So What's Coming to the New Pleasure Island?

[zulemara]

My understanding is that the hot air balloon ride will be over in DD West Side, not Pleasure Island. Only the South American restaurant and t-shirt shop has been announced.

Hotel brochure racks around Florida now have an information "card" brochure (English on one side, Spanish on the other) entitled "Pleasure Island, What's In, What's Out, What's Up" and it explains all the clubs are closing. I've scanned it onto my blogsite at: http://www.savepleasureisland.blogspot.com

BobK/Orlando

absolutely pathetic. We're going to take away everything Disney owned and operated and replace it with 3rd party operations because we're cheap and don't care about your experience.

Rob hit it right on the head. Disney is giving the middle finger to its guests and especially to the convention, college, and single adult crowd.

 

[TDC Nala]

We were there all evening on Saturday - wonder if we saw you?

Went over to Mannequins for the first time after the Hoopla and had a GREAT time (we're mid 20s) until DH lost our camera with 4 months worth of un-downloaded photos on it.

You probably did at some point.

 

[ThurlFan]

Double Barf. T-Rex cafe? We've already got one here in the Kansas City area. Over by the giant Cabela's store and Nebraska Furniture Mart. Yeah, I want to fly to Florida for that...Dolts.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Double Barf. T-Rex cafe? We've already got one here in the Kansas City area. Over by the giant Cabela's store and Nebraska Furniture Mart. Yeah, I want to fly to Florida for that...Dolts.

I understand the one in KC is the first one built and DTD is going to be the second one. Thus, for nearly everyone in the country and for foreign visitors, this will be a first encounter with T-Rex Cafe. ThurlFan party of 4, your adventure is about to begin!

We were there all evening on Saturday - wonder if we saw you?

You definitely saw ME as I was in Mannequins nearly the entire evening Saturday night. I recall someone taking photos of the hanging upside down mannequins....was that you?

BobK/Orlando

 

[Scurvy]

We were there all evening on Saturday - wonder if we saw you?

Went over to Mannequins for the first time after the Hoopla and had a GREAT time (we're mid 20s) until DH lost our camera with 4 months worth of un-downloaded photos on it.

I was there, too! Was that the night that Pamelia did the Titanic song during the Hoopla? If so, you saw my husband . . . he was one of the guys holding the words for the song.

That's awful about your camera! Did you check lost and found just in case? I've heard that some people have had luck with that.

By the way, some people who have talked to the Disney board members about trying to save the Adventurers Club have been told that the decision to close PI has nothing to do with "family friendly" and everything to do with money. They can make more (in the short term, at least) by leasing out the space. I think some people who are excited about reclaiming this "scary" area of DTD and making it family friendly are going to be sorely disappointed when new outsourced bars, restaurants, and shops show up and the area is no more family friendly than it is now.

 

[zulemara]

I was there, too! Was that the night that Pamelia did the Titanic song during the Hoopla? If so, you saw my husband . . . he was one of the guys holding the words for the song.

That's awful about your camera! Did you check lost and found just in case? I've heard that some people have had luck with that.

By the way, some people who have talked to the Disney board members about trying to save the Adventurers Club have been told that the decision to close PI has nothing to do with "family friendly" and everything to do with money. They can make more (in the short term, at least) by leasing out the space. I think some people who are excited about reclaiming this "scary" area of DTD and making it family friendly are going to be sorely disappointed when new outsourced bars, restaurants, and shops show up and the area is no more family friendly than it is now.

Although it's slightly better to hear that it's about the bottom dollar instead of being family friendly, it's still a big cop out. They used to make plenty of money with it, but they stopped promoting it! How much does it really cost to promote your own stuff on your own property?

I still don't understand why they refurbished 8-trax and fixed up signs at Mannequins if they were expecting to close it. It's so obvious their left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. After reading half of Disney War, it doesn't surprise me.

 

[Forever42]

I was there, too! Was that the night that Pamelia did the Titanic song during the Hoopla? If so, you saw my husband . . . he was one of the guys holding the words for the song.

That's awful about your camera! Did you check lost and found just in case? I've heard that some people have had luck with that.

Stupid me, I had to check with DH about the Titanic song since I was listening to a Barenaked Ladies concert yesterday with a Titanic song in it, and that's all I could hear in my head when I thought of the word, "Titanic."

