When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in California 60 years ago, he proclaimed: “To all who enter this happy place, welcome.” But there’s one place within the park that’s only available to those who are willing to pay dearly for the privilege, and it’s so shrouded in secrecy that it’s not mentioned in Disney souvenir books. Many guests have walked right past its entrance, not even knowing it’s there. The secret place is Club 33, and even the origin of its name has several theories behind it.
So what exactly is Club 33? Why do guests pay $25,000 just to join the club and thousands more each year just to enter it? And did you know that there’s a second Club 33 in the world? Here are some secrets revealed about this mysterious institution.
The first rule of Club 33 is…
If you call Disneyland for a comment about Club 33, you’ll hear that they’re prohibited from talking about it. Ask a cast member in the park where the entrance is and some staff will give you directions to the door and others will deny its existence. But Club 33 definitely exists, and it’s located near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in New Orleans Square. The entrance is marked only by glass etched into the door and the doorbell, which feature the number 33.
Wining and dining
The idea of Club 33 was born when Walt Disney was working with promoters of the 1960 World’s Fair. He saw that there was a special area for entertaining the fair’s corporate sponsors, and so the original purpose of Club 33 was to “wine and dine” Disneyland’s sponsors and VIPs. However, Disney died about five months before the club was completed, and it was decided that the club would be open to individuals as well as corporations. Membership materials describe the club as an elegant dining room, meeting room, art gallery, refreshment center and private showplace all in one.
What’s in a name?
The club didn’t have a name when Walt Disney passed away. Here are some of the interesting theories behind the “33”:
1. Each of Disneyland’s rides and attractions have a physical address, and the club’s address is 33 Rue Royale Street (sometimes listed as 33 Royal Street). And since the club was the only place on property that sold wine and spirits (until Disney’s California Adventure and Downtown Disney came along), an address was especially needed for California’s Alcoholic Beverage Control rules and regulations. (The club is still the only place that serves alcohol in Disneyland itself.)
2. A list of Disneyland’s major sponsors when the park was opened shows 33 companies, including Kodak, Frito-Lay, General Electric, Coca-Cola, Timex and Hallmark.
3. The future of the club wasn’t certain when Walt Disney died. Out of 47 of the park’s main investors who were consulted about the club’s fate, 33 voted to continue with finishing its construction.
4. Disney was a 33rd degree Mason, and Masonic design elements have been present in the club.
5. Take the number “3” and turn it sideways and it looks like mouse ears. Two sets of mouse ears could signify Mickey and Minnie.
If you can get a cast member to talk, they’ll likely tell you that the first theory, about the club’s address, is the right one.
So you want to join
If you’d like to become a Club 33 member, be prepared to hurry up and wait. Disneyland doesn’t open up the waiting list too often, and it can take 10 or more years to be accepted. When the park allowed 100 new memberships in 2012, there were 800 people on the list.
And if your time on the waiting list pays off and you receive an embossed invitation to join the club, you’ll need to shell out some serious dough: the initiation fee for an individual is about $25,000 (for corporations, it costs $40,000), plus dues of about $12,000 per year. And guess what? The price of dinner isn’t included in those fees. (You’ll need to pay an average of $150 per meal, before alcohol.) But for such an exclusive experience that few people will ever have the privilege of trying, members are very gladly willing to pay.
The membership roster even includes some famous names, such as Tom Hanks and Christina Aguilera. (And it’s a pretty safe bet that these recognizable names were able to bypass the traditional waiting list.)
There’s also another way to enter the club, and that’s to befriend a member. People who have Club 33 memberships can invite guests, even unaccompanied (though a recent rule change means that members can only have 20 – instead of 50 – unaccompanied guests per year). Invitations to dinner have actually been offered for sale on Craigslist, though that practice is highly discouraged by the club and can even result in membership privileges being revoked.
Members also receive additional perks, such as VIP tours, premium annual passes and park tickets for friends and family, though Disneyland recently changed some of the perks slightly.
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.
Rules to remember
Just as Club 33 doesn’t admit just anyone, not just anything can be worn to lunch or dinner. Shorts are prohibited at dinnertime, and while guests may wear other types of clothing they deem comfortable for a day at the park, beachwear, flip flops, sandals, swimsuits, tank tops and sweatpants are not allowed. The rules even state that jeans can be worn, but they must not be too faded or torn.
