Pleasure Island changes with confirmed dates

[RPMdfw]

I have never heard Maniquins of having a reputation. BET and Motions have probably had the most issues with underage drinking and disordely conduct.

Now that sounds about right. Issues with Motions and BET I HAVE heard about. Prior to this thread, never heard anything about Mannequins except that it's too crowded during the frist weekend in June. But that's the crowd that is supposed to be the "embarassment".

 

[tirian]

No, it's not. I'm afraid you severely misread some people's posts. I'm straight and don't like Mannequins because of people's behavior; but I've got gay friends and they don't like it for the same reason. Like you and several others stated, Motion has the same problems. It's just that Motion isn't as s-xually charged as Mannequins, and therefore doesn't have such a bad reputation in both Guest's and the Walt Disney Company's eyes. People who wouldn't think anything of that behavior at any other club are shocked because it's at Disney. That's just the way it is.

That one Thursday out of the year has nothing to do with it.

 

[ECurto]

I agree that Mannequins has embarassed Disney, but not for the reasons you mentioned. The biggest way to turn off guests is to have an unofficial night where it turns into a gay club. I don't mean to offend anybody by this in anyway possible, however, put yourself in the mentality of an average guest who walks in there thinking it's a normal club only to find out differently? It's generally a shock and most people get turned off by that.

God forbid they see gay people! OH NO!!!!! Get a life, stop being so ignorant.

 

[Thelazer]

Please, step into BET one night and watch what happens on the dance floor.

I've seen more sexual acts in that club than I have in Mannequins. It's a well know fact that many girls prefer going to Mannequins because since it's more of a "gay" club, they do not get hit on as much and hence, can dance and not be "Freaked" on by 20 or 30 guys at once (as you'll see happening in both BET and Motion.) Honestly the worst I’ve ever seen in Mannequins is a guy kiss a guy. That’s about it. I’ve heard of other stories, such as drunken girls making out but then again I’ve seen that in BET and Motion as well. What I have NOT seen is 20 guys try to freak a girl at once, like the guys tend to do to the girls in BET and Motion. Or even one guy freak dance with a girl, as always happens in BET and Motion.

We could also talk about what goes on outside of BET on the patio. Lots of stuff, drugs, ______. It happens out there. Same thing happens in the dark areas of Motion and heck I've seen people having ______ outside of Ad club as well. Lets not even talk about the 3rd floor bathrooms in the Rock And Roll Beach Club!

So the bottom-line is this. In any nightclub, stuff happens. It's going to happen, it's WHAT a nightclub is about for god sakes! Understand that clearly and you’ll understand what the overall problem is here. Going back to the days of the island being gated and having to pay a separate price to get in, this wasn't so much of a problem. Back then; you knew this was not a "Disney" area (even the shows at Comedy and Ad-Club were a lot more “Adult” in nature). It was quite clear from the get go that this wasn’t a place for the kiddies. Now that the gates are gone and guests are “forced” to walk thru it's become an issue (more complaints come in about drunk folks on the street, then any complaints from stuff people see in a club)

So the solution isn't so much to tear the place down or close down a club or two. It's to put the gates back up and make it worth paying an extra $30 to get into (New Fireworks, New Shows, Dancers, Confetti, Foam Zone, Better Music, Live Bands, New Clubs.) Sadly, none of that will ever happen as you have people who understand a "park" or a "retail shop" trying to run a nightclub biz and that never works. So what we will see and have been seeing is a gradual makeover of the island. Slowly one by one, each club will get chopped and re-hashed as the bean counters attempt to figure out how to make more money. Eventually you’ll see it all go 3rd party, with mostly shops and restaurants. Possible another club/concert venue (Such as house of blues) will take the spot of one of the current clubs and of course the name change as it’s no longer Pleasure Island.

In the end, it’s not fair to just single out one club as the “Root of all evils” it’s the whole concept in it’s basic nature. Simply put nightclubs, drinks and people do not mix with the clean image of Disney. That’s why it was put in a separate area in the first place.

 

[djjohng]

Well you're right. We gays should take our MILLIONS of dollars we bring to Disney and Orlando every year and go somewhere else. In fact, shame on Disney (a business) for catering to a crowd with disposable income who consistently spends that income in their establishment.

Because a small population is homophobic Disney should not cater to gay people, or post warning signs? Well what about racists? Should Disney not allow ethnic minorities on PI to make the KKK happy?

