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jdport
04-10-2006, 11:34 AM
Do we have any Club 33 members onboard? I've sent them 2 letters asking to be added to their waiting list but they haven't replied. That was back in November. What I'd like to know is whether or not they reply. Can I assume my name is on the list? And does anyone know the difference between the Silver and Gold memberships?

Karin
04-10-2006, 11:40 AM
jdport, I don't beleive they reply to let you know you've successfully been added to the list.

We sent our names in more than 3 years ago, and nothin' yet.

Here's hoping for both of us!

The Red Head
04-10-2006, 01:26 PM
Did you just send them a letter telling them you were interested and you never heard back, or did you tell them you were interested and they sent you out the packet of info and you sent back the form from the packet they sent to put your name on the list? After you receive the initial information from them and you put your name on the list you will not hear from them again until your name comes up on the list. When I was at the Club yesterday they said the list was running about 10 years right now. The person I spoke with did say they receive tens of thousands of requests from people each year, and they are trying to get out information to everyone, but it is backed up. You do not need to send duplicate requests; they will eventually get to your request.

Koala Gurl
04-10-2006, 01:48 PM
Does anyone know how to get the info packet? If the list is running 10 years, it might be time to get my name on there!

TIA!

Bolivar
04-10-2006, 03:25 PM
I wonder why they run a ten year waiting list. Supply and demand -- if the demand is that high raise the price until you reach equilibrium.

Aristocat
04-10-2006, 03:34 PM
I also sent in a request to be added to the waiting list late last year. After hearing nothing for a long time, I got the number to Club 33 from City Hall and called them myself. They said they were still processing requests from last May, so be patient and wait for the packet.
But it's so hard to be patient when I want a membership and I want it NOW! :D

Wesley815
04-10-2006, 04:06 PM
...I want a membership and I want it NOW! :DAs long as by "NOW" you mean 10+ years. ;)

Dom262
04-10-2006, 07:56 PM
We mailed our initial interest letter to Club 33 at the end of last year. Last week we received a letter from Club 33 that listed th different membership options. Included in the letter was another form that we filled out with out membership interest as well as our personal information.

When we called Club 33 last week, the girl that answered said the wait was seven years. Another friend of ours also asked last week, but it was actually a manager there, and he said 4 years.

Either way, we are very happy to wait the time.

Osky
04-11-2006, 08:30 AM
When we called Club 33 last week, the girl that answered said the wait was seven years. Another friend of ours also asked last week, but it was actually a manager there, and he said 4 years.

When I was at the club on December 4th for the CP, a friend who is a club member introduced me to the club staff and management. I cannot remember the name of the staff person that actually processes the list, but they said that they do not like to say that it is "x years" because that number can change quite dramatically. They never know how many new slots will be opening up, or how many people on the waiting list will sign up vs. how many will not when they send out new applications. The only thing they can say for certain is the date the person on the top of the list signed up. They told me that they were currently up to mid-1999, which is about seven years. They also said that with the hype surrounding the 50th, they received many more requests than they normally do, but they are not sure how this will affect the actual wait. Even though a lot more people put their name on the list, it is quite possible that many of these are people that just wanted to put their name on the list. Evidently, when they send out the applications, they never hear back from quite a few of them.

Opus1guy
04-11-2006, 10:06 AM
...but they said that they do not like to say that it is "x years" because that number can change quite dramatically. They never know how many new slots will be opening up, or how many people on the waiting list will sign up vs. how many will not when they send out new applications. The only thing they can say for certain is the date the person on the top of the list signed up. They told me that they were currently up to mid-1999, which is about seven years. They also said that with the hype surrounding the 50th, they received many more requests than they normally do, but they are not sure how this will affect the actual wait. Even though a lot more people put their name on the list, it is quite possible that many of these are people that just wanted to put their name on the list. Evidently, when they send out the applications, they never hear back from quite a few of them.

Correct. Exactly what I wrote in May of last year in another Club 33 waitlist thread:


This is due to some degree to recent published articles on the Club that have peaked interest in memberships. Also...IMHO...due to new management at the Club punching things up. Word gets around. Club 33 is very "hot" right now.

Membership attrition is a hard thing to predict. Three main factors that tend to shake some apples off the tree are:

The Economy: When the economy is sour, a few big cost cutting corporations either drop their memberships altogether, or trim back the number of Corporate Associate cards that are issued by them, to save money. Individual memberships can be effected by this too. This helps free up some spots for new memberships. Of course the reverse is true too. If the economy is good, then Corporate Members tend to expand their memberships, thus increasing the waitlist times.

The Annual Dues: When annual dues go up, there's always some members that feel that the price just isn't worth it for them any longer or is no longer affordable. Resulting in some bow-outs.

