A Phone Call At 12:00AM!

Well, the internet has certainly made the world a smaller place. I was checking e-mails on 3-29-2008 and there was one that arrived at approx. 12:00 midnight asking me to call regarding the Club 33 Kennedy page and that now was OK.
Pretty strange, so of course, I called.
On the other end was a former manager of Club 33 who had actually worked there opening day of the club. Of course, we talked for quite some time and we'll be communicating soon to add more info to our site.
He wrote regarding Robert Kennedy as he was pleased to see him mentioned on the site.
His name was Roger C., he was working the night Kennedy had dinner with his family. He also stated that in the early years of the club a guest registrar was kept at the reception desk and while the records have probably been lost years ago, Kennedy did in fact sign in.
Wow! So, it is true! 2 days prior to his assassination Robert Kennedy enjoyed an elegant meal at Club 33.

Postcard from 6-3-1968

I located this item on ebay, previously sold however, where the writer mentions shaking hands with Robert Kennedy while aboard the Mark Twain! The date: 6-3-1968. Only one year after Club 33 opened!

Robert Kennedy at Disneyland 6-3-1968

An e-mail arrived in my box, addressed simply, 'Robert Kennedy-Club 33'. Well, this was certainly interesting, so I waisted no time in opening such. The e-mail was from an elderly gentleman who requested to remain anonymous and he explained how on 6-3-1968 Robert Kennedy was visiting Disneyland with his children and thusly enjoyed dinner at Club 33.
I wasted no time and proceeded to research the last days of Robert Kennedy, and sure enough, it appears this kind fellow was correct. While there is no mention of Club 33, I have no doubt Kennedy would have been allowed access for security reasons. If there is anyone who may have worked at the Club or the park during that period, your expertise, knowledge and input would be appreciated.

Below is clip from:

Robert Kennedy
His Life
By EVAN THOMAS
Simon & Schuster

http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/t/thomas-kennedy.html

"The overhyped debate was regarded as anticlimactic, "a mutually pedestrian performance," wrote David Halberstam. For Kennedy, a draw was a win: he had exceeded expectations. McCarthy "didn't do his homework," Kennedy said. The next day the absentee father took his kids (six of them had come out to California) to Disneyland, where they rode Pirates of the Caribbean. On Monday came the final, grueling push: Los Angeles to San Francisco, back to Long Beach and Watts, and down to San Diego, 1,200 miles and all three major California TV markets. On the plane back to Los Angeles, he recovered from his near collapse during his last speech in San Diego, but he was reaching the limit of his physical endurance."

It was 6-5-1968 that Robert Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel, a tragic day for America. He passed on 6-6-1968 at approx. 1:44AM.

Consolation can be found in knowing that he was able to spend quality time with his family prior to the tragic event.

The Lilly Belle! Useful Links and Video

Well, since we're on the topic of the Lilly Belle, here are some wonderful links with useful information!

http://waltstoytrains.railfan.net/lilly.htm

http://davelandweb.com/lillybelle/

http://pcrailroad.blogspot.com/2007/11/ride-in-lilly-belle.html

This is www.youtube.com video of the interior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVFfAKyXl9Y

I hope you enjoy these links!

All Aboard The Lilly Belle!

Ever noticed the little red train car with the name plate "Lilly Belle"? Watch the trains next time your in the park, normally it's pulled behind the Holiday 5. Can't miss the private car, it's simply beautiful, decorated with red mohair interior, dark woods, stained glass, comfortable chairs, wow!
The train car was named after Walt's wife, Lillian and she helped to select much of the interior.
Recently restored, Club 33 members have access to the car to entertain guests, or, just hop on at Main Street Station and exit at New Orleans Square to dine at the club. Life is good!
There are a number of Disney train sites on line with a great deal of information regarding the various engines and history of the trains. Pretty fun reading if you have a little time to spend.

Snoop Dog In The Mouse House!

