An Interview with Downtown Disney's Kevin Lansberry
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Entrance to Pleasure Island

Late last month Disney announced many changes for Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney including the closure of the six clubs at Pleasure Island. On July 3rd LaughingPlace.com had the opportunity to interview Kevin Lansberry, Vice President of Downtwon Disney, about the coming changes. Below is a transcript of that interview.

Doobie Moseley: What led to the decision to close Pleasure Island?

Kevin Lansberry: This came about after a lot of research and I want to be specific � several years of research around what our guests want from the products at Downtown Disney. So what they�re asking for is more dining capacity because we�ve got some pretty long waits to eat at night, and more highly differentiated shopping opportunities going forward. In addition to that, because we�re Disney, we�re going to have some great entertainment options out here. So that, in a nutshell, is it.

DM: I know you made the decision to keep parts of Pleasure Island like Raglan Road open. Why not also keep the Adventurers Club and the Comedy Warehouse open which are much different than the other dance clubs?

KL: What I can tell you there is our guests are telling us that they need more shopping and dining opportunities and those were two locations � two prime locations � that we needed to help pull that off.

DM: But even with that, what�s coming to Pleasure Island will include entertainment along with the dining and shopping options?

KL: In all likelihood we�ll have some of our own entertainment out there and the options that are brought in will likely have entertainment in them.

DM: Pleasure Island right now is mostly operated by Disney. Will most of what�s brought in be operated by outside vendors?

KL: I think some of the things that are brought in will be operated by outside vendors. I know that we�re also looking internally at some options for those locations.