What WAS the Adventurer's Club???

[MonoManBlue]

All over the place I see people raving about how awesome it was. In all my trips, I never once went. Heck, I can't even remember looking at the place. So.....what exactly was it? What all did you do? Why'd you like it? Why'd they close it??

 

[hearts8701]

The Adventurers Club was a themed nightclub in Pleasure Island . It was styled after a private club for world travelers and explorers and was set in 1937. The walls of the club were covered with artifacts and photographs from various explorations. The Adventurers Club featured animatronics, puppets, and a cast of adventurers who performed in shows and improvisational comedy while mingling with the club's patrons.

 

[Donald Duck888]

To me the Adventurer's club is something I will really miss from my "old time" trips to Disney. The ones you take when you are young and free aka in your early 20's (for me that was the 80's lol).

Some great memories I have from that place.

I actually think the whole Pleasure Island thing was pretty neat in its day.

But then I am kind of a nostalgic one missing things like the old world of motion, Horizons, Alien Encounter and such.

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

AC was SO Special that it was the site of our first "date" and we took our Wedding Guests there 12 hours after the ceremony. It was UNIQUE and I'm very sad that it was closed! It was PACKED every time I went there. The Lobby/Bar had great decorations, there were a couple of rooms for pre-show and the Library had shows throughout the night. The last one was called Hoopla. It was closed before our 1st Anniversary.

Why did Disney close it? Beats me! I think the other dance clubs were attracting Gangs from Orlando??? But there was No reason to take away this Disney Icon.

 

[mamaprincess]

For me, The Adventurer's Club is a place I didn't know about until it was to late. If only I had asked the burning question, "What is Kungaloosh?", I wouldn't be in this sad predicament.

 

[wdwtheplacetobe]

For me, The Adventurer's Club is a place I didn't know about until it was to late. If only I had asked the burning question, "What is Kungaloosh?", I wouldn't be in this sad predicament.

Central Illinois? Are you in B/N perhaps?

 

[ZoZo]

I was lucky enough once to be pulled up onto stage to be part of a "radio play" at the AC. I got to do an admittedly terrible Swedish accent. It was so fun - the always slightly-off-color jokes were priceless! Luckily I was able to overcome my stage fright and really get into the role. It's one of my favorite Disney memories!

I miss the Adventurer's Club! Kungaloosh!

 

[W.E.D.]

For me, The Adventurer's Club is a place I didn't know about until it was to late. If only I had asked the burning question, "What is Kungaloosh?", I wouldn't be in this sad predicament.

THIS!
I "discovered" it between trips and, alas, it was gone before I made it back!

 

[GinnyEmma]

To me the Adventurer's club is something I will really miss from my "old time" trips to Disney. The ones you take when you are young and free aka in your early 20's (for me that was the 80's lol).

Some great memories I have from that place.

I actually think the whole Pleasure Island thing was pretty neat in its day.

But then I am kind of a nostalgic one missing things like the old world of motion, Horizons, Alien Encounter and such.

lol, well said all the way around.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Sigh...

A very good question.

So.....what exactly was it?

Improv comedy in the round with reoccurring characters themed from a 1930's "adventurer's club" (think Teddy Roosevelt and Hemingway).

What all did you do?

Well, mostly we sat around with drinks and laughed. Occasionally, we were drawn into a conga line in order to appease the tiki gods.

Why'd you like it?

That's a toughie. Not everyone did. It took a certain attitude, and it wasn't exactly kid friendly. Let me tell you about the first time I went there. DH and I were looking for something to do late at night. We stopped in and grabbed drinks, having no idea what the place was about, but finding the decorations interesting. Then this old, portly guy in a suit and handlebar moustache sits down next to us and asks if we'll describe our most recent adventures. Then he starts talking to other people in the room about their adventures (including some very strange characters indeed). Then he starts talking to the walls. The walls talk back. Then the walls indicate that it is necessary for everyone to dance in order to clense the room of bad spirits. Then we all conga-line into the room hidden behind the "secret passageway" and watch as the characters put on a stage show with singing and jokes and audience participation.

