Tuesday, April 22, 2014

PI Update: New Concept Art Provides Lots Of Information

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE  New concept art released by Disney on one of their Twitter feeds this past weekend displays an air view of Downtown Disney and in particular, Pleasure Island.  From this there is all kinds of information that can be garnered!  Keep in mind that Disney Springs is the new name for what is a very much enlarged Downtown Disney while The Landing is the new name for what is currently Pleasure Island.

Starting at the bottom right, we see refurbished Planet Hollywood restaurant. Whether it retains the PH name or the previously announced Observatory name remains to be seen.  What we do see is that the ground level has lots of bright windows lit so it appears the bottom will be used for something open to the public. We also see a new bridge connecting the PH area directly over to PI.  Notice that the connection on the Island is at the Island's lower level. Further to the left we see that the current No. 4 arch bridge still connects the West Side to the Island.  Like today, the bridge passes over the lower level walkway and connects at what was most recently West End Plaza/Celebration Plaza at an upper level. The mystery is over.  PI retains a two level dynamic.

At the left corner, what is currently BET Soundstage appears to remain standing.  The two levels of windows are still there.  The Adventurers Club building seems to still be there as well.  Paradiso 37 of course comes next along Village Lake.  Notice that the temporary PI pedestrian bypass is gone.  After Paradiso 37 comes the water taxi dock followed by a new building that sits out over the water.  The Walt Disney World Magic website reports this will be an aviation-themed restaurant called The Hangar.  Beyond that is the lighthouse & classic old boat-themed Boat House Restaurant.  The outdoor amphitheater would be in that green area near The Hangar.  

Coming back around the other way we see Mannequins & 8TRAX still standing with new fronts built onto them on the Hill Street side. The construction permit the Blog previously posted indicates the two are being combined into an unknown restaurant.  Finally, in the space where Comedy Warehouse once stood, the unnamed steak house sits on the upper level while the lower level wraps behind it as it did with CW.  

Exciting times!  Feel free to post your comments!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not much room for night clubs.

DJMadManRay said...

I still have that damn song in my head from yesterday's post.. Thanks a lot Bob, Lol! Well, here's to hoping that something good will come to DTD, even though I have to agree with Anon @10:16, it doesn't look like there is much room for night clubs.

71 said...

With AdvClub/BET converted, that's 8 restaurants in the same amount of space where 3 were never busy most of the year. How does this not just cannibalize business from Raglan/Paradiso?

Cmdr_Crimson said...

I just recently saw on Theme Park Review's twitter feed that the Pleasure Island sign on the Mannequin's Building has now been removed..https://twitter.com/ThemeParkReview/status/458716129318273024/photo/1

Brian said...

the Mannequins sign has been gone for a long time

Brian said...

heck sometime is 2013 that sign has been gone

KingBob said...

Anon, sources tell me that whoever leases space from Disney has full control of how they use their facility. So while they can't interfere with other venues, one or more could decide to offer a nightclub aspect late in the evening indoors. If everyone simply opens their bar until 2am, it's gonna be a boring place. But if they turn the space into a club, look out. See Rocco's Tacos for a restaurant that is running a crowded DJ-driven dance club at night.

Ray: Mishka Mooska Mickey Mouse!

71: I don't know either. Sure there are several crowded weeks each year that could use the extra dining seats, but most of the year not. Where are all the extra diners going to come from? I-Drive and CityWalk ain't gonna give them up without a fight.

Crimson, thanks for sharing. I will need to check that out.

Brian, Crimson is referring to the PLEASURE ISLAND sign atop the Mannequins building, not the Mannequins sign.

Anonymous said...

Just read this...not sure if its something you posted before....According to paperwork filed recently in Orange County, the Patina Restaurant Group will open a new restaurant at Disney Springs. According to the permit, the new spot will be located in two connected venues -- the former 8Trax and Mannequin's clubs on Pleasure Island. Via Napoli, Tutto Italia, and Tutto Gusto in Epcot's Italy pavilion are also owned by Patina.....they also run most of the Anaheim Downtown Dis restaurants

Unknown said...

How about this: No matter what resturant Mannequins will be: How about going inside & see everything & at 5 minutes to 9 pm turn on the Mannequins Light show on you'all cell phones & play that video from You tube really loud & see what happens next.

Anonymous said...

probably get tresspassed!

Anonymous said...

King Bob was there any art work for the West Side showing new nightlife?

Cmdr_Crimson I was at PI last night. It looked like the Pleasure Island sign above Mannequins was still there, it's just not being turned on because Mannequins has construction walls around the front of it right now. They may never light it again. Eventually it will probably be taken down unfortunately.

KingBob said...

Anon at 9:43pm, yes, Save Pleasure Island Blog was the first fan website to post that construction permit for Mannequins.

Richard, interesting idea. But the place could have a club aspect to it anyway.

Anon at 1:51am, not West Side art yet. Their goal is to get Pleasure Island/The Landing completed by late this year and early next year. The other sections of DTD have the later completion dates.



Cmdr_Crimson said...

WDWMagic.Com Shows another shot of the removed PI letters atop of Mannequins..
http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/disney-springs/news/22apr2014-photo---the-main-pleasure-island-signage-has-been-removed-from-the-rooftops.htm

KingBob said...

I just posted some pics as well!