Cell phones are prohibited in the dining areas, though guests can head to the hallways if they want to make or take a call.
And members still must make reservations in order to dine at the club. Members wishing to eat there can make reservations 60 days in advance, while reservations for unaccompanied guests can only be made two weeks in advance unless the meal is on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday – then it’s just three days in advance.
Members can also reserve the whole club for special events like birthdays and holiday parties. The rules are in place to ensure that a special experience is had by all, and the reservation rules ensure that members are always able to get a table.
Another Club 33?
Disneyland in California isn’t the only Disney property with a secretive, members-only club. When Tokyo Disneyland was being created, its designers chose some of the best elements of the California park and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom to replicate. Club 33 made the cut, and Tokyo’s version was built on the second floor of World Bazaar – sort of the park’s version of Main Street.
The club allows the park’s builder, the Oriental Land Company, and Tokyo Disneyland’s sponsors to entertain guests, and it’s also the only place in the park that serves alcohol. (However, members of the U.S. version of Club 33 don’t have reciprocal rights to the Tokyo version.)
Just like the original Club 33, you must know a member (if you’re not already one) in order to visit the club in Tokyo, which has a Victorian style. Several elements of the original club are present in this version. The entrance is marked by a “33” sign, you must ring a doorbell to be let in, special Club 33 merchandise is available for purchase and your meal is served in courses.
Some interesting things to note about Tokyo’s Club 33 is that the food is French and guests receive a souvenir of a small sticker book, styled like a matchbook, featuring characters from Mickey to Pluto in chef outfits.
More interesting facts (and perks)
Club 33 (or a version of it) has been featured on the animated TV show “Futurama.” In the episode called “The Series Has Landed,” the crew enters a door in a theme park marked with “33½.”
And celebrities who have been spotted at the club include Mickey Rooney, John Lasseter, Michael Eisner, Tommy Smothers, Mira Sorvino, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Jack Nicholson. Michael Jackson was also said to be a frequent visitor to the club. An elevator whisks VIPs from an underground parking garage to Club 33, so guests can get in and out of New Orleans Square more easily.
Lillian Disney’s harpsichord can be played by guests, and one person who took the club up on the offer is said to be Elton John. The musical instrument features real gold leaf and a picture of New Orleans harbor in the 19th Century that was hand-painted by a Disney artist.
Club 33’s Trophy Room, which was the smaller of the club’s two dining rooms, was originally envisioned by Walt Disney to be a place where audio-animatronic creatures would line the dark wooden walls – and have conversations with guests. (This would have been accomplished through the use of hidden microphones and an actor voicing the animals from inside a secret sound booth.) But the plan didn’t come to fruition, and instead the walls held animal trophies that Disney inherited. The trophies were removed in later years and the walls were left with only subtle nods to the sport, but the Trophy Room is now part of the club’s kitchen after the recent renovation.
Another unique perk available to Club 33 members is the chance to ride on the Lilly Belle, the last remaining train car from Disneyland’s opening day. The car was named for Lillian Disney, who was very involved in designing it. The car was a private one from its opening, and was used to entertain VIPs and special guests. It features a Victorian flair, with dark wood, red mohair upholstery and beveled and stained glass. To protect the car’s interior, it’s taken out of operation during times of inclement weather.
Club members can also visit the Mark Twain Mississippi River Boat’s wheel house. This area isn’t open to the public and can only be entered with permission from the captain. Club members can get a gorgeous view of the Rivers of America from the wheel house.
And if club members want to dine with Mickey or Donald, they can. They just need to make reservations for the costumed characters well in advance.
Club 33 also holds special events throughout the year, and members can make reservations for them. The wine tastings, holiday dinners and artist-attended events usually sell out quickly.
Members also get a great view of Fantasmic! when they visit the club.
And one of the club’s best perks, besides free valet parking at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel, is the six free instant Fastpasses that members receive on each visit. These Fastpasses allow them to skip the lines at a half-dozen attractions without waiting for a specific time to use them.
An unforgettable time
If you’re ever lucky enough to get the chance to experience Club 33 in California or Tokyo, you’re in for a unique experience. And while California’s version has changed over time, with renovations and some new rules, it’s doubtful that many members would be willing to opt out of the club once they’re in it. If joining the club is a possibility for you, you can email [email protected] for more information. Just expect to gain many new friends who’d love to be your guests if you end up joining!
