Pleasure Island Update!! Dec 20th 2004

[Thelazer]

Today is the Jazz Club's LAST DAY OF OPERATION!!!.
Today is Dezerts LAST DAY OF OPERATION!!!!.
NO more bands on West End Stage thru January.
More changes to come to the street.

Strong rumors indicate that Guinness will be sponsoring an Irish style pub in the Jazz Club’s area. Look for a gift shop to be included in the mix. No word yet on if this is a complete tear down of the existing building or a remodel. There is also word that this could be run in partnership with Levy’s and could include some form of a themed coffee café as well.

A massage table area is now going into the former Suspended Animation area on the hill. This area will feature pay for massage table and chairs. No word yet if the red light and happy endings will be included in this.

Motion is getting a "VIP" area on the 2nd floor. New seating has been installed, and more work to come. The 2nd floor will be a 21 and up only area. It will be blacked out, so that from the dance floor you will be unable to see upstairs.

West End Stage is DONE FOR!. Stick a fork in it and call it burnt to a crisp!
Early rumor indicates a slow removal of the lighting/sound for use in other venues in the park. A complete tear down of the stage and new walkway to the west side is the likely replacement at this time.

Look for news in mid-summer on possible new shops.

 

[Figment1986]

Man.... I am not 21 yet and I wanted to go into the Jazz club.. (mom wont let me go untill i was 21....)
how many original clubs are left now?

 

[Tinkerbell1220]

Thanks for the info, I was never a big fan of the Jazz club so I can understand why they are taking it down, surprises me though that they would do it right in the midst of the holiday season, why not wait until after? West End doesnt surprise me although I thought they should have kept it up. Now if they start thinking of messing with Comedy Warehouse or the Adventurers Club we may have to take drastic measures

 

[Pixie Duster]

Woo hoo 21 and up area of Motion, me likey. Wonder if they will do anything during Cast Member nights....?

 

[speck76]

Good stuff....thanks for the update.

I was talking to a friend this morning....we were talking about how nice it would be for PI to have a British-style pub.....the ladies can go dance, and we can enjoy a few drinks....and all are happy.

 

[bugsbunny]

Woot!! Guiness and Mickey Mouse!! At this point, they can stop building WDW for everything I need is now there. :lol:

 

[TravisMT81]

some good news I think. I never went into the Jazz club so I could care less, and I can see DD building there relationship with the Levy group. I do like the 21 and up idea at Motions. That is why I like Manniquins so much because it is 21 and up.

 

[STGRhost]

Man.... I am not 21 yet and I wanted to go into the Jazz club.. (mom wont let me go untill i was 21....)
how many original clubs are left now?

:veryconfu I want to say that the Jazz Club isn't original to PI. I could swear it opened around 1998? Or I'm confusing it with something else at PI that opened then...

Otherwise, this is interesting information, but really isn't going to affect me much - I have never been a BIG fan of PI to begin with, so I'm not attached to anything there. I am intrigued by the idea of an irish pub or coffe place, though - I would stop by either of those places if I were already at DtD.
I don't get the purpose of tearing down the stage, though. Why not leave it, at least for special events? Or is it possible that there are plans to do something with that whole area? Hmmm...

 

[Thelazer]

The problem with the stage is they are unwilling to invest into it. Now that you no longer pay to access the island, where does the money come from for the band costs? A temporary stage with rigging and the works could be used just as well for those few special events. Otherwise, it just sits there with a crappy video wall, some lights and a 5 minute nightly NYE show.

The video wall is in SAD shape, and is a downright embarrassment! Since they are unwilling to invest, it makes more sense at this point to just remove it. Why have an empty stage there, so everyone can wonder what the heck it's there for while we watch a very blurry and often not working video wall?

Yea, it would be great if they would bring in some big name acts each weekend, but sadly it's just not going to happen.

The best we can hope for at this point is the following:

1. Someone figures out that we need good bands at least on the weekends.
Or
2. Remove the stage.
2. Install freestanding jumbotron LED video wall.
3. Theme area, with moving lights around the wall and on towers.
4. Build it in such a way that a temporary stage can be setup for NYE and special events.
5. Replace all TV’s on the street with Plasma or LCD panels and add more!.
6. Expand the nightly new years eve or similar fireworks show.
7. Use newly created space to add another unique club such as Adventures or Comedy.

 

[marni1971]

The stage added so much to our last PI visit (2001).. the (house) band were great, the lighting was great, the sound was great...

Looks like another tribute video candidate.

So sad.