Further, the notion that locals don't go to PI because of Thursday is also idiotic. Where the heck are these throngs of gay people coming from? Is jetPink flying charters in late Thursday afternoon and out early Friday? Are the locals in Orlando that dense to not figure out that Thursday attracts a gay crowd at Mannequins?

 

[markc]

God forbid they see gay people! OH NO!!!!! Get a life, stop being so ignorant.

clearly you are the ignorant one here, who can't seem to comprehend what I wrote...

 

[markc]

Well you're right. We gays should take our MILLIONS of dollars we bring to Disney and Orlando every year and go somewhere else. In fact, shame on Disney (a business) for catering to a crowd with disposable income who consistently spends that income in their establishment.

If push came to shove, and Disney ever had to choose any side to take, chances are, a group that constitutes 10% of the population wouldn't be at the top of their list. It's Millions vs Billions...

Because a small population is homophobic Disney should not cater to gay people, or post warning signs? Well what about racists? Should Disney not allow ethnic minorities on PI to make the KKK happy?

You're missing my point; it's not even homophobia that's occuring. It's simply an issue of misbranding that's turning people off. Personally, i have no issues of gay clubs, but if I go out to a club thinking it's not a "gay night", I sure as hell am going to be dissapointed if I go there and find out that it is.

Further, the notion that locals don't go to PI because of Thursday is also idiotic. Where the heck are these throngs of gay people coming from? Is jetPink flying charters in late Thursday afternoon and out early Friday? Are the locals in Orlando that dense to not figure out that Thursday attracts a gay crowd at Mannequins?

Is it really? Why would any straight (or gay) person who has no intention on going to a gay club bother going to PI if they know that night is concentrating towards a group that does not interest them.

 

[mkt]

I'm gay :lookaroun

 

[TravisMT81]

I'm gay :lookaroun

no you are loco!

 

[djjohng]

If push came to shove, and Disney ever had to choose any side to take, chances are, a group that constitutes 10% of the population wouldn't be at the top of their list. It's Millions vs Billions...

You're right. However, I don't see Disney and the Orlando area turning their noses at the over 100,000 gay men and women who visit the area every June. I don't see Disney telling Johnny Chisolm that he can't rent Typhoon Lagoon and the Disney / MGM Studios for their gay parties. We bring the area a lot of money. So much that if we were to just stop, it would be felt. That's not an opinion my dear, that's a fact.

You're missing my point; it's not even homophobia that's occuring. It's simply an issue of misbranding that's turning people off. Personally, i have no issues of gay clubs, but if I go out to a club thinking it's not a "gay night", I sure as hell am going to be dissapointed if I go there and find out that it is.

You are missing THE point. It's NOT gay night. It's PI.

If 50 gay men show up at a the local Pizza Hut, is it Gay Day at Pizza Hut?

No.

Let's say there are a lot of gay men working for Disney. Let's just say. And say Disney castmembers get in free to PI on Thursdays. Now, let's say that a lot of those gay cast members like to use the benefit of getting into PI for free, so they often go on Thursdays. Does that make it gay night?

No. What that means is a bunch of gay men are at PI.

Please don't play the "they hired a DJ to play "gay" music" card either. Disney made a smart business decision based on YEARS of business on Thursday nights.

Is it really? Why would any straight (or gay) person who has no intention on going to a gay club bother going to PI if they know that night is concentrating towards a group that does not interest them.

So, let me get this gay. PI's problems are due to the fact that the locals don't come to PI. The locals don't come to PI because of the gays. The gays only gather in large numbers on Thursday nights, AND generally in one (of 7) clubs. So you're saying the locals don't know the difference between Thursday night in Mannequins and the whole rest of the week in every other club?

I'm seeing a hole in this logic.

If I want to go to a club and dance with my boyfriend, then I will. I don't have to go to a gay club to do so. That's my right. The fact that you have a huge issue with me, or other gay men going to PI ultimately is your problem. Disney apparently has no problem with it.

 

[markc]

You're right. However, I don't see Disney and the Orlando area turning their noses at the over 100,000 gay men and women who visit the area every June. I don't see Disney telling Johnny Chisolm that he can't rent Typhoon Lagoon and the Disney / MGM Studios for their gay parties. We bring the area a lot of money. So much that if we were to just stop, it would be felt. That's not an opinion my dear, that's a fact.

