Club Reports: Permanent Vacation, Good Times Bar & Grill, Barbarella 3.0

Saturday night in the city and instead of returning downtown, we headed to the burbs. We began in north suburban Maitland where The Copper Rocket has been in business for more than 20 years and remains popular. And hidden within, this door to a place called Permanent Vacation.

Opening that door (slowly) brings you into a small foyer where the Attendant confirms your reservation and brings you into the main room where you're greeted by this skull wall. You are now inside a tiki bar.

To the side, this long bar stocked with all kinds of peculiar concoctions. There is bar seating, multiple tables plus two semi-private tiki rooms if you have a group.

The drink menu is already in front of you and it comes with a tiny flashlight to help read it in the dim lighting.

My companions for the evening.

 

Each drink is delivered with its own unique mini-show. My "Rain Killer" drink came with a darkening of the room, lighting and thunder and waitress delivery with an umbrella.

The place is jammed with African and south Pacific theming. We won't show any more because you need to experience this for yourself. Walt Disney World has Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at the Polynesian Village Resort. Maitland has Permanent Vacation. Reservations are a must here. Admission is free.

As long as we were checking out Maitland nightlife, we wanted to revisit Fredster's over on Keller Road in the former Silly Grape spot. But we arrived to find it's now called Good Times Bar & Grill.

Downtown Orlando may be dead this weekend but this place was packed with live band The Franchise Players (USA) playing.

The music was mostly 70's & 80's classic hits and they had the dance floor jammed. The Franchise Players play often on the Waterside Stage, Disney Springs Marketplace.

Between band sets, recorded music such as the "Cupid Shuffle" kept the dance floor full.

There is definitely an older crowd here, kind of like what you used to find at the old Why Not Lounge inside the Holiday Inn-Altamonte Springs back in the day.

When this was Fredster's, Orlando Weekly stated “Retirees pack the dance floor to test out their new hips” and “What’s old is old again.”OW appears to have removed those comments, lol. Admission is generally free except when a special band is playing. The band ends at 11PM so come early.

We next headed one exit south along I-4 to Lee Road in Winter Park, home to The Axe Trap. And on Saturday nights, home to Barbarella version 3.0. 

We walked in to a crowd.

Just as it should be on a Saturday night, resident DJ Indie John (USA) was in the booth.

The music, mostly 80's New Wave.

Music by the likes of The Cure (GB), New Order (GB), Nitzer Ebb (GB), Peter Murphy (GB) and more!

A bit later, DJ Rob Bates (USA) took over and continued with all that great stuff.

Lots of beautiful Barbarella girls on hand such as Alison.

Susan

Renee

Some INXS (AUS) kept the dance floor active.

If you've not been to the new Barbarella, you need to come check it out. Admission is $10 and parking is free. There's a full liquor bar too. A good time was had by all.