PI Update: Remembering The Lombard Promendade

The so-called Lombard Promenade was a gift from Meriweather Adam Pleasure to his wife Isabella following a visit to San Francisco where they discovered the equally-curvy Lombard Street. So he replicated it on Pleasure Island.

 

This was the Lombard Promenade. Even after the clubs closed, this feature allowed pedestrians to travel from the Island's lower level to the upper level.

The height difference between the lower and upper levels of Pleasure Island are still there today, of course. It's just blocked now by the WC building beside STK Steakhouse (upper level) and a different WC building next to 8TRAX (lower level). A service court exists behind the wood doors. But no promenade. Poor Isabella.

PI Update: Gideon's Success

There is no doubt that Gideon's Bakehouse has been a huge success. Replacing a loser shop like Erwin Pearl Jewelry in that prime spot at The Hub, the place opened to huge lines!

On our recent morning visit the line stretched to Mannequins. In the year after they had opened, the lines stretched past Mannequins and all the way around to the ground floor at 8TRAX.

Friday Funny

 

This Weekend In Techno Town

Even though I'm out of town this weekend, there are some good events for you to attend!

THU    20JUL     IRON COW     Thump: DJ Amber Jane (USA)

THU    20JUL     GILT CONCERT VENUE     DJ VLCN (USA)

SAT     22JUL     VANGUARD     Nero (GB) - DJ set

SAT     22JUL     HENAO     Shade: DJ Brennen Grey (USA)

SAT     22JUL     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Martin Ikin (GB) 

SUN    23JUL     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Fleur Shore (GB)

SUN    23JUL     McQUEENS     DJ m.ON.R.O.E. (USA)

DS Update: Summer House Crawl

Construction of new restaurant Summer House is moving right along. This is located along the main pedestrian pathway in Disney Springs West Side where Bongo's Cuban Cafe once stood.

View from that main pathway shows this will be a 2-story venue with perhaps even an outdoor balcony to dine on. You'll recall that Bongo's had an outdoor balcony.

East-facing view.

West-facing view.

Opening 2023? Given Disney's construction track record at Disney Springs and given just 5.5 months still remaining in 2023, we're skeptical. But we'll keep a close watch.

Trip Report: Bob On The Go!

Bob is on the go again, this time to visit the Tour de France. Blog articles might appear at strange times due to time differences but keep checking back, especially for weekly features such as "This Weekend In Techno Town" and "Friday Funny".

For those that know IATA airline and airport codes, this trip includes just 4 flight segments:

DL     MCO-JFK

DL     JFK-GVA

U2     CDG-LGW

ZO     LGW-MCO

Concert Report: Freestyle Explosion (Amway Center) & Freestyle Flashback (High Tide)

Freestyle singer Cynthia (USA) was looking great at last night's "Freestyle Explosion" show at Amway Center. Sister website Orlando Entertainment News has the pics here.

 

Downtown Update: Remembering 3 Years Ago This Month

Three years ago this month we were still in the middle of the Covid-19 scare in Orlando but things were slowly reopening. But overall downtown was pretty bleak. Today over on Orlando Entertainment News we look back at downtown' "scene". The link is here.

 

Friday Funny

PI Update: Let's Visit Our Clubs

Let's cross this bridge one more time to beautiful Pleasure Island to check out our clubs!

Adventurers Club is still here. Check!

 

8TRAX is still here. Check!

And Mannequins is still here. Check! All-in-all, a great day at Pleasure Island.

This Weekend In Techno Town

Super-busy weekend coming up!

THU   13JUL     CELINE     DJ Spag Heddy (NL)

THU   13JUL     COOL KATS CLUB     DJ Duke (USA) & DJ Derek Fereal (USA) 

THU   13JUL     GILT CONCERT VENUE     DJ duo Dubdogz (BR)         

FRI     14JUL     VANGUARD     DJ duo Bonnie x Clyde (USA)

FRI     14JUL     BARBARELLA     Memento Mori: DJ Lavidicus (USA)

FRI     14JUL     IRON COW     DJ Lee Coombs (GB/USA)

SAT    15JUL     IRON COW     DJ Jask (USA)

SAT    15JUL     VANGUARD     DJ Morgan Page (USA) & DJ Arty (RUS)

SAT    15JUL     HIGH TIDE     Freestyle Afterparty: DJ Jimmy Joslin (USA)

SAT    15JUL     GRUMPYS     DJ Spark-D (USA)

SAT     15JUL     CABANA LIVE (Sanford)     DJ AfrodisiaX (USA)

SUN   16JUL     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Natalia Roth (USA)

DS Update: Please, Just Don't Call It SIN!

