DS Update: LEVEL99

Renovations continue in the former NBA Experience building, converting it into an interactive challenge/game room for adults called LEVEL99. We've not seen an opening date announced yet.

 But is this going to be another bust? We questioned the wisdom of NBA Experience before it opened. Would people actually pay money to shoot hoops? It's not like NBA stars were constantly hanging around the place. And NBA City at Universal CityWalk had shuttered before it.

When we were in downtown Providence in January, we passed their location there along I-95 but did not have time to check it out. The question here is are there enough adults wanting to spend both time and money to compete against others to do so-called challenges. Once again, we're skeptical.

This Weekend In Techno Town

Big weekend as we begin a new month!

THU   05MAR     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Demi Korrin (USA)

FRI     06MAR     CELINE     DJ Lavern (NL)

FRI     06MAR     IRON COW     DJ BCee (GB)

FRI     06MAR     GOOD TIMES   Disco Night: DJ Michael Knight (USA) 7pm+

FRI     06MAR     GOOD TIMES     Abyss: DJ Lavidicus (USA) 10PM+

FRI     06MAR     WATERFRONT INN VILLAGES  70's Dance: DJ Lu-S (USA)

FRI     06MAR     GRAPE & THE GRAIN     DJ Dani Orieta (USA) 

FRI     06MAR     SESSIONS     DJ Zubah (USA) 

SAT    07MAR     BROKEN STRINGS   Road To Miami with 20+ DJ's

SAT    07MAR     ELIXIR BLOCK PARTY     DJ Chase West (USA)

SAT    07MAR     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Frankmatik (USA) 

SAT    07MAR     VANGUARD     DJ duo Walker & Royce (USA) 

SUN   08MAR     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Gaskin 

 

PI Update: Oakley Renovations

One of the first stores to open in Disney Springs was called Apex by Sunglass Hut. It was located in the front of the former 8TRAX building along Hill Street but by 2017 had been rebranded as an Oakley store. It is currently under renovations which is why it's been walled-off.

What it looked like pre-renovations.

But don't have a cow! If you really need a pair of Oakley's, like right now, they have a truck parked at the foot of the No. 5 Bridge to Pleasure Island, adjacent the balloon ride. Renovations of the shop should be completed by the end of next month.

PI Update: Six Ravens Work

On a warm Sunday afternoon, let's cross this bridge one more time to beautiful Pleasure Island.

Faux bushes surrounding the former Art of Shaving spot along Hill Street means some work must be in progress converting the location into Six Ravens, the bakery to be operated by the Gideon's Bakehouse people.

 

We originally speculated that this would be a second location for Gideon's since their queue continues to stretch back to Mannequins and having a second spot could help alleviate that. But apparently no, Six Ravens will offer a different assortment of baked goods.

Club Report: The Castle (Tampa)

The Goths come out at night, at least they do at The Castle in Tampa's Ybor City nightclub district. Sister website Orlando Entertainment News visited last night and the pictures are posted HERE.

 

Club Reports: Morse Code, Capital Room, House & Coffee @ Qreate

More DJ's than you can shake a stick at. That was last night at The Capital Room in downtown Sanford. Sister website Orlando Entertainment News has all the Friday night club pics HERE.

 

Friday Funny

Has nothing to do with Pleasure Island or clubs but I couldn't resist.

 

House Of Mouse Afterparty Tickets On Sale

The House of Mouse Expo After-Hours Party will take place on Saturday August 1st near the pool area of the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista. The party will run from 6:30PM - 10:00PM. The party includes Food, DJ, Party Favors, Cash Bar and limited attendance. No idea as this time who the DJ will be. 

The event is pricey: $90 + tax & fees. 

 Ticket link HERE.

This Weekend In Techno Town

February came in like a lamb and is kind of going out like a lamb too.

THU   26FEB     OLIV BAR     DJ Tooltime (USA) vs DJ Losman (USA)

THU   26FEB     CELINE     DJ What So Not (AUS) 

FRI     27FEB     LIL' INDIES     DJ BMF (USA)

FRI     27FEB     CAPITAL ROOM BAR     DJ Nikita (USA)

FRI     27FEB     SESSIONS     DJ Buku (USA) 

SAT    28FEB     QREATE COFFEE     House & Coffee: DJ Chino (USA) 8am-2pm

SAT    28FEB     ABBEY     DJ Wax Taylor (F) 

SAT    28FEB     BROKEN STRINGS     NLP: DJ Matrix (USA) 

SAT    28FEB     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Lee Foss (USA)

 

Trip Report: Nonstop Service From/To Tokyo!

Yesterday morning we were following the progress of ZIPAIR flight ZG714, the first nonstop flight ever of a passenger airline between Japan and Florida. When the flight was near Winnipeg, we knew we needed to head over to Orlando International Airport to check it out!

LOOK! Up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ZIPAIR. 

With the City Beautiful in the background, ZG714 taxiing to the gate at Terminal C. 

ZIPAIR uses a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on the route.

Check-in action at the ZIPAIR ticket counter.

What a beautiful sight for Orlando International Airport. The Tokyo flights are just temporary but will be used to gauge interest for permanent service.

Up close with the Boeing 787-8.

The flight board. The only thing wrong here is that I wasn't getting to fly on it. It was tempting; just $300 one way to Tokyo-Narita on ZIPAIR plus 30,000 American AAdvantage miles to return home. Cheap! Sadly, just didn't have the time to pull it off but I did research the possibility.

