Adventurers Club to be reborn

[MJ6987]

What are people's thoughts about the rumor / news broken by pint-sized legend Lou Mongello that the Adventurers Club was to be reborn?

I wasn't sure whether this was "news" or a "rumor" but he gave the impression that it was far more than just speculation on his part.

He said it will be reborn with a new name, a new story line and in a "new time" ( I assume he means at what time in history it will be set). He also said there could be a food element involved.

So, does anyone know anymore about this? Is it just speculation? What do you think it will consist of - a themed restaraunt or a bar with food available or a bar and seperate restaraunt? Where would it be based? etc etc....

 

[KYMickey]

What are people's thoughts about the rumor / news broken by pint-sized legend Lou Mongello that the Adventurers Club was to be reborn?

So, does anyone know anymore about this? Is it just speculation? What do you think it will consist of - a themed restaraunt or a bar with food available or a bar and seperate restaraunt? Where would it be based? etc etc....

Obviously no one knows if it's rumor or fact but the concept seems to fit very well with Animal Kingdom. Most of the theming of the existing AC is based on Africa and a safari so this is a natural fit. The timeframe could be altered either way without significantly affecting the story.

As far as what it will consist of, my guess would be a themed restaraunt kind of like Rainforest Cafe. All of the wait staff would be in character during the entire meal and the "show" would be an ongoing so no matter when you arrived you would be able to see it.

Obviously these are just guesses but they certainly fit the present Is the philosophy.

 

[Scurvy]

There have been lots of rumors that the AC would come back in some form. The problem is that a themed restaurant is not the AC. Change the name, change the time period, change the story line - it might still have the soul of the AC. Open a themed restaurant with the servers playing characters? Not the AC. When you really boil it down, the AC is a very highly themed interactive comedy experience. The actors there are some of the best in Orlando. The Club without the actors isn't the Club.

The announced closure of the AC got such a large response from fans because it is such a unique place - there's nothing like it anywhere else. You can't turn it into a Rainforest clone and expect people to embrace it as the new AC.

 

[Another Voice]

Remember that Disney tried turning the AC concept into restauarants twice already. The first attempt was 'The Explorer's Outpost' (I think that was its name) in Adventureland inside Euro Disney (now Disneyland Paris). It closed very quickly and is now a counter service pizza place without characters, shows, or animated figures. Then Disney tried with the 'Soap Opera Bistro' at California Adventure, a similar concept but using ABC soap opera sets and characters. That place was stripped to the carpet and is now used for the 'Playhouse Disney' puppet show.

 

[AdventurerKat]

Never mind the "restaurant" component, a different name, storyline and time frame isn't the Adventurers Club.

 

[Scurvy]

Never mind the "restaurant" component, a different name, storyline and time frame isn't the Adventurers Club.

That's true, but it might feel more like the real Adventurers Club than a themed restaurant that is set in 1937 and has servers playing the characters would.

If you took the same attention to detail, style of humor, talented cast and general format and created a club that is set in the far future in a space station and populated by astronauts and aliens, I think it could still retain the soul of the Adventurers Club. Most of the fans of the Club would probably like the new Club even if they still missed the real Adventurers Club. On the other hand, take the theme, character names, and props from the AC and plop them into a Rainforest type restaurant and it would not be at all like the real Adventurers Club. It might have some similarities to the Club, but it would not be a substitute for the real AC.

 

[AdventurerKat]

The rumor was about the AC being reborn. In the context that was given, as I said, that's not the AC.

Of course they could create something with the same general idea of how to set it up (shows, membership, fun side rooms), but still not the AC, therefore the not the AC reborn.

I don't really want to see an AC restaurant either.

 

[TDC Nala]

I'm guessing a new dinner show. WDW likes dinner shows.

A dinner show isn't AC.

Singing wait staff isn't AC.

You're still there just to have a meal. If entertainment accompanies the meal, fine. Your main draw is still the meal. When you're done eating, you leave.

That isn't what AC was.

 

[Scurvy]

You're right, a new theme wouldn't be the Adventurers Club. I didn't express what I was thinking very well.

I hate (hate, hate, hate . . .can't say it enough) that the Club closed and I will really only be completely happy if it comes back exactly as it was. I could see liking it if it came back in the future with a few changes, though. (And I wouldn't be upset if they added a restaurant as some rumors suggested, as long as it was an addition and not the replacement for the current concept.) My fear is that they will slap the name on a restaurant and include the props and theme and put the character names on the servers and say that's the Adventurers Club.

I'd rather see the Club reincarnated with a different theme than see it reborn as something like that. For me, the theme was less important than the entertainment and the cast. Even though a new theme wouldn't be the Adventurers Club, I could see it still having the same heart. The themed restaurant concept might be a pale imitation of the Club but if it doesn't have the same interactive comedy element (and actors, not just servers!) then it will never be the Adventurers Club to me, even if it does have the same name.

Plus, one of the best things about the Club was that it was a great place to go on every night of your trip. Who wants to go to the same restaurant or dinner show every night? And if it's in a park then you lose that as an evening entertainment option. For me the fact that it was open after the parks closed (and was an option when we didn't have park passes) was a defining characteristic of the Club. If they change that, they will lose a large part of the fan base.

