GymLeaderPhil
Well-Known Member
Kirk has his real name on his name tag every night. :wave:
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Say goodbye to ALL the clubs at PI.
- Thread starter Used2BePluto
- Start date
raven
Well-Known Member
Personally I'm kinda not surprised to see Disney change this whoe area after it's been declining for 8 years. Back in 2000 I remember the place was booming with nightlife, shopping and restaurants. When I walked through there in May I was depressed to see most of the shops empty, a lot of the clubs closed and the carnival atmosphere had vanished. There used to be midway games, DJs, pastry shops and tons of excitement on the island. Now... not so much.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
So Mr. Lansberry spent a few years working at Disneyland in the Team Disney Anaheim building. And he is overseeing the closing of Pleasure Island and the installation of a balloon ride.
More and more I think Mr. Lansberry and his team are trying to turn Lake Buena Vista, Florida into Irvine, California. Undoubtedly when he worked at Disneyland Mr. Lansberry visited the popular Irvine Spectrum entertainment mega-mall, and perhaps he went for a ride in the Irvine Great Park balloon ride. Both are found 15 minutes south of Disneyland.
http://www.ocgp.org/gpb/default.asp The Balloon Ride
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irvine_Spectrum The Entertainment Mall
Point is, all of these ideas have been done before, and are all currently operating in upper middle class suburbs like Irvine, California. This is not the "bold new vision" that Mr. Lansberry wants to portray. It's a mall just like other malls already operating.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Sigh...
I'm with most of you. I don't really care about the dance clubs, but losing the Comedy Warehouse and Adventurer's Club is a huge loss, though. I have so many great memories at those clubs.
Kungaloosh... RIP.
I'm with most of you. I don't really care about the dance clubs, but losing the Comedy Warehouse and Adventurer's Club is a huge loss, though. I have so many great memories at those clubs.
Kungaloosh... RIP.
krankenstein
Well-Known Member
I'm not going to argue any of that with you. This isn't the thread for that...and honestly I don't feel like it.
All I meant was the end of Disney's Pleasure Island will help Universal's CityWalk to certain extent. Locals who would go to Pleasure Island might now consider going to CityWalk more often. That is all I meant, sorry for the vagueness of the comment.
jeffrey orl fla
New Member
Farewell Mannequins
I am truly saddened by this news. Mannequins has been my special place, probably even more so than the parks themselves, since I moved here in 1994. I can always go there on a Thursday and see someone I know. Its the only place in town where I actually have a regular bartender, who I'm always happy to see and chat with. Its also been a place to go with friends, and those have been some of the best times there. Admittedly, I have no idea how it does financially on the other nights of the week, and I realize business is business - if its not making money, time to move on. But certainly, for those of us who made it a regular hangout, it will be missed. I can only hope that somehow they save the building so the whole memory isn't gone. Perhaps a restaurant with a rotating floor? It just seems too good to throw away. What will we all do on the Thursday before Gay Days next year - I think there will be a lot of disappointed faces when people walk up to it next year and learn its gone. My only other hope at this point is that the management will get an earful and decide to throw one last great mid-night countdown party with the classic dance show, confetti, and fireworks that made it such a fun place during the height of its success in the 90's. I'll be there for the closing night. Do you think they'll make a commemorative pin for that?
I am truly saddened by this news. Mannequins has been my special place, probably even more so than the parks themselves, since I moved here in 1994. I can always go there on a Thursday and see someone I know. Its the only place in town where I actually have a regular bartender, who I'm always happy to see and chat with. Its also been a place to go with friends, and those have been some of the best times there. Admittedly, I have no idea how it does financially on the other nights of the week, and I realize business is business - if its not making money, time to move on. But certainly, for those of us who made it a regular hangout, it will be missed. I can only hope that somehow they save the building so the whole memory isn't gone. Perhaps a restaurant with a rotating floor? It just seems too good to throw away. What will we all do on the Thursday before Gay Days next year - I think there will be a lot of disappointed faces when people walk up to it next year and learn its gone. My only other hope at this point is that the management will get an earful and decide to throw one last great mid-night countdown party with the classic dance show, confetti, and fireworks that made it such a fun place during the height of its success in the 90's. I'll be there for the closing night. Do you think they'll make a commemorative pin for that?
