Good-bye Pleasure Island

June 27, 2008, 6:27 PM · ORLANDO - Walt Disney World's nightclub district soon will be history.

Disney announced today that it will close the Pleasure Island nightclubs, including Mannequins, 8Trax, Adventures Club and others, on Sept. 27. The closure will allow redevelopment of the area as part of a revamp of the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district.

The over-21-oriented Pleasure Island now splits the more family-oriented Marketplace and West Side sections of Downtown Disney, making for awkward guest flow through the area. Of course, the elimination of P.I. will leave a large market for night life up for grabs, since Disney's P.I. killed nightclubs throughout the rest of the Orlando area after it opened in 1989.

Replies (12)

June 28, 2008 at 2:03 AM · That seems really odd to me considering the night life is limited in the near vicinity of Disney World. Does anyone know if this was caused by lack of profit, or increased public disturbances (drunken idiots), or some other bizarre reasoning?

Sad, I was looking forward to going to PI within the next few years. Downtown Disney isn't exactly what I'd call great late night fun for the 21 and up crowd. But then again, it is Disney!

June 28, 2008 at 4:04 AM · Here's the link to the Orlando Sentinel's article about this.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/orl-disney2808jun28,0,2367595.story?track=rss

June 28, 2008 at 5:28 AM · It's sad that Adventurer's Club and Improv will be gone, but I'm sure the Imagineers (with the help of the marketing department) will put in new attractions that will draw the teeming masses in record numbers.

Still, I think the AC concept would translate well to a chain of themed restaurants...

June 28, 2008 at 6:13 AM · Kungaloosh! Say it ain't so!!!!

There is a "Bad News" / "Good News" aspect to the closing of The Adventurer's Club.

The Bad News (of course) is this remarkable lounge is closing at PI. TAC is (without question) one of the best bars in Central Florida. The atmosphere was unlike any other. The entertainment was SPOT ON! We would go to PI and spend the entire night watching every one of the library shows. Along with the late Great Big Bamboo Lounge of Kissimmee, TAC was my personal favorite when it comes to bending the elbow.

(And Please Note: If you surf over to You Tube there are a bunch of clips of Adventure's Club! Thank God for You Tube!)

So what's the Good News? It may someday return!

According to Jim Hill Media Disney has kicked around the idea for a fifth theme park (Disney's Nightime Kingdom [DNK] - Link Below). Regarding the concept Mr. Hill reports: "Speaking of arriving ... Guests will enter DNK through a new, super-sized version of the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island. As you & your family are registering for that night's activities, the club's members will entertain as well as offer hints about the extraordinary adventures that await you."

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2008/02/14/night-kingdom-to-reimagine-the-disney-theme-park-going-experience.aspx

Having said all of this, please join me now in a stirring rendition of TAC well known wall-resident/artifact, The Colonel's favorite version of the Sound of Music classic "Do -Re-Mi"

Dough - I use to buy my beer
Ray - The guy I buy beer from
Me - The guy, I buy beer for.
Fa - (Pause) - It's not "fa" to the stooooooore
So - I think I'll have a beeeeer!
La - (Pause) - La, la, la, la, la, laaaaaaaaa
Tea? - No thanks I'll have a beer
That is 'til I have no dooooooooough!

Once again Kungaloosh!

June 28, 2008 at 7:24 AM · Thanks, TH, for putting two and two together with PI and Night Kingdom. Now this moves makes a great deal more sense. By closing PI, Disney:

1) Provides coherence to Downtown Disney and makes it more family-friendly.
2) Clears out its self-competition for the more grown-up oriented Night Kingdom, where the best concepts from PI go to be resurrected.

BTW, Night Kingdom is not just a rumor. I've talked with enough well-connected people here in Orlando this week to convince me that the concept is a go, though it is not under construction yet.

June 28, 2008 at 10:36 AM · Although the Night Kingdom is a phenomenal idea, I'm so crushed to see PI go - it was my favorite clubbing strip. You could carry your drinks between clubs, the variety was amazing, and security was very friendly but well-protective to the point that I have never seen any incidents. I saw a guy puke in a bush on my last trip, but the security simply got him a cab home.

I am particularly going to miss The Adventurer's Club, my all-time favorite bar. It was one of the most phenomenal improvisation troupes I've seen, and a great place to pre-drink if you wanted to go dancing.

One of my favorites:

"His name is Ted
His name is Ted
He's a hero by the name of Ted
And by hero, I must mean a sandwich
'Cause he certainly is inbred"

R.I.P. P.I.

P.S. -- I'm starting a Discussion thread on Adventurer's Club moments you loved.

P.P.S. -- Robert, maybe the Vote of the Week could be for your favorite PI club.

June 28, 2008 at 12:48 PM · I have been to the PI night clubs and I honestly do not think it is that big of a deal. Downtown Orlando has some great lounges and also hosts some of the best LIVE music the country has to offer! The covers are less expensive as are the beverages. I LOVE Disney, but any day of the week there is better music entertainment in downtown Orlando!
June 29, 2008 at 6:01 AM · This is an absolutely terrible! I say do not get rid of the Adventurer's Club!

There was nothing like it!

June 29, 2008 at 1:17 PM · That's a real shame. I was hoping to visit Pleasure Island at some point. Now it looks like I won't get to, unless I manage to get to go earlier.
June 30, 2008 at 7:28 AM · This is definitely a blow to my plans for my trip in 2010. I was going to go there and I am so bummed about it. I guess like everything else. All good things must come to an end.
June 30, 2008 at 10:37 AM · I guess I am only getting drunk in Epcot from now on...one more reason for me to always put a day aside for Universal City Walk...as if Margaritaville wasn't enough?

The convenience of having the PI hotspots was that I didn't have to leave property to get that clubbie feel. I have been drinking there for years on every vacation down there. At least one night was shooting pool at the R&R beach club, jello shots in the streets and the NYE celebration that mysteriously vanished one year.

Aw-well, Disney is always looking for ways to improve foot traffic through their parks and attractions, but to kill the PI nightlife? I think they will loose much of the nightly 21-41 age set if there is no place for them to get drinks other than Bongo's and that new Irish pub...which BTW, if they take down the Irish pub they just put up...I might just get a bunch of thugs together and "jump" the mouse, tie him up "fight club" style and tell him what is what.

Family fun is now taking over the parents night-time escape...awesome

June 30, 2008 at 2:47 PM · I agree, Lee - I'm disappointed they dropped the adult entertainment. I'm a night owl, and as great as Extra Magic Hours are, I need to get my dance on.

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