damper on downtown disney

[Ian]

PI was designed as a gated nighttime attraction for adults not a walkway that children were suppose to walk through. It wasn't until later when the Westside was built that they decided to open it up a walkway to the Westside which wasn't getting much business. The Disney Management at the time mistakenly blame lack of access saying PI was the reason. The removed the turnstiles to allow the flow of traffic and all the problems started. Until the gates were removed PI was rather successful.

Jeff has it basically exactly right. When PI started and they charged admission it was actually a really nice place to hang out. But once they did away with that and opened it up to everyone, the shady element moved in and it got pretty nasty for a Disney theme park.

I'm kinda glad they did away with it.

[redleg96]

In late june i was there and it was sooooo packed that they closed the parking lot to new cars- so i am not sure the popularity has subsided.

I was told someone is moving into the virgin mega store soon, not sure who-

But besides LaNuba and DQ, there is always Candy Cauldren and the magic shop and the cigar store. so west side isnt too bad.

we had a fun time there this year.

Where's the cigar store?

[Darbylew]

We never miss going to DTD. We love to go
and eat at Wolf Gang Puck's express. We enjoy
Ghirardelli and the World of Disney. We like the
shops in the Marketplace area. We ususally go
to DTD the first night we are there. We drive
to WDW so we get there late in the day and we
go after we check in our resort.

[jillluvsdisney]

We always go to DTD a few times during out trips. I love browsing/shopping at the Art of Disney, Twelve Days of Christmas, WOD, Basin.
I love looking at the lLgo sculptures and getting ice cream at Ghiardelli's. We've had lunch many times at Earl of Sandwich too. We are going to La Nouba on our upcoming trip and are eating at Raglan Road. We also have tickets to the Gospel Brunch at HOB.

[Daisy'sMom]

Jeff has it basically exactly right. When PI started and they charged admission it was actually a really nice place to hang out. But once they did away with that and opened it up to everyone, the shady element moved in and it got pretty nasty for a Disney theme park.

I'm kinda glad they did away with it.

I agree with you 100%. The last time we ventured over to PI and saw the element that was there, we turned and left.
Give me DTD Marketplace, I don't need a place to go clubbing.

[NJGIRL]

I do miss the PI that used to be when admission was charged. The clubs were alot of fun and it was a nice way to spend the night.
We would leave our son with our friends one night then watch their kids for them the next night. I do really miss the Adventurers Club.

As far as DTD we still make one stop there every trip. Between the shops (especially the Lego store for my son) and the restaurants we stay busy for a couple of hours. I do wish that they would do something interesting with that big gap that used to be PI because it just seems like such a waste of prime space.

[Hammer]

Glad that some of you did not like PI, but some of us liked having a place to go out and dance or see a comedy show after the parks.

It was perfectly fine when it was a separate admission and wished they had gone back to that and found a way to put in a path for people to use to go to the West Side.

[Ian]

Glad that some of you did not like PI, but some of us liked having a place to go out and dance or see a comedy show after the parks.

It was perfectly fine when it was a separate admission and wished they had gone back to that and found a way to put in a path for people to use to go to the West Side.

Yeah, I should probably clarify my earlier comments, because I actually agree more with you, Christine, than it might appear.

What I should have said is that I'm glad PI is gone if they weren't going to go back to the old admission-based model.

I, for one, loved the Adventurer's Club and I miss it dearly. We had some amazing times at PI with the INTERCOT crew and our meets will definitely not be the same without the ability to make fools of ourselves at 8 Trax.

That being said, though, since Disney does not appear to have even considered going back to the admission-based PI, I think the second best option was to shut it down. When you have a situation where there are literally gang fights and kids with guns wandering around on Disney property, that's something that has to be stopped.

I do wish, though, that they could have somehow saved the Adventurer's Club.

[Imagineer1981]

Jeff has it basically exactly right. When PI started and they charged admission it was actually a really nice place to hang out. But once they did away with that and opened it up to everyone, the shady element moved in and it got pretty nasty for a Disney theme park.

I'm kinda glad they did away with it.

PI was a lot of fun, and it kept Adult guests from going to the city of Orlando for night time entertainment, it kept them on property. In its hayday, it was always packed and tons and tons of locals and CMs went all the time, they were free on certain nights too. PI had unique clubs like the Adventures Club and the Comedy Warehouse was great. The West Side also was a nice addition but favored more the locals and CMs (we used to go to the AMC all the time) then guests. I still believe if they would have built the West Side on the East side, PI would still be open. Instead of PI being stuck in the middle, it would have been left alone.

On another note, if the College Program CMs weren't getting drunk all the time and missing their shifts, they wouldn't have done away with the CMs get in free at PI either, and the clubs would still have been packed.

[Seasonscraps]

I still believe if they would have built the West Side on the East side, PI would still be open. Instead of PI being stuck in the middle, it would have been left alone.

I agree with you. The West Side always felt so isolated from the rest of DTD. I really miss the original PI when you had to pay to get in, NYE every night, live music in the "street". It was so much fun!!

[Phantod]

Ian, so I guess it'll be alright if I wear my "Return our Adventurer's Club" t-shirt next week.....waaaaaahhhhh.

[Ian]

I agree with you. The West Side always felt so isolated from the rest of DTD. I really miss the original PI when you had to pay to get in, NYE every night, live music in the "street". It was so much fun!!

I agree, too. Building the West Side where they did was the beginning of the end for PI.

Ian, so I guess it'll be alright if I wear my "Return our Adventurer's Club" t-shirt next week.....waaaaaahhhhh.

Yep. If I had one, I'd wear it too!