PI vs. Universal's City Walk vs. downtown Orlando

[davidpw97]

Hey, I will be in the WDW area for a week starting Saturday. Renting a condo with a small group of 20something's. Although I am not much of a club person, my friends are and someone has to be the driver and that someone is usually me. For anyone who lives in the area or visits the area and goes out alot, what would be the best place for a group of 20ish people to go? Who has the better nightlife, PI or Universal? or would it be better to skip those two places and go to the non-resort type clubs in downtown. I haven't been to PI since they changed all the rules, there is now no charge to get in to the area but each club has a charge, is that correct? Anyone know how much City walk clubs usually run? What are the good and bad of both PI and Citywalk?
Thanks

 

[hrcollectibles]

Hey, I will be in the WDW area for a week starting Saturday. Renting a condo with a small group of 20something's. Although I am not much of a club person, my friends are and someone has to be the driver and that someone is usually me. For anyone who lives in the area or visits the area and goes out alot, what would be the best place for a group of 20ish people to go? Who has the better nightlife, PI or Universal? or would it be better to skip those two places and go to the non-resort type clubs in downtown. I haven't been to PI since they changed all the rules, there is now no charge to get in to the area but each club has a charge, is that correct? Anyone know how much City walk clubs usually run? What are the good and bad of both PI and Citywalk?
Thanks

I am probably going to get a lot of flack for this..But I personally Prefer Citywalk over Downtown Disney. I myself am not a "club" person but I do enjoy going to the Red Coconut Club and eating at Bubba Gump.... If you do decide to go off property there is a place on International Drive Called Howl at the Moon... Its a Piano bar with a band.. They do covers and are very entertaining. You can tip them and they will write something on the glass behind them...One night I was there and these 2 guys kept tipping them to play college fight songs. One Guy wanted to hear the Gators the Other FSU...

 

[markc]

My least favorite place in Orlando is City Walk. They have four clubs there, "The Groove", "Pat O Brien's", "Bob Marleys" and the "Red Coconut", however, admission is $10 for all clubs, however generally it's too crowded, and too mixed in with the general theme park goers.

Pleasure Island is good on a Thursday night, being that it's the unofficial cast member night, so it's generally crowded enough (but not too crowded) that its' enjoyable.

Overall though, Downtown Orlando is probably your best bet. Wall Street ($7 will get you admission to six bars there), Church Street bars (Chillers, Antigua, Latitudes..etc), or even Club Paris are pretty cool places to hang out on the weekends.

Hey, I will be in the WDW area for a week starting Saturday. Renting a condo with a small group of 20something's. Although I am not much of a club person, my friends are and someone has to be the driver and that someone is usually me. For anyone who lives in the area or visits the area and goes out alot, what would be the best place for a group of 20ish people to go? Who has the better nightlife, PI or Universal? or would it be better to skip those two places and go to the non-resort type clubs in downtown. I haven't been to PI since they changed all the rules, there is now no charge to get in to the area but each club has a charge, is that correct? Anyone know how much City walk clubs usually run? What are the good and bad of both PI and Citywalk?
Thanks

 

[scottb411]

Orlando Nightlife for 20 somethings

If you are looking for an authentic downtown similar to a South Beach or Ybor City, P.I. and Citywalk don't come close to downtown Orlando. The heart of activity of downtown Orlando is around Orange Ave and Church St and then heading North up Orange Ave.

Be sure to check out Wall Street Plaza that has 8 different bars/clubs:

http://www.wallstplaza.net/

Also, take a walk around Lake Eola and the shopping district of Thornton Park in downtown, which is in walking distance from Wall Street Plaza. Another area that is a lot more low-key, but has some upscale wine-bars to check out is Winter Park:

http://www.parkave-winterpark.com/html/restaurants.html

This is more of a restaurant / wine-bar scene and does not have any nightclubs

Stating that, you won't find anything else like Downtown Disney or Citywalk anywhere else other than maybe Vegas, so it is fun to walk around, but the clubs are generally filled with non-stylish 40 somethings that don't typically frequent bars at home (sorry to all you 40 somethings out there - I'll be there soon enough). If you are to be in Orlando a week, I'd do Downtown Disney / Citywalk / Winter Park on the weekdays and Downtown Orlando on Friday and Saturday night.

For some good dining that isn't touristy but is still filled with tourist and locals, check out Restaurant Row on Sand Lake Road, about a mile west of I-4. Amura and Season's 52 are a couple of nice restaurants to visit, but there is also about 30 plus other restaurants and bars in this area, some of which that have patio area's on Lake "Little Sand Lake" (Season's 52 has a great patio seating on the lake). Restaurant Row isn't a name of a plaza, but rather the area in general in this part of Orlando.

-- Scott

 

[ImaYoyo]

If you are looking for an authentic downtown similar to a South Beach or Ybor City, P.I. and Citywalk don't come close to downtown Orlando. The heart of activity of downtown Orlando is around Orange Ave and Church St and then heading North up Orange Ave.

