Originally Posted By dshyates I heard a rumor today from a manager of one of the DtD stores that Planet Hollywood is closing in a couple/few/several months. Has anyone else heard anything regarding this rumor?
Originally Posted By Disneymom443 that would be a shame. the food was pretty good, it was just to loud for my taste.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros If it's true, I wonder who they will get to fill the vacancy. There aren't too many things that they could put in the globe-shaped building. The one in Ikspiari at TDR closed a little over a year ago, and it's still empty (it had a large globe facade within a mall-like setting). That will be one heck of an empty area, along with Pleasure Island. I ate there for breakfast once with a school group, and it was fine. It was enjoyable, but I wouldn't have gone out of my way for it. Sadly, I think that's probably how most people felt.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Planet Hollywood -- like all the other themed restaurants of the late 80 and early 90s -- should just be allowed to close. Hard Rock Cafe too. A themed restaurant is just a tired concept. Hard Rock has never taken the time to re-invent itself. The one at Universal City Walk in LA is exactly the same as it was when it opened 10-15 years ago.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss For me, a restaurant, themed or not, just needs to serve really good food. Theming might get me in the door, but if the food doesn't peak my interest the first time I visit, I wouldn't return.
Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad the food is the key. We went to the one in myrtle beach and when we left it was "well, that was fun." But it wasn't something where we said we need to do that again.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox I've eaten in a few PH and HRC over the years, and have never been impressed with any of them, quite frankly. The Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas is nice; The Joint is a great small venue for musical acts, for that "up close and personal" feel with the performers. But the restaurants? Meh. I'd rather eat elsewhere. For themed restaurants, Rainforest is still good, especially with kids. (I haven't eaten at T Rex yet.) The food is consistently better, IMHO, and the atmosphere is more engaging than PH or HRC, which has always been very static and boring.
Originally Posted By BroadwayBoy I have to completely disagree with everyone. I went to PH my first time over the summer and was completely blown away. I loved the atmosphere and how there was so much to look at. Everywhere you walked you saw something new. Plus the fact I'm a movie buff, it was right down my alley. The food was decent. Nothing fancy expensive, but not cheap and poorly made. I think it would be a REAL shame if PH closes. It's an excellent place to start a vacation (you get 15 percent off if you are a resort guest), and wonderful for everyone. Plus I dug the music and videos. Just my humble opinion.
Originally Posted By BroadwayBoy And I personally love themed restaurants... it's a fun escape for a few hours.
Originally Posted By Rosso11 I think it is just the secondary store in West Side that is closing not the restaurant.
Originally Posted By MPierce After you leave the Market Place, I envision a scene from a western movie. Dilapidated buildings with tumbleweeds blowing down a deserted main street.
Originally Posted By sjhym33 We were at DTD on Sunday and there were nice crowds. The folks working at the PH secondary store were standing outside the store doors watching people walk by. I thought...man, they look bored.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 These places all overexpanded in the build, build, build 1990s. The food at PH isn't really bad, but it also isn't anything better than TGI Friday's ... although last time I was in there the prices weren't much higher than that. I know other chains have closed locations ... Hard Rock closed their LA/Beverly Center Cafe a few years ago, although I have heard they are opening a new one somewhere. I used to walk there for lunch some days from my place on the left coast. Rainforest closed two locations last year. And PH went from having maybe 12 locations in FLA to just the one at DD years ago. I hope they aren't closing in DD because that building will never be able to attract another tenant and will sit empty forever.
Originally Posted By MPierce I remember back in the 90's they had lines of guest going all the way down the entrance ramp, waiting to be seated. I had a meal there back in 1999 that I thought was actually pretty good.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA According to Wikipedia, Planet Hollywood has closed over 100 restaurants. They have just 20 locations Just in the U.S. these have been closed... "Cool Planet" refers to a failed ice cream store concept that lasted less than a year. * Anaheim, California (Cool Planet location) * Aspen, Colorado * Atlanta, Georgia * Atlantic City, New Jersey * Baltimore, Maryland * Beverly Hills, California * Boston, Massachusetts (Planned, but never opened) * Chicago, Illinois (Now Gino's East) * Columbus, Ohio (Closed a Planet Hollywood restaurant, Official All Star Café, and Planet Movies by AMC megaplex) * Costa Mesa, California * Dallas, Texas * Fort Lauderdale, Florida * Gurnee Mills in Gurnee, Illinois * Houston, Texas * Indianapolis, Indiana * Irvine, California (Cool Planet location) * Key West, Florida * Lake Tahoe * Los Angeles, California * Mall of America - Bloomington, Minnesota * Maui * Memphis, Tennessee (Planned, but never opened) * Miami, Florida - Coconut Grove * Miami, Florida - Ocean Drive * Nashville, Tennessee * New Orleans, Louisiana * New York, New York (West 57th Street, closed due to relocation) * Norfolk, Virginia (Cool Planet location) * Phoenix, Arizona * Reno, Nevada * San Antonio, Texas * San Diego, California * San Francisco, California * Santa Monica, California (Cool Planet location) * Seattle, Washington * South Coast Plaza (Costa Mesa, California) * St. Louis, Missouri * Washington, D.C. * Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois Why is it that with these themed restaurants -- and to a certain extent Disney Stores, and Warner Bros. Studio Stores, and Muppet Stores -- if one works, then 100 must work better. I remember when they were ramping up and opening all the Disney Stores I thought, 'Man, do we need that many?' Everybody looked at me like I was nuts. More good information at the link <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Hollywood" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P...ollywood</a>
Originally Posted By CMDad Definitely agree - overexpansion is what killed the theme restaurants ... as well as the Disney/WB stores. At first they were special ... then they overexpanded and became commonplace. And with the Disney Store - they changed it and removed most (all?) of what made it different from K-Mart selling Disney merchandise.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I used to adore the WB and DIsney stores. They sold quality and unique products, and had service that was on par with old Disney park/cruiseliner standards. I used to spend a fortune. The Disney Store of today, I cannot remember the last time I spent anything there. Waste of space today. Again, the PH in London used to be cool, with very big props and unique items. Now, they have moved, it looks like any restaurant anywhere, with very dull exhibits (James Bond costumes). But I love the Rainforest Cafe and the London HRC (huge displays)
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 <<I think it would be a REAL shame if PH closes. It's an excellent place to start a vacation (you get 15 percent off if you are a resort guest),>> I think the 15% off was a clue that it wasn't doing all that well.
Originally Posted By dshyates So I don't know anything about the fate of the restaurant, but the PH store in DtD West Side closed as of today. <a href="http://www.attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2010/02/01/planet-hollywoods-on-location-store-closes-at-downtown-disney/" target="_blank">http://www.attractionsmagazine...-disney/</a>
