Updated April 2026 — Complete guide to Club 33 at Disneyland: the history, what’s inside, membership cost, how to get in, perks, and whether you’ll ever actually visit.
Club 33 is the most famous secret in Disneyland. A private members-only club tucked behind an unmarked door in New Orleans Square, it has existed since 1967 and remains one of the most coveted and least accessible experiences in any theme park in the world. Most guests walk past it dozens of times without knowing it’s there. This guide covers everything — what it actually is, what’s inside, how much it costs, how membership works, and the realistic ways a non-member might ever get through the door.
What Is Club 33?
Club 33 is a private, invitation-only membership club located inside Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was conceived by Walt Disney himself as a private lounge where he could entertain corporate sponsors, dignitaries, and VIP guests — a place to step away from the crowds while still being inside the park. Walt died in December 1966, just months before the club officially opened in 1967, but Disneyland carried his vision through to completion.
The name comes from the club’s address: 33 Royal Street in New Orleans Square. The original location is accessed through an unmarked door with only a subtle address plaque — no signage, no logo, nothing that would tip off a passerby that one of the most exclusive dining clubs in the country is on the other side.
Today, Club 33 has expanded beyond that original location. At Disneyland Resort, members also have access to 1901 Lounge at Carthay Circle in Disney California Adventure — named for the year Walt Disney was born.
What’s Inside Club 33?
The original Club 33 in New Orleans Square occupies two floors above the Royal Street shops. The interior is elegant and immaculately themed — influenced by the French Quarter architecture and New Orleans design sensibility of the land it sits in. Antique furnishings, original Disney artwork, and memorabilia from the park’s earliest years make it feel like a living museum of Disney history as much as a fine dining club.
Walt Disney’s personal touches are preserved throughout the original space. He designed several elements himself and the famous “Trophy Room” — a lounge featuring taxidermy and period décor — remains largely as he intended it. An original speaking tube (an early precursor to what would have been an intercom system) is still in the entry foyer.
Dining
Club 33 offers a full fine dining experience — white tablecloth service, an extensive wine and cocktail program, and a rotating seasonal menu of elevated cuisine. The food quality is consistently described as among the best at the resort, comparable to Napa Rose at the Grand Californian. The menu changes regularly and features California-inspired dishes with French and Creole influences that complement the New Orleans Square setting.
The Lounge
Members and their guests can access the private lounge areas for drinks and lighter bites without a full dining reservation. The bar program is sophisticated — this was historically the only place in Disneyland where alcohol was served, before Oga’s Cantina and other locations eventually expanded alcohol service to the broader park.
1901 Lounge at DCA
The California Adventure counterpart to Club 33 is located on the second floor of the Carthay Circle building — the grand replica of the theatre where Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered in 1937. 1901 has a different character from the New Orleans Square original: lighter, more art deco California in its aesthetic, with cocktails and lighter bites in addition to a dining menu. Views overlooking Buena Vista Street from the second-floor terrace are exceptional.
Club 33 Membership Cost
Disney does not publicly disclose Club 33 pricing. What is known comes from court documents, verified industry sources, and member disclosures. Costs vary by membership tier and are subject to change.
| Cost Type | Disneyland Club 33 | Disney World Club 33 |
|---|---|---|
| Initiation fee (one-time) | ~$25,000–$35,000 | ~$33,000–$35,000 |
| Annual dues | ~$12,000–$15,000/year | ~$15,000–$16,000/year |
| Corporate membership | Higher tier — varies | Higher tier — varies |
All figures are estimates based on court documents and verified reporting. Disney does not confirm pricing publicly.
To put this in context: a standard individual Disneyland Club 33 membership costs approximately $35,000 to join plus $15,000 per year in annual dues. Over five years that’s roughly $110,000 before any dining or event spending inside the club. Corporate memberships — which allow businesses to bring clients and executives — are structured differently and priced higher.
A lawsuit filed by former members Scott and Diana Anderson — who claimed Disney wrongfully revoked their membership — provided the most detailed public disclosure of Club 33 Disneyland costs, confirming annual dues of $31,500 in that case. The Andersons reportedly spent approximately $400,000 fighting the legal battle.
How to Get Into Club 33
There are three realistic ways to experience Club 33:
1. Become a Member
Membership is by invitation only. You cannot simply apply and pay — Disney selects members through a process that isn’t publicly documented. To express interest, Disney provides a Membership Interest Form on the official Club 33 page at disneyland.disney.go.com. Submitting this form puts you on a list — Disney’s FAQ acknowledges that they may contact you “as membership opportunities become available,” which is as close to confirming a waitlist as they get officially.
The waitlist has been rumored to be anywhere from 5 to 15 years long, though Disney doesn’t confirm this. Known members over the years have included celebrities, executives, and prominent Disney enthusiasts — the process appears to prioritize those with industry connections and significant financial means alongside their Disney devotion.
2. Be a Guest of a Member
Members can bring guests. This is the most realistic way for a non-member to experience Club 33 — knowing someone who holds a membership and securing an invitation. Members are limited in the number of guests they can bring and typically must accompany their guests in person. If you happen to know a Club 33 member, this is your path.
