Hyperion Wharf Begins

[TP2000]

The strong "interest" it did recieve was from about 500 fanboys, who again, didnt drink enough nor were of a demographic that tends to support a bar.

That makes sense. I never went to the Adventurer's Club myself, but I am firmly in a demographic who knows how to support a bar, so I think I can comment. :lol:

I get that TDO dweebs killed off the Pleasure Island concept, including the Adventurer's Club, for the wrong reasons and on the cusp of the Great Recession when their replacement idea has a very hard time getting off the ground and is nothing more than a predictable parade of corporate chain restaurants found in any big entertainment mall. It's obviously proving to be a boneheaded business decision they made back in '07-'08.

But if the Adventurer's Club concept was financially lucrative, it seems like they would easily replace it somewhere else on the sprawling WDW property ("With enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans we can possibly imagine" -Walt Disney, 1966), or slot an updated version of the Club into one of the repurposed spaces in the Hyperion Wharf project. But WDW management has done neither, which tells me the Club wasn't making much money, if at all, and was something the vast majority of paying visitors don't miss enough to cancel vacations over.

 

[Krack]

But if the Adventurer's Club concept was financially lucrative, it seems like they would easily replace it somewhere else on the sprawling WDW property ("With enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans we can possibly imagine" -Walt Disney, 1966), or slot an updated version of the Club into one of the repurposed spaces in the Hyperion Wharf project.

... and admit a series of mistakes that began over a decade ago, were mostly intentional, and that have been roundly criticized over that period by pretty much everyone not employed by Disney? Yeah, that happens all the time. In fact, the last time Disney admitted a mistake like that was ...

*crickets chirping*

I wouldn't be shocked to see an Adventurers Club pop up somewhere in my lifetime, but it won't be in Orlando unless there is major league regime change.

EDIT: After thinking about it for ten minutes, the only times TDO has tacitly admitted a mistake that I can remember is:
1. Reintroducing Figment to the Imagination Pavilion,
2. Introducing walk-around characters (Fab 5) to Future World (this one could be argued to death, but I digress), and
3. Potentially bring back Tropical Serenade as a result of the fire

 

[Jrn14]

Did anyone ever confirm which two clubs were closing at City Walk? or is that information false?

 

[71jason]

Maybe they are bringing Mulch, Sweat and Shears over from the Studios.

Actually this would be an excellent idea (would love to seem them alternate weeks with Hip Kitty or maybe a reunited Frankie & the West End Boys). But Disney is no longer in charge of entertainment at PI, and will not be in charge of entertainment at HW. The living statutes, the flamenco guy, the lip-synching boy-bander--they're all employed by a 3rd party company. Don't expect any current Disney acts on HW.

 

[71jason]

But if the Adventurer's Club concept was financially lucrative, it seems like they would easily replace it somewhere else on the sprawling WDW property ("With enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans we can possibly imagine" -Walt Disney, 1966), or slot an updated version of the Club into one of the repurposed spaces in the Hyperion Wharf project. But WDW management has done neither, which tells me the Club wasn't making much money, if at all, and was something the vast majority of paying visitors don't miss enough to cancel vacations over.

There was a movement in certain WDW corporate corners to re-open parts of PI (NOT the AC, as far as I know ). That movement was shot down because the suits who made the bad call to close it don;t want to admit failure. Economics is rarely the sole reason corporate decisions are made--never underestimate things like pride and the desire to CYA.

 

[jt04]

All the people spinning the PI story and those cheering them on will be just like the folks who claimed the BLT would never sell. Once proved wrong they will be nowhere to be found. And there will certainly be no admissions of how wrong they are. At least I admit I got the HSR deal wrong. I am still not ready to give up on exactly what the mine train show building might look like though. :lol:

Odd that so many accuse TDO of never admitting mistakes while never doing the same themselves. Hypocrite much?


PS- for those of you who don't know the original plan for the area where DTD sits was always meant to be primarily third party venues. That is why it was created in the first place.

 

[tirian]

Um, clearly you were never there 6 of the 7 days of the week, when it was dead, and the only people in there were awkward adults who barely drank alcohol (i.e. defeating the purpose of why its there).

