Disney fans are well-versed in the (not-so) secret society that exists deep in Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland. We are, of course, talking about Club 33, the exclusive and historic membership restaurant at Disneyland where Walt Disney famously intended to host VIPs and corporate sponsors.
Club 33 is the stuff of legends. Diehard Disney fans crave a visit to the restaurants and lounges, both for the rich history and perception of exclusivity. Just stepping foot inside those fabled doors is a top bucket list entry as a result, with joining Club 33 being the ultimate status symbol for affluent Disney aficionados.
Although hardcore fans are knowledgeable about Club 33, and able to point out its locations at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, the same is not true of the general public. Club 33 actually is shrouded in secrecy, and it’s not just a secret in the sense that Disney Vacation Club was once dubbed “Disney’s Best Kept Secret.” Most casual guests are oblivious to Club 33, which is by design. And what average Americans know about Club 33 is often more myth and urban legend than accurate history.
This is because Disney has avoided advertising Club 33. It’s all been word of mouth. It’s basically the antithesis of Disney Vacation Club, which is currently getting so aggressive with advertising that they’re opening a model showroom inside World Showcase at EPCOT. Club 33 is also a departure from very niche product offerings that are clearly aimed at the affluent, such as the abandoned Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser or the $100,000+ private jet Disney Parks worldwide “adventure” and the new Cotino Storyliving by Disney communities.
By contrast, Club 33 encourages its members to behave with decorum and discretion, and actually has policies aimed at reducing awareness. For example, no photos are allowed inside the Walt Disney World lounges. This is undermined a bit by the ever-increasing abundance of merchandise emblazoned with the Club 33 logo. Nevertheless, we were surprised to open up the Disneyland app and find that it’s now advertising Club 33. Here’s what the new page reveals:
Learn about the legendary private Membership club founded by Walt Disney at the Disneyland Resort.
Benefits of a Club 33 Membership: Members enjoy special access and exceptional service at Club 33 locations within the Disneyland Resort. Each venue offers distinct dining and unique experiences, blending refined elegance with Disney magic.
Club 33 Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Club 33? Club 33 is a private Membership club founded by Walt Disney, offering various curated experiences for its Members, including access to exclusive dining locations at the Disneyland Resort.
- How do I join Club 33? To express interest in a Club 33 Membership, fill out the Membership Interest Form.
- I filled out the Membership Interest Form for Club 33. Why haven’t I heard back? We appreciate your interest in Club 33 at the Disneyland Resort. Club 33 may contact you as Membership opportunities become available.
- What is the dress code for Club 33? All individuals are required to wear appropriate clothing at all times while at Club 33. View the dress code policy on the Club 33 website.
The big question for me: why is Disney suddenly advertising Club 33?
There are several possible explanations for Disneyland starting to advertise Club 33.
The most straightforward and least interesting explanation is that the cat’s out of the bag thanks to social media and the ubiquitous Club 33 merchandise. It’s possible all of this has resulted in a lot of questions for Cast Members about Club 33.
Rather than the company continuing to play coy, the company might as well evolve with the times and include a blurb on Club 33 in the Disneyland app. Perhaps that’ll reduce the questions and make life easier for Cast Members. (I would imagine CMs in New Orleans Square hear the same “jokes” about accessing the club on a regular basis.)
Another possibility is that now is an advantageous time for Disney to raise Club 33 awareness.
Almost a year ago, it was revealed that Disney was working on a Club 33 murder mystery movie. The project was being written by Darren Lemke, with Director Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Dan Cohen producing. The Club 33 project was said to exude the tone and vibes of Clue and Night at the Museum.
The murder mystery movie’s story centers on Kim, a young aspiring detective living in present-day New York, who receives a mysterious invite to the highly secretive Club 33. In the movie adaptation, it’s said to be a magical and exclusive dining club that exists outside of time and space. The club’s members are the greatest and most iconic members from the past: geniuses, royalty and history-makers. When a murder is committed on Club 33 premises, the patrons look to Kim to solve it.
