PI Update: Wherefore Art Thou Mannequins?

Mannequins Mannequins, wherefore art thou Mannequins?

In the area where guests are allowed to walk near Raglan Road, a canopy completely covers the scaffolding and obscures any looks inside.  This is the former front entrance to MDP where the theater marquee used to stand proudly.

The south facade facing the former PI parking lot is completely exposed!  Notice that the interior stairs that we posted just two weeks ago here are not gone.

That area that sticks out of Mannequins will have a large glass expanse facing the Springs.  Towards the rear we can see the 8TRAX metal building as well as the 8TRAX roundhouse where the circular stairs led to the club's highest level.

Peeking inside to the upstairs.  Lots of new girders.

Peeking inside to the new room that is in the building's northeast corner.  That doorway to the rear would lead you past Mannequins former main bar and onto the dance floor.  I know Dawn, Bobby C and Gordo are in there somewhere!

PI Update: Latest Shopping Photos

New sign in Downtown Disney West Side still calls it Pleasure Island.  So it must be!

So let's cross the No. 4 Bridge and check it out!

At West End Plaza aka Celebration Plaza, this new construction that looks like an old time railroad depot is home to the Island's new bathroom center.  We suspect the new STK restaurant is hidden right behind it.

The bathrooms inside are very narrow, an indication that the rest of the building behind it will have another use!

Continuing east, Art of Shaving is in a newly constructed building built roughly where the old Curl by Sammy Duval (formerly Superstar Studios) building once stood.

Next down Hill Street is the Sanuk flip-flop store.  This is new construction that stands where the front section of 8TRAX once stood.

And you can see 8TRAX standing right behind it!

Next is the new 4-plex building that stands where the Apricot Lane / Orlando Harley Davidson / Changing Attitudes building stood.  There has been no announcement or permit yet on this westernmost spot in the building.  That iron gate on the far right goes into the service corridor and directly to what was one time Mannequins' smokers patio.

Coming down the hill, we have newly opened Sound Lion and Apex by Sunglass Hut.

The fourth tenant in the building, located right at The Hub, will be Erwin Pearl Jewelry.  Their build-out permit was just recently filed with Orange County so it won't be long.

No permits, no rumors on this new building directly across from the new outdoor amphitheater at Waterview Park.

The so-called Motion Corridor is the narrow opening that previously was the service court for Raglan Road and Portobello Yacht Club.  It's now home to 3 retail establishments, two on the left and one on the right.

On the right we have the new Havainnas flip flop store.

On the left, Chapel Hats.

And gluten-free baked goods from Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC.  Come on out to beautiful Pleasure Island and see this all for yourself!

PI Update: Bypass Causeway Demolition

Two years ago when Pleasure Island was undergoing extensive demolition and construction work, it was necessary to build a pedestrian bypass causeway over the waters of Village Lake and around the Island itself.  The bypass was supposedly temporary and with Hill Street on the Island now reopened for foot traffic, the bypass is indeed closed.

But the causeway is still attached to the West Side near the Characters In Flight balloon ride and goes past BET Soundstage and Adventurers Club.

And it still leads to the Pleasure Island water taxi boat dock, although the dock is not in use at this time.  You can see here that the causeway now ends at the dock and has been demolished east of that point.

Pilings remain where the causeway used to curve back onto Pleasure Island near Paradiso 37.

And this picture shows where the causeway actually connected back to the Island.  Will be interesting to see if the Pleasure Island (or The Landing) will still have its own water taxi dock.  It seems kind of pointless to get on a water taxi at the West Side by House of Blues and then get off at the PI dock only to have to walk back over to the West Side.  Maybe the dock will be moved over to this point adjacent the new Hanger Bar and then the remainder of the causeway can be removed.  We'll see.

Club Reports: Vanity Nightclub, Suite B Lounge

Was thinking of going to see Waka Flocka (USA) at Venue 578 last night but ended up passing on the idea and instead returned to two tried and true homes of EDM beginning with Vanity Nightclub.

Walt Disney World's DJ Elliot was on the decks when I arrived, playing a House/Dance mix!

He was tag-teaming with DJ Chris Tavi who was surprisingly playing Hip Hip.

Dance floor was pretty full although not quite as crowded as we saw one week earlier for guest DJ Miss Jennifer from Pacha in NYC.

Didn't hear any Deep House this week; it was mostly commercial House.

Good times down on the floor!

DJ Elliot won the DJ Takeover contest last week in Las Vegas!  You can hear his very Disney set on SoundCloud here.

You can never go wrong with Go Go girls!

Spotted backstage: DJ Elliot with his main squeeze Lindsay.

Vanity remains one of my downtown favorites!

Approaching 1am it was time to head over to Suite B Lounge, Orlando's home for Breaks.

Found DJ Si-Dog Silas in the booth putting out dem Breakbeats!

Decent crowd in the club!

Dance floor stayed moderately occupied.

Don't miss Si-Dog's DogEatDog Records annual Pool Party on the Congress Hotel rooftop on March 29th in South Beach featuring DJ Icey, Deekline, Baby Anne, Keith Mackenzie, Fixx and many more. Tickets here.

Spotted on the dance floor: The "she's everywhere" promoter SarahV along with DJ J-Dub & Christina.

DJ Seth Vogt taking over around 1:30am!

Promoter Scotty Fraser proving that you can never go wrong with Go Go boys!

At both Vanity & Suite B, a good time was had by all!

Club Report: Club Epic

Seems like my visits to certain nightclubs comes in clumps and such is the case too with Club Epic where I'm dropping by for the third weekend in a row!

DJ Matrix was in the booth when I arrived last night, putting on the Breaks!

The crowd nothing like one week earlier when Matrix opened for DJ's Fixx and Baby Anne!

Just a small number of peeps in the club enjoying some great music!

Epic Door Host Angel was looking cool channeling a 70's vibe!

DJ Davie-D coming on next with more Breakbeats!

Spotted on the dance floor:  DJ Funkbaby & MC Marybeth

Spotted by the booth: DJ E-Z & Promoter Pete Manos

Spotted by the bar: DJ Junglebot who had played earlier.

Epic is located on Pine Street in the spot where clubs Syn and 57West were once located.  They're working to make Fridays here a regular Breaks night.  For the way too few that were there last night, a good time was had by all!