Pleasure Island (Disney World)
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Pleasure Island is a section of themed nightclubs at the Walt Disney World Resort within the Downtown Disney shopping, dining and entertainment district. Its main venues typically operate from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly. Pleasure Island officially opened May 1, 1989, but had a "soft opening" beginning Friday, April 28, 1989
The site is most often thought, to be named for the fictional 'Pleasure Island' in the book Pinocchio, of which the Disney studio made a film adaptation. In the book, children on the island are allowed to play and never work. However, these unsupervised children smoke, drink alcohol and generally misbehave (sometimes in adult-like ways), and are eventually punished by being changed into donkeys that have to work in salt mines.
The fictional backstory of the Florida site has nothing to do with the Pinocchio story, however. According to the lore created by Walt Disney Imagineering, the island's nightclubs were once home to a shipping company owned by adventurous businessman Merriweather Pleasure. A great storm destroyed the business and Mr. Pleasure disappeared with the warehouses remaining behind. Years later, these warehouses were refurbished and converted into nightclubs.
From 1990 through New Year's Eve 2005, Pleasure Island celebrated New Year's Eve with a fireworks show every night at midnight.
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[edit] Attractions
Comedy Warehouse - a nightclub featuring an improv comedy troupe. Originally featuring a parody show called "Forbidden Disney," the club soon attracted a large return audience. The move to the improv format after a couple of seasons was made to keep the show always fresh.
Adventurer's Club - a 1930s-style British explorers club featuring a staff of flamboyant characters portrayed by improv actors.
Mannequins Dance Palace - a techno-trance dance club featuring a revolving dance floor.
8TRAX - a 70s and 80s themed dance club. Opened in 1994 replacing:
- Videopolis - opened in 1989 playing new wave music on 170 video screens. In 1990 it was renamed Cage adding more progressive music before closing in 1993.
Motion - a dance club featuring Top 40 music videos. Opened in 2001 replacing:
- Fireworks Factory - pyrotechnics themed restaurant operated by Levy Restaurants. According to the island's fictional backstory, Merriweather Pleasure manufactured fireworks in the building until one of his cigars caused an explosion. The restaurant was decorated with authentic pyrotechnic props from the Grucci family. Open from 1989-1997.
- Wildhorse Saloon - country music dance club and BBQ restaurant opened in 1998 to capitalize on the Country/western dance craze at the time. Operated by Levy Restaurants and Gaylord Entertainment Company, which also operated a Wildhorse in Nashville, Tennessee. They eventually sold their interests in the building back to Disney and the venue closed in 2001.
Rock 'n' Roll Beach Club - a rock-themed dance club featuring live bands (usually local cover bands). Opened April 4, 1990 replacing:
- XZFR Rockin' Rollerdrome - a short lived club where guests could strap on skates and dance to rock and roll music.
BET Soundstage Club - a hip-hop and R&B dance club. Operated by Black Entertainment Television (formerly BET Holdings Inc). Opened in 1998 replacing:
- Neon Armadillo - a club featuring live Country music bands, operated from 1989-1998.
Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant - operated by Great Irish Pubs Florida. Opened in October 2005 replacing:
- Merriweather's Market - A food court that operated from 1989-1993.
- Pleasure Island Jazz Company - a club featuring live jazz musicians. Opened August 27, 1993. Closed in 2005.
There are also a number of small shops and boutiques located between Adventurers Club and Rock 'n' Roll Beach Club. Many of these shops closed in March 2006 as part of the renovation of the island (see "Future Plans").
[edit] Adjacent attractions
Fulton's Crab House - a seafood restaurant operated by Levy Restaurants since March 10, 1996. Originally opened on May 1, 1977 as the Empress Lilly (an homage to Walt Disney's wife). Operated by Disney, the restaurant was an authentic re-creation of a 19th century Paddle steamer in Rococo (Louis XIV) style. The boat lost its paddle wheel and smoke stacks upon becoming Fulton's.
Portobello Yacht Club - a restaurant featuring regional Italian cuisine operated by Levy Restaurants. Opened with the clubs in 1989.
Planet Hollywood - a restaurant chain celebrating show business and celebrities. Opened December 17, 1994.
AMC Theatres Pleasure Island 24 - Movie theater megaplex. Expansion of the existing venue opened with Downtown Disney West Side in 1997.
[edit] 2006 Renovations
Major renovations to Pleasure Island were made in March 2006 with the hope to stop the declining attendance. These changes included the closing and dismantling of the West End Stage and the Hub Stage. The area formerly occupied by the West End Stage is the location of the new pedestrian bridge to Downtown Disney West Side and provides visitors a more line-of-sight from Pleasure Island to West Side. The building which previously included stores and a fast food restaurant is being completely renovated and will reopen with new shops by mid-2007. The removal of the Hub Stage opened a small area to a view of the lagoon located behind Pleasure Island.
New docks were constructed that now allows boat transportation links between West Side, Pleasure Island, Marketplace and Disney resorts across the lagoon and up the Sassagoula River.[1] Construction of a T-Rex Restaurant will begin in 2007 near the current location of the pedestrian bridge to Downtown Disney Marketplace.
[edit] 2007 Entrance Policy
Effective January 1, 2007, the dance clubs reverted to a policy which required guests to be age 21 or older. Minors may still visit the Comedy Warehouse, Adventurer's Club as well as visit shops and restaurants. A promotion currently in effect allows Florida residents who purchase a standard 1-night all-club ticket to receive free return admission through the end of June, 2007 at no extra charge.
[edit] Trivia
- The March 2006 South Park episode The Return of Chef showed the character of Chef becoming a member of a club called the Super Adventure Club (meant as a parody of Scientology). The layout of the headquarters of the Super Adventure Club was patterned after the interior of Pleasure Island's Adventurer's Club. It's believed that the research for this episode was done on South Park co-creator Trey Parker's honeymoon.
- The licensing agreement with BET Holdings Inc for the BET Soundstage Club (opened 1998) was before Black Entertainment Television was purchased by Viacom in 2000. Viacom is a competitor to The Walt Disney Company.
- The Ticket Booths at the Entrance are former coaches that used to be used on theFort Wilderness Railway that operated from 1973-1977 and featured restored steam locomtives and passenger cars