Given that it’s been almost a year since we’ve heard anything about the Club 33 murder mystery movie, I’m reluctant to view this as the explanation. There have been several theme park IP adaptations announced or rumored over the last several years, and most of those are still in development purgatory or have been cancelled completely. Seth Rogen’s take on Figment now seems dead, as is Society of Explorers and Adventurers project and the whole Magic Kingdom Universe, as well as others I’m probably forgetting.
Another is a combination of the above–the Disney realizes the cat is out of the bag, is fine with raising awareness, and wants to better control the narrative.
Club 33 has been the subject of a lot of conspiracy theories over the last several years. I know this because if you Google “Club 33 History,” this article of ours is one of the top results. That post has received a lot of comments since 2020 addressing these conspiracies, almost none of which have made it through the moderation filters because…even for the internet, they’re pretty shocking. (Someone should give these folks Creedthoughts accounts instead.)
I am not joking–I wish I were. A lot of people believe truly scandalous and unsettling things about Club 33. I do not recommend going down that rabbit hole unless you’re prepared to be deeply disturbed. I made that mistake after we got some truly insane comments and tags on social media. I wish I didn’t.
If this is what Disney is attempting to debunk, I wish them the best of luck. We tried that, and instead of people embracing the facts, they accused us of being part of an elite cabal. Before you think that it might be fun to be part of an elite cabal, not in this case! They thought we were doing some pretty unsettling things, the least of which was Disney’s dirty work in reputation laundering Club 33. Anyway.
The most interesting explanation for Disney advertising Club 33 is another logical one, fulfilling the core purpose of marketing, which is to sell a product.
Historically, Club 33 hasn’t needed to be advertised because it sold itself. As a private club, it doesn’t have many members, and there was low turnover. There was a time when Disneyland had a years-long waiting list for Club 33, and you needed a good amount of luck (and the right financial “stats”) just to receive a response. Hence word of mouth being sufficient for marketing, and Club 33 being better off as a secret.
Over the last decade or so, initiation fees and dues have increased astronomically as lower-level membership tiers have been phased out from the new offerings. Maybe the value proposition just isn’t there and renewals are down? (We know members on both coasts, and my perception is that Club 33 at Walt Disney World is more worthwhile even if it lacks the history.)
On top of that, there’s seemingly a new ‘class’ of Club 33 members that are interested less in the club itself and more in buying and reselling the exclusive merchandise. There are literally thousands of listings on eBay for Club 33 items, most of which are brand new releases with massive markups.
It’s possible the luster has been lost for legacy members, who are now in a club for pirates (and not the cool kind–but eBay pirates). It’s also possible corporate members are losing interest. They could handle being in a club with a bunch of Disney dorks or pirates–but not both. That’s just too much.
Finally, maybe Disney advertising Club 33 is a leading indicator of a slowdown for Disney. I’ll admit that this is a stretch, and perhaps a matter of us seeing what we’re wanting to see. But this has been front of mind for a while, not just the last week. Consumer confidence has been on the decline as fears of a recession have gone up. We’ve been wondering if what we’re already seeing with ticket discounts (and more) at the onset of Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary is the opening salvo in more aggressive efforts as a result.
Perhaps Disneyland is seeing this with Club 33, in tandem with declining renewals and a shrinking waiting list for a combination of the aforementioned reasons. It’s not as if a few weeks of economic uncertainty would result in plunging Club 33 memberships–that’s not how it works. But there could be concerns based on trendlines, early red flags, etc.
It’s also worth pointing out that Disneyland just suspended Magic Key sales again; if there were truly fears about the economy, they’d want to capture as many of those as possible. (Hence the possibility that this explanation is a stretch.) Regardless of the explanation, this advertisement for Club 33 piqued our curiosity. Despite it being not-so-secret to Disney diehards, Club 33 is still an intriguing subject–and not one we often have an excuse to cover. With a range of potential possibilities for Club 33’s inclusion in the app, we thought it was a topic worth discussing.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think about Disney advertising Club 33 in the Disneyland app? Think it’s due to declining membership numbers or increasing numbers of questions from regular guests? About trying to debunk myths and urban legends about Club 33? All of the above? Agree or disagree with our assessment? Any other thoughts, insights, etc? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!