Changes at DTD

[Krack]

I guess I'm the only one who feels this way but I'll go ahead and say it. I'm glad that Pleasure Island is no more. The Disney brand represents something very specific and to me, anything that falls outside those values should be kept out of the World.

Go ahead, gut me.

It's an understandable position, but you might feel that way because you're too young to remember a time when Disney wasn't only princesses and pirates ... character meals and movie tie-ins. There was a time (not too long ago) where many areas of the WDW Resort were marketed and focused for adults - and these areas were not unpopular (Pleasure Island, golf courses, World Showcase eateries, many areas of the Contemporary Hotel, etc). They may not have had the same profit margins of other areas of the resort (like the Magic Kingdom), but they were not unsuccessful. Pre-1994, Disney went after a much broader demographic.

To put it another way, sometimes adults just want to be away from kids. Disney used to understand this and provide some limited options for people who feel this way so they could still enjoy the resort, yet occasionally escape the commotion that children create.

 

[Mouse Detective]

I guess I'm the only one who feels this way but I'll go ahead and say it. I'm glad that Pleasure Island is no more. The Disney brand represents something very specific and to me, anything that falls outside those values should be kept out of the World. Go ahead, gut me.

No, we wouldn't do that to you. But please leave and don't come back. (j/k)

However I can understand how people could be turned off by the excessive drinking that went on.....I just wish that they would do something there.

Me too, but did you personally witness this excessive drinking going on? Sure, in 18 years of business I'm sure it happened. Anyplace that serves alcohol will have that happen. But as a whole, it was a good crowd enjoying an incredible first class operation in safe surroundings. The exceptions have been blown out of proportion by those that wanted the place shut down.

 

[disneyrcks]

Me too, but did you personally witness this excessive drinking going on? Sure, in 18 years of business I'm sure it happened. Anyplace that serves alcohol will have that happen. But as a whole, it was a good crowd enjoying an incredible first class operation in safe surroundings. The exceptions have been blown out of proportion by those that wanted the place shut down.[/QUOTE]

No I did not witness any excessive drinking but my fiances friend did get punched in the face after leaving 8 trac (though who knows if it was alcohol fueled, it was before we were together lol).....like I stated I did not have the opportunity to experience PI as a legal aged drinker but I really do believe in any party environment there are many people who cannot control themselves.....Like I said an adult nightime area is ideal...just not something like Ebor city We are in our late 20's and mid 30's and would LOVE a place like PI to go to...I can see another's point of view but personally I would love something like the original PI to go to...as it is all we have is the Wave and it closes at 12am :brick:

 

[disneyrcks]

Sorry I didn't quote that right....I am new here LOL still working out the details :wave:

 

[jt04]

My point, exactly.
But that is what jt is advocating.
And it makes zero sense!

Well let me explain. There are those advocating for bringing back the way of doing things back then in the early years. Folks are nostalgic for the frenzy Disney could work up mainly alcohol fueled. But it had consequences and they scaled things back, not pushing the drinks so heavily, better crowd control. At least that is how I recall it. That is why folks started gravitating towards weekends. It took the larger crowds to create the same "magic". This was the start of the long downhill slide for PI. Not to be cliche but those who forget the past etc etc. I'd hate to see Disney make the mistakes of the past because those lessons have been lost. You know, not wanting to see similar carnage because folks are out of control. I'm sentimental like that.

Sorry I didn't quote that right....I am new here LOL still working out the details :wave:

Welcome. We were all rookies once. :wave:

 

[Krack]

Well let me explain. There are those advocating for bringing back the way of doing things back then in the early years. Folks are nostalgic for the frenzy Disney could work up mainly alcohol fueled. But it had consequences and they scaled things back, not pushing the drinks so heavily, better crowd control. At least that is how I recall it.

Again ... aside from your remembering it this way (and the grand conspiracy of silence of the many well informed posters on this message board), do you have any evidence of this "alcoholed fueled consequences"? I mean actual evidence. Anything. A news report, a first hand account, an article ... anything?

Because, I remember it completely differently and I can link to a couple hundred articles contemporaneous with the original PI that don't mention these "alcohol fueled consequences".

 

[headhoncho34]

Again ... aside from your remembering it this way (and the grand conspiracy of silence of the many well informed posters on this message board), do you have any evidence of this "alcoholed fueled consequences"? I mean actual evidence. Anything. A news report, a first hand account, an article ... anything?

Because, I remember it completely differently and I can link to a couple hundred articles contemporaneous with the original PI that don't mention these "alcohol fueled consequences".

Everybody already who goes to night clubs knows what happens inside them. I went to PI back in its early days and there were people passing out, fights breaking out the usual things youd expect inside a club. Do you really need a first hand account?

 

[jt04]

Again ... aside from your remembering it this way (and the grand conspiracy of silence of the many well informed posters on this message board), do you have any evidence of this "alcoholed fueled consequences"? I mean actual evidence. Anything. A news report, a first hand account, an article ... anything?

Because, I remember it completely differently and I can link to a couple hundred articles contemporaneous with the original PI that don't mention these "alcohol fueled consequences".

If you can find any articles from before 1992 or so, especially mentioning anything negative I'd be suprised. They either don't archive that far back or someone (I have no idea who or why) has deleted them. I can't provide what no longer exists. I clearly remember there being problems in and around PI during this timeframe yet no articles seem to exist. I welcome any reasoned explanation.

