Changes at Pleasure Island won’t be finished until 2012

[jt04]

It was still used to describe what they had in mind for the area...and that's what we have to go by, since there's obviously no new information out there. And I'm sorry, but I just don't see them adding anything more than restaurants and shops to the area, neither of which are bold are new. Even if they "spiced" up the restaurant or shop with creative theming, ala T-Rex...it's still a ho-hum restaurant. Not bold or new.

Well that is certainly a subjective take on it. Not that T-Rex is an entirely new and/or bold addition. Rather, that DTD in Florida will be the only such location where so many varied offerings are available in one place. I'm not expecting E-tickets or mega-coasters. Just an amazing collection of entertainment,dining and shopping venues......unduplicated anywhere in the United States.

 

[TURKEY]

Well that is certainly a subjective take on it. Not that T-Rex is an entirely new and/or bold addition. Rather, that DTD in Florida will be the only such location where so many varied offerings are available in one place. I'm not expecting E-tickets or mega-coasters. Just an amazing collection of entertainment,dining and shopping venues......unduplicated anywhere in the United States.

Don't really see any "amazing" entertainment anywhere at DTD other than Cirque, and that's certainly duplicated lots of places and in touring shows.

Dining, nope not really. I'd call most of it average and most of which you can find lots of places in the US.

Shopping, no, not much there either that's all that unique or "amazing".


Are they going to close all of the Marketplace and Westside as well?

 

[overdrive]

Don't really see any "amazing" entertainment anywhere at DTD other than Cirque, and that's certainly duplicated lots of places and in touring shows.

Dining, nope not really. I'd call most of it average and most of which you can find lots of places in the US.

Shopping, no, not much there either that's all that unique or "amazing".


Are they going to close all of the Marketplace and Westside as well?

I agree, there is nothing going in that will be anything more than whats in there. It will be 3rd party vendor and they don't have the money or ability to do it as well as disney. Disney only wants to collect a check and this will only lead to an over priced strip mall/tourist trap. No reason for anyone to visit, vast majority of people to visit will do so because they have nothing else to do and are stuck on property.

Disney will collect their check either way. Unless they can't get anyone to sign on and the way things are going its really looking more and more that way. I think it will be a revolving door with most vendors because they won't be able to make a profit. There will be no substantial entertainment to draw people to the over priced stores and resteraunts that you can find else where.

 

[Christi22222]

Yes, I actually think this is one of the problems Disney is facing with DTD. There ARE lots of other places that offer unique shopping/dining experiences. In fact, I think the market got very saturated and part of what Disney is facing is that expectations from even the general public - not just fans - is very high regarding "bold and new" venues. Rain Forest Cafes are in many places; T-Rex is cool but feels very much like a Rain Forest Cafe; the Lego store got quite run down and dirty and there are lego outlets in malls across the country; Harley about maxed itself out with throwing stores and dealers up EVERYWHERE you look. In the boom times, lots of retailers saturated the market place. Even without a recession I suspect many would have started to see declines. We move around a lot, and we have had all of the afore mentioned stores in Katy Mills mall, Texas; Colorado Mills in Denver; Great Lakes Crossing in Michigan; Mall of America in Minnesota; and California has everything, everywhere. When Disney chooses to be just a landlord, they are only going to get these unique-but-chain stores and nothing more. Sure, the stores aren't in EVERY town with a Target and Wal-mart. However, most folks live reasonably close to a bigger city they frequent for weekends and have already experienced these places.

I am not a marketing executive, nor do I have any data. I just know that is how my family and friends feel about these places that used to seem kind of fun and different to go to. Now it all has a very been there, done that feeling to it. I fear DTD is facing this same issue. The only way to truly get unique shopping and dining is for Disney to remain in control and treat it like they do a park.

 

[Mouse Detective]

The only way to truly get unique shopping and dining is for Disney to remain in control and treat it like they do a park.

Very well put. Only Imagineers can create the unique experiences that don't exist anywhere else, that tourists (and locals) would want to participate in. By going the 3rd party route, they're just going to get things that already exist elsewhere or will be soon.

JT04's earlier comment that DTD will be filled with places that do exist elsewhere, but just not in one place, is a big yawn. If that is what is really coming. Disney must do better than that!

 

[jt04]

Hmmm, to the last three posters, if it's so bad why is it so popular? Sorry, the facts just don't fit with your doom and gloom spin. And this is before we have seen the new "PI".

DTD is not a theme park. It was never meant to be a theme park. One of the things that caused PI to have problems was that it was locked into theme park like elements that could not evolve as tastes changed. Rest assured they will never make that sort of crazy decision again. Unless they want to fail again. :lol:

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Facts? What facts are these Jt? Its popular cause the parking lot is full? Last week it was busy, well to be exact World Of Disney was busy. People were browsing ion their hundreds, though the wait times and registers were brief if any.

