Club 33 was a major disappointment.

[MillauFr]

Sorry to hear about your lousy time at Club 33. We have always had great luck at Napa Rose. The food is great and the service is outstanding. We always have Rodney as our server. Even when the place is busy he spends plenty of time at our table and treats us like we are family.

 

[DizMe]

I'm very sorry your experience wasn't a good one. I know it must have been so disappointing after dreaming and planning for such a special occasion.

First, YES!!!! Your children look adorable!!! You can at least bask in the kudos of your fellow DISers for those amazing outfits.

Second, definitely speak to your sponsor. My friend, through whom I've been lucky enough to go to Club 33 several times, is very adamant on that point. If we ever have any kind of issue, he wants us to call him before doing anything else. Members often have established a certain relationship within the club and have certain routes they like to follow and others they prefer to avoid. They also know how to address things in a way we would not be able to, and in a way that doesn't cast any shadow on themselves.

I've never had an experience like yours in all my trips to 33, but I can sure sympathize with you. IMO the way you are treated by the staff is more important to your overall enjoyment than the food itself. I've been lucky to have had servers who went above and beyond. One fixed me a whole dessert basket to take with me when I left!! She noticed my fondness for the dessert buffet . I've also had servers who'd waited on me on prior trips run over and give me a hug. That's the kind of attention that creates magic. I'm very sorry you didn't experience it this trip, but perhaps you'll get a chance to go back and try again.

I wonder if the upcoming refurbishment has created some tensions? At any rate, I would guess that there was something going on under the surface and, unfortunately, you happened to be there at that time.

 

[jason41483]

Considering membership is $10,000 a year, it just seems out of character for their service to suffer in this manner. I've never been, but I've always been obsessed with the allure and love eating at Blue Bayou. Channel it through your sponsor in addition to contacting corporate.

If you ever go again, ask the hostess for the restaurant manager's card on your way out so you have it for good or bad.

Napa Rose is great if you haven't been - we sit in the lounge for dinner, it actually feels more fancy in there than the dining room, and you can order from a full menu.

 

[Sky07]

Paying $600 for dinner is part of the problem. That is just financially foolish, IMO. I wouldn't pay that much if I got to sit down and dine with Bob Iger for the evening.

I think people have made the club to be a bigger deal than it really is. With those prices, I wouldn't go even if I was extended an invite. And the service you describe; no thanks.

It would be a lot more fun and financially responsible to get a nice dinner at Blue Bayou or take the kid's to Goofy's kitchen on a Disney trip. Sounds like you would have had a lot more fun to.

 

[Mr Snappy]

1. Sorry you had a bad time...especially since you were so excited.
2. Mega-Cute picture with the kids

Ok...This next part may get some of the "faithful" up in arms.

I don't get the attraction to Club 33...never have. It's a private restaurant. It's expensive. You can have alcohol....big freak'n deal!

To tell you the truth..and this is the God's honest truth...I would turn down any invite I would get. It's crazy expensive, the food is reviewed as anywhere from "Good" to "sub-par". I have never read a review that says it's the best meal they have ever had, and for that money, it had better be.

Other than some momentos on the wall and a couple of animatronics that have not worked in years, there is no themeing, no story, no attraction.

The only apparent draw is that you get to do something that most people dont..it's exclusive...you have to be invited. Uh, ok...why should I care?

I have a very strong suspicition that there are alot of dissapointed Club 33 goers...they just won't admit it.

 

[DizMe]

To tell you the truth, I don't think Club 33 is out-of-line expensive. Generally, you get a fine dining experience that includes several different courses and lasts 2-3 hours. I've always been treated to a service experience that made me feel a little hedonistic. I don't usually order alcohol and my bill is just over $100. I paid a lot more than that to eat at Napa Rose, which was also a grand experience but didn't have the history or excitement for me that Club 33 has. When I first went to 33, that price included my admission for the whole day to both parks. That is a great deal! I can still get that if I want, but since I usually have an annual pass, I don't need to use up my sponsor's tickets as they now have a finite allotment.

I understand not everyone sees it as I do. I know there are many who wouldn't care 2 hoots about seeing Walt's apartment, or paying to spend a night in the Fairy Tale Suite, or taking a tour, or visiting the Disney studios backstage, etc. just as I wouldn't go to the Super Bowl if you handed me the tickets and got me a hotel room.

Different strokes for different folks. The key is not whether or not Club 33 is "worth it," as that is too subjective to determine, but the fact that in this particular case, Club 33 failed miserably to deliver what it should have.

ETA: When I say I don't think Club 33 is out-of-line expensive, I'm only talking about paying to dine, not joining as a member!