The Grim Reaper: Dead members find there is no longer any practical benefit to membership. So they pack it in and move on. ;)

Another factor is waitlist attrition. While it may look like say, a 5 year wait to management...you'd be surprised how many people finally clear the list, but then decide to pass on membership when they do! This is another thing that makes it very hard for the Club to predict true waitlist times.

Unfortunately some folks write the Club and ask to be placed on the waitlist just so they can get their hands on some Club stationary and printed Membership info to either satisfy their curiosity, or to add to their "collections." The Club realizes this and tries to guess at how many folks on the waitlist are just "looky-loos" that have no real intention of joining when their name is called. And then there are the folks that were genuinely interested in joining, but by the time they cleared the list, their financial situation or their location, or some other legit reason causes them to not join. As you can imagine with all this...it's almost impossible to know for sure. And that's why they can be rather vague when dishing out numbers to folks that ask, "How long?"

hbquikcomjamesl
04-11-2006, 10:20 AM
I wonder why they run a ten year waiting list. Supply and demand -- if the demand is that high raise the price until you reach equilibrium.Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily work when snob appeal is involved. For a snob appeal item, like a Club 33 membership, raising the price can actually increase demand.

Opus1guy
04-11-2006, 12:04 PM
For a snob appeal item, like a Club 33 membership...

I sorry...but I don't think that statement is at all even close to reality and is almost insultingly inaccurate and simplistic.

That's a bit like saying that paying an extra 2 grand to sit in First Class on an airline is being "snobbish." For most people it's not. It's simply paying for a service or amenity that you want and can afford. It's not about "Hey everyone...look at me! I can sit here and you can't and that makes me better than you...nahnah, nahnah, nah." :(

Club 33 could only be considered "snobbish" if it heavily promoted itself as some sort of place for "the better people" or if they restricted membership to certain classes of people. They do not. It's open to anyone that can afford it, and it's membership roster and typical non-member Guests consists of all manner of income levels and people from all walks of life, skin colors and religions. And all manner of different "personalities." It's only restricted by ability to pay. Just like all of Disneyland is!

And as far as "showing off" goes...Club 33 usually does all it can to avoid publicity in the general press!

Most are dining there because of what the Club offers. The food. The service. The comfort. The tradition. The history. Most don't say to themselves, "I'm someone that's better than you, because I'm here."

Yes...at Club 33 you get to dine "away from the General Public." But that's no more snobbish than paying for exclusive access to the Concierge Lounge at your hotel! It's simply paying for a more private experience which usually means more/better service and amenities. Snobbery usually has nothing to do with it.

When Walt Disney designed the Club and it's operational philosophies...he specifically wanted to avoid anything that might give off a snobbish air! And those same operational hallmarks continue to this day, IMHO.

I'm sure there are some "snobs" that visit the Club and perhaps even a few "snobbish" Members. But I'd say no more than the amount you'd find per-capita in the general populace.

In fact, most of the folks that know and appreciate the Club for what it is that I've met (visitors and Members alike)...are the very opposite of what might be considered "snobs."

In a nutshell...a desire to dine at or purchase a Club 33 membership does not a snob make! Snobs are snobs and they exist all over the place, where ever they exist. And Club 33 the business does not operate as, or promote snobbery.

IMHO and experience. :)

cstephens
04-11-2006, 12:06 PM
I heard that being able to eat at Club 33 only on February 29 is included as a premium annual passholder perq.

Opus1guy
04-11-2006, 12:11 PM
I heard that being able to eat at Club 33 only on February 29 is included as a premium annual passholder perq.

You may be getting some angry emails in 2008! And 2012. And...

;)

Osky
04-11-2006, 12:46 PM
I heard that being able to eat at Club 33 only on February 29 is included as a premium annual passholder perq.

If that were true, could you imagine the phone calls on the morning that reservations opened for that date? :eek:;)

DianeM
04-11-2006, 04:58 PM
Isnt' this sort of a contradiction in terms. The restrict ONLY to people who can afford it? That's a pretty big restriction, given that memberships costs many thousands of dollars in initiation fees plus additional thousands for annual fees. Not many people can afford that much just for permission to eat at a restaurant. I couldn't, and I do okay. It makes people feel special to eat at Club 33 because only a few, wealthy people get the priviledge. If poorer people manage to finagle an invitation, they feel like they are getting to rub elbows with an elite group. This is the very definition of "snob appeal". Companies use this feeling to make their customers and employees feel good. Disney uses it to reward people who do favors for them. It's no different than a regular restaurant that cater's to celebrities and "pretty people", forcing others to wait behind ropes. Relax... it's not a crime to wanto be be part of a priviledged group. It's normal human nature. And saying that something has "snob appeal" is not the same as saying that anybody who participates is a snob.

I'm very glad that Disneyland isn't as restricted as Club 33. If I had to pay thousands annually for permission to ride Space Mountain... well, I'd miss it.