3. Corporate Access
Corporate memberships allow companies to bring clients and associates to Club 33 as a business entertainment vehicle. If you work for or with a company that holds a corporate membership, you may be invited as part of client entertainment. This is more common than it sounds — corporate memberships are actively used for relationship-building in industries adjacent to entertainment, hospitality, and real estate.
Club 33 Member Perks
Beyond the private dining and lounge access, Club 33 membership includes a range of perks that make the steep cost more understandable for frequent park visitors:
- Annual park passes — members receive Disneyland Resort annual passes included with membership, eliminating what would otherwise be a significant recurring cost
- Priority access to attractions — Lightning Lane access and VIP queue arrangements that reduce wait times across the resort
- Behind-the-scenes access — exclusive tours including access to the Disneyland Resort Dream Suite, one of the most requested experiences at the resort
- VIP events — five exclusive VIP tours or experiences per year, plus invitation to member-only events throughout the year
- Merchandise — access to exclusive Club 33 branded merchandise not available anywhere else. Club 33 pins and collectibles are among the most sought-after items in the Disney collecting community
- Dining priority — preferred reservations at Club 33 and 1901 Lounge, plus priority access to other resort dining
- Concierge service — personalized assistance for resort visits, reservations, and experiences
For a family or corporate member who visits Disneyland frequently — multiple times per year — the value of the annual passes alone offsets a meaningful portion of the annual dues. Magic Key annual passes at the highest tier cost approximately $1,500 per person; a family of four would spend $6,000 on passes annually, making the membership math slightly less extreme than it appears at first glance.
The History of Club 33
Walt Disney began planning Club 33 in the early 1960s as Disneyland grew into a major destination for corporate partners and world leaders. He wanted a private, elegant space where he could personally host the sponsors and dignitaries whose support helped fund the park — a place where a proper business dinner could happen inside the magic rather than at a hotel across the street.
Walt personally designed elements of the space and selected furnishings. He even installed the famous speaking tube in the entry foyer — originally intended to be connected to an intercom system for entertaining guests. Walt died on December 15, 1966, before the club opened. Club 33 officially welcomed its first members on May 15, 1967, under the leadership of his wife Lillian Disney, who helped see his vision through.
For decades, Club 33 was known only among those who belonged to it or had been invited as guests. Disney made no public acknowledgment of the club’s existence for much of its early history. The internet era changed this — by the 2000s, Club 33 had become one of the most discussed Disney “secrets,” and photographs and accounts of the interior began circulating online despite Disney’s efforts to keep the experience private.
In 2012, Disney restructured Club 33 membership significantly, updating the tier system and reportedly clearing the old waitlist. The club expanded to Walt Disney World in 2018 with locations at all four parks. The original New Orleans Square location remains the most historically significant and most coveted.
What’s the Difference Between Club 33 and 1901?
Both venues are included in a Disneyland Resort Club 33 membership, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characters:
| Club 33 | 1901 Lounge | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | New Orleans Square, Disneyland Park | Carthay Circle, Disney California Adventure |
| Founded | 1967 | 2012 |
| Theme | French Quarter elegance, Disney history | 1930s California art deco, Hollywood Golden Age |
| Vibe | Formal, historical, intimate | Lighter, more social, cocktail-forward |
| Named for | 33 Royal Street address | Walt Disney’s birth year (1901) |
| Views | New Orleans Square from above | Buena Vista Street terrace views |
Can You Visit Club 33 Without a Membership?
No — there is no walk-up access, no public reservation system, and no way to pay for entry without a membership or a member’s invitation. Club 33 is genuinely invitation-only at every level.
This is what makes it categorically different from other premium Disney experiences. A VIP Tour, Fantasmic Dining Package, or World of Color Dessert Party can be purchased by anyone with the budget. Club 33 cannot. The exclusivity is structural, not just aspirational.
The closest non-member experience to Club 33 is the Dream Suite — an exclusive apartment above Pirates of the Caribbean that Walt Disney designed for overnight stays. Access to the Dream Suite is one of the Club 33 member benefits and is occasionally made available through Disney promotions for non-members, though these opportunities are extremely rare.
Club 33 Quick Reference
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | 33 Royal Street, New Orleans Square, Disneyland Park |
| Also at | 1901 Lounge, Disney California Adventure; all 4 Disney World parks |
| Founded | 1967 (conceived by Walt Disney) |
| Access | Members and invited guests only — no public access |
| Initiation fee (Disneyland) | ~$25,000–$35,000 |
| Annual dues (Disneyland) | ~$12,000–$15,000/year |
| How to express interest | Membership Interest Form at disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/club-33/ |
| Waitlist | Unconfirmed — reportedly years-long |
| Photos allowed? | At Disneyland: yes (carefully). At Disney World: strictly prohibited. |
| Known members | Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Hanks, Elton John, Tiger Woods, Katy Perry (historical reports) |
Planning a Disneyland trip and want to get the most out of every experience — from the accessible to the extraordinary? Download the Enchanted Insider Disneyland Itinerary Guide — day-by-day plans, Lightning Lane strategy, and food recommendations updated for 2026.