Daughter Person recently spent spring break from university by taking her first ever trip to Disney World in Orlando. Finally catching up with her on her return, she shared her experiences there. One regret was that she and her travel-mates were not able to go to Downtown Disney Pleasure Island.
Now, Pleasure Island is Disney’s latest attempt to make more money attract more visitors to their theme parks. This particular theme park is geared towards giving the adults a place to go in the evening after spending the day with their maniacal and demanding little angels. It features bars, comedy clubs, and the like, still in Disney theme. Given that part about “bars”, you obviously have to be 21 to get in.
actual pic from their web site
Girl Child and her friends excitedly made plans to go there after their day adventures were over. They were gravely disappointed, however, when told that Pleasure Island was closed. She was told, in a conspiratorial tone by her informant, that the place was closed down for two primary reasons*.
First, there were several cases of underage drinking. Now this goes on at any bar, but is clearly not something to be tolerated. Especially at the kingdom of kids.
Second, and more laughable, was that there was a prostitution ring that had set up business in the Magic Kingdom’s Pleasure Island! Yee-HA!!
a little princess-on-princess action?
Now, me? I view this as a shining example of American entrepreneurial spirit. They were putting the “Magic” in Magic Kingdom. Hell, Disney could’ve been business minded themselves and sought to profit from this idea… of course, given the laws, the only place they could open up a ride like this would be Nevada…
But, Florida frowns on such and took what they consider to be ‘appropriate’ action.
or a little cop-on-princess action?
…spoil sports…
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*All likely urban legend. The official story is that they closed the area to make it more ‘family friendly’, with no mention of kids getting trashed or Snow White proving she’s pure as the driven slush for a $20.
[Ed. Note on the 3rd picture: actually an AP photo of arrests made when DisneyLand (in California) actors protested for better pay and benefits]
The Wilds of Ohio 