CaptainMichael
Well-Known Member
Exactly.
polarboi
Member
Jeffrey, I'm with ya dude.
Although I live out of town, Mannequins has always been my special place too, whenever I'm in Florida. It's the one place in the world I most love to go to dance and hang out, where I feel safe and can just let loose and have a good time. It might not have been everyone's cup of tea, but it has long been one of my most favorite things about the World.
I know it's just a place, but this is a really deep and personal loss for me, moreso than probably anything else at the World would have been.
-p.b.
Although I live out of town, Mannequins has always been my special place too, whenever I'm in Florida. It's the one place in the world I most love to go to dance and hang out, where I feel safe and can just let loose and have a good time. It might not have been everyone's cup of tea, but it has long been one of my most favorite things about the World.
I know it's just a place, but this is a really deep and personal loss for me, moreso than probably anything else at the World would have been.
-p.b.
More Disney Tradition gone to "the man"
Leave it to the Modern Day Disney Exec. to destroy a long traditional to make some extra cash. Especially knowing that thousands of Cast Members and College Program Cast Members use PI as a SAFE, and fun alternative to downtown...... but Disney doesn't care. It's time for a "bold new vision".... in other words... profits are down so lets change to a strip mall..... sounds great.
Not to mention the "gay" Thursday night crowd who gives so much to PI and the Disney Company as a whole. Why not a least keep one or two clubs????
Also, i spoke with some of the Cast Members who work there.... so far all the know is that they are being "placed later on" to other locations in the Company. That's just sad..... Year of a million dreams will end for thousands on Sept 28, 2008.
Buy hey.... more over priced dinning options!!!!
Leave it to the Modern Day Disney Exec. to destroy a long traditional to make some extra cash. Especially knowing that thousands of Cast Members and College Program Cast Members use PI as a SAFE, and fun alternative to downtown...... but Disney doesn't care. It's time for a "bold new vision".... in other words... profits are down so lets change to a strip mall..... sounds great.
Not to mention the "gay" Thursday night crowd who gives so much to PI and the Disney Company as a whole. Why not a least keep one or two clubs????
Also, i spoke with some of the Cast Members who work there.... so far all the know is that they are being "placed later on" to other locations in the Company. That's just sad..... Year of a million dreams will end for thousands on Sept 28, 2008.
Buy hey.... more over priced dinning options!!!!
TravisMT81
Well-Known Member
polarboi and wdwkid my thoughts exactly. I am not sure where I will hang out now. The place is like "cheers" to me.
Snoballego
Active Member
Farewell and Thank You for the awesome memories and opportunities Pleasure Island....
I’d like to share some of my fondest memories from PI. I did three tours of the WDWCP Summer Program (2000, 2001, and 2002). I spent many Cast Member Appreciation nights during my Vista Way days at PI. Summer 2000 was the last great WDWCP class by the way. Everything changed after...which is another 1k word post (but let me know if you want to hear why). Best summers of my life were spent in O-town.
-I believe the first two summers that we were counting down the “new year” every night. Summer 2002 - we had to make enough noise to bring it to level 4 party at midnight to extend “curfew” through 2 am. Absolute genius - the countdowns and fireworks never got old.
-Cast Member Appeciation Nights: My first summer when I was under 21 - we would pre-game at the Vista Way and then roll into 8 Trax/BET feeling good. We had all heard the “horror stories” of WDWCP Cast Members being sent home for underage drinking on their nights off at PI. When my friends from back home visited - I told them how on edge all the WDWCP Cast Members were about getting caught in any kind of mischief at PI and the threat that they would be immediately terminated and sent home. So my friends would stupidly talk unbelievable amounts of smack to everyone knowing that everyone would just keep apologizing and avoiding confrontation.
