A clearer look at what may become of Pleasure Island
Jim Hill Media begins a two part story today with an article about the apparently eventual dismantling of what we now know of as Pleasure Island. This is a topic that has been discussed for quite some time as this very slow process of remaking the entertainment complex crawls along. But what will become of it in the end? Here’s what Mr. Hill has to say…
These days, PI’s remaining clubs are on the endangered species list. As Mickey whittles away at what once made Pleasure Island unique so that this area can then conform to Downtown Disney’s new battle plan. Which calls for this faux big-city environment that’s ” … alive with excitement, unique shops, restaurants and entertainment!”
So where once WDI’s main concern was making sure that this Disney Village Marketplace expansion area was as quirky as possible (hence the Island’s whole Merryweather Pleasure backstory), now Disney’s goal for PI is improve its sightlines & flow-thru. Which is why a footbridge to the West Side as well as a water taxi dock were added to this section of Downtown Disney early last year.
This may not be a very popular opinion, but I like this idea. I know the original Pleasure Island was an imaginative, offbeat and funky place to go after the parks closed, but I just found it a poor value for the money. Paying the nearly $25 per person to enter the bars just made it too expensive to go more than once a trip. When it was part of your multi-day pass, perhaps we didn’t notice as much, but now it is not hard to see how much you are spending to go to a bar. Meantime, there are other good places to drink, like Raglan Road or the House of Blues, which do not charge a big cover.
If Disney expands on the West Side theme with another cool spot with lots of shops and bars, I will be there often. It may not be full of the over-the-top themed establishments that the original Pleasure Island had, but what good are they if I can’t afford to go?
Mr. Hill will continue this story tomorrow when he talks about the fate and potential relocation of the beloved Adventurer’s Club. Mouse Extra will of course be ready to offer our take and what the future holds for this famous drinking hole.
mike said,
February 14, 2008 @ 7:39 pm
I like it as well. I wish they would bring back the Jazz place though
KingBob said,
February 15, 2008 @ 11:55 pm
Rather than a grand scheme for Pleasure Island, I’ve gotten the distinct impression that Disney is making this up as they go. Last year they finally ditched the teens out of the clubs and they experimented with bringing in more locals by offering the Buy 1 Night, get 5 months Free deal. Neither apparently made much of a big deal. They had already added the new line-of-sight bridge to West Side but then they close the building with the stores and fast food restaurant, renovate it and then leave it empty for nearly two years. And now they close down RRBC and still no one admits to knowing whether they’re going to renovate it or tear it down and build a luxury bowling alley. My impression is that more and more of the island will be privatized with Disney making a percentage of sales, but that a core of night clubs will remain. The $25 for one night is steep but $5 gets you 5 more nights and that makes it a decent deal. The island is still crowded a few nights every week.