Save the Adventurers Club

[Master Yoda]

In the old "Sounds Dangerous" building, next to American Idol. Old CW building remains vacant.



(A) There were no phased DHS closings on either day I saw shows. Busy yes, but not at capacity either day. I heard MK went to Phase 1 Christmas morning, but otherwise, no word on any closings. Aren't they usually posted on the main site?

(B) If you re-read my post, I went directly from GMR to the first CW show. GMR was a walk-on, and the car went off 2/3 empty. So it's not like any random attraction can pull crowds. Nor has there been a whole lot of promotion for this outside the online fanboi community. Just a blurb on the map and a sandwich board outside the building.

For the record, I think I stressed I haven't seen a lot of PI regulars. I just think the idea of live improv comedy appeals to people more than, say, static mannequins dressed like a Busby Berkley musical. My guess is that the vast majority of these crowds never even heard of the original CW.

This in a way proves my point. Most people entering the parks do not even know of this attraction outside of fanboys who are heading straight there. Put yourself in a regular guests shoes. If you have just entered into a theme park you might see at best once per year. Are you heading toward the E-tickets or a comedy show you read about on a sandwich board?

 

[Bolt]

It's been a while for me but does anyone know the capacity of Sound Dangerous? Also - are they allowing food and drink in there (alcohol)

 

[Pioneer Hall]

This in a way proves my point. Most people entering the parks do not even know of this attraction outside of fanboys who are heading straight there. Put yourself in a regular guests shoes. If you have just entered into a theme park you might see at best once per year. Are you heading toward the E-tickets or a comedy show you read about on a sandwich board?

Exactly...whether people were PI regulars or not my guess is that a lot of the people going to these shows are people who had prior knowledge of the establishment. I had only been to PI a handful of times prior to closing, but if I was there this week I would stop by the show and reminisce a little bit...which is what I assume is happening a lot. A sandwich board at the gate isn't going to get people into the theater, so my guess is that most of the crowds are just people who already know what is happening.

 

[sakraft1]

What exactly is a "phased closing?"

 

[Master Yoda]

What exactly is a "phased closing?"

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Park-Closing-Phases.htm

 

[sakraft1]

Phased closing

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Park-Closing-Phases.htm

Thanks! It was easier to find via google than I thought. Initially I thought it was some sort of insider cast-member jargon.

Anyway, I had this weird dream last night (probably from watching lots of library shows on youtube) that I was in the library while the cast was rehearsing. The house lights were on and somehow that made the room smaller and less decorated looking. Then everyone started getting mad at me because I was the stage manager and I didn't even realize I had a job to do. Of course the only place I have ever been a stage manager is in a small TV studio, so there were lots of cables and cameras that had to be in place. What a weird dream...

 

[71jason]

This in a way proves my point. Most people entering the parks do not even know of this attraction outside of fanboys who are heading straight there. Put yourself in a regular guests shoes. If you have just entered into a theme park you might see at best once per year. Are you heading toward the E-tickets or a comedy show you read about on a sandwich board?

But my point is, looking at the crowd, a lot of people with kids, a lot of people who this seems to be a fairly new concept to. Not a lot of applause early on when fan favorites (like a Phillip Nolan) come out. Only a smattering of response to Adventurers Club in-jokes. I was really expecting Congloosh 3.5 here, but that doesn't seem to have panned out. My experiences--and correct me if I'm wrong, I'm the guy who's actually been in the theater--suggests that, yes, occasional guests are flocking to this show based just on a sandwich board and a map blurb (and maybe, at this point, word of mouth). Which further suggests that live comedy is a strong draw.

Also - are they allowing food and drink in there (alcohol)

As far as I remember, no eating/drinking.

 

[maxairmike]

Also it seems that the crowds have been about 1/3 tourists and 2/3 "Pleasure Island Fans/Annual Passholders/Locals/Cast Members", due to a large number of Adventurers Club/Pleasure Island shirts and other accoutrements.

Well there's your problem. The fans weren't enough to keep it open, and I highly doubt they'll be enough to reopen PI. If the numbers were reversed, I'd say the execs might actually take some sort of meaningful notice. Also, they'll have a good idea that the same group of people are seeing multiple shows, just like the same group of people were always in the clubs.

Something about history, learning from it, and repeating it...

 

[Mouse Detective]

The fans weren't enough to keep it open, and I highly doubt they'll be enough to reopen PI.

Comedy Warehouse closed because a decision was made to close ALL the clubs, not because of the merits (or lack of merits) of Comedy Warehouse itself.

Some people are viewing the capacity crowds at these Studios' shows as a positive while some people are going out of their way to nitpick the makeup of the audience to somehow decide the negative.

 

[maxairmike]

Comedy Warehouse closed because a decision was made to close ALL the clubs, not because of the merits (or lack of merits) of Comedy Warehouse itself.

Some people are viewing the capacity crowds at these Studios' shows as a positive while some people are going out of their way to nitpick the makeup of the audience to somehow decide the negative.

And yet I believe someone else several posts ago stated that CW was the club that was actually losing money...

 

[jhastings74]

Putting all fanboy side (A) versus fanboi side (b) off ot the side for a moment...