While this has absolutely nothing to do with Club 33, its funny so I thought what the heck, I'll blog it.
We popped in Disneyland on Easter night to enjoy dinner and while walking down Main Street I noticed a large group of people walking by all wearing matching black t-shirts. They were being assisted/escorted by several Disney cast members. I looked down and walking next to me was a little fellow who looked a bit familiar, then I realized, it was Snoop Dog. They must have been leaving the park after spending all day there, or perhaps they were working on a production. They all looked rather tired.
Anyways, sorry about this, not much to do with the club, I just thought it was interesting!
Thanks!

The History of Dr. Lee!

The following is from Dr. Lee. You can visit his blog by clicking the link on the right side of your screen or follow the link below.

http://drleeclub33.blogspot.com/

Hello Everyone,

A little history about me working at Disney, it all started the very first part of December 1981 when I went for an interview. I remember opening the mail, and looking at the letter stating that I was a new cast member, I was very happy. My first attraction that I worked on as a new cast member, was the Mark Twain and this was December 12, 1981. Everybody was surprised that I got to work the Mark Twain, because all new cast members always had to work the Jungle Cruise first. It was there on the Mark Twain, where I got most of my guest compliments. In 1982 I also worked the shooting gallery, next to the Jungle Cruise, and the tree house. It was in the middle of summer of 1982 I was finally trained on the Jungle Cruise. It was about this time at the end of summer, and with 9 guest compliments I transfered to Club 33. My first job at the Club was dishwasher which I did for about 6 months. My next job was bus boy which I did for about a year. I can remember when my manager, Tom asked me if I wanted to be a bartender, and I laughed, and said, "Yes ," because I don't drink. It was there Dr. Lee was born, a future bartender hall of fame.

Fantasmic From The Balcony!

Located directly above Cafe Orleans are the balconies of Club 33. While visiting the club in the evening hours, guests are welcome to step onto the balconies and enjoy Fantasmic. The balconies offer a unique perspective of the show from this semi-secluded location, and what a show it is!
Now, while your view is very good, there is a tree which occupies the dinning court of Cafe Orleans and although the tree is constantly trimmed, it can slightly inhibit your view. Not too bad, just try to ignore the branches.
There best view is from the South facing balconies, there are two. Although seating within the club is very limited, the balconies are small and many guests wish to enjoy the show. Keeping this in mind, you may want to go out a few minutes early and secure the best possible view.
We always try to time the show between the main course and dessert. The staff is very familiar with the show schedule so it's common to return from the balconies and find your coffee cup full and dessert being delivered right on time.
Brings a new meaning to the phrase 'dinner and a show'.

Celebrate With Mickey

Character meals within Disney parks have really taken off! Even Goofy has his own kitchen offering wonderful meals the entire family can enjoy. Club 33 takes it one step further!

Say for example its your wife's birthday and she simply adores Pluto. Well, members of Club 33 are able to notify the club in advance and for a fee, that special character will appear with open arms, ready for an array of hugs, photos, and whatever else guests do to those poor costumed cast members who bake within synthetic fur all day just to make us smile. To those few character cast members, I extend my utmost thanks and appreciation. It simply wouldn't be Disneyland without you dedicated few walking about, making imagination a bit more like reality.

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto and the rest of the gang are waiting in wings for your next Club 33 event.

A Visit To 'The Cabinet'

It's small, doesn't have any large banners or labels, no visible price tags, no neon, actually nothing at all to draw your attention. Subtle is an understatement. Yet, there it sits, full of wonderfully creative trinkets, shirts, golf balls, the occasional jacket, Christmas ornaments, and of course the famous Club 33 lapel pin. Even wine glasses appear from time to time as do coffee mugs.
A visit to the club simply isn't complete without a short visit to the cabinet to see whats available.
For a short while the club offered incredibly beautiful Letterman's style jackets, they didn't last long and if I recall correctly, only 333 pieces were produced.
Members may purchase beautiful "Member-Club 33" license plate frames, but you must be a member.
At my last visit in December, a wonderful Boyer lithograph of Walt enjoying breakfast at the club was still available. I had mine framed by FrameFetish.com and it turned out amazing.
The most popular souvenir sold by the club has got to be the standard lapel pin, costing approx. $10.00. When my daughter was into pin trading, she used them to negotiate deals for rare pins and did pretty well!
Some years back they offered a beautiful dark blue blanket with a large monogramed '33' on the corner, you'll find them on ebay from time to time. A matching scarf was also available.
Most of the Club 33 staff use black ink pins with the club logo silk screened on the side, these are also available to purchase.
So, next time you pop into the club, stop by and see whats new in the gift cabinet. You'll never know what you might find.

