Many of Pleasure Island’s restaurants will likely remain
Change abounds at Disney World. In addition to all the other construction happening around the park, plans are underway for Downtown Disney. Soon Pleasure Island will be replaced with Hyperion Wharf.
Those who love Pleasure Island shouldn’t fret: the language used by the announcement post on the official Disney Parks blog says that Pleasure Island will “evolve.” That could just be fancy PR talk to soothe any upset over the change, or it could mean that elements of Pleasure Island will remain.
The Disney Parks blog doesn’t have much information about the construction plan, only that it begins immediately and should finish in 2013. They likely aren’t giving away details because aspects of the project might change before its completion.
When I first heard about Hyperion Wharf my mind immediately went to my favorite poet, John Keats, who wrote a long unfinished poem about a Greek mythological character named “Hyperion.” Indeed the name does draw some inspiration from the same source, with the parks blog saying one of the ideas behind the title refers to Hyperion as the Greek god of light. The name also nods to the avenue in California that homed Walt Disney’s first animation studio.
The Hyperion mythology reference fits the new Wharf so well because it will take the torch from Pleasure Island and light up the night at Disney World. Concept art shows a brightly lit shopping and social area featuring stores, restaurants, entertainment spots, a relaxing miniature park, and more.
What little we do know of Hyperion Wharf reveals that it will increase the number of restaurants currently at Pleasure Island by 25%. Designed like an early 20th-century commercial pier, it will also have boutiques and walkways that curl around a lakeside park.
The given description of Hyperion Wharf really reminds me of another area at Disney World. I wonder why the company is spending likely a lot of money just to create another BoardWalk, at the same park no less. If these plans were for Disneyland it might make a little more sense (though I know less about Disneyland so they might have something comparable in Anaheim).
If the BoardWalk is very popular, and thus getting rather crowded, then makes sense to create another similar destination in Orlando. Still, I wonder why they’re changing Pleasure Island rather than just renovating/expanding it.
Maybe the name Pleasure Island raised a few eyebrows from parents coming to the family-friendly resort, and the Disney marketing team thought they’d soften it, although the destination was never inappropriate. Or maybe the update adheres to some new unfathomable marketing scheme.
I’m sure over the next few years more details will be forthcoming, so look forward to updates on all the construction at Disney World as more information becomes available.
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*(This image by hyku is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
