Club 33 to get Lengthy Re-furb

[WaltD4Me]

I've never been so incredibly lucky to dine at Club 33, but it is definitely on my Disney bucket list. I was surprised to read this article about a lengthy re-furb and I'm curious as to what everyone thinks. I don't know enough about it to really have an opinion, but moving the door and elevator is sad. Do you think they are gearing up to allow non-members in? And more importantly, do you think we might get out special appearance Pete Rant out of this?

http://micechat.com/36536-club-33disneyland-restaurant-club-33/

 

[sayhello]

I doubt they are gearing up to allow non-members in. They have a waiting list a mile long for people waiting to become members. They're probably just hoping to expand the number of members they can accommodate, so that they can benefit from all the $$$$ those extra folks will pay for those memberships.

Sayhello

 

[DisneyKevin]

The elevator in Club 33 is a relic from another time.

I have gotten stuck between floors.

There is a set of three or four stairs up to the elevator and it's tiny.

It is not wheelchair or scooter accessible.

The only true accessibility is to go around the building and use a service elevator that is definitely not show ready and enter through the small, crowded and out of date kitchen.

This is not a good guest experience and would turn most guests off completely.

We were in Club 33 when a fire alarm went off. It was a false alarm caused by work on the Rivers of America. Apparently a wire was cut. My point being that the restaurant was full and it took a while to empty it out.

Had this been an actual emergency with folks needing assistance inside, this could have been a real issue.

Club 33 is beautiful and historic and I am hoping that they keep the original look and decor and add accessibility features in the expansion.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

While this is still a rumor, I have mixed feelings and will wait to weigh in on it until the project is -if? - confirmed. I really hope that they do not change much if this happens. It's a special place, and I really enjoyed being there.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I know that they are planning on refurbishing it. The news about the new entrance is new to me. I had been told that they were going to build a "bridge" to the other side to use that space for additional dining.

Kevin, you make really good points. I hadn't considered them before.

 

[WDW Crawl]

The elevator in Club 33 is a relic from another time.

I have gotten stuck between floors.

There is a set of three or four stairs up to the elevator and it's tiny.

It is not wheelchair or scooter accessible.

The only true accessibility is to go around the building and use a service elevator that is definitely not show ready and enter through the small, crowded and out of date kitchen.

This is not a good guest experience and would turn most guests off completely.

We were in Club 33 when a fire alarm went off. It was a false alarm caused by work on the Rivers of America. Apparently a wire was cut. My point being that the restaurant was full and it took a while to empty it out.

Had this been an actual emergency with folks needing assistance inside, this could have been a real issue.

Club 33 is beautiful and historic and I am hoping that they keep the original look and decor and add accessibility features in the expansion.

Really hoping to get the chance to go on the ABD trip out there sometime with you guys. My wife and I are pretty booked up for trips this coming year (one of them through Dreams Unlimited for the first time), but I told her if you guys are still doing it in a couple of years, we should really consider it. I realize that Club 33 isn't officially on the list of activities, but the trip still sounds great considering I have never done Disneyland, even when I've been out west. I think being on the trip with you guys would make it all the better

 

[JimmyV]

Club 33 is beautiful and historic and I am hoping that they keep the original look and decor and add accessibility features in the expansion.

I don't think they will have a choice. I think that once you do any sort of renovation, you lose whatever "grandfathering" you might have had and have to bring the building up to current ADA standards. So look for full ADA compliance upon completion.

As for the expansion itself, that seems like an easy call. When you have a waiting list a mile long, the easiest way to raise effortless cash is to open up the membership to a large portion of the list. Take their annual fee year in and year out with no risk or cost on your end (other than the capital upgrade costs). Of course, they will have to find that comfort zone between an expanded membership list and a membership roster that is so big that it causes a back-log of reservations. Exclusivity can be great. But when the wait to become a member is essentially the totality of your adult life span, that exclusivity becomes a bit aburd. Perhaps the expansion can drive the wait time down to a more sensible time period.

 

[DisneyKevin]

I don't think they will have a choice. I think that once you do any sort of renovation, you lose whatever "grandfathering" you might have had and have to bring the building up to current ADA standards. So look for full ADA compliance upon completion.

As for the expansion itself, that seems like an easy call. When you have a waiting list a mile long, the easiest way to raise effortless cash is to open up the membership to a large portion of the list. Take their annual fee year in and year out with no risk or cost on your end (other than the capital upgrade costs). Of course, they will have to find that comfort zone between an expanded membership list and a membership roster that is so big that it causes a back-log of reservations. Exclusivity can be great. But when the wait to become a member is essentially the totality of your adult life span, that exclusivity becomes a bit aburd. Perhaps the expansion can drive the wait time down to a more sensible time period.

I wasnt suggesting that I hope they add accessibility features. I agree. That's the law.

I'm hoping that the original entrance is kept intact and that accessibility features are added in the expansion area, making the entire restaurant / club accessible.

 

[JimmyV]

I wasnt suggesting that I hope they add accessibility features. I agree. That's the law.

I'm hoping that the original entrance is kept intact and that accessibility features are added in the expansion area, making the entire restaurant / club accessible.

My guess is that you will see the original elevator remain as is (with perhaps an upgrade in the mechanics), and an additional elevator added that is much larger and wider placed elsewhere in the expansion in an area that is "show ready".