Pleasure Island's Past

During our first trip to Walt Disney World in 1982, we really enjoyed the peaceful and serene Disney Village. Seven years later, journeying with three kids to see the month old Disney-MGM Studios, we discovered Pleasure Island adjacent to the Village.

Below are two pictures from that trip- one of the now defunct Merriweather's Market and the other the Fireworks Factory. The Factory was home of some terrific and varied barbeque, and the Market, if memory serves me right, was the place to go for deli sandwiches and snacks.


The last photo below is from 1992: the Rock N Roll Beach Club. Even with a pretty cool logo and some fine design touches, at this point in time, the place was pretty empty and soon on its way out. Rollerskating here was a thing of the past as well.
Downtown Disney became the name of this complex once the West Side was added. Surely, Disney's plans for this ever growing piece of real estate will continue to change and evolve as the years go on. The T-Rex Restaurant is on its way and a rumored Apple Store, too. Hopefully, Disney will see fit to save one of the original nightspots- the truly original Adventurer's Club.

(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)