Disney's Pleasure Island still evolving

I can remember the days, when PI was a bustling, adult entertainment nighttime venue. It was a great feeling to go there, knowing, there would not be kids running around and acting like heathens. It was one of the few places, on WDW property, that adults could be adults in an adult setting. Now that Disney has made PI, essentially, another retail venue for 'people of all ages', there essentially is only one place on WDW property that adults that want to enjoy their evening with adults only, can go: Victoria and Alberts.

I know WDW is a family destination, but for decades Disney was able to offer venues that were adult specific; places to go after the kids went to bed. Now, WDW is totally kidfest, everywhere you go. I see this as the national trend, these days, though. People, adults, sacrifice their entire adulthood for their kids. It's pretty sad, actually. And then, when you go out in public, you can see adults having that lack of real, adult only interaction because now, people talk to their kids like they were thirty. It's very distorted, if you sit back and watch what WDW is embracing and the direction Amercian adults are going.

PI used to be a fun place to go with friends. Especially loved bringing newcomers. But, Disney's management decided that the creative things that made the Island so much fun (fireworks, confetti, dancers, live music, etc.) weren't worth the cost to the bottom line. The fact is that, to them, entertainment costs too much; hence the closing of the Rock & Roll Beach Club. Expect yet another retail store to occupy that site. One would almost wonder if Disney wouldn't be satisfied until they charged for parking turned the entire Westside/Downtown Disney area into one huge flea market,(complete with low-paying jobs and high merchandise prices), minus the trailer trash image, of course.

Bring back PI admission fees! It'll help keep the rabble out.

P.I. is such sh*t that even the tourists don't go there and it's almost always dead. The price to get in is robbery too.

This is true of just about every place you go, in Florida. CityWalk, at Universal, is even worse and for the most part always has been. If PI were to go back to a paid gate status, I think many of the trouble makers would not go. But, Disney isn't going to do that, since the profit return on retail is much quicker than nightclubs.

PI is not fun anymore wrote:

Last time we went to PI it was a nightmare. The clubs there used to be a lot of fun to hang out at and safe. Now it's mostly young puerto ricans running around and acting up. It seems like when they get out they don't know how to behave. PI has lost of its gloss and class. The theatres there are rowdy too. They constantly were running in and out all during the movies. Wish they would learn some manners and class when they go out. Who wants to go there and deal with a crowd like that?

Disney opened P I to compete with the nighttime dollars that were going to Church Street station. The Adult's theme made is successful for over a decade. I have to believe this ongoing plan has been a diaster to the bottom line of P I. Now with Church Street about to reopen I think the adult nightlife will once again go downtown just like it did in the 70's and 80's.

I also like the previous PI more than the current incarnation. The poster who said Disney wants more and more retail is right on the money. Please, bring back the admission charge, make the place 21 and over and beef up the entertainment. There are plenty of places on WDW property to shop and less and less entertainment venues, especially ones that are adult-oriented. You still can't get into the nightclubs without the admission, but the kids have taken over (and ruined) the rest of the place.

My wife and I really like to shop at Market Place but try to avoid PI except for cigars and DisQuest. We spend alot of time and money at MP but hate to park there we take the ferry from our resort (OKW)or take a bus

Disney!!!! What are you doing?!?! The beach club has great live entertainment. Don't put in a retail store! Are you nuts?

Disney!!! What are you doing. The Beach club has great LIVE entertainment. Don't put in a retail store! Are you nuts?

bud wrote:

is that the reason you now have people being mugged in the parking lot? Never heard of that until the last year or so.

The politically term for the troublemakers are 'local youths'.
We all know what that really means. And yes, the 'local youths' have been a huge part of the security problem since the gate charges were removed. It seems that the 'local youths' hang around outside of the nightclubs listening to the hip-hop music being played in the street.

DVC Member wrote:

<quoted text>
It seems that the 'local youths' hang around outside of the nightclubs listening to the hip-hop music being played in the street.

