1937 a year to remember

<h1>The Adventurers Club</h1>

I was in Atlanta when news reached me that Disney made public the coming closure of the Adventurers Club. Actually all the clubs on Pleasure Island will be closed, but the comedy clubs, especially the AC, are the only ones significant to me personally. I recognized the signs a year ago that this was coming, despite assurances to the contrary, but that didn't prevent feelings of loss and finality when the announcement occurred.

Many fans are exhibiting the 7 stages of grief about the news. Now that it has been made public, it would take something extraordinary to change it, and it would have to occur before the walls came down. Fans are writing letters. A petition to keep the club open has over 3000 signatures on it as I write this, however Disney has never before stopped the closing of an attraction because of public outcry. The closest example would be when the 3rd rehab of Imagination brought back Figment, but that occurred AFTER the original attraction was long gone and was due to market forces, not campaigns. Bringing back a character is a lot different than an entire facility directly responsible for generating income. The PI changes were not planned in a vacuum. They were designed with years of investigation, tests, and analysis. Outside firms are partnered in the vision. This was not the decision of any single person or VP (in fact, Downtown Disney has had three VPs in the last 4 years). Guests really do want the Downtown complex to flow better through PI. Whether you believe fan protests are futile or not, accept that people who care about this club had to make some efforts to be heard, or else forever live wondering "if only we had tried"...

For almost 20 years the club has been my favorite attraction at WDW. Before I lived in Florida, every evening of our annual vacation ended with my visiting this magical place. It was "my club". The decor is fascinating. The story details and humor were everywhere. It would be addictive to anyone with an analytical personality or appreciation for detail. It was like time travel, you could watch the evening unfold each night from a different perspective. It is uniquely Disney. No other place so immerses people into a combination of atmosphere, performance entertainment, song, improvisational humor, puppetry, and animatronics. It is one of the best venues for exhibiting the quality of entertainers Disney employs. In other attractions, the guest is separate from the performance; mostly a spectator. The AC breaks that wall and places them within the midst of an ultimate simulated reality. You can shake the hand of the performer that made you smile.

Six years ago when a poor job market forced us to quickly relocate to Orlando. We went from owning a house to renting hotels and a less-than-desirable apartment with half our property in storage for over a year. It was the most stressful and depressing time of our lives, but visiting the AC helped to get through it. The distraction it offered, the improvisational humor, and the company of kind people were a gift from God. The performers helped me laugh when there was little to laugh about. I will always remember what a great help they were.

As a local regular, I learned to appreciate the complexities and talent required to deliver such an incredible entertainment experience. I developed friendships with some of the cast and others. When I became a Disney employee, I learned about the backstage aspects and business challenges involved. I met the person who designed the place and learned how it came to exist. I got to work with some of the performers at media events and volunteer activities. I also saw them perform in outside theater, commercials, and charity events. All of this increased my appreciation for the individuals and talent at this unusual place. It inspired me to break out of my own comfort zones and perform in the Candlelight Processional, never having seen it beforehand.

I prefer to embrace change. Whether desired or not, exciting or tragic, with every new situation comes opportunities that could not exist before. That's not always easy. I went to the club one night and while watching the Cup Competition it suddenly hit me - No more Christmas shows! No more "Pretty Little Dolly" or "Dominic the Christmas Donkey". My annual ritual of performing in the Candlelight Processional on Christmas Eve, then racing to the club to catch the last Christmas show and the midnight reading of "The Night Before Christmas" was already gone forever.

On 9/27, the hoopla will be over for one of the best attractions Disney ever created. My hope is that someday they will build it again elsewhere. My heart goes out to all the staff there. They have to find new work, and it will certainly be less fun. They are also responsible for making the place what it was.

God bless you all and please stay in touch.


[If you have never visited the Adventurers Club, I can't recommend strongly enough that before 9/27 you spend an entire evening there.]

Syndicated 2008-07-04 19:13:45 (Updated 2008-09-09 18:08:44) from Keith