Club 33
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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, you can see the Blue Bayou restaurant; however, 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 members are also privileged with access to the park 365 days a year. Club 33 offers individual and corporate memberships. The waiting list currently is in excess of 10 years!
As of October 2006 the current membership levels are Corporate Membership, Limited Corporate Membership and Gold Membership. The Silver Membership is not currently being offered.
Initian fees and annual dues vary by membership. The Corporate Membership fee is $20,000 with the primary member annual fee of $5,825. Up to nine associate members can be designated at an annual fee of $4,375. The Limited Corporate Membership fee is $10,000 with only one member at an annual fee of $4,375. The Gold Membership is for an individual with a member fee of $9,500 and an annual fee of $3,175.
The Corporate and Limited Corporate Memberships allow for transfer of members. The Gold Membership is not transferable.
Members at any level are allowed to make reservations 90 days in advance. Members at any level can make guest reservations sixty days in advance.
Club members and one guest are allowed complimentary admission to Disneyland. Unaccompanied Member guests with reservations at Club 33 are allowed admission to Disneyland by picking up passes at Guest Relations. 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 that "33" looked. Another, given by a Club 33 employee, says that since Walt wanted to serve liquor in the Club (It remains the one place in The Magic Kingdom where alcohol is served) 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 Blvd 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. And 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 simply the address assigned to the door by chance.
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" made as a novelty for the corporate elite. This gave him the idea that culminated in Club 33, originally designed for the use of Disneyland's Corporate sponsors and other industry VIPs. When the design of New Orleans Square was planned, this special area for corporate sponsors and VIPs was included in it. After Disney's death, Club 33 was opened up to individual members also.
Guests enter the ornate lobby and have the option of going to the dining level via an antique-style glass elevator. The elevator 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. Once at the dining level, guests can view antique furniture pieces collected by Lillian Disney as well as furnishings used as props in Disney films. There is a fully functional glass telephone booth just off the elevator which was used in The Happiest Millionaire, and an ornate walnut table with white marble top which 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 to order 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. It can be played by anyone who sits down 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 at least partially installed and remains so to this day. An Audio-Animatronic condor is perched in one corner of the club's "Trophy Room." The microphones remain in the room's lighting fixtures and are clearly visible at the bottom of each. 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 "Disney 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 are allowed to be photographed in the elevator but are not allowed upstairs.
A second Club 33 is located in Tokyo Disneyland. Rather than being located in New Orleans Square, it is located on Center Street off Main Street. Members of Disneyland's Club 33 do not have reciprocal privileges in the Tokyo club.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Club 33 Information: a fan website with information about Club 33.
- Club 33 review: a MousePlanet review of Club 33.
- mkt3000.com - A photobloggers account of Club 33
- mkt3000.com - Another photoblog by the same blogger
- snopes.com - Snopes article on Club 33
- Mickey the Mason - Orange County Weekly review of Club 33
Note: these websites are not official representations of Disneyland or Club 33.