Ahem. Yes, that was it though! And we'd have PICTURES of your husband if mine hadn't lost the camera..

We've been checking with Lost and Found daily. I guess I just am devastated that someone would pick up a camera, see that there are hundreds of family pictures and such on it, and keep it. I'm trying not to think about it too much so I don't cry, really.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Did Disney ever officially claim the new PI would be more "family-friendly"? Or was that just spin/wishful thinking on the boards from the pixie dust crowd? Because right now the "new" PI will be the outdoor bars, a Harley shop, a cigar bar, and a two high-end restaurants that prominently feature bars. Find it hard to believe their PR people were that brazen.

Ahhh, yes, don't you recall the breaking news article in the Orlando Sentinel? Here's the link: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/orl-disney2808jun28,0,2367595.story

The Sentinel article leads with, "Walt Disney World is shutting down the six nightclubs at Pleasure Island to make its party district at Downtown Disney more family friendly."

Later in the article Lansberry is quoted as saying, "Some of the offerings might feel like a nightclub, but they won't feel like high-energy clubs like we have today in all likelihood," Lansberry said. "Truthfully, our guests have really gotten out of that in the last couple of years. They want things that are a lot more geared toward family entertainment."

So PI is going to have offerings that FEEL like a nightcub, but won't be high energy. What kind of crap is that? So yes, apparently a Harley store, cigar bar, 3 outdoor bars and multiple low energy night clubs will be part of the new PI!

BobK/Orlando

 

[DanMedix]

Yep. Harleys, cigars, and booze. Sounds fun for a night with "me and the boys", but hardly what I'd call Family-Friendly. Hardly a place where I'd bring my children.

The last time I was at Mannequins, was many moons ago (back in 94 I believe). I thought it was kinda cool. But, here in the Memphis area, I see the same thing happening with the clubs here. At first, they're cool, with good DJ's, etc. Then they get run down, the thugs show up, and you get edged out. It becomes a place you wouldn't be caught dead in. Eventually, it turns into "GRAND CLOSING". (Here in this area, however, it's a much quicker process....like over a few MONTHS)

...and there's nothing wrong with some attractive cougars! Heck, if I saw 3 hot girls with each other, I wouldn't be mad....I'd be JEALOUS that I wasn't with them

 

[NMW]

Double Barf. T-Rex cafe? We've already got one here in the Kansas City area. Over by the giant Cabela's store and Nebraska Furniture Mart. Yeah, I want to fly to Florida for that...Dolts.

I really don't know why people here are picking on this restaurant so much. I think it's a little over the top really. What about all the people that don't live in KC? I can only speak for myself, but I've never been there, and I have to say that the likelyhood of a KC trip in my future is pretty much non-exsistent.

The Rainforest Cafe does well at DTD if the 2 hour waits are any indication. Why wouldn't the T-Rex place do well also? It's the same kind of heavily themed concept. I think the place sounds pretty neat. My youngest son is turning 10 and I'm sure he'd want to go-at least to just see it! My daughter is 6 and I'm sure she'd like it also. I really don't understand the animosity posters have towards this place. Is it because it's outsourced? So are Raglan Road, PYC, HOB, WGP, Fultons, Bongos, Rainforest, and lots of other stores at DTD. Is it because it's not a new dance club? I really don't understand.

I also don't understand the Harley store not being for children thing. While my husband and I are in no way "Harley" people, I have a framed photo of my kids sitting on the motorcycle in the store on one of my bookcases. We went in the store and I thought it was fine. This was even 1 1/2 years ago when my kids were even younger. The cigar store I think we by-passed because of the smell, but so what? It's not like I was offended it was there. Plus, you can buy beer from outside bar/vendor places and walk around on the MP side too. We did it in May. I don't here people arguing that this makes the Market Place side not "family-friendly"

As for the hot-air balloon thing. I thought that was going to be on the MP side along with the bigger stage thing. Is the balloon so bad? Do the people in Paris just hate it?? Again, I understand people are upset about the clubs closing...but what's the big deal about the T-Rex place (which will be just like every other outsourced restaurant in DTD) and the balloon ride?

