Atlantic Dance - Another Disney Best Kept Secret

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Paid a first ever visit to Atlantic Dance Hall out at Disney's Boardwalk Resort last night. WOW.....what a beautiful facility! Two stories, huge dance floor, lots of art deco features, all overlooking the huge lake.

The only thing missing was customers. I counted somewhere between 40 and 50 of them; quite a few PI regulars were there. The DJ played requests; the song mix was quite similar to Motion or the Groove, all with music videos displayed in large scale up on the back wall. I was really impressed. I'm sure it was really awesome on New Year's Eve when it sold out to 700 patrons. But 50 patrons doesn't do it justice.

So why doesn't this place get advertised? My sources tell me that Disney has a contract with the Swan and Dolphin to provide a night club. So this is what they have to meet their contractual obligation yet there is no incentive to make higher profits. I'm not sure how that makes sense but there is definitely no effort to promote it and it is what it is.

Anyone who hasn't been there needs to see this place. If any of you have more details about this venue, please share.

BobK/Orlando

[mitros]

Originally Posted by KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

Paid a first ever visit to Atlantic Dance Hall out at Disney's Boardwalk Resort last night. WOW.....what a beautiful facility! Two stories, huge dance floor, lots of art deco features, all overlooking the huge lake.

The only thing missing was customers. I counted somewhere between 40 and 50 of them; quite a few PI regulars were there. The DJ played requests; the song mix was quite similar to Motion or the Groove, all with music videos displayed in large scale up on the back wall. I was really impressed. I'm sure it was really awesome on New Year's Eve when it sold out to 700 patrons. But 50 patrons doesn't do it justice.

So why doesn't this place get advertised? My sources tell me that Disney has a contract with the Swan and Dolphin to provide a night club. So this is what they have to meet their contractual obligation yet there is no incentive to make higher profits. I'm not sure how that makes sense but there is definitely no effort to promote it and it is what it is.

Anyone who hasn't been there needs to see this place. If any of you have more details about this venue, please share.

BobK/Orlando

They don't still allow smoking there, do they? That was one of the main reasons we never went back.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

No one was smoking so I assume it was a "no smoking" venue. But I don't specifically recall any no smoking signs.

BobK/Orlando

[zulemara]

for the record, all the clubs at PI were non smoking.

hhmm interesting you were that impressed. I personally don't like the idea of requests or of the groove mix, but if people are dancing, I guess it works.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Another source told me today that Disney doesn't want large crowds going to AD because to get there you have to pass through and around the Boardwalk Hotel and they don't want guests to have to put up with a lot of noise.

Interestingly, he says they ended the midnight fireworks at PI for the same reason; all the timeshares had been completed across the lake at SSR and they didn't want guests over there to have to put up with that kind of noise at midnight every night.

BobK/Orlando

[DC7800]

Originally Posted by KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

they ended the midnight fireworks at PI for the same reason; all the timeshares had been completed across the lake at SSR and they didn't want guests over there to have to put up with that kind of noise at midnight every night

Didn't they build some manner of viewing stand/area at Saratoga Springs specifically to view the Pleasure Island fireworks? That explanation reeks of 'spin' regardless ("we had to stop the fireworks", rather than "we're too cheap to waste money on the guest experience"), but if any consideration at all were given to the (brief) PI fireworks in SSR design, it's just pitiful.

Gee, I suppose this line of thinking will also mean the end of Wishes. Can't have fireworks going off near the (abomination of architectural design) Contemporary DVC tower, can we?

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Originally Posted by DC7800

Didn't they build some manner of viewing stand/area at Saratoga Springs specifically to view the Pleasure Island fireworks? That explanation reeks of 'spin' regardless ("we had to stop the fireworks", rather than "we're too cheap to waste money on the guest experience"), but if any consideration at all were given to the (brief) PI fireworks in SSR design, it's just pitiful.

Gee, I suppose this line of thinking will also mean the end of Wishes. Can't have fireworks going off near the (abomination of architectural design) Contemporary DVC tower, can we?

Where I live I hear Wishes every night and it doesn't bother me. However, the latest it seems to run is 10pm and perhaps later very rarely. The PI midnight fireworks show ran at.....ahh....midnight. That is pretty late for many folks.

