2008 July 04 | Magical Kingdoms Disney Blog

What’s to become of Pleasure Island?

July 4th, 2008 . by admin

It’s just a week since Disney announced that the clubs at Pleasure Island are to shut down permanently. Whilst some of the clubs may have been more popular with locals rather than vacation-goers, there are many fans mourning the loss of the Adventurers Club. So strong is the feeling that an online petition against the closure has been launched that currently has around 4300 signatures.

Disney blame the decision on the need for more dining and shopping locations in that area. The fact that there isn’t much open in Pleasure Island during the day puts people off from walking through that area, thereby creating a barrier between Marketplace and West Side which both have numerous options for daytime shopping and dining. The current offering of Pleasure Island shops which includes Fuego by Sosa Cigars, Curl by Sammy Duval, and Orlando Harley-Davidson, are hardly a draw for most visitors. Add that to the reality of the clubs being very quiet during the week, and you can see why Disney have chosen to do this. It comes down to money, and making the most of the space available to bring in more $$$.

So, what’s to become of Pleasure Island in the future?

A new themed restaurant, T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure is already being built, with a slated opening date of November. Featuring table service dining in an interactive prehistoric environment built around water, fire and ice, this new restaurant operated by Landry’s Restaurants will also house a retail shop.

In spring 2009 another new restaurant is set to open. Operated by E-brands Restaurants the casual eatery will not only serve authentic Central and South American cuisine, along with specialty drinks, but will also host live music.

Disney certainly seem to be moving away from managing restaurants themselves. Even in the parks the latest restaurants to open, including Yak and Yeti Restaurant & Tutto Italia Ristorante, are run by outside companies. Raglan Road, which is to remain open, is part of this trend at Downtown Disney.And looking at the latest offerings for Pleasure Island announced so far that does seem to be the way of the future.

A number of one-of-a-kind, immersive experiences are promised. These include a giant, tethered balloon that will take guests 300 feet into the air to view the amazing vistas of Walt Disney World Resort, much the same as the PanoraMagique Balloon at Disneyland Resort Paris.
As the Paris balloon has to close during inclement weather, this could potentially prove to be a bit of a dead duck, much like SeaWorld’s Sky Tower which is frequently shut.

Is it possible that the Adventurers Club will find a new home? In his blog, Jim Hill says that reports of the AC finding a new home at Disney’s proposed 5th gate adult theme park “Night Kingdom” may not come to much, as it’s now up in the air whether the park will go ahead at all. Downtown Disney Vice President Kevin Lansberry stated that they’ll be “looking at some specialized entertainment options” for the newly revitalised PI, so could any of those options include a new Adventurers Club? If Disney have any sense they’ll hopefully listen to their customer base and go with that option.

So while we’re promised a wonderful new shopping and dining experience, there are many left reeling by Disney’s recent decision and wondering whether the future will indeed be pleasurable.

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