Founded in 1921, the Adventurers’ Club of Los Angeles is a gathering place for those who leave the beaten path in search of adventure. The club proudly hosts its 6th Annual Tiki Night in celebration of Tiki and camaraderie of ohana on June 24, 2023. Enjoy live music, dancing, food, tropical cocktails, and this year’s program exploring the history and real-life inspiration for Disney’s Jungle Cruise attraction. Share in the experience of community and reserve your ticket today.
The Jungle Cruise at Disneyland was designed to be a living version of Disney’s popular film series “True Life Adventure.” The attraction was to display real animals in environments taken from the movies with boats sailing past them all. Skippers were to be serious guides on a boat ride on what was supposed to be a living documentary film. Reality had other plans. What the Jungle Cruise became was the place for the funniest people at Disneyland to run wild. In this talk, former Jungle Cruise Skipper, David “Dr. Skipper” Marley, will talk about the birth of the Jungle Cruise and explain how a serious attraction turned to comedy. A key component of Tiki culture in America is a celebration of adventure and exploration, and that is where Tiki and the Jungle Cruise meet. The evening will finish with Marley sharing some of his favorite stories from his years at the park.
David “Dr Skipper” Marley, is a former Disneyland Jungle Cruise Skipper, has a Ph.D. in American History from George Washington University, and has taught History at California State University, Fullerton. He is the author of the popular Skipper Stories book series. These books were the first oral histories of a Disneyland attraction. The second edition of his most recent book, The Jungle Cruise: The Crazy History of Walt’s Wildest Ride will be published in August 2023.
He is the creator and producer of the popular Jungle Cruise based stand-up comedy show The Skipper Show which has performed all across California. He is the co-host of the popular podcast “The Jungle” which is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
You can follow him on Instagram at @drskippermarley
Entertainment for the night: Pat “Palika” Enos and his Island Trio
Pat “Palika” Enos is perhaps the most iconic Ukelele player of our time. Born and raised on the island of Oahu, Pat (Palika, in Hawaiian) is a master of Hawaiian ukulele. Pat has performed professionally throughout the United States as a live entertainer, studio vocalist, and musician. His ukelele playing will be rounded out with a bass and steel guitar to form a musical trio. The trio’s smooth island sound is accompanied by a beautiful hula dancer.