My source on this one is not a friend of the Mouse right now so I don't think it was any so called spin. The ending of the midnight fireworks does kind of coincide with the conversion of Disney Institute into the Saratoga Springs Resort and it's growth to encompass a huge amount of land by the time it was finished. Don't know if they had a viewing stand over there or not; makes sense that they would have. I would think that the majority of buyers at SSR wanted to be close to DTD and PI and wanted a free fireworks show.

BobK/Orlando

[mitros]

Originally Posted by KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

Where I live I hear Wishes every night and it doesn't bother me. However, the latest it seems to run is 10pm and perhaps later very rarely. The PI midnight fireworks show ran at.....ahh....midnight. That is pretty late for many folks.

My source on this one is not a friend of the Mouse right now so I don't think it was any so called spin. The ending of the midnight fireworks does kind of coincide with the conversion of Disney Institute into the Saratoga Springs Resort and it's growth to encompass a huge amount of land by the time it was finished. Don't know if they had a viewing stand over there or not; makes sense that they would have. I would think that the majority of buyers at SSR wanted to be close to DTD and PI and wanted a free fireworks show.

BobK/Orlando

Another point regarding fireworks/DVC/special viewing areas. When they were building and were still selling the BW, they said that a room above the resort would be for DVC members to have "get togethers" and view the fireworks at Epcot. That went right down the toilet when they sold enough BW memberships and did not need that "incentive" any longer and decided to use that huge observation room for paid events such as weddings. I remember staying at the BW one time, and seeing a wedding going on up there and when the fireworks started, they dimmed the lights in the room, and we could see all of the guests viewing the fireworks from what was supposed to be a DVC member special benefit. Disney is so full of c_ _ _, that it's laughable. Out and out bull_ _ _ _ continues to spew from the mouths of those running the DVC.

[disneybridetobe]

Originally Posted by KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

Paid a first ever visit to Atlantic Dance Hall out at Disney's Boardwalk Resort last night. WOW.....what a beautiful facility! Two stories, huge dance floor, lots of art deco features, all overlooking the huge lake.

The only thing missing was customers. I counted somewhere between 40 and 50 of them; quite a few PI regulars were there. The DJ played requests; the song mix was quite similar to Motion or the Groove, all with music videos displayed in large scale up on the back wall. I was really impressed. I'm sure it was really awesome on New Year's Eve when it sold out to 700 patrons. But 50 patrons doesn't do it justice.

So why doesn't this place get advertised? My sources tell me that Disney has a contract with the Swan and Dolphin to provide a night club. So this is what they have to meet their contractual obligation yet there is no incentive to make higher profits. I'm not sure how that makes sense but there is definitely no effort to promote it and it is what it is.

Anyone who hasn't been there needs to see this place. If any of you have more details about this venue, please share.

BobK/Orlando

It seems to be popular with the Fairy Tale Weddings. Maybe that's part of the reason?

[Bouncy bounce]

Atlantic Dance Hall is beautiful. I had my wedding reception there back in august 08... i have never been there for the night club type thing. Our upcoming trip i plan on checking it out.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Originally Posted by Bouncy bounce

Atlantic Dance Hall is beautiful. I had my wedding reception there back in august 08... i have never been there for the night club type thing. Our upcoming trip i plan on checking it out.

Bouncy Bounce, who did you have to contact to rent Atlantic Dance? Did you deal with Disney Catering or is there someone right at AD or the BW that you dealt with?

Thanks,
BobK/Orlando

[deej696]

When it comes to booking sites for weddings, including AD, it all goes through Disney Fairy Tale Weddings. Ironically AD and The Attic are two big spots for these. Not sure who you would contact for a non-wedding event...

[Bouncy bounce]

Originally Posted by KINGBOBOFTHENORTH

Bouncy Bounce, who did you have to contact to rent Atlantic Dance? Did you deal with Disney Catering or is there someone right at AD or the BW that you dealt with?

Thanks,
BobK/Orlando

Same as Deej said... For a wedding you go through disney fairy tale weddings.. not sure who you'd go through for a non wedding. Maybe call the venue they could give you a better answer.

[Todd&Copper]

What kind of music do they play at ADH? DO they cater to people in their 20s-30s, or 40s +?

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

They play mostly Top 40 music videos. Since a lot of Top 40 is hip hop, you get a lot of that. It's very similar to what you would have heard at Motion or currently can hear at the Groove.

I've only been in once so it's hard for me to say what they cater to but there were all ages in the place when I was there. I think the music generally caters to a younger clientele however if they are indeed associated with those two expensive hotels, then you can expect somewhat older guests in there too.

BobK/Orlando