Over in DTD West Side, the Virgin Megastore has closed. This closure can't be blamed on Disney since Virgin has closed all their stores nationwide. But it leaves a HUGE empty spot just a hundred yards west of all the other empty buildings (the clubs) and it eliminates one of the major reasons for even going over there!
The wonderful new balloon ride is finding Florida's weather to be quite the obstacle to operations. We're rapidly moving into afternoon thunderstorm season and the accompanying winds. They can't operate if there is lightning anywhere within 10 miles. And even when it's calm on the ground, winds aloft may be too high. And whoa if Orlando is on the path of a hurricane! The balloon is designed to withstand Category 1 winds but anything more would require that the helium be let out and the balloon taken away.
This is the new storage shed for Celebrate Tonight in Celebration Plaza. The DJ's and employees needed a place to store the pins and coloring books they give away to CT participants so now they have installed this. I'm told this is the exact same type of building that makes up the Tiki Hut that is adjacent the Adventurers Club, it's just not decorated the same way. I was also told that Celebrate Tonight is now operating 1x per hour beginning on the half hour and running a 40-minute celebration to approximately 10 minutes past the top of the hour.
No more Pleasure Island tickets or Annual Passes being sold at these ticket booths. They're kind of becoming an eyesore!
Since tickets are no longer going to be sold at those ticket booths, there apparently is no need to connect to the computer server that used to be in the office located upstairs in Mannequins. We're told the wires have been cut.
Speaking of Mannequins, I received 2 separate e-mails from readers this week saying that they heard the revolving dance floor in Mannequins had been sold and removed. Another source says that the "middle" of the building has been gutted; the part that separated Mannequins and 8TRAX into seperate clubs such that it is now one combined space. Interestingly, a few weeks ago during a conversation with a PI manager who was happy to tell me that some of the clubs were available for private rental, made the point of saying ".....except for 8TRAX and Mannequins which are OFF LIMITS." Maybe something is finally happening! Stay tuned.......
They also have updated the maps in the display cases, but the brail maps are currently unchanged. The new map lists the new restaurant, and also does NOT show virgin megastore with a marked number, meaning it was put in within the last 3 days.
ReplyDeleteWow, they're sure quick!
ReplyDeleteI've wondered the reasoning behind continuing to list SOUNDSTAGE on the map yet not list AC of Motion. All 3 are available for private rental.
yes, in fact on the new map they covered up the soundstage logo with a bathroom logo.
ReplyDeleteI wanna know who bought the Mannequins floor and where they're gonna spin it back up. :)
ReplyDeleteWell we're skeptical about the removal of the floor rumor. The floor was 19-years old and you can have a brand new one made for $65K installed. But like the other rumors, I just report them!
ReplyDeleteI talked with a Disney employee last Friday, May 15, 2009, and he told me that during the upcoming Summer months that there would be entertainment on the PI Waterfront outdoor stage and also on the grassy area between Bongos and the public rest rooms at DTD West Side.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update Ken. I wonder if they're going to offer a real band on the Waterfront (something like Frankie & The West End Boys)or whether it's going to be something like the a high school choir from Opp, Alabama?
ReplyDeleteso now we can NOT pay attention to the BACK of the empty buildings. What on earth are they thinking? They can't decide if they want night life or they don't, and all these little additions just make it more obvious how much of a mistake it was to close these clubs. They are clearly realizing it, but since they are too damn stubborn, they won't reopen it, nor will they let a dance club be rented for a night.
ReplyDeleteThere is supposedly an e-mail that was sent to Guest Relations about the gutting of the interior of the Mannequins/8TRAX building. But I'm skeptical that there was such a memo because I'm skeptical that it's even possible to remove the weight-bearing walls between the two sections. And why would PI officials tell Guest Relations anything?
ReplyDeleteThe "new" storage shed for "Celebrate Tonight!" in Celebration Plaza is actually the old MOTiON ODF bar (repainted and repurposed).
ReplyDelete