-Dragging the same visiting friends from out of town into Men-iquins and not telling them up front that it was a “man” bar. It was always funny to watch their faces when it clicked that there are quite a few grown men slow dancing together. Then we would get the heck out of there.
-“The PI Game” was introduced to me. My male room mates and myself would get dropped off at the PI (parking could get rough) at 1:30 am and we would be every man for himself getting back home with a strange new female Vista Way friend. I am a complete geek/dork and always did some nice work.
-Midway through each summer having multiple situations going on with females at Vista Way that you had to be constantly looking over your shoulder to not be seen by certain females while you were with another female. You’d end up hanging out at the Jazz Club while all of your friends were dancing at the main stage. I know some of the former male and female Vista Way All-Stars ran similar game too and can relate to having to be on your toes.
-My room mate receiving a lifetime ban from the Comedy Club for heckling the comedians. I was laughing so hard that it hurt. One of the comedians was picking on some poor fellow and his girlfriend in the front row and my roommate out of nowhere was so funny and so on point and he completely slammed the comedians (esp. this one lady comedian with a mullet). He got a standing O as he was escorted out. I always enjoyed the Adventurer’s Club and Comedy Club on a date. (On a side note: I hated with a passion when the crew wanted to go to Jelly Roll’s - same 6 songs over and over)
-The evolution of the cool places to hang out. Summer 2000 it was 8 trax and the main stage area. Summer 2001 - the country bar became motions (top 40) and it was a huge success. Summer 2002 - Motions continued and BET had great DJs and a great place to dance.
Thanks for letting me take a trip down memory lane. Darn - I'm getting old.
I’d like to share some of my fondest memories from PI. I did three tours of the WDWCP Summer Program (2000, 2001, and 2002). I spent many Cast Member Appreciation nights during my Vista Way days at PI. Summer 2000 was the last great WDWCP class by the way. Everything changed after...which is another 1k word post (but let me know if you want to hear why). Best summers of my life were spent in O-town.
-I believe the first two summers that we were counting down the “new year” every night. Summer 2002 - we had to make enough noise to bring it to level 4 party at midnight to extend “curfew” through 2 am. Absolute genius - the countdowns and fireworks never got old.
-Cast Member Appeciation Nights: My first summer when I was under 21 - we would pre-game at the Vista Way and then roll into 8 Trax/BET feeling good. We had all heard the “horror stories” of WDWCP Cast Members being sent home for underage drinking on their nights off at PI. When my friends from back home visited - I told them how on edge all the WDWCP Cast Members were about getting caught in any kind of mischief at PI and the threat that they would be immediately terminated and sent home. So my friends would stupidly talk unbelievable amounts of smack to everyone knowing that everyone would just keep apologizing and avoiding confrontation.
-Dragging the same visiting friends from out of town into Men-iquins and not telling them up front that it was a “man” bar. It was always funny to watch their faces when it clicked that there are quite a few grown men slow dancing together. Then we would get the heck out of there.
-“The PI Game” was introduced to me. My male room mates and myself would get dropped off at the PI (parking could get rough) at 1:30 am and we would be every man for himself getting back home with a strange new female Vista Way friend. I am a complete geek/dork and always did some nice work.
-Midway through each summer having multiple situations going on with females at Vista Way that you had to be constantly looking over your shoulder to not be seen by certain females while you were with another female. You’d end up hanging out at the Jazz Club while all of your friends were dancing at the main stage. I know some of the former male and female Vista Way All-Stars ran similar game too and can relate to having to be on your toes.
-My room mate receiving a lifetime ban from the Comedy Club for heckling the comedians. I was laughing so hard that it hurt. One of the comedians was picking on some poor fellow and his girlfriend in the front row and my roommate out of nowhere was so funny and so on point and he completely slammed the comedians (esp. this one lady comedian with a mullet). He got a standing O as he was escorted out. I always enjoyed the Adventurer’s Club and Comedy Club on a date. (On a side note: I hated with a passion when the crew wanted to go to Jelly Roll’s - same 6 songs over and over)
-The evolution of the cool places to hang out. Summer 2000 it was 8 trax and the main stage area. Summer 2001 - the country bar became motions (top 40) and it was a huge success. Summer 2002 - Motions continued and BET had great DJs and a great place to dance.