Be sure to check out Wall Street Plaza that has 8 different bars/clubs:

http://www.wallstplaza.net/

Also, take a walk around Lake Eola and the shopping district of Thornton Park in downtown, which is in walking distance from Wall Street Plaza. Another area that is a lot more low-key, but has some upscale wine-bars to check out is Winter Park:

http://www.parkave-winterpark.com/html/restaurants.html

This is more of a restaurant / wine-bar scene and does not have any nightclubs

Stating that, you won't find anything else like Downtown Disney or Citywalk anywhere else other than maybe Vegas, so it is fun to walk around, but the clubs are generally filled with non-stylish 40 somethings that don't typically frequent bars at home (sorry to all you 40 somethings out there - I'll be there soon enough). If you are to be in Orlando a week, I'd do Downtown Disney / Citywalk / Winter Park on the weekdays and Downtown Orlando on Friday and Saturday night.

For some good dining that isn't touristy but is still filled with tourist and locals, check out Restaurant Row on Sand Lake Road, about a mile west of I-4. Amura and Season's 52 are a couple of nice restaurants to visit, but there is also about 30 plus other restaurants and bars in this area, some of which that have patio area's on Lake "Little Sand Lake" (Season's 52 has a great patio seating on the lake). Restaurant Row isn't a name of a plaza, but rather the area in general in this part of Orlando.

-- Scott

Mmmmm....... season's 52!!! Now I'm hungry.:slurp:

 

[monorailguy01]

Sorry guys, I love Disney and everything it has to offer but I think City Walk is so much better then PI
Don't rag on me to much

 

[scottb411]

Disney's Boardwalk

Also forgot to mention that Disney's Boardwalk is a nice place to go at night. They also have a piano par like "Howl at the Moon" on I-Drive called Jellyrolls and is a fun place to visit. You'll want to park at the Disney Boardwalk resort to get there.

This area is also a lot less crowded and has a Coney Island feel to it. The Spoodles and Flying Fish Cafe restaurant and ESPN Club are located here. Other than Jellyrolls though, no other nightclubs here.

You can also walk to the Disney Boardwalk when exiting Epcot through their auxillary exit between the United Kingdom and France pavilions.

 

[dandaman]

I actually just posted in Chit Chat about this not 5 minutes ago.

I can only compare CityWalk as a whole to Downtown Disney's West Side. That being said, CityWalk seems to have better shops (at least, ones I would visit). Universal seems to have combined all three (West Side, PI, Marketplace) into one relatively small area, so I can understand why many think it's too crowded or tourist-invaded. Both parks empty out directly to CityWalk.

What really surprised me was the amount of locals shopping there last Tuesday...

 

[crazydaveh]

If it's between Citywalk and PI, I choose CityWalk. Someone said it's $10 to get in each club, not 100% true. You can buy a party pass for around $12 a person to get into all of them.

The drinks are also a tad bit cheaper at CityWalk, maybe by a dollar, but that adds up on a wild night.

If you go downtown, it's a lot of fun, but it can get crazy. Locals aren't always nice to out of towners at some of the bars, but that's rare.

You will find a lot of nice looking ladies downtown as well, probably more and not so annoying as at CW or PI.

If you go downtown, try BBQ Bar, it's laid back with several types of bars in one and no cover!

 

[davidpw97]

Thanks for all the advice so far. Although I have been to the area many times, I'm not much of a drinker so my knowledge of the bar scene is pretty limited to PI and Boardwalk. Plus I'm used to travelling with family and we usually spend more time in the parks than the clubs. But this trip I'll be with friends and it will probably be the opposite, minimal if any time in the parks and lots of drinking/clubbing. Wall St. Plaza sounds intersting so thanks to the people that suggested that, might be nice to check out someplace different and a little bit away from the touristy places.

 

[hrcollectibles]

The most Important thing to rememebr is if you drink Take a cab or a Designated Driver

 

[k.hunter30]

Also forgot to mention that Disney's Boardwalk is a nice place to go at night. They also have a piano par like "Howl at the Moon" on I-Drive called Jellyrolls and is a fun place to visit. You'll want to park at the Disney Boardwalk resort to get there.

This area is also a lot less crowded and has a Coney Island feel to it. The Spoodles and Flying Fish Cafe restaurant and ESPN Club are located here. Other than Jellyrolls though, no other nightclubs here.

You can also walk to the Disney Boardwalk when exiting Epcot through their auxillary exit between the United Kingdom and France pavilions.

There's also the Atlantic Dance Hall, right? I've never been there but I hear they play top-40 stuff.

 

[liquid toez]

PI is a nice, secure area to have fun. Variety of music, some comedy, live bands, and some free entertainment outside once in awhile.

City Walk is also a nice, secure area to have fun. Usually, have a band playing on the outside stage. The City Jazz club has a funky band playing there.

Downtown Orlando has some decent clubs but you usually have to pay to get into each of them, except Wall St Plaza (one price - about 8 bars to choose from) ; parking may be a tad difficult; cops sometimes will give you a ticket for jaywalking - so watch out

I favor PI, but do go to City Walk once in a while, and go to Downtown Orlando the least.

 

[tr1plese7en]

While I was a CP I got to hear alot about the nightlife out there. Most people of my friends liked downtown Orlando the best which happens to be my personal preference. On Weds & Thurs nights is when the bars have their college nights. Definitely visit Latitudes/Chillers. I would do PI on a Thurs because of it being cast member night so there is plenty of people there. Citywalk I would do on a Fri or Sat night. So here is my order of preference: downtown > CityWalk > PI

 

[Valawen9]

I'm not much of a club person either but everyone I know that is prefers downtown Orlando over City Walk or PI.