We previously announced some exciting new changes coming to Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney, including an overhaul to the Pleasure Island area. Today, Disney gave us an update on the area’s progress.
Downtown Disney has already seen some exciting new changes recently. The AMC Movie Theater in Downtown Disney’s West Side recently added a brand-new in-theatre dining experience in May, and the LEGO Imagination Center was recently expanded in Downtown Disney’s Marketplace section. Additionally, Harley-Davidson recently opened one of the largest and most interactive Harley merchandise stores on Downtown Disney’s West Side.
These new changes to Downtown Disney will continue, with new stores and experiences to open soon. Taking over Harley-Davidson’s former location in Pleasure Island will be Apricot Lane Boutique, a specialty clothing store that recently opened a location in Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District.
Also opening in Pleasure Island will be Splitsville, a 50,000-square-foot entertainment venue that brings together bowling, billiards, dining, music, and nightlife. Construction will begin this fall on the new “upscale entertainment center,” which will occupy the former Virgin Megastore location in Downtown Disney’s West Side. Ridemakerz, which currently occupies that space, will move to a smaller location in the Marketplace section of Downtown Disney.
However, it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see the overhaul of Pleasure Island that Disney announced in late 2010. The main focus of the Pleasure Island overhaul was to be Hyperion Wharf, a themed shopping and dining area that would replace the nightclubs that once inhabited Pleasure Island. While it seemed that construction was already in progress for the new area, Disney had the following update to give today on the area’s progress:
Over on Pleasure Island, we’ve completed removing some of the buildings that aren’t part of our future plans. During the course of this site work, we identified opportunities to further refine our master plan and are pausing to evaluate them. What does this mean for you? While we’re moving quickly, it will admittedly cause a delay in construction. But we’re willing to bet that any delay will be worth the wait once we’re able to share details about the exciting work we’ve been doing.
When asked specifically about if Hyperion Wharf would still eventually be built, Walt Disney World spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said:
“We don’t have anything specific to share today, but we look forward to sharing more details in the future.”
No new timetable has been given for the area’s construction, which was originally expected to be completed in early 2013. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new expansion.