Thanks for letting me take a trip down memory lane. Darn - I'm getting old.
CityOfIndustry
New Member
Well as someone who was on the island tonight I can fill you in a little bit more, but as they did not tell cast members much I dont have much to share.
Kevin "I Have an MBA from Rollins so I Must Know Everything" Lansberry gathered all of the Island workers in Motion before the clubs opened (delaying the opening of all 6 of them). He then proceeded to tell everyone his "bold" news. Some cast got to ask questions and he answered a few and declined to comment on many. He did say that Adventurers is gone. Period. He said he knew of no plans to move it or any plans to turn it into a park attraction of any kind. He also said that they will make every effort to asorb labor into the parks and resorts (but I have a hard time seeing what you will do with that many DJ's, that many bartenders, that many techs... ops can go anywhere but the rest are specialized and most areas in entertainment and conventions are already fully staffed and looking to make cuts themselves). He also failed to comment on why new people were hired to the Island in the past few weeks, why they continued to train new hires at PI, why renovations have continued to move forward in clubs and why management was left in the dark until hours before the rest of the cast found out.
He did tell cast that Fultons and its sister next door would undergo some renovations. Wow... two overpriced restaurants getting a face lift... that sure makes up for killing the Adventurers Club!
I am so glad that Disney is destroying truly unique entertainment to replace it with crap you can see and do while you are at home, but here you get to pay twice as much and lug it all back with you... Doesn't that sound bold and new and exciting???? :brick:
I'm glad that an entertainment company is throwing out all of its entertainment offerings! The company is now headed in reverse. Congrats Bob Iger, Al Weiss, Jay Rasulo, Meg Crofton and Kevin Lansburry. Good job at running some of the best and most unique clubs in the world into the ground. -- You all suck at life!!!
This is what happens when you leave the creative people out and let the pencil pushers run the world. I'm glad Disney World is allowing the California dweebs take over and dictate policy for them. Just shows you how spineless and lacking in creativity the people at the top truly are; this is the first time I can say I miss Eisner... (and I must say with that I was a major proponent of Roy Disney and his efforts so for me to speak nicly about Mikey Eisner say a lot...) at least he had the vision to see that Disney could reinvent the club industry.. its just a real shame he didn't help maintain it and keep it cutting edge... he let his pencil pushers take over and allow Universal to steal its creative thinkers away to create City Walk.
Merriweather Pleasure would be sad to see what Disney has done to his island... I will make sure to have a drink in his honor come September 27th.
Kevin "I Have an MBA from Rollins so I Must Know Everything" Lansberry gathered all of the Island workers in Motion before the clubs opened (delaying the opening of all 6 of them). He then proceeded to tell everyone his "bold" news. Some cast got to ask questions and he answered a few and declined to comment on many. He did say that Adventurers is gone. Period. He said he knew of no plans to move it or any plans to turn it into a park attraction of any kind. He also said that they will make every effort to asorb labor into the parks and resorts (but I have a hard time seeing what you will do with that many DJ's, that many bartenders, that many techs... ops can go anywhere but the rest are specialized and most areas in entertainment and conventions are already fully staffed and looking to make cuts themselves). He also failed to comment on why new people were hired to the Island in the past few weeks, why they continued to train new hires at PI, why renovations have continued to move forward in clubs and why management was left in the dark until hours before the rest of the cast found out.
He did tell cast that Fultons and its sister next door would undergo some renovations. Wow... two overpriced restaurants getting a face lift... that sure makes up for killing the Adventurers Club!
