Peter David isn’t exactly sure when he first discovered the Adventurers Club.
“It had to be sometime in 1989 or 1990,” this award-winning author remembers. “I was exploring the then-newly-opened Pleasure Island. I’d already been to a number of the other clubs on the Island. And I must have wandered into the Adventurers Club around 10:30 or so.”
Initially, David was confused (“I had no freakin’ clue what was going on. It was like entering a madhouse”). But after catching a show in the Mask Room, he quickly became charmed by the place. So much so that Peter returned to Pleasure Island the very next evening. He was there as the doors for the Adventurers Club opened. And he stayed for every show.
And — with that — a love affair was launched. Over the next 19 years, Peter would return to the Adventurers Club time & time again. Dragging friends and family along so that they too could experience this one-of-a-kind entertainment. This truly unique experience.
David thought so highly of the Adventurers Club that — when it came time to propose to his wife, Kathleen … Well, there was only one spot on the planet where Peter wanted to pop the question.
“The people at Disney Weddings kept offering me Cinderella Castle,” he explained. “But I kept telling than that ‘Marriage isn’t a fantasy. It’s an adventure.’ Which is why I wanted to propose at the Adventurers Club.”
And with the help of the Colonel, David did just that. And I’m told that there wasn’t a dry eye in the Main Salon when Kathleen accepted Peter’s proposal.
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Given the number of times that David has visited the Adventurers Club (“At least 60 times. I’ve literally lost count”) as well as his obvious emotional attachment to the place … You can bet that Peter wasn’t pleased when he learned about the Walt Disney World’s plans to close this club.
“My wife actually told me,” he continued. “She’d read about it on the Web. And when she told me, my immediate thought was that Disney couldn’t be serious about closing such a unique entertainment.
I mean, no disrespect to those Disneyana fans who tried to save Mr. Toad back in 1998. But there are lots of rides out there that are similar to that attraction. Where you get in, you spin and then get out. But there is only one Adventurers Club in the world.”
Which is why David decided that he had to persuade Disney Company executives to reverse this unfortunate decision. But first he needed a symbol. Something that the tens of thousands of Adventurers Club fans that are scattered around the globe could then rally around.
“I was brainstorming with friends,” Peter remembered. “And the first thing that came to mind was compasses. That we’d send Disney Company executives this huge pile of compasses. Which would hopefully get across the whole ‘North, South, East or West. An Adventurer’s Life is Best‘ credo of the Club.”
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But — on second thought — compasses are clunky. Not to mention being expensive to purchase and difficult to mail. So as David cast about for a new symbol and mapped out his campaign to save the Adventurers Club … That’s when it came to him: Maps !
“Maps are perfect. Everyone’s got one or two old ones lying around their house,” he explained. “So all it would cost for a person to take part in this particular ‘Save the Adventurers Club’ campaign is postage.”
So if you’d like to take part in Peter David’s campaign… Here’s what he needs you to do:
“First open the map and circle where you live. Then draw arrows from your location to where the Adventurers Club is located. Because — to be honest — I’m not sure that Disney’s current management team actually knows where the Club is. I mean, they can’t seriously have visited this place if they’ve now planning on closing the Adventurers Club down. No one who’s ever been in that Club, seen those shows and interacted with that cast could ever bring themselves to shut such a unique entertainment down.
Now take that map and stuff it in an envelope, which you’ll then address to:
The Walt Disney Company
ATTN: Robert A. Iger
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
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Why send these maps to Bob Iger? Because he’s the one guy at Disney who’s shown that he’s not afraid to reverse course. Back away from a bad decision. I mean, look how close the company came to letting Pixar slip away? Bob was the only executive who could see that Disney was making a tremendous mistake there. Which is why he did everything he could to repair the company’s relationship with John Lasseter and Steve Jobs.
So I’m hoping that — if we all send Iger maps — he’ll then see the error of his ways. Bob will realize what a tremendous, under-exploited asset the Adventurers Club is. After all, it’s the only part of Pleasure Island that literally has fans all over the planet. People who have great affection for, real dedication to that particular club. And they’ll happily continue to spend their money there if Disney just smartens up, reverses this unfortunate decision and keeps the Adventurers Club open.”
So if you want to help save this much beloved piece of Pleasure Island, Peter David says: “Put Bob Iger on the right path. Point this man in the right direction. Send Disney’s CEO a map and let Bob know that you want him to keep the Adventurers Club open.”
So do yourself — and Peter David — a favor and start mailing those maps.
Your thoughts?