Monday, July 27, 2009

So What Happened to Those PI Announcements?


^CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE The original mission of this Blog was to try to save Pleasure Island. We had the on-line petition and provided addresses and e-mail addresses for a letter-writing campaign. It didn't do any good so the goal then shifted to keeping you informed on the latest island news....including rumors. As you know, it appeared imminent that there was going to be some announcements. Actually there were to be two press releases. The source of the rumor was a poster on the WDW Magic forums. This is what he posted:

Many BIG changes at DTD. Look, layout and feel of areas will change completely. Sorry, ad club and BET gone for good. Look for cool F&B options. Staff changes too. AND
Two press releases coming soon.

Based on his posting history and fairly good history of accuracy, we went with this and informed you of same. I speculated that one announcement was going to be about PI, the other was to be about the Beastly Kingdom addition to Disney's Animal Kingdom. Then there was an interview with Jason Surrell over on the Mouse Planet website. He was quoted as saying:

I’m going right into Star Wars Weekends, which begin later this month. I’m writing and directing some shows for that. I’m also working on developing some live entertainment for our new cruise ships, the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. After that, I’m going right into Christmas shows so things are moving along pretty well. I’m also working with Imagineering on the redevelopment of Pleasure Island.

The original poster returned a few days later to say, among other things:

>Not everything new will be 3rd party. The retheming concept sounds cool too. A much better fit. Relaxing. And changes to AMC as well. Will be more like the new theater in Downtown
Orlando. There may be changes to the parking flow as well, for the better.

>Now keep something in mind w/these changes. Try to forget that we'll miss P.I. as it was in it's prime.
>The good news is that the current plans have some fun and innovative concepts, as well as some big names in the restaurant business overseeing them.


The first press release then happened. There were staff changes as he predicted. DTD VP Kevin Lansberry was moved to Animal Kingdom and a new VP named. He just can't say when the next announcement is coming. Speculation now turns to the D23 Expo in Anaheim in September. Many Disney bigshots will be there and they may want to give attendees some exclusives. So stay tuned.

3 comments:

  1. We dont want more restraunts, we want Pleasure Island how it use to be fun and pleasurable, Please keep a nightclub here for the cast members and Visitors alilke

    ReplyDelete
  2. Was part of the problem certain folks that don't, ah-em, belong, showing up? For example, in Santa Monica, where I live, there is a delightful club called "Main on Main" that has a dress code that states, among other things, "No White T-Shirts." Can you guess why? That's right! No gang-bangers anymore. This is the same reason that there are no dance clubs in Downtown Disney in Anaheim. They tried it once. The Gangs showed up.

    It sucks, to have to say this, but it's true.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anon, when the announcements are made, I don't expect any good news. The only hope...a longshot...is that Mannequins/8TRAX is outsourced to someone who will run it as a club or restaurant/club. Lots of rumors out there but they rarely seem to involve that building!

    Jordan, I know what you mean. CityWalk here for example won't let patrons wear baseball hats or wife-beater t-shirts.

    ReplyDelete