Three years ago today in 2008, the date June 27th fell on a Friday. And early that evening a bombshell was dropped on the public by Disney. Pleasure Island was being shuttered! Orlando Sentinel's on-line edition carried the news and it was a front page story in Saturday's paper edition.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2008-06-28/news/disney28_1_pleasure-island-downtown-disney-downtown-orlando
So here we are 3 years later and let's see what that bold new vision has brought us:
ROCK'n'ROLL BEACH CLUB-demolished in 2011-replaced with grass & mulch
MOTION-demolished in 2011-replaced with grass & mulch
PI LIVE BOOTH-demolished 2009-replaced with nothing
MANNEQUINS-sitting empty
8TRAX-sitting empty
ADVENTURERS CLUB-sitting empty
BET SOUNDSTAGE CLUB-sitting empty
COMEDY WAREHOUSE-sitting empty
What's new on the Island? The restaurant Paradiso 37 opened after the clubs closed but was already under construction so it had nothing to do with club closings. Curl by Sammy Duval was already open. The West End Ultra Lounge is new but it was a replacement for the embarrasing Celebrate Tonight show which in turn was only created because the Island had become eerily dead at night. The balloon ride? Nope, that's at DTD West Side and also was unrelated to the clubs closings.
People could not believe they were actually going to do it and even today people can't believe they actually did it. Today is three years since the announcement and 2.75 years since the Final Night. You can see what we lost and you can see what we got! Nothing. Even the Funmeister himself is crying today.
Well, that was a depressing read.
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say that as a former cast member of PI, I am still trying to put my life back together. Not only did I lose a fun job but I lost a financially rewarding job as well. I miss everything about PI, from fellow cast members (family) to the wonderful guests, including FRIENDS I've made. Every time I return to visit Disney I am saddened to see how empty and lonely the street is that runs through PI. It's a ghost town. Besides the many who lost jobs (or were transferred to less rewarding positions like myself) many businesses felt the wrath financially as well. In addition, the former guests (annual pass holders of PI) are still maddened and writing letters, yet nothing is being done about this. WHAT was Disney thinking????
ReplyDeleteBrains in the heads of Disney Execs - SITTING EMPTY.
ReplyDeleteAs anonymous 9:55 AM said: many of us patrons are trying to put our lives back together, too. For me personally...from the summer of 1992 through the closing of PI I never went anywhere else on the weekends. Even if someone managed to drag me somewhere else, all I was thinking of was that I wanted to be on the "Island". This has been life altering and I don't like it one bit. I rarely if ever go to a club anymore and I miss it a great deal. My heart is broken, my weekend fun is gone. Oh, I do other things...go out to dinner, day trips around the state, go to the beach, but there is no more dancing. :(
ReplyDeleteDowntown Orlando and City Walk: rejuvenated and swimming in cash
ReplyDeleteThe link for the newspaper read is not working....
ReplyDeletesame here! I have been out to clubs JUST NO FUN!! no floor to watch go round! and light system and sound system to enjoy! and all the great friends that I knew and the bar tenders as well!!
ReplyDeleteThe link has been fixed. Sorry, not sure what happened.
ReplyDeleteThree years later, guests are still showing up here and being shocked. THREE YEARS! Nothing but grass and empty buldings. Bad show doesn't even begin to describe it.
ReplyDeleteYea, I recall the "In 2 years, you'll never even recognize this place it will be totally a new experience" apparently it was an experience in stupidity.
ReplyDeleteWell at least they left the cigar shop, as it is family friendly and aligns with the bold new vision.
ReplyDeleteI'm a local and used to do some shopping at DD, go to dinner and then spend a few hours at the Adventurers Club quite often. Without AC to top off the night, there's no reason to shop or dine at DD anymore and never go there. So sad....
ReplyDeleteI used to come over every summer from England to PI but until the clubs are re open im not coming back!!!!
ReplyDeleteI still say lets show Disney that even if they reopen the club(s) we do not go! other wise they can just JERK you around
ReplyDeleteAnon 10:13, lose the attitude; I'd be back in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter and I started to go to AC when she was 6. We would plan complete trips from Montreal to Disney around that club, sometimes up to 8 weeks a year. She was dreaming about it, collecting items from there, singing there songs and even learning english to better communicate. The moment she would put a foot in there, the casts would recognize her. We loved it there and miss it a lot. My last trip to Disney was for the closing week-end of PI. Last summer we went back to Orlando... And spent our all vacation visiting Universal and Orlando. I'm still trying to understand WHY they closed PI.
ReplyDeleteDVC, well said, postings like that need to be forwarded to the current centers of influence within PI.
ReplyDeleteEasyEddy your a SUCKER!!!! BIG one at that!
ReplyDeleteNO attitude here. I am sending Disney a message that they can't close something and we wait in beacon call for them!
"I'm still trying to understand WHY they closed PI."
ReplyDeletewell Disney never wanted PI to ever be! but Michael Eisner did and so it became! after he was gone it started to fall apart!
Anonymous, if your so against disney then why do you keep reading this website.
ReplyDeleteYes three years is too long for the four clubs to be closed.
ReplyDeleteIs'nt it about time for all of them to be opened up, so the people can party?
So lets put a "Happy smile" on the "sad" Funmeister's face.
P.S.
As they say "Feild of Dreams"
"If you reopen them, they will come".
Anonymous, if your so against disney then why do you keep reading this website.
ReplyDeleteBecause KingBob reports on more than PI! HELLO!
so because I am NOT happy with Disney I can't read and post? do you think someone might not spend there money @ disney ? and will effect you?
Yes, everyone is welcome to post. The only posts that would get deleted are spam and hate speech.
ReplyDeleteYes I know KingBob and thank you!
ReplyDeleteI was talking to June 28, 2011 9:50 PM!
it is just funny when someone has an opinion and or a point that others do not like? they (we) should not post! so these people say "stay away"
I will not spend my money @ Disney anymore but if a friend does I will still be friends with them even though I think they are Dumb for doing it!