Remembering Pleasure Island

[Zazu]

I so miss Pleasure Island as a whole. First time was on 2001, we had a blast and it slowly got worse from that trip on. Can't imagine why they closed it all up for more shopping.

After CityWalk opened, the nightclubs lost money. The last few years, only the Adventurer's Club and Comedy Warehouse showed a net profit, and even that was lower than the rental income they foresaw from leasing the space to others.

Yeah, from the show side, it looks pretty boneheaded. But from the financial side, that land was being badly underutilized.

And for a corporation, it's all about the money --- and as a stockholder, I think properly so.

Yes, I too miss the AC, and wish something like it would be built either at Disney or elsewhere in town. But this form of entertainment is rare, and the facility requires a major investment in both engineering and entertainment, and both need a lot of maintenance. It will have to be a project based more on love than logic.

Hmm, maybe kickstarter? I know some writers and actors....

[mapo]

From a pure bottom line, yes they lost money on the facilities after City Walk opened.

BUT that was also after the bone heads took the gates off the Island for a second time. And that was after they took out all the entertainment that made Pleasure Island at night an event. THAT is what killed it.

The bone heads that were running DTD told Anaheim that they could make more money with more shops and restaurants. They have yet to show that profit or any real money since the disaster.

Funny thing is that the boneheads in charge kept telling Anaheim that if Pleasure Island was not "in the way" that guests would be willing to go from West Side to Market Place and vice versa. THAT is not true. We have seen that even with the RIver Cruise to enhance travel between the two areas (this is on top of bus transportation) that these people still do not want to go between the two areas.

Now, if the DTD bone heads had done their homework and really looked at the Pleasure Island contribution they would have seen:
* Convention business that has poured out of WDW, never to return since no Adult entertainment available for their participants
* Convention business that have pointedly refused to pay for private parties for their people due to even HIGHER rates since PI closed
* The supposed "poor behavior" that was supposed to be gone with PI guests has simply spread into ill equipped resorts and EPCOT
* The only thing keeping EPCOT afloat since PI closed is a few private parties (ie small Gay Days mixers) and the ability of the "poor behavior" to be embraced and ignored by EPCOT management...nothing like leaving a passed out guest in front of a kiosk at 10 am to make ya feel all family friendly
* the "organized youth activities" continue at DTD in all areas...that will never go away..but now we have significantly less Law Enforcement and Security to handle it
* they alienated the "adult only" and single traveler...a huge demographic that has more disposable income than the average nuclear family

Disney Corp constantly talks about synergy but they completely missed how a vibrant night life venue completes the experience.

Parents are no longer dropping the kids off at the Kid Clubs so Mom and Dad can have a grown up night out

:Pleasure Island debacle is very similar to Grad Nite....we created the event, we branded it, we owned it...then they gave it away on a silver platter. Funny that DCA still has both PI and Grad Nite hmm?

Oh BTW....WDW Grad Nite was never as bad as DL Grad Nite is now...they have kids tripping on acid and ODing...and I understand that their PI patrons are just as bad as their Grad Nite.

The only revenue streams we seem to be courting are nuclear families with girls...princesses. Every other demographic, many with pretty good wallets, are being marginalized. Just how dumb are we going to get before Universal completely owns this family friendly entertainment destination concept in Central Florida.

Oh I almost forgot....the West Side partner restaurants. They had to find out that PI was closing on THE NEWS. THEN, Disney tries to RAISE the rental prices all while the restaurants see over 30% of their business drop. On Thurs nights, the revenue coming in dropped by half. Yeah, half. People would go to Bongo's or Wolf Gang Puck's and have a nice dinner before wandering over to PI to play. House of Blues got hit on dinners too...but now they specialize in having the out of control drunk idiots that spill out into West Side. They over serve, and less OCSO on the DTD run now so ...

BTW Boardwalk is still freaking DEAD. PI closing never helped that venue perk up like they expected. Bone heads said that we close PI people will have to go to Boardwalk...guest fooled them. They just taxi out by the van load to City Walk...Imagine the fare round trip to get to City Walk by taxi! All that money and more could have been in WDW at PI instead.

