Pleasure Island Changes - Analysis About This Page:

[Dave Marx]

Late in the afternoon on Friday, June 27, 2008, Walt Disney World announced that Pleasure Island, part of the Downtown Disney shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, would close on September 27. Let's pick the hard information out of the press release:

The September 27 closure affects only the six nightclubs currently operating on Pleasure Island: 8-Trax, Adventurer's Club, BET Soundstage Club, Comedy Warehouse, Mannequins Dance Palace, and Motion. (As I noted in another post, Disney's fiscal year starts October 1, and there can be tax benefits to wrapping-up club operations before the year ends.)

The shops and restaurants will remain open: Raglan Road, Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval, Orlando Harley-Davidson, and various outdoor food and beverage kiosks.

A new restaurant, previously announced for Pleasure Island, is expected to open in Spring 2009. Operated by E-Brands Restaurants, the "high-energy, casual eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty drinks and live music along the waterfront. The company already operates a Samba Room, a Salsa Taqueria, and a Timpano Chop House and Martini Bar in Orlando. I suspect, based on the description, that this will be either a Taqueria Canonita , or a new brand-name. It is expected to be in the general area of the former Rock and Roll Beach Club.

Disney also catalogued other changes for the Downtown Disney area:

Portobello Yacht Club, also on the Pleasure Island property, is being re-styled and re-themed in summer of 2008 (like, now), as Tuscan Country Trattoria, with new interior decor, new menu (but still Italian, of course), and an outdoor dining area. This establishment is operated by Levy Restaurants of Chicago.

Fulton's Crab House, just across a small bridge from Portobello and also operated by Levy Restaurants, will get spruced-up in spring 2009, and they'll add an upper-deck area for added guest capacity and the option for larger private parties.

Just steps away from Fulton's, Portobello/Tuscan Country Trattoria, and The World of Disney in Downtown Disney Marketplace is T-Rex, a new themed restaurant operated by Landry's (the Rainforest Cafe folks). That's set to open in the fall of 2008.

In the final restaurant news, sometime in 2009 Wolfgang Puck Cafe in Downtown Disney West Side will also receive refreshed interior decor and a new, enclosed outdoor patio. That patio may help relieve some of the demand for tables that can be so frustrating on busy, weekend evenings.

Since old news can still be repackaged as new news, the recently completed rehabs of Cap'n Jack's Restaurant, Ghirardelli Soda Shop, Earl of Sandwich, and Wolfgang Puck Express, all in the Marketplace district, were also mentioned in the press statement.

Not to be upstaged by the very recently announced, 400-foot tall Big Wheel (observation Ferris wheel) set to rise in Orlando's International Drive district, Disney has unveiled plans for a tethered observation balloon, which will take passengers up 300 feet into the skies above Lake Buena Vista. It's sure to provide much better views of Walt Disney World property than the Big Wheel, which will be seven miles away to the northeast. The precise location has yet to be announced, but it seems likely that it will be along the waterfront in the Downtown Disney West Side area, which is less cluttered than other parts of Downtown Disney. And if anyone is worried about floating away, Wizard of Oz-style, I have a feeling Disney will have the ropes fastened a bit more securely.

Hanes will open a design your own t-shirt store in fall 2008, at an unspecified location somewhere on the 120-acre Downtown Disney property.

Goofy's Candy Company, in the Downtown Disney Marketplace district, will be opening a private party room in fall 2008. That'll be for family-style birthday parties, of course.

Also in the Marketplace in fall 2008, the Marketplace Stage will be upgraded to a new, covered stage, intended to be a major venue for Magic Music Days (for which it already hosts many smaller events).

That seems to be it for now. I'm sure the passage of time will turn up other developments, especially since there's a press conference scheduled for early Saturday afternoon (June 28), no doubt for the local TV cameras who got cheated out of Friday's after-business-hours announcement. (I have a suspicion Disney wanted to push the story over into the weekend news reports, so they'd get less attention.)

[CRCrazy]

Wow!!!

That's awful!! While I can't say that I'm surprised at the closure of the other clubs, I am shocked about the Adventurer's Club, and to a lesser extent, the Comedy Club. In its heydey - the Comedy Club was an amazing venue, but that sort of improv stuff seems to have gone by the wayside, but I've never seen a slow night at the Adventurer's Club!

I'm so sad that I won't have a chance to Kungaloosh before its demise.

Thanks for the heads up Dave.

[chezp]

Wow, what a set of changes they've announced there. I'm still in shock that the Adventurers' Club is going.

[emtpej]

Originally Posted by chezp

Wow, what a set of changes they've announced there. I'm still in shock that the Adventurers' Club is going.

I have really looked forward to Kungaloosh!

[NanaTink]

Well, that stinks! I love AC!!!I have never been in there when everyone could get into the library...its always PACKED! Sort of silly to get rid of one of your more popular after-hours venues! I won't be back until Dec. so no final Kungaloosh for me either! KUNGALOOSH, everyone!

