So What's Coming to the New Pleasure Island?

[anthony2k7]

not sure if you americans have the phrase "its a white wash", but the comments on that disney page are well and truely a white wash!

"Pretty exciting, huh? Let us know what are you most looking forward to."

Adventurers club returning basically. almost every comment is about AC! If this was the big announcement of their bold new vision for PI, then its a clear epic fail if AC isnt brought back after all those comments.

 

[Luv2Roam]

More of the same ol same ol snooze fest.

 

[DOPEY44]

What a bunch of crap!! All Downtown Disney will become is shopping.
Really miss the night life and the midnight show.
It was so festive being outside, having a drink, then going into a club.
The Adventures's club was the best, a themed club. Disney should have continued that idea, maybe a western club, or the club that was in Star Wars with Java the Hut.
I wonder if the Raglan Road will stay.
Disney must not make enough money in alcohol.

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

What a bunch of crap!! All Downtown Disney will become is shopping.
Really miss the night life and the midnight show.
It was so festive being outside, having a drink, then going into a club.
The Adventures's club was the best, a themed club. Disney should have continued that idea, maybe a western club, or the club that was in Star Wars with Java the Hut.
I wonder if the Raglan Road will stay.
Disney must not make enough money in alcohol.

I believe Disney is more concerned about losing money from parents who don't want to bring their children around alcohol. Not the loss or gain of profit on the alcohol it's self.

 

[Luv2Roam]

If that were truly the case (parents w/children) one would think there would be more alcohol intake restrictions elsewhere on property. Try not to see someone at F&W over indulged. It's bound to happen.

I see in this article:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-...asure-island-changes-20101118,0,2869804.story
even someone who knows the the local industry is scratchin' his head and "underwhelmed".

Scott Smith, a professor in the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management, said he was perplexed by the announcement.
"You have such a prime piece of real estate there, and Disney is a company that specializes in doing things unique and really wowing people," Smith said. "Then when I read what the plans are for Pleasure Island, I was underwhelmed."

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Today's announcement did not mention any specific names of shops or restaurants that were coming to Pleasure Island....er, I mean Hyperion Wharf.

The Mahogany Bay Restaurant (or whatever final name it takes) and the nautical theme and tons of lighting were leaked a few weeks ago on my Blog. I've previously posted some of the other likely concepts. We can see in the concept art that Harley Davidson Store is apparently moving out and I've heard the Ridemakerz store is moving in. No mention whether that lighthouse restaurant/bar is coming because the concept art did not point in that direction. So we need to await more specific announcements before passing judgment.

BobK/Orlando
www.savepleasureisland.blogspot.com

 

[MJMcBride]

its not bad

better than empty space

 

[Figment632]

http://www.discussionkingdom.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1050

Here is a link to some of the art.

 

[jerivera]

I believe Disney is more concerned about losing money from parents who don't want to bring their children around alcohol. Not the loss or gain of profit on the alcohol it's self.

I agree. My guess is that not only was attendance low, but there likely were some alcohol related incidents that Disney did not want to be liable for.

I don't really like DTD now that it's just mediocre restaurants & shopping. But not sure that "nightlife + alcohol + partying" was ever a good mix for Disney.

Remember we're talking about a place that people sue for pretty much any imaginable reason.

Or imagine the papers if someone got drunk, left and killed a family of 6 in a car crash, and they blamed PI drinking.

I realize a lot of people liked it, but maybe you need to look elsewhere for the parties & booze.

 

[TisBit]

I don't think that disney has an issue with the alcohol in any sense, but there was a LOT of people that disliked having to walk through pleasure island to get to West Side with all the bars/clubs, etc. I don't think there were any specific alcohol incidents that made disney pull the plub on PI, but rather as they developed West Side it caused a problem with PI in the middle.

Truthfully, night clubs are not a big draw anymore. The newest thing is for the bars/restaurant/club theme like house of blues. They create more profit for the establishment and are more multi functional, better than closing the doors until 8 pm, they can sell lunch, etc.

The only real losses from PI are the Comedy Club and Adventurers Club...unfortunately I don't see either of these locations really working out in the long term. A new Comedy Club could work, but more revamped than the last with maybe two shows a night, similar to what they do in Vegas might work out but at a high price in order to pay the bills. The show would need to run like two hours. As for AC, I don't seem people wanting to pay a cover just to go in and out.....AC was very small, which added to its mystique....a stand alone location without the rest of PI, I am not sure it would stay busy.