Exactly. They can loiter around and not spend any money and harass people as well. And Disney thinks that removing the admission charges and jamming the place with bodies increases revenue. The kids hanging around don't spend a cent and end up costing Disney since people who normally would go and spend money will forego the place because it looks like a ghetto street corner.

Did you know that HERE LOCAL 737 Secretary-Treasuer Margie Engals was suspended from office by a Public Review Board? The Union Local 737 is now under Trusteship and former leader Engels has lost complete financial control and has agreed not to run for office again for three years, had paid back all monies "misused" plus penalties, had her salary cut from $86,000 per year to $36,000 , and other officers like Tracey Pevehouse were also removed from power and had her salary cut from $66,000 to $25,000 - YOU CAN SEE IT FOR YOURSELF AT - www.union-reports.dol.gov - check their LM-2 Forms for 2005 & 2006. You will see the huge pay cuts, the different officers listed as Trustee & Deputy Trustee,(neither of which is former officers) and at bottom of 2006 LM-2 Report you will see "Question 19" - the answer states that - "A former officer has resigned and agreed not to seek office for three years, the local is now under trusteeship" --- that really spells out that the officers were OUSTED by the Public Review Board - This happened in January 2006 - but knowing the crook Margie Engels is she probably kept the information from her own members and the press. A recent article from Ft. Laud Sun- Sentinel that details similar thing happening in Miami at local 355 - now all HERE Locals in Florida have had their officers removed for theft - or "misusing" money. DO Disney members even know their local is under Trusteeship?

What's that have to do with the PI topic of discussion?

CORRUPT HERE wrote:

Did you know that HERE LOCAL 737 Secretary-Treasuer Margie Engals was suspended from office by a Public Review Board? The Union Local 737 is now under Trusteship and former leader Engels has lost complete financial control and has agreed not to run for office again for three years, had paid back all monies "misused" plus penalties, had her salary cut from $86,000 per year to $36,000 , and other officers like Tracey Pevehouse were also removed from power and had her salary cut from $66,000 to $25,000 - YOU CAN SEE IT FOR YOURSELF AT - www.union-reports.dol.gov - check their LM-2 Forms for 2005 & 2006. You will see the huge pay cuts, the different officers listed as Trustee & Deputy Trustee,(neither of which is former officers) and at bottom of 2006 LM-2 Report you will see "Question 19" - the answer states that - "A former officer has resigned and agreed not to seek office for three years, the local is now under trusteeship" --- that really spells out that the officers were OUSTED by the Public Review Board - This happened in January 2006 - but knowing the crook Margie Engels is she probably kept the information from her own members and the press. A recent article from Ft. Laud Sun- Sentinel that details similar thing happening in Miami at local 355 - now all HERE Locals in Florida have had their officers removed for theft - or "misusing" money. DO Disney members even know their local is under Trusteeship?

NoMorePI wrote:

PI used to be a fun place to go with friends. Especially loved bringing newcomers. But, Disney's management decided that the creative things that made the Island so much fun (fireworks, confetti, dancers, live music, etc.) weren't worth the cost to the bottom line. The fact is that, to them, entertainment costs too much; hence the closing of the Rock & Roll Beach Club. Expect yet another retail store to occupy that site. One would almost wonder if Disney wouldn't be satisfied until they charged for parking turned the entire Westside/Downtown Disney area into one huge flea market,(complete with low-paying jobs and high merchandise prices), minus the trailer trash image, of course.

You're actually right on the money. PI used to be THE place to hang out...the place was constantly packed...long lines just to get through the turnstiles. The dancers, live entertainment, fireworks, etc., were all a part of the overall experience. Locals and tourists alike loved it.
I can't recall the exact year it all went downhill...probably around 2001 or 2002...when they started their renovations and cut the dancers. They then raised drink prices to new highs. I recently was out there for a bachelorette party and ordered a beer. I was charged nearly six bucks for ONE beer. A friend ordered a gin/tonic and that was nearly nine bucks.
It's a shame that Disney has allowed this place to take such a fall. I've heard dozens of complaints over the years but management - regardless of the number of complaints - still doesn't get it.
As "No More PI" mentioned parking: I wouldn't be surprised if they start charging guests for parking, too.

