Say goodbye to ALL the clubs at PI.

PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
TravisMT81 said:
Yeah that is because they are all 40 year old women with nothing else to do but plan where they are going to eat and spend their husbands money at Disney.
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Two things about Disney research, as someone who used to be in that department (albeit 4 years ago).

1 - The sample size is too low. Approx 1-2% of daily attendance is surveyed with the surveys on Rides & Attractions and Value surveys being given in very few numbers in comparison to the number of surveys given in a day.

2 - Who gets surveyed. While it is Disney SOP to survey or approach every Nth person (3rd, 4th, 5th, etc) randomly, you have approachability and people with time to kill who will actually let surveys be taken. Meaning people sitting on a bench with 5 minutes to kill. Those are the people who get surveyed.
 
wdwfan100

wdwfan100

Active Member
Did Knee said:
Pleasure Island has been on a long downhill slide. First they got rid of the diversity in the place by removing the Country bar (excuse me for forgetting it's name). About the same time the midway stuff disappeared. Then the Pleasure Island Jazz company closed. I like Raglan Road alot (I have ressies there for September), but I wish it could have been opened in addition to the Jazz club and not instead of. As for the AC...It is by far my favorite bar that I have ever known. I am going to the world September 14th for a week.....At least I will have to have one last Kungaloosh before this bar, this dear old friend.....dies.
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I believe the country bar was named "The Neon Armadillo". Catchy huh?
 
hemloc

hemloc

Member
Ack!!

It's CAGE all over again, but on a much grander scale(If you remember that place, you ARE old, lol!)... Although, I did like 8 TRAX more:)!!

Considering I just renewed my Premium Annual Pass last week, I am beyond furious. I only get it for PI(And the occasional DQ visit)!! I immediately called DTD guest services and was told that I could play a free round of golf each visit(Wheeeeeeeeeeee!! ?), or get a downgrade to the normal AP and a prorated refund. Talking to the girl on the phone, she was clearly grumpy and sounded like she was dealing with these kinds of questions all day. She did mention that elements of the AC may be used around the parks, but probably didn't know what the heck she was talking about.

That being said, the person who made this decision was pretty much a Grade-A Moron. Yeah, the other clubs were sliding, but I guarantee people would've paid a cover to visit the AC. That club still brings em in, and leaves a real smile on people's faces. The bawdy humor really WAS welcomed by the majority looking for a slight escape from the -ness of the mouse. The CW was pretty lame, when it comes down to it, though. I haven't gone there in years, and I tried it again a month ago. I was soooo embarrassed for the cast members, lol... So that one can go down with the ship... Either way, I am a Florida resident, yet I would still stay on property for the express purpose of busing it to PI so I could actually enjoy myself. Now I think I will take my refund and apply it to the Universal Premiere Pass which includes some really good perks(Free valet or preferred parking, $50 suite upgrades and Unlimited Express pass after 4!??! AND a Halloween Horror Nights ticket?!??!)...

Oh Disney, you have disappointed me yet again...

But now, it's all the more reason for me to reinvent the FAMOUS JULES VERNE ROOM in Fort Lauderdale:

marlin3.jpg


Now just add some quirky characters(I already have the mermaid on board... Seriously :p!!!) and some good food and drinkies, and fun shall be had by all!! Anyone care to invest with me??
 
wdwfan100

wdwfan100

Active Member
One of the things that is really burning my hind end is that our Oct. stay starts on the 3rd. We are missing it by one week. I wish I had time available to plan a quick getaway, to do it all one more time. :mad: :cry:
 
tirian

tirian

Well-Known Member
unkadug said:
Change/Don't Change

What are you trying to say?
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:eek:

I see why you're confused; I was running off to eat as I typed that.

Sorry. My post was based on previous comments and not meant to stand alone.

I think EPCOT Explorer understood what I meant, though.

On one hand, Disney needed to change PI if it wanted it to be popular with today's club hoppers.

But Disney's changes only made the place more generic. Disney's attempts to reinvent PI were unsuccessful because they wandered out their area of expertise (immersive environments like the original PI) and into a danger zone (removing the backstory and randomly building things to unsuccessfully attract each temporary culture scene).

In other words, even though the district needed constant updating, Disney's initial changes to PI were destructive because they altered the wrong things. The decision makers were so obsessed with changing PI that they made quick decisions (e.g. removing the live stages, discontinuing the "NYE Every Night" theme) without regarding long-term consequences. On top of that, the club culture has changed since PI opened and Disney isn't willing to match it.

Management is da*ned if they do and da*ned if they don't.

EDIT: It really is a circular argument, and somebody decided closing the island was the easiest way out. Too bad about the AC, though.
 
tirian

tirian

Well-Known Member
Did Knee said:
Pleasure Island has been on a long downhill slide. First they got rid of the diversity in the place by removing the Country bar (excuse me for forgetting it's name). About the same time the midway stuff disappeared. Then the Pleasure Island Jazz company closed. I like Raglan Road alot (I have ressies there for September), but I wish it could have been opened in addition to the Jazz club and not instead of. As for the AC...It is by far my favorite bar that I have ever known. I am going to the world September 14th for a week.....At least I will have to have one last Kungaloosh before this bar, this dear old friend.....dies.
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This is a great example of what I'm talking about. Disney needed to change PI to attract crowds no longer interested in these clubs, but the replacements didn't stay popular either. Eventually, somebody decided it was easier to stop trying to make everything part of an elaborate plan, and he axed the island's backstory. Much of the party atmosphere went away with it.

