 |
| Mannequins Dance Palace on beautiful Pleasure Island. Once voted the #1 dance club in America, the lighting and sound systems were years ahead of their time. Next month it will be 5 years since the club closed and an on-going debate on this Blog has been whether the revolving dance floor is still inside the club and whether mannequins are still hanging inside! |
 |
| An anonymous reader has emailed Save Pleasure Island Blog with exclusive photographs taken from inside Mannequins a few days ago. Those questions have now been answered once and for all. Yes, most certainly, the revolving dance floor is still in there and yes, most certainly, the mannequins are hanging all over the place! |
 |
| This is what Mannequins looks like in August, 2013. The club's sound systems, lighting and electronics were stripped after the club closed but interestingly, that light wall is still in place behind the stage and it was as much of a signature of the club as anything else. |
 |
| This appears to be a view in the direction of the main lower entrance in the far corner. The main bar, home in later years to bartenders Bobby C and Gordo, is to the far left while the DJ & tech booth is upstairs above it. |
 |
| Looking down onto the dance floor from the now-stripped DJ booth. |
 |
| Not positive but I think this might be "my spot" where I used to stand when not on the dance floor itself. Don't stand in my spot! In the background you can see the corner mannequins that were partly visible post-closure when peeking in the upstairs smoking area door. |
 |
| Anyone remember a bartender named Dawn that used to work from over here? |
 |
| Records used to be played in Mannequins but the players stayed covered during later years when everything was off CD's. But even just 5 years ago Mannequins was pre-laptop! |
 |
| Big thanks to the person providing Save Pleasure Island Blog with these exclusive photos! We also have a few shocking 8TRAX photos to publish tomorrow morning. As far as I know these are the first photos ever published of the inside of MDP post-closure, other than the 2 we published in January, 2010 taken from outside the garage door. The sender reports that the A/C is still running and the place is in good condition. Would this not be a huge grand slam home run for Disney if they refurbished and reopened it as a dance club in some form? Stay tuned as the saga continues! |
41 comments:
Memories... such great Memories. Bob, Thanks for posting and thanks to the person that shared these pictures with you. We can still hope!
Such a bittersweet feeling looking at these. The surge of memories from each angle. Many thanks to you, Bob, and your source for providing the onramp to Memory Lane.
I've often occupied your spot back in the day. We probably rubbed elbows from time to time, Great pics, great memories.
I still can't believe it's closed... everytime I go to Disney I miss it greatly. It was a perfect escape from all the kids at Disney, and the revolving dance floor was incredible. Bring it back.
AW....it's great to peek inside one last time....
If a club does open in Disney Springs, it will be on the West Side. I just don't see how they could re-open this space as a club and achieve the atmosphere they are wanting to create for The Landing.
Looks to me like the West Side, is to be the "Fun Side" of Disney Springs. Maybe the proposed "Observatory" will be a futuristic restaurant by day and a state of the art club at night??? That would be pretty awesome!
I helped build the place so it really pisses me off! many creative and tallented people put a lot of thought nd labor into that room! what a shame!
Never went but it looks cool!
The photos and the building itself both look in pretty good condition.
Hopefully if they can fix up Mannequines, than they can bring back the great music of the 80's and 90's with 8Trax.
P.S. We need night clubs for the adults.
Was this place not INCREDIBLE?
We still don't know what is going in here. In fact, Disney might not even know what is going in there. But it still remains true that it is too huge and too oddly configured to house anything but a dance club.
The plans seem to call for some sort of retail space.
I gave you all time but did anyone see the lights just outside of the DJ light tech booth? (in the 4th and 5th pics) and it was said that MOST of the Mannequins where taken down but few of them ( I could be wrong about that) I know some one will say it was never said!) If i fond that QUOTE! I will link it later!
so that makes me think these pics are not current! because why would they leave behind them lights? they are not cheap! so for me thats somewhat proof the pics are older! then claimed!
so I ask again why would Disney leave behind lights like that when they where taking down all the lights and other tech stuff?
Anonymous at 1:26; I don't mean to be rude but all this talk about the pics being old sounds like you're just not wanting to believe the evidence that the dance floor is still there when it's clear that it is. It reminds me of a conspiracy theorist. You probably don't believe that man has landed on the moon, that 9-11 was real. Did aliens shot JFK?
