Club Reports: Walt Disney World

Our Friday night at Walt Disney World began at Atlantic Dance Hall.

DJ Frankie (USA) on stage delivering the tunes.

Arrived around 10:30PM to find the dance floor rather spartan.

But "The Wobble" brought the crowd to the floor!

The music mostly Top 40 & Hip Hop hits.

Spotted: Dawn (8TRAX)

Spotted: Anna (Mannequins)

Spotted: Alex & Cortez (Club Motion)

The music selections come from requests.  I requested some Paul van Dyk but it never happened!

But I was proud of Frankie because although he did succumb and agree to play "Desposito", he held his ground and refused to play the Justin Bieber version!

Decent crowd in this massive club when I departed around midnight. Atlantic Dance Hall is located at Disney's Boardwalk Resort in Bay Lake, Florida and admission and parking are free.

Next it was over to Disney Springs for their "Late Night Disney Springs" dance party!

DJ Scott King (USA) on the decks delivering the tunes!

Huge crowd on hand for this Thursday, Friday, Saturday night party at the Waterview Stage on Pleasure Island.

The music included a lot of EDM so I was happy!

The Tech told me these "temporary" light towers are going to be removed and an array of permanent light towers coming to replace them!

The dance party and "Disney Springs Late Night" was originally planned just for Spring Break but it was so successful that it was extended through Labor Day weekend. Now I'm told its been extended again through the end of September and could very well go permanent!

DJ King has been a staple around Disney World & Universal Studios for years!

Disney Springs is located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida and admission and parking are free.

At both Disney venues last night, a good time was had by all!

Happy Canada Day!!

July 1st is Canada Day but with it falling on a weekend this year, we celebrated a few days early yesterday at my office. There was Canada Cake, Canada Dry and Canada prizes!

We had to wait until after work for the Canadian Club. We had a good crowd of about 20 people come through for this second part of the festivities at Sam Snead's in Maitland. This fine-looking group is all that remained when I departed for home.  I don't know about them, but I had to work today!  To our Canadian readers, Happy Canada Day weekend!

This Weekend In Techno Town

TONIGHT THURSDAY JUN 28
This is twice now that there are great Thursday night events taking place in two different places! Tonight at Celine, the DJ that calls himself 4B (USA) will be playing.  House / EDM

TONIGHT THURSDAY JUN 28
Meanwhile on the same night, DJ Shiba San (F) will be playing at The Beacham.  House.

FRIDAY JUN 29
It's free and it's always great fun when they do an 80's Night at The Abbey events center. For this edition, live band Rockit Fly returns for another performance.  80's Hard Rock.

FRIDAY JUN 29
Last Friday of the month means "Lost In Trancelation" and it takes place within the amazing confines of Bikkuri Lounge! This month resident DJ's Suzy Solar (USA), Robb Blak (USA) & DJ Agni (USA) will be there.  Trance.

SATURDAY JUN 30
Should be another packed house at Gilt Nightclub, this time for DJ duo Walker & Royce (USA).  House.

SATURDAY JUN 30
Chicago-based DJ Darin Epsilon (USA) brings his show on Saturday night to Vinyl Arts Bar.  Tech House / Techno.

INDEPENDENCE DAY EVE TUESDAY JUL 3
Many of you are off work on Wednesday so how 'bout some partying on Tuesday night?  For Breaks fans, you can't do better than DJ Icey (USA) but there's also Keith Mackenzie (USA), Wes Smith (USA), Scratch-D (USA) plus a special set from Kimball Collins (USA).  All at The Beacham!  Breaks.

INDEPENDENCE DAY EVE TUESDAY JUL 3
Many of you are off work on Wednesday so how 'bout some partying on Tuesday night? For House fans, there will be a warehouse full of great music featuring DJ duo Chus & Ceballos (E), Technasia (HK/NL) and many more!  House.

The Party Is Over At Pleasure Island!

June 27th, 2008 was a quiet summer evening in Orlando, ten years ago exactly tonight. It was a Friday night and Pleasure Island employees were summoned-in for a mandatory 7PM meeting.