Maybe, but not to the extent you seem to make it out to be. It's one week of the year; the normal average summer crowds for Orlando aren't that weak that they depend on this one week for a major source of their income.

You are missing THE point. It's NOT gay night. It's PI.

If 50 gay men show up at a the local Pizza Hut, is it Gay Day at Pizza Hut?

If it's promoted as such by the gay community, then yes, it is Gay Day at Pizza hut..lol. However, even without promotion, why is it whenever anybody asks why there is a need for gay days, the biggest response from supporters of it on here or other Disney boards is..because every other day is "Straight day"..therefore defying your logic right there.

Let's say there are a lot of gay men working for Disney. Let's just say. And say Disney castmembers get in free to PI on Thursdays. Now, let's say that a lot of those gay cast members like to use the benefit of getting into PI for free, so they often go on Thursdays. Does that make it gay night?

No. What that means is a bunch of gay men are at PI.

I agree, unless of course it's advertised by a community as such a night, which it clearly is. I don't think anybody here is going to deny that it just so happens that gay people "randomly" show up that night. If a bunch of republicans just happen to be at Epcot one day, then it's not "Republican Day"..however if it's posted on Republican forums and papers that "Saturday is the day all republicans need to be at Epcot" and it's promoted as such, then yes, you can say it's "republican day" for all intensive purposes since there is an intent by that subsection of the population to inhabit that place at once.

Please don't play the "they hired a DJ to play "gay" music" card either. Disney made a smart business decision based on YEARS of business on Thursday nights.

No, disney made a conscious decision to validate that night as such. I wouldn't call it smart, because clearly Pleasure Island isn't doing well enough to validate calling any decision they've made "smart".

So, let me get this gay. PI's problems are due to the fact that the locals don't come to PI. The locals don't come to PI because of the gays. The gays only gather in large numbers on Thursday nights, AND generally in one (of 7) clubs. So you're saying the locals don't know the difference between Thursday night in Mannequins and the whole rest of the week in every other club?

Clearly you haven't read what I've said...I don't blame this night for all of their problems..I said it's one of many issues that have made it hard for the general public to be over excited about spending money to be there. And yes, locals do know the difference between Thursday night and every other night...however, the biggest club days in general are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday...if one of those days is "claimed", then it doesn't bode well for the rest of the week. And some people tend to have a one track mind..if they see that it's gay night one day..they tend to shy away from ever going because in their mind, it's always going to be "the gay club"..i don't agree with that logic but you can't deny the fact that many people do have that mentality (especially drunk college kids or twenty somethings who are the majority of the bar/club consumers).

I'm seeing a hole in this logic.

That's because you're not reading everything I'm saying..it's very easy to pick and choose what you want to disseminate from my discussion.

If I want to go to a club and dance with my boyfriend, then I will. I don't have to go to a gay club to do so. That's my right. The fact that you have a huge issue with me, or other gay men going to PI ultimately is your problem.

Please tell me where I EVER said that *I* had a problem..cause I don't think you'll find it in this discussion. Such assumptions only weaken your case.

Disney apparently has no problem with it.

Disney doesn't care anymore...PI is a sinking ship..

 

[djjohng]

Maybe, but not to the extent you seem to make it out to be. It's one week of the year; the normal average summer crowds for Orlando aren't that weak that they depend on this one week for a major source of their income.

I never said they depend on the income, however the loss of several millions of dollars that has been there annually for the last 16 years will be felt. Further the week of Gay Day is typically the slowest of the season, right after Memorial Day and before schools let out. That's why this week was chosen.

If it's promoted as such by the gay community, then yes, it is Gay Day at Pizza hut..lol. However, even without promotion, why is it whenever anybody asks why there is a need for gay days, the biggest response from supporters of it on here or other Disney boards is..because every other day is "Straight day"..therefore defying your logic right there.

Your logic is faulty. Because a group says something doesn't make it true. If the "gay community" says that Walt Disney World is a gay resort all year round, is it? The gay community doesn't declare Thursdays at PI gay night, and even if they did, it's not. I haven't seen anything declaring Thursday night gay night. I have seen things saying that there are more gay people at PI on Thursday, but that's about it.

Despite what people on the forum say the point of Gay Days is, it's a bunch of us coming together as a community to spend time at Disney. Nothing political, it's a party. Just like Night of Joy or Grad Night (just on a bigger scale and not recognized by Disney).