Well put Anon at 7:22.
But I think I can add something.
What makes you think that this blog is forced to be entirley accurate? Didn't the disclaimer read, "Factual information is provided when available but most of what is printed on here is rumor-based."? And even so, the authors can post whatever they want. There are no guidelines that they're forced to follow. I think that we're left the decision to choose whether or not we believe the articles presented, but it isn't right to challenge them.
If you're so confident that the information in this article is wrong, then why don't you create your own blog based on your own information? If you did, I would just keep reading SavePleasureIsland, but at least you could share your information & opinions in a less insulting way.
The person who sent me the Mannequins & 8TRAX photos is unknown to me. So I have no way of verifying how fresh the pictures are but I no reason to disbelieve him (I've assumed it's a him) either. But I can say this. I was invited into 8TRAX a month or so ago by a Curl castmember. That hole in the floor wasn't there then. So I know the 8TRAX pics are fresh. Again, I have no reason to believe the Mannequins pics aren't fresh too.
Anyone who thinks they are now has the burden to prove their case.
"Anyone who thinks they are now has the burden to prove their case. "
that's what I said! prove your case! prove to me they are FRESH?
oh yeah the other reason I say the pictures are not fresh! is someone said the floor in Mannequins was flooded (rained on) and or was used for storage?
ANON August 7, 2013 at 7:22 AM! what don't you understand about OLD pictures?
and leave that HUGH light board up! lots of money there! doesn't make much sense! a few things small things SURE but Disney took all the rest down and not them!
I heard RUMORS that the floor has been gone for years and now the place was gutted! about a year ago!
oh and as I read just today! on here! now IF you can go under the Mannequins stage! then where is the so called power grid they can not move? if the power grid for the WHOLE island is in that building. it can't be under the stage!? and no room any where else for it!
and why would anyone put a power grid inside anyway! would get WAY tooooo hot!
Disney must see from the amount of hits on this blog and the amount of posts that Mannequins Dance Palace is much loved and worth saving. Borrowing a line from the newly acquired Star Wars franchise from Princess Leah; Mannequins, "You are our only hope."
King Bob, are you aware whether or not Disney reads this blog?
SAVE MANNEQUINS DANCE PALACE
Anon at 5am, if you look at the Flag Counter at the top of the Blog's first page, what state is in 3rd Place, and is likely to take over 2nd Place very soon?
Anon at 2:45
The power grid is just outside the building, not under it.
oh now The power grid is just outside the building, not under it.
HMM that changes everything!
OK I was joking! I knew it was outside from the start! just wanted to see you wright it down! see Mannequins CAN come down! unlike what was said before. there was never anything to stop them.
But the power grid is too close to Mannequins! Theres no way to demolish Mannequins without demolishing the power grid too. The only way they could do it is if they permanently shut down pleasure island, and not turn it back on again until The Landing is finished.
It seems to me like the only two buildings that have potential for coming back in some form are Mannequins and Adventurer's Club.
Though, knowing Disney and their spectacularly long run of dissapointments, Mannequins is probably coming back as "The Celebrate Tonight Dance Club" where all ages can join in on the 'fun', and Adventurer's Club id probably coming back as the "Junior Adventurer's Club" with your host being Kim Possible. (Or something on equal stupidity level).
Honestly, I'm so used to dissapointments by now, I wouldn't be suprised if Mannequins was revitalized into some sort of 'Giant Revolving Restroom Facility.' Nothing phases me anymore.
you can tell when someone is TICKED off when they revert to NAME calling! or they got BAD info or ticked because the Mannequins Building can COME down!
so I would HOPE KingBob will remove the NAME calling and you can delete this POST when you do so this person with issues can't say I get favoritism and or is BIAS to this person! THANKS.....
funny how some don't like a opinion outside KingBob's (he may not like it either but lets us post our own) and others! I will admit I don't care for some posts! but NEVER have or will do the NAME calling just is CHILDISH!
Anonymous at 1:53, so Mannequins could come down. So what. It shouldn't, though. That's two different things:-).
