Props removed from Adventurers Club, signage removed from Bet Soundstage and Comedy

[bryPOD]

Here’s the thing about the Club being a failed business venture (which it wasn’t, necessarily…):
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It highlights the major flaw in the current business model at Disney parks.
Years ago, the resort was looked at as a whole. One business operating under the umbrella of the Walt Disney World resort. The idea was that all parts of the resort, from the E-tickets in the parks to the unique little shops to things like the Electric Water Pagent, were all part of the experience. Each little attraction or shop was not required to turn a big profit by itself. They all contributed to the whole guest experience and to the financial pot. Some made money, some didn’t…but the resort made barrels of cash overall.

Then, several years ago, a new business model was introduced. The pencil pushers decided that every individual location had to generate a profit. Under that method….say goodbye to the shops selling African curios in AL, to the perfume shop, to the magic shop, etc. All great stores that contributed to the overall guest experience. But, since a shop selling Grumpy sweatshirts could generate more income….the unique shops were done away with. Now you find the same stuff in every store, and Hannah Montana goods in Tomorrowland.

AC is a victim of that mindset. It added greatly to the overall guest experience, but didn’t make enough money for the sharp-pencil boys.

It’s another sign of the death of the Keys to the Kingdom, where COURTESY and SHOW were put above EFFICIENCY.

(Oddly, entertainment seems to be immune to this whole phenomenon. How much money does the the HSM street show bring in at the Studios. Or the castle shows? Certainly they don’t pull in enough business on their own to justify paying their overhead.)
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Perfectly said sir.

 

[zulemara]

Bongos and Jellyrolls and other places have drinking and dancing so you are covered there. Oh, and the construction walls just went up for the new DTD bowling alley so progress continues daily.

Jellyrolls is a dueling piano bar and is not a dancing venue at all.

Bongos offers a music I am not interested in, thus why I specified dance and 70s/80s

ADH is a perpetual wedding, constantly fighting between young and old trying to control the DJ. It's a mess.

By contrast, I used to go to one location and have my pick of dance, top 40s, hip hop, 70s/80s, live bands/rock, and 2 comedy clubs.

edit: And I don't have a problem with other things at DTD. I mean, aside from the fact that WS was a quickly thrown together poorly thought out rush job to compete with Citywalk, but that's water over the bridge. I do think Splittsville will be an excellent addition. My problem is with the fact that we are nearly 3 years after the closing of the clubs and NOTHING has replaced ANY of the closed clubs, nor have they been repurposed. That is unacceptable, poor planning, and a complete PR disaster. As of right now, there is no announced progress on PI. All we have is some loose concept art which was later determined to be in the process of being re-worked by Disney

 

[wilsonhanks]

I talked about this in a previous post but you must have missed it.

Yes the work on the AC sign fix is low cost and quick. It has been done in a couple of nights.

Some money has obviously come to DTD to allow for a lot of refurbishments. West Side signs, Marketplace concrete replacement, Cirque signage, new fountains, new landscaping, new lighting. This is something that DTD has not had in years.

There is no denying that the closing of the clubs has not been handled well for the last 3 years - and no, I am not forgetting that they have been closed and had their signs in place. New leadership has recently come in, and has a different take on things and is clearly handling things differently. Rather than letting the place rot until the major new plan goes through (which appeared to be the old leadership strategy), they are now keeping things maintained to a good level until the new plans are executed. Different management styles occur all the time in the parks. What one VP thinks is acceptable (i.e.. leaving the signs up on closed attractions), is not acceptable to another. I understand from cast in the area that they are frequently asked at what time the club opens. This won't be an issue now its signage is gone. The closed club no longer looks like its about to open on that evening.

There is every possibility that the new plan will require purpose built buildings, which will mean the demolition of the clubs. This of course will only be determined once the new plans are green-lit, which is currently not the case. They are still in development. Until that point, the clubs could be left closed, or potentially filled with a pop-up vendor. It may well be 2012 before the new plans are green-lit.

Yes Disney are prepared to spend a small amount of money on something that may end up being demolished. It has happened before and will happen again.

I agree with Steve, he makes solid points, the other poster is grasping at straws.

 

[Enchantâmes]

We cannot live in the past. We have to move on into the future.

You don't have to forget nor forgive, just... move on.

Why don't you move on? :shrug:

Here's an idea: Lets take a wrecking ball to your home and see how you like it. :wave:

 

[71jason]

I agree with Steve, he makes solid points, the other poster is grasping at straws.

