ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Business) – Father-and-son duo David and Joshua Wallack launched Media Night at their newly opened Mango’s Tropical Cafe at the corner of International Drive and Sand Lake Road at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Bloggers, journalists, photographers, and videographers large and small came: Fox 35, Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Style, and Florida National News were among the media outlets in attendance. What made the night special was that it was more than just a tour of the two-story indoor-outdoor 55,000 square-foot venue—the Wallacks saw to it that the media were rewarded with a completely immersive VIP experience.
Staff and leopard print-clad waiters and waitresses flanked the door to greet patrons, and press members were given VIP wristbands, entitling them to free drinks all night long. For a nightclub and restaurant that closes at 3:00 a.m., that perk could amount to many drinks.
The live entertainment began at 7:00 p.m. and was non-stop, alternating between Latin song and dance; pop song cover performances, including Bruno Mars’s “Treasure,” Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk,” and even Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda”; true-to-life Michael Jackson tribute performances to “Thriller,” “Billy Jean,” and other hits; and live Hip Hop and pop dance performances with DJ-led musical selections, including Pitbull’s “Fireball.” Additionally, the waitresses joined in the dancing in the Main Bar VIP area and upstairs, or in some cases were the featured onstage dancers themselves, as was the case with “Anaconda.”
The media were welcomed and offered sumptuous Latin cuisine in the exclusive Vodou Room upstairs, a spacious lounge featuring exquisite artwork by internationally acclaimed Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrie. It can host up to 300 people or be partitioned into two separate party rooms hosting 150 people each. The room boasts plenty of screens and a high quality light and sound system that ensures VIPs do not miss a moment of what is happening on the Main Stage downstairs. Those who opt not to watch the Main Stage are still entertained thanks to several designated spots in the room in which waiters and waitresses break into dance for the guests’ pleasure.
“Mango’s is more than simply a place to eat or drink, it’s an homage to the days when people got dressed up and went out to socialize with friends and neighbors, when a good meal didn’t involve a drive-through window, when great music and dancing were enjoyed live, not just on a screen, and when a high value was placed on real art and culture,” said Mango’s Tropical Cafe owner David Wallack.
The upscale nightclub and restaurant offers tourists and locals alike an experience they will yearn to repeat many times over. The waiters and waitresses all serve and dance with verve and smiles, and the $4 million in state-of-the-art technology alone create the complete concert experience on an intimate scale—Mango’s Tropical Cafe Orlando can host close to 2,000 people.
The Wallacks aim to replicate the success of their Miami Beach location, which is the third highest-grossing restaurant/nightclub in the United States outside of Las Vegas. “We spared no expense to make Mango’s the premier Orlando dining, entertainment, and nightlife destination and the area’s largest, most spectacular event space, all right in the heart of the attractions corridor,” Mango’s Tropical Cafe Chief Operating Officer Joshua Wallack said. “We are excited to bring world-class, New Year’s Eve quality music and entertainment as well as fabulous food, drinks, DJs, and dancing to I-Drive seven nights a week.”