Anonymous at 9:28am, No kidding. Disney has made some really bad decisions these last five years. Nothing would surprise me either. I've said it before but it's like the soccer mom cult took over and and a bunch of June Cleavers are running TDO. Maybe Mannequins will be an indoor revolving stroller parking lot to feed the traffic to the new outlet mall so that every bit of adult fun is stamped out of Pleasure Island. They've got a chance to do the right thing. Let's see what happens. Meanwhile Universal keeps doing everything right (except charging for fast passes).
I'd like to add one thing to that. With record profits Disney truly is "FOCUSing ON THE FAMILY". But the advertise that Disney is not just for kids and then ruin the best thing they ever had going for adults. So no, a few kiddie dance parties and a Trader Sams aren't going to do it. They need to scrap the Disney Springs name, revitalize DOWNTOWN DISNEY, save PLEASURE ISLAND, scrap the name The Landing while still bringing in new world class restaurants, bring in the Mad Tea Party and World of Color; and finally modernize Pleasure Island with a one-two-three punch by bringing in The Edison from Los Angeles, along with a reinvigorated
Mannequins Dance Palace, add fireworks and some live music at the Mad T Party and show Universal the strength of the mouse for once!
If anyone remembers Videopolis, that was a family club. The Adventurer's club let kids in, and before a certain hour, kids can walk around in any club. So really, the clubs weren't limited to adults from the beginning. So who's to say that a 'family friendly by day/adult by night' club couldn't work? After all, would any of you care if Mannequins was playing Circle of Life at 4pm, but then playing Darude at 9? This dosen't seem like that bad of an idea. And hopefully, since Disney seems to be Running Out of ideas, they might see this, and at the very least work it into the Mannequins club.
Zoom in on this pic and you get a look at what the Mannequins building will look like after the remodel. http://blog.disneygeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wpid-20130808_1952295.jpg
Anyone go to the Expo yesterday and get a better pic?
I am going to guess that the rumored EDISON restaurant will be going in the building taking up both the old Harley store and Mannequins Dance Palace. The building redesign looks like it would fit the theme of the Edison perfectly.
The "name calling" Comment has been removed. Hate speech and advertising are not allowed on here.
I have heard that if DTD gets "The Edison", it would go into the Mannequins space. The Edison does have a nightclub aspect to it.
Readers, if you go to the link that the Commenter above has posted, and look behind Fulton's, you can see the revised Mannequins building. It surprisingly looks a lot like.....the Mannequins building!
I hope they at least keep the rotating dance floor. It would fit very nicely with the Edison theme too and classic slow dancing with dressed up couples. I love the Edison concept and really hope it comes to DTD but they could be on their way to two great nightlife establishments if they put the Edison in a different building and brought back Mannequins Dance Palace for EDM/house type music and the Edison for classic type music.
We need to keep in mind that classic dancing might do fine in LA. And we need to keep in mind that The Edison in LA is not at Disney. What people are looking for in Orlando (very casual town) and at Disney World (tourists) are quite different. If "The Edison" really came to Downtown Disney it would have to operate in a completely different manner or it would quickly fail. These are not the same markets. Not even close.
I think it's clear at this point that Mannequins isn't going to be demolished. But with it's very bizarre configuration, i'm sure that whatever moves in next is going to look alot like Mannequins.
I agree, King Bob. How bout Mannequins back!
Is that toilet paper on the dance floor?
"I think it's clear at this point that Mannequins isn't going to be demolished"
really it was clear 8TRAX was staying! the the power grid was INSIDE Mannequins! well we now know that not to be true! so your CLEAR vision! is not so CLEAR anymore! time will tell!
Yes, looks like a roll of TP down there on the floor. Probably one of those made of sandpaper from the Mannequins bathroom!
38 people commented on Mannequins Dance Palace. Imagine those 38 people in Mannequins buying drinks and supporting Disney. We are United. We support Disney. Please hear us.
Lol even the toilet paper was unique!
Don't even know if anyone reads this blog anymore, but the "spot" that the author refers next to the rotating dance floor is the exact spot I asked this young woman to dance back in '95 while on Spring Break. Actually first saw her at 8-Trax, but wimped out. Glad I built up the courage...we've been married almost 23 years and have two college-aged sons. Was a magical place.
Post a Comment