INSIDE Disneyland Club 33 – Review, Membership Details, Photos

Nestled in a quiet corner of the park guests stream by the exclusive Disneyland Club 33 dining room & lounge headed for the New Orleans Square bathrooms or a Mickey-shaped beignet. Behind a green door that's painted with a derivative of Disney's “go-away-green” color that's meant to repel guest eyes is a private club that dates back to Walt Disney's era planning the Disney theme parks. The private Club 33 has a sky-high annual membership cost and access is limited to members, their guests, and the most high level Disney executives. Members include notable celebrities, local Southern California business owners, and wealthy Disney fans.

In recent years Club 33 has become much more widely known due to social media and a general growth in the membership of the club – there are now locations in each of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World though they require a separate membership. We frequently get asked how to get into Club 33 to eat and even my most well-connected friends wonder how to join Club 33. I'll dive into all of these questions and the history of Club 33 in this guide based on my own personal experience.

Each time I visit Club 33 I am grateful to be back and always appreciate the kind friends who are members that have taken me into the Club. Note – I am unable to help anyone get a Club 33 reservation personally though we do discuss this below.

Today I'll share what I know about Club 33 based on my personal experience, dispel some urban legends, confirm others, and share the unique hidden touches that are key parts of the experience visiting Club 33. Most importantly, I'll share my Club 33 photos!

Club 33 Disneyland History

Club 33 came about when Walt Disney decided that they needed a place to entertain corporate partners and friends of the company within Disneyland Park. Initially there was actually a separate private dining room within the Red Wagon Inn (this is the Plaza Inn Disneyland restaurant today) where Walt Disney could entertain corporate guests at the parks. That private dining room, often called “the Hideaway” according to MousePlanet, could be accessed via a a super secret entrance. The dining room had a fully stocked wet bar and was the only place at Disneyland that served alcohol at the time.

As the amount of guests and dignitaries that visited Disneyland grew, a larger VIP space was required. Around this time Walt Disney also visited the 1964 World's Fair in New York where Disney was exhibiting four iconic attractions including Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln and “it's a Small World”. While there Walt experienced the various corporate lounges at the pavilions at the fair. He wanted his own expanded area to host special guests at Disneyland.

During the planning of New Orleans Square, the team decided that it was the right place for an upscale VIP club at Disneyland. Club 33 was added to the plans for the area. Unfortunately, Walt Disney never set foot in the completed Club 33 location as he passed away months before the official opening of the area.

How Club 33 Got Its Name

There are seemingly countless theories of how Club 33 got its name, including:

1. There were 33 original investors in Disneyland, whom Walt wanted a place to entertain.
2. There were 33 “yay” votes received voting to continue building the club after Walt's death.
3. If you turn 33 to the side, you get “mm”, for Mickey Mouse.
4. There were 33 lessees of Disneyland while the club was being built.
5. Because Club 33 serves liquor, it needed an address in order to obtain a liquor license and the club's official address became 33 Royal Street.

Some have pointed to Club 33 as some sort of “Walt Disney is a free mason, masonic”, connection but that is never anything I have seen or heard from an official source. Club 33

When Club 33 opened in 1967 at Disneyland, the club offered corporate membership but also had an individual membership tier. These membership options have remained to this day over half a decade later.

Though urban legends give a variety of surprising takes Club 33, the location really is just a private lounge and restaurant that can only be accessed by those who are members and their guests. Everyone there just has some connection to a member or is a member themselves. The additional club activities – like a backstage tour of Indiana Jones Adventure or book signing with a Disney Legend – are all just cool experiences that any Disney fan would really enjoy.

The lounge and restaurant are special places that still reflect a feeling of honor as do so many of the aspects of Walt Disney's original theme park.

Club 33 Membership Cost & Price

Disneyland's Club 33 membership requires an initiation fee and annual dues. Information about Club 33 membership costs are very protected; it is believed that initiation fees range from $25,000-$50,000 based on membership type and annual dues range from $10,000-$30,000. These fees have likely also been increased since we last discussed them.

Reportedly there has been a decades-long Club 33 waiting list for years. Current waiting time is really unknown which definitely adds to the mystique of Club 33. The club has in recent years added the requirement for member referral which is a slight change to the club process which previously did not have a membership approval component.

The Walt Disney World version of Club 33 has even higher membership fees with a reported $33,000 initiation fee and $15,000 annual membership fee. We haven't heard details on that Club 33 waiting list.

Inside Photos Club 33 at Disneyland

There was a large renovation of Club 33 that took place in 2014. Before that renovation the Club footprint was much smaller and just had the main dining room and no lounge area. Actually, the announcement of the renovation of Club 33 was one of the first stories that I really got involved with covering Disney here on MickeyVisit.com as it was announced right around the first time that I visited the original club.