That is when the bombshell was dropped by Downtown Disney's Vice President. Cast Members were informed that Pleasure Island's 6 clubs would be closing forever in exactly 3 months.....September 27, 2008.  Mannequins, 8TRAX, Soundstage Club, Motion, Comedy Warehouse and The Adventurers Club would be closing for good at 2AM on that future night.
OrlandoSentinel.com broke the news on its website that evening. Sadly, the link to their article no longer works:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/orl-disney
2808jun28,0,2367595.story  In its next morning print edition, the front page headline screamed "The Party Is Over At Pleasure Island".

There was such disbelief that they would really go through with it.  Surely someone would come to their senses and change their mind during the ensuing 3 months. But it happened anyway despite petitions, write-in campaigns and the Save Pleasure Island Blog.
June 27, 2008.  This day in history.

PI Update: Revolving Floor vs Revolving Floor

To our knowledge, only 2 clubs in the United States had revolving dance floors:

^The revolving floor at Mannequins Dance Palace at Pleasure Island, Downtown Disney was extremely large and could carry hundreds of people. It was great fun watching newcomers approach the floor upon arrival and realize it was moving and then watch them try to figure out the best way to get on. The floor closed with the club closing in 2008 but we think it's still hidden beneath a false-floor inside current occupant Morimoto Asia restaurant.

^The only other revolving dance floor we're aware of was ironically not far away. It was located in club Amphitheatre at Ybor City, Tampa.  It was far smaller than the floor at Mannequins and seemed to move a bit faster. With its smaller diameter, a trip around the room progressed quicker. Sadly, the club burned down in 2016. 
Outside the United States, I've read that DaddyO in Cancun, Mexico has a revolving floor as does PopWorld York in York, England. The latter is small and holds just a few people.

PI Update: Adventures In Charity

For the past ten years since the closure of Pleasure Island clubs, Adventures In Charity has been presenting an annual comedy show featuring veteran comedians from Adventurers Club and Comedy Warehouse. This September they will present their final show and advance tickets are available here.

Club Reports: Independent Bar, Aero Bar, Peek Downtown, Treehouse, Gilt Nightclub

Saturday night began as it typically does with a visit to I-Bar!

Because it was particularly early this visit, the dance floor was just beginning to see activity from the Saturday night format of 80's New Wave.

Spotted by the bar: DJ Kimball Collins (USA) with Independent Bar Lighting Tech Ernie. Don't miss Kimball's mid-summer Breaks show at The Beacham on Independence Day Eve featuring not only Kimball but also DJ Icey, Keith Mackenzie, Scratch-D & Wes Smith! Advance tickets here.

Operating on a tight schedule, Aero Bar was next!

DJ Dominick Morrison (USA) in the perch delivering House & EDM.

And during my half hour visit the dance floor went from this.....

To this.....

To this!

Spotted in the booth: DJ Cliff T, DJ Parry & SarahK

Heading back to my car and checking out the goings-on inside Peek Downtown.

Old Skool Breaks off vinyl was the theme of the night!

I sadly couldn't stick around to hear Blog-favorite DJ Heather Collins (USA) play, pictured here with Cesar.

Spotted The Treehouse and I knew I had not visited in a long time!

First you climb the stairs and go up into the tree!

No DJ here, just prerecorded music which last night was 90's.

Always a great vibe in here; everyone is happy!

Of course the main attraction at The Treehouse is grabbing a drink and then chilling picnic style on the grass floor!

The main reason for being out last night was taking place at Gilt Nightclub!

DJ Luccio (USA) was on the decks when I arrived. He was operating off a side table rather than in the main booth.

Because the headliner had the main booth occupied with this equipment!  
Photo Credit: David Monteverde

The Orlando Trance Family was in full attendance! Sold Out show!

Spotted on the dance floor: Karina & Tricia

Spotted by the booth: Denise & Kerri

Spotted by the railing: Paul van Dyk's Number 1 fan!

Spotted in VIP: Donna

Spotted sneaking by: Club Photographer David Monteverde

And a moment later, there he was!

Taking over at 1AM, DJ Paul van Dyk (D).

All Trance, All Night!

Packed to the rafters for this Berlin-based DJ!

The first time I ever saw him play live was in 2013 at Firestone. Last night it was all non-vocal Trance, much off his new album. And as expected, he killed it last night!

And a good time was had by all!