Disneyland may be one of the happiest places on earth, but even the biggest Disney fans won’t be able to get into one of Disneyland’s worst-kept secrets. Tucked away at the top of the staircase in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square is Club 33, an elite 5-star restaurant you can only access if you’re a member or invited by one. For those interested in joining, there’s a rumored 14-year waiting list. But its luxury isn’t the only reason the waitlist is so long; the process to become a member and its history is what makes this club so exclusive.
In 1964, the New York’s World Fair brought in 51 million people—and one of them was Walt Disney. (Check out this mysterious note he left behind before he died.) It was here that Walt began approaching large corporations with a preposition: to create what would be the most popular attractions in the world. Walt teamed up with Ford, General Electric, Pepsi-Cola, and the State of Illinois. The combination of these sponsors and Walt’s creative mind ultimately resulted in rides and attractions like “It’s A Small World,” “Ford’s Magic Skyway,” “Progressland,” and “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