I loved the Adventurer's Club, however I understand some of the reasons for it's demise. The strong "interest" it did recieve was from about 500 fanboys, who again, didnt drink enough nor were of a demographic that tends to support a bar.

Both true. This has been argued to death online, and people who visited PI only on weekends or in the middle of July usually claim "it was always busy!"

No, it wasn't. PI had been dead every day but Thursdays for years before it finally shut down.

But WDW management has done neither, which tells me the Club wasn't making much money, if at all...

The AC would have made money if it had been properly advertised, but years after dance clubs no longer appealed to the demographic "Disney" would attract, Disney was still advertising the dance clubs instead of unique experiences. Remember the "Hop/Hop" bus ads? PI was another case of how today's Disney--with its Disney Channel "stars" and Playhouse persona--can't be successfully hip. Disney in the late 80s/early 90s had Touchstone with its multiple hits, and PI fit into that part of the Disney empire. Plus, the resort was advertised as a vacation kingdom for all ages. That was pre-princess.

 

[tirian]

BTW, lest my previous post seem enigmatic, I'm looking forward to Hyperion Wharf because it's better than an empty island. I already know I'll never get what I'd really like to see in that spot, so why waste time typing it on an Internet discussion board?

 

[71jason]

BTW, lest my previous post seem enigmatic, I'm looking forward to Hyperion Wharf because it's better than an empty island. I already know I'll never get what I'd really like to see in that spot, so why waste time typing it on an Internet discussion board?

They're tearing down buildings to install vacant lots. And leaving the left side of the sidewalk unoccupied. How is that not an "empty island"?

 

[tirian]

They're tearing down buildings to install vacant lots. And leaving the left side of the sidewalk unoccupied. How is that not an "empty island"?

:brick:

They're constructing magical new shopping experiences with magical junk to take your magical money. Isn't that better than empty clubs?

 

[Master Yoda]

:brick:

They're constructing magical new shopping experiences with magical junk to take your magical money. Isn't that better than empty clubs?

It depends....would the clubs be magical?

 

[MKeeler]

I'm going to need someone to explain this one to me...

I don't understand how it could be judged if the Adventurer's Club was ever profitable on its own. For sure, drink sales would be attributed to the AC alone, but wasn't the admission price always used to cover all of the clubs on PI? Put another way, was there ever a time that you could pay a cover solely for the AC?

I know from personal experience, my family never visited the AC despite a desire to attend because we could not justify the admission for all of the clubs at PI. Had there been a separate AC admission, all 5-7 of us would have gladly attended.

And believe me, given the state of affairs now, we all regret that we never visited this club.

 

[Master Yoda]

I'm going to need someone to explain this one to me...

I don't understand how it could be judged if the Adventurer's Club was ever profitable on its own. For sure, drink sales would be attributed to the AC alone, but wasn't the admission price always used to cover all of the clubs on PI? Put another way, was there ever a time that you could pay a cover solely for the AC?

I know from personal experience, my family never visited the AC despite a desire to attend because we could not justify the admission for all of the clubs at PI. Had there been a separate AC admission, all 5-7 of us would have gladly attended.

And believe me, given the state of affairs now, we all regret that we never visited this club.

To my knowledge no. There was a time towards the end when PI did have a reduced price, one club only ticket, but the AC and CW were excluded. What many regular visitors like myself did was purchase a PI AP for about $50. With the AP my wife and I would visit the AC about 6 times per year. You could also visit all of the clubs for free between 7:00-9:00 PM providing that there was not a special event going on, which was a frequent occurrence at AC..

 

[MKeeler]

^ Which to me is just further proof TDO chose to let the AC die. If there was any interest in keeping a profitable club open, you would have seen individual cover charges at all clubs including CW and AC, in order to determine if those clubs could survive on their own.

It also makes me wonder if the AC might have seen an upswing in attendance if it had its own cover. How many more people were in the position of my family - those who wanted to attend but couldn't justify the entire island cover for the one club we wanted to attend.

 

[Master Yoda]

^ Which to me is just further proof TDO chose to let the AC die. If there was any interest in keeping a profitable club open, you would have seen individual cover charges at all clubs including CW and AC, in order to determine if those clubs could survive on their own.

