A peek inside

So let’s say that you’ve become a member (or tagged along with one). What’s it like inside Club 33? The club was remodeled in 2014 and doubled in size. It now more closely fits Walt Disney’s original plans for the space, which were for it to have a private apartment, high-end dining room and a jazz club. The area’s theming was also transformed in the renovation. Instead of being filled with dark walls and dated details, the club now features lots of light and somewhat more contemporary surroundings. Here’s a peek into the “new” Club 33.

The club opens at 11 a.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. for dinner. First, ring the doorbell, then after you’re buzzed in, you can check in at a small reception area. You can also shop at two merchandise cases. Club 33-themed mouse ears, iPhone cases, pens, pins and more are available to purchase. Prices for the coveted souvenirs include $25 for mouse ears, $20 for an official gold pin with a black enameled “33” and $20 for a black coffee mug with a gold “33” logo. The Court of Angels, which was once a serene spot in New Orleans Square, has become the club’s lobby, where you can relax before you’re taken up to the restaurant via a curved staircase or an elevator.

The balcony at the top of the staircase continues to the club and there’s a beautiful blue and gold tile mosaic featuring Club 33’s new Art Deco-themed logo on the floor just before the club’s actual entrance. There’s also a check-in desk at Le Salon Nouveau, a jazz club that’s inspired by the one seen at the end of the movie “The Princess and the Frog.”

Members don’t need a reservation to enter Le Salon Nouveau, which is just past Club 33’s wine cases. These cases have a special preserver that allows expensive vintage wines to be served by the glass while they stay fresh at the same time.

Intimate booths line the side walls of the jazz club, and each one has a subtle theme that relates to New Orleans Square. (There’s even one that has nods to The Haunted Mansion.)

The comfortable lounge also has seating at tables and the bar, which has special effects of its own. In a corner of the lounge is Club 33’s former elevator, a French lift that wasn’t kept in its original use after the renovations but now serves as a prime photo opportunity.

Music in the lounge was carefully selected by Disney Imagineers, who even designed specific songs for each section of the club, and the songs are played on a “replicating piano” instead of a traditional sound system.

Though the style of Le Salon Nouveau is a little darker than the rest of the club, with deep wood tones and windows topped with colorful stained glass, it’s still a very special place to unwind.

Something to eat, perhaps?

If you’re ready for lunch or dinner, you can head to the dining room, called Le Grand Salon, which has Louisiana landscape murals on its walls and a huge window (that was formerly a fireplace) that looks out over the Rivers of America. The dining room’s floor, tables and chairs were recently updated, giving the space the feel of an upscale restaurant in New Orleans.

The menu has also been overhauled. Previously, dinner consisted of an all-you-can-eat appetizer bar and dessert bar, with a seasonal entrée in between. Now, the buffet-style options are gone, and dinner is now either a five-course or a six-course meal. (Lunches have three or four courses.) Chef Andrew Sutton, of Disneyland’s Napa Rose and Carthay Circle restaurants, is in charge of the offerings.

Meals start with brioche, fresh butter and “Club 33 herbs,” and some of the interesting choices for courses include Salmon Carpaccio “Lafayette” with Southern Oranges, Purple Watercress and Lime Crème; Watermelon Salad with Southern Orange Crème Fraiche and Petit Greens; Butter Poached Lobster with Braised Leeks and Minted English Pea Puree; Sassafras Dusted Duck Breast with Duck Confit and Morel Mushroom Sauce; a trio of artisanal cheeses; and Vanilla Crème Brulee with Apricot Conserve and Cognac Flambe. And for a palate cleanser, you can enjoy Cucumber Lime Sorbet Topped with an Edible Flower.

There’s also a wide variety of drinks available, and one that definitely stands out is the Club 33 Diamond Martini. This $13 drink even has diamond-shaped ice in its glass.

When the member is present, a 20 percent discount is applied to a party’s check, though that discount doesn’t apply to drinks or merchandise.

Fun little flourishes are present throughout the meal. For example, the fourth course entrees are delivered to your table at the same time under silver domes, and they’re all lifted at the same time.

There’s also a children’s menu available (with a cover featuring Ray the firefly from "The Princess and the Frog"). Kids can dine on three-course meals with offerings such as Farm House Tomato Soup with Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwich; Petit Filet of Beef with Sauteed Green Beans, Rice Pilaf and Fruit Skewer; and French Beignets with a Trio of Dipping Sauces: Chocolate, Caramel and Vanilla.

Even the children’s drink menu is fancier than typical Disneyland kids' menus. Young guests can try an Apple Lemonade, a Roy Rogers or a Shirley Temple. Children’s meals cost about $60.

Special Disney touches fill the club, such as a phone booth made from pieces of one seen in the Disney movie “The Happiest Millionaire” (with a phone that you can actually make calls from, as long as you see a host or hostess first); Lillian Disney’s harpsichord; and an audio-animatronic vulture that flaps its wings, takes a breath and speaks English. Before the renovation, the vulture sat motionless in the club’s Trophy Room, which is now its kitchen. And the vulture is now fully animated in the club’s new lobby.

But don’t expect to be able to take photos everywhere. Video recording is not permitted at all, and while photography is allowed in public areas of the club, no photos can be taken inside the restrooms. The facilities are still worth a visit even just to look around, as they’re filled with ornate fixtures, cherry wood and even a pleasant fragrance.

After your time at the club, you can enjoy the rest of Disneyland with the mere mortals, or for another private experience, you can head to Disney’s California Adventure. At the entrance of Carthay Circle Restaurant is 1901, a lounge reserved for Club 33 Platinum members and their guests. The club is themed like the 1930s and was named for the year Walt was born.

The spot has seats at the bar with the names Walt, Lillian, Roy and Edna emblazoned on them, and walls feature vintage Mickey and Minnie dolls, a replica of Walt’s private plane and digital photographs that change. Snacks, small plates, drinks and “finger desserts” (such as cake pops and mini mousse cones) are available.