Save the Adventurers Club

[TOCPE82]

back to back posts

I don't think paying for the AC was ever an issue. If you stay the whole night you definitely get $25 dollars worth of entertainment, no doubt. That's without buying drinks.

Paying to get in was never much of an issue. Getting in for free as a CM was always just a bonus. I would have attended less, sure. BUT I still would have went and paid full price many nights. They could sell the hell out of PI 6 month passes at $80-100. The regulars would eat those up. I know I would.

 

[ImaYoyo]

With a quote like that I can say that you most certainly do not see the financial side of Pleasure Island. Only one of the clubs at P.I. was a consistent profit-booster, and even it pales in comparison to every food and beverage location on property (sans Atlantic Dance). The fact of the matter is that Ad Club does NOT make a great deal of money. With that being said, add me to the list that will definitely miss it. DW and I will be there most of this week to enjoy whats left, granted, she'll be working, not so much enjoying.

Also, I do not understand why people are posting on a thread entitled "Save the Adventurers Club" posts that are downplaying the fact that The Adventurers Club is still very popular, it is incredibly busy, it has been making a great deal of money for the Walt Disney Company, and most importantly, guests continue to love it!. I can't help but wonder if there are Disney Execs lurking about the forums attempting to mask the truth that their decision to close our beloved Adventurers Club was the wrong choice. But that possibly is just my conspiracy theory brain being overactive again. Ending on that thought, until next time Adventurers:

Some days you eat the mouse.
Some days the mouse eats you.
But never give into the mouse without a fight!​

KUNGALOOSH!​

 

[hardcard]

Actually, they were reports from a few of the managers I know that work Pleasure Island. While most of the Island hasn't been very busy, The Adventurers Club's Main Salon has been packed so tight that the actors have been mingling on the Zebra Mezzanine (where nothing usually happens)! I believe that this picture I received from a friend, that was taken on Friday, Sept. 19th (at about 9:00PM, after the club had been open since 6:00PM, with all paying customers, for cast members did not get in free that night) speaks volumes about the club's true popularity! For goodness sake, it has an outdoor queue!

Also, I do not understand why people are posting on a thread entitled "Save the Adventurers Club" posts that are downplaying the fact that The Adventurers Club is still very popular, it is incredibly busy, it has been making a great deal of money for the Walt Disney Company, and most importantly, guests continue to love it!. I can't help but wonder if there are Disney Execs lurking about the forums attempting to mask the truth that their decision to close our beloved Adventurers Club was the wrong choice. But that possibly is just my conspiracy theory brain being overactive again. Ending on that thought, until next time Adventurers:

Some days you eat the mouse.
Some days the mouse eats you.
But never give into the mouse without a fight!​

KUNGALOOSH!​

woopie.... There are TWO large contingents of non-normal guests in WDW right now.. One is the Pyrotechnics meeting, the other are the crowds of people here for the Triathalon...

Having said that, MK was PACKED yesterday..... I mean SLAMMED with people.. Looked worse than 4th of July in some areas...

The strange thing? Tons of people in the park, but the lines were all managable.. waiting 5-10 minutes for BTMRR, 10 or so for splash... The parade route for spectro was PACKED all the way from main street to frontierland roughly 45 to an hour before the parade.. now, thats normal for Main street, but not for Frontierland (near splash mountain it was 2-3 families deep early on)


anyway, my point is that all of those people translate into a lot of people in the downtown/PI area later.. Which makes it looks like some sort of giant 'Bye PI!' party..... but it's not.. not yet anyway..


Meanwhile, Adventurers Club is GONE, try not to dwell on it by making silly online petitions and cafepress tshirts to save it.. Enjoy it while it's still here, and who knows, you may LOVE whats next in store for PI...

It didn't help with Toad, didn't help with the Skyway.... At this point, when a MAJOR overhaul has been planned, there is little that you can do to stop it....



Having said ALL of that, I would expect that Imagineering will likely put some sort of Homage, or Nod to AC in the newly resigned areas..



:wave:

 

[Thelazer]

Has it been busy? Yes. The rest of the island.. not so much.

Busy enough to warrant it staying open. No, not really.

