PI Update: Construction Is Moving Quickly

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE  There are plenty of signs around indicating that Pleasure Island is still called Pleasure Island.  So let's take to the air with Save Pleasure Island Blog's official SkyCam and give you a parcel by parcel tour and construction update!

We'll begin our tour directly below at BET Soundstage Club.  The concept art we published a couple days ago shows that the bathroom complex at the far right has been removed.  The building in the art looks somewhat like the Soundstage Building but radically renovated.  Nothing announced for here yet.

Likewise for the Adventurers Club building next door.  The building in the concept art is vaguely shaped like what we see above but with a lot of renovations. Nothing yet announced for here yet either.

Next over is the already-existing Paradiso 37 restaurant.  This is the only thing that has opened on the Island since the clubs were closed in 2008 although it was already under construction.

Nice overview of the eastern end of Pleasure Island with all that construction taking place where Rock'n'Roll Beach Club and Motion used to stand.

Roughly at the midpoint of the construction area, what appears to be an outdoor entertainment amphitheater.  This was an idea that was shown in the Hyperion Wharf concept art and may be a holdover for Disney Springs.

Pointing out here those round cut-outs in the curve raised areas.  Perhaps for trees or perhaps for those magic pillars displayed in that Hyperion Wharf concept art??

This construction area adjacent the pedestrian bypass walkway is where newly announced The Hangar aviation-themed restaurant is going.  The concept art shows this built partially over the water of Village Lake.  The bypass here is temporary, the Pleasure Island water taxi pier appears to still connect here after the bypass is removed.

Construction area for The Boathouse restaurant and shop complex.

And zooming in a bit on that.  This will occupy the corner and also be raised on pylons out over Village Lake, much like RRBC used to be.

We previously pointed out this new construction going up behind where Fuego used to stand. We originally only saw solid block walls but now that the front is being built we can see there will be windows and doors.  What will it be?  I'm guessing another restaurant because Pleasure Island will be Restaurant Island.

After many years of discussion, work is finally underway in this cut-thru area that runs between Raglan Road and Portobello Country Italian Trattoria.  Hyperion Wharf blueprints we published showed one or two shops being built along one side of this avenue.  It is because of this area and Disney's desire to route foot traffic through here that Motion was demolished.

At Mannequins, something is being built adjacent the future restaurant building.  Don't know if this is a future entryway into Mannequins or something unrelated altogether.

The construction permit we published says both Mannequins and 8TRAX are being combined into a restaurant but that doesn't mean they can't be two different restaurants sharing a common kitchen.  But something is being built at the front entrance in the spot where the former entryway was demolished.

This new construction next to 8TRAX is on the land where the PI copy of the world's crookedest street was located and it takes advantage of the hill that used to be there.

Part of the hill has been dug-away to allow this to be a 2-story or higher structure throughout.

Looking down on West End Plaza where Comedy Warehouse once stood.  Supposedly the new steak house is supposed to be going where CW used to be.  Don't see anything happening here yet.  Some PI offices and the employee cafeteria used to exist under the plaza so it's possible they could return to under there since the plaza is not being demolished.

Lastly, looking from Planet Hollywood over to this area where a new bridge will connect over to the Island.  Not much new here since our last visit.  Tomorrow we'll have some more pics from elsewhere in Downtown Disney!

Breaking News: Pleasure Island Sign Removed!

This is what the Pleasure Island sign looked like at night just a week ago.  High atop Mannequins, it along with the search lights scanning the sky were the beacons that represented nightlife fun for adults visiting Walt Disney World.

You will never see that view again. The lighted letters that spelled out PLEASURE ISLAND have been permanently removed and Pleasure Island is no more.  We'll soon see if "The Landing", "Disney Springs" or something else goes up there instead!  

Tomorrow morning on the Blog we'll have exclusive construction photos for you from Pleasure Island!

This Weekend In Techno Town

THURSDAY APR 24  Hard to believe we're already at the final weekend of April. Start it early with DJ Mark Knight (GB) playing tomorrow night at Roxy Nightclub.  House.  ($10) 

Also tomorrow night, female DJ duo Posso (USA) brings their California-based House / Electro show to Tier Nightclub downtown!  ($10)

FRIDAY APR 25  If it's the last Friday of the month, that can only mean one thing; Lost in Trancelation at Bikkuri Lounge!  Resident DJ's Robb Blak and Agni welcome guest DJ KC Killjoy (USA)!  (FREE)

SATURDAY APR 26  It don't get much better than this!  An all-female Breaks lineup this Saturday night at Suite B Lounge featuring DJ Jennifer Marley (Party95.com) along with DJK8 and Funkbaby!  ($5)

And over at Firestone Live they have DJ Simon Patterson (GB) performing!  He's a resident DJ on radio network BBC1 in the UK and is known for his Trance shows!  ($15-20)

PI Update: New Concept Art Provides Lots Of Information

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE  New concept art released by Disney on one of their Twitter feeds this past weekend displays an air view of Downtown Disney and in particular, Pleasure Island.  From this there is all kinds of information that can be garnered!  Keep in mind that Disney Springs is the new name for what is a very much enlarged Downtown Disney while The Landing is the new name for what is currently Pleasure Island.