Previously videos were allowed in the club, but today we are only allowed to take photos. The above photo is the old front door of the club. That door is now not connected into the club and the old club lobby is actually now merchandise storage for a New Orleans Square shop.

When the renovation was completed the Club was expanded to have the new lounge, a larger industrial kitchen, and take over the Court of Angels area that previously was accessible to all guests. The Court of Angels was a very nice quiet spot in Disneyland that was a disappointment to lose for all guests, but it's great to see it again when visiting the club. Let's dive into our review of what it's like to visit Club 33 at Disneyland today.

To enter Club 33 you'll arrive at this green door located across from the Pandora Jewelry store in New Orleans Square. You'll be greeted by the door seen above.

If you have a membership, you'll simply tap your card on a the Club 33 logo to gain access (the RFID technology is the same tech that is used to power Magic Bands in Walt Disney World). If you're a guest of a member, you'll need to be buzzed in to a beautiful courtyard where your picture will be taken before you head upstairs to the actual restaurant.

This courtyard was previously the publicly accessible Court of Angels. The area is now the waiting area and entrance for the club. This is a great place to pose for group photos or see the latest display based on the current theme at the club. Above see a group photo from our recent family tour taking my 85-year-old grandmother to Disneyland.

Here's a look at the recent Tiki room theme and below a look at the Club 33 Disneyland Christmas decorations.

From here you'll proceed up the stairs to the main entry walkway.

Just beyond this beautiful tile mosaic is the upstairs lobby which has as gift area and walkways to the lounge and dining room. Inside the lounge you'll be welcomed by an animatronic vulture sitting on top of a grandfather clock. Walt originally wanted to install microphones in the chandeliers of the club so listening employees could eavesdrop on conversations and the vulture could interject at any given moment, but in the renovated version of the club the vulture serves to greet incoming guests.

I most frequently enjoy the Le Salon Nouveau lounge. To access the lounge guests walk down a dark corridor that is flanked by intimate booths and wine racks.

Le Salon Nouveau Lounge

The lounge feels like an upstairs retreat that could be located in New Orleans or Paris. Filled with stained glass that draws inspiration from the Art Nouveau movement, the lounge has a special upscale charm. On one side of the lounge is a long bar with made to order cocktails. Opposite the bar is a beautiful set of windows with a large grand piano in front. This location is just above the Tiana's Palace Restaurant that opened recently at Disneyland.

The room is comfortably appointed with booths and tables. The prime location is made up to two long couches and a coffee table located right in the center of the room. This bar and lounge features jazz music and tributes to Disney history throughout. Paintings come to life in the booths with special magical touches.

Inside the lounge you will see what is left of the original club French lift. Rumor has it that Walt Disney was shopping in New Orleans when he saw a gorgeous lift inside a French Quarter hotel, but when the hotel would not sell it to him, he had an exact replica made for the original Club 33 lobby. When they moved the entrance to the club during the 2014 renovation, they turned the classic Club 33 French lift into an intimate booth in the lounge.

You'll also see several nods to The Haunted Mansion inside Club 33 like paintings and sculptures, as well as other classic Disney rides. You might even find a hidden Mickey in the bar.

The number 33 is used as a central decorating theme throughout the club. You'll find it everywhere, among the many other rich details that make Club 33 so special.

The lounge has a great rotating menu but the Club 33 hamburger is always featured. This might be the best, most rich, hamburger I have ever had. Multiple times we have split the $33 burger which features cheese, bacon, and a delectable truffle-bacon marmalade topping. You have to see this burger in person to believe it, but the below photos capture it pretty well.

And, though we were dining in the lounge we still always ask for a basket of the incredible Club 33 bread I'll describe below.

The lounge (as well as the one at Disney California Adventure – see photos below) serves as a great place for club members to gather, have a drink or a bite and visit with guests or see friends. The food is great in the lounge and the Club 33 servers, many of whom have been here 20 years plus, make this a wonderful place to relax.

Le Grand Salon Main Dining Room

Going back to the main upstairs lobby you can follow the other hallway entrance to Le Grand Salon. The hallway has big bright windows that give views down to the people touring New Orleans Square. Along the way to the…

You'll also find movie props in Club 33, including a functioning phone booth built form the parts of the phone booth in 1960's movie “The Happiest Millionaire” and an ornate table used in Walt's beloved “Mary Poppins” and again in “Mary Poppins Returns”.