It's gone folks, gone... enjoy it's last few weeks...
and maybe book a trip to a far off land in a few years to see the return of Ad Club......

 

[Hurricane]

It didn't help with Toad, didn't help with the Skyway.... At this point, when a MAJOR overhaul has been planned, there is little that you can do to stop it....

But it did work for Disneyland's Submarine Voyage!!! and it's kept the Carousel of Progress open!

 

[markc]

Your picture is the first wave of the "night" people heading into the club (typically around 9 o clock - yes the club was open until 6, but most people dont start going to clubs/drinking until after dinner/parks). And remember, this line was just due to them only having one cast member who can swipe tickets. This was not a sign that capacity was at full peak - in fact, the only club that was at capacity was 8 Trax yesterday. I was in attendance on Friday, and there was enough room to walk around.

Your love for the AC is admirable Master Gracey, but again, I think perhaps your love for it is shading your ability to be objective. The club was not making Disney *that* much money this weekend, nor was it as crowded as some would like to think. Is it busier than it would've been had the club not been closing in two weeks? Maybe, but again, its nowhere near the levels it used to be years ago - which is sad, and yet another reminder for the demise of the entire Island. I will miss PI as a whole, but I do realize that it was not what it used to be, and at this point, it is probably too late to salvage it.

Actually, they were reports from a few of the managers I know that work Pleasure Island. While most of the Island hasn't been very busy, The Adventurers Club's Main Salon has been packed so tight that the actors have been mingling on the Zebra Mezzanine (where nothing usually happens)! I believe that this picture I received from a friend, that was taken on Friday, Sept. 19th (at about 9:00PM, after the club had been open since 6:00PM, with all paying customers, for cast members did not get in free that night) speaks volumes about the club's true popularity! For goodness sake, it has an outdoor queue!

Also, I do not understand why people are posting on a thread entitled "Save the Adventurers Club" posts that are downplaying the fact that The Adventurers Club is still very popular, it is incredibly busy, it has been making a great deal of money for the Walt Disney Company, and most importantly, guests continue to love it!. I can't help but wonder if there are Disney Execs lurking about the forums attempting to mask the truth that their decision to close our beloved Adventurers Club was the wrong choice. But that possibly is just my conspiracy theory brain being overactive again. Ending on that thought, until next time Adventurers:

Some days you eat the mouse.
Some days the mouse eats you.
But never give into the mouse without a fight!​

KUNGALOOSH!​

 

[The_CEO]

Damn, maybe I should start a petition to bring back Timekeeper..

 

[kimmychad]

i would be willing to sign a petition to save the the adventurers club if this thread would die. its a club for gods sakes.

 

[hardcard]

But it did work for Disneyland's Submarine Voyage!!! and it's kept the Carousel of Progress open!

Disney has NEVER stated they intended to close CoP..

 

[Master Gracey]

With a quote like that I can say that you most certainly do not see the financial side of Pleasure Island.

Well, to start this rebuttal off, I am aware of Pleasure Island's financial side, and while the Island's money making ability did turn south after the removal of the turnstiles, the Adventurers Club continued to pull in the profits needed to justify its continued existence well into the summer of 2008, and that is even without merchandise. Here in lies the problem, Disney has a moneymaking goldmine on their hands if they would have continued to promote The Adventurers Club and merchandised it. About a year back, a box of Kungaloosh Pens, Colonel Watches and other miscellaneous items were found inside the club and were sold out in a matter of hours to the lucky attendees of that night!

Your picture is the first wave of the "night" people heading into the club (typically around 9 o clock - yes the club was open until 6, but most people dont start going to clubs/drinking until after dinner/parks). And remember, this line was just due to them only having one cast member who can swipe tickets. This was not a sign that capacity was at full peak - in fact, the only club that was at capacity was 8 Trax yesterday. I was in attendance on Friday, and there was enough room to walk around.

Interesting, and I am glad out were able to get in when the line was at the "one in / one out" stage, but I don't know how you were able to walk around with a crowd like this:

And the only capacity club on that night seemed to have been:

Meanwhile, Adventurers Club is GONE, try not to dwell on it by making silly online petitions and cafepress tshirts to save it.. Enjoy it while it's still here, and who knows, you may LOVE whats next in store for PI...

