Lunch or Dinner at Club 33?

[devoy1701]

Need help with this one guys. We're arriving on a Saturday afternoon and staying through Thursday morning. Our only nights to see the Disneyland fireworks and Fantasmic! are Saturday and Sunday, and those are also the only nights we could do dinner at Club 33. I'm hesitant to make any "official" plans on Saturday because we have a layover in Chicago and in early March I know that flights may or may not run on time...also, since we're landing at 1:45 at LAX and won't be at the resort until about 3:30pm (if flights are on time), traveling from Tampa, I remember how fatigued we were back in 2009 on that first day after traveling all day and also trying to adjust to the time change.

Anyway...does Lunch or Dinner matter? I know one is a fixed price, one is a la carte... but other than that, are we missing out on anything if we do lunch over dinner? Should we do an early dinner on Sunday, or try to plan it so we can see fireworks from the balcony (I read about this but don't know if it's a matter of luck/where you get seated or not). Also, how long should I plan for a meal at Club 33???

help!

 

[devoy1701]

have none of you eaten there?

 

[Californian Elitist]

I've never eaten at Club 33, but I believe @TP2000 has, and I know @WDWFigment has. According to a few reviews I've read in regards to dining at Club 33, the lunch is a little better. I suggest you wait until one of these users responds, before taking into consideration what I've told you.

 

[nemofinder22]

I've had lunch there, it was pretty nice. We ended up being the first guests of the day(didn't plan it that way) got there at 11am. Seated in the trophy room, in the corner so we couldn't look out the window from the seat.

The trees around NOS that face ROA block a good majority of the ROA so I don't think you would be able to get a good view of the fireworks or Fantasmic! even from the balconies. You can kind of see it though.

As for time spent there I think I ended up staying for a total of 2 hours, maybe about an hour or so for lunch(I don't really remember but the food came fast) and then looking around and hanging out on the balconies. Oh and buying stuff too...

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

It used to be the same price for lunch or dinner, and dinner is markedly better quality.

 

[TP2000]

I've never eaten at Club 33, but I believe @TP2000 has...

You rang? It's been a few years, but I have visited Club 33 for meals a couple of times since 2000, as an invited guest of Standard Oil of California.

I second the recommendation that you aim for lunch, instead of dinner. The very mature trees around the second floor balconies and windows of Club 33 obscure almost all of Fantasmic! and most of the fireworks. If you want to see either show, being down on the ground is a much better view and experience.

But a Disneyland visit with a meal at Club 33 is a fantastic luxury! I'm glad you get to experience that, if only for the Walt-era history there. The food was good, if not anything better than what's available to the general public at Carthay Circle or Napa Rose. The service was also good, but also on par with those other Disneyland Resort upscale restaurants. What you're going to Club 33 for is the rare experience, the sense of history, and the sheer thrill of ordering and drinking a proper cocktail whilst inside Disneyland. Sinful!

But enjoy it. And try for lunch if you can, or if a dinner reservation would cut into your ability to see Fantasmic! or the fireworks from a proper viewing area.

 

[devoy1701]

Thanks guys. Your replies helped reinforce my decision to do lunch on Sunday. I'm glad there were more of you who said you would opt for lunch over dinner. @nemofinder22, your pictures steered me clear of dinner as well. I don't want to count on trying to see the shows on Saturday when we arrive, and I would hate to miss them on Sunday, or rush through our time at Club 33 to make sure we didn't miss them!

So we're doing an 11:45 lunch and are really looking forward to it! Most of you know that I'm a "Walt" Fan before I'm a Disneyland or WDW fan, so having the opportunity to experience the Club ourselves is definitely something I was willing to pay a luxury for. @TP2000, thank you for your comments on what to expect for the food and service itself! Though I had a feeling that an expensive meal at Disneyland was more worthwhile than one at WDW anyhow! We opted not to do Carthay this go around, but will be having lunch again at one of my favorites, Wine Country Trattoria, as well as a dinner at Steakhouse 55, so I think Club 33 rounds out our dining reservations well.

We're definitely looking forward to it. Thanks again guys!

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Ok - stupid question - don't you have to be a MEMBER of Club 33 to eat there? If not - how do I get in there??

 

[Californian Elitist]

Ok - stupid question - don't you have to be a MEMBER of Club 33 to eat there? If not - how do I get in there??

No, you don't have to be a member. In order to eat at Club 33, if you're not a member, you have to either be a guest of a member, or if you work for a business that's associated with the Club, you can dine there. Other than that, forget it.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

No, you don't have to be a member. In order to eat at Club 33, if you're not a member, you have to either be a guest of a member, or if you work for a business that's associated with the Club, you can dine there. Other than that, forget it.

Boo.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Boo.

Yeah. I'm sorry.

 

[devoy1701]

Ok - stupid question - don't you have to be a MEMBER of Club 33 to eat there? If not - how do I get in there??