If the resurrection of the AC were to come to fruition. What serious things would need to take place in order for that to occur? What are things that we KNOW, as fans, would need to be taken care of or resolved before it could even be thought of? Ticket sale prices? Gross income generated from this single site? I am nobody of any type of expertise, but if it seems that you want something bad enough (as it seems many on here do), you just need to find a way to make it happen on your own. Do alllll of the research. The corporation listens to number and statistics. That's what they understand. Tie in the house ticket sales for a AC show or CW show with related spending along PI. Tie that to return ticket sales. If you are convinved it could work, take what convinced YOU, and convince the heads of state. Lots of small organizations started small like that and grew HUGE. It's all in the approach. You have to make it make sense to them...and then even make them believe it was THEIR idea to bring it back! There's a solution out there. I don't have enough knowledge of any of it to be any type of help, but I bet someone (or two or three or four) do. They should brainstorm a serious, practical, logistical plan and present it. I think they would all feel very satisfied in the end that they did there best. And if it still didn't pan out ? They could march down the road and perhaps share their ideas with a Universal company who own a walk on a city...

 

[kucarachi]

i dont think pleasure island ever fit into the family mold...and ever will in any shape or form. If you cant take your kids to it and there is alcohol involved...then i think there is your answer as to why disney doesnt like it. It was vaudeville at best and if you woke up from a coma on pleasure island you wouldnt know your at disney world so why bother.

 

[zulemara]

i dont think pleasure island ever fit into the family mold...and ever will in any shape or form. If you cant take your kids to it and there is alcohol involved...then i think there is your answer as to why disney doesnt like it. It was vaudeville at best and if you woke up from a coma on pleasure island you wouldnt know your at disney world so why bother.

Ugh I'm so sick of that argument. Why does EVERYTHING at WDW have to be about family? When it was gated, you couldn't get in kids period, so it's a mute argument. The reality is there are single travelers, college kids, conventions, and people who want to dance and have a good time with that horrible horrible thing called alcohol. These people have nowhere to go, except to the competition of course!
On that note:
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...w-year-at-pleasure-island-at-downtown-disney/

 

[bullsforthewin]

Ugh I'm so sick of that argument. Why does EVERYTHING at WDW have to be about family? When it was gated, you couldn't get in kids period, so it's a mute argument. The reality is there are single travelers, college kids, conventions, and people who want to dance and have a good time with that horrible horrible thing called alcohol. These people have nowhere to go, except to the competition of course!
On that note:
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...w-year-at-pleasure-island-at-downtown-disney/

They have places to go now but yes you are right. It would be nice to have more adult offerings but you also want to make sure you keep out some of the undesirables out form ruining it. That is the toughest challenge. Making a section that is high profitable, fits in theme, has no trouble, and does not besmirch Disney's name

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Ugh I'm so sick of that argument. Why does EVERYTHING at WDW have to be about family? When it was gated, you couldn't get in kids period, so it's a mute argument. The reality is there are single travelers, college kids, conventions, and people who want to dance and have a good time with that horrible horrible thing called alcohol. These people have nowhere to go, except to the competition of course!
On that note:
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...w-year-at-pleasure-island-at-downtown-disney/

I agree...not everything needs to be about family and kids all the time in Disney. It would be nice if they had something again (other than the two places on the BW) that was open later and appealed to adults.

 

[Jerm]

I know that "stuff" can be replaced, but in the category of more proof that the Club will not reopen... the Castauction site (Disney Cast members only) just put up more props from the Club for auction. I would say that if they (WDW) was thinking about reopening the Club with the whole "CW is a hit in DHS" thing they would have stopped from putting some pretty iconic pieces up for auction....

 

[Master Yoda]

I know that "stuff" can be replaced, but in the category of more proof that the Club will not reopen... the Castauction site (Disney Cast members only) just put up more props from the Club for auction. I would say that if they (WDW) was thinking about reopening the Club with the whole "CW is a hit in DHS" thing they would have stopped from putting some pretty iconic pieces up for auction....

They are just raising money to buy new props!!!!!!

 

[Mouse Detective]

i dont think pleasure island ever fit into the family mold...and ever will in any shape or form. If you cant take your kids to it and there is alcohol involved...then i think there is your answer as to why disney doesnt like it.

Then they need to close Epcot because there are plenty of kids there and PLENTY of alcohol!

 

[71jason]

Ugh I'm so sick of that argument. Why does EVERYTHING at WDW have to be about family? When it was gated, you couldn't get in kids period...

Well technically, back when it was gated you could bring kids in every club except Mannequins. It wasn't until the last two years or so kids were banned from all the music clubs (and they could still attend the comedy clubs up until the last night--a video of my ex-g/f's 6 y.o. taken in the AdvClub became a bit of a viral sensation).

That said, not surprisingly I agree with everything else you said. 1 in 6 WDW visitors comes without kids--conventioneers, honeymooners, Spring Breakers... And a lot of people with kids look forward to a night out without them. Walt always intended an adult nightlife component for WDW--look at "Top of the World" (the original version, an adults only cabaret show in what is now California Grill). There is a place at WDW for nightclubs just as there is a place for golf courses and spas.

 

[71jason]

And yet I believe someone else several posts ago stated that CW was the club that was actually losing money...

Yes, technically one of two, along with BET SoundStage. Had more to do with the timing of shows than popularity of the venue--it was impossible to serve more than one drink per show, which limited sales. Had management been more creative in scheduling or guest flow, probably could have been made profitable.

Although not as profitable as 8-Traxx next door, which was, per square foot, the most profitable bar in the country. The idea that PI closed due to a lack of popularity or revenue is just flat-out wrong.