News Club 33 coming to Walt Disney World this Fall

[No Name]

Why is it "Uh Oh" that they are going to Universal? do you not think they need the full experience of visiting Orlando when spending all the money to get there?

No no! That's not the problem!

It's "uh oh" that he did not realize Epcot is part of Walt Disney World. He said he's visiting "Disney World, Epcot, and Universal."

 

[larryz]

You have something against hospitality majors?

Not at all. I have problems with using interns to do the jobs experienced professionals should be doing.

 

[GCTales]

Oh, I disagree with plenty of stuff they do and have done. But I also don't assume that everything they do these days is going to be automatically terrible, as a knee-jerk ultra-cynical reaction, which is what I see more often than not. Call me crazy, but once in a while I think the folks at WDW miiiiiight know how to run a park better than folks on a Disney message board.

And that is how I feel.... While they make moves I, personally disagree with (say.. Killing off the Tiki birds), I also recognize that the management has access to a lot more data and info than I do about the costs to maintain the ride, throughput, and volume level for a particular ride / restaurant.

As to this... I would like to see them call it something other than Club 33. Have it uniquely identified with the park where it is based.. Perhaps membership does not guarantee access to the ones in other parks (or offer recprocity at the 4 WDW clubs and acces to the others around the world with an additional fee). I know one or two CEO who travel on business- frequently to places where there is a Disney park, love Disney, and would probably pay a little extra for guaranteed access (especially if he can use it for taking high level clients to business dinners).

I seriously hope the staffing at the WDW clubs are at the same Lvl /quality as the original... Otherwise I think those that buy in will quickly express their displeasure.

 

[Otterhead]

I would like to see them call it something other than Club 33. Have it uniquely identified with the park where it is based..

Absolutely -- as I said in another post, if they call it Club 33 and awkwardly stick it upstairs on Main Street or something, it'll indeed seem like a cheap and obvious cash grab. I'm in favor of a similar sort of private club (though I'm sure I'll never get to go there), but it needs to fit into MK the same way 33 fits into DL. Whether a Colonial-style club somewhere over in Liberty Square, a VIP club actually in an attraction (The Happy Haunts club, upstairs in the HM?), or a new SEA-style Adventurer's Club, the theming will make a lot of difference.

 

[Bocabear]

Absolutely -- as I said in another post, if they call it Club 33 and awkwardly stick it upstairs on Main Street or something, it'll indeed seem like a cheap and obvious cash grab. I'm in favor of a similar sort of private club (though I'm sure I'll never get to go there), but it needs to fit into MK the same way 33 fits into DL. Whether a Colonial-style club somewhere over in Liberty Square, a VIP club actually in an attraction (The Happy Haunts club, upstairs in the HM?), or a new SEA-style Adventurer's Club, the theming will make a lot of difference.

Oh Please let it be Happy Haunts Club! actually that would be a franchisable idea like the Jeckyl and Hyde Club...

 

[Kman101]

I feel like we're bound to get a Mansion themed bar sometime in the future, I think Spirit all but hinted as much, he liked Nemo14's post suggesting it, so I'm taking that as a hint ... wonder if it will be a Club 33 type, exclusive, or Trader Sam's free to all ...

 

[Nemo14]

I feel like we're bound to get a Mansion themed bar sometime in the future, I think Spirit all but hinted as much, he liked Nemo14's post suggesting it, so I'm taking that as a hint ... wonder if it will be a Club 33 type, exclusive, or Trader Sam's free to all ...

No, he just likes me.

 

[ford91exploder]

They ran out of other upcharge ideas that could increase profits. Honestly, Club 33 is a concept that doesn't necessarily work in WDW the same way it has at DL since it's inception, as pointed out by many in this thread. I'm not saying it will definitely fail, but it will no doubt have to look and feel different if it's going to be successful. Hopefully this has been well thought out as opposed to thrown together in a desperate attempt to pad the bottom line.

My vote is a desperate attempt to pad the bottom line

 

[Kman101]

Which is sad because they don't need to run things like they're going out of business.

 

[38053WDW]

Can't wait to see how they hide these in all four parks.

