Walt Disney World Resort Unveils Bold New Vision for Downtown Disney

[magicman]

People will probably be fired for me saying this BUUuuUT, two Cast Members AND a Bus Driver told me that this is all part of Disney's master plan to exclude kids, families, and adults.

[January-2007]

This is so sad. DH and I just loved the Comedy Warehouse, we were planning on going there so many times on our next trip this Fall, I can't believe they're closing it just a month before we get there! It was such a huge part of our vacations before, I am in disbelief that it's going away. I am so sad now!

[lindique]

I've been reading this thread with interest. There has been one comment that has been repeated a few times that I don't understand: that the Disney Cast is overextended and therefore bringing in outside vendors will relieve some of the problem. But wouldn't the hiring pool for the vendors come from the same Orlando area population?

[Seasonscraps]

People will probably be fired for me saying this BUUuuUT, two Cast Members AND a Bus Driver told me that this is all part of Disney's master plan to exclude kids, families, and adults.

I hope this isn't your real screen name - I would hate for those CMs to find out you told and come after you.

[lockedoutlogic]

I've been reading this thread with interest. There has been one comment that has been repeated a few times that I don't understand: that the Disney Cast is overextended and therefore bringing in outside vendors will relieve some of the problem. But wouldn't the hiring pool for the vendors come from the same Orlando area population?

a good question....

the answer is "no"....

disney is insistent upon doing everything to keep it's pay rates at a standstill....while attempting to maximize worker output and therefore get more for their money.....

by putting it in someone else's hands....say a restaurant group.....then it opens up some new possibilities....

number 1.....it not allows disney to not only shed the pay of the employees....but the benefit costs and the associated HR, management, and other expenses associated with them as well....Disney is a "family" company and has offered medical benefits that are "good" by the standards they set with their pay. They don't want to be viewed as un-family friendly....but they also don't want to pay anymore.....

numero dos..... disney has vehemently exploited florida's "right to work....and be underpaid" laws to effectively union bust.....the primary benefit of that is to keep wages as low as possible.
the problem is that they've gone through the central florida labor pool...and haven't been able to really get people to work at the poverty line pay rates.....but they are not going to increase pay to fix that problem.
Outsourcing takes care of this...as the third party vendor can pay as much as they want to get the locations staffed (the other amusement areas in orlando caught on to this weakness a few years ago and began to pay hourlies more for equivalent tasks to pilfer the labor pool)...and disney's 55,000 existing hourly employees can't cry foul.....because the people in question making more for the same task don't work for disney....

trois.....there is the possibility....though from what's been put out there slight....that disney wants to redistribute the PI employees into other areas....which can allow for development or ease the load on stressed areas....

vier.....i think that disney isn't done with gated parks and attractions.....and to expand more.....they are going to have to outsource.....there is simply not enough labor....let alone labor with applicable skills.....to staff 100,000 positions in florida....

and starting everyone at 15.00 an hour is not an option....
they've tried to alleviate the cost for years.....anyone familiar with the WDW College Program (living...learning....earning?)?

it's a crime how LITTLE disney pays for those kids.....and how their "internship" is conducted....

cheap labor.....is always the goal...it HAS to be....

[mommy2maddi]

I personaly am happy that they are getting away from the "night club thing" in DTD. I think it could be very Un-Disneylike at night there. I have seen some wild things there and think it's best to have DTD free of those kinds of things. I can't wait to see the new DTD when we go in 2009!

[WEDTOPIA]

I'm pretty sure that those of us who appreciate and will sorely miss AC are those who aren't in the search of "watering holes". We love AC because it was a themed evening of entertainment. I usually only ever had 1 or 2 drinks during an entire night there, so I wasn't there to get "watered" (sometimes I just sipped soda all night). Apparently there are many who don't seem to grasp that concept.

Also, I have no interest in Vegas, Rio or Mardi Gras. A little too adult for me (well, except for Vegas, but still not interested). AC had fun, intelligent, engaging entertainment, and made for a fun and enjoyable evening out without a million kids under foot.

