We're informally calling this Plan C. Plan A was the initial announcement which stated the comedy and dance clubs were being closed to be replaced with bold and new concepts....which never materialized. Plan B was the Hyperion Wharf announcement which led to the demolition of Motion, Rock'n'Roll Beach Club and the Number 1 Bridge from Marketplace. Everything was then put on hold, apparently because folks at the Boardwalk felt the concept was way too close to the Boardwalk's existing theme.
But don't get your hopes up. From what we hear, Plan C is the same as Plan B with the only change being a new theme. The third-party operators will all be the same but instead of a "turn of the century amusement pier" theme, we'll get, for example only, an "old time New Orleans/Mardi Gras" theme instead. Supposedly the outdoor waterfront amphitheater will still be there along with the interactive pillars. Schussler Creative's Mahogany Bay Classic Old Boats and Great Food Restaurant should be there as well. Hopefully the long-promised announcement will be include more than just the new name and theme. We'd all like to see what actually makes up bold and new!
Hopefully any announcement will include more than just a new name and theme. We need to really see something we can call "bold" and "new," otherwise it will just be more boring shopping and dining which will not compete with developments in downtown Orlando, and certainly will not compete with City Walk.
ReplyDeleteBut it seems that Disney truly does not have much incentive to come up with a new whiz-bang redevelopment of Pleasure Island. Even during the off-season we often see that the parking lots are packed, and the place is hopping with people. Despite this fact, after the closure of Pleasure Island's clubs, what remains completely overpromises, underwhelms, and underdelivers. But it's busy. The real question I'm asking myself is whether anyone in Imagineering recognizes the tremendous underutilized potential for what remains of the Island. Is it really exciting to Disney to build something which has already been done by their competitors? (Hyperion Wharf is similar in many ways to Disney's Boardwalk, and also similar to theming in parts of SeaWorld Orlando. A Mardi Gras theme is done seasonally by Universal.) So the question I'm asking is if Disney is just financially hamstrung, simply treading water during "bad economic times," and therefore unable or unwilling to put "a big win" on the board? Only time will tell.
If the Disney people had any sense they would put Pleasure Island back the way it was.
ReplyDeleteSo people would dance and party.
P.S. Light up P.I and let the times roll again.
If they're just treading water, why not keep treading? Wouldn't it make more sense to wait until they were in a financial position to do what they really want? These pointless, go-nowhere ideas they keep presenting must cost millions. It's like tossing bad money in a toilet and lighting the whole thing on fire.
ReplyDeleteWhat I meant to say was "let the "good" times roll again.
ReplyDelete@Melissa Sue: I think you have a very good point - why not keep treading water? That would make financial sense for Disney, especially to "save face" before a potentially contentious stockholder meeting where the company is already facing criticism for having too many large projects in the works simultaneously. From that perspective it could make great sense to keep treading water until their financial position improved, or until they started to realize solid gains when current projects are completed. So we could see ourselves being treated to a series of go-nowhere and do-nothing announcements. But the nature of the hard-core Disney fans, especially those who are frequent visitors to the parks, is that Pleasure Island represents a tremendous amount of currently underdeveloped and underutilized potential which to some is very painful to watch. We hate seeing Pleasure Island sidelined in such a low-energy state of relative idleness. But the fact remains that the company is involved in a very expensive upgrade to improve Disney California Adventure and is also facing huge investments in developing and realizing the new Avatar land. Soooo... We can only hope Pleasure Island stimulates someone's imagination within Disney to the point that the clubs are resurrected along with a healthy and vibrant night life which so many of us once enjoyed. I would be very happy if we started with reopening only one dance club, comedy club, and Adventurers Club as a way to resurrect the Island. I think the response would be overwhelmingly positive. And monies saved by not rebuilding the whole island could be used to solve the walkway issues that currently divide up the East/West sides - Disney has been VERY creative in the theme parks by building walkways and bridges to solve these kinds of problems elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteagain it is over! to reopen would be a bigger slap in the face!
ReplyDeleteHardly. From what I've heard from some WDI people. There is nothing on the drawing board for Pleasure Island, so there is still pleanty of time for the return of the Funmeister and all he stands for!
DeleteConsidering Disney is coming off a staggering multi-billion dollar profit year, surely money is not an excuse for investing so little into a PI project. But if it is, then simply reopening a few venues would be even cheaper; a pittance in the big scheme of things.
ReplyDelete^ This. Reopening 3 or 4 clubs would be a tiny investment in theme park numbers.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not sure why TDO thinks restaurants not willing to pay $1m a year to be in a turn-of-the-century amusement park pier will suddenly jump at the chance to spend $1m a year to be part of a French Quarter street.
Some "in the know" people reported that contracts have been signed with multiple vendors. Which version is true remains to be seen, but I'm skeptical that anyone is promising to build anything on PI other than maybe a hot dog hut.
ReplyDeleteIf they are making money like that, then they can hopefully fix up the clubs and light up P.I. so everyone can see their old pal the Funmeister, partying and rocking!!
ReplyDeleteP.S. As I've said as well as others three years is long enough.
I can tell you that the article above is correct, but with a few surprises (no, the AC is not reopening, the clubs are gone forever) that no one expects..
ReplyDeleteStay tuned..
Ok i dont get this, the boardwalk people have a problem because they dont want it to take away from their theme, so they are making it a new orleans/mardi gras theme, when they have Port Orleans French Quarter??? I mean i love mardi gras themed but it just doesnt make sense.. Also I think they need a 36 hole mini golf place that should be right next to World of Disney, themed to the different movies or villains of the disney store. Also i dont understand why they closed the adventurers club..
ReplyDeleteThe Port Orleans resort has a New Orleans theme but it generally only attracts people staying there. It does not try to draw-in guests staying elsewhere. That's not the case with the Boardwalk which not only has its own guests but also tries to draw-in others for its restaurants and shops, plus Jellyrolls & Atlantic Dance; some of these 3rd-party operated. That difference is why PI could have a Mardi Gras theme and not conflict with Port Orleans.
ReplyDeleteJust for the sake of argument, Port Orleans is already considered a Downtown Disney resort, so the theme could logically be extended to the shopping district without taking away from the hotel itself (not that I want it to happen.)
ReplyDeleteThe sad truth is that after the last three years, anything they do that results in a single dollar of income will probably be looked upon as business genius. To that end, I'm mentally getting ready for a huge surge of "meh" when the plans are finally announced - after all, whatever they do doesn't have to be any damn good, all its got to do is better than abandoned buildings.
Bill, I think your comment about a big surge of "meh" could be the case. Except we must keep in mind that Disney is, in fact, still very creative. And they can fund things. And they can make those things fun and interesting and creative. I recently saw video of "ElecTRONica" at Disney California Adventure and noted that it had many similarities to things talked about for Hyperion Wharf - it was amazing, interesting, and dynamic. So I don't rule out that something great will come out of Disney at some future point. Only that there isn't funding or interest at this moment to do anything with Pleasure Island. And, unfortunately, we may never see something like The Adventurers Club again unless some internal folks have VERY warm spots in their hearts for that concept and the experience. Much more could be said, but for now, let's cherish the experiences, the memories, and the videos of Pleasure Island's past. Long live the Funmeister!
ReplyDeleteAce, you are correct and NO ONE can do it like Disney can, when they want to.
ReplyDeleteUm, he said "Funmeister." huh huh huh
ReplyDeleteThe Funmeister, symbol of fun and good times, was removed from PI in late 2010.
ReplyDelete