 

[Malcon10t]

To tell you the truth, I don't think Club 33 is out-of-line expensive. Generally, you get a fine dining experience that includes several different courses and lasts 2-3 hours. I've always been treated to a service experience that made me feel a little hedonistic. I don't usually order alcohol and my bill is just over $100. I paid a lot more than that to eat at Napa Rose, which was also a grand experience but didn't have the history or excitement for me that Club 33 has. When I first went to 33, that price included my admission for the whole day to both parks. That is a great deal! I can still get that if I want, but since I usually have an annual pass, I don't need to use up my sponsor's tickets as they now have a finite allotment.

I understand not everyone sees it as I do. I know there are many who wouldn't care 2 hoots about seeing Walt's apartment, or paying to spend a night in the Fairy Tale Suite, or taking a tour, or visiting the Disney studios backstage, etc. just as I wouldn't go to the Super Bowl if you handed me the tickets and got me a hotel room.

Different strokes for different folks. The key is not whether or not Club 33 is "worth it," as that is too subjective to determine, but the fact that in this particular case, Club 33 failed miserably to deliver what it should have.

THIS. My last trip to Napa Rose was in the neighborhood of $180 with tax and tip, for ME. Solo.

I have never had the experience the OP did, so I do understand the problem. If that had happened to me, I would also be upset. And I do not like Blue Bayou. My daughter will say "If we are going to spend the money for that, I'd rather go upstairs for a few dollars more."

My BIL and sister have season's tix to baseball. They belong to the Gotham club. It is worth it to him. Everyone chooses what is worth it to them.

 

[PatMcDuck]

"Recordings"? So what you took was not a live tour? That would be a big difference then. We have done that tour twice and loved it both times. I knew most of what the tour had to share, but still had a ton of fun, with a great live tour guide! I got to chat the guides up both times to get even more great info from them that wasn't tour-specific.

It was a live tour, but you wear headphones, and the guide speaks into the microphone during the tour. But she would pause often and play recordings, like of Walt Disney speaking, or other people. That was the inaudible part.

Maybe our guide was just a dud.

 

[pixiewings71]

Definitely tell your sponsor about your visit, then let them take it from there.
I'm sorry you didn't enjoy yourself, I took my DD17 for her 16th birthday, it was amazing. We did lunch on a Sunday, the food was amazing, the service was superb, we had absolutely zero complaints. It was the amazing, magical, exciting experience we expected. It was great for me because I was able to surprise DD, it was a bucket list thing for her so she was thrilled. lol I hope you get a resolution that satisfies you.

 

[dizneefan13]

Not that I have anything substantial to add to this thread but as I'm reading it I am thinking....give me a corn dog and a cold beer and sit me alongside Paradise Pier and I'll be happy as a clam.....Boy am I high class

 

[jlima]

OP, try calling the GCA and asking for the Club 33 office, if you want to speak with someone. It's worth a phone call to try.

 

[Malcon10t]

OP, try calling the GCA and asking for the Club 33 office, if you want to speak with someone. It's worth a phone call to try.

I seriously recommend talking to your sponsor prior to going this route.

 

[Dot2Vegas]

I seriously recommend talking to your sponsor prior to going this route.

I agree! If I were a sponsor I would like a heads up on this type of thing. Your sponsor may be able to help or may know who to talk to. Good luck!

 

[Disney Dreams]

I seriously recommend talking to your sponsor prior to going this route.

Definitely.

 

[L&Lfan]

Never been to Club 33 but we dined at Carthay Circle and Napa Rose just 2 weeks ago and the staff couldn't have been friendlier and more attentive. But the highlight of our dining experiences was Steakhouse 55. We had an absolute blast! Our waiter was Martini and he was a doll!

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

What did the member say? That totally stinks. Also stinks all their systems were down, that probably added to the yucky attitudes!

 

[pixiewings71]

Not that I have anything substantial to add to this thread but as I'm reading it I am thinking....give me a corn dog and a cold beer and sit me alongside Paradise Pier and I'll be happy as a clam.....Boy am I high class

LOL I'd be more than happy with a corny dog and a beer as well, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy my visit to the Club immensely.

OP, try calling the GCA and asking for the Club 33 office, if you want to speak with someone. It's worth a phone call to try.

I seriously recommend talking to your sponsor prior to going this route.

Yes yes yes, please OP, talk to your sponsor before trying to handle anything on your own. The sponsor is the one who should take care of it at this point.

 

[Patricia1]

i was reading this thread driving to DL. we decided to try Cathay Circle for lunch , it is Amazing! i am so sorry to hear about your Club 33 experience , we are anticipating a visit in jan and will keep our expectations low. BTW your children looked fantastic and adorable !

 

[Malcon10t]

i was reading this thread driving to DL. we decided to try Cathay Circle for lunch , it is Amazing! i am so sorry to hear about your Club 33 experience , we are anticipating a visit in jan and will keep our expectations low. BTW your children looked fantastic and adorable !

Just be aware, the Club will be closing Jan 6th for a long rehab.

 

[M4travels]

Just be aware, the Club will be closing Jan 6th for a long rehab.

I was going to say, I hope it's real early in January!

Michael