Where you been?

 

[njDizFan]

Oddly enough I can understand the strategy.

Sure they may be spening a few 1000's to cover up the signage but at least it's an attempt to avoid the confusion by guests wanting to know when the clubs open.

 

[wilsonhanks]

Where you been?

Out, about, around and everywhere else!

 

[Captain Chaos]

Why don't you move on? :shrug:

Here's an idea: Lets take a wrecking ball to your home and see how you like it. :wave:

I have moved on... I don't live in the past...

And wow really?? take a wrecking ball to my home?? You are seriously comparing my home to an entertainment venue that is shuttered??

I know AC fans are crazy fanatics who do not think straight but you take the cake..

I still volunteer to swing that wrecking ball into that building thus bringing tears to all the whiners faces...

 

[Thunder Kz]

Somewhere, in some dark warehouse, the Colonel just cracked his jockey stick and said to the childrens' table with both of you.

 

[Lee]

I still volunteer to swing that wrecking ball into that building thus bringing tears to all the whiners faces...

Sir, that's just a wrong and mean spirited thing to say.
I am offended.

Also, comparing the Club to someone's home being demolished is not a good comparison.
Let's use the Haunted Mansion instead. How would you feel if Disney decided to close/tear down a beloved attraction like the Mansion?
Angry? Hurt? Disappointed? Disenchanted?

For many, myself included, the Club was just as important as the Mansion.
Just as integral a part of our visits, and to our enjoyment of the resort. It is, to us, a very big deal, with long term implications on how we view the resort and the company.

 

[71jason]

For many, myself included, the Club was just as important as the Mansion.
Just as integral a part of our visits, and to our enjoyment of the resort. It is, to us, a very big deal, with long term implications on how we view the resort and the company.

I dare say you spent more time at the Club in one night than you spend in a week at HM. I think a better comparison would be EPCOT. Which I mean they are destroying, piece by piece, but imagine if they had taken a wrecking ball to it all at once, to put in NOTHING.

The Adventurers Club was the pinnacle of Disney imagineering. Every trick they'd learned ended up in that attraction somewhere. To say nothing of the camaraderie it inspired amongst its fans, dozens of whom I'm still honored to have as friends. If you're a truly a Disney fan and never made it inside, then feel regret, not anger at those who did.

 

[Enchantâmes]

I have moved on... I don't live in the past...

And wow really?? take a wrecking ball to my home?? You are seriously comparing my home to an entertainment venue that is shuttered??

I know AC fans are crazy fanatics who do not think straight but you take the cake..

I still volunteer to swing that wrecking ball into that building thus bringing tears to all the whiners faces...

Well thank you very much for acknowledging that I am insane, are there any other insults you'd like to throw out seeing that I have offended you?

I actually cared about the place and loved it for 14 years of my life, and it might has well been a home to me or any of the other "crazy fanatics". I understand you are tired of hearing people like me complain about the Adventurer's Club being shut down, but you know you have every right to not read the thread or just "move on" to another topic. I will have you know that I will continue to love Adventurer's club in memory and still wish it was open until the day I die. I have been all over the world and no where is there a place like it, and if that makes me crazy than so be it. I hope you have a magical day, and I sincerely mean that.

 

[Mouse Detective]

These boards are for fans of whatever the topic is (here, the Adventurer's Club) and to speculate on whatever may be going on. While everyone is entitled to their opinion and is free to express it, I don't understand why some people who have little interest in the topic at hand have to waste their time trying to spoil things for the people who do care. They should mind their own business and move on!

 

[unkadug]

Well thank you very much for acknowledging that I am insane, are there any other insults you'd like to throw out seeing that I have offended you?

I actually cared about the place and loved it for 14 years of my life, and it might has well been a home to me or any of the other "crazy fanatics". I understand you are tired of hearing people like me complain about the Adventurer's Club being shut down, but you know you have every right to not read the thread or just "move on" to another topic. I will have you know that I will continue to love Adventurer's club in memory and still wish it was open until the day I die. I have been all over the world and no where is there a place like it, and if that makes me crazy than so be it. I hope you have a magical day, and I sincerely mean that.

Aren't you only like 19 years old? :veryconfu

 

[PalisadesPkteer]

I talked about this in a previous post but you must have missed it.

Yes the work on the AC sign fix is low cost and quick. It has been done in a couple of nights.