The dining room itself is well appointed and brighter than the lounge with incredible paintings reflecting the grandeur of Louisiana. After my trip to New Orleans with Walt Disney Imagineering to learn about the new Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction, I felt a strong tie back to the club.

Le Grand Salon is Club 33's exclusive five-star restaurant. Even after all the expensive membership dues, you'll still pay hundreds of dollars to dine here, but the food quality matches the elevated experience. Chef Andrew Sutton is the culinary director for the Disneyland Resort and oversees Club 33 along with the other fine dining restaurants at Disneyland including Napa Rose and Carthay Circle Restaurant. The restaurant is specifically now led by Chef Gloria Tae, the first female chef de cuisine at Club 33.

It offers both five and six course menus as well as a la carte options. Previous menus offered fancy options like Autumn Mushroom Croquette, Citrus Cured King Fish, Harvest Acorn Squash Soup, Pheasant Roulade, Veal Osso Buco Milanese, Manjari Dark Chocolate Budino, and more. For  the final course you can sometimes choose between a dessert course and a cheese course.

Though all of the upscale meal courses are fantastic here, my personal favorite thing on the menu is the brioche bread that melts in your mouth. The bread comes in a custom metal Club 33 bread bowl with the Club 33 logo cut out of it. Detailed touches like this bowl or a customized Club 33 crumb catcher that waiters in the club use to clean the tables throughout meals really set this location apart from any other offering at Disneyland.

The dining room offers views to Fantasmic! and the nightly fireworks displays. There is nothing better than a long dinner in Club 33 that overlaps with the night time spectaculars–talk about dinner entertainment!

Off of the main dining room are balconies that look down on the park. Guests can also eat out here for lunch and look down on guests below. It really is quite a special experience being in Club 33 and looking down on the rushing people below.

Other Club 33 at Disneyland – 1901 Lounge

Briefly I'll also showcase a look at the other location at Disneyland that Club 33 members can enjoy. Inside Disney California Adventure there is a Club 33 lounge location called the 1901 lounge. The lounge is only accessible to certain levels of Club 33 members. Some are grandfathered into only using the dining room. When comparing Club 33 vs 1901 – the 1901 lounge is very similar to the Club 33 lounge offering in level of service. The 1901 lounge is designed in a different style.

The lounge is located inside the Carthay Circle Theater Restaurant building. The lounge door is on the far right and you could easily pass it by if you didn't know it was there.

Designed as an additional relaxing option for club members, the lounge is appointed in a 1920s style. The lounge feels like an extension of old Hollywood and what the old Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant might have felt like. In many ways it is really just a private extension of the Carthay Circle Restaurant design from upstairs.

This Club 33 lounge has a smaller bar but still lots of seating areas. At the bar are four bar stools with names on the back – Walt and Lilly and Roy and Edna after the founding couples of The Walt Disney Company. Throughout the bar are touches referencing back to Disney history. Exhibits rotate through here featuring different historical items tied to different themes.

There are other fun details in this lounge like a passing Walt Disney shadow that moves along the wall.

Though gone from the menu for a while, the best foods here were the pigs in a blanket which actually came from the children's menu.

Celebrities at Club 33

Sitting at Club 33 I have had the pleasure to interact with numerous celebrities both who worked on Disney projects and those from mainstream media. Though the club is meant to be an escape for celebrities from the general park guests, there is still definitely a sense of stardom within the Club 33 restaurant and lounge. Some celebrities that have been open about their visits to Club 33 include Tom Hanks, Vanessa Hudgens, John Stamos, Neil Patrick Harris, and more.

The celebrities that I have met or been in the restaurant at the same time as – I'll leave them nameless here to respect their privacy – have been nice and generally kept to themselves.

Some of the ladies in our group ended up in the restroom with a star that had just been on stage at the D23 Expo fan event and had a nice chat with her about her upcoming movie. The celebrity run-ins are all part of the club experience and generally the club stays quiet. In general when visiting Disneyland I try to give everyone their space and prevent disruptions of their vacation day.

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Alcohol at Club 33 in Disneyland

For a long time Club 33 was the only place inside Disneyland Park that served alcohol but now there are a couple of restaurants inside Disneyland in addition to Club 33 that serve alcohol including Blue Bayou, Oga's Cantina, and a few other recently added restaurants serving. Club 33 remains the only true bar inside Disneyland that offers mixed cocktails. The other restaurants all have pre-mixed drinks.

There are a wide variety of special drinks that they can make in the Club 33 lounge. I recently had a real Mint Julep. It was delightful after coming in from a hot day in the parks and oh so much better than the sweet ones offered directly below. Look at that iced glass above!