 

[wishesjake]

Again ... aside from your remembering it this way (and the grand conspiracy of silence of the many well informed posters on this message board), do you have any evidence of this "alcoholed fueled consequences"? I mean actual evidence. Anything. A news report, a first hand account, an article ... anything?

Because, I remember it completely differently and I can link to a couple hundred articles contemporaneous with the original PI that don't mention these "alcohol fueled consequences".

On my first trip to DTD, an alcohal induced tourist urinated on our car. (for what it's worth)

 

[jt04]

On my first trip to DTD, an alcohal induced tourist urinated on our car. (for what it's worth)

How could you tell?

 

[Krack]

Everybody already who goes to night clubs knows what happens inside them. I went to PI back in its early days and there were people passing out, fights breaking out the usual things youd expect inside a club. Do you really need a first hand account?

And I've personally witnessed a slap-fight (with copious hair pulling) between two soccer moms in line at the Mile Long Bar, while I was getting a soda ... but I'm not advocating closing down Fronteirland and replacing it with an ESPN Zone instead.

My point, that I (and others) have now made multiple times is that the behavior at Pleasure Island in the early 90s was nothing unusual and certainly nothing troublesome enough to warrant closing of the area. My secondary point, is that if this were happening (dangerous anti-social behavior) there would be articles, news reports, discussions, quotes, etc - some form of evidence. None exists. Why?

 

[jt04]

Again ... aside from your remembering it this way (and the grand conspiracy of silence of the many well informed posters on this message board), do you have any evidence of this "alcoholed fueled consequences"? I mean actual evidence. Anything. A news report, a first hand account, an article ... anything?

Because, I remember it completely differently and I can link to a couple hundred articles contemporaneous with the original PI that don't mention these "alcohol fueled consequences".

Oh, by the way, in case you have not noticed when I get a fact wrong on this forum I get pounced on by at least a half dozen folks. Yet nobody who is old enough to remember has done that with respect to my memories of a series of terrible accidents around PI in those days. Plus other problems.

 

[headhoncho34]

Oh, by the way, in case you have not noticed when I get a fact wrong on this forum I get pounced on by at least a half dozen folks. Yet nobody who is old enough to remember has done that with respect to my memories of a series of terrible accidents around PI in those days. Plus other problems.

I witnessed plenty of fist fights in PI back in the day, but that shouldnt of warranted the closing of the clubs.

 

[jt04]

I witnessed plenty of fist fights in PI back in the day, but that shouldnt of warranted the closing of the clubs.

That is a different issue. Clubs equals drugs especially so in this era. Disney no longer wanted to deal with the issues that came along with running clubs, simple as that. The AC suffered the consequences.

Drunk driving leads to deaths. And that was the problem back in the day. There were multiple deaths.

 

[Krack]

Oh, by the way, in case you have not noticed when I get a fact wrong on this forum I get pounced on by at least a half dozen folks. Yet nobody who is old enough to remember has done that with respect to my memories of a series of terrible accidents around PI in those days. Plus other problems.

I'm old enough to remember. I'm saying it didn't happen.

That is a different issue. Clubs equals drugs especially so in this era. Disney no longer wanted to deal with the issues that came along with running clubs, simple as that. The AC suffered the consequences.

Surely, you have evidence?

Drunk driving leads to deaths. And that was the problem back in the day. There were multiple deaths.

Nope.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Oh, by the way, in case you have not noticed when I get a fact wrong on this forum I get pounced on by at least a half dozen folks. Yet nobody who is old enough to remember has done that with respect to my memories of a series of terrible accidents around PI in those days. Plus other problems.

Could it be that most folk are so contemptuous of anything that you post that they feel its a waste of keyboard strokes to even respond to you?

The only very vauge memories I have about negativity to pleasure Island was from the teatotal brigade on fansites who felt Disney were cozying up to Satan by promoting an area where alcohol was consumed and that might have children walking past during the consumption.

Again opinion posted as fact (even mine) is still only an opinion. And memories tend to be what we make them. :shrug:

 

[wm49rs]

And let's not forget that one of the previous posters in this thread actually linked a series of news articles on WDW from the Orlando Sentinel that went back to 1986. So it not only appears that there are archives going back that far, but that they also were not inundated with stories about PI-related drunk driving incidents.

 

[Mr. Morrow]

JT do you have proof yet?

 

[Lee]

If you can find any articles from before 1992 or so, especially mentioning anything negative I'd be suprised. They either don't archive that far back or someone (I have no idea who or why) has deleted them.

Or....the problem wasn't big enough to warrant huge coverage in the news. I have no doubt that if there was a death on the roads in the area, it is in the OS archives. Likely the PI connection was not a big deal, so trying to look them up that way may not be possible.

Yet nobody who is old enough to remember has done that with respect to my memories of a series of terrible accidents around PI in those days. Plus other problems.

I'm old enough, and was a frequent guest at PI durning the early days.
I don't remember any issues at all. Nothing major and nothing that wasn't present at PI in it's later years, and still present at every other such venue in the US.

Disney no longer wanted to deal with the issues that came along with running clubs, simple as that.

No, jt. It's not that simple.
Again (for the 100th time) the only reason Disney closed the clubs was money. Period.
Drugs, fights, possible DUI issues.....none of that had anything to do with it. Your continued insistence that it did only shows that you yourself would have closed PI for those reasons, and has nothing to do with what actually happened.

 

[Mr. Morrow]

JT should Disney close the World Show Case as well. I bet you there were no more problems in PI than there are with people drinking too much in WS.