What Is Club 33 Disney World?
| Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap | |
| Location | Anaheim, California, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Owner | Disneyland ( The Walt Disney Company ) |
| Type | Private club |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | Early 1960s |
| Built | JQ Construction |
| Opened | May 1967 |
| Renovated | 2014 |
| Expanded | 2014 |
Club 33 is a collection of private dining clubs located throughout the Disney Parks. The club was modeled after numerous executive VIP lounges created by pavilion sponsors at the 1964 New York World’s Fair and debuted in Disneyland Park in 1967. Club 33 was the only location within Disneyland Park to serve alcoholic beverages at the time.
What is it that makes Club 33 so special?
Club 33 is an exclusive club where members have access to private dining and lounge areas in nearly every Disney theme park in the world. According to Disney, the name of the club is derived from the address of the original Disneyland Club 33 location, 33 Royal Street in New Orleans Square.
How do I get on the Club 33 waitlist at Disneyland? The average length of the Club 33 waiting list is at least four years.
Who may dine in Club 33?
The INSIDER Synopsis: – Club 33 is Disneyland’s not-so-secret club hidden in plain sight. You cannot enter unless you are a member (there is a 14-year waiting list for membership) or know one. Walt Disney died prior to the construction of Club 33, which was designed by Lilian Disney.
- We spoke with three diners who recently had the privilege of dining there.
- In the middle of New Orleans Square at Disneyland, directly across from La Mascarade d’Orléans, is the unassuming entrance to Club 33, one of the most-talked-about locations in Disney theme parks worldwide.
- Club 33 is a secret five-star restaurant that is inaccessible to the general public.
There are only two ways to enter Club 33: by invitation or as an exclusive member. Membership costs up to $100,000 per year, with additional annual fees reportedly ranging from $12,500 to $30,000. As of 2012, there was a fourteen-year waiting list for prospective members.
Walt Disney envisioned opening a secret apartment for entertaining corporate sponsors and special guests near his own apartment, which was located above the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, after the 1964 World’s Fair. Club 33 opened in 1967, approximately six months after Walt Disney’s death, so he never saw his idea come to fruition.
Club 33, which was originally designed by Walt Disney’s wife Lillian, underwent extensive renovations and expansions in 2014, resulting in a drastically altered appearance. Three diners who had the rare opportunity to dine at Club 33 spoke with INSIDER about their experience.
Obtaining a membership to Club 33 – A portion of what makes Club 33 so exclusive is its high cost. According to a 2013 article by Eater, the initiation fee and annual membership fee for Club 33 are $25,000 and $10,000, respectively. According to USA Today, the initial membership fee can range from $25,000 to $50,000, with annual fees costing between $12,000 and $25,000.
- If you can obtain membership, that is.
- To maintain the club’s exclusivity, there are only about 500 members at any given time, and membership is by invitation only.
- Therefore, even if you possess tens of thousands of dollars, you cannot simply buy your way into Club 33.
- According to reports, the waitlist could last up to 15 years.
We mean it when we say this club is exclusive. DisneyTouristBlog image Some claim that Club 33 caters more to VIP clients, such as celebrities with Disney connections. However, that hasn’t stopped the average Disneyland visitor from doing whatever it takes to get in.
- Simply put, it’s all about who you know.
- If you’re active on Instagram, you’ve probably seen a number of Disney influencers posting about their visits to Club 33.
- With only a few hundred active memberships at any given time, we’re willing to wager that not everyone who posts about visiting Club 33 is a member.
The only way to enter the exclusive lounge above New Orleans Square is if a club member extends an invitation. Therefore, if you wish to enter Club 33, you must befriend a member (though you’ll still have to pay for the five-course meal, as the elite Disney magic is not free).
What are the Club 33 rules?
Dress Code
- Dress Code
- The club enforces a dress code in order to preserve its high standards and sophisticated atmosphere. When you obtain your passes from Guest Relations, you will receive a small card with the following information: (Excerpted verbatim from the official Club 33 “quick tips” sheet)
- Club 33 Hints and Tips
- Cancellations
Due to the limited seating capacity, it is essential that you arrive promptly for your reservations. If your party arrives 30 minutes after the scheduled reservation time, Club 33 reserves the right to cancel the reservation at its sole discretion. Dress Code In order to enjoy the Disneyland Resort in comfort, guests may wear fashionable casual attire for lunch.
- However, tank tops, cutoffs, swimsuits, bare midriffs, sweatpants, sandals/flip-flops, and beachwear are not permitted.
- Shorts of walking length are acceptable.
- Jeans are acceptable so long as they completely conceal undergarments and are not excessively faded or torn.
- If Guests have spent the day exploring Disneyland Park, they may dine in evening casual attire.
It is appropriate for men to wear collared shirts and slacks, and for women to wear an informal dress or pants with a blouse.
- (Update: the club no longer accepts any type or style of shorts for dinner.)
- Children and young adults’ attire should adhere to the standards established for adults.
- Alcohol
Club 33’s alcohol service is a privilege. Club 33 may discontinue service of alcoholic beverages at any time, at its sole discretion. Including balconies, stairwells, etc., Smoking Club 33 is a non-smoking establishment. The closest smoking area is located at the dock in front of the Haunted Mansion for your convenience.
- Meal Prices
- Club 33 maintains a minimum food charge equivalent to the price of a one-day, one-park admission ticket for an adult.
- Correct conduct
Guests must always conduct themselves appropriately while at Club 33. In particular, lewd behavior, inappropriate attire, solicitation of any kind, and profanity are prohibited on Club 33’s premises. Cellular phones are not permitted in the dining areas of Club 33.
Please silence or vibrate your cell phone while dining in Club 33’s dining areas. We kindly request that you answer or make cell phone calls in the hallway so that your fellow diners may continue to enjoy their meal. Permit me to express my most modest opinion: The club is a unique location. It is more than a restaurant; it is a significant part of Disney’s history.
With connections to Walt’s creative imagination spanning from Anaheim to Hollywood and around the globe, the club deserves high regard. If you are dining in the afternoon, wear a pair of comfortable slacks and a sport coat. Perhaps a high-quality collared polo-style golf shirt.