[emtpej]

Dave,

I guess with the success of the special events in the parks, they don't think a 'party' area is as important, anymore...

Do you think this part of an over-all strategy to be more appealing to locals / short distance travelers?

A week-end press conference get less attention, but they also get more air time to tell their side of things, as opposed to sound bites?

[Starla4436]

The Adventuers Club is one of my DH and I's favorite thing about our trips to WDW...its one of a kind and I am really really really sad to here its closing...to late for a letter writing campaign>?

[DouglasE]

Actually, this move is more in line with the way Disney has been doing business for years. As the decades roll on it just seems to be more and more opportunities for shopping. Obviously, that is a big part of their bread and butter. Although, I know there is a huge markup in alcoholic beverages. One would think that Pleasure Island was a profitable venture. I was not a big drinker, so they never got much money out of me in that respect. But I'm DEFINITELY not a shopper so they will be getting even less money on that score. I'm an experience-type person which is why I will be missing the dancing, the laughing, and the conviviality that Pleasure Island provided me. But there really isn't as much margin in those types of activities, is there?

I will miss you Mannequins, 8 Trax, and Adventurer's Club!

I do note that Passporters seem to only miss the demise of A.C. I wonder what the reaction would be if they were to somehow rescue or resurrect that one venue. Would Passporters not mind the closing of the rest of Pleasure Island? I actually understand how Pleasure Island does not serve its bread and butter main audience. Even still, I will sorely miss all the adventures.

[Starla4436]

I have no attachment to any of the other Pleasure Island older venues only the Adventures Club...and I agree with who ever above talked about the library always being packed.

[NanaTink]

I do note that Passporters seem to only miss the demise of A.C. I wonder what the reaction would be if they were to somehow rescue or resurrect that one venue. Would Passporters not mind the closing of the rest of Pleasure Island? I actually understand how Pleasure Island does not serve its bread and butter main audience. Even still, I will sorely miss all the adventures.

Hmmm, I guess it does look like that! On my part, the only venue I have visited was AC, so that is what I know. We only usually had one evening out so, the automatic choice was AC because we enjoyed the interaction so much!

[lauren-roxy]

Thanks for all the information Dave.

[minemoz1]

I do note that Passporters seem to only miss the demise of A.C. I wonder what the reaction would be if they were to somehow rescue or resurrect that one venue. Would Passporters not mind the closing of the rest of Pleasure Island? I actually understand how Pleasure Island does not serve its bread and butter main audience. Even still, I will sorely miss all the adventures.

That's what I am hoping will happen. Somehow the AC will be rescued or refurbished for the new theme. I will miss the other dance clubs, but we always went to the AC every trip.

Maybe they'll do something like the Jekyll and Hyde club in NY. They had one in Chicago that didn't make it-too expensive for lunch. I went there once and asked if they were affiliated with Disney as the whole place was like the AC. Actors roving around as characters of the "Club." Things on the walls coming to life and talking to you, a self playing piano and even a club song/creed. Plus LOTS of Disney-ish effects. They said they weren't a Disney Co. even though they were located on the same block right in-between DisneyQuest and ESPN Zone and built at the same time.

[debe]

Thanks for all the updates Dave... now I can go pout about the AC...

[SARH7]

How sad!!! I really loved PI!!! 8Trax was so much fun!! I never visited AC....the last few trips have been family trips, but it was always on my list for someday.

[WillCAD]

I can't say I'm surprised that the rest of the PI clubs are getting the axe; they were moderately profitable for Disney, but the club-like atmosphere on the island, with open alchohol consumption, smoke everywhere, and sometimes loud and disruptive local teens, was very un-Disney.

Adventurers Club, on the other hand, was the most Disney-like experience on the island, and I can't understand why DIsney would close it down completely. It not only fit the Disney mold, it was completely successful and profitable. If anything, it should have been expanded to fill the whole island.

Some years ago I had the idea that Disney could save PI by revamping the other clubs along the same lines as AC, but with different themes - a Roaring 20s club, a Wild West saloon, an Aussie Outback pub, and of course - Rick's Cafe American from Casablanca. I even had the idea for a Decades club, where the decor, music, and characters would be changed to reflect a different decade in American history from the 1940s to the 1990s each night of the week.

But alas, Disney doesn't listen to me, and so we bid fond farewell to one of the most imaginative and enjoyable attractions in WDW history - the Adventurers Club.

Marchin along, we're adventurers
Singing a song, we're adventurers
Up or down
North, south, east or west
An adventurers life is best!

Dough - with which I buy my beer
Ray - the guy I buy beer from
Me - the guy I buy beer for
Fa - the distance to the store
So - I think I'll have a beer
La - La La La La La BEER!
Tea - No thanks I'll have beer
And that will bring us back to - Dough

Kungaloosh!