 

[Scurvy]

I really don't know why people here are picking on this reataurant so much. I think it's a little over the top really. What about all the people that don't live in KC? I can only speak for myself, but I've never been there, and I have to say that the likelyhood of a KC trip in my future is pretty much non-exsistent.

The Rainforest Cafe does well at DTD if the 2 hour waits are any indication. Why wouldn't the T-Rex place do well also? It's the same kind of heavily themed concept. I think the place sounds pretty neat. My youngest son is turning 10 and I'm sure he'd want to go-at least to just see it! My daughter is 6 and I'm sure she'd like it also. I really don't understand the animosity posters have towards this place. Is it because it's outsourced? So are Raglan Road, PYC, HOB, WGP, Fultons, Bongos, Rainforest, and lots of other stores at DTD. Is it because it's not a new dance club? I really don't understand.

I also don't understand the Harley store not being for children thing. While my husband and I are in no way "Harley" people, I have a framed photo of my kids sitting on the motorcycle in the store on one of my bookcases. We went in the store and I thought it was fine. This was even 1 1/2 years ago when my kids were even younger. The cigar store I think we by-passed because of the smell, but so what? It's not like I was offended it was there. Plus, you can buy beer from outside bar/vendor places and walk around on the MP side too. We did it in May. I don't here people arguing that this makes the Market Place side not "family-friendly"

As for the hot-air balloon thing. I thought that was going to be on the MP side along with the bigger stage thing. Is the balloon so bad? Do the people in Paris just hate it?? Again, I understand people are upset about the clubs closing...but what's the big deal about the T-Rex place (which will be just like every other outsourced restaurant in DTD) and the balloon ride?

I can't speak for anyone else, of course, but it's not so much that I object to the places themselves. It's that Disney is removing unique entertainment and replacing it with a themed restaurant that you can find elsewhere. If they were keeping the clubs and adding places like T-Rex, you wouldn't hear a word of complaint from me. I would probably even try it once. The fact that Disney is removing actual entertainment options and putting in restaurants instead is the problem.

As for the "family friendly" thing. . . well, my problem with it is that they aren't closing the clubs to make the area more family friendly. They are just saying they are because that seems to get a good response from some guests. The truth is that they just want to lease out the space and get money from being a landlord without actually running things themselves. People keep mentioning the cigar bar, Harley shop, and other bars because those things are no more family friendly than the Clubs and yet they aren't closing. In fact, I would think the outdoor bars are less family friendly than the bars that are inside, because you can choose to avoid going in to the bars if you don't want your kids exposed to that sort of thing but it's harder to avoid the ones outside. They can't have it both ways. If they are closing the clubs because they aren't family friendly then everything else that isn't family friendly should also close. If a cigar bar is appropriate for the new DTD then the Adventurers Club certainly is!

If they were closing the clubs to replace them with comparable offerings it would be different. If they were replacing the Adventurers Club with a futuristic space themed interactive comedy experience I would be sad, but I would understand it somewhat. If they were bringing in an outsourced "Evening at the Improv" type comedy club to replace Comedy Warehouse I would think it was a shame but again it would make some sense. Getting rid of the unique entertainment and bringing in a themed restaurant doesn't make sense, whatever the restaurant might be. It might be an entertaining place to eat, but it's not an actual entertainment offering.

Oh, and the balloon. Well, again, it's not the balloon itself, though I have heard from people that are more familiar with that type of balloon that it's likely to be grounded quite often due to storms and winds. Still, it could be a nice addition to DTD as another option for something to do. Except it isn't an addition - it's being touted as a replacement for the Clubs that are closing.

Imagine if your family loved Chuck-E-Cheese and your local mall closed it but replaced it with a Barnes and Noble while telling you how exciting that was and how happy you should be. Maybe you have nothing against Barnes and Noble, maybe you'd even like it if your mall got one, but not instead of Chuck-E-Cheese. It's not a good substitute! Now imagine that it isn't just a matter of driving a little further to another Chuck-E-Cheese, but that your local one was the only one. Would you really be satisfied to lose that just because they gave you a new book store to replace it?

 

[nickspace]

I have a guess!!! I think that Disney is going to build a Broadway style theater district complete with the big Disney productions. Lets face it the Disney shows are top sellers and putting them in Disney World would make it very easy to see a big show while on vacation.

What so you think? Agree or Disagree?

