Inside Club 33

Another secret corner of Disneyland is the legendary Club 33. Named for its address at 33 Royal Street in New Orleans Square, this private club and restaurant above Pirates of the Caribbean was established as a place where Disney executives and family members could entertain friends and business clients. For years, a wait list was kept for those interested in potentially becoming members of Club 33. The list got so long, it was ultimately closed.

For those lucky enough to be members (or the invited guest of a member), a special and exclusive experience awaits just beyond the entrance door. The doorway leads to a small lobby with a staircase and elevator leading up to the club on the second floor. The lift is actually an exact replica of one