Saturday, May 31, 2014

PI Update: Construction Outside 8TRAX

Another visit yesterday where brisk winds or gloomy skies kept the Characters In Flight balloon ride from operating, so no SkyCam views in this article.  Instead we crossed the No. 2 Bridge to our beloved Island and toured on foot.
First stop to the east end where Rock'n'Roll Beach Club and club Motion once stood.
Last week we showed you the over the lake framework that had been built to support the over the lake portion if the new Boat House Restaurant.  (Formerly known as Classic Old Boats & Good Food Restaurant.)
Since then vertical framework for the building itself has gone up.  Notice up front the concrete construction for the rumored outdoor amphitheater where entertainment will take place.
The block wall was there a week ago but all the metal girders have been added since our last visit.
In our last visit this building was green from the construction materials being used.  The next layer has now been added and it's gone white!
This is roughly behind where Fuego Cigar Bar used to stand.  We don't know if this is going to be  yet another restaurant or multiple shops.
Exciting action in front of 8TRAX and the former Curl spots!
You know from our previous reports that the middle level of 8TRAX was demolished about a year ago.  You know from our report a couple weeks ago about the Disney Springs concept art that there appears to be a row of stores going in in this strip across the sidewalk from Paradiso 37.  You're seeing the walls and framework of what is being added in front of 8TRAX.
The Curl building was demolished completely and this is the building going in in front of where Curl once stood.  Again, the concept art makes these out to be new stores along the walkway, and this continues to new construction taking place in this same area besides Mannequins, where Apricot Lane most recently stood.
A new secret passageway has opened beside Raglan Road.
If you follow it there's an interesting Irish display in RR's side windows.
And it takes you back behind that new white building.
Past the still-closed but recently renovated public WC.
And it comes out into this former service court between Raglan Road and Portobello Country Italian Trattoria (formerly Portobello Yacht Club). The new main pedestrian pathway will pass through this area once construction is completed.  The secret passageway presumably will allow guests on either side of RR to access the bathrooms.

Meanwhile at Mannequins Dance Palace..............nothing.

5 comments:

FN said...

It's so nice to see progress as opposed to announcements, no progress, then rumors and cancellations.

Anonymous said...

Mannequins Dance Palace would go nicely with all this progress.

KingBob said...

Yes, after 5+ years of my complaints it is good to see things finally moving.....and moving fast too!

And yes, Mannequins would be an incredible addition to Disney Springs. I don't understand why no one in charge there gets that.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Bob. Look at the number of visitors to your blog. Over 96,900 from Florida alone. People clearly want Mannequins Dance Palace back open.

KingBob said...

That "flag counter" only counts first visits from each person. Subsequent visits don't add to it unless you've cleared your cookies. It also doesn't count international visitors which are pretty substantial.

The actual number of visits including multiple visits by regulars at this moment is: 740,065 visits! So we're approaching three quarters of a million visitors the SAVE PLEASURE ISLAND BLOG.