Tuesday, February 12, 2013

PI Update: Are They Really Going To Ditch The Pleasure Island Name?

As we approach 5 years since the Pleasure Island clubs were shuttered, supposedly a big Downtown Disney announcement is finally coming and inclusive in that announcement is what they're going to do with Pleasure IslandDisney's original announcement, made in June, 2008, told of "new and bold" things to come to the Island but gave absolutely no detail. Turns out they had no detail.  After another three years, the Hyperion Wharf concept for PI was announced.  Some fantastic concept art came with >

it but once again no details.  Apparently the lack of leasors willing to locate there along with a loud outcry from existing businesses at Disney's Boardwalk Resort who complained that Hyperion Wharf's turn-of-the 20th century" theme duplicated what they already had, quashed that idea.  So here we are at the 5-yr mark and one of the biggest questions on many-a-mind is: Will the Pleasure Island name remain on our beloved island?


Apparently the sentiment is that the Pleasure Island name has to go because it represents a section of Disney known for nightclubs and they want to disassociate themselves from that.  Whatever they end up doing, a lot of money is going to get spent and so what's another $10 Million just to change all the signs?  The pics in this article are just a few of the signs on property that currently use the PI name.

We can only hope that Downtown Disney's new SVP Tom Wolber will quash the name change and return part of the Island to its original mission: Adults.  Coming directly from Disney Cruise Line, he successfully dedicated their operation to families yet still gave adults a private club district on board each of their four ships.  He might be the only person at Walt Disney World right now that understands that you can successfully cater to both. We'd have to say he may be our only hope!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bob, let's get the letter writing campaign going. Please give us the most up to date email and addresses of those we should write to. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

George Kalogridis
President
The Walt Disney World Resort
700 West Ball Road
Floor 4
Anaheim, CA 92802

Tom Wolber
Senior Vice President
Disney Sports Enterprises and Downtown Disney
210 Celebration Place
Floor 4
Celebration, FL 34747

KingBob said...

I spoke to Disney last night and they would not give out email addresses for "executives". My guess, based on how others at Disney are assigned email addresses, are that they are:
tom.wolber@disney.com
george.kalogridis@disney.com

But that's a guess and it will bounce back if it's incorrect.

Thanks Anon for the addresses. I think George has now moved to WDW though.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info Bob, hopefully Mr, Wolber will see that it was a big mistake closing the clubs up five years ago like they did.
I also hope that he and the others reopen the clubs for the adults, and let the P.I.ers Rock and Party like it was five years ago.