Club 33 could only be considered "snobbish" if it heavily promoted itself as some sort of place for "the better people" or if they restricted membership to certain classes of people. They do not. It's open to anyone that can afford it, and it's membership roster and typical non-member Guests consists of all manner of income levels and people from all walks of life, skin colors and religions. And all manner of different "personalities." It's only restricted by ability to pay. Just like all of Disneyland is!
:)

Opus1guy
04-11-2006, 09:01 PM
Isnt' this sort of a contradiction in terms. The restrict ONLY to people who can afford it? That's a pretty big restriction, given that memberships costs many thousands of dollars in initiation fees plus additional thousands for annual fees. Not many people can afford that much just for permission to eat at a restaurant.

No. It's not a contradiction of terms. At best it's a contradiction of degrees. And in that, there are a lot of people that can't even afford the admission price to Disneyland! You can't say that those that can afford admission to Disneyland are snobs, can you?

It's basically the same with Club 33. Just a matter of an extra zero or two.

Not only that, but many folks get to enjoy a wonderful meal at Club 33 without needing tens of thousands of dollars. They just need to know someone who can get them in! Does that make them snobs for wanting to dine there?

But more than all of that is the very definition of "snob." It's generally a very negative term meaning someone who wants to draw attention to themselves and highlight their good fortune or position over others less fortunate. And that's what I object to. I think there's very few who visit the Club that have such snobbish delusions of grandeur.


It makes people feel special to eat at Club 33 because only a few, wealthy people get the priviledge.

Totally, totally, totally disagree!!! And in fact the vast majority of reservations at Club 33 are Guest Reservations where the Member is nowhere to be seen. On most days at Club 33, there are only a handful of "Member Reservations." And I'd also state that the vast majority of Club Guests are nowhere near the term "wealthy." Even many Members are not what I'd term "wealthy." Lucky? Privileged to have the opportunity? Yeah. I'd give you those.


This is the very definition of "snob appeal".

Disagree per the above.


Companies use this feeling to make their customers and employees feel good.

Ah! Agree. But this is no different than making a client or an employee a reservation on the Concierge Level of a hotel. But that has nothing to do with snobbery! That's just providing your client or employee or friend with special amenities and being as Walt said himself about entertaining at Club 33: "Being the embodiment of the 'Good Host'".


It's no different than a regular restaurant that caters to celebrities and "pretty people", forcing others to wait behind ropes.

Disagree. Because it's a totally different scenario! Apples and oranges. There's nothing "regular" about the Club. The Club is a private establishment. It never makes others wait behind any rope or anything else, because it's not open to the General Public. In fact...they do all they can to remain invisible just to avoid such perceptions!!


Relax... it's not a crime to wanto be be part of a priviledged group. It's normal human nature.

Agree. But that has nothing to do with snobbishness. That's my whole point of objection!!!


And saying that something has "snob appeal" is not the same as saying that anybody who participates is a snob.

Well, now we're getting into semantics. And the post I objected to implied that the main/only appeal of Club 33 was snob appeal:


For a snob appeal item, like a Club 33 membership...

Where I come from, if you flat out say something is a snob appeal item, then you imply that many/most/all of those interested...are snobs! And I still object to such a statement from anybody.

Oh. And I'm very relaxed, I might add. ;)

Walt'sbirthdaygirl
04-12-2006, 02:21 PM
I am by no means wealthy, but I must say my fortieth birthday present is to ask to be put on the list. My husband and I have all ready figured out that by the time our name came up (be it 2 years or 10) we would be able to afford it.


Barely, just barely, but it could be done.

Tinker Bell
04-12-2006, 03:02 PM
I do not want to go to the club for the snob appeal. I want to go for the history. Just like I go to DL. Walt put his ideas into it. I hear there are cool paintings and things of history. I like to go to the DL hotel and look at the wall of things. I like to call it the lost and found wall. I like those things on the wall. I hear the food at the club is ok and if I want to go for food it should be Napa. I did the walk in walt tour just so I could stand in the lobby. Some day I will be able to go see it. I hope it is my life time goal.

SeansMom
04-12-2006, 03:17 PM
"The Grim Reaper: Dead members find there is no longer any practical benefit to membership. So they pack it in and move on."

I think you forgot to add that they move on to HM :)

DianeM
04-12-2006, 03:43 PM
You can get a one-day, one-park ticket for $59. For membership in Club 33, the only information I can find says that it costs $7500 to join, plus $2500/year. Those two zero's really pack a punch, don't they?



It's basically the same with Club 33. Just a matter of an extra zero or two.