It didn't help with Toad, didn't help with the Skyway.... At this point, when a MAJOR overhaul has been planned, there is little that you can do to stop it....

Having said ALL of that, I would expect that Imagineering will likely put some sort of Homage, or Nod to AC in the newly resigned areas..

The Adventurers Club is far from GONE, and we have until January to continue to draw up effective petitions, design stunning cafepress t-shirts and continue the letter writing campaign in effort to stop the bulldozers from coming in and making way for something that hasn't even been planned for yet. There is still no contract signed off for on the Adventurers Club / BET Soundstage land, and truthfully no contracts for most of the Island as well. And when there is an attraction that is Imagineering perfection such as the Adventurers Club, there is no possible way that anyone will LOVE a T-shirt shop, or restaurant taking up valuable storytelling space, that Imagineering will have no control over.

i would be willing to sign a petition to save the the adventurers club if this thread would die. its a club for gods sakes.

Well, I hope that you will sign the petitions even though this thread is not going to die anytime soon, for it will continue to be updated with any news about The Adventurers Club's reopening. And in closing, the Adventurers Club in not just "a club for gods sakes", but a one-of-a-kind, not to be found anywhere else in the world, jewel of an entertainment venue! While the main draw to it is the amazingly talented cast of actors, the building itself houses more stories than any other Disney attraction. If you look at every photo or artifact on the walls, each one has a caption or plaque describing its own individual story! It is the ultimate immersion experience at Walt Disney World and must be brought back from Yesterland after September 27th!

Some days you eat the mouse.
Some days the mouse eats you.
But never give into the mouse without a fight!​

KUNGALOOSH!​

 

[Lee]

This is where I chime in with my frequent refrain of:
Remember the Keys to the Kingdom!
Show before Efficiency.

Just keeping to the Keys would ensure the survival of the Club.


Anyhoo, not to spur any false hope.....but in speaking to a friend from Glendale, he did mention that the AC situation had taken a lot of suits by surprise. They did not expect anywhere near the response they got, and may be looking at revisiting the issue of the Club's future at PI or elsewhere.
Nothing solid there, just something mentioned in passing by someone not directly involved.

Kungaloosh

 

[ImaYoyo]

Don't lie to me. If you knew about Downtown Disney finances, then you would know me. And I certainly don't know you. Can you even tell me who is the GM of finance for Region 1 entertainment? How about the DTD finance manager since he covers F&B locations (such as Ad Club). Can you really look at his numbers and tell me that it is pulling in "profits"?!? I know CPAs are supposed to be good at fudging numbers, but no one is THAT good... Actually now that I think about it he's not a CPA, but that doesn't change the fact that the lease from a third party will bring in a positive cash flow, unlike the negative cash flow that currently exists.

Another thing, it's not even REMOTELY possible that adding a merch. shop to a club would turn into a "Goldmine". You're speaking in tidliwinks... monopoly money... It existed once and is gone for a reason.

I admire your passion, but don't try to preach to me about finance when you have no idea who I am or what I do.

Well, to start this rebuttal off, I am aware of Pleasure Island's financial side, and while the Island's money making ability did turn south after the removal of the turnstiles, the Adventurers Club continued to pull in the profits needed to justify its continued existence well into the summer of 2008, and that is even without merchandise. Here in lies the problem, Disney has a moneymaking goldmine on their hands if they would have continued to promote The Adventurers Club and merchandised it. About a year back, a box of Kungaloosh Pens, Colonel Watches and other miscellaneous items were found inside the club and were sold out in a matter of hours to the lucky attendees of that night!

Riddle me this... what is the average weekly revenue for Ad Club? How do admissions factor (or not factor) in? And why is it that Ad Club could not be saved alone even if it were going to be saved?

 

[Lee]

^
None of which changes the fact that the Club doesn't have to make money to deserve to be open.
Guests love it.
It's good show.
Show > Efficiency.

It existed once and is gone for a reason.

Yep. Greed. Thus it fails the Keys test.


That's fast becoming my new mantra. Think I'll hire that skywriting plane guy to put it in the sky.