It also makes me wonder if the AC might have seen an upswing in attendance if it had its own cover. How many more people were in the position of my family - those who wanted to attend but couldn't justify the entire island cover for the one club we wanted to attend.

It is really hard to say. From a strictly logical and non-emotional angle I can see about a 50/50 split between evidence that the club was profitable and the evidence that it was not. Instances like the aforementioned one club ticket exclusion would suggest that the club was making money. However, seeing that a healthy percentage of the patrons were AP holders, CM's, etc that drank very little give validity to the argument that it was not.

Regardless of all that the AC is/was an incredibly good concept and it is a shame that they are just going to throw it away. The AC concept could easily be adapted into a dinner show (aka Hoop dee do) with an after show bar that would fetch $50 or more per person per night.

 

[WDWFigment]

Regardless of all that the AC is/was an incredibly good concept and it is a shame that they are just going to throw it away. The AC concept could easily be adapted into a dinner show (aka Hoop dee do) with an after show bar that would fetch $50 or more per person per night.

I love this idea, but it would again be a loss for Disney in the online community, as the most hardcore of the AC fans don't like to actually spend money at the Club (ironic, isn't it, that the ones who "loved" it so much actually led to its demise?!), and would thus complain that the corporate bean counters turned the AC into a vapid experience focused solely on lining their pockets. Or however the standard, "corporate profits are bad" argument proceeds.

I absolutely loved the Adventurers Club for its substance, but the other patrons almost made it unbearable at times. Stereotypical obnoxious fanboys who, bluntly, needed to 'get lives.' It's not too surprising that, similarly, there are folks in every thread even remotely on the topic of Pleasure Island that make the thread unbearable at times. It makes me think I've probably seen some of these folks in person at the AC before.

I really wish the AC were still around, or would come back somewhere, in some capacity. As it stands, it's not coming back to DtD, so I'm pleased at the prospect of something being added to this area. Even if it's not my ideal choice. That doesn't mean I'm "settling" or "giving Disney a pass." Nor does it mean I've forgiven the company for closing the AC. It means that I'm a realist who doesn't like the sight of vacant buildings. I'm ready to move on.

 

[Master Yoda]

I love this idea, but it would again be a loss for Disney in the online community, as the most hardcore of the AC fans don't like to actually spend money at the Club (ironic, isn't it, that the ones who "loved" it so much actually led to its demise?!), and would thus complain that the corporate bean counters turned the AC into a vapid experience focused solely on lining their pockets. Or however the standard, "corporate profits are bad" argument proceeds.

I absolutely loved the Adventurers Club for its substance, but the other patrons almost made it unbearable at times. Stereotypical obnoxious fanboys who, bluntly, needed to 'get lives.' It's not too surprising that, similarly, there are folks in every thread even remotely on the topic of Pleasure Island that make the thread unbearable at times. It makes me think I've probably seen some of these folks in person at the AC before.

I really wish the AC were still around, or would come back somewhere, in some capacity. As it stands, it's not coming back to DtD, so I'm pleased at the prospect of something being added to this area. Even if it's not my ideal choice. That doesn't mean I'm "settling" or "giving Disney a pass." Nor does it mean I've forgiven the company for closing the AC. It means that I'm a realist who doesn't like the sight of vacant buildings. I'm ready to move on.

I am in the same boat right now. I guess we have been beaten for so long that simply having the beatings stop almost seems like a reward.

 

[Bonemachine]

So what is jt04's motivation to relentlessly defend TDO?

Is he trying to get a job with them or something?

 

[RSoxNo1]

They're tearing down buildings to install vacant lots. And leaving the left side of the sidewalk unoccupied. How is that not an "empty island"?

Are you implying that they paved paradise to put up a parking lot?

 

[NiarrNDisney]

Regardless of all that the AC is/was an incredibly good concept and it is a shame that they are just going to throw it away. The AC concept could easily be adapted into a dinner show (aka Hoop dee do) with an after show bar that would fetch $50 or more per person per night.

I have to agree with you and WDW Figment and I think it would be nice if they either kept it on Hyperion Wharf or considered moving it over to the Boardwalk! I know of a club that could use an over haul / and or a restaurant that might do better if it was relocated. I just think the Boardwalks turn of the century theme fits better with the AC and that 3rd party companies are more suited to DTD.