Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Last Look Inside: Club Motion

Pleasure Island dance club Motion closed with all the others in the early morning hours of September 28, 2008 with DJ's Hollywood Bob and Pete Haynes playing Top 40, Hip Hop and Line Dances for the capacity crowd.  Within 24 hours the Motion sign was removed from the building and that was the end.

The Island became eerily dead at night and by early 2009 PI management announced that Motion, Soundstage Club and Adventurers Club would be made available for private events.  Disney used Motion quite a bit for their own meetings but in June, 2009 an actual rental event took place.  A Gay Days promoter rented the club for a dance party.  Disney blocked the place off so that no one would think Motion was really open; only those who had tickets or knew specifically about the event would be allowed back there.
The promoter allowed me inside and I got to experience the euphoria one last time of being inside a Pleasure Island dance club.  My visit was early and it was pretty empty at that hour.  DJ Manny Lehman would come on around midnight and I was told he put on a pretty crappy show!
In May, 2010 the club was still standing ready but to my knowledge was only being used for Disney events.
Motion's iconic DJ booth was there during my visit.
September, 2010 shows evidence of a recent meeting inside Motion.
And again in October, 2010.
The end came quickly though as gutting of the place began in November, 2010.
One more view.  In December, 2010 the wrecking crews came and by the end of January, 2011, Motion was gone.

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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 30, 2013 at 4:19 PM

    We gays love Disney and Disney loves us:-), lol.. actually they love anyone that will spend their money. But GayDays attendees are extremely loyal to Disney and appreciate the extra things Disney does for us. I miss the Thursday night party at Mannequins. I remember this party at Motion but I was unable to go.

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  2. KingBobMay 2, 2013 at 8:00 PM

    The Downtown Disney area hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd used to stay packed during Gay Days because of their proximity to Pleasure Island. But not any more.

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    1. AnonymousMay 2, 2013 at 10:54 PM

      That was a magical time. I know that GayDayS host hotel is now near Sea World it says on their website that it is because the hotel is large enough to host the whole family (mens's, women's and bear's groups) under one roof but I think closing pleasure Island might have had something to do with it. What are your thoughts on if GayDayS will return to Disney property? It's not the same anymore and I don't know if it was done to make Disney pause for taking away Mannequins but all of us suffered a double whammy because of the move right after PI was effectively closed down. Then to top things off, One Mighty Party at DHS stopped after 2008. An incredible and incredibly profitable weekend for Disney was ruined. It is just now making a come back. On a side note, the first weekend of June would make a great Club Report for the blog! Thursday night PI party at Mannequins has been mov

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  3. AnonymousMay 2, 2013 at 11:03 PM

    ...cont'd. The Thursday night party at Mannequins now happens at Parliament House with PI Explosion Dancers and laser show. Friday night party is at Typhoon Lagoon and Saturday night is at Epcot this year with rumor to return to Johnny Chisolm's One Mighty Party at DHS in 2014. Sunday evening at Epcot will be a semi-private Drink Around the World and retro t- dance at Epcot.

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