Osky
04-12-2006, 04:12 PM
You can get a one-day, one-park ticket for $59. For membership in Club 33, the only information I can find says that it costs $7500 to join, plus $2500/year. Those two zero's really pack a punch, don't they?
If I drive a car worth $50,000, does that automatically make be a snob because there are many people who can only afford a $5,000 car on the used market. Hell, some can only afford a $500.00 used car. That extra zero or two also packs a lot of punch, but doesn't automatically make me a snob. Nor does the fact that a certain vehicle costs $50,000 make it a snob vehicle.

Besides, on the grand scale of private-membership clubs, Club 33 is definitely on the cheap side. You should take a look into upscale country clubs. Yikes.

Edited to add: My car is worth a considerable amount less than $50,000. ;)

JookyG
04-12-2006, 04:25 PM
Given the demand, if it were any easier to get in, then they'd have to make the place so big that it would lose any sense of intimacy, the food would be so mass-produced as to be no better than counter service, and the service would probably be terrible. Either that, or to maintiain the current elegance of the club, the waiting list just to get a reservation would be 7 years. This is assuming the food prices remained the same. If you drop the food prices, then you've got yourself a very large Denny's.

Elegance does not equal snobbery. And elegance can't be had for counter service prices. Sounds like someone is feeling left out of the party :( If someone invited her to the club for lunch, I wonder if she'd turn down the invitation because she'd feel too snobbish, heh. I've never been inside, but that doesn't mean I look down on the club or the people who have.

DianeM
04-12-2006, 07:08 PM
Why do you assume that everybody MUST want to eat at Club 33 and anybody who doesn't merely resents the fact they are not among the privileged? Isn't that what snobbery is all about? Seeking to be among a privileged class? Club 33 is just an expensive restaurant. I don't resent or look down on people who are members any more than I resent people who drive Ferraris. I could afford it if I really wanted to make some sacrifices, I just think it's a waste of money. I don't know if I would decline an invitation to Club 33. It depends on who asks, I suppose. If it is someone I would enjoy a meal with, I would probably go. If it were a stranger, I doubt it. I don't know why anybody would be so reluctant to admit that a private, exclusive club with many wealthy members has "snob appeal". Is it that controversial that some wealthy people are snobs? Does the fact that some wealthy (and some not-wealthy) people are snobs mean that all are? I don't understand why some people are so sensitive on this issue.




Elegance does not equal snobbery. And elegance can't be had for counter service prices. Sounds like someone is feeling left out of the party :( If someone invited her to the club for lunch, I wonder if she'd turn down the invitation because she'd feel too snobbish, heh. I've never been inside, but that doesn't mean I look down on the club or the people who have.

JookyG
04-12-2006, 09:50 PM
Why do you assume that everybody MUST want to eat at Club 33 and anybody who doesn't merely resents the fact they are not among the privileged?

I'm not talking about everybody. I'm talking about YOU. I'm assuming YOU resent the fact that you're not among the privileged, because of the assumptions you've made about why people want to experience Club 33. It makes you sound envious when you say things like...


It makes people feel special to eat at Club 33 because only a few, wealthy people get the priviledge. If poorer people manage to finagle an invitation, they feel like they are getting to rub elbows with an elite group. This is the very definition of "snob appeal".

That strikes me as a very shallow interpretation of the Club 33 experience. I don't know who you're trying to speak for, but it's not me, and it's not the folks who have posted in this thread. I have no need to rub elbows with anyone elite (they should be rubbing elbows with me, ha!). You must be speaking for yourself.

You're right on one point--that is the definition of snob appeal. But I believe you're completely missing the point about why most people want to go to Club 33. Have you asked them? Have you been reading the comments in this thread? People go because they want to do something extraordinary at Disneyland, and for all the reasons already mentioned.

Personally, I want to see the place where Walt Disney entertained his guests. I want to eat the most delicious food in the park and drink a chocolate martini while I stand on a balcony overlooking New Orleans Square. I want to soak up the history. I want to feel the spirit of the man who has become one of my heroes. What the heck does that have to do with rubbing elbows with elites?


Is it that controversial that some wealthy people are snobs? Does the fact that some wealthy (and some not-wealthy) people are snobs mean that all are?

No. Who here is arguing that point?

I believe people who assume that folks go to expensive restaurants simply because they're expensive, or because they want to be seen somewhere expensive, are not only missing the point of fine dining, they're also snobs themselves. But it's not snobbery about money, it's self-righteous moral snobbery, and often it comes from envy or lack of understanding.


I don't understand why some people are so sensitive on this issue.

Because you're maligning hallowed ground, honey. When you say that the main appeal for Club 33 is the snobbery of it, by association you're calling Walt Disney and his guests snobs too. What I don't understand is how anyone can appreciate the rich hsitory of Disneyland and not want to experience the private club of the man who dreamed it all up.

Oy, I've spent too much time on this. If you don't get it, you don't get it. One less person I have to arm wrestle for an invitation, I suppose.