Comments on: A belated farewell to Pleasure Island

By: Jientje

Jientje — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:54:15 +0000

This brought back memories from when I was in Orlando. Church Street Station, and Rosie O’ Grady’s. Does that still exist, or is that gone too?

By: ces

ces — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:21:17 +0000

oh! i had no idea it’s gone:(
thanks for dropping by!

By: Rosidah Abidin

Rosidah Abidin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:36:19 +0000

Pleasant view of Pleasure Island! I love how the clouds seem to be neatly placed under the archway. Have a great week

By: T&T

T&T — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:12:12 +0000

wow – I didn’t even know that

By: Arlene

Arlene — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:04:40 +0000

Great photo. The signs and the posts are so lovely to look at against the blue skies.

Sad to know they close this place down but at least you have kept many good memories.

Happy RT!

By: Ralph

Ralph — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:40:38 +0000

It is hard to believe that Disney closed a major profit center here. You’d think that a new and different adult place would spring up in its place someday. Disney seems to print money, so maybe their thinking is correct…

By: Dianne

Dianne — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:14:58 +0000

I’ve never visited any Disney park, they’re not my favorite corporation since they started messing with their employees benefits and then trying to strong arm local politicians to stop housing for the poor near the park

not to mention all the crap they own that has nothing to do with “family entertainment” – they’re such hypocrites

I say Mickey and Donald should start a hostile takeover!

your photos are always wonderful Tink – you show the magical parts of the Disney name

By: Janie of Utah

Janie of Utah — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:12:50 +0000

I’ve never been there, but it does seem a shame to shut down the nightspots for adults. Oh, well.

By: Mare

Mare — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:09:26 +0000

Happy memories are always a good thing. =)

Sigh…still wish they kept it open though.

By: amanda

amanda — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:46:06 +0000

It’s a shame something so iconic will be lost to the public… great post for RT!

By: Mama SeWELL

Mama SeWELL — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:28:08 +0000

Sad! Sad! Now that I have kids I wouldnt have gone much but I did have a blast there the times I did go. A friend & I would hit the parks during the day & let loose at night there when we would stay overnight. I think it will calm things at night now.

By: Mojo

Mojo — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:01:02 +0000

I think I would have picked a different name for it… sounds like a porn film title. But the closing must have been due to it having a negative impact on revenue. It might have been profitable within its own sphere, but in the context of the overall operation having it there might have put a dent in revenues from other areas of the park.

Whatever the case, you can bet it was about money and not concern for “family friendliness” (or lack of it). If they were that concerned about having only “wholesome entertainment”, they’d never have opened it in the first place.

It’s always the bottom line. I’d be curious to know if any “adult themed parks” sprang up to fill the void in other locations and if so, just who the backers were. If it was as profitable as it sounds, I can’t believe they’d abandon the idea.

Sorry you lost out on it… I’d never heard of the place until just this minute, but it sounds like it was popular enough. And I can imagine that the employees were glad to have a place like it after dealing with other people’s kids all day long.

By: Tink ~~*

Tink *~*~* — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:31:46 +0000

Gayle, it was very popular with locals and the young people who work for Disney in the College Program, so they would have either been childless or had a local babysitter.

Dot, you’re probably right – there was probably a strong business reason to shut down Pleasure Island. I’m not sure that the reason was “not profitable”, though.

Which leads me to Tootie’s question – Disney says they closed Pleasure Island in order to provide “more family entertainment” Just what they needed more of! It has been speculated that nightclubs, loud music, and drinking in the streets wasn’t palatable to visitors with children, but my contention is that no one told them to drag their kids through the streets of Pleasure Island, where nightclubs, loud music and drinking in the streets are known to happen. It’s not like CityWalk at Universal, where in order to exit the parks you are FORCED to drag your family through it all. Pleasure Island was well set aside, and there were alternate routes going around it to get from the Marketplace to the West Side and vice versa. Guests can also take the boat or the bus to get back and forth.

Eh, it’s a moot point now!

*~*~*

By: jams O'Donnell

jams O'Donnell — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:11:15 +0000

That’s a shome . It sounds like it was a lot of fun. Happy WW

By: Gayle

Gayle — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:14:02 +0000

I suppose it didn’t promote wholesome family goodness. Plus, most are there with the kids so what do you do with them when you are out partying. I bet it was fun (and now I’ll never know)!

By: Joanne

Joanne — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:58:13 +0000

Awww! That’s sad to know. Ive never been to any Disney theme parks. Hoping that I can visit HK Disneyland next year (crossing my fingers).

By: Laura Peterson

Laura Peterson — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:34:26 +0000

I didn’t know it closed! Sniff, sniff…

By: Ivon

Ivon — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:56:44 +0000

Memories are the most important part of all adventures. Thanks for sharing.

By: Tootie

Tootie — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:20:52 +0000

So, what’s the scoop on what’s coming there next?

By: Napaboaniya APAD

Napaboaniya APAD — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:01:56 +0000

A pity that they closed that place that looks real interesting
Thank goodness for shots capture to memory the place by though

By: Carletta

Carletta — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:51:05 +0000

I didn’t know it had closed – where have I been.

Nice shot!

By: Dot

Dot — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:32:23 +0000

Well, I didn’t know all that! First I didn’t know they had closed it and also I didn’t know that it was adult entertainment. I guess it must not have been profitable to them.