Parents use Downtown Disney as a free babysitting service to dump their kids for the evening. Minorities, in particular, are nortorious for this. When security attempts to corral the riff raff, parents accuse us of prejudice

Former PI pass holder wrote:

<quoted text>
You're actually right on the money. PI used to be THE place to hang out...the place was constantly packed...long lines just to get through the turnstiles. The dancers, live entertainment, fireworks, etc., were all a part of the overall experience. Locals and tourists alike loved it.
I can't recall the exact year it all went downhill...probably around 2001 or 2002...when they started their renovations and cut the dancers. They then raised drink prices to new highs. I recently was out there for a bachelorette party and ordered a beer. I was charged nearly six bucks for ONE beer. A friend ordered a gin/tonic and that was nearly nine bucks.
It's a shame that Disney has allowed this place to take such a fall. I've heard dozens of complaints over the years but management - regardless of the number of complaints - still doesn't get it.
As "No More PI" mentioned parking: I wouldn't be surprised if they start charging guests for parking, too.

Not only are you going to have to pay to park there, Mannequins is also closing. They want to combine it with the current 8-Traxx to from one huge club. How many will that leave? What happened to competing with Universal and Downtown Orlando??? what a shame....

This is most ignorant piece of commentary I've heard since the separatists' march in Jena.

Jewish Disney World wrote:

Folks Walt Disney SUCKS! Pleasure Ialand is where my wife and I were attacked by 3 Orange County Deputies. We did nothing wrong. These cops are just pure scum-bags.When the Courts asked Disney for the surveillance video's to show what happen ,Disney said they could not find any?? This is a Jewish LIE!! You see folks I understand Disney is run by Jews? My friends think it's the Jews who are breaking our Laws down in America today? Somebody is that's for sure. People are getting away with murder today in America. It was a very powerful Jewish Family that bought the Orlando navy Base for next to nothing. It was the Hyatt Company that is run by the Pritzker Family. They bought the Base for a fraction of what it was worth. Could my friends be right? Folks I know Disney has several camera's in the area where we were. Disney will protect criminals that work on their JEWISH PROPERTY!! 3 Of Disney's security Guards filed false police reports for the crooked cops. Only one of of these guards still works for the Walt Disney Jewish World. I myself hate crooked cops and Politicans and crooked Companies like Disney. We are not the only people who have ever been abused by crooked cops at Disney. There are plenty more from what I'm told..

Jewish Disney World wrote:

Folks Walt Disney SUCKS! Pleasure Ialand is where my wife and I were attacked by 3 Orange County Deputies. We did nothing wrong. These cops are just pure scum-bags.When the Courts asked Disney for the surveillance video's to show what happen ,Disney said they could not find any?? This is a Jewish LIE!! You see folks I understand Disney is run by Jews? My friends think it's the Jews who are breaking our Laws down in America today? Somebody is that's for sure. People are getting away with murder today in America. It was a very powerful Jewish Family that bought the Orlando navy Base for next to nothing. It was the Hyatt Company that is run by the Pritzker Family. They bought the Base for a fraction of what it was worth. Could my friends be right? Folks I know Disney has several camera's in the area where we were. Disney will protect criminals that work on their JEWISH PROPERTY!! 3 Of Disney's security Guards filed false police reports for the crooked cops. Only one of of these guards still works for the Walt Disney Jewish World. I myself hate crooked cops and Politicans and crooked Companies like Disney. We are not the only people who have ever been abused by crooked cops at Disney. There are plenty more from what I'm told..

Wow. "Insightful" and timely commentary for this MLK day, don't you think?!?!

Please, stay in North Carolina. I'm a proud southerner but what does one's religion have to do with this article?

"This is a Jewish lie!" that one is hilarious! You should gather some more old saws and hit comedy club circuit and tour this contrasting country of ours! This could be a career (you obviously have enough PASSION for musing your bigoted drivel)!

I believe you'll find a scant few who agree or would even tolerate your rhetoric. Easy to be brave online, but do you express these thoughts in public as well?