Celebs At The Club-No Paparazzi!

While dining at the club, its a pretty common occurrence to be sitting next to a celebrity. Common is probably an understatement, it's more the norm.
Wow, imagine that, sitting behind you is Tom Hanks or Johnny Depp, Elijah Wood or Anthony Hopkins! Takes a minute to sink in and the urge to ask for an autograph or at least shake hands becomes priority. You'll probably forget about the food getting cold right in front of your eyes. I'm just as guilty as the next person, but, self control must win out.
Take a deep breath, don't stare, focus on your own guests and have a wonderful evening.
Try to imagine being in their position, just wanting to enjoy a nice dinner with no crowds, no photographers, just family and friends. Everyone has a reasonable expectation to privacy, that's why they're in the club.
I know this all sounds rather rudimentary but it is worth mentioning and is a fun subject to blog about! Thanks!
Who have your seen at the club?

So, why the web site?

A few people have asked, 'hey, why in the world did you build this web site?' I actually have pretty decent answer.

When I first discovered Club 33 and was able to secure reservations, I wanted to learn about this unique establishment and know exactly what we were getting into. At the time , there were very few sites all with only limited information. Ken Witworth's site was extremely helpful and he's a very nice fellow. He donated a number of photos to our current site.
http://hometown.aol.com/opus1guy/
While Ken's site was helpful, I wanted to dig a little deeper and research every facet of the club from the day it opened, the furnishings, the planners, the changes throughout the years and any other pertinent information available. It was almost like trying to research Area 51, plenty of rumors, tons of innuendo, and a number of dead ends.

Our reservation day came and went and we greatly enjoyed our first lunch of many at Club 33. I realized however that we were pretty nervous going to the club, the first 15 minutes were a bit stressful as we simply didn't know what to expect.

When I arrived home from the park (Disneyland), the light bulb turned on and the idea of starting a small web site focusing on Club 33 was born. I thought it would be wonderful to have a site where pending guests of the club could visit and learn about the inner workings of the club, the food, the service, the dress codes, furnishings and history. Within days the site was up and running.

It's now been almost eight years and here we are! We're not the most visited site on the net, most Disney fans have never heard of us and that's OK. Our goal was never to be a million visitor per day site (although that would be wonderful), but like the club itself, we're here assisting those few fans who enjoy and appreciate the club and little known places and facts which make Disneyland a truly magical place.

Kids In The Club

Elegant, romantic, the sound of wine glasses clinking together, couples holding hands on the balcony, its just another night at Club 33. Such a picture perfect atmosphere, it would be a travesty to spoil such a delightful environment.

OK, let's jump back into reality for a moment and confront the big issue, or in some cases, lots of little issues who run around wreaking havoc where ever they land. Kids! Gotta love them, they're mine, they're yours, they're ours! Procreation at it's best!

I get quite a few e-mails from soon-to-be guests, asking if they can take their children to the club. Speaking from my own experience, the answer is 'yes, the club allows children.'

We have enjoyed taking our daughter to the club since she was 9 years old. The staff was always very polite and went out of their way to give her extra attention, making sure her visit was enjoyable.

So, we've established that kids are allowed which is good news for families but I can't help expanding on this just bit. Again, my opinion, do with it what you wish.