The bar has a variety of special offerings that change with the seasons. They also offer “Flight School” tastings as member events.

Club 33 Membership Benefits

Membership in Club 33 in Disneyland comes with a variety of benefits. These benefits vary based on the tier of membership that some members have access to. At one point some Club 33 members that joined before the 1901 Club was added in Disney California Adventure were grandfathered in with a different set of benefits. Again, details about the club are guarded, here are some of the benefits that Disneyland Club 33 members enjoy:

• A no black-out dates Magic Key Pass at Disneyland and top level Disney World Annual Pass
• 50 one day park hopper tickets for Disneyland for sharing with guests
• Access to Disneyland VIP Tour guides throughout the year
• Members only Club 33 merchandise
• Special events and offerings at Disneyland
• Access to the Club 33 Lounge and 1901 Lounge
• Reserved Seating For the Disneyland Candlelight Processional
• Discount on dining at the 21 Royal exclusive dining room experience

These benefits are always shifting and additional offerings are added.

Disneyland Club 33 Reservations – How to Get Into Club 33

Well, besides getting a membership yourself there is really only one way to get into the club. The only way to get into Club 33 without a membership is by having a member make a reservation for you. You could become friends with a Club 33 member or actually luck into access to the club through your work. Many major corporations in the Southern California area and nationally actually have memberships to the club. It's possible that if you work for a big company that has a partnership with Disney that they could have a membership.

Check with your HR team to see what the rules of your corporate membership might be and if it is possible to have them make you a reservation. We have a friend who's grandfather was on the board of a major company that then led to their family always eating at the club whenever they went to Disneyland.

Note that the only way guests can visit the club without being accompanied by a member is if you have a reservation at Le Grand Salon. The Club 33 and 1901 Lounges are specifically for members and their guests. So, that's all to say that if you are able to get a Club 33 member to make you a reservation you are stepping up to pay $100+ per person for a dinner at the restaurant before you add in any alcohol.

We have heard of scams with Disneyland Club 33 reservations for sale. Avoid these at all costs. The same way that we warn of Disneyland ticket scams, there are those out there looking to prey on desperate Disney fans.

Disneyland Club 33 Dress Code

Members report that guests aren't allowed in if they're wearing sweatpants, ripped jeans, tank tops, shorts, flip flops, or crop tops. Instead, women and men are encouraged to wear elevated clothes from the general parks experience. In the main dining room pants and a collared shirt or dress are encouraged and slightly nicer park clothes for enjoying the lounge. The photo above is from a visit when we just ate in the lounge. The below photo is from a dinner in the main restaurant.

I always try to have the correct elevated clothes on when I get a chance to visit! Generally the Club 33 dress code is not super strict and only meant to create a floor on what people are wearing at the Club. If you get the chance to dine in the club I highly recommend going all out and wearing a coat jacket or dress to really elevate your experience. There is something very cool about walking through Disneyland in the nicer dress clothes. People in the parks will sometimes wonder where you're headed or look on in knowing jealousy.

Club 33 Locations Around the World

Since the original Club 33 at Disneyland opened in 1967 there have been six additional theme parks that are home to Club 33's added to Disney Parks around the world. While they all share the Club 33 name, they are all independent of each other and do not share reciprocity with the other clubs

Walt Disney World added its first Club 33 lounge in 2018 and now there are Club 33 lounges in Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. I have personally only been to the Club 33 location in Hollywood Studios. I did take the above pictures of the Magic Kingdom location entrance which is located just inside Adventureland on the right hand side during my recent trip. You can read more on the Walt Disney World Club 33 here.

There are also Club 33 locations a Tokyo Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. Below, see me taking the obligatory “let me in” photo at the Club 33 in Tokyo. That Club 33 is notorious for being the most difficult club location for western Disney fans to get into because the majority of members are Japanese business people and civic leaders.

That means that there are eight Club 33 locations in the world.

Plan Your Next Disneyland Vacation

Even without a membership to Club 33, your Disneyland vacation will be filled with fun secrets to find and rich history. Plus, you'll be able to find that Club 33 door!

The best way to get started planning your Disneyland vacation is by joining our exclusive newsletter which gives you access to content and deals that you won't find anywhere else. Sign-up for that here!

After that, make sure to check out our other articles that will help you maximize your fun at Disneyland.

1. Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Dapper Day
2. When to Visit Disneyland 
3. Ultimate Guide to Disneyland Rides and Attractions
4. Disneyland Restaurant Reviews
5. Best Disneyland Souvenirs

Thank you for joining us as we explore Disneyland's most exclusive destination, Club 33! Have a magical day!

Club 33 Disneyland Frequently Asked Questions