So, as an adult, I will miss having an entertaining place to enjoy an evening. As an adult, I need more than a bar....sorry....watering hole... to have a good time. Never was one for sidling up to the bar or hanging around a lounge. One drink, and I'm bored.

You're right. The references to Vegas ,etc. don't really corellate to PI. But ,drinking is very high on the priority list for most who go there. The last time I was there I felt like I was in Pottersville.

Unfortunately ,Disney has to deal with the big picture....80 plus years of building a reputation....... 50 plus years of having to tighten that reputation in the theme parks.....A risk of that reputation being tarnished because of the decision to hold on to a few night clubs that have spawned some very Un-Disneylike behavior.

Let's be honest ,when they opened up the gates , they created a monster. And the PR nightmare is no longer worth it.

They could save a few venues ,such as The Comedy Club , Adventurer's Club , and a dance club and re-build them much farther inside the property and spread them out. This would alleviate the influx of rowdy crowds , but I doubt that Disney would even consider doing that at this point. And I'm sure it would never be like having a nightclub district anyway.

My own personal opinion is that this is a healthy move for Disney. Let's see what they can do with that area. Who knows , you may like it.

[Dave Wise]

I will be sorry to see PI go. My family would often go to DQ and PI at night and never had a problem with anything happening there. I never really went to any of the dance clubs but always went to the Adventurers Club and Comedy Warehouse. Both venues always had a lot of people. The overall crowds at PI do seem to be dwindling but they done few things to try and bring them back. Others have said this and I agree, they should have kept the pay to get in the area model and not changed it to club by club. I think Disney needs an area for adults and a revamp of PI is needed not to destroy it and put more shops. This move will now force me to go off grounds to Universals walk some nights instead of staying on Disney property.

I am especially surprised they would make this move considering all the articles written lately about the numbers of older people without kids who now visit Disney regularly because they were brought up going there frequently.

[Disney_pups2]

I think that this might not have happened had they not made the mistake of letting this area go "single use and armband" it was MUCH better when it was an "entry fee" and keep the riff raff out!!!
Too bad to see this go. It will be missed, but I am of course speaking of the original being missed not this new conglomerate they called "Pleasure Island"... Hopefully they don't "Improve" the area straight out of being desirable!
Sarah k.

[locutus]

While I wish I was able to go to the Comedy Warehouse or the AC more, I'm sure what will replace them will be just as good.


!

Donald_Quakers--no resteraunt or gift shop will be good enough to replace the Comedy Warehouse--or any other club currently there (well maybe the BET soundstage).

[locutus]

I really like being able to stay on property for my evening fun knowing I can take a bus back to my room while there. Now I guess im gonna have to start getting a cab to go to Citywalk. Its awful nice of Disney to start throwing bussiness to Universal.

[crazypoohbear]

People will probably be fired for me saying this BUUuuUT, two Cast Members AND a Bus Driver told me that this is all part of Disney's master plan to exclude kids, families, and adults.

Huh??? Who's left???

[CharlieBrown]

People who believe the Disney Company does everything they do because they like us have inhaled way too much pixie dust.

I'm going to put that on a t-shirt and wear it in the parks next time I go.

I wouldn't put it past Disney to open up The Adventure's Club or the Comedy Club elsewhere on the Disney Property.

Seems like the Adventurers Club would be right at home at the Animal Kingdom (Park or Lodge)


I remember going to Pleasure Island as a young sailor when I was stationed in Orlando in 1991. Back then when we called it "PI" the older sailors would chuckle as "PI" anywhere else in the Navy meant "Phillipine Islands" which pretty much had the same point... booze and women.

[GrumpyFan]

I don't understand why they're closing AC and the Comedy Club. I mean, I can understand the "night/dance clubs", but the other 2 offer something of a unique entertainment experience, which I would see as helping to maintain a balance of dining, shopping and entertainment.
Unless, and this is just wild speculation, they're planning on a new "version" of PI perhaps at the under construction Flamingo Crossing/Western Beltway Expansion.

