Cathy and Dave came over for a “farewell dinner” – they’re moving to Colorado next week. They shuffled out of the house pretty early last night – we had some delicious baked ziti, zucchini parm and ice cream and pie for dessert… over a game of apples to apples. I dominated the first round, but the second was much ore neck-in-neck with BHK. Surprisingly, there were no tears or sad goodbyes – I guess because they’re still going to be around for a week or so.

Disney has announced that they intend to shutter the Adventurers Club in downtown Pleasure Island come the end of September. I want to try and convince them otherwise.

It’s not as if the AC has been singled out; they’re closing down all the clubs in the area with the stated intent of making the area more “family friendly.”

Although the various over-18 venues on the island might fall under the label of not being conducive to family enjoyment, this most definitely does not describe the Adventurers Club. Yes, it has an active bar, but so what? If the presence of a bar made something adult-oriented, TGI Fridays would not be a family establishment. The fact is that every time we have attended the Adventurers Club, there have been kids of all ages in attendance, entranced by the club and its wildly talented cast.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Adventurers Club purports to be a 1930s private club for globe-spanning adventurers, having a pledge drive for new members. Guests mingle freely with colorful characters, interact with animatronic statues and puppets, and watch demented improv comedy and shows by the Club’s “daredevil” officers. If you have been there, then you know a night at the Club is always great entertainment. If you have not had the opportunity, then we’re about to fight to save it so that you may yet have the chance.

There is an on-line petition going on that already has thousands of signatures, and I wish them well (and have indeed signed it myself). But on-line petitions only go so far. What corporate types respect is actual letters, because it means that the writers took the time to write it, put it in an envelope and slap a stamp on it.

If you want to help preserve one of the single greatest entertainment experiences in Disney, then I urge you to write to:

Robert Iger
Chief Executive Officer
Walt Disney Corporation
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

I cannot stress enough: Keep letters civil. Polite. Family-friendly, if you will. If you have attended the AC, talk about your experiences and how much the place means to you. If you haven’t been, underscore the good things you’ve heard about it and your intention to attend in the future.

And never forget the Adventurers Club credo:

We climb the highest mountains,
just to get a better view.
We plumb the deepest oceans,
because we’re daring through and through.
We cross the scorching desert,
martinis in our hand.
We ski the polar ice caps,
in tuxedos looking grand.
We are reckless, brave, and loyal,
and valiant to the end.
If you come in here a stranger,
you will exit as a friend.
KUNGALOOSH!

Feel free to cross post this wherever you think it will do any good.

I’ve only ever been to the Adventurers Club once, but it was great fun… I’d really like the opportunity to take BHK with me to see it again with fresh perspective. A place at Disney styled after the pulps, with Tom Leher music and the occasional cocktail (with or without alcohol) ? Yeah, I’d say that’s worth keeping.

They work by mounting two small infrared lights on the front. The wearer is completely inconspicuous to the human eye, but cameras only see a big white blur where your face should be. Building them is a snap: just take a pair of sunglasses, attach two small but powerful IR LEDS to two pairs of wires, one wire per LED. Then attach the LEDs to the glasses; the video suggests making a hole in the rim of the glasses to embed the LEDs. Glue or otherwise affix the wires to the temples of the glasses. At the end of the temples, attach lithium batteries. They should make contact with the black wire, but the red wires should be left suspended near the batteries without making contact. When you put them on the red wire makes contact, turning the lights on. It’s functional, but we’re thinking that installing an on/off switch would be more elegant and it would allow you to wear them without depleting the batteries.