Does anyone know how to start a poll where we can list all the different guesses. If you do drop me a PM and go for it!

Take Care!
Nick

 

[NMW]

I can't speak for anyone else, of course, but it's not so much that I object to the places themselves. It's that Disney is removing unique entertainment and replacing it with a themed restaurant that you can find elsewhere. If they were keeping the clubs and adding places like T-Rex, you wouldn't hear a word of complaint from me. I would probably even try it once. The fact that Disney is removing actual entertainment options and puttung in restaurants instead is the problem.

As for the "family friendly" thing. . . well, my problem with it is that they aren't closing the clubs to make the area more family friendly. They are just saying they are because that seems to get a good response from some guests. The truth is that they just want to lease out the space and get money from being a landlord without actually running things themselves. People keep mentioning the cigar bar, Harley shop, and other bars because those things are no more family friendly than the Clubs and yet they aren't closing. In fact, I would think the outdoor bars are less family friendly than the bars that are inside, because you can choose to avoid going in to the bars if you don't want your kids exposed to that sort of thing but it's harder to avoid the ones outside. They can't have it both ways. If they are closing the clubs because they aren't family friendly then everything else that isn't family friendly should also close. If a cigar bar is appropriate for the new DTD then the Adventurers Club certainly is!

If they were closing the clubs to replace them with comparable offerings it would be different. If they were replacing the Adventurers Club with a futuristic space themed interactive comedy experience I would be sad, but I would understand it somewhat. If they were bringing in an outsourced "Evening at the Improv" type comedy club to replace Comedy Warehouse I would think it was a shame but again it would make some sense. Getting rid of the unique entertainment and bringing in a themed restaurant doesn't make sense, whatever the restaurant might be. It might be an entertaining place to eat, but it's not an actual entertainment offering.

Oh, and the balloon. Well, again, it's not the balloon itself, though I have heard from people that are more familiar with that type of balloon that it's likely to be grounded quite often due to storms and winds. Still, it could be a nice addition to DTD as another option for something to do. Except it isn't an addition - it's being touted as a replacement for the Clubs that are closing.

Imagine if your family loved Chuck-E-Cheese and your local mall closed it but replaced it with a Barnes and Noble while telling you how exciting that was and how happy you should be. Maybe you have nothing against Barnes and Noble, maybe you'd even like it if your mall got one, but not instead of Chuck-E-Cheese. It's not a good substitute! Now imagine that it isn't just a matter of driving a little further to another Chuck-E-Cheese, but that your local one was the only one. Would you really be satisfied to lose that just because they gave you a new book store to replace it?

I completely understand your point of view. Thanks for taking the time to post it. To me it just didn't make sense that posters kept talking about T-Rex being outsourced, when it seems like ALL the restaurants at DTD are in fact, outsourced. I get it now.

 

[patsal]

I'd have to say the T-shirt at the Harley store that said "I (Heart shape) H**D" isn't exactly family friendly.

 

[NMW]

Oh, and the balloon. Well, again, it's not the balloon itself, though I have heard from people that are more familiar with that type of balloon that it's likely to be grounded quite often due to storms and winds. Still, it could be a nice addition to DTD as another option for something to do. Except it isn't an addition - it's being touted as a replacement for the Clubs that are closing.

The Philadelphia Zoo has a balloon like that. You can pay to go up in it and I believe it's included in some zoo family memberships. It's huge when it's on the ground and kind of neat to look at, but certainly not a replacement for anything. I'm sure Disney's will look cool when it's lit up at night and we'll probably try it. I took the balloon addition to be something like when they added the Hat/pin store in DHS-something big to look up at, especially at night. I thought they wanted a central icon kind of thing.

 

[doconeill]

I agree with Scurvy. If they were at least keeping the uniqueness of something like the Adventurers Club, even if they changed the overall theme, it would still be a unique experience worth going to at DTD. T-Rex really isn't unique - there may only be one other one right now, but it looks to me to be nothing more than an altered Rainforest Cafe - and we've got TWO of those in the area already, and plenty of others around the country.

Which, by the way, the one at DTD may still have 2 hour waits, but our local one which opened to those types of waits is a walk-in now.

As for the balloon...if they were adding that in general, it wouldn't be a big issue. Its a way to get more traffic over to Westside. But it seems like Disney thinks people will walk up to a club and go, "Awww, they closed the Club...why would they do tha-...oooooh, look, a balloon! Let's go see!" and forget all about the clubs.

