What is the consensus on PI and HW?

[stratman50th]

First, from your nick, I gather you are a musician? The loss of places featuring bands playing original music (Jazz Club, Beaches) you don't consider a loss?

Armature musician, never made a living from it, just for fun. But to answer your question, most bands in nightclubs, bars, beaches, free venues, are cover bands. When you're in a cover band, people expect you to be a human jukebox. They want you to sound exactly like the band you are covering. Most of the time, the loss of those venues to a band aren't because of location, it's cost. A club/bar/etc. owner can make more money by hiring a DJ than a live band. I think another thing that causes the loss is that there just isn't the numbers to support clubs like that any longer. At least not multiple clubs like the way PI used to be. Too much to choose from by too few people. The people going to a country bar are not going to pop in next door to the Hip Hop bar to check it out. Especially if there is a cover involved. Even if there is someone in each club, they aren't full. Attendance down=profits down. Profits down mean the club can't be supported any longer. The owners aren't in it for the sake of the art, it's to make money. Even a big company like Disney.
Sorry, didn't mean to go on with a musical economics lesson.
Almost forgot, have another beer and don't forget to tip the waitress! Enjoy yourselves and last call's at 2:00.:sohappy:

Second, you really don't have a problem with Disney providing a venue for others to drink and have entertainment, it's just that you would not choose to go there, correct?

Oh absolutely. I don't drink by choice, I'm not against it at all. As far as providing a place, it really isn't up to me, but looking at it from their point of view, they want to make money, and the real question is can they? Many people are like me. They can go to a club at home, I would rather spend my time in the parks and places I can't get at home.

 

[stratman50th]

I was just too young to enjoy PI when it opened, so it was a major turn off having a whole area out of reach at WDW.

Once I was old enough and able to get in, aside from the AC, the place was pretty unimpressive for what I recall was a fee to even get in.

Then they opened it to everyone and the parking lot area became a truly dangerous place for multiple reasons.

The problem at the moment is that we now have kids we wouldn't want to bring into that environment and that we also wouldn't be comfortable leaving in the hotel alone while we went out to party.
No, we're not paying for Disney babysitters.
It's a family vacation, but that doesn't mean there can't be something other than a G rating. Epcot seems to do it.

I'd love a comedy club, a rock and roll club, and a jazz club where we can take the family in and also have some drinks and bar food with live entertainment.

Yes many of the jokes would probably be over the kids' heads in the case of the comedy, but not all.

One of my favorite moments in DL at my last trip was the 80s sound alike band in Tomorrowland.
The only thing missing was a nice cold beer or two.

The 80s sound alike band did "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC.
If you know the lyrics, some of them are certainly questionable, but that's Rock 'N Roll, and it gets played on the local oldies station in the car and it's fine.
One day, DD will pay attention to the lyrics and maybe freak out for a moment, but hey, that's Rock /N Roll.

I'd like to see a place where kids are allowed, but only when accompanied by an adult and that adult needs to be nearby, not just let in and the kids go one way and the adults go another.
Language and subject matter may be a factor, but it should be PG, and with a warning that there is alcohol and questionable subject matter being discussed.
Now, depending on the house you come from and how the kids are raised, this is not an issue at all.
We have the occasional drink in the house and the kids are awake. There is language they hear and know not to repeat in school as well as conversations that are just kept to us. It's called living with a family, and it is the whole family that is on vacation.

This just reminded me of the free concerts during the summer at the amphitheater in front of the America pavilion. They have some great tribute bands all summer that really does a nice job of replacing the nightclubs. If you want a beer, you can hit a pub in one of the countries.
I also miss the comedy club. In the end, the demographics on the WDW property are just so diverse that you would go broke trying to build and staff something for everyone.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

As long as they bring back the Adventurers Club..I am Happy!:sohappy:

AKK

 

[Did Knee]

Armature musician, never made a living from it, just for fun.

Me too, I play drums. Looks like we are pretty much on the same page. The truth is, the only two clubs I miss are the Jazz club and the Adventurers Club, and I fully admit that attendance at Jazz was non-existent when it was closed and attendance at AC was not what it could have been. There are a lot of issues that lead to PI being closed. Some were caused from decisions made from within TDO, some had to do with demographics, etc. I just hope they create something worth visiting there. What I know of the HW plan doesn't make me very hopeful.