If you’re a Disneyland or Walt Disney World nerd, you have probably heard rumors about the fabled Club 33 or even how to visit Club 33. It’s a super secretive club that only an elite group of people get to join. Membership comes with all sorts of perks and a restaurant that carries only the finest cuisine.
But what if you’re not a member? After all, only a few people actually have that privilege and some years they may only offer one or two more spots to those on the mile-long waiting list. You might as well try to get Avengers: Endgame tickets the day of the premiere.
Luckily, there are ways to get inside without paying the membership fees. So, how to visit Club 33 at Disneyland or Walt Disney World without being a member? Let’s find out…
What Is Club 33?
Before we dive into how to visit Club 33 at Disneyland or Walt Disney World without having a membership, we need to talk about what exactly Club 33 actually is. According to Disney’s website, “Club 33 is a private Membership club with a variety of tailored experiences for its Members.”
One other very small tidbit the Disney website offers is that “members enjoy special access and exceptional service at the Club 33 locations.” They add that “each venue is uniquely themed to represent Walt and Lillian’s adventures around the world.”
If you want to know more, you’re all out of luck, at least according to the official Disney sources. In fact, if you go to the official Club 33 webpage, there is quite literally zero information. See the screenshot below:
Not exactly very enlightening, but that’s the whole point, isn’t it? What would a secret club be without…well…secrecy?
Besides that very simple definition, there are some facts known about Club 33. For starters, Club 33 was founded by Walt Disney himself! That’s right, the Man with the Mouse founded the private club at his parks.
How Much Is a Club 33 Membership?
I’ll keep this one short and sweet, because the numbers will speak loudly enough for themselves. Keep in mind, too, that these figures can change at any time.
That being said, according to Eater in 2013, the initiation fee was $25,000 per person and the annual membership fees were $10,000 a year.
Did you faint? Are you on the floor? Is your jaw on the table or resting on your cellphone?
Yeah, me too.
What Does Club 33 Look Like?
Before we get into how to visit Club 33, let’s take a look at what we might get a chance to see once we’re actually inside.
Lucky for us, a user on Instagram, who goes by the name of @Disneyland33Member, used to post pictures from inside the fabled halls of Club 33 quite regularly (and even received some flack for it from time to time).
Here are some of my favorites from this Club 33 member’s special feed of Disney photography. (Note: some photos from Club 33 at Tokyo Disney.)
Another visitor to Club 33 has posted some absolutely gorgeous photos. Take a look at a selection of their photos below as well.
So, do you want to visit even more than ever before now? Because I most certainly do!
Why Number 33?
This is a fun question, because there is lots of mystery surrounding it (as well as how to visit Club 33, but more on that in a moment). The Official Disney party line is that the Club was so named due to its address at 33 Royal Street in New Orleans Square at Disneyland.
One fan site dedicated to Club 33 has more secretive (and speculative) details about how the secret organization within the parks got its peculiar name. According to their sources, the club did not have a name when Walt Disney died, so they needed to give it a title. The fan site’s source is Roger Craig, a man who worked at Club 33 for many years. He says that the name comes from the 33 original sponsors of the Disneyland Park.
So, which one was it? Was it just the address itself? Or was there a more secretive, exclusive reasoning for the title of the restaurant and membership club? In truth, we may never know which story is the actual source of the name for Club 33.
To be honest, I’m fine with that. A little bit of mystery can go a very long way…
How to Visit Club 33 Without a Membership
Okay, now that that’s out of the way, we can dive into how to visit the Club 33 restaurant without actually being a member.
First of all, Club 33 originally opened at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, shortly after Walt’s death. There is now another location at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, as well as one in Disneyland Tokyo and Shanghai.
Once you’ve decided which one you want to visit, there are two ways for how to visit Club 33 without a membership.
FOR THE FIRST OPTION, you need to do one very important thing: become friends with someone who is a member of Club 33. That’s right. Friends and family of Club 33’s members can dine at the restaurant under a member’s reservation.
There are a few rules to this, though. One, sometimes the Club 33 member has to be present for the meal. Two, guests of members can only dine at La Grand Salon.
Other than these two very small caveats, dining at Club 33 is actually very simple and easy. You simply need to know someone that has a membership, and they need to be willing to let you use that membership to dine there.
Since they will need to approve the reservation, you will likely be much better off just having them book the meal for you. Further, it needs to probably be about 2 months in advance. So, if you have a big day coming up, find your Club 33 member friend well in advance, so you don’t miss your opportunity.
FOR THE SECOND OPTION, you simply need to work at a company that has a corporate membership. In other words, you personally do not need to be a member. Only your company needs to have the membership to Club 33.
According to one source, up to 9 people can use the corporate membership to make a reservation. They recommend just sending over a quick email to your Human Resources department. Your HR team should have the answers for how to visit Club 33 using the corporate membership. Keep in mind that often only high level employees get access to it, but it is most definitely still worth asking!
So, those are the two main ways for how to visit Club 33 for anyone at all. Granted, there are still a few requirements, but at least you don’t have to pay the massive membership fees. Not even Scrooge McDuck would want to do that!
Oh, Boy!
Oh, boy, indeed! With this information, virtually anyone can figure out how to visit Club 33 without actually being a member. If you can find someone that is a member (and be BFFs with that person…), you’re in! Likewise, if your company has a corporate membership (and you’re allowed to make use of it…), hop on that train right away!
What do you think about Club 33? Have you ever been? Are you a member? Let me know in the comments or on social media!
Have a magical day!
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Neal Tucker is one of the world’s most engaging Disney influencers, with thousands of views and responses across his blog, podcast, and social media profiles every month.
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