Compared to City Walk its a busted flush, a plastic paddy bar and a tex mex affair so desperate for buisness they were almost press ganging passing guests.

Walmart was busier and selling similar products cheaper, perhaps Disney need to do a more accurate copy of their new role model.

 

[DisneyCanadian]

Instead of the balloon, Disney should have put Mickey's Fun Wheel. Perhaps bigger than the DCA one?

I'm not a fan of duplicate or copying rides, but DTD would be a perfect spot for it.

 

[xdan0920]

If PI is going to be successful, then TDO needs only to head over to City Walk, take some pictures, maybe some video and notes, go back to PI and duplicate.

In all seriousness City Walk nailed the night time experience. They give you many fun and varied options for a night out, and the streetmosphere is way better then the current PI. I don't know what Disney is planning, but I am ok with what JT is saying about third parties, and having it be a unique collection, as Citywalk is.

But, for gods sake, do something. What's happening now is a travesty.

 

[Christi22222]

Hmmm, to the last three posters, if it's so bad why is it so popular? Sorry, the facts just don't fit with your doom and gloom spin. And this is before we have seen the new "PI".

DTD is not a theme park. It was never meant to be a theme park. One of the things that caused PI to have problems was that it was locked into theme park like elements that could not evolve as tastes changed. Rest assured they will never make that sort of crazy decision again. Unless they want to fail again. :lol:

I didn't say it was bad. I said it was common and stale and I didn't want more of the same. I would just like more out of Disney for DTD. Is that really so bad? I guess I don't understand why you insist on characterizing high expectations as doom and gloom. I guess I think of doom and gloom as something along these lines: "Disney sucks. Anything they put at DTD will suck. They never do a good job anyway, so why try?" And if I thought that, why would I come here and read/comment about Disney? I am very much a glass half full person, to the point of making many folks in my life crazy. But I also have high standards for the things I care about. The high expectations moniker you can cast upon me. Doom and gloom I will not accept!

 

[overdrive]

Hmmm, to the last three posters, if it's so bad why is it so popular? Sorry, the facts just don't fit with your doom and gloom spin. And this is before we have seen the new "PI".

DTD is not a theme park. It was never meant to be a theme park. One of the things that caused PI to have problems was that it was locked into theme park like elements that could not evolve as tastes changed. Rest assured they will never make that sort of crazy decision again. Unless they want to fail again. :lol:

DTD is not a theme park? Well it needs to have some kind of theme other than overpriced strip mall or tourist trap. I would hardly say its popular right now either, heck half the people wondering through are trying to figure out what happened to the clubs and thus whats left thats fun and entertaining. The place looks dead compared to city walk and point orlando is starting to even look good.

The worst thing they could do is have the company that runs the rainforest cafe and T-rex open a few more of their resteraunts and I bet thats what they will do. Woooopeeee hows that bold vision, open some more of the same and call it a different name.

How about an elephant themed resteraunt, or a camel themed resteraunt, maybe a horse themed resteraunt, oh oh I got it a dog and cat themed resteraunt that all serve the same food with a differently themed menu. Wow thats bold, most definately what I go to disney for.

 

[jt04]

DTD is not a theme park? Well it needs to have some kind of theme other than overpriced strip mall or tourist trap. I would hardly say its popular right now either, heck half the people wondering through are trying to figure out what happened to the clubs and thus whats left thats fun and entertaining. The place looks dead compared to city walk and point orlando is starting to even look good.

The worst thing they could do is have the company that runs the rainforest cafe and T-rex open a few more of their resteraunts and I bet thats what they will do. Woooopeeee hows that bold vision, open some more of the same and call it a different name.

How about an elephant themed resteraunt, or a camel themed resteraunt, maybe a horse themed resteraunt, oh oh I got it a dog and cat themed resteraunt that all serve the same food with a differently themed menu. Wow thats bold, most definately what I go to disney for.

Comparing the crowds at CW and DTD is a bit unfair. Almost everyone visiting the Uni theme parks must walk through CW upon entering or exiting the parks. A brilliant idea by the way. But I think the crowds would be impossible at DTD if Disney had created a similar set up originally.

I've already stated many times why PI was a failed concept. Everyone here knows my opinion. It is obvious you have an emotional attachment to PI so I'd be wasting my time trying to convince you of anything else.

 

[overdrive]

Comparing the crowds at CW and DTD is a bit unfair. Almost everyone visiting the Uni theme parks must walk through CW upon entering or exiting the parks. A brilliant idea by the way. But I think the crowds would be impossible at DTD if Disney had created a similar set up originally.

