Walt Disney World Resort Unveils Bold New Vision for Downtown Disney

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm with you. Are there people who don't go to DTD because of a lack of dining and shopping options? Won't this just canabalize the already exisiting shops and restuarants?

I hope they are "cannibalizing" their dining locations.....

because I...for one....am sick of two hours waits and "sorry...we're booked" at the restaurants.....

the more restaurants....the merrier......

i hope they continue to add food until none of the restaurants are full....it's good for the guest....

by the way.....don't think that the fact that they've added 900 vacation club units in the past five years within walking distance didn't play a BIG part in this decision.....

that is at least 2000 extra guests at all times within a short range of the facilities at downtown.....

[rnin02]

I think the closing of Pleasure Island clubs is tragic. Allow me to explain:

Disney has always been family-oriented. All four parks, two water parks and a whole shwack (did I just say shwack? Yes.) of other activities give you many, many options to have fun as a family, a couple, and it even occupies your time if you're traveling single. People of all ages - zero to 100+ could enjoy everything in the world - except the ONE thing that remained adult themed: Pleasure Island clubs. The closing of the Soundstage, Comedy Warehouse, Motion, etc. etc. was the only place where couples, groups of adults, and probably even single travelers (speaking from experience) could get away from the "little ones", have a few beverages, and dance, laugh, and have a good time. Every night club in the world (the real world) has its problems; there are always rowdy tourists in almost every resort so you think it'd be something that visitors to bars/clubs would almost be used to.

I know Disney World is geared towards EVERY age imaginable, but it was so nice to have the option to spend time solely with adults, and a mostly-mature crowd. Now with Disney shutting down this option completely, where do those guests go? I feel like a huge part of the (WD) world will be missing. I think they should at least leave one club open; maybe two of them. To see every club close makes me also hope that they're going to do something amazing with the experience they have in store for us after the renovations. But do we honestly need more shopping in WDW? Restaurants even? They are taking away a large part of the world and that service will no longer be offered. The closest you will get to being in a club experience is one of the lounges in the resorts. Which is fine...but definitely not the same.

No matter what we say, how many petitions get signed…the deal is done; Disney is now just waiting until the 28th of September to rip down the clubs.

My last memory was in the club called Motion, last September, where to this day I declare was one of the best nights I ever spent in WDW. Hanging out with cast members, sharing stories, great music playing, sipping on rum...the experience was amazing...and sadly, it won't be repeated thanks to WDW's decision to close the clubs.

So, what am I to do? An avid lover of Pleasure Island; do I book a flight over September long weekend, spend $2500 (for 2 people) and enjoy it while it lasts? If I was able to book holidays I would however I just started a new job a while ago and am not entitled to holidays yet. I along with several hundred other guests am saddened by this news. It's the end of what was always a stellar part of my WDW vacation.

It won’t stop me from going to WDW. I’ll always go back to WDW as much as possible…but there will always be “that one thing missing” from my vacation now. That experience is Pleasure Island.

Pleasure Island will be remembered for many as having good times and great memories..and sadly, that's all it'll have to offer after September 28, 2008.

Chris

Well said, I totally agree.

[WonderlandsMostWanted]

While making this decision based on "what guests want" is referred to in the press release, I don't think they specifically asked for more shopping/restaurants in that space. People, including many on this board, have been complaining a lot over the last few years about the sorts of people hanging around in PI; upswing in crime, the loitering, the gang-like activity that's popped up in the news, the muggings, etc. I'm not surprised that enough people have complained about that sort of thing and have wanted those problems fixed, to persuade Disney to revamp the area in a way that would likely deter these sorts of behaviors/crowds. A lot of people have been upset about what’s seen as a flood of locals swarming the area to get drunk and party on the weekends, and a lot of folks are not comfortable themselves in the area during that time, let alone with families.

So, while I doubt many people have specifically asked to have the clubs replaced with more shopping and food, I do believe there has been enough outcry for change, that they wanted come up with something less appealing to the drinking/partying crowd, and this is what they’ve come up with.

In addition to the change in atmosphere, like others have mentioned, people are always complaining that ADRs book up so fast, that nobody can get into a restaurant anymore. This would be an appropriate response to those complaints as well.

I don’t have to like it, but I guess I understand it. I’m really, really going to miss the Adventurer’s Club. 

Kungaloosh.

[Goes4FastPass]

I thought Disney touted itself being the number one honeymoon destination in the world.

Where are those honeymooners supposed to go? Bippity Boppity Boutique?

[Seasonscraps]

I thought Disney touted itself being the number one honeymoon destination in the world.

Where are those honeymooners supposed to go? Bippity Boppity Boutique?

City Walk

[Goes4FastPass]

...the sorts of people hanging around in PI; upswing in crime, the loitering, the gang-like activity that's popped up in the news, the muggings, etc....the area to get drunk and party on the weekends...

I didn't see any of this in the Adventurer's Club. Maybe a menacing butler now and then.

Folks, I just we could say "Disney managers believe they can make more profits by making changes to DTD". There's no reason for them to explain or apologize for that [except to the people who bought Water Parks and More (now less)]. Isn't it silly to think the Disney Company does everything it does because, "it's what our guests told us they want". Isn't that what they said about replacing morning EMH with Character Caravan?