 

[Luv2Roam]

If the club was reopened similar to what it was and offer decent food as options, that would be a major plus. (And should have been done long ago.)
But I would not want to see AC reborn like the mystery dinner at the Regal Sun or the luau at the Poly. (Nothing against those shows. Just not good for AC/CW type entertainment.)
I would love to see the AC take over a larger building than they had on PI and offer various food and entertainment during the evening.
Better yet I would like to see CW revised for some evenings, and AC for other evenings.
Without PI WDW has basically turned their backs on a large number of adults who want evening entertainment, and willing to pay for it.

 

[TDC Nala]

Don't think they're particularly interested in the fan base.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

While I loved the club as it was, I think it would be a mistake to assume it wouldn't be just as good if it morphed a bit... It may, or may not be.

A restaurant? Different time? New characters??
None sound overly appealing, but I for one would be willing to experience it before I give it a thumbs down.... You never know..

MG

 

[doconeill]

While I loved the club as it was, I think it would be a mistake to assume it wouldn't be just as good if it morphed a bit... It may, or may not be.

A restaurant? Different time? New characters??
None sound overly appealing, but I for one would be willing to experience it before I give it a thumbs down.... You never know..

MG

I think an increase in the variety of shows/characters would bring a freshness to it. After all, its has been pretty much unchanged for years. Only the improv elements provide and sort of newness...but perhaps if there were different characters on different nights, a different mix, something like that. We've finally seen Sutter Bestwick...add him as a semi-regular!

 

[DVC_Chris]

Don't think they're particularly interested in the fan base.

I know I feel that way... my wife and I are in our late twenties, no kids, Vacation Club members, and go to Disney World 2-3 times a year. Normally we would go to PI at least once each trip, sometimes more depending upon length. We just got back from a trip over Columbus Day, and felt like there was nothing to do in the evenings.

 

[Jason71]

Without PI WDW has basically turned their backs on a large number of adults who want evening entertainment, and willing to pay for it.

True. But with Magic Express, Magic Your Way tickets, free dining, etc., they seem fairly confident no one will be bothered to make the effort to go off-property. Those bored adults are a captive audience. Back in the 80s, when everyone drove down here and a lot of guests stayed half-way to Church Street on I-Drive, it was a different story.

Not sure how a restaurant/dinner show would change the nighttime entertainment scene, either. I don't see a dinner show or live entertainment lasting past, say, 10 pm at the latest. (Or, if the restaurant had continuing entertainment to 12 or 1, turn-over on tables would be abysmal, worse than even California Grill--regulars would be seated at 5 and stay until close.)

Also, the failure of Atlantic Dance and Rix must make the suits wary of placing another nightclub in a resort. Jelly Rolls has made a go of it (tho I still argue it would have been much more popular at PI), but that's only one for three.

 

[50 years Too!]

We were in Disney last week. While there, we purchased some BLT DVC points.
Our paperwork wasn't ready so we sat chatting with our Quality Assurance Rep.
He mentioned that Adventurer's Club was going to be in the new West area that Disney is building. Don't know if this is definite, but the guy had been working for Disney for 17 years.

Deb

 

[Brian_WDW74]

He mentioned that Adventurer's Club was going to be in the new West area that Disney is building. Don't know if this is definite, but the guy had been working for Disney for 17 years.

I suppose that's possible, but I have my doubts. Flamingo Crossings (the current name for the Western Beltway development) won't be owned or operated by Disney. Unless Disney decides to outsource the operation of this rumored "new" Adventurers Club to a third party, I don't really see it being relocated to Flamingo Crossings.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

What are people's thoughts about the rumor / news broken by pint-sized legend Lou Mongello that the Adventurers Club was to be reborn?

1) Huh?
2) Reborn?
3) I think he is "floating Disney balloons".
4) How can something be reborn if
. . . if it isn't the same theme?
. . . if it isn't the same historical time frame?
. . . if it isn't the same genre?
. . . if it isn't the same atmosphere?

5) Disney needs more revenue from a club than AC provided.
6) Success at WDW is rated on profit per-square-foot.
7) People simply did not drink enough at AC/CW.
8) Any new clubs will have to get people to spend more per-person-per-hour.
9) That does not sound like a rebirth of AC to me.

 

[rutgers1]

Heck, put it in a basement, in an attic, behind something else....but put it somewhere. If it wasn't making enough money to justify its existence in its current location, I have a hard time believing that it wouldn't be fine somewhere else where expectations aren't so high. Even if it was under a rock somewhere on the outskirts of Disney property, people would find it. Ugh.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

You could make the Adventurers Club work with a restaurant if it wasn't in the restaurant itself. The restaurant would have food that doesn't worry so much about feeding children what they want to eat. There used to be a restaurant chain called XXX Bomb Group. They played period music and the place looked like a bombed out farm house. Something like this would be a good fit. In a different area of the same building would be the Adventurers club. Patrons could go into the club to see the show, drink at the bar and order bar food and then if they wanted to they could go over to the restaurant to eat. The wait staff would be in period character ala the 50's Prime Time Cafe.