 

[Trinitys Ghost]

I believe Disney is more concerned about losing money from parents who don't want to bring their children around alcohol. Not the loss or gain of profit on the alcohol it's self.

I can understand that point of view, but those kids will grow up, and their parents grow older and tastes will likely mature and change. It'll be interesting to see how many of those folks' views will change when they desire to do something that benefits them more as adults. Suddenly they'll realize Disney caters less to them, and more towards the families with youngins who want big Booger Trees to play on (or eateries, or places to run up those credit card bills on toys).

 

[Trinitys Ghost]

I agree. My guess is that not only was attendance low, but there likely were some alcohol related incidents that Disney did not want to be liable for.

I don't really like DTD now that it's just mediocre restaurants & shopping. But not sure that "nightlife + alcohol + partying" was ever a good mix for Disney.

Remember we're talking about a place that people sue for pretty much any imaginable reason.

Or imagine the papers if someone got drunk, left and killed a family of 6 in a car crash, and they blamed PI drinking.

I realize a lot of people liked it, but maybe you need to look elsewhere for the parties & booze.

Ah, but guess what? Not everyone went there to booze up and act silly (or something worse). I went there and the majority of the time got a non-alcoholic drink. I was there to dance, or experience interactive entertainment (with family and/or friends). Can't blame this all on alcohol. I guess though, because it had alcohol folks automatically assume that's what people were and are clammoring for. It wasn't that for me...I loved the theming, the story behind the Island, the characters. That was sooo creative and fun, and now it's gone. Now, instead of going to one of the Clubs at night, my friends and I venture to a park to walk and talk, and/or eat offsite. More often then not, the evenings are not spent at Disney.

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

I can understand that point of view, but those kids will grow up, and their parents grow older and tastes will likely mature and change. It'll be interesting to see how many of those folks' views will change when they desire to do something that benefits them more as adults. Suddenly they'll realize Disney caters less to them, and more towards the families with youngins who want big Booger Trees to play on (or eateries, or places to run up those credit card bills on toys).

This is very true post. But as far as the business goes with Disney at DTD more demanders wanted people not getting as drunk and partying as much. So Disney supplied DTD with less alcohol and now people are demanding the clubs back. I'm sure Disney went through a lot of surveys and thought before making these changes. While they may not be as original they will probably make DTD more $ from first time visitors and ones like myself who LOVE DTD. (Of course being 21 I didn't have a problem with any of those clubs)

 

[Trinitys Ghost]

But...alcohol is still available on property, as is area for one to "get down and party" if they so choose (though it won't be in a Club venue). Disney merely shucked the responsibility, and chose to hand that over to 3rd party companies with restaurant ideas.

And I've no doubt Disney rigged the customer surveys. Anyone can rig a survey if they know how to word things to get a certain answer. And I'm sure they had their survey takers aim for certain folks who would get them the answers they sought, to "prove that's what their public wants".

 

[mcd2745]

I'm fairly certain almost everyone would jump for joy over the return of the AC even if it came back alcohol-free.


My guess is Disney wanted shops and restaurants that can generate revenue for most of the day as opposed to venues that are operating just at night and also probably felt it was more "stable" and easier to just basically collect rent for many locations as opposed to operating everything themselves. Obviously though, this is in direct conflict with customer sentiment.

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

But...alcohol is still available on property, as is area for one to "get down and party" if they so choose (though it won't be in a Club venue). Disney merely shucked the responsibility, and chose to hand that over to 3rd party companies with restaurant ideas.

And I've no doubt Disney rigged the customer surveys. Anyone can rig a survey if they know how to word things to get a certain answer. And I'm sure they had their survey takers aim for certain folks who would get them the answers they sought, to "prove that's what their public wants".

I agree but how many of these places do you have to pass through the way you did at DTD? To get from Marketplace shopping to West Side Shopping you have to cross through PI or walk around the outside or ride the water taxi. Most people will choose to walk through which was causing them to walk through a place they didn't want to be or didn't consider family appropriate.

Honestly its an endless debate both sides have valid points. I personally think Disney made the right move but I love DTD already so unless they ruined it big time I wouldn't have a problem with any of the changes they make.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I was under the impression that Disney was upset that NOT ENOUGH alcohol was being sold. That's really the driving force behind the profitability of a bar.
The entertainment at the Club must have been very expensive.

