For those of you who never had the chance to visit the Adventurers Club over seven years ago at Pleasure Island, it was a club that guests either loved or just didn’t get. There is a long history of the Club that could have many many books about it, but the best way to explain it is it was a Joe Rhode project back in the late 80s, so it was perfectly themed and add to that some of the best Disney Cast Members in some of the funniest characters to ever be brought to life on Disney property.
As I said “over seven years ago” because the Club along with all of Pleasure Island closed in September of 2008, but to say the Adventurers Club has a cult following is an understatement. With this being the first time since the closing all the adventurers, including Club Gleemeister and head of security, Colonel Critchlow Sunchbench, had been gathered together to share their tales of adventures it was the place to be!
The Cape Cod room, home of the Adventurers Club, only held about 100 people but was themed to the nines with props any Disney fan would love to take home with them.
The night started as all nights in the Club did with a New Member Induction Ceremony followed by the Welcome Party, which always seemed to have a “unscheduled visitor” from Sandusky, Ohio who sings a song about his favorite heifer.
A few times as the night went on it was very evident that not only the Adventurers missed being around each other but they also missed being able to pull a gag on each other as shown with Fletcher Hodges and Hathaway Browne egged on the Colonel to sing the “people’s,” but not his, favorite drinking song.
With the minutes counting down to Midnight, we were all invited into the main ballroom to enjoy the countdown but with no one wanting to leave the “Club” the countdown was brought to us.
Once 2016 was rung in properly, the night ended as every night at the Adventurers Club was for almost 20 years did: with the Hoopla and “When The Saints Go Marching In!”
Before I do a wrap of the event, I have to sing the praises of the fine members of the Adventurers Club who, after seven years of not doing a full night of shows, pulled it off like they had never stopped. I can only hope that the ovation and love we as guest showed that night can somehow in someway show the people who make all those decisions that, even if it does only happen once a year, we will make a trek to the Club… and we all promise to buy drinks next time!
Now, I had reservations about this event, especially with the $300 price tag at the start, but once an Annual Pass discount was added and all the food, drink, and entertainment was taken into consideration, this was one of the best New Year’s Eves I have celebrated in a long time and would gladly do it again next year!
Happy New Year and Kungaloosh!