I am so glad that Disney is destroying truly unique entertainment to replace it with crap you can see and do while you are at home, but here you get to pay twice as much and lug it all back with you... Doesn't that sound bold and new and exciting???? :brick:
I'm glad that an entertainment company is throwing out all of its entertainment offerings! The company is now headed in reverse. Congrats Bob Iger, Al Weiss, Jay Rasulo, Meg Crofton and Kevin Lansburry. Good job at running some of the best and most unique clubs in the world into the ground. -- You all suck at life!!!
This is what happens when you leave the creative people out and let the pencil pushers run the world. I'm glad Disney World is allowing the California dweebs take over and dictate policy for them. Just shows you how spineless and lacking in creativity the people at the top truly are; this is the first time I can say I miss Eisner... (and I must say with that I was a major proponent of Roy Disney and his efforts so for me to speak nicly about Mikey Eisner say a lot...) at least he had the vision to see that Disney could reinvent the club industry.. its just a real shame he didn't help maintain it and keep it cutting edge... he let his pencil pushers take over and allow Universal to steal its creative thinkers away to create City Walk.
Merriweather Pleasure would be sad to see what Disney has done to his island... I will make sure to have a drink in his honor come September 27th.
raiden
Member
This was coming but what a load of horse crap...None of those pencil pushers in Cali should have any say so in the adult night life at WDW...Its so nice to go party there and take a bus ride back to your resort/or walk back to SSR. After a day of dealing with other peoples ratty ______ kids at the parks, PI was a nice change at the end of the day. Sorry but this is the worse decision since they built poos backyard jungle gym where 20k is. All you self righteous parents who wish good riddance to this place can kiss my left king kong. Looks like I will try the night life at citiwalk from now on....
Figment1986
Well-Known Member
even management didnt have a clue of this event?
Dang!
Why can't they keep things people like? I know pleanty of californians who LOVE adventures club and wish they had it at DL....
Dang!
Why can't they keep things people like? I know pleanty of californians who LOVE adventures club and wish they had it at DL....
CityOfIndustry
New Member
Look at how much money was just wasted... they just finished a rehab of 8Trax, Motion is undergoing rehabs, the island got a whole updating about 6 months ago... its not like they just decided to do this. So why leave management in the dark? Why let them keep spending big money? I'll tell you...
Disney has some real, real big morons at the top who do nothing but give each other pats on the back for finding new ways to cut costs at the expense of guest and cast satisfaction. They forget about the people outside of their limited vision. From operations to marketing to the executive and board members. They all keep bragging about record breaking profits and continue to cut more and more from guest and cast offerings so they can look even better... They dont care to invest in the future or be creative anymore.
Here is an idea for everyone upset... leave notes on the cars parked in the lots at DTD and Team Disney that have a gold football shaped sticker in the window that has the Disney logo on it, they are parked in those spots marked "Reserved for Disney Vehicles." They are usually a Cadillac or some kind of GM vehicle. That means they are executives. Same with cast members with a gold (executive - VP's and the like) or black (board member) stripe on their ID card. Those are the people making the choices. Yelling at anyone else is just a waste. I say you attack all those gold stripe people... thats how you make them open their eyes... because the people below them are too scared to tell them how it really is or tell them what the guests really want.
Good luck finding Kevin Landsberry though... I hear he almost never visits the Island.... humm... what a shock!
WeLComeHomE OKW
Active Member
First of all, it is a true shame that so many of you are losing such a close part of your disney experience.
but, overall, i think this was the right step for disney. this rumor has been floating around for a long while now, and it has finally come true. it is a sad day for many, but the end is usually just the beginning of something else.
i thought for sure that AC and CW would survive, but, alas, they are getting rid of everything. I am saddened that even CW got the axe, especially since I would consider it family friendly and my sister LOVED it. I have only been in AC a few times, but, I can say that it is an incredible experience and I just got old enough to experience it the right way. I went 2 weeks ago, and it was amazing and fantastic. I will truly miss both of those places.