MG

 

[DC7800]

I'm sure Disney went through a lot of surveys and thought before making these changes

I seriously doubt it, at least not any objective surveys or other evaluations. The whole "too much alcohol/drunks/crime/liability around families with children" story just reeks of spin, and while there is some truth to the problem of Pleasure Island being in the way of shoppers with money to spend passing between the Marketplace and the West Side, that's hardly an insurmountable issue (build shops, etc. alongside and around the island, on the parking lot side).

Point remains that it is simply so much easier to play landlord - lease the empty former-club buildings out to whomever is foolish enough to pay the exorbitant rent prices - than it is to actually have to create and manage the operation yourself. Better to just sit back and collect your paycheck than take the risk involved in creating something - that always means the possibility of failure, and when the management team is already sorely lacking in creativity, talent, and imagination - an outdoor mall appears the safer solution.

That's just sad.

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

I seriously doubt it, at least not any objective surveys or other evaluations. The whole "too much alcohol/drunks/crime/liability around families with children" story just reeks of spin, and while there is some truth to the problem of Pleasure Island being in the way of shoppers with money to spend passing between the Marketplace and the West Side, that's hardly an insurmountable issue (build shops, etc. alongside and around the island, on the parking lot side).

Point remains that it is simply so much easier to play landlord - lease the empty former-club buildings out to whomever is foolish enough to pay the exorbitant rent prices - than it is to actually have to create and manage the operation yourself. Better to just sit back and collect your paycheck than take the risk involved in creating something - that always means the possibility of failure, and when the management team is already sorely lacking in creativity, talent, and imagination - an outdoor mall appears the safer solution.

That's just sad.

From a business standpoint though why would Disney invest such money AROUND an area that has seen a huge drop in it's guests when it can use this space and save money?

As unpopular as it is Disney is still a business there is innovative stuff all around the World (DW) so why would they worry about it in a spot that is probably the least visited on property? They have to have an ace in the hole somewhere and it just so happens its DTD. Disney will continue to profit from DTD no matter what thus leading them into the future with other innovative things in the places they belong like the parks.

Just my opinion. But I feel strongly about it when I say I think Disney made a good business move here.

 

[ProgressCity]

The day they decided to make the island free to get on is the day the island died.

Disney has no problem making money off of alcohol. Since Pleasure Island closed I have worked bar at numerous events and Disney had no problem paying me to sell as much alcohol as people wanted and people had no problem throwing down $400 a table for alcohol. It's obscene the amount of money Disney makes off of alcohol.

My husband worked Pleasure Island full time and I occasionally picked up shifts there. There was never a problem with people getting too drunk or out of control. The only time either of us ever had a problem was when we worked New Year's Eve and from what I heard from other cast members that worked other venues for New Year's Eve, the problems at PI were no worse than elsewhere. There were never fights and security would have to deal with a drunk person only about once a month. This whole idea that Pleasure Island was a place for people to get wasted and cause problems for guests is a complete myth and nothing from my or my husband's time working there suggests otherwise.

As far as drunk driving goes, for guests on property there has always been free transportation. For most nearby hotels there is free transportation. There were always more than enough taxis. And guess what? If none of those option worked for you, AAA offered complimentary transportation home to anyone who was drunk leaving PI. Drunk driving wasn't an issue during all the years that PI was open, I think it's stupid to play hypotheticals and say the shut it down because in the future someone might drive drunk. While we're at it someone could get drunk at T-Rex, drive home and get in an accident and then Disney would have no choice but to close down all the restaurants that serve alcohol at DTD, right? Disney is a business, bottom line, and alcohol sales bring in a good amount of money for them. Alcohol has nothing to do with PI shutting down. AC being the only club that was consistently busy is why PI shut down. When business started slipping there were no advocates for going back to the way things were in upper management so they decided to close it and go in a different direction.

Bottom line, when they stopped charging admission to get on the island and stopped the New Year's Eve every night is when things started going downhill. That business model worked for them and the new one didn't. When Saratoga Springs went in they decided to do away with the fireworks because of complaints from guests that were staying there. When that change was implemented they could then open up the island to people walking through because there was no longer a hard ticket event going on.

I do hope they bring back AC, it was a consistent money maker and I don't see how it would conflict with the theme and atmosphere that they're putting in. Oh, and the entertainment at AC was not too expensive. Proof? Most of the CMs who worked AC are still working at Disney and their contracts won't allow for them to have taken a pay cut. What is expensive is the street entertainment that they hire. I have a friend who's a musician and he gets paid more for one night than most CMs make in a week because he's an independent contractor. So they're paying him more than CMs and not charging guests to hear him play. Entertainment costs are not what killed AC.