Let's connect the dots across Pleasure Island to see what has occurred and what rumors say are going to occur:
A - Demolition actually began last year with the removal of the old Ticket Booth adjacent the #1 Bridge.
B - Demolition then started up again this past July with replacement of Bridge #1 from Downtown Disney Marketplace. That reconstruction is still in progress. (See Blog 10/19/10)
C - The Lily Pad concert area was in the way of the new walkway so it's currently being demolished.(See Blog 10/19/10)
D - The new walkway will apparently travel into the current backstage area between Raglan Road (22) and Portobello (23). (See Blog 10/19/10)
E - Motion must be demolished to make this happen. What a waste!
F - The allegedly leaky and moldy Rock'n'Roll Beach Club comes down too. Supposedly between E & F is where a nautical-themed restaurant will be built. What was known as Pleasure Island gets a new nautical-themed name. I've reported previously on a Lighthouse-style outdoor fast food restaurant/bar being built here too. Schussler Creative, designer of T-Rex, Rainforest Cafe and Yak & Yeti, figure prominently on the new venues coming to the Island. GREAT STUFF: GO TO BLOG 1/2/10 & VIEW THE 3 LINKS IN THAT ARTICLE!!
G - Paradiso 37 remains, of course. It's the only new addition to PI since the clubs closed.
H - Soundstage/Adventurers Club come down. They're really one building.
I - Unfinished business. When they took down the lighting bridge/catwalk last November, they had to leave one of those metal towers because they didn't know what to do with that huge Harley Davidson Store logo sign. We'll see how they finally deal with that! (See Blog 11/23/09)
J - After many years, looks like valet parking could be returning near the #2 Bridge.
K - Mannequins, 8TRAX & Comedy Warehouse buildings get new nautical-themed facades but they remain standing and hopefully get some tenants. Idea: how about a couple music venues and a comedy club?
L - The new walkway leads over the #3 Bridge to Downtown Disney West Side.
In my Blog article on 10/17/10, I mention rumors posted by PKD & Raven who are somehow "in the know" on what is happening. Additional comments from them:
RAVEN: $3.6M in lighting alone; They are putting a lot of effort into the transformation.
PKD: It (the project) is very massive, and with all still going according to plan. I honestly believe many here will like the outcome. As I mentioned previously, they will start on the east side and work their way west up the waterfront hill as can (already) be seen with walls starting to appear.
So lots going on and it's only just begun. The article in the Orlando Sentinel quotes Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez as saying they would unveil some details within a matter of weeks.
Hopefully this "connecting the dots" will lead to reopening Mannequinns & 8Trax, and the Comedy Warehouse.
ReplyDeleteMaking them adult clubs, and lighting everything up so we can Party and Rock again!!!
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ReplyDeleteis all I can say!
So it takes them 2 years to come up with a "theme" that has nothing to tie into what lies east or west which was supposedly the most important thing...right??
ReplyDeleteOn a OT note---did you see Expose Bob?
I was out at DTD Fri night and headed through PI a few times to see what was going on since this was the first time I was there since they added in the fake couches. They had two acts playing there, one singing to sone Top 40 stoff. There were guite a few people interested and even dancing and most were adults. It almost felt like the ghost of PI trying to come out! I hope whatever happens with PI, they plan for some adult nightlife, and I mean more than just sitting at a bar or in a lounge listening to some lame music.
ReplyDeleteDoubt it.
ReplyDeleteI'm expecting anything we'll see will be more lounge-like; think along the lines of Paradiso or Raglan
Hopefully we will hear some announcements soon. Awhile back someone commented on here that Mannequins was coming back as a Top 40 club and 8TRAX was coming back as itself. Don't know if the person posting those comments was "in the know" or just posting "wishful thinking". Makes great sense though as to do with those two spaces.
ReplyDeleteNo, I missed Expose'. One evening I had to work late and the other evening I was working on the breaking news regarding the construction permits; and that was more important!
We were out at City Walk the other night and the bartender we were talking to had already heard about possible job opportunities back on the Island. What was said was that the original cast members (who have spread out all over Disney property) would have first dibs on any postions. Then, they would start a possible interview process for any open postions. Bob, is Disney saying anything about keeping some places as "their's" or are they all going to be third party? If they are going to be third party owned, there wouldn't be any postions through Disney, right? It's funny how quickly the rumors spread from one park to another...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I saw Expose'.... I saw two shows on Monday night, and they only duplicated one song during the two sets. They were fantastic! They looked great and sounded great! I did hear someone say that there was only one original member (the girl with black hair), the other two were replaced years ago....but, who cares? They were absolutlety great!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know there's still a chance to fix the clubs and reopen them.
ReplyDeleteYou're right we don't need anymore lounges.
So come on guys, surprise us all. Light up everything so everyone can dance and party again!!!
>Bob, is Disney saying anything about keeping some places as "their's" or are they all going to be third party?
ReplyDeleteI know the goal is 3rd party. If we're getting one of those "Downtown Aquarium" Restaurants as I reported on earlier this year, that would be Landry-owned. I figure Landry may operate nearly everything out there. So the only thing I can think of as being Disney run is if we are so fortunate to get 8TRAX and Mannequins back in any form.
>By the way, I saw Expose'.
Thanks for the report! I really wanted to see them.
PS-Landry Restaurants operates the Schussler Creative restaurants T-REX Cafe, Rainforest Cafe and Yak & Yeti. But we can't forget Levy Restaurants association with Disney; they operate Fulton's Crab House and Portobello. They previously operated PI's Wildhorse Saloon. So we can't rule-them out either as third party operators.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 110p...(not that you'll come back to read this) you have it backwards--the black haired girl (Gioia) was the only one who quit Expose and was replaced then came back in their current touring. Sorry you missed them Bob...watch them on youtube then.
ReplyDeleteAnon 4:36am... Thanks for the info! Of coarse I would come back and read this!! This is the only website out there that I check everyday...
ReplyDeleteAnd, Thanks Bob for the info on the "third party's". I was thinking the same thing...I hope Disney does hold onto 8 Trax and MDP as their own and reopen them in some type of night club form....
Yeah, I'm expecting everything to be 3rd party. But I'm willing to reopen 8TRAX if they'd let me! I'm sure they only contract with large operators though and that means Landry and Levy. The latter, btw, is involved in the Pollo Campero franchise too. Forgot to mention that.
ReplyDeleteThis is just the bomb!
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