Outbound passengers were treated to Japanese goodies at the gate.

On a flight day you could conceivably go to Tokyo Disneyland in the morning, depart Narita at 2:30PM that afternoon, arrive Orlando at 2:40PM the same day (thanks to the international date line) and go to Disney World the same evening!

Ain't she a beauty!

Upcoming Florida Music Festivals

SUN DROP FESTIVAL

Saturday, March 17th

Manatee Island, Daytona Beach, FL

Information & Advance Tickets: LINK 

OKEECHOBEE MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL

Thursday, March 19th - Sunday, March 22nd 

Sunshine Grove, Okeechobee, FL 

Information & Advance Tickets: LINK 

 

ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Friday, March 26th - Sunday, March 28th

Bayfront Park, Miami, FL

Information & Advance Tickets: LINK 

 

FORBIDDEN KINGDOM MUSIC FESTIVAL

Saturday, April 25 - Sunday, April 26

Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando, FL

Information & Advance Tickets: LINK

Club Reports: Mullets Sports Bar, Winter Garden Music Festival, Alfie’s HiFi, Luna Bar, Broken Strings Brewery

Yesterday the Winter Garden Music Festival was taking place downtown and since we live in Winter Garden, we had to be there. Pictured: live band O-Town Motown (USA) . It was one of 5 stops we made Saturday and you can find all the pics on sister website Orlando Entertainment News HERE.

 

Club Reports: Good Times Bar & Grill, Morse Code, Grape & The Grain

DJ Frankmatik (USA) and DJ Eccentra (USA) played a wild House music set last night at our final stop. All the Friday night pics can be found on sister website Orlando Entertainment News HERE.

 

Friday Funny

 

This Weekend In Techno Town

The events just keep on coming!

FRI     20FEB     SWIRLERY     DJ Arcade Apocalypse (USA)

FRI     20FEB     GRAPE & GRAIN     DJ Eccentra (USA)

FRI     20FEB     PALM TREE CLUB     DJ Kyle Cooke (USA)

FRI     20FEB     CELINE     2000's Hits Party

FRI     20FEB     MORSE CODE     DJ Scot Marc (USA) 

FRI     20FEB     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Flyguy (USA) 

SAT    21FEB     BROKEN STRINGS     DJ Losman (USA)

SAT    21FEB     SUN ON THE BCH     DJ Miraxy (USA)  11am-5pm

SAT    21FEB     LUNA BAR     DJ Mighty Shari (USA)

SAT    21FEB     MULLETS SPORTS BAR     DJ Kris Kokopelli (USA) 

SAT    21FEB     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Ferra Black (USA) 

SAT    21FEB     MONKEY BAR     DJ Edd Enand (USA) 

SAT    21FEB     ALFIE'S HIFI     DJ Brian Burnside (USA) 

 

Breaking News: Luke Combs' Category 10 Coming To CityWalk

It was announced yesterday that Luke Combs' Category 10 bar, restaurant and music venue concept will be coming to Universal CityWalk next year with construction to begin later this year. It will be only their 3rd location after Nashville (open) and Las Vegas (under construction). Sources say the 3-story venue will be located on the waterfront approximately across from Margaritaville. 

Pleasure Island had minimal success with their two Country music venues that existed over the years. But Universal may be seeing the draw that PBR Cowboy Bar is having over at Live at The Pointe! as well as Blake Shelton's Ole Red at Icon Park. Both are just a few miles south along Universal Blvd. 

Most importantly, it's good to see Universal invest in their CityWalk nightlife complex which has grown stagnant this decade. We'd love to see them reinvent dance club The Groove in the current escape room space. That place used to be a cash cow. We published a rumor last year that that might happen but have not heard anything more. Universal has moved well-beyond having just 3 hotels and many guests are looking for nightlife. If they can't find it at CityWalk, they'll go to The Pointe or Icon Park. That's $$$ leaving property every night. 

We're not fans of Country music but this is still great news. Indeed, who is this Luke Combs guy? Is he a DJ? Big thanks to reader Jake Wheeler for the alert!

Weekly feature "This Weekend In Techno Town" will post tomorrow. 

PI Update: Fashionistas

Whether it's camouflage from the Army or bell-bottoms from the Navy, fashion has often borrowed (or stolen) ideas from the military. It's a slow news day on the Island today so we LINK to this article on the subject as seen in Army Times.

 

PI Update: Last Man Standing

Pleasure Island's club signs were removed in two stages. The first group were removed immediately after the Final Night and the rest of them a couple years later during the event we called the "Putsch". But curiously, the sign at Soundstage Club was the last sign standing. Well not these two signs out front facing West End Plaza. Those did come down early.

No, we're talking about this rear-facing sign along the back of the club. No one could ever explain to us why it too wasn't removed earlier. It did not come down until the entire building was razed during the conversion over to Disney Springs.

Club Reports: Daylite Love Fest @ Elixir, Grumpys Underground, Iron Cow

Daytime House music parties are now all the rage, including here in Orlando. Yesterday morning we headed out to a Valentines-themed House party at Elixir Bar. Saturday day and Saturday night pictures can be found on sister website Orlando Entertainment News HERE.

 

Club Reports: Broken Strings Brewery, EVO @ Good Times Bar & Grill, Bikkuri Lounge

We had a daytime House music event today so the link to our article about Friday night was delayed. The above group was just some of the DJ's we saw last night around Orlando. You can find all the pics on sister website Orlando Entertainment News HERE.