It’s official! We have visited the newly-opened Planet Hollywood Observatory!

We came. We saw. We conquered…And We Were Thoroughly Underwhelmed. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

A major overhaul to the inside, outside, and menu seemed like the perfect excuse to head on back to Planet Hollywood. So armed with a hearty appetite and a couple of friends, I set out for what was a big, faded blue orb, and is now Disney Springs’ newest “old, repurposed” building (Disney Springs is said to be based on a town in the 1920s that grew up around a natural spring — and many of the buildings have been repurposed into shopping and dining venues…so they all look vaguely industrial).

We don’t want give away the last line in this saga, so let’s start from the beginning. (Hint. It wasn’t all bad.) By the way, this is going to be a LONG review, so settle in, my friends!

Atmosphere

Have you been to Disney Springs, formerly known as Downtown Disney? Then you know exactly where to find Planet Hollywood Observatory. It hasn’t moved. (Oh, and we’re calling it PHO from here on out, K?)

We walked around the building while the light was still good, just so you could get a sense of how much things have — and haven’t — changed. As you can see, most of the neon, and all of the blue, are gone. Also gone is the sign at the top of the sign. Unfortunately, nothing has replaced it, so the whole thing looks a bit — okay, a LOT — unfinished. [Read more…]