The Emporium is under raps again .. hmmmmm... (Since they hope to have it open by Fall)

 

[Otterhead]

Can't wait to see how they hide these in all four parks.

Actually that's an interesting thought... if rather than just a Club 33 clone, WDW extends the idea to give members access to a new exclusive club of some sort in each park. MK could have a PotC or HM club, Epcot could easily repurpose one of their existing VIP clubs (is the Siemens club in Spaceship Earth getting any use?), DHS could find space inside the Chinese Theater or ToT (or anywhere along main street), and DAK could do a SEA-inspired Adventurer's Club at Tiffins or Harambe. That'd make a membership fee a lot more attractive.

 

[mickeyfan5534]

Not at all. I have problems with using interns to do the jobs experienced professionals should be doing.

How do you expect people to become experienced professionals? Put them under the hyper experienced and amazing hospitality CMs but give the interns a chance to learn in a real high class environment. That's me talking as a hospitality student. I would kill for the opportunity to get experience at a Club 33 type place.

 

[larryz]

How do you expect people to become experienced professionals? Put them under the hyper experienced and amazing hospitality CMs but give the interns a chance to learn in a real high class environment. That's me talking as a hospitality student. I would kill for the opportunity to get experience at a Club 33 type place.

You should probably start them out at the bottom, not the top. CS and non-signature TS are the bottom. V&A, signature TS, and Club 33 would be the top. I'd never put an inexperienced CP in Club 33 -- one big mistake and I've lost a five-figure annual dues payer.

Maybe use CP in Club 33 as bussers on their second semester... but not their first.

 

[mickeyfan5534]

You should probably start them out at the bottom, not the top. CS and non-signature TS are the bottom. V&A, signature TS, and Club 33 would be the top. I'd never put an inexperienced CP in Club 33 -- one big mistake and I've lost a five-figure annual dues payer.

Absolutely make them prove themselves, but still give the CPs that opportunity. I'd even say to narrow that down to hospitality students because those are the types of places they might end up managing.

 

[Kman101]

I think it's clear they're shoving inexperienced cast members into roles that maybe don't suit them. Hospitality being one of them. It's not always easy and takes a certain kind of person to pull it off. Now that being said they should offer the proper training if someone shows an interest.

 

[ford91exploder]

I think it's clear they're shoving inexperienced cast members into roles that maybe don't suit them. Hospitality being one of them. It's not always easy and takes a certain kind of person to pull it off. Now that being said they should offer the proper training if someone shows an interest.

Exactly its not that CP'ers should be excluded from this its that they should be lower level staff and CLEARLY identified as an intern, As a high end guest is likely to forgive an interns error and may even give helpful feedback on WHY that was an error because that person is an intern

That said WDW of late has been dropping CP'ers into roles where they have neither training nor natural aptitude for the role simply because they are cheap english speaking labor

 

[ford91exploder]

You should probably start them out at the bottom, not the top. CS and non-signature TS are the bottom. V&A, signature TS, and Club 33 would be the top. I'd never put an inexperienced CP in Club 33 -- one big mistake and I've lost a five-figure annual dues payer.

Maybe use CP in Club 33 as bussers on their second semester... but not their first.

Disney's logic 'as long as there is a wait list losing dues payers is not an issue'

 

[Next Big Thing]

I have a feeling the WDW versions will be staffed entirely with CP's majoring in hospitality.

Disney doesn't take into account a CPs major when assigning them roles though so you'll get a bunch of kids that have no experience in the industry doing it.

 

[ford91exploder]

Which is sad because they don't need to run things like they're going out of business.

Yet the 'Going out of Business' vibe has grown stronger every visit to WDW of late

 

[ford91exploder]

Correction, the current administration knows how to run a BUSINESS better than most of us. Parks should deliver a touch of caring and theming. Cranking out cash ideas isn't along those lines.

Disney under Iger is good at extracting short term cash from the efforts of those who went before them and sending money to Wall St.

As to creating long term value not so good. Its why Disney is in the crosshairs of a couple of rumored hostile takeover bids by companies who will break it up and keep the pieces that they want.

Imagine the parks owned by Dalian Wanda group for instance... the hotels by Hilton or Marriott

Good job Iger you get more money than you can ever spend but the rest of us lose a cultural icon