Starting at the bottom right, we see refurbished Planet Hollywood restaurant. Whether it retains the PH name or the previously announced Observatory name remains to be seen.  What we do see is that the ground level has lots of bright windows lit so it appears the bottom will be used for something open to the public. We also see a new bridge connecting the PH area directly over to PI.  Notice that the connection on the Island is at the Island's lower level. Further to the left we see that the current No. 4 arch bridge still connects the West Side to the Island.  Like today, the bridge passes over the lower level walkway and connects at what was most recently West End Plaza/Celebration Plaza at an upper level. The mystery is over.  PI retains a two level dynamic.

At the left corner, what is currently BET Soundstage appears to remain standing.  The two levels of windows are still there.  The Adventurers Club building seems to still be there as well.  Paradiso 37 of course comes next along Village Lake.  Notice that the temporary PI pedestrian bypass is gone.  After Paradiso 37 comes the water taxi dock followed by a new building that sits out over the water.  The Walt Disney World Magic website reports this will be an aviation-themed restaurant called The Hangar.  Beyond that is the lighthouse & classic old boat-themed Boat House Restaurant.  The outdoor amphitheater would be in that green area near The Hangar.  

Coming back around the other way we see Mannequins & 8TRAX still standing with new fronts built onto them on the Hill Street side. The construction permit the Blog previously posted indicates the two are being combined into an unknown restaurant.  Finally, in the space where Comedy Warehouse once stood, the unnamed steak house sits on the upper level while the lower level wraps behind it as it did with CW.  

Exciting times!  Feel free to post your comments!

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

I don't have an article this morning so we'll start your week out with the theme song to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Can never get enough of this song and this particular video lets you hear it 5 times.  But be forewarned; you might be humming this all day!  Enjoy!

Club Reports: Independent Bar, Eye Spy, Suite B Lounge

Saturday night in the city and this time beginning things at Independent Bar rather than ending here!

Resident DJ Indie John pumping out early to mid-80's New Wave dance hits!

Dance floor was pretty full but not quite as many partiers as last Saturday night.

Best 80's night in Orlando every weekend!

Spotted in VIP: Orlando high society members CJ in a short dress and combat boots with Devon in skinny jeans and over-the-knee boots!

Next stop Eye Spy.

In the mix with DJ Parry!

Crowded here too but not as much as some weekends.

He was crossing between EDM and Hip Hop hits during my visit!

Not sure if I was moving or she was moving or we both were moving, but I got this quick blurry snapshot of Renee (Love & Leather) wearing another one of her awesome necklace designs!

Moving next to Suite B Lounge for a night of Breakbeats!

And just in time.....NLP DJ Matrix ending his set and turning over controls to the world famous DJ Sharaz (USA)!

And it only got louder in the club as he mixed some Old Skool Breaks with some selections off his latest album "Been There Done That"!

The place was pretty full when I arrived around 1am.....

But the line of people outside continued to come in!

Suite B added some great new lighting and other effects earlier this year!

Hadn't seen Sharaz perform since he played at Fusion Ultra Lounge last May!

NLP VJ Og Wolf supervising the action!

Lots of bouncing to the sounds!

You can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Spotted: DJ CD Mack had opened the show hours earlier.

Spotted: NLP DJ K8

Spotted in soft focus: NLP DJ Beni Hill

And a good time was had by all!

PI Update: Updated Photos

Save Pleasure Island Blog reader Hayley has shared some photos with us that she recently took while riding on the Characters In Flight tethered balloon.  This pic of Pleasure Island is particularly useful in that it shows what we speculated in last Tuesday's article was an outdoor amphitheater being built where Rock'n'Roll Beach Club used to stand.  This picture certainly supports that what is being built there has the curved look of an outdoor concert venue of some sort.  Also of interest in this picture is the waterside construction of the new Boat House restaurant plus a new building in the space behind where Fuego by Sosa Cigars used to stand.  Take a look at construction adjacent Mannequins and then a new building going up next to 8TRAX where the Curl by Sammy Duval/Superstar Studios building used to be.  

At Downtown Disney West Side, a look at construction at Bongo's Lawn which is being turned into Food Truck Park.  Activity here seems to be moving at a slower pace than active on the Island.  At the rear a good look at parking garage construction.  Big thanks to reader Hayley for sharing this with us!!!