Cracking the Disney Code: My Exclusive Journey Inside Club 33
I, for one, have always dreamed of stepping inside that famous door of
Club 33 and sharing meal in the place that Walt once sat. It’s been on
my Disney bucket list for as long as I can remember. Disney’s Club 33
is one of the most exclusive “clubs” known to the "Disney Faniverse”.
Club 33 is located above the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction and
next to Walt Disney's former apartment. As the DisneyDose put it..
"Club 33 is one of the most elusive and secret locations at the
Disneyland Resort. Most guests walk past it every day without ever
knowing it's there or what's behind that famous door located in New
Orleans Square.
Only Disneyland Club 33 and their invited guests can visit Club 33, it
is not open to the general public, so there’s definitely an air of
mystery surrounding it which has fascinated guests for years.”
Membership into this club is by invite only and that waitlist has been
open and closed many many times due to the demand. According to some,
a membership initiation of more than $35k is required once approved
to join and that’s not all, it is accompanied by a minimum $15k annual
fee to keep the status. But if you are lucky enough, you can step
inside this top secret place for a meal at the invite of a member….I
mean, if you don’t have that kind of “spare change” laying around. All
joking aside though, if I win the lottery, it’s my first purchase
without a doubt!
Keep in mind there is a stringent dress code to dine here AND your
meal is a prefix four course meal of heavenly food, drinks, and
dessert surrounded by the mystique of this illustrious location. Once
you ring that famous doorbell, you are greeted by the amazing cast
members that stand watch over the Club. They whisked us quickly inside
into the beautiful New Orleans inspired Court of Angels. Fountains,
staircases, and an opportunity for photographic proof that you made it
inside the secret lair await you here until you are ready to be
seated. Once it’s your time for seating, you come up the stairs to
that famous mosaic floor greeting you with its beautiful 33! And as
you go through the doors, if you are lucky, you may even hear some
welcoming comments from Alfred, the vulture hanging out at the top of
the grandfather clock! I was lucky enough to see him in his Halloween
best!
As you pass thru the hall to Le Grand Salon you’ll notice lots of art
and collectibles, BUT, near the end of the hall was my all time
favorite tidbit in this beautiful club, the side table used in the
original Mary Poppins movie seen in the foyer of the Banks’ home.
Literal classic Disney history right before your eyes! Once we were
done admiring all the beautiful pieces, we were seated for our meal.
The meal was as you would expect, over the top amazing. With flavorful
and stunningly presented courses one after another accompanied by more
than amazing service. You completely feel like royalty here from start
to finish. While dining you are permitted to go out onto the
balconies. This is a perspective of the Disneyland park that very few
people have the privilege to see and I was in awe. Overlooking New
Orleans Square unbeknownst to the park guests below was completely
surreal. Like being a part of a bougie Disney dream.
You are most likely thinking, how in the heck did you get in there?
Well, that is a secret that I will continue to hold dear to my heart
and not share out of pure respect and gratefulness for this
unbelievable opportunity. I have to say that it was all I had imagined
and more. But to be truly candid, it wasn’t the secretiveness or the
exclusivity, it was most definitely not the bougie feeling of being
inside this space or even overlooking that park from that secret
“hideout” without being seen, I am still in awe that I got to sit down
and enjoy a meal surrounded by the essence and memory of Walt Disney
himself in a place that her frequented and truly loved. I will never
forget my time at Club 33 and I will be forever grateful!
