it

Thanks

 

[n2mm]

That is good news and I agree about the city walk competition. city walk has some neat places to eat and we tend to venture out there more and more. We have not been to PI since the restrictions started. Before we use to go to the shops there. I'm sure the restrictions hurt the shops alot.

 

[Puffy2]

Royal Canadian, when on earth did you go to PI to see such activity to compare it to Bourbon Street?

I've never seen anything out of the ordinary on any of my visits- just people walking from place to place....

If I had children with me , I'd still probably stick to an early night. Other than dinner , I couldn't see that there would be much for them to see/do other than dance in the street area for awhile. And there are fireworks at other places in Disney to enjoy.

 

[disneyjunkie]

We walked through PI one night during our Easter trip after spending some time at Disney Quest. My son (12) and I were with my sister, her husband, and their kids 5 and 6.

I think we left about 11:00 or 11:30.

We didn't see anything there that we wouldn't see here during a block party.

We looked inside one club that was full of teens. Ate hot dogs and soda. The kids got tattoos. Watched the band that was performing on the out door stage, danced a bit and then left.

We saw tons of families walking around, dancing, and just having a good time.

I didn't see any drunks while we were there or anything that kids shouldn't see.

 

[antnee]

Sounds good to me

 

[stinkerbelle]

one thing though that parents must understand - people can smoke ANYwhere outside at PI...

so if your child is allergic, just be aware that there are no 'smoking sections' for the smokers to go to...it's a free-for-all. (except INSIDE the clubs though - those are all non-smoking now I believe)

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Does anyone know what the addmission will be to the clubs now? The same price as it use to be and you get an arm band or something allowing you into clubs, or will it be per club addmission? I would prefer the second I guess as we only enjoyed 2 of the clubs.

 

[skeletor40]

Originally posted by krissy3483
I was there in March for a few nights right around St. Patrick's Day, and up until 10:00 or so it seemed to stay pretty quiet and wouldn't be a problem for kids. Once it starts to get a little more busy though (and the drinks start to catch up with people) I really don't see it as a place for children, especially on the weekends. I didn't see anything shocking happen and I was there during Spring Break season, but I wouldn't have wanted my little sister (13) there.

I agree. When I went, I saw quite a few people whose judgement was more than a little impaired. After three beers, I was one of those people myself!

 

[CamColt]

Im excited about this. We had planned to spend a night at DTD anyway and we definitely wouldnt have paid to go into PI, however wihtout a charge we will probably take a stroll through, have a drink or 2, let the kids play some games and listen to the music. Should be fun!
Ive only been to PI twice but, Ive never seen anything worse than what my kids and I have seen at a hockey game. Obviously if things are out of hand we would leave, but I think it will be fun for a quick visit.

 

[snowglobe girl]

From my experiences there, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I think though the later it gets in the evening, you see more intoxicated people walking the street. Its usually not crowded at all early in the evening and wouldn't think it would be a problem for kids during that time of day at all. It usually doesn't start getting crowded until 10:00pm or after when I've been there. I would probably steer clear of weekends, just in case. I think a lot of locals come to PI on the weekends to party. They also sold alcohol on the streets - but with restrictions, I'm not sure if they would do that or not. They also sold "jello" shots - you'd sure have to explain to a kid why they couldn't have one...Only thing that I experienced was around 11:00pm, a group of intoxicated people were walking up the street, laughing and drinking and one of them who appeared to be around my age came up and tried to dance with my 54 year old mother! She just smiled and kept walking and they were fine - went on their way.

 

[disneyjunkie]

We ran into the "jello shot" guy while we there and a group of teen girls that wanted to buy a few.

I got one and son (12) wanted to know one also. Of course I told him no and he was fine with that. My nephew and niece (6 &5) wanted to know WHY they couldn't have one.

 

[brunoflipper]

awesome... many days i sit at home and think "if only i could take my kids to the bar with me then my life would be complete"... it just proves that many people have limited judgement even when they have not been dinking... it is a bunch of bars. it is a bar scene. they sell alcohol on the street. hell, they sell shots on the street... why would anyone think that this is an appropriate environment for children? do you take your kids to the bars back home?... if only PI would put in a strip bar (you know a girls of disney themed one with cinderella, belle, ariel) then my kids could just sit outside on the stoop while i checked out the local talent... be sure to take your impressionable moony-eyed pre-teens to PI so that they can see all of the "cool, fun things" (i.e. smoking/drinking/getting drunk) they get to do when they are older... as an aside, all of the actual shops in PI are gone...
have any of you seen pinocchio? how funny it is that it was named after the pI in the tale and now it has become that for kids in real life... remember when it opened it was 21 and up only.

PS i myself am beer snob and know my porters from stouts from ales from lagers

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by RoyalCanadian
I am unsure as to how exposing one's children to an atmosphere quite reminiscent of New Orlean's Bourbon St. after dark is a great thing for a family vacation. While DW and I enjoy the Adventurers' Club and the street scene of PI (just as we have enjoyed Bourbon St. in New Orleans), it's not the place for children.

Please explain. I have never seen anything at PI come close to Bourbon Street. Surely Disney has not allowed nudity and strip clubs to come here?

 

[CarolMN]

I would venture to say that none of us here go to PI every night or nearly every night of the year.

What many do not realize is that the atmosphere of PI varies - some nights are G-PG and others (probably fewer in number) are R-X (or worse).

The problem is that you cannot accurately predict what you will encounter on any one particular night. That is why you will read so many different opinions/experiences here.

Personally, I think children under 17 do not belong on PI at all after 9 p.m. I would prefer that parents not bring children into the clubs that are often touted as OK for kids (Comedy Club and Adventurer's Club). The shows are simply not as funny when the CMs must "censor" their performances due to children in the audience.

There are lots of other things for families to do at WDW without taking them into venues that are marketed for adults and feature alcohol. It may not "hurt" them and it may not be "any worse than what they see elsewhere", but it's certainly not good for them.

Of course, this is JMHO. Many do not share it.