So let's see..instead of fixing PI and re-imagining how the adult park could regain that "event every night" status, they are sinking tons of money into a venue that people are not spending money but clogging up the walkways. Oh and they STILL do not walk in PI area...and STILL do not make it to "the other end". Disney Quest is just sad...so many things not working and obviously BROKEN..on stage...losing money. Cirque is poorly attended compared to the PI days. Disney sales are down..badly.

City Walk even charges for parking after 6 om now. They are the only "adult park" available now. And I am sorry, you cannot tell me that they are losing money...

mapo

[YANXWIN]

We've only been to World twice and it was in the last few years. Me, the wife(Cinderella), 3 daughters, and 1 son. We love DTD in Cali and thought it would be fun in Florida. Pretty bland. We love World of Disney and a few of the other shops were ok, but overall, we didn't waste much time there. The first time we went, we thought we should spend a half a day there. On the second trip we spent about 2 hours is all. I know it's not supposed to be like one of the parks, so I'm not sure why we were disappointed, but we just didn't get too much out of it. In Cali, we shop, eat, and wander, but that might be because it's close and we can leave a park and go eat at our favorite spots and then go back into the parks really easy.

[WEDFan]

The only revenue streams we seem to be courting are nuclear families with girls...princesses. Every other demographic, many with pretty good wallets, are being marginalized. Just how dumb are we going to get before Universal completely owns this family friendly entertainment destination concept in Central Florida.

A lot of what you wrote really comes home for me. While the World is still the favorite vacation destination for me and my wife, we do often get the feeling that they care less about us than they used to. As I mentioned above, I used to buy a polo shirt every trip. Now, I can't find any I like. I've never been a big fan of the Fab 5, and the Princess theme is right out. The same is true for other merchandise. We used to spend several hundred dollars in the stores, but now, not so much. We get barely anything for ourselves anymore. And having additional shopping experiences in DTD isn't going to get us there.

Also, as much as they advertise gatherings at the World, they really seem to mean family gatherings. We have a number of like-minded friends with whom we go on vacation. Disney makes it hard for groups of adults to plan activities together.

As I said, it's still our favorite vacation spot, but they could make a lot more money from us if they focused some attention on different demographics than a family with princesses.

[shugotenchi]

A lot of what you wrote really comes home for me. While the World is still the favorite vacation destination for me and my wife, we do often get the feeling that they care less about us than they used to. As I mentioned above, I used to buy a polo shirt every trip. Now, I can't find any I like. I've never been a big fan of the Fab 5, and the Princess theme is right out. The same is true for other merchandise. We used to spend several hundred dollars in the stores, but now, not so much. We get barely anything for ourselves anymore. And having additional shopping experiences in DTD isn't going to get us there.

At least part of that has to go to not only to the narrowing scope, but also the quality of the merchandise that's available nowadays. Just browsing the Centorium, as one example, is a disappointing and pointedly generic experience compared to what it was in earlier incarnations. To say nothing of what used to be available in the shop-at-home park catalogs.

Do not speak to me of the "vinylmation" laziness.

For the rest of it... I get that the parks' leadership has been (and will continue to be) reactionary - by which I mean, they see other attractions making money and change the World to emulate them to divert that market segment instead of making their own - and is mired in the somewhat bizarre idea that people go to the parks for the shopping and dining; that may be a case of the culture they come from, personally, I always thought it was for unique experiences, but what do I know?

Well, for certain, I know I'm not only tired of every ride and attraction ending in a gift shop, but that they all end in the exact. Same. One.

[Zazu]

Just browsing the Centorium, as one example....[/i]

Centorium? Sounds like you haven't visited for a while. That shop was changed to Mouse Gear back in 1999!

[WEDFan]

Just browsing the Centorium, as one example....[/i]

Centorium? Sounds like you haven't visited for a while. That shop was changed to Mouse Gear back in 1999!

Isn't it amazing how the names we originally encountered things under stay with us? Fortunately, that never happens to me!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take a ride on the Wedway People Mover.

[hobie16]

shugotenchi

[OldTimePIGuy]

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take a ride on the Wedway People Mover.

I will always call it that forever and ever.

The other one that will never change in my mind is Port Orleans: Riverside The Dixie Landings.

[BRWombat]

Welcome shugotenchi !