 

[zone15int]

Ill be sad to see the jazz club go, but I really like the idea of the guinness sponsored pub. I hope it has a piano bar in it. Not many people know about jelly rolls and I think that Disney would be smart to put one in Pleasure Island.

 

[speck76]

The problem with the stage is they are unwilling to invest into it. Now that you no longer pay to access the island, where does the money come from for the band costs? A temporary stage with rigging and the works could be used just as well for those few special events. Otherwise, it just sits there with a crappy video wall, some lights and a 5 minute nightly NYE show.

The video wall is in SAD shape, and is a downright embarrassment! Since they are unwilling to invest, it makes more sense at this point to just remove it. Why have an empty stage there, so everyone can wonder what the heck it's there for while we watch a very blurry and often not working video wall?

Yea, it would be great if they would bring in some big name acts each weekend, but sadly it's just not going to happen.

The best we can hope for at this point is the following:

1. Someone figures out that we need good bands at least on the weekends.
Or
2. Remove the stage.
2. Install freestanding jumbotron LED video wall.
3. Theme area, with moving lights around the wall and on towers.
4. Build it in such a way that a temporary stage can be setup for NYE and special events.
5. Replace all TV’s on the street with Plasma or LCD panels and add more!.
6. Expand the nightly new years eve or similar fireworks show.
7. Use newly created space to add another unique club such as Adventures or Comedy.

Although addmission to the Island is free now, unless you enter the clubs....I really wish they would not allow those under 18 onto the island unless they are with a parent. The area in front of both stages has become a gathering place for the 16'ish year old crowd....and, well, they really have no business being there......it is not like they are a financial benefit to the company, and typically, they see mto cause more trouble than they are worth. I like the open addmission to the island, but keep the kiddies away!

 

[launchpad03]

Sad to see the jazz club go too

A(nother) piano bar at WDW would be good though too... even though the relative "un-knowness" of Jelly Roll's is nice to get away from the stop-by-er.... but that's a personal thought, not a business one. They might have to have either a PI piano bar OR Jelly Rolls... probably not both though....

Speaking of Jelly Roll's... does anyone know how busy it is on non-Cast-Member nights? I only was able to make it on no-cover for Cast Members nights, and it was a pretty happnin' spot, but other nights I don't kow about.

Question #2.. With the new admission policy at PI, do cast members still get nights when they get in free? Do they whow their ID at each place instead of at the ol' turnstiles?

 

[Thelazer]

Mon/Thursday are still cast nights.

I agree 100% with the under 18 thing and the kids. It's getting a little scary on the island some nights with those punks hanging around.

 

[TravisMT81]

I agree keep the ghetto trash kids on the west side LMAO!!

 

[Figment1986]

They should check for IDs... you should have an wrist band for 18-20 and a different wrist band for 21+ adults who wish to party on the island and it's clubs...

(U know thats not a band idea... works better than scanning each card at the entrance to the clubs. if thats what they still do...)

 

[s25843]

The first club you go to, is where they scan and wristband you... Then after that, just show your wristband and you are in...

 

[Sledge]

Under 21? Get a fake ID. Getting alcohol with them is stupid since if you get caught you pay a huge fine and have to do Alcohol Awareness which isn't worth it (trust me) but flashing it to get into a club is pretty quick and easy, especially when they are trying to get people through quickly so they don't look at it as long. You have to look the age though, obviously. I didn't just say that. :lookaroun

Guinness is the worst tasting beer I have ever had. Actually, it's the worst tasting alcoholic beverage, period. They should get something sponsored by Tequiza instead.

 

[tampabrad]

Thank the stout gods that there will be a "pub" on PI. I have been waiting for a reason to go back.

By the Way, Guinness (indirecly) has been funding pubs in the area under Fados, and other names. It has been a matter of time. Once they opened, Mc Dinton's in Tampa, I have been waiting for an Irish Pub at PI. YAY!!!!!

 

[stitchfan]

Actually, it's the worst tasting alcoholic beverage, period.

If that was true, then Guinness would likely never have made it off of Ireland for export. Stouts and other darker beers, I will admit, are an acquired taste. Given the demand for Guinness over here in the States, I'd have to say that a definite demographic of Americans have acquired that taste.

Personally, I'm quite pleased to hear rumors of an Irish pub on PI. To quote the brewmasters on the recent TV commericals for Guinness, "Brilliant!"

(And if said pub has boxty anywhere near as good as a certain Irish pub around here that has since closed had, I'll be in absolute heaven... )