Club 33
Club 33 is a private club located in the heart of the New Orleans Square section of
Disneyland. Officially maintained as a secret feature of the theme park, the entrance of the club is located next to the Blue Bayou Restaurant at "33 Royal Street" with the entrance recognizable by an ornate address plate with the number 33 engraved on it. When riding Pirates of the Caribbean, just as the ride departs, the Blue Bayou restaurant is visible, but the balconies above it are actually a part of Club 33.
Club 33 members enjoy access to the club's exclusive restaurant and full bar. It is the only location within Disneyland to offer alcoholic beverages, though Disneyland has a park wide liquor license and has set up bars throughout the park for private events. Club 33's wine list includes vintages priced at $200.
Club 33 members are privileged with access to the park 365 days a year. Club 33 offers individual and corporate memberships. As of February 2008 the current membership levels are Corporate Membership, Limited Corporate Membership and Gold Membership. The Silver Membership is not currently being offered. As of June 2007, the membership waiting list was 14 years, and membership closed as of April/May 2007.
Those interested in membership must send a written letter of inquiry to Disney and will receive a confirmation letter and information packet. As memberships open, potential members are informed via a letter of intent from Disney.
Initial fees and annual dues vary by membership. The Corporate and Limited Corporate Memberships allow for transfer of members.
The Corporate Membership fee is $27,500 plus $6,100 in annual fees. Up to nine associate members can be designated at an annual fee of $4,650 each. Members no longer in the employment of the corporate member's company must surrender the membership cards to Club 33. The corporate member may then designate another member of the company.
The Limited Corporate Membership fee is $13,750 with only one member at an annual fee of $4,650. This entitles the corporation to transfer the membership to another employee whenever necessary.
The Gold Membership is for an individual with a member fee of $10,450 and an annual fee of $3,275. Additional use of a membership card is by spouse only, with reservations accepted only from the cardholder, the spouse or the cardholder's assistant. The Gold Membership is not transferable.
Members at any level are allowed to make personal reservations 90 days in advance and guest reservations 60 days in advance. Private parties utilizing the entire Club facilities for special occasions such as birthdays, holiday parties, business functions, and such are available upon member's request with a required minimum number of guests. Members may request any of Disney's costumed characters to appear at the club, as Disney believes "special events [are] always more fun with Mickey or Donald."
Club members and up to nine guests are allowed complimentary admission to Disneyland. The member and one guest (or spouse) receive complimentary admission at any time whether or not they eat at the Club. If the member is unable to accompany the guests to Club 33, the Club will arrange admission for them at no charge. The price of lunch at the Club hovers around the cost of admission. Club members receive complimentary parking.
There are various origins that have been claimed for the name "Club 33." One says that Club 33 was named for Disneyland's 33 sponsors at the time, one of which was Chevron. Another explanation is that Walt Disney chose the name simply because he liked the way "33" looked. Another, given by a Club 33 employee, says that since Walt wanted to serve liquor in the Club he had to obtain a liquor license - which requires a full street address. Walt, wanting to protect Disneyland's alcohol-free status, didn't want to use the park's Harbor Boulevard address, so he ordered that all the buildings in New Orleans Square (then under construction) be given addresses. According to the employee, "33" was chosen because Walt's lucky number was 3. One explanation, arguably the most common, is that "33" when turned on its side bears similarity to two letter "M"s, as would stand for "Mickey Mouse." In actuality, it was the address assigned to the door by chance -- all of the buildings in the square have addresses, but they are internally-designated numbers. According to Snopes.com, the address listed on Disney's liquor license is their general-delivery location.
When Walt Disney was working with various corporate promoters for his attractions at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair, he noted to himself of the various "VIP Lounges" provided as an accommodation for the corporate elite. This gave him the idea that culminated in Club 33. When New Orleans Square was planned, this special area for corporate sponsors and VIPs was included. Disney hired Hollywood set director Emil Kuri to design the facility. Club 33 opened in May 1967, five months after Disney's death.
Club 33 was originally intended for use by Disneyland's Corporate sponsors and other industry VIPs. After Disney's death, Club 33 was opened to individual members also.
To enter Club 33, a guest must press a buzzer on an intercom concealed by a hidden panel in the doorway. (A member needs only to insert his/her membership card in a slot near the buzzer and the door will open.) A receptionist will ask for their name over the intercom and, if access is granted, open the door to a small, ornate lobby. Guests have the option of going to the dining level via an antique-style glass lift. The lift is an exact replica of one Disney saw and fell in love with during a vacation in Paris, but the owner of the original refused to sell. Undaunted, Disney sent a team of engineers to the Parisian hotel to take exact measurements for use in the creation of a replica; even a sample of the original finish was taken so that it could be duplicated. A staircase to the second level wraps around the lift.
The second level has two dining rooms. One room has dark wood paneling; the other room is more formal but has a lighter environment.
Once at the dining level, guests can view antique furniture pieces collected by Lillian Disney. Walt Disney also handpicked much of the Victorian bric-a-brac in New Orleans antique stores, according to club manager Michael Bracco.
The club is also furnished with props from Disney films. There is a fully functional glass telephone booth just off the lift that was used in The Happiest Millionaire and an ornate walnut table with white marble top that was used in Mary Poppins. A video capture from the film on display atop the table shows actors Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber and David Tomlinson standing immediately to its left. A newly-installed bar prepares drinks for members and their guests.
A harpsichord which was rumored to have been an antique was in fact custom-built for Lillian Disney specifically for use in Club 33. The underside of the lid features a Renaissance-style painting that was actually done by Disney artists. Elton John has played this harpsichord, Bracco told Bloomberg News, and it can be played by anyone who sits at it.
Walt Disney also wanted to make use of Audio-Animatronic technology within Club 33. Microphones in overhead lighting fixtures would pick up the sounds of normal conversation while an operator would respond via the characters. Though the system was never fully implemented, it was partially installed and remains so to this day. An Audio-Animatronic vulture is perched in one corner of the club's "Trophy Room." The microphones are clearly visible at the bottom of each of the room's lighting fixtures. The animal trophies (Walt inherited them from a friend), for which the room was named, have been removed by Disney family members. Photos of the room with the trophies still installed can be seen on the walls now. Currently this room is known as the "Trophy Room."
Disneyland guests participating in the "Walk In Walt's Footsteps" tour are provided entrance to the lobby of Club 33. The tour guide will provide a brief history of the club and explain some of the artifacts in the lobby. The tour members may be photographed in the lift, but are not allowed upstairs.
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