If you're into random acts of hilarity, it was the place to be.

Why'd they close it??

You'll hear lots of reasons, none of them good enough.

 

[mountdew1]

Think streetmosphere, turned up a few notches to a more adult humor level, with drinks. Lots of mixed drinks.

A general rough concept for the characters to follow, but that was about it.

The general atmosphere was that of a club of world travelers/adventurers, and the club itself was kind of an early form of "next gen queue". Lots of little hidden things to interact with.

Really a solid example of what Disney was famous for. Amazing theming, great interactivity and repeatability, and a unique concept. PI itself as a concept lost direction, support from Disney, whatever. Rather than admit this, and salvage what worked, they ripped the whole thing down to save face and now have a ghost town until they figure out what they really want to do. Hyperion Wharf looks great on paper, but nothing really has surfaced from it yet.

 

[CarolynU]

First time I went there I was completely bemused. It was edgy, I wasn't sure if I was comfortable or not. I didn't know what was about to happen, and that of course was its charm. It pulls the audience in, and then at times you become a performer and join the cast and then you laugh and laugh. Every performance was different. Similar script, but with so much improv even seeing the same show the outcome was never the same. Then I went to the Comedy Warehouse right opposite, and laughed and laughed again. Then I used to go from one place to another all evening. The I bought and AP, and had such fun for a good couple of years, and then it was gone.
So sad. It was unique and a great place for adults to enjoy adult time away from the parks. A huge Disney loss IMHO.

 

[RayRing]

It was one of the most unique experiences in Disney.

I went there several times (pre kids), and each time there was something new, and also things we experienced from the time before.

It is hard to explain to someone who hasn't been there.

The more I tried, the more I could see peoples eyes glaze over.

There were the skits, one of which I received a comment that still comes around in our family every-so-often.

There was the Mask Room.

There were the bar stools (Did I have too many adult beverages, or did one of the bar stools, very slowly get lower and lower)

There were the bar tenders - All with the same name.

There were...

 

[MYD714]

I went to the Comedy Warehouse right opposite, and laughed and laughed again. Then I used to go from one place to another all evening.

We used to do the same thing! I loved it there.

DH was introduced to everyone as "Cousin Sven the Mountain Climber" because he had his backpack with him (since we had come straight from MK that night). He was asked to escort everyone from room to room. It was so much fun.

On July 4th, my dad was wearing an Old Navy flag t-shirt. One club member called him "Flag Man" the entire night and made him get up on stage and wave like a flag while they sang patriotic songs.

I miss it so much.

 

[mickeyhunter]

The Adventurers Club was a themed nightclub in Pleasure Island . It was styled after a private club for world travelers and explorers and was set in 1937. The walls of the club were covered with artifacts and photographs from various explorations. The Adventurers Club featured animatronics, puppets, and a cast of adventurers who performed in shows and improvisational comedy while mingling with the club's patrons.

Gotta love wikipedia

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

IMHO...

Adventurer's Club....

Agree with everyone's PP's...

I think also of Indiana Jones... or .....if you've ever been through a "Ripley's Believe it ... or not" and wondered where "Ripley" partied...Those times....

I LOVED LOVED The Adventurer's Club! Before kids... after kids... we did 'sneak' our 12,13,14 yr olds in... and they LOVED it... one may go into Theater because (partly) the influence...

Just a rollicking good time with audience participation and themeing ... the works...

Hugs,
Mary

 

[tawasdave]

See if this helps

http://youtu.be/mOGBcRaVP_s

http://youtu.be/rSSIpsDbFps

http://youtu.be/2D1lwLqfPiM

 

[Nadia_disfan]

To be honest I've been to it and still can't answer your question, was a very surreal bizarre but oddly fun evening, we came out wondering what the blip just happened haha!

 

[justgeorgi]

It was only the most amazing, fun, spectacular, fantabulous place in all of Walt Disney World

And then Disney took it away.

It was so special that when they announced the closing of it (and all of PI) we planned a trip just to say goodbye and drove all the way from NY.

I miss it and still get excited when I see "Characters" in other Disney Shows!