For most of us plebeians, getting to eat at Disneyland’s Club 33 would be a dream come true. Heck, just even getting a glimpse inside would be super cool  (“Can I just use your bathroom? I promise no selfies!”). For others, it’s a reality.
Insider spoke to three lucky park goers who can hang their hat on the latter. Lily Hopkins, her brother Max, and his girlfriend Christina Martini all dined at Club 33 during the club’s 50th anniversary celebration June, thanks to a hook-up through Max’s co-worker.
Walt Disney came up with the idea for the Club, which was intended to entertain corporate sponsors and special guests near his home. But he died just six months before it opened in 1967. Club 33 underwent a huge makeover in 2014, riffing off the original design by Disney’s wife Lillian.
To gain entry into Club 33, members need only to swipe their membership cards; “regular” people must be buzzed in. Hopkins tells Insider:
After confirming your last name and reservation through a speaker outside the secret door, the staff buzzes you in and you enter a beautiful courtyard where they offer to take your photo before walking upstairs to the actual restaurant.
As Insider reports, membership costs up to $100,000 annually, with a reported $12,500 to $30,000 in additional annual fees. As of 2012, there was a 14-year waiting list for membership applicants.
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Good thing there are photos, including the ones Hopkins and Martini snapped, for us slack-jawed regulars to gawk at. Here are five fun facts about the exclusive club, in case you never plan on going yourself.
Club 33 is home to the only Disneyland restaurant that serves booze.
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There’s an homage to the Haunted Mansion inside the Club.
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The “Le Grand Salon” is Club 33’s restaurant.
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A staircase at the back of the Court of Angels leads up to the actual entrance to the Club.
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This is the original entrance to Club 33, pre-2014 renovations.
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