[lockedoutlogic]

I thought Disney touted itself being the number one honeymoon destination in the world.

Where are those honeymooners supposed to go? Bippity Boppity Boutique?

i'm guessing you never have taken a good hard look at who is honeymooning there.....

you'd have your question answered....

[Goes4FastPass]

i'm guessing you never have taken a good hard look at who is honeymooning there.....

you'd have your question answered....

I'm confused. Are you saying Disney Honeymooners don't go to PI?

[WonderlandsMostWanted]

I didn't see any of this in the Adventurer's Club. Maybe a menacing butler now and then.

Nobody ever said it was in the AC specifically, but Pleasure Island area in general.

[Septbride2002]

This change doesn't realy effect us to much - we stay at the Boardwalk so if we want a sports bar we just go down to ESPN - however it would be nice for them to also put one at DTD because I think it would help with the traffic the one on the Boardwalk gets.

We did the comedy club once - it was fun. We didn't "get" Adventure's Club but it was PACKED when we went.

I'll admitt that DTD isn't a big part of our trip, typically we go there one morning - go to the stores, grab some Earl of Sandwich and a Ghiradelli's ice cream and go back to the resort pool by 1pm.

I am sorry to all those AC fans who are going to lose their place.

I honeymooned at WDW and the only thing we did at DTD was shop and see La Nouba. We were 22 and 24 when we got married - so young - but we just weren't club people so the clubs held no interest for either one of us.

~Amanda

[rnin02]

I'm confused. Are you saying Disney Honeymooners don't go to PI?

I'm confused too. We honeymooned at PI, and frequented PI on our honeymoon, as we have done on other trips. I saw many other honeymooners there as well...

[Dixie Springs]

Good info/good riddance PI! I wish they would turn it into a themed parking lot between West Side & Marketplace

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm confused. Are you saying Disney Honeymooners don't go to PI?

no....but i'm saying that honeymooners and weddings customers at WDW aren't there because they hit it with a dart thrown at a map....

they're there because it's "Disney".....

so while many if not most have enjoyed PI over the years.....

the lack of PI will deter few.....


by the way....my wife and i are disney "skeptics" who both squeezed ourselves through the corporate meat grinder.....absolutely detest the bride and groom mouseears.....

and STILL got married in EPCOT and drug 75 people there kicking an screaming.....

so i'm not just randomly spouting here......i've been there....

[CaptSmee]

I'm sorry to say this is an area that Universal got right, and Disney did not. The club's at City Walk are thriving and some of the most popluar in Orlando. Maybe Disney just gave up because of this?

[Crow]

I signed the petition & emailed Disney. not that it will do any good...
but also, I havent gone in the PI clubs last few times. I should have.
will they serve in the stores?
and if the stores & eateries are outsourced, that means less CMs Disney needs right?
so what is happening w the CMs there? thats something we should be looking at too.

[ktflisa]

Mixed emotions here... DH and I loved Pleasure Island 12 years ago - and even loved it right up until they quit charging "at the gate". Something just got screwed up after that. But we have many fond memories of Comedy Warehouse, Beach Club, 8-Traxx, and the New Year's Celebration. They certainly were recipients of plenty of our money.

That said - we try to go every year so having something new could be fun, too. I will mostly miss Comedy Warehouse. We have a great comedy improv club here in Austin, thankfully -
so maybe it will satisfy our comedy urge.

Looking forward to hearing about the developments since our next visit is delayed to Fall of 2009....

[snifflesmcg]

My BF is going to cry his eyes out! The Adventurer's Club is his favorite thing to do in WDW (besides Fantasmic). We are going to Florida in September and will be there the 25th I hope it's still open for one last laugh.

PS-I hope they keep it toward the adult side of things. I love going there knowing there won't be piles of kids everywhere and there are people my own age.

[KineGirl]

Though Ive never gone to the AC or the CW (I wanted to .. maybe I will this upcoming trip) I personally am not going to miss this version of PI at all. Ive been several times over the past 15 years and every time its gotten systematically worse. It really all started when they took away New Years Eve party. It used to be the only reason I really went. I never found the dance clubs particularly cool or trendy or fun. And now thats they stopped charging at the gate and has morphed into a more "family friendly" atmosphere its just plain bad. Hopefully they will do good things with the change - keep whats good (sounds like AC was good) and lose the bad.

[big blue and hairy]

One of the assumptions being made here may or may not turn out to be true. Because Disney is not running these clubs anymore doesn't seem to guarantee that there won't be any club type places.

Disney is closing all the clubs in September. That doesn't mean another company couldn't reopen one of the properties as a club. It could very well be all dining and shopping, but there may be a club or two thrown in, too.

[Tekneek]

We were at the Adventurer's Club last night and it was confirmed that it's closing in September - the cast members found out yesterday, too. I sure wish we could save it - it's one of my favorite things at WDW - totally unique and very fun.

That is the only part of Pleasure Island that I had been looking forward to visiting in the future.