I agree, unless of course it's advertised by a community as such a night, which it clearly is. I don't think anybody here is going to deny that it just so happens that gay people "randomly" show up that night. If a bunch of republicans just happen to be at Epcot one day, then it's not "Republican Day"..however if it's posted on Republican forums and papers that "Saturday is the day all republicans need to be at Epcot" and it's promoted as such, then yes, you can say it's "republican day" for all intensive purposes since there is an intent by that subsection of the population to inhabit that place at once.

Again, faulty logic. Because one group calls an event, a day, or anything else something does not make it that. Yes you can say anything, but that does not make it true. Gay Day at Disney is not sanctioned or recognized by Disney, meaning if you ask Disney when Gay Day is they will say "we don't have a gay day." Further, if you ask Disney when gay night is at PI, they will say "we don't have a gay night, we welcome everyone all the time." Trust me, I know. I worked for Disney and was trained to say just that.

No, disney made a conscious decision to validate that night as such. I wouldn't call it smart, because clearly Pleasure Island isn't doing well enough to validate calling any decision they've made "smart".

Disney validates nothing but their bottom line. Disney is in business to make money, not magic, not warm and fuzzies. Disney catering to the gay crowd that has been attending regularly for years was a smart business decision. They are hanging onto the business that is reliable.

Clearly you haven't read what I've said...I don't blame this night for all of their problems..I said it's one of many issues that have made it hard for the general public to be over excited about spending money to be there. And yes, locals do know the difference between Thursday night and every other night...however, the biggest club days in general are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday...if one of those days is "claimed", then it doesn't bode well for the rest of the week. And some people tend to have a one track mind..if they see that it's gay night one day..they tend to shy away from ever going because in their mind, it's always going to be "the gay club"..i don't agree with that logic but you can't deny the fact that many people do have that mentality (especially drunk college kids or twenty somethings who are the majority of the bar/club consumers).

I respect your opinion, but my opinion is that the impact of gay people going to PI on one night every week to PI's bottom line is negligible. When PI was doing extremely well, the gay people were still there on Thursday night. Thursdays are nothing new, and the numbers at PI dropped not gradually, but all of the sudden. They happen to coincide with the cutbacks around 2001, though number started to go south around the time West Side opened and parking became an issue.

While I agree there are people too thick headed to understand that while gay people may go to a club one night a week, that the club isnt' gay all the time. However, I work in a club that is gay one night per week. Guess what? We do killer business on the non-gay nights, and our gay night is official! The number of people in Orlando that don't get that has got to be so small that the negative impact on PI is tiny.

Please tell me where I EVER said that *I* had a problem..cause I don't think you'll find it in this discussion. Such assumptions only weaken your case.

I'm inferring that based on the fact that you so passionately argue that gay people at PI are an issue. I don't know you, I have nothing against you. I'm not saying you hate gay people, I'm saying you seem to have an issue with gay people at PI based on your arguments.

Disney doesn't care anymore...PI is a sinking ship..

Disney cares very much about their bottom line. Catering to the gay patrons that attend PI on Thursdays almost religiously proves that. If Disney didn't care they would have shut the place down and developed it as something else.

 

[cmor42180]

i dont post much on here, but what is going on with all this gay/ straight crap???

who cares if you are gay, straight, transvestites, racist...whatever, anyone who thinks Disney caters to anyone is smoking crack, they dont cater to anything but families


its a family experience, if anyone remembers why disney world was built thats all it was for....a place where parents could bring their kids and have a good time

 

[brich]

What an embarassing thread... On a Disney site no less.
IMHO, Get rid of all the clubs and stay true to what the rest of Disney is about - FAMILIES. Straight ones, gay ones, red ones and purple ones. Why should Disney cater to any specific sexuality? Can't we all be mature enough to look beyond all this? I've been there once and was totally unimpressed. They're clubs. Just like they have all over the world. As for CMs needing something to do after work to let off steam, I have a job and I never have a problem finding something to do... Do some volunteer work with special needs children or help the elderly. I see other threads where CMs talk about "stupid" and "idiot" guests and yet when your not working, you want to go mingle with...guests.

Those that want to continue with a gay-straight debate, spare the rest of us the boredom 'cuz really, it's very old...

