Back in April 2017, it was revealed that Club 33, The “secret” Disneyland dining and drinking club, would be making its way to Walt Disney World sometime that year. However, since that initial announcement last spring, we’ve only been able to get the smallest of hints about this ultra-exlusive club,
Almost a year after it was announced, Golden Oak residents began to be approached to be among the first to buy in to Walt Disney World’s Club 33, and we learned that guests who want to join this exclusive club will need to pay an upfront fee of $25,000 when they sign their membership contract, and then will need to pay dues of $10,000 per year after that as long as they want to keep their membership with Club 33 in good standing. And now we’ve learned a little bit more about what these locations will be like (and where they will be located).
Image: Disney
As previously reported, there will be a Club 33 location in each park, each its own unique story and connection to Walt Disney. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Spotlight Lounge, will be located in the former Catwalk Bar area and recreates the stylish “green room” experience of a major film awards ceremony while simultaneously celebrating Walt’s award-winning cinematic career. Over at Epcot, guests can visit the Constellation Club at Epcot, which is located above the American Adventure in the former Chase Lounge area.
At the Magic Kingdom, a brand new location is being built in Adventureland that will be called Captain’s Quarters and will be located near the Skipper Canteen Restaurant, and will have a back porch area specifically built for taking in nighttime spectaculars from a unique vantage point. Finally, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a new location will open in the Africa section of the park and will be named Harambe House.
Though the interiors of these locations are all very different, the access method will be the same for all of them: Club 33 members will be able to use their Club 33-affiliated MagicBand on a special, hidden touchpoint, that will give them access to each lounge.
Image: Disney
Now that we finally know more details about the different Club 33 locations in each park, there’s just one more question we have…
Is an opening around the corner?
Image: Disney
Though unconfirmed, Walt Disney World has been quietly working on putting the finishing touches on Club 33 locations at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which are both are all but finished. And while construction continues at the Magic Kingdom location, the Captains Quarters is also looking like it is entering its final work phase. Though we’re not quite sure what the status is with the Disney’s Animal Kingdom location, with three out of the four known Club 33 locations basically ready to go, it seems fair to assume that an opening for at least one of these locations (if not more) is likely in the cards for fall 2018.
The Club 33 project at Walt Disney World has been in the works for several years now, and with (presumably) several members already signed up thanks to the recruiting done earlier this year, we would be shocked if the first members weren’t able to enjoy these new lounges in the next few months.
Image: Disney
With a rumored price tag of $25,000 up front and $10,000 per year after that, buying in to Club 33 is likely out of reach for the vast majority of Walt Disney World guests, even those that splurge on club level rooms and other upcharges. However, for those that Disney is targeting with this high-end offering (businesses, specifically) this will be an intriguing offering, and it will be interesting to see if the success of the Disneyland version will be seen on this new, upgraded East Coast Club 33. Of course, Disney won’t be publishing any statistics on memberships (the same way they don’t at Disneyland), but hopefully we’ll hear plenty of first-hand reports from members and guests that will give us a sense of how the Walt Disney World Club 33 is doing compared to its storied older brother.
Are you interested in checking out Club 33 when it opens at Walt Disney World? How much would you pay to be a part of this exclusive club?