Part of me feels horrible for the people who lost their favorite club. But, most of me, is ecstatic that the dance clubs are getting nixed. Ever since the turnstiles were destroyed, the clubs have become more dangerous than ever and I have seen some really creepy things. I know Disney as a friendly place, a place I could trust and I believe this is the reason they are shutting this place down.
I don't think you can start calling Kevin names without understanding that people really did complain. Some people here complain that they saw kids outside the club when they were drunk. But, you have to realize that those parents of those kids are the complainers. They need a safer connect between West side and the Marketplace, and that will not be there if they have drunken people of all ages acting ridiculous in the center of it all.
PI was certainly an experience and a great one at that. But, as a concept, it has been dying for quite some time. It is time for the new, and I think that they will come up with some really cool things to put here. I have faith that Disney can make this place special, and I look forward to the future of Downtown Disney.
I know alot of you hate over priced dining options and shopping, but, most people love it. I love Disney's choice of restaurants, and they have become the best parts of my trips. I am excited that new restaurants will come, and that new attractions may find their way to Downtown Disney Central.
I don't like the way Disney handled this announcement. It was disrespectful to the cast members and it was disrespectful to the managers and the rest of the staff. But, it is time to move on and encourage Disney to put the best kind of entertainment available into this space. Treat this space with respect, and don't add "ULTA" or another Rainforest Cafe.
And I think it's about time you add a Downtown Disney bus stop to all the parks. Really. You have no excuses come September 27th.
Kungaloosh.
but, overall, i think this was the right step for disney. this rumor has been floating around for a long while now, and it has finally come true. it is a sad day for many, but the end is usually just the beginning of something else.
i thought for sure that AC and CW would survive, but, alas, they are getting rid of everything. I am saddened that even CW got the axe, especially since I would consider it family friendly and my sister LOVED it. I have only been in AC a few times, but, I can say that it is an incredible experience and I just got old enough to experience it the right way. I went 2 weeks ago, and it was amazing and fantastic. I will truly miss both of those places.
Part of me feels horrible for the people who lost their favorite club. But, most of me, is ecstatic that the dance clubs are getting nixed. Ever since the turnstiles were destroyed, the clubs have become more dangerous than ever and I have seen some really creepy things. I know Disney as a friendly place, a place I could trust and I believe this is the reason they are shutting this place down.
I don't think you can start calling Kevin names without understanding that people really did complain. Some people here complain that they saw kids outside the club when they were drunk. But, you have to realize that those parents of those kids are the complainers. They need a safer connect between West side and the Marketplace, and that will not be there if they have drunken people of all ages acting ridiculous in the center of it all.
PI was certainly an experience and a great one at that. But, as a concept, it has been dying for quite some time. It is time for the new, and I think that they will come up with some really cool things to put here. I have faith that Disney can make this place special, and I look forward to the future of Downtown Disney.
I know alot of you hate over priced dining options and shopping, but, most people love it. I love Disney's choice of restaurants, and they have become the best parts of my trips. I am excited that new restaurants will come, and that new attractions may find their way to Downtown Disney Central.
I don't like the way Disney handled this announcement. It was disrespectful to the cast members and it was disrespectful to the managers and the rest of the staff. But, it is time to move on and encourage Disney to put the best kind of entertainment available into this space. Treat this space with respect, and don't add "ULTA" or another Rainforest Cafe.
And I think it's about time you add a Downtown Disney bus stop to all the parks. Really. You have no excuses come September 27th.
Kungaloosh.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I never went into The Adventurers Club. What was the big appeal to that place?
Surely there will be other locations in central Florida where you could recreate a bad wedding reception conga line on a beer-soaked dancefloor. Orlando must have other clubs and nightlife districts, right? Although with the extremely high violent crime and murder rates in Orlando, I could see where PI was probably considered more safe than areas off Disney property.
Snoballego
Active Member
For nostalgic reasons, I am sad to see Pleasure Island turn into another exhibit on the Yesterland Site. I also feel for the people that may now be out of jobs because of this move. It was a financial move. We all know how long it can take to get a dinner reservation at Downtown Disney during prime time - they can add 5 more chain restaurants and keep tourists from going to Cross Roads or other alternate options for dining.
