Friday, October 9, 2009

Club Report: Why Not Lounge



WHY NOT LOUNGE
Back in the day when I attended college up north and spring break in Orlando was my group's destination, we happened to stay at the Holiday Inn in Altamonte Springs. It was then that I discovered a hotel night club called the Why Not Lounge. Later visits to O-Town always meant stays at that Holiday Inn and return trips to the Why Not. But when I actually moved to the Orlando area the Why Not was not on my radar because I was living closer to the Mouse than to northern suburbia.

So how is the Why Not doing? Well that Holiday Inn is now a Clarion Inn but the Why Not looks pretty much as it always has! During a Thursday night visit last night, I discovered they still run Ladies Night that night, they still have a live band singing Top 40 and they still have a DJ in a small booth spinning between sets. And believe it or not for a club that has been in business over 30 years, it still draws a crowd. The band's breaktime was nearly an hour long which gave the DJ plenty of time to fill the dance floor with his hit music. There were no 20-somethings in here; it was definitely age 35+ and there were plenty of cougars on the prowl. I'm told that Fridays and Saturdays are crazy in there. You might want to check it out.


THE GROOVE 80'S NIGHT WITH DJ DOC / LATIN QUARTER LADIES NIGHT WITH DJ LEONY
Meanwhile, 80's Night at The Groove had a moderately-sized crowd on hand and it was a little more but not a lot more crowded over in Latin Quarter for their Ladies Night. I did not get to go inside but Blue Martini's parking lot was jammed. Sounds like a future place to visit!

17 comments:

Ken said...

The Why Not Lounge certainly has a group of loyal customers. I drop by every once in a while, and the same regulars I use to see around 15 years ago are still there. So yeah, it does attract an older crowd.

Anonymous said...

I think it's time for you to consider changing the name of this blog. With very little new info on PI and the likely hood of anything reopening slim to none you obviously focused on other night time options. This is fine but of no interest to me.

KingBob said...

Ken, in some cases, WAAAY older, lol!

Anon, the focus of the Blog remains Pleasure Island rumors and actual happenings. In the past 30-days I've reported on new rumors, the AC final shows and the PI cast Reunion. Unfortunately, there is very litte news right now. I don't create the news, just report on it. However, from the very outset when PI fans kept asking me, "What are you going to do Bob once PI closes?" this Blog has also focused on alternatives to the clubs, Mannequins and 8TRAX in particular. There is more of that right now but the next big rumor might just be around the corner. The only way to know is to tune in from time-to-time. Your feedback is appreciated.

Anonymous said...

there is also the back stage on I-drive

Anonymous said...

dance floor still in mdp. island being used for conferences, master plan is to level from empress lily-fultons to west end stage ares. ragland to stay. new build will align with existing mdp\8 trax to create a waterfront board walk type venue. existing structures have no value to plan as cant be modified for use. current structures are in decline/need repair but will not be fixed. motions has bad roof. ac could be salvaged but the rest are useless

Anonymous said...

Anon #3 OK where are the pics of the dance floor in Manneqins????????? where!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

someone else said that Manneuins was being used for storage someone else said the roof leaks and the floor has water all over it. so until I see pics I am going to belive my source that yuold me the floor is gone!!!!!! don't forget that it is only 7 years old

zulemara said...

7 years old and didn't work towards the end. It stopped spinning by 9pm on the last night. Why should we have to provide pics that it's there? Shouldn't you be providing pics that it isn't? Once source is no more valid than another, so neither of us are obligated to show pictures. You believe what you want and we'll believe what we want.

What I CAN tell you is that the roof IS leaking and there IS water by the second story bathrooms with a nice little flow over to the stairs. I can not say how far down the water is or where the water has gone because I can't see that far into the building.

It's an absolute shame that 8-trax, mannequins, and CW are gonna sit there completely unused. They could have just kept them open! If they want a boardwalk type experience, they could have left the adult entertainment. Of course that would require some sort of planning and the right hand never knows what the left is doing in that company.

KingBob said...

Supposedly the reason the Mannequins/8TRAX building cannot also be leveled is because the power grid to the entire island is in there and the island cannot shut down for weeks without it. Indeed, there are huge transformers on the Waterfront near the 8TRAX smokers patio. But I still don't have a reasonable explanation for why something can't REOPEN in that building! Meeting current codes is a bogus reason.

Anonymous said...

none you can't provide pics or anyone else who said they saw the floor.because it's gone! why should you and or anyone that said they "saw" it to ge to the bottom of this debate thats why. I just am tired of people saying that they have been in there and say that saw Mannequins danca floor there and that is why none. and maybe your right that it is still there! but I would love to see if it or is not there thats all.

tightglove.com said...

Expierienced Atlantic Dance Hall for the 1st and 2nd times last week. Was pretty low turnout on Wednesday but had a great mix, so I gave it another chance and it was ablsolutely electric on Friday Night. Reminded me of 8TRAX & Motion. Good times! Still wanting PI back, but ADH will suffice for the time being.

KingBob said...

Tightglove, I agree about Friday nights at Atlantic Dance Hall. DJ Tony will play Dance songs if you request it and there are usually a good number of PI people hanging out. Was Motion DJ Talie spinning on Wednesday night?

Brad said...

If I was to guess about this floor stuff I would say that the mechanics of the floor are still in place but it would not surprise me if the floor is "removed"/destroyed from technicians removing the ligths and the speakers from the floor. So again if I was to guess still there but not there in its original form. The rumor about it being sold though...I agreee with none. It would not be worth it for anyone to buy the floor and have it transported given the age and the environment it was used in.

Anonymous said...

Brad like i said the other guy who said about the age of the floor! it was rebuilt on 2001 when then after they reopened Mannequins on 11/15/2001 and that's how old the floor is! and in great shape! no holes! it is not 20 years old if it was there would have been MAJOR problems with it. don't believe me ask disney when they to close and rework the floor and more.

KingBob said...

I think the point that None was trying to make is that one can have a brand new revolving floor constructed relatively cheaply so why purchase a used one that is known to break down?

Anonymous said...

the dance floor in Mannequins was NOT known to break down. Disney turned it off! I talked to someone who has been going to Mannequins for almost the whole time it was open and he has talked with the techs (years ago) about the floor "break downs" and he said (he was there on the last night) told me the lights in the box close the mirrors where not on. and any time before when they had problems the box would have been on!!

KingBob said...

On Final Night the dance floor seemed to be working fine when it made a few slight jerking movements and glided to a stop. I think it just broke down from too much weight being on the floor. Same thing happened the final Thursday night but Friday was fine.