This past Saturday night in downtown Orlando I ran into a former
Pleasure Island manager who for the purposes of this discussion shall remain nameless. This person still works for
Disney and has done well for himself/herself within the company. I asked about any clubs reopening at
Pleasure Island and the response was a definite "no". He/she said that many great things will be coming to
Downtown Disney in the future but could not tell me anything specific and did not know the timetable. I mentioned the perception out there that
Disney can't find any tenants but was told that there are many, many tenants signed up for what's coming. When I mentioned that
Mannequins was ill-suited for anything but the dance club that it was, the response was that it could be torn down. My response was that the power grid for the entire
Island was within the
Mannequins/8TRAX structure and that we've been told that it can't be torn down. That got me a shrug. This person's knowledge has to exceed mine so I was in no position to argue! So more tidbits to consider.
26 comments:
Thanks for keepin' it real; good, bad, or ugly. I used to check the blog daily, then became weekly, no this???
Dead in the water, hugh? Well, maybe “somewhere in the future plans" they might consider us... Lol. But... No, they probably won't... DAMN MOUSE!
that's the problem, everyone claims to see these great and wonderful plans, yet no one can "give specifics," even insiders who frequently post accurate info on wdwmagic give no specifics. Sounds to me more like an unofficial company line, specifically regarding thinking MDP can be torn down. I think there are ideas, nothing is greenlit, and I really don't believe any tenants are signed. If they were, Disney would have SOMETHING going. The only verifiable movement we've seen is the MDP garage door being used again and rumors of electrical work being done inside.
Well Zulemara, I think a lot of people do know specifics but have jobs that they'd like to keep. At the same time, I think the plans for PI have changed over and over again during these past 4 years that the Blog has covered the rumors.
Daisy, sorry I don't have updated PI news EVERYday to share. Appreciate your readership though.
What coild possibly be "great" about more stores and more restaurants??? Absolutely nothin'!!!
Oh well. I guess we just have to sit and wait. In the meantime, Viva CityWalk!!!!!!!
touche Bob, but when plans are finalized, they always end up on the net, which means nothing is final..yet(except Marvel, that shocked EVERYONE)
I also do not believe that there is a concrete plan in place and that it is too early to discredit the return of the clubs.
That was a very interesting article that you wrote King Bob.
I'm sure that we all are trying to keep the faith, that Disney will hopefully wake up and smell the coffee burning, and reopen the clubs for the New Year.
I told you BACK years ago Mannequins COULD be knocked down! did I not YES I did!
Disney can and will do what they want! the power gid can be worked around or moved! build a new one shut down the old!
LIKE I said before it's final when it opens!
No clubs (Disney run) by this summer = no Disney vacation for my family this year. Not spending my money on all kiddie stuff, restaurants and shopping. I'll do Universal instead.
>I told you BACK years ago Mannequins COULD be knocked down! did I not.
I don't know, Anonymous, who are you?
Bob, this is from Screamscape.com...
2012 - Splitsville at Downtown Disney - (10/9/12) Screamscape sources tell us that a truckload of Brunswick Pin Setters were delivered to the Splitsville building, so things are really starting to move along quickly.
Thanks. Those type of machines have to be installed early in construction since they have to be "built-in" to the walls and structure.
They have slightly over 2 months to finish and open on-time in "FALL 2012".
According to Internet blogs Disney filed a permit in 2011 to fix up Mannequins and the other remaining clubs that weren't demolished. I don't know what they will do with the building but why would they tear it down after it's been readied and painted?
>I told you BACK years ago Mannequins COULD be knocked down! did I not.
yes BOB i know you dont know who I am but i did say that! not sure when it was just that I was one of not mor then one who said it can happen!
Anon at 1:34pm, "Notices of Commencement" were filed in mid-2011 for what we hoped would be club renovations. Unfortunately, the permits were for the removal of remaining signs.
Anon at 5:05pm, the person I spoke with Saturday night said Mannequins building "could" be torn down. The person didn't say it "would" be torn down. Sure it "could" be torn down. Magic Kingdom "could" be torn down. Doesn't mean that it will be. And given the HUGE expense of rerouting the power grid to the Island by having to build a new one, I'm told by others that it's NOT going to happen.
Ah, that makes sense. Thanks.
I didnt say they would move the power grid! either just that Disney can!
Disney has moved torn down things before! closed rides that have ticked off people SO nothing new!
On the WDWMagic forum in the "Save the Adventurers Club" thread there are pictures showing that the AC has been freshly painted and of air conditioning work being done. There is also a report of Electricians working in Mannequins.
Remember this is the company that decided to move the whole damn Disneyland parking lot. Moving the power distribution center for the Island would be inconvenient but not unachievable... I try not to think about that. :(
glad to see I am not the only one who knows that Disney will do things like this!
I find it odd tenants would sign a contract for a location when it's not entirely clear yet whether or not which buildings will actually be standing when and if the venue actually opens. Express interest, sure, but legally commit?
Also, as Zulemara points out, there are probably half a dozen or so reliable posters on the various Disney boards--no one has let out a peep about any tenants.
Universal changed the game this Summer deliberately leaking false info re: Transformers. I wonder if WDW brass have been told to do the same. (Of course, there are legal issues when you start doing that AND reach out to potential 3rd party tenants...)
Doesn't mean clubs are returning--more likely means that nothing notable is coming for the foreseeable future--but this just doesn't pass the smell test for me.
@71 there you go you just said a mouth full! RUMORS!! no one can say or prove there is any one has signed any thing to disney! one would think there would be more going on IF any one was going to move in!? HMMM so I say no one has signed anything!
Such a life altering loss for so many, I can't believe the Disney execs don't or won't see this??? Singles, honeymooners, empty nesters, seniors ...all without children, all wanting some nighttime entertinment. How is this large, collective group of guests being ignored?????
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