When you're at the club, remember where your at and that many of the people around you have been waiting months, perhaps years to dine there. Most of the guests within the club are not actual members, so their visit is probably a special event and/or their first time within. Knowing this, use your utmost parental abilities to keep the little darlings under tight control and above all, quiet. There is always ample background noise within the club to cover light chatter, but not much more.

If the little one cries, have the courtesy to remove them to the hallway or restroom where you can comfort and attend as required.

Place yourself in the position of a first time club guest, who may have been waiting months to visit the club and perhaps financially, considers the visit to be a rather large financial expenditure. Does all this make sense? It is a touchy subject to be sure, but as patrons of the club we must place this high upon our list of societal requirements.

We were visiting the club one night and the manager noticed a little boy sleeping in his mother's arms. The manager assisted the mother in placing the child on the large leather sofa in the Lounge Alley and then wrapped the child in a beautiful dark blue Club 33 embroidered blanket.

Somehow, that single moment captured the essence of what Club 33 is all about.

Signing In The Unknown-Why So Careful?

There is little doubt that most who know of the club would love nothing more than to dine there at least once. A true right of passage for any Disney fan. I was in the same boat, don't feel alone.

I have been asked by quite a few visitors to our site, "why do members hesitate to sign in those they do not know?" Good question actually, with an equally good answer. Responsibility.

A member is responsible for every guest they allow within the club. There have been incidents where a member makes reservations for a person who enters the park, enjoys their day and then departs without fulfilling the requirement they dine at the club. In a case such as this, the member must pay for the persons admission into the park and their guests. You can imagine how that could add up rather quickly.

Another scenario is the guest who dines at the club proceeds to run up a check and then departs without paying either dine & dash style or via complaining about some issue of food or service. Unscrupulous, oh yes. Common, probably not. A definite risk most members are not willing to take.

One cannot blame the cautious person for protecting their membership.

First Visit Angsts!

Alright, a member arranged your first visit and the big day has finally arrived.
Nervous?
Don't know what to expect?
I can tell you with all honestly, I was and didn't! I searched on the internet and found only limited information and I was a typical guy, refusing to ask my friend about the club's protocol. I never ask for directions either. Explains why I'm so often driving in circles in downtown Los Angeles watching the same buildings continually pass by.
With family at hand, we began our first visit to the club, choosing lunch, figuring the atmosphere would be less formal. Worked out pretty well!
For some strange reason, I'm always nervous pushing the buzzer, waiting to hear, "I'm sorry, but we don't have your name on our list." Hasn't happened yet, hopefully never will. I can somehow imagine the hordes of guests in line for The Blue Bayou laughing hysterically at the idiot trying to sneak into Club 33.
We entered the club with a warm greeting from the hostess. She was very demur and soft spoken and probably picked up on the fact that we had no idea what was going on.
Wasting no time in taking the laboring oar, she gave us a brief introduction to the club and stated our table was being readied. Her small phone rang, our table was ready!
She walked to the French lift, opened the door, we climbed aboard, our visit had officially begun.
The welcome continued on the second floor, where the maitre'di opened the lift door and introduced himself. He asked if this was our first visit, we answered in the affirmative, and he offered to give us a brief tour.
By now the tension was beginning to fade, the smell of rosemary filled the air and bustling crew members were busy carrying trays of food to the buffet tables.
WOW! This was amazing. How all this had remained such a secret was beyond reason.
Long story short, within minutes we felt right at home. The staff was polite, the cuisine was delectable and the assortment was most ample. We simply fell in love with this unique establishment and looked forward to our next visit, which couldn't come soon enough.
So, if you're going to visit the club for the first time, don't be nervous. No reason to be!
Sure, you'll have to meet their dress code, no cell phones in the dining room (thank God!), and don't harass the celebrities, do not over-intoxicate yourself, you know, just follow the common rules of courtesy.
Take your time and enjoy your stay, it will be over before you know it.
Oh, before I forget, take photos! I didn't take a camera on our first visit, didn't want to seem to presumptuous and I regret it now. The years pass quickly, kids grow up, photos are priceless.