Club Report: Atlantic Dance Hall (Pleasure Island Reunion)

Approaching Atlantic Dance Hall last night I could hear off in the distance the faint sound of...."The Cupid Shuffle"!  This is one place that has not changed with the times, lol. It's definitely Motion 2.0!

DJ Willy (8TRAX, Motion, The Groove, Red Coconut Club) on the boards putting out the music on this Pleasure Island Reunion weekend!

With Matt (left), the planner of this Facebook event, in the house with DJ Rockin' Todd Russell (MixstarRadio).

You never know what you're going to find at ADH, but when I came in the place was jammed!

Mix the PI Reunion with two bachelorette parties and a wedding reception after-party and you have a packed club!

Wobble baby wobble!

Willy was playing mixes from the various PI dance clubs including a lot of 8TRAX, Motion & Soundstage!

Disney Security was in the house (but don't tell anyone)!

Tu-tu's are big this year!

Disco Duke! (8TRAX)

Motion

Mannequins / VH1

Mannequins, PI Live

Mannequins

Mannequins

Willy did give us a Mannequins set near the end of the evening.  But this is Atlantic Dance Hall where most of the patrons still don't know what to do with EDM.

8TRAX

Mannequins all the way!

Mannequins

Motion

And a good time was had by all!

Where Are The 90's?

Clubs are playing 70's, clubs are playing 80's.  But as we rapidly approach 2013, where are the clubs playing 90's?  Was it that bad of a decade for dancing?

Hmmm.....maybe it really was that bad!

PI Update: Fall Is In The Air

Where can you find 3 dance clubs and 2 comedy clubs, all in one location? *      You know where, none other than beautiful Pleasure Island!

Congaloosh 2012 aka the Adventurers Club Reunion was on the Island last night, congregating at the base of their beloved club!

Just a small group for the opening photo event but more were expected later in the evening as well as on Saturday.  Disney Security was close by watching but unlike last year they kept their distance.

The biggest crowd of the evening was at the Jack and Sally "meet'n'greet" over near the AMC Downtown Disney 24 theaters!

There was no charge to have your photo taken with your own camera; it was also possible to buy a photo from their professional photographer.

The two characters from the film "The Nightmare Before Christmas" chit-chatted with Guests and signed autographs.  They'll be back tonight and Sunday night only.

You'd think this was Haunted Mansion or something; the queue was easily over two hours long!

Great news for Characters In Flight fans!  The replacement balloon has arrived, is installed and is being tested.  It would not surprise me to see it operating this weekend.

The new tethered balloon has completely new characters on it; Mary Poppins is gone.

Replaced with Buzz Lightyear and Aladdin on the front; could not see the other side.

At Wetzel's Pretzels Plaza, the band Nova Era was playing "put me to sleep" Classical.  Part of a larger group, they go by the name of Nova Pop when they perform Top 40 Oldies on the Purple Stage at West End Plaza formerly West End Street Bash formerly Celebration Plaza formerly West End Stage.

Meanwhile at the Purple Stage, the Andre Caram Band ft. Drey-C was performing more of their Top 40/Dance/House songs.  Female vocalist Lindsey was looking übercool in überdestructed jeans!

The band continues to perform 4 nights per week at Pleasure Island.

Not a particularly large crowd for the early show, but hardly empty.

 OMG, I completely missed this.  Took this photo of the living statue last night and it simply did not register to me that this was a Mad T-Party costume!  A rumor says Mad T-Party is coming to PI.

Finally, it is Oktoberfest season over in Munich so why not bring some of that Bavarian Gemütlichkeit over to Pleasure Island!

Of course that means a German oompah band playing the "Chicken Dance"!

Who says there's no dancing on Pleasure Island!  *-too bad they're not open!

8TRAX Reunion October 13th!

Here is the October schedule at Retro Room, per their Facebook page:
10/12 - 80's party with DJ Pete
10/13 - 8Trax Reunion with DJ Pete and The Save Pleasure Island Blog
10/19 & 10/20 - Bad Mannerz Weekend
10/27 - Jeff Howell gets the Halloween Party going
10/31 - Halloween Karaoke Party

So it's official!  The 8TRAX Reunion is scheduled for one night only, Saturday October 13th, at Retro Room!  Former 8TRAX DJ Pete Haynes will be on the boards, recreating one of the most fun dance clubs at Pleasure Island.  From 70's Disco to 80's Funk, DJ Pete also promises BIG CASH PRIZES for the best 70's and 80's Costumes and Dance Contest winners!  Retro Room is located on US 192 just west of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge and just east of US 27.  Mark your calendars now and don't miss it!
**UNOFFICIAL EVENT**  RETRO ROOM AND SAVE PLEASURE ISLAND BLOG ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY.  8TRAX IS A TRADEMARK OF THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY AND IS USED HERE TO PUBLICIZE AN EVENT FOR FANS OF THE FORMER NIGHT CLUB.   

