Orlando = Boring (Miami, Lake City: casinos, restaurant, outlet mall)

[everythingatall]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

While I agree with you on the theatre/museum part, I'll have to disagree with the nightlife.
It isn't anything like certain places I'm used to (Montreal, NYC) but it does pretty well on its own. Downtown is more than decent. I-Drive is always hopping. City-Walk is decent...
The city is far more vibrant and alive at night than it was 10 years ago when I first moved here.

I disagree totally about the nightlife. I think it's awful. City Walk is full of chains. I-Drive is full of chains. Downtown is dying. When I lived and partied downtown in the late nineties, it was great for what it was. Baja Beach Club, Chillers and the much beloved Sapphire Supper Club were thriving as was the downtown nightlife. Now it's dead, even on weekends. In its time, Sapphire Supper Club was one of the coolest tiny music venues in the country. We were downtown on NYE last week and were shocked at how dead it was. I was downtown for every NYE from 1996 until 2002. It was packed during that era. Now? It was almost empty.

I just read that Sapphire had a 20th anniversary party last year. OMG! My old elderly self would have gone to that just to see My Friend Steve and the Legendary JCs.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

I disagree totally about the nightlife. I think it's awful. City Walk is full of chains. I-Drive is full of chains. Downtown is dying. When I lived and partied downtown in the late nineties, it was great for what it was. Baja Beach Club, Chillers and the much beloved Sapphire Supper Club were thriving as was the downtown nightlife. Now it's dead, even on weekends. In its time, Sapphire Supper Club was one of the coolest tiny music venues in the country. We were downtown on NYE last week and were shocked at how dead it was. I was downtown for every NYE from 1996 until 2002. It was packed during that era. Now? It was almost empty.

I just read that Sapphire had a 20th anniversary party last year. OMG! My old elderly self would have gone to that just to see My Friend Steve and the Legendary JCs.

Have you not been to wall st?

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

I disagree totally about the nightlife. I think it's awful. City Walk is full of chains. I-Drive is full of chains. Downtown is dying. When I lived and partied downtown in the late nineties, it was great for what it was. Baja Beach Club, Chillers and the much beloved Sapphire Supper Club were thriving as was the downtown nightlife. Now it's dead, even on weekends. In its time, Sapphire Supper Club was one of the coolest tiny music venues in the country. We were downtown on NYE last week and were shocked at how dead it was. I was downtown for every NYE from 1996 until 2002. It was packed during that era. Now? It was almost empty.

I just read that Sapphire had a 20th anniversary party last year. OMG! My old elderly self would have gone to that just to see My Friend Steve and the Legendary JCs.

Sorry, but downtown is never dead on weekends. It's usually packed every weekend late. I was there last month I doubt anything has changed.

[Good Red Road]

I don't think most people move to Orlando for the nightlife. Orlando caters to families.

[everythingatall]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Sorry, but downtown is never dead on weekends. It's usually packed every weekend late. I was there last month I doubt anything has changed.

I think packed is subjective. It's nothing like it used to be.

I would also add the that demographic is nothing like it used to be either. At all.

How do you explain NYE? It was dead.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

I think packed is subjective. It's nothing like it used to be.

I would also add the that demographic is nothing like it used to be either. At all.

How do you explain NYE? It was dead.

I think many, like myself, decided to opt for smaller house parties instead. Past experiences have left me uneasy due to the area being saturated with police performing random DUI checkpoints all over town. I'm SURE many of us chose not to go for reasons such as that.

The demographic is starting to resemble that of Miami.

And I actually find it to be much more packed than it was when I first moved here in 2002... Orange, Pine, and Magnolia Ave are ALWAYS pretty busy at night.
What I have found is that there are less nightclubs than before, but there are far more bars/lounges, which I prefer by a long shot. Keeps the knuckleheads out.

[everythingatall]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Have you not been to wall st?

I've been to Wall St. a million times. It's the same bar that was there twenty years ago. I'm glad that it's survived so long but at this point, I'd almost consider it a dive bar. I think most of my disdain for downtown Orlando is that my tastes of have changed. I'm spoiled by dozens of lounges/cocktails bars in Chicago. Orlando was fine when I didn't know any better. Now it's like a baby suburb. I was very deeply entrenched in Orlando's nightlife in the nineties because of my job.

One of the major flaws of Orlando's nightlife is car culture. It's a pain in the butt to ALWAYS have to think about who is driving/who is drinking/how to get around. That, however, is not a problem unique to Orlando. LA has the same problem.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

I've been to Wall St. a million times. It's the same bar that was there twenty years ago. I'm glad that it's survived so long but at this point, I'd almost consider it a dive bar. I think most of my disdain for downtown Orlando is that my tastes of have changed. I'm spoiled by dozens of lounges/cocktails bars in Chicago. Orlando was fine when I didn't know any better. Now it's like a baby suburb. I was very deeply entrenched in Orlando's nightlife in the nineties because of my job.

One of the major flaws of Orlando's nightlife is car culture. It's a pain in the butt to ALWAYS have to think about who is driving/who is drinking/how to get around. That, however, is not a problem unique to Orlando. LA has the same problem.

YES!!!!! This!
Every time I go back to Montreal, I am reminded of how convenient REAL public transit is.
Unfortunately, very few cities have such a comprehensive train and bus network. NYC, Montreal, Chicago have those... I can't really think of any other city where everything is so accessible without a car.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

If you're an adult who values museums/theatre, Orlando gets boring in a heartbeat.

It's a vicious cycle - the people who value such things move to big cities. Then Orlando is left without people who value such things, and the theatres/museums don't improve.

I left Orlando eleven years ago. It's gotten worse as far as nightlife/theatre/museums go.

There really isn't much to do in Orlando that cannot be explored in a a few weekends if you like adult activities.

The theaters don't improve? Travel + Leisure magazine disagrees.

Travel + Leisure: World’s Coolest New Tourist Attractions 2015

Mad Cow Theater also relocated to a bigger, better space downtown, and The Abbey opened in Thornton Park. So far, looks like theaters have improved greatly in Orlando. As for museums, did a museum get demoed that I don't know about? Not sure how it has gotten worse, though it hasn't gotten any better for museums.

Also, I will point out this article I posted yesterday from Wine Enthusiast:

Wine Travel Destination 2015: Orlando, Florida, USA

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

I've been to Wall St. a million times. It's the same bar that was there twenty years ago. I'm glad that it's survived so long but at this point, I'd almost consider it a dive bar. I think most of my disdain for downtown Orlando is that my tastes of have changed. I'm spoiled by dozens of lounges/cocktails bars in Chicago. Orlando was fine when I didn't know any better. Now it's like a baby suburb. I was very deeply entrenched in Orlando's nightlife in the nineties because of my job.

Wall St is not a bar...it is a bunch of bars. A lot has changed since 1995 on that street. Second, almost all the bars there have been renovated and completely re-themed in the last 2 years. Side Show, Shine, and Hooch are all new bars, and the Other Bar is just a couple years old. None of those would be considered dive bars. I'm pretty confident you did not visit Wall St on NYE based on what you said.

Also, you probably should have gone to the Courtesy, Woods, NV, and Hanson's Shoe Repair if you wanted more adult cocktail bars...not Church St.