Disney is known for their atmosphere and storytelling.

Without the atmosphere, Orlando-area locals—PI's REAL backbone—starting going to trendier, more exciting venues. Then Disney removed the turnstiles and opened the island to everyone as an attempt to try to get people back in the area, and locals didn't take it seriously anymore. This was compounded with Guests who expected conservative Disney everywhere on WDW property, and a changing club scene that Disney couldn't attract without offending many of those paying Guests.

PI has become a big, sad mess, and it's due to YEARS of bad decisions, not just one current management team.

EDIT: p.s. The country music club was the Neon Armadillo.
 
tirian

tirian

Well-Known Member
Whew! I'm tired of talking about this. PM me if you have a question regarding one of my posts. :dazzle: :)

EDIT: Look at this thread to see how much PI changed...in the wrong direction.
 
culturenthrills

culturenthrills

Well-Known Member
hemloc said:
That being said, the person who made this decision was pretty much a Grade-A Moron. Yeah, the other clubs were sliding, but I guarantee people would've paid a cover to visit the AC. That club still brings em in, and leaves a real smile on people's faces. The bawdy humor really WAS welcomed by the majority looking for a slight escape from the -ness of the mouse.
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According to the people I know CW, AC and 8Trax were all turning a pretty good profit. I also think that the closing of PI may be taking place earlier than planned. A really vague press release that doesn't really say anything about what is coming, a new fiscal year starts on October 1st and with alot of talk that bookings are way down in the fall I wouldn't be surprised if they bumped up there plans to close them and those buildings are going to sit empty for awhile. For many of us this whole thing just leaves a bad taste in our mouths and I wouldn't be surprised of many people end up being even more angry if some of those buildings sit there empty for a couple of years.

I am still shocked even though I knew something was coming in some form but many of us who are in the know thought that at least CW and AC were going to be spared. In the long run I think Disney is really shooting themselves in the foot with this move. There are alot of adults who come to WDW now, who spend alot of money and now you have pretty much taken away the only nightlife that the resort had that was pretty unique. Like I said earlier what are adults supposed to do now if they want to go out and have a good time cause a few restaurants that have some entertainment isn't gonna cut it.

It would be one thing if they were replacing it with something unique but they are replacing it with stuff you can pretty much get in most places in the country. I like Raglan Road but there are authentic Irish pubs w/entertainment all over the country. This move just continues the blanding of WDW.
 
Shrike

Shrike

New Member
One can only hope that the AC will reappear in the future, as the permanent closure of this Disney jewel would be a phenomenally awful decision.

The rest of PI can rot for all I care...there are alternatives to the other venues everywhere, but the AC experience is unique, and was every bit a part of the WDW experience for my wife and I as PotC, HM, MS, etc.

I had hoped to use some airline miles for another purpose, but I'll definitely be there on that final weekend.:(
 
redsfan4life

redsfan4life

Active Member
I am also upset about losing CW and AC I have been going to PI everyyear since 1995 and on my week long trips i would spend 5 nights at both CW and AC everytrip . So thats 13 years of about 65 visits I have had 5 total drinks in all that time . So i was not just a place to get drunk. There are plenty of us adults that needed somewhere to go after the parks closed and did not just want to sit in the room. I will miss my CW part of my vacations .. I only go to DTD for 4 things the World of Disney Store, Comedy Warehouse, Adventures Club, And Virgin Mega Store. 3 of them leaving why go to DTD to get things at World of Disney i can get in the Parks.:mad: BTW I am 35 so disney should realize PI was not just drunks running around and teens
 
nibblesandbits

nibblesandbits

Well-Known Member
Well, I know I'm extremely late to the party, but to say I'm saddened by this news is an understatement.

I know that I haven't had much experience at the AC, however, the times that I have been there, I have enjoyed it incredibly. It was really a great place for me and my DH to go and enjoy ourselves and just have a good laugh.

To describe it to people, I would say that it was the most feeling Disney place, and yet the most unDisney feeling place. It really appealed to a lot of people.

I'm really surprised that this isn't going to be a stand alone type thing. I think this could really have worked with Disney's "new" Pleasure Island area. They could have charged a cover for just it and people still would have gone. It wouldn't have killed the Disney execs to have just left this club where it was.

I only wish I could get back to the AC before it closes, but unfortunately, it is not in the cards. :(

Kungaloosh, dear friend, Kungaloosh...:(
 
M

majortom1981

Active Member
well

Jekyll and Hydes in new york city (the one by central park) is sort of like the adventurers club . it opened at least around the same time also. I guess i will have to deal with that. I was hoping to go back to the adventurers club since i have only been there once. I guess i wont be.
 
WDWFanatic

WDWFanatic

Active Member
personally i am not a big club person, maybe its a good way to get rid of the gang activity that was reported in the past. I didnt like having a bunch of drunk people stumble around me anyway. Id like to see more quality shops and restaurants not junk stores with stuff that only 2% of the public could afford.

i dont want AC to leave, its really not the same as the other clubs. more of an attraction like the Comedy warehouse. so heres hoping
 
shoppingnut

shoppingnut

Active Member
I remember when PI had very unique things, like a roller rink. The AC I'm planning on going to on my upcoming trip for the first time since my nephew is now old enough to enjoy it. I'm sad to see this very unique place go. The west side has no interest for me whatsoever, overpriced shops and while it has good restaurants, I can get the same in the parks or the hotels without making the long jaunt there. Since the merchandise is the same all over the place now, there is really no need to go to the world of disney store either.
 

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