 

[uklad79]

Disney may have been all about the family in Walt's day but if you still think it is you have no idea about the current Disney company! The parks create rides kids can not go on the TV stations have expanded from just the Disney channel they make programming that is not suitable for kids on ABC, the film division makes films that you would never show a kid. Get real it's a business they are aiming for every sector of society not just "families". They know the spending power of gays with no kids who love the Disney kitch and buy up all the crap that Disney can produce. I seem to remember a DLP advert in a gay magazine in the UK a couple of years ago. So stop talking crap when you obviously don't work in Disney's huge marketing machine. Remember Disney sees $$$$ not sexuality, it doesn't matter if they are coming from a gay mans manbag or a straight mans wallet!

 

[cmor42180]

ok i will say this then, with the amount of diverse people that travel to disney/ pleasure island do you really think a gay bar/ club in pleasure island is a good idea??? there are a lot of cultures and people in the world who dont accept the gay community, ive been to pleasure island plenty of times and seen numberous fights between drunk straight people, could you imagine how bad it would be with a gay club in there, that would be a target for the locals and any tough guy college kid.

i dont care who spends what at disney, i enjoy my time there, i really enjoyed pleasure island and im a little sad to see it change, its fun to take a bus down there get all hammered and hit on random girls

can someone just lock this thread up, its getting carried away with the whole gay/ straight thing....who cares? i only want to be updated as far as the changes that ARE being made

 

[Blue-Lightning]

I don't know if this is still the case or not, but as I recall from when I was working with Disney, we actually lost money because of the gay week in June. Although Gay Day brings in many visitors, it also causes many visitors not to come... there was a study done that was never made public that determined Disney was losing a small amount of money on the thing.

Just thought I'd let you know,

BL

 

[djjohng]

I don't know if this is still the case or not, but as I recall from when I was working with Disney, we actually lost money because of the gay week in June. Although Gay Day brings in many visitors, it also causes many visitors not to come... there was a study done that was never made public that determined Disney was losing a small amount of money on the thing.

Just thought I'd let you know,

BL

Interesting considering I've heard fewer and fewer complaints from guests, and the fact that numbers continue to go up. Heck, even the Southern Baptists stopped their boycott. If Disney was losing money, don't you think they would discourage any Gay Day events from going on? Perhaps not renting the Disney MGM Studios and Typhoon Lagoon out?

ok i will say this then, with the amount of diverse people that travel to disney/ pleasure island do you really think a gay bar/ club in pleasure island is a good idea??? there are a lot of cultures and people in the world who dont accept the gay community, ive been to pleasure island plenty of times and seen numberous fights between drunk straight people, could you imagine how bad it would be with a gay club in there, that would be a target for the locals and any tough guy college kid.

The thing to remember is this; a bunch of gay people going some place does not make it gay. Pleasure Island is Pleasure Island. Mannequins is Mannequins regardless of who is inside of it. If it is full of Republicans it is not a Red Bar. If it's full of Athiests it does not mean Disney condones, or endorses Atheism.

Stopping all the gay / straight stuff...

I have to say I'm very sad to see what's happening to PI. I miss watching the NYE show on the West End. I loved the closed in feeling of PI, like you were in some city some place. It used to be such a party...

 

[Captain Chaos]

Gay/Straight, black/white, male/female.. Who cares?? PI was meant as a place to have a different kind of fun while at Disney.. If the place is going downhill, or already hit rock bottom, I doubt it is because gay people go to the clubs.... The clubs in NYC florish, and I am sure they have plenty of gay patrons...

 

[Captain Chaos]

Interesting considering I've heard fewer and fewer complaints from guests, and the fact that numbers continue to go up. Heck, even the Southern Baptists stopped their boycott. If Disney was losing money, don't you think they would discourage any Gay Day events from going on? Perhaps not renting the Disney MGM Studios and Typhoon Lagoon out?

Nope.. because the ACLU will be in there as fast as you can say the word lawsuit.... I could imagine how fast the lawsuit would be filed.

The thing to remember is this; a bunch of gay people going some place does not make it gay. Pleasure Island is Pleasure Island. Mannequins is Mannequins regardless of who is inside of it. If it is full of Republicans it is not a Red Bar. If it's full of Athiests it does not mean Disney condones, or endorses Atheism.

Remember the Blue Oyster Bar in Police Academy movies?? :lol:

Stopping all the gay / straight stuff...

I agree... gay/straight, whatever.. We all can go an enjoy Disney... And this is coming from a straight male who is not afraid to go to Mannequins on a Thursday night...