[Vito]

A few things that Downtown Disney is missing, that in my opinion would really spruce up the area:

1) Adult-only pontoon/partyboat/steamboat cruises. Dancing, music, drinks, live music - it would fill the "night club" aspect that will be gone with the removal of PI.

2) An outdoor theater somewhere - perhaps a screen on the Lake. They show a Disney feature (currently Wall-E for example) for $10, and you get to sit in an outdoor amphitheater and watch the movie (you'd only be able to see the screen from the amphitheater). For $25, say, you can watch the film and get a dinner served. They could even style it to a drive-in like the Sci-Fi at DHS, only it's actually outdoors and shows a recent Disney hit.

3) A fancy fountain show on the water similar to the one at that hotel (Bellagio?) in Vegas. Perhaps nothing that grand, but something along those lines. A few times each night there would be a fountain/lights/laser show set to Disney music. Maybe even a few of those water screens like in Fantasmic. Nothing as extravagant as Fantasmic (no performers), but something that guests might purposely set aside a night at DD to go see.

None of these things would be a large investment in terms of cast members. Nightly performances of these events would cost very little and provide added revenue, in addition to pumping up the energy of the area at night.

[Cinderelley]

I think the comments about using WDW Transportation as a designated driver spoke loudly as to the sort of entertainment WDW was providing, and I just don't see that as Disney's thing.

But this does happen and taking PI away won't change it. Anyone who has a drink at Epcot or with a nice dinner (which could happen at any of these "new" restaurants they are proposing.) could use the transportation as the designated driver. It doesn't mean that they were loaded or anything. It just means that they are being responsible, and for that I say "Thank you." It would be a horrible vacation to have a family member injured because someone was drinking irresponsibly. No matter how small the drink is, it still has an effect.

I'm sure you see Epcot as a Disney thing.

[Cinderelley]

my questions Id like responses to
whats happening to CMs from PI?
Who has gone to PI lately?
Whos has said they would rather have more shopping or Dining at DD rather than clubs or adult places?

1. I don't know
2. I went to PI on my last trip in Sept. Was planning for it again on our next trip this year, in 2009 & in 2010. Cancelled the plans for our trip this year. Will probably cancel 2009 & go to disneyland in 2010.
3. I never said I would rather have more shopping or dining, but if others wanted more, why not just add on instead of just taking stuff away first. I can't believe the characters are going to be gone from LTT also.

[Cinderelley]

Fuego by Sosa Cigars . . . will remain open during the transition."

I would like to know how this figures into a family-friendly atmosphere. Hi kids, Mickey wants you to take up smoking cigars.

[Cinderelley]

again....my hope is the reduction in "disney" workforce at downtown can free up some for improvements in the parks....which is good for everyone.

Unfortunately, I don't think this will work out as well as some people think it will. It's a problem in the nursing profession. There's a shortage, so traveler and registry agencies offer nurses to fill in the gaps. Those agency nurses are paid at a MUCH higher rate than staff nurses. The staff nurses say "why am I still here doing the same job for less pay?" and leave to an agency. Which creates more holes in the staff nursing positions which leads to increased reliance on agency nurses. What's to say that Disney's employees won't just develop the same attitude and go work for the "other" companies at WDW?

[Cinderelley]

.

Yes, this is going to change how I vacation. At this point, I am mad at myself for even getting sucked into this whole disney daze (for lots of reasons, not just the PI changes).

I agree with you 100%. They've recently announced "changes" to many of the things I've loved at WDW. Too many of my favorite things are being taken away for me to feel like going back - esp. after our last stay at CBR and how bad it was.

Boardwalk....Riks at Coronado Springs, and for hundredth time...we don't know what the other experiences are.

If all I wanted was a drink, these might be acceptable alternatives. But that's not what I want. I want the atmosphere that Adventurer's Club and Comedy Warehouse had to offer. I could go in there and not drink a drop of alcohol, but I can't go to any other WDW place and get AC & CW's comedy.