A weekend at Disneyland Paris will cost you upwards of about £350. Going to the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California, will probably set you back about 10 times that.
However, there’s one “secret” Disney experience that money alone can’t buy. Disney’s Club 33, inspired by the exclusive VIP lounges company founder Walt Disney saw at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, has a years-long waiting list and a membership rumoured to include stars such as Tom Hanks, Mariah Carey and Tiger Woods.
Aussie actress Rebel Wilson was reportedly suspended from the club after posting a photo taken in one of its secret areas.
One disgruntled former member – who recently sued Disney after having her membership cancelled said: “It is a cult, and Walt’s the messiah.”
Despite the price of membership – a $35,000 (about £26,000) joining fee, plus annual dues of $15,000 (£11,500) – the list of wannabe members is very long, with people waiting 10 years or more to sample the exclusive delights, which include VIP passes allowing you to skip the queues for rides, complimentary park tickets for guests, private previews of new attractions, and behind-the-scenes tours.
The origins of the club’s name are shrouded in mystery, with some saying that it was inspired by the original address of the club entrance: 33 Royal Street, in New Orleans Square while others point out that the highest known tier of Freemasonry – Sovereign Grand Inspector General – is the 33rd degree.
Walt Disney had ascribed some of his early success to his membership of a masonic organisation, and even showed Mickey Mouse as a member in some early cartoons.
But for most Club 33 members, the greatest benefit is simply bragging rights, with dozens of Instagram posts showing delighted Disney fans exploring the antique-style clubhouse or sampling the menu at the gourmet restaurant.
Notably, the Club 33 restaurants are the only places that sell alcohol on Disney premises.
But recently, there’s been a little trouble in this Mickey Mouse paradise. Two former Club 33 members, Scott and Diana Anderson, recently sued Disney after being banned from the exclusive locations.
The Andersons, both 60, waited 12 years to receive their Club 33 invitation, paying $50,000 for their first-year dues alone, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
But five years after joining, they say the magic had begun to fade, and in 2017 Scott was allegedly found drunk and sleeping on a bench in the Club’ exclusive 1901 Lounge.
After having their membership cards torn up, the Andersons spent some $400,000 on legal action which they hoped would get them reinstated – and they were also demanding $231,000 in damages. After having their case thrown out of court, the Andersons decided to go pubic with the club’s secrets.
“The worst part with Club 33 is, conservatively, 80% of all members are selling access,” Diana Anderson claimed. “And they’re selling all the merchandise online. They’re making cottage industries off this place.”
Scott added that members were being forced to sell Club 33 souvenirs and access in order to claw back some of the sky-high fees: “A lot of it is to pay their dues. The dues today are $32,000, which is just insane.”
He says that there are different levels of membership, ranging from a $25,000 tier to a $40,000 VIP option.
“There was Silver, there was Gold. Then they created Platinum and Executive, and they forced the Silvers to come up to Gold. And the Gold had the option to go up to Platinum if they paid the Platinum dues,” he explained.
Scott claims that even celebrity members are selling access to the club: “A bigger scandal was actually Katy Perry offering access to the lounge for [charity] for $160,000.”