PI Reunion Tomorrow Night!

 

On this 4th Anniversary weekend, many former Pleasure Island club regulars will be gathering to drown our sorrows tomorrow night at Atlantic Dance Hall!  Come on out, see many of your old PI friends and have a drink or two.  The price is right: FREE.  ADH is located at Disney's Boardwalk Resort and free parking is available within the resort gate as well as across the street behind the Hess station.  Hope to see you there!!    
Details at: http://www.facebook.com/events/416199598396405/

PI R.I.P. - 4 Years

Today is September 27th and that marks the 4th anniversary of Disney's largest blunder, the closing of the Pleasure Island dance and comedy clubs in order to replace them with.....nothing.  That's not to say progress wasn't made this past year.  Sources told the Blog early in the year that Hyperion Wharf was indeed cancelled because it was too much like the Boardwalk and vendors over there complained.  But other than that, nothing happened this year.  Every remaining club building that closed 4 years ago remains exactly that way today with nothing new in any of them and nothing announced.  We're hopeful that there will be an announcement in October about what is coming. Expect Hyperion Wharf 2.0, just with a different name and different theme, but much the same.  We're hoping a reopened Mannequins and Comedy Warehouse will be part of it but Disney has allegedly been putting disinformation onto social media websites these past few months, so don't count on it.  Maybe we'll know more about it by the time the 5th anniversary rolls around next September.
Visit our 3rd Anniversary article here.
Visit our 2nd Anniversary article here.
Visit our 1st Anniversary article here.

DJMadManRay shares this picture with the Blog on this very sad day in history!  Meanwhile, DJ Peapod in New York writes, "Yes, it is sad. Can't imagine how hoppin' the place would be now with the resurgence of the electronic music scene."  So true!

EDC Update: Afrojack Coming To Orlando

Afrojack (NL) has become the first DJ to confirm that he will be playing at Electric Daisy Carnival - Orlando when the huge event comes to town on Friday & Saturday, November 9-10. Afrojack will be performing on Saturday. Thanks to roving reporter Thommy for this update!

The following DJ's can't be performing here based on their currently posted schedules: Gareth Emery (GB), Paul Oakenfold (GB), Benny Benassi (I), Alesso (S), Calvin Harris (GB), Above & Beyond (GB), Sander van Doorn (NL).

This Weekend In Techno Town

WEDNESDAY SEP 26
Start your weekend really early with a huge DJ event at Liquid.  The small venue has an incredible sound system designed to pump up the Bass, and they'll use it tonight for headlining legend DJ Keoki (USA). DJ's Meaux Green (Vain) and Robb Blak (Roxy, Suite B Lounge, Bikkuri Lounge) open, among others.   ($10)

THURSDAY SEP 27
Over in Tampa, world class DJ Andre Tanneberger (D) better known as ATB will be performing at Amphitheatre.  Home of the only operating revolving dance floor that I know of!  ($15)

Closer to home, Porter Robinson (USA)  returns to O-town for the first time since last summer's EDC where he was one of the big surprises.  Plus Zedd (D) returns for the first time since last September.   ($25)

FRIDAY SEP 28
Senso Supper Club keeps bringing in an array of national and international talent, this time expect numerous varieties of House from Miami-based DJ Louis Dee (FDR @ The Delano, Shore Club, Tantra).   ($10)

Also on Friday night at Bikkuri Sushi Lounge, guest DJ's Jon Martin and Mustafa dba Evo visit for Lost In Trancelation, the monthly ode to Trance music hosted by resident DJ's Agni & Robb Blak.   (FREE)

SATURDAY SEP 29
Pleasure Island fans, commemorate the 4th Anniversary of the closing of the dance clubs with a PI REUNION at Atlantic Dance Hall, Disney's Boardwalk Resort.  Featuring mostly Motion-style music, it's always fun to catch-up with long-lost PI friends.   (FREE) 

The Abbey has been coming on strong lately with a monthly 80's Night and now they're going to try out a 70's Disco Night featuring live band Delerious.  (FREE)

Also downtown outside City Hall, WMMO's Downtown Concert Series kicks off 80's-style with The Romantics and singer John Waite.  Will be packed!  Arrive early for parking.  (FREE)

More downtown action at Suite B Lounge with Bass Invasion featuring DJ's Matrix, Exzakt, Rob E, Jdub and others!  (FREE until 11pm, then $7)

Over in the 321, DJ Shannon Michaels will be spinning Breaks, Freestyle and Hip from 10pm to Midnight followed by our favorite DJ Jennifer Marley (Party95.com, LevelZ, Earthdance) from Midnight to 2am spinning Electrohouse, Classic Dance and Top 40 Remixes. All at G-Ultra Lounge in downtown Melbourne.  ($5)