Disneyland Club 33 for Lunch

As a special treat during our trip to Disneyland, the entire group got to have lunch at Disneyland Club 33, by far the most exclusive restaurant in any Disney park.  I'd like to take all the credit, but this only happened because of Josh, who through a loyal reader of his blog, got us reservations.  I love to experience culture like this, but I have no capacity to explain it.  If you are interested in a detailed account of the meal, decor, and history behind it, please read Josh's account of the afternoon.  If you are like me and love to just experience these once-in-a-lifetime events, take a look through the pictures I took, and read my abbreviated review.

The Club 33 Experience

The following are some pictures of Club 33 as you walk in and to your table.  The room you enter into is actually quite small, with only the matre d's station, a flight of stairs, an elevator, a coat closet, and a small waiting area that might comfortably hold eight people standing, but at the time we got there was holding about fifteen.  The elevator was quite beautiful, but its utility was limited.  Ashly preferred to take the baby upstairs via elevator, and I joined her, which was really the practical limit.  Ashly's mom and Chuck joined us too, which meant while we all technically fit, it was quite the effort to get the door to close, as it folds inwards.

The desk of the maitre d'.  Actually I am not sure if that is accurate, she never sat us at our table,
just sent us upstairs.  Some clarification on this would be nice.

Stairs leading up to Club 33.

Club 33 also has souvenirs for purchase in the restaurant. 

More souvenirs available at Club 33.

A piano sits in the entryway to the actual dining tables.  It is pretty but otherwise I know absolutely
nothing about it.
EDIT: My wife has informed me this is actually a harpsichord.  From her description of it, it sounds an awful lot like a crappy piano, but names are names, I guess.

More collectibles at Disneyland Club 33.

The wine case at Club 33.

View from our table at Club 33.

A good look at the chandeliers.  Everything in the restaurant is very well done.

The food was excellent.  Lunch always has a cold bar for the appetizer course, which was superb.

Since we went for lunch, there was a cold bar for appetizers, consisting of assorted cheeses, caviar, lobster, shrimp, and crab.  There was also soup available as well as bread and crackers.

While there were a number of options to choose from for the entree, everyone at the table ordered the same thing, the Chateaubriand.  If you have never had it, it is really very simple in presentation, just a filet over potatoes in a Bearnaise sauce, but the result is much more complex.  Needless to say, everyone enjoyed their meals. Josh managed to get pictures of the Chateaubriand and more of the dining area.


Dessert was again buffet style, with quite a wide variety of options.  I grabbed an assortment, though at this point I was quite full and would not have gotten any if I weren't sampling everything they had to offer.

Dessert was also buffet style, and I grabbed an assortment of options.

Afterwards we roamed around the halls a bit to get some more pictures.  There is a balcony overlooking the French Quarter that has a great view, though the following pictures are from the other side of the room though a window.  Unfortunately most of the  small balconies you see in the French Quarter are not actually used, though the larger ones can be.

The view from Club 33, looking down on the French Quarter.

Looking the other direction.  The Disneyland Railroad station is straight ahead to the left.

I haven't gotten a chance to mention it in this blog yet, but I love orchids.  These are Phalaenopsis
Orchids, which is the type you see most often at supermarkets and home improvement stores.

Club 33 Membership

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that Club 33 is the most exclusive restaurant in all of Disney.  Here are some reasons why:

1. The club has less than 500 members at any one time, and the only time they add new members is when old ones die or stop paying dues.  This results in a waiting list to become members that lasts for decades.
2. The only way you can get reservations is if you are a member, or know a member who is willing to vouch for you.  If a member lets a guest get a reservation in their name and the guest is a no-show, the member is charged $100 a head.
3. The dues to become a member are $25,000 up-front, plus $10,000 per year.  This does get you free tickets to the park, free valet parking, and early entry to the park, however.

Club 33 at Lunch

If you ever get the chance to go to Club 33, do it.  It is an experience that very very few people ever get to enjoy.  The food is excellent, the decor is wonderful, and the whole experience is superb.  While the food is probably not quite to the level of some of the high-end restaurants at Disney World, it is the entire event that you are going for.

My only real complaint was that the other guests were not dressed to what I thought the standard should have been.  I realize that people do not dress up nearly as much now as they used to, however there is an unofficial dress code, and I expected at least collared shirts and slacks for men.  Many of the other guests wore tee-shirts and shorts.  Granted this was lunch, but I don't think this is too much to ask.

We did walk by again around dinnertime and the people waiting to be let in were a bit more dressed up, but again not to my expectations.  Maybe I am asking too much, but I'm really not.