 

[TDC Nala]

I really don't know why people here are picking on this restaurant so much.

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have kids. And without kids I'm not going any further than walking past the front door of this place. It's what so many people on the boards have always told me WDW was about - it's "for the kids." I've been trying to refute that for years but now I think WDW is in agreement. I can't imagine adults without children having a whole lot of interest in T-Rex.

Is it going to have a bar? I can't even find that out. RFC has a bar.

I find it interesting that WDW is removing the one spot they had I could go at WDW, at night, as an adult, on my own if necessary, and be consistently entertained, and replacing it with family restaurants. Maybe all the "it's for the kids" people were correct, or at least they're correct now.

 

[zulemara]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have kids. And without kids I'm not going any further than walking past the front door of this place. It's what so many people on the boards have always told me WDW was about - it's "for the kids." I've been trying to refute that for years but now I think WDW is in agreement. I can't imagine adults without children having a whole lot of interest in T-Rex.

Is it going to have a bar? I can't even find that out. RFC has a bar.

I find it interesting that WDW is removing the one spot they had I could go at WDW, at night, as an adult, on my own if necessary, and be consistently entertained, and replacing it with family restaurants. Maybe all the "it's for the kids" people were correct, or at least they're correct now.

QFT

 

[NMW]

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have kids. And without kids I'm not going any further than walking past the front door of this place. It's what so many people on the boards have always told me WDW was about - it's "for the kids." I've been trying to refute that for years but now I think WDW is in agreement. I can't imagine adults without children having a whole lot of interest in T-Rex.

Is it going to have a bar? I can't even find that out. RFC has a bar.

I find it interesting that WDW is removing the one spot they had I could go at WDW, at night, as an adult, on my own if necessary, and be consistently entertained, and replacing it with family restaurants. Maybe all the "it's for the kids" people were correct, or at least they're correct now.

I can understand the dino theme being geered towards families with kids. I know my husband and I would not choose to dine there without our kids.

For instance, we are going to Las Vegas this winter (without kids ) and I don't even want to choose a HOTEL that is geered towards families. I was truely surprised so many of them advertise for families-not just Circus Circus either! However, when we do our yearly Disney trips, they are true "family vacations." We don't use in-room babysitting, child care centers, etc. We have our kids with us at all times. Really all of our close friends that vacation in Disney, except one couple without kids, do "family vacations" just like ours. Now, most of our friends also take an adults-only vacation too, like Las Vegas or a cruise. We have not done that in the past due to a distinct lack of babysitters. My mom works, my in-laws retired to the beach in NC, my brothers and sister-in laws work and do not have kids. Shockingly most of our friends are not jumping up and down saying "I'll watch your 3 kids, just tell me when!" You really need a family member for that!

We have honestly considered going to Disney without the kids for a few days (DH is more onboard with it than I am), but decided that seeing kids everywhere would just remind us of our own kids and the things we have done with them on past trips. We really LOVE WDW, but I have never not seen kids at every turn. We have done 9 PM ADR's and there are kids in the restaurants, even signatures. Now, I know what your thinking, that MY kids were there too, and you'd be right. That's my point. I feel comfortable bringing my kids to dinner anywhere in WDW, with the exception of V&A, and I bet a lot of other people do too.

I feel bad for the adults without kids crowd that there are not more things geered just towards them, and that's why we are going to Vegas.

 

[TDC Nala]

But that is the point. There WERE PLENTY of things that were popular with adults without kids. Disney is removing them and, where they're actually bothering to replace them, replacing them with MORE things geared toward families with kids. So I'm not buying the "You were traveling to a family destination, what's your problem." When I started coming to WDW the signature restaurants weren't full of families with little children - now they are. That didn't bother me. The Party for the Senses didn't have families with little kids camping out on the floor near the restrooms - now it does. That only bothered me a bit - if parents want to spend $135 on dinner for little children, that's up to them. Removing the entertainment does bother me. Believe me I would not have spent 8 years going to WDW at least once a month if there wasn't anything there for me. So the "maybe you should have been going someplace else all along" isn't making much of an impression.

However, I'll go with "Maybe you should start going someplace else now."