Sunday, July 18, 2010

Save Pleasure Island Editorial


When are heads finally going to roll at Pleasure Island? We are rapidly approaching the 2-year anniversary of the PI clubs closing yet we see no action being taken to create any new vision for our Island. As I circulated around crazy crowded Universal CityWalk last night, I remained in disbelief that Disney gave away this huge adult customer base to their major competitor!

I know they had a plan and it fell through because of the economy. I know their plan was supposed to generate more net income than the clubs did. I get that. But their failure to take any significant action to remedy the financial bleeding taking place cannot be excused. Living statues and small bands are cute but they hardly make up for what Pleasure Island used to represent. I'm looking forward to the so-called outdoor ultra-lounge but why in the world do you put your Guests out in the humidity and rain when vacant air-conditioned buildings stand right behind?

Packed among the masses last night, I commented to CityWalk general manager Jim Henson that they were really raking it in with PI closed. He just gave me a shit-eating grin. Disney's best kept secret? It ain't timeshares. It's when the hell are they going to take some real action out there!

9 comments:

71 said...

Amen, brother, amen.

Anonymous said...

see what you mean. Those red and blue statue men got on my nerves after first 5 seconds. the slassic trio who were there last year are good but the same tunes over can only be tolerated so long. Come on Disney, pull your fingers out, all four of them mickey.

Anonymous said...

I agree someone should be fired over this. Downtown Disney as a whole is a joke!

NoFunmeister said...

I am still amazed that PI stands as it is for as long as it's been. The "old" Disney would NEVER have allowed this to happen, and for GOOD reason! The state of that area is an absolute joke! I'd rather see those fancy green walls around the entire Island than have them insult my intelligence with this half-assed attempt at something presentable.

Brian said...

so true NoFunmeister
i don't care what the parking lot looks like and or what the outside of the clubs look like heck the inside of Mannequins was not pretty it's what a dance/night club is about and thats what we like!! or should i say liked!! i would still be going to PI if they woulod have put up a pink parking lot I LOVED PI (Mannequins) just a HUGH shame that's all
and as far as you KingBob i still say if Disney would have put ADS in the paper ADS on billboards on I-75,I-95 and other places it would have been packed? maybe not but to just not try is JUST bullsh*t!!! it's funny to me that Disney told me they don't do ADS for PI but put out ADS for the magic kingdom and all of the parks that we and all most everyone else knows that there there!

zulemara said...

I had someone on my boat ask how to get to DTD. I advised him to pay no attention to the empty buildings on PI, just move along(it was a group of adults who had already had a drink or 2 at the poly) They later went on to ask where to go to get a good live band. My answer? CITYWALK! They said you can't say that! And I said sure I can, Disney doesn't want your money, go to Universal!

Just keepin the magic LOL

Anonymous said...

I could'nt agree more about the article and some of the comments.
Like they've said we're hitting the two year mark.
We need action at PI.

P.S. Come on Disney and stop dragging your feet.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure that CityWalk is raking in all the displaced possible PI visitors (CityWalk was always crowded prior to that) - however, they've proven that they can make a concept work that Disney was just too damn lazy to do.

KingBob said...

No, CityWalk is not raking in all the displaced PI people.

They did a great job early-on by giving PI AP-holders a free 6-month CW AP. That brought a ton of people. But two major factors, in my opinion, has caused significant losses of the PI regulars.

First is the failure to deliver on their own CityWalk annual pass. The Universal Premier Pass includes the parks plus CW and is a great value but the $200+ price is a barrier. PI's annual pass was around $65.

Second, was the reality of the music. Both TG and RCC are very much Hip Hop driven. They attract the BET Soundstage crowd but not the Mannequins or 8TRAX crowd. They have gained 8TRAX fans with their Thursday night 80's Night and that's a winner. The Motion crowd is mostly at ADH which is free.

But they're cleaning up with the locals that go out monthly and with the tourists. They used to split that with PI. Now they got it all to themselves.