Monday, August 12, 2013

PI Update: What Exactly Is The Edison?

Beautiful Mannequins Dance Palace as seen from the Save Pleasure Island Blog SkyCam.  It's a space that's too huge to house a store; too awkward to house a restaurant.  So if you can't or won't tear it down, what do you do with it?  Last March we published some logo boards that displayed brand names of vendors who might be coming to Disney Springs.  One of them was The Edison, a post-industrial steampunk themed nightclub of sorts in Los Angeles.  In the 5 months since that posting there's been a lot of chatter about it being the venue that moves into Mannequins.

Let's hope not.  I've never been to the one in California and have only visited its website.  They do feature Saturday night DJ's but their musical lineup is heavy on Jazz and Motown, neither of which stand a chance for success in heavily casual, heavily touristy Disney World.  Of course a WDW version could be completely different, taking advantage of the stage and revolving dance floor that the MDP location brings with it.  Anyone who brings the place back to life deserves our support.  But if The Edison is really what ends up in there and if they really just plan to bring their west coast game plan to the east coast unchangd, the euphoria could be very short-lived. Orlando ain't Los Angeles.   

19 comments:

Ace said...

Very good points. Heavy market research is important knowing what was previously successful in those spaces, and also knowing what today's adults want and need. Clubs don't last long in downtown Orlando, so that alone is cause for treading carefully before opening something new. City Walk has a good record of clubs with some longevity. So... What if Disney Springs were to be built-out and that space were to be re-themed on the outside but remain empty on the inside? I think that could happen if nobody has the guts and the willingness to spend the money to pull the trigger on something new. On the other hand, it would not take too much cash to rehab the interior and re-brand the space and roll the dice.

Anonymous said...

What happen to the POWER GRID INFO how it could come down easy? how you talked to some one at Disney about it? HMMM? got to wonder?
I think (my opinion) you took it off so it was never said!?

Anonymous said...

I lIke The Edison and wish it comes to DTD but not at Mannequins Dance Palace. Mannequins is a club above all others. Never should have closed. May give it an update but needs to be the same club and DISNEY RUN. That's what made it special. Disney bartenders, Disney Dancers . The rotating dance floor. The cartridge shooter. One of a kind and best. It needs to be given back to the people.

Anonymous said...

I agree with this guy " Give Mannequines and 8trax back to the people" .
They were both big clubs, with lots of people and made lots of money.
So whether it's going to be Disney Springs or Pleasure Island gie your act together and put the two clubs back together.

KingBob said...

Unfortunately the DTD Guidemap indicates that 8TRAX' days are few.

KingBob said...

Wow, thanks for sharing!!

I see Mannequins still standing. 8TRAX is gone. I can't tell if the Adventurers Club building is still there though.

Anonymous said...

Yes, King Bob the AC building is still there. You can see it in the photo in the 4th link behind the brown building in the forefront.

The closeup shot of the front of the redesigned Mannequins building is very interesting. Note that there is no sidewalk or pavement in front! To me this suggests that the only way to enter the Mannequins building will be through whatever ends up in the connected former Harley store. Is it possible the restaurant that opens in that location will be the access point to a redesigned dance club in the evenings???????

KingBob said...

On the DTD Guidemap it did appear that the remaining Mannequins building still had the former Harley/Apricot Lane store sub-building attached to it. So seeing it in these links was confirmation that the sub-building will be part of whatever this is. And I agree, it kind of looks like the sub-building is the entryway/lobby to whatever goes inside Mannequins. Could be a restaurant, sure, but I hope not.

KingBob said...

Anon at 11:19pm, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for those links!

Anonymous said...

for those of you who have said THE links (pics) of what is going to be of PI! and say LOOK Mannequins building still stands ! go look at this!
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/pleasure-island-a-general-tribute.324889/
look at the way this was to LOOK! the beach club was over the water MORE! didnt happen! and other buildings that never made the FINAL cut! so don't think what you see in these links! are the FINAL cut!
I know I know some will not look and still make comments. well I ask you to look and see!

KingBob said...

You make no sense. Your link takes us to a posting made in 2008 and refers to a concept from before PI was even built. The links that were posted above are fresh out of this year's D23 Conference and shows the 3D concept art for what is coming....NOW....to Disney Springs. The Mannequins building is a part of it. We don't know what is going IN the building but we know the building will be there.

Please go back to your castmember friend who told you 4 years ago that the floor was gone, the mannequins were gone, the building was going to be torn down, and get some fresh news.

Anonymous said...

Well...what if this new establishment was to be a restaurant by day and a restaurant and club by night?

I don't think it would be such a bad thing if it ends up that the new restaurant that goes into the Harley/Apercot Lane portion of the building were to have an access door to the Mannequins building in the rear leading to a re-imagined dance club open in the evenings. Sounds ideal to me!

Anonymous said...


make no sense? HUH? REALLY? it's simple! MY POINT is this there was plans as there are NOW! that never made it to the end product! like now some plans will get cut or changed! (or do you really think these are 100% end product?) how do you NOT understand that? did you look at the plans? before PI was? PI!
OH I get what your saying now because the plans from years ago are NOT fresh it make no sense! ONLY fresh plans make sense. old plans are not any good and never where! SORRY but had to be sarctic!
BTW was not just ONE CM who told me this! and they where told this INFO from higher up!

KingBob said...

Yes, but this information that was told to you about Mannequins being torn down was told to you 4 years ago. But the plans for Disney Springs were made 1 year ago after Hyperion Wharf was cancelled. They would not have included the Mannequins building in new plans if that wasn't their most current intent. Oh, unless you think they went to the expense of putting it in their plans to trick Save Pleasure Island Blog readers. Is that it?

Anonymous said...

I think what anonymous at 9:59 is saying is that the future plans for PI have been entirely inconsistant. Since PI closed, it has been given many various and changing concepts, though not one has actually been built yet.
Though these are the fresh plans from D23, there is absolutley no guarantee that what they're advertising will actually be built.

Lets look at Mannequins for example. In the Hyperion Wharf plans, it was going to be some sort of retail venue. Then in early Disney Springs plans, it was still attacthed to 8Trax. Now, it's seperate and will be a restaurant. With these constantly changing plans, how can one be sure that these are definate.

Personally, I think that articles about future rennovations should be believed, but only to a certain degree. I wouldn't say that 'The Edison' is definate, but there is still that chance of it happening.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous at 2:37 am, how do you know that Mannequins will be a restaurant? All I can tell from the plans is that the building will still be there.

Anonymous said...

I'm not Anonymous at 2:37 .....but it has been stated by Disney that dining will be the focus of the area known as The Landing (formerly Pleasure Island). Given the size and location of the former Mannequins/Harley building, it is pretty safe to assume we are looking at a restaurant (hopefully with an adjoining club) to occupy this space.

Anonymous said...

Kingbob's prediction about a revolving Dennys restaurant is going to come true!

Anonymous said...

KingBob you said a mouth full!! about cancelled! and or change!
"Oh, unless you think they went to the expense of putting it in their plans to trick Save Pleasure Island Blog readers. Is that it? "
no just that Disney does not want anyone to know what they are doing ANYONE!!! and will try and take the idea! to the final approval!and when it gets to that point it gets turned down! so back to block one! you will see the plans you see on the links will NOT be 100% to the end! I would be shocked of they would be 80%?!