OK, it's now official. On the Sunday night of Labor Day weekend, at House of Blues in Disney Springs West Side, the return of the Labor Day Bash. Starring DJ Icey (USA) & DJ Magic Mike (USA) with guest stars DJ Jimmy Joslin (USA), Stanton Warriors (GB) and DJ Si-Dog (USA). Last year was absolutely packed and anyone who is anyone was there! This is a ticketed event which you can buy in person at the House of Blues box office (Daily except Mondays) or online.More details on Orlando Entertainment News here. Please, just don't call it SIN!

PI Update: A Stroll Down Hill Street Ten Years Ago

Let's cross this bridge one more time to beautiful Pleasure Island.....10 years ago this month!

A final view of Laffers Cantina and Comedy Warehouse shortly before they were razed. Not pictured but across the street from this view, BET Soundstage and Adventurers Club remained blocked but idle.

A we stroll down Hill Street, construction walls are everywhere. Curl by Sammy Duval store would relocate to the West Side and this building would also get demolished. The attraction Superstar Studios had occupied the building prior to Curl.

A quick look at 8TRAX. That front tan-colored section would get removed to make room for a strip of new retail stores. We're told the area immediately behind those new stores was never renovated and supposedly still looks like small section of 8TRAX caught in time. Further back, the rest of 8TRAX became part of the kitchen of Morimoto Asia.

This building that once housed Changing Attitudes, Orlando Harley-Davidson and Apricot Lane remains. A number of retail outlets occupied the renovated corner but they came and went. Current tenant Gideon's Bakehouse is immensely popular though.

Nearing the Hub, Fuego by Sosa Cigars remained operational in July. 2013.

But peeking over that left wall would show us where Motion and Rock'N'Roll Beach Club once stood. There were the first two clubs to be demolished.

Club Reports: Monkey Bar, Barbarella, Orlando Amphitheater

He was really difficult to see in the fog they created as it blew across the stage. But at times the wind blew it away and we were able to glimpse Illenium (USA) up there. Sister website Orlando Entertainment News has the Saturday night pictures here.

ADH Update: Largest Crowd We've Ever Witnessed!

Last night was DisNite '23 at Atlantic Dance Hall and it was the largest crowd we've ever witnessed there. You've got to see all the pictures on Orlando Entertainment News here.

 

Friday Funny

 

DTD Update: Ridemakerz Appears Again

We all remember Ridemakerz, the store for boys who wanted to make race cars. Well they've reappeared again, this time at the Florida Mall in the wing between Macy's and Build-A-Bear Workshop.

You'll recall that after the PI clubs closed in September, 2008, Virgin Megastore in Downtown Disney West Side followed suit in May, 2009. Thus, there were two huge gaps of "nothing". The Virgin space was temporarily occupied by the short-lived Princess Diana Museum and then in 2010 by Ridemakerz. For those of you who have missed them, check them out at Florida Mall.

This Weekend In Techno Town

A small but decent selection of shows this weekend!

FRI     07JUL     CELINE     DJ Lee Foss (USA)

FRI     07JUL     IRON COW     DJ Freeda Sol (USA)

SAT    08JUL     ORLANDO FAIRGROUNDS     DJ Illenium (USA)

SAT    08JUL     HENAO CONTEMPORARY CNTR     DJ Carlos Mendoza (USA)

SUN   09JUL     ELIXIR BAR     DJ Classmatic (BR) & DJ Tony Guerra (YV)

DS Update: The Return Of SIN?

SIN is a 4-letter word around Disney Springs. It was a long-running Service Industry Night (SIN) in Downtown Disney at House of Blues and after the PI clubs closed, it was pretty much the only place where one could dance to electronic dance music. Long a thorn in Disney's side, it was finally shut down in late-2015. Since then there has been several one-off events, usually around holidays. And this coming Labor Day weekend, on Sunday night, there will be another one-off event.We'll post a flyer and details as soon as we get them. Please, just don't call it SIN.

DS Update: Splitsville?

It's hard to believe it but Splitsville opened in 2012 which means it will be 11 years old later this year!

Because some of the preopening signs on he building advertised "Dancing", we were all excited for the opening because that meant 4 years after the closure of the clubs, dancing would be returning. And when they did finally open, there was indeed a DJ stationed upstairs playing Top 40 music one could dance to!

 

But a lack of advertising meant it fizzled out quickly. Eventually there was a small stage downstairs offering live bands but it never caught-on either and we have no idea what the current status of Splitsville is. It's a bowling alley with a restaurant and that's all we know. As a bowling alley, it seems to do well.