Babes in Disneyland

Inside Disneyland’s Exclusive Club 33: My First Visit & Birthday Celebration

December 29, 2013 in All Posts, club 33, dining, disneyland resort, Kendra, photography, restaurant tips by
Today, in honor of my 33rd Birthday, I’m sharing the story of my first trip to the most famous address at Disneyland- 33 Royal Street.  Better known as Club 33, Disneyland’s exclusive members and invited guests only restaurant, has been at the top of my Disney bucket list for as long as I can remember.  After years of wishing, two amazing friends came together to plan a day that I will never, ever forget.  Here’s the story of how my first visit to Club 33 unfolded.
Just before Thanksgiving I received a text from Lisa asking if I was free to attend a media event on the following Monday.  I had to decline, which I hate and almost never do, due to some work commitments.  Lisa was absolutely insistent, which was out of her norm, so I figured it must be a pretty important to her and promptly moved my schedule around.  From there details about the event were pretty sparse, which again was out of Lisa’s norm, but I was along for the ride and excited for our day at Disneyland.  
We spent some time on Main Street, U.S.A, rode it’s a small world holiday, did some shopping, and of course lots of chatting and laughing.  On our way over to the Blue Bayou, the location of our media event, Lisa mentioned that our friend Heather would also be joining us.  We decided to wait for her outside of the restaurant before checking in and once she arrived we stopped to take a photo in front of the Blue Bayou sign.  What I later learned was that Lisa was not taking my photo with Heather, but rather was filming the video below, my reaction to being told that we would not be attending a media event, but rather would be dining at Club 33!!!  From there the rest of the afternoon was an emotional, exciting, overwhelmingly amazing blur.  
 
We dined in the Trophy Room, which was beautifully decorated and had a great view of New Orleans Square.  Rich wood paneling, hunting artifacts, wildlife photos, and even an animatronic vulture all added to the hunting theme of the room.  I later found out that the Trophy Room will be converted into an updated kitchen when Club 33 undergoes a major renovation in 2014; making me even more grateful for the opportunity to visit, photograph, and enjoy lunch in that room.     


For lunch I ordered Club 33’s signature dish- Chateaubriand.  It was positively phenomenal- cooked precisely the way I ordered it, tender, flavorful, and an all around special dish.  For dessert we indulged in the most beautiful and tasty dessert buffet I’ve ever experienced.  Among my favorite desserts were the rich, chocolatey Belgian Hot Chocolate and the Mickey Shaped Coconut Macaroons.  Prior to eating at Club 33 I’d never had a macaroon- and am so hoping that I don’t have to wait another 33 years to have another, as they were by far and away the best cookie I’ve ever tasted. 

Our server also brought me the most gorgeous birthday dessert- a rich, decadent chocolate mousse Mickey cake with raspberry sauce.  It was almost (and I do mean almost) too beautiful to eat.  It was the perfect ending to a perfect ladies lunch. 

 
There simply aren’t enough words to describe the experience- but simply stunning seems like a good place to start.  Club 33 is full of Disney history, artifacts, and lavish decor.  I took every opportunity to photograph the experience and will be sharing more photos in this week’s Wordless Wednesday post.  

I was truly and deeply honored and touched by Lisa and Heather’s amazing surprise and the fact that they took time out of their busy schedules to honor and celebrate me in such a special way.  Our afternoon was positively magical- full of laughter, bonding, and lots of yummy food.  Even though it sounds cliche to say Lisa and Heather truly made my wildest dream come true, and really isn’t that what Disney is all about?  I will be forever grateful for their friendship, and for the memories that we made that day.   

Be sure to follow Kendra on Twitter or on Instagram @kendrakuske for more updates and photos.
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About Kendra Kuske

Kendra is excited to be able to share her experiences with readers and hopes to help guide them on their Disney journeys and holds the record as the Babes In Disneyland contributor with my most on-property stays at resort hotels and the most character dining experiences. She can be followed on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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  1. Rebecca Ward says

    Okay ladies, my 33rd birthday is in 5 1/2 years. You can start planning now. I’ll act surprised.lol. Looked like a great day for Kendra!

    Reply

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