Village Comparison

Today I have a series of four pictures of the Village looking from the general area of the Marina across the lagoon toward Pleasure Island.

This first picture is from sometime between 1989 and 1994.  Look how scenic.  The Empress Lilly was still the Empress Lilly and still had its paddle wheel.  The far bank of the lagoon was grassy and green with beautiful trees in the background (and the foreground for that matter).  EuroSpain or Artespana or whatever the Arribas Brothers store was called at this time still existed in all its rustic splendor.

Fast forward to 2002 and an angle slightly to the left.  Still sort of scenic.  The Empress Lilly is now Fultons Crab House and the paddle wheel is gone!  Someone felt the need to paint the Pleasure Island Bridge day-glo yellow (probably to match all of the colors that have invaded the rest of Downtown Disney).  The Lego store has moved in with all of its Lego creatures and McDonald's has been built next ot it. 

The last two are from late 2010.  Still that sad thing that was once a lovely graceful "ship" sitting there without paddle wheel or smoke stacks.  What the hell is that thing to its left?  Oh, its the Rainforest Cafe's brother T-Rex.  Nothing says beautiful shopping village like a volcano on one end and a giant dinosaur excavation on the other.