 

[CaptainMichael]

To add in to the financial debate:

1) Even if merchandise won't rake in millions, it would still contribute to profit. There is obviously a market for it.
2) Return to the policy of only allowing CMs free on Thursdays, but offer an annual pass for the club.
3) Have different "specials" on each day of the week enticing locals and CMs to spend their money on drinks. Also, have Madame Zarkove, Mandora, Emil's father, or new characters show up every once in a while to shake up things. Maybe have Sutter Bestwick or Chilton Thompson show up and ruin Otis' plans instead of Emil. I myself have no problem with the same show every night, but some people do and this may attract them.
4) Replace the BET Club with an AC themed restaurant and attach it to the club.

The club can make money. It's a very unique and special attraction that passes beyond the realm of bar. Fanatics may not keep something afloat, but we are the reason Disney has been successful. You should always remember your loyal customers and not take them for granted. As Lee said, "show before efficiency". The AC is the definition of good show and is at the core of Disney entertainment.

Kungaloosh!

 

[ImaYoyo]

add me to those that think it should stay! I in no way meant that it shouldn't stay. What I was getting at is that there is no argument to say that the club is profitable, or could ever be a "goldmine". Ad Club was never meant to be extremely profitable. It is one of those "bump the lamp" kind of places.

On I side note, I'm glad to hear that the Keys to the Kingdom tour is using Disney Institute principals. That's awesome!

To add in to the financial debate:

1) Even if merchandise won't rake in millions, it would still contribute to profit. There is obviously a market for it.
2) Return to the policy of only allowing CMs free on Thursdays, but offer an annual pass for the club.
3) Have different "specials" on each day of the week enticing locals and CMs to spend their money on drinks. Also, have Madame Zarkove, Mandora, Emil's father, or new characters show up every once in a while to shake up things. Maybe have Sutter Bestwick or Chilton Thompson show up and ruin Otis' plans instead of Emil. I myself have no problem with the same show every night, but some people do and this may attract them.
4) Replace the BET Club with an AC themed restaurant and attach it to the club.

The club can make money. It's a very unique and special attraction that passes beyond the realm of bar. Fanatics may not keep something afloat, but we are the reason Disney has been successful. You should always remember your loyal customers and not take them for granted. As Lee said, "show before efficiency". The AC is the definition of good show and is at the core of Disney entertainment.

Kungaloosh!

 

[Chape19714]

I'm in that packed picture, but The Zues statue is completely blocking me.

The newest glass was released at the end of last night, It simple says Kungaloosh! on the side in Adventure Font. I was only able to get one, but I have 4 of the Colonial. :lol:

 

[Frank Stallone]

Also, I do not understand why people are posting on a thread entitled "Save the Adventurers Club" posts that are downplaying the fact that The Adventurers Club is still very popular, it is incredibly busy, it has been making a great deal of money for the Walt Disney Company, and most importantly, guests continue to love it!. I can't help but wonder if there are Disney Execs lurking about the forums attempting to mask the truth that their decision to close our beloved Adventurers Club was the wrong choice. But that possibly is just my conspiracy theory brain being overactive again. Ending on that thought, until next time Adventurers:

Some days you eat the mouse.
Some days the mouse eats you.
But never give into the mouse without a fight!​

KUNGALOOSH!​

Sorry, but you lost credibility right there. Comedy warehouse and Adv. Club are the two money pits of PI.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

What about the surveys given to those that exit the AC? Do those give any indication of its future?

 

[Lee]

Sorry, but you lost credibility right there. Comedy warehouse and Adv. Club are the two money pits of PI.

But that's not the point. Not at all.
The point, and most relevant part of that quote is:

and most importantly, guests continue to love it!.

That should be the bottom line.

What's next?
Will some suit say, "Boy, Wishes sure costs a lot and doesn't make much in return. Maybe we should just stop it."
Same thing, as I see it.

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

But that's not the point. Not at all.
The point, and most relevant part of that quote is:

That should be the bottom line.

What's next?
Will some suit say, "Boy, Wishes sure costs a lot and doesn't make much in return. Maybe we should just stop it."
Same thing, as I see it.

Very good (and scary) point.