Some money has obviously come to DTD to allow for a lot of refurbishments. West Side signs, Marketplace concrete replacement, Cirque signage, new fountains, new landscaping, new lighting. This is something that DTD has not had in years.

There is no denying that the closing of the clubs has not been handled well for the last 3 years - and no, I am not forgetting that they have been closed and had their signs in place. New leadership has recently come in, and has a different take on things and is clearly handling things differently. Rather than letting the place rot until the major new plan goes through (which appeared to be the old leadership strategy), they are now keeping things maintained to a good level until the new plans are executed. Different management styles occur all the time in the parks. What one VP thinks is acceptable (i.e.. leaving the signs up on closed attractions), is not acceptable to another. I understand from cast in the area that they are frequently asked at what time the club opens. This won't be an issue now its signage is gone. The closed club no longer looks like its about to open on that evening.

This kind of takes into account all what Steve said I guess. They can repurpose AC and with demo of the BET SS this gives them an area they can build to suit the needs of new tennant.

I am wondering if these new plans are now going forward or will they change them again?

[/QUOTE]There is every possibility that the new plan will require purpose built buildings, which will mean the demolition of the clubs. This of course will only be determined once the new plans are green-lit, which is currently not the case. They are still in development. Until that point, the clubs could be left closed, or potentially filled with a pop-up vendor. It may well be 2012 before the new plans are green-lit.

Yes Disney are prepared to spend a small amount of money on something that may end up being demolished. It has happened before and will happen again.[/QUOTE]

Excellent post Steve. As for my guess as of right now (depending on how much TDO changes their minds)

Maybe they tear down the BET Soundstage club and use this extra area with the AC building being repurposed. That way you have some building there and new area for what ever they put there. (A dinner show like Arabian Nights?)

During the day they could have a dinner show in the 1 area and at night have both areas open. With former AC area as bar area and the daytime dinner show area changed over to dancing or a show etc.

Probably wrong though.

 

[71jason]

Sorry if it looks like I'm jumping solely on Palisades here--that is not my intent--but where did this meme that restaurants and dinner shows are more profitable than bars get started? Food (except for like desserts) is notoriously low-margin; alcohol is famous for being high-margin, even when not at Disney prices. Food is much more labor intensive--need kitchen staff, wait staff, bussers, as opposed to a couple bartenders and one server on busy nights. A bar also has a longer window to sell; even the biggest dinner show in town (Hoop) only has 3 seatings at night, and often not even that many. And let's not forget the $25 cover PI used to get.

I think it's telling that WDW hasn't created a formal dinner show in decades (I'm not counting character meals), while many of the ones around town have closed or get by offering steep discounts. Just because online Disney fanbois might prefer them to bars, the statistics speak for themselves.

 

[asianway]

Sorry if it looks like I'm jumping solely on Palisades here--that is not my intent--but where did this meme that restaurants and dinner shows are more profitable than bars get started? Food (except for like desserts) is notoriously low-margin; alcohol is famous for being high-margin, even when not at Disney prices. Food is much more labor intensive--need kitchen staff, wait staff, bussers, as opposed to a couple bartenders and one server on busy nights. A bar also has a longer window to sell; even the biggest dinner show in town (Hoop) only has 3 seatings at night, and often not even that many. And let's not forget the $25 cover PI used to get.

I think it's telling that WDW hasn't created a formal dinner show in decades (I'm not counting character meals), while many of the ones around town have closed or get by offering steep discounts. Just because online Disney fanbois might prefer them to bars, the statistics speak for themselves.

Just see ElecTRONica for an example of how Disney entertainment plus alcohol can lead to huge profits. Hopefully someone is looking to port that business model to WDW...

 

[Enchantâmes]

Aren't you only like 19 years old? :veryconfu

Yes, my first time to The Adventurer's club was back in 1997 when I was 5 years old. :wave:

 

[JustInTime]

Yes, my first time to The Adventurer's club was back in 1997 when I was 5 years old. :wave:

Umm...how did you get in?? :shrug:

 

[jt04]

Just see ElecTRONica for an example of how Disney entertainment plus alcohol can lead to huge profits. Hopefully someone is looking to port that business model to WDW...

See I think this would have worked perfectly with the Hyperion Wharf plan. I thought that as the wharf transformed as the evening went on (and families became scarce) that the district would transform into something similar to ElecTRONica.

Perhaps they have an even bolder concept.