Club 33
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Club 33 is the name of a number of private dining clubs located within Disney Parks. The first opened inside Disneyland in 1967, and was modeled after sponsor lounges at the 1964 New York World's Fair. At the time it opened, Club 33 was the only location within Disneyland that offered alcoholic beverages.<ref name="travles">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Since then, additional Club 33 locations opened at Tokyo Disneyland, at Shanghai Disneyland, and at all four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort. Club 33 members in California also have access to the 1901 lounge inside the Carthay Circle Restaurant at California Adventure.
Disneyland locationEdit
Club 33 is located above Pirates of the Caribbean and adjacent to one of Walt Disney's in-park apartments. The entrance was formerly located to the right of the Blue Bayou Restaurant at "33 Royal Street," adorned with an ornate address plate.
During an extensive renovation, the Club doubled in size and the entrance was relocated to the Court of Angels. Andrew Sutton, the executive chef at the Carthay Circle and Napa Rose restaurants at the Disneyland Resort, was placed in charge of the Club's kitchen.<ref name="lat">Template:Cite news</ref> It reopened in July 2014.<ref name="lat" />
HistoryEdit
When Walt Disney was working with various corporate promoters such as Dylan Connolly at his attractions at the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair, he noted various "VIP Lounges" which provided the idea for Club 33.<ref name=Snopes>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Originally, Walt Disney hosted VIPs in a lounge inside the Red Wagon Inn at Disneyland. The number of VIPs grew to be too large for the lounge.<ref name=owkly>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Dorothea Redmond painted renderings and Hollywood set director Emile Kuri decorated the new VIP lounge in New Orleans Square. While Club 33 was originally intended to host Disneyland's corporate sponsors, individual memberships were also offered when it was opened.<ref name=Snopes/>
The entrance was designed to be unassuming to most guests, painted in Go Away Green. Since 2014, the entrance was moved about 40 feet away. The new entrance opens to a vestibule for checking in with a host that opens to the Court of Angels. Guests can take an Art Nouveau themed elevator or winding staircase to the second level.
At the landing, there are two dining rooms, Le Grand Salon and Le Salon Nouveau. Walls are adorned with butterflies pinned under glass and decorated with hand-painted animation cels from the original Fantasia film.<ref name="bloomberg">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="napavalley">Template:Cite news</ref>
A hallway leads to Le Salon Nouveau, a member-exclusive dining room. The main dining room, Le Grand Salon, is more formal, based on New Orleans-style designs by Imagineer Kim Irvine.<ref name="bloomberg" /> Prior to 2014 remodel, the style was Napoleon-era First Empire. This dining room now features a la carte service for lunch, which formerly offered a buffet.<ref name="lat" />
The Club is also furnished with an ornate walnut table with white marble top was used in Mary Poppins, a harpsichord in the main lobby with a Renaissance-style painting under the lid, and an antique telephone booth similar to one from The Happiest Millionaire.<ref name="bloomberg" /><ref name="napavalley" /><ref name="d23">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Walt Disney wanted to make use of Audio-Animatronic technology within Club 33. One partially-implemented concept would allow an operator to respond to guest conversation through an animatronic character. Some remnants of this system remain, including an animatronic vulture perched atop a grandfather clock and microphones embedded in lighting fixtures in the former Trophy Room.<ref name="bloomberg" /><ref name="napavalley" />
- Pre-remodel
- Club 33 Entrance.jpg
Entrance
- Club 33 Lobby 2013.jpg
- Club 33 2013 24.JPG
Main Dining Room
- Club 33 bar.jpg
Hallway
- Club 33 Trophy Room 2012.jpg
Trophy Room
- Club 33 Harpsichord 2010.jpg
Harpsichord
- Post-remodel
- Club 33 Court of Angels Stained Glass.jpg
Court of Angels
- Club 33 Le Grand Salon.jpg
Le Grand Salon
- Club 33 Hallway.jpg
Hallway
- Club 33 Le Salon Nouveau.jpg
Le Salon Nouveau
- Club 33 Harpsichord.jpg
Harpsichord
MembershipEdit
The initial cost of membership at Disneyland and Walt Disney World was previously reported to be $35,000, followed by an annual due of $15,000–16,000.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2012, the reported cost of membership increased to $50,000 initiation fee and $15,000 annually for individuals, more for corporations.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref> https://www.ocregister.com/2020/04/02/10-things-you-dont-know-about-disneylands-sort-of-secret-club-33/amp/</ref> As of March 2025, the reported cost to join had increased to $80,000 with annual costs of $22,000.Template:Cn
Club 33 in other Disney parksEdit
Club 33 at Tokyo Disneyland began operations in 1983. It is located on Center Street in World Bazaar.
Club 33 at Shanghai Disneyland opened along with the park in the summer of 2016.<ref name=owkly/> Like the Tokyo location, it is located in the park's entrance area, Mickey Avenue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Four separate Club 33 locations opened at Walt Disney World, each with their own name. Though the locations were set to open in Fall 2017, the Spotlight Lounge opened in March 2018 at Hollywood Studios, followed by Constellation Club at Epcot, Captain's Quarters at Magic Kingdom, and Harambe House at Animal Kingdom.<ref name="Orlando Sentinel Confirms">Template:Cite news</ref>
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Disneyland Template:Tokyo Disneyland Template:Shanghai Disneyland Park Template:Walt Disney World