I've already stated many times why PI was a failed concept. Everyone here knows my opinion. It is obvious you have an emotional attachment to PI so I'd be wasting my time trying to convince you of anything else.

I understand you can't argue with the fact that CW is kicking DTD butt so you have to pull the emotional attachment card. Fair or not CW has quality entertainment for people who are walking through to see and draw them in. Thus their stores thrive and the place looks alive and booming. DTD is a strip mall that is in the process of fading away, and its a shame because I do have an emotional attachment to Disney entertainment and the have just killed off all of it that existed at DTD. DTD will be always be a shell of its former self and CW will dominate because they have not made bad decisions.

Now I think I understand, you don't get the fact that PI was a theme park. Yes a smaller version but it was the only disney inspired entertainment at DTD and they closed it down to put in some second rate stores and resteraunts. So whats next, epcot will be turned into a strip mall also too. I think 99% of the people who read your post pertaining to PI would agree you are the one who is emotional.

 

[unkadug]

Comparing the crowds at CW and DTD is a bit unfair. Almost everyone visiting the Uni theme parks must walk through CW upon entering or exiting the parks. A brilliant idea by the way. But I think the crowds would be impossible at DTD if Disney had created a similar set up originally.

I've already stated many times why PI was a failed concept. Everyone here knows my opinion. It is obvious you have an emotional attachment to PI so I'd be wasting my time trying to convince you of anything else.

You have stated your OPINION of why you think PI was a failed concept.

BIG DIFFERENCE

It also pretty obvious that you have an emotional attachment to your opinions.

 

[nibblesandbits]

You have stated your OPINION of why you think PI was a failed concept.

BIG DIFFERENCE

It also pretty obvious that you have an emotional attachment to your opinions.

You get this, my dear sir...::sohappy:

Well stated...so well stated, it needed to be stated again.

 

[Ignohippo]

The DTD problem is incredibly complex and suffers from the same problems as Hollywood Studios and California Adventure – amazingly bad design.

"Let's create a shopping and dining area and then close it off in the middle to everyone except people over 21 going to nightclubs." Makes sense. Now Dis has to fix a really bad design.

IMO, they should've slowly migrated the successful nightclubs to the West Side (especially now that Virgin is gone), and moved shopping down to where PI was. An adult hotel could be built west of La Nouba that could make this area of DTD a destination for the 21+ crowd (like City Walk).

A new design of splitting DTD into two parts (a west side nightclub and dining district and the Marketplace where it is and expanded into PI) would be much more convenient. Due to DTD's size, I can't imagine too many people would walk from the Marketplace to the West Side to shop – it's just too big.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

You have stated your OPINION of why you think PI was a failed concept.

BIG DIFFERENCE

It also pretty obvious that you have an emotional attachment to your opinions.

Quoted again for hyper-truth.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The DTD problem is incredibly complex and suffers from the same problems as Hollywood Studios and California Adventure – amazingly bad design.

"Let's create a shopping and dining area and then close it off in the middle to everyone except people over 21 going to nightclubs." Makes sense. Now Dis has to fix a really bad design.

IMO, they should've slowly migrated the successful nightclubs to the West Side (especially now that Virgin is gone), and moved shopping down to where PI was. An adult hotel could be built west of La Nouba that could make this area of DTD a destination for the 21+ crowd (like City Walk).

A new design of splitting DTD into two parts (a west side nightclub and dining district and the Marketplace where it is and expanded into PI) would be much more convenient. Due to DTD's size, I can't imagine too many people would walk from the Marketplace to the West Side to shop – it's just too big.

I think it is clear that Disney originally intended for the Marketplace, Pleasure Island and the West Side to be three separate experiences that were not intended to mesh together. The idea of experiencing both the Marketplace and the West Side looks like it was a surprise to Disney. It seems West Side was created as more of an extension of Pleasure Island, as much of its activities are evening/night focused. Moving between the three areas was also a difficult proposition, as there was no centralized means of circulation. The Virgin Megastore is probably what attracted the shopping crowd and brought them over from the Marketplace.

Another big mistake was the closing of the West Side bus stations. Guests venturing into the West Side would be forced to turn around and retrace their steps. This is part of why I think the Virgin Megastore become a more prominent player than anticipated. There is little else between the bus stops and the Virgin Megastore's location. Forcing tired people to turn around would get them to once again pass the other West Side shops, this time at a slower pace. Merging the West Side and Pleasure Island bus stops also meant that people who sought to avoid the Pleasure Island crowd would have to go the Marketplace bus stop to achieve their goal.