Apparently if you're a guest (which we are) they are even selective on who calls in your reservation or who can make changes. We were not allowed to call/email ourselves with a name of guest or passcode or what have you. We are guests of a corporate account. It happened by chance...we do business with a company based out there, and when they found out we were visiting, my contact said "oh I used to work at Disneyland, if you need anything let me know" and I said, "well if you have a way to get us a reservation at Club 33 we would be grateful..." It only took a couple days to iron out the details. And in this case, with knowing how much a membership costs and how long the wait list is...it seems like knowing a member is a better way to go than being a member!

 

[WDWFigment]

Sounds like you've already booked, but I'd second the lunch pick.

I'd recommend the Chateaubriand with truffled mac & cheese. Honestly, though, it's more about the experience than it is the food, which is good but not great. If you want an awesome meal, head to Napa Rose.

 

[melflip8]

If any of you have an "IN" or someone that can help me get into Club33. I would pretty much die. FL resident WDW'er going to Disneyland for the first time this year. Trying to make it a once in a lifetime trip. Any suggestions are helpful as I have until end of August, and I will not stop trying.

 

[Californian Elitist]

If any of you have an "IN" or someone that can help me get into Club33. I would pretty much die. FL resident WDW'er going to Disneyland for the first time this year. Trying to make it a once in a lifetime trip. Any suggestions are helpful as I have until end of August, and I will not stop trying.

I would suggest asking the DL fans on MiceChat or the DL board on DisBoards. Good luck.

 

[Hedwig's Keeper]

Lunch has a buffet for you to pick up little bits of meats, cheese, salad, etc. You order a main course which they bring later, chicken, fish, etc. Dinner is more fancy with multiple course meals. In the day, they don't allow open-toe shoes and unflattering tops anymore. And they want you to at least try to wear a collared shirt if your a guy. I've never felt rushed in there. They almost always ask if you want coffee after your meal. Go to dinner, it's more magical. If you go on the balcony, look for the pirate actors below and talk to them. They have some really funny lines about rum. And ride the elevator. It's a tight fit for 3-4 but always fun. If there are kids, there IS a family bathroom down the hall to your right from the men's and women's. Didn't even know it for the longest time, just thought it was another forbidden door.

 

[Hedwig's Keeper]

Oh, you can walk out on the balcony anytime that you want. Doesn't matter where you sit and there's lots of room for several people to watch fireworks from the balcony. But you just wouldn't want to stand in front of a window and block the view of persons at the that window - which are usually couples, larger tables are in the middle of the main room.

 

[TP2000]

No, you don't have to be a member. In order to eat at Club 33, if you're not a member, you have to either be a guest of a member, or if you work for a business that's associated with the Club, you can dine there. Other than that, forget it.

Disneyland also just redid the membership rules in 2012 to make it much harder for members to make reservations for non-members. There had been some abuse and fraud, with members making reservations for people they didn't really know, or worse, charging people for the reservation. (You still have to pay for your meal tab.)

I only got in a few times as a guest of Standard Oil, while I was associated with them via a legit client relationship. Standard Oil of California owns the Chevron brand on the West Coast, who sponsors Autopia.

If you aren't a member, or don't know a member well, you'll need to have business contacts with one of the Disneyland park sponsors who maintain corporate memberships at Club 33; Coca-Cola, Chevron, Honda, Microsoft, Georgia-Pacific, Sylvania, etc.

 

[Hedwig's Keeper]

Disneyland also just redid the membership rules in 2012 to make it much harder for members to make reservations for non-members. There had been some abuse and fraud, with members making reservations for people they didn't really know, or worse, charging people for the reservation. (You still have to pay for your meal tab.)

I only got in a few times as a guest of Standard Oil, while I was associated with them via a legit client relationship. Standard Oil of California owns the Chevron brand on the West Coast, who sponsors Autopia.

If you aren't a member, or don't know a member well, you'll need to have business contacts with one of the Disneyland park sponsors who maintain corporate memberships at Club 33; Coca-Cola, Honda, Microsoft, Georgia-Pacific, Sylvania, etc.

You're absolutely right. They capped the number of people you can invite each year to something like 50.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Disneyland also just redid the membership rules in 2012 to make it much harder for members to make reservations for non-members. There had been some abuse and fraud, with members making reservations for people they didn't really know, or worse, charging people for the reservation. (You still have to pay for your meal tab.)

I only got in a few times as a guest of Standard Oil, while I was associated with them via a legit client relationship. Standard Oil of California owns the Chevron brand on the West Coast, who sponsors Autopia.

If you aren't a member, or don't know a member well, you'll need to have business contacts with one of the Disneyland park sponsors who maintain corporate memberships at Club 33; Coca-Cola, Chevron, Honda, Microsoft, Georgia-Pacific, Sylvania, etc.

Yep, so true. I really feel bad for those who's life mission is to dine at Club 33, but can't.