With that said...
Let’s be honest. The experiment to remove the gates and allow the entire public access to the Pleasure Island area led to the eventual downfall of Pleasure Island. It was an idea that was absolutely needed at the time to see if they could pump more revenue into that area. As we know - when the gates opened so did a lot of loitering undesirables that one does not expect to encounter on a Disney Vacation. Previously, they had the turn-styles up by the sidewalk and security kept loiters moving down to the West End or Marketplace.
In addition, I know that WDW is a complete different experience from the entertainment scene in Las Vegas. Las Vegas Music Clubs and Bars are constantly reinventing themselves. However, PI stayed stale and did not rotate in new venues (i.e. karoke bar, dueling piano bar, country club, dance club/ultra lounge for straight people) to keep the experience fresh. When I went back to stroll down memory lane just two years ago - it felt like it did when the PI experience was feeling stale in 2002. Personal Opinion - 8 Trax should have turned into 80/90's music all the time. It was the hip WDWCP Hang out in 2000. In 2006, it was where the to old for motions crowd was forced to dance.
I do believe that there is a market for conventioneers and tourists in their 20's/30's to have a Disney branded first-class night time experience. If I was CEO - I would make EPCOT’s World Showcase turn into a 21+ night life scene starting at 10 PM - 2 AM on Thurs-Sat. Look how much folks love to enjoy frosty beverages around “the world” and look how people are willing to pay obscene prices for tables and bottle service at metropolitan clubs. Disney could charge a premium and they would get it. This would work well with the World Showcase opening late on weekdays (giving that area extra turn around time).
Finally, PI could have built more steam in the early 2000's by allowing WDWCP’s in free every night. We brought the party. Summer 2000 (last Golden session of the WDWCP)- It was a competitive program full of beautiful/outgoing people that when you saw the WDWCP’s standing to go through the turn-styles - you knew where the party was at. We created the Buzz on Cast Member Nights.
With that said...
Let’s be honest. The experiment to remove the gates and allow the entire public access to the Pleasure Island area led to the eventual downfall of Pleasure Island. It was an idea that was absolutely needed at the time to see if they could pump more revenue into that area. As we know - when the gates opened so did a lot of loitering undesirables that one does not expect to encounter on a Disney Vacation. Previously, they had the turn-styles up by the sidewalk and security kept loiters moving down to the West End or Marketplace.
In addition, I know that WDW is a complete different experience from the entertainment scene in Las Vegas. Las Vegas Music Clubs and Bars are constantly reinventing themselves. However, PI stayed stale and did not rotate in new venues (i.e. karoke bar, dueling piano bar, country club, dance club/ultra lounge for straight people) to keep the experience fresh. When I went back to stroll down memory lane just two years ago - it felt like it did when the PI experience was feeling stale in 2002. Personal Opinion - 8 Trax should have turned into 80/90's music all the time. It was the hip WDWCP Hang out in 2000. In 2006, it was where the to old for motions crowd was forced to dance.
I do believe that there is a market for conventioneers and tourists in their 20's/30's to have a Disney branded first-class night time experience. If I was CEO - I would make EPCOT’s World Showcase turn into a 21+ night life scene starting at 10 PM - 2 AM on Thurs-Sat. Look how much folks love to enjoy frosty beverages around “the world” and look how people are willing to pay obscene prices for tables and bottle service at metropolitan clubs. Disney could charge a premium and they would get it. This would work well with the World Showcase opening late on weekdays (giving that area extra turn around time).
Finally, PI could have built more steam in the early 2000's by allowing WDWCP’s in free every night. We brought the party. Summer 2000 (last Golden session of the WDWCP)- It was a competitive program full of beautiful/outgoing people that when you saw the WDWCP’s standing to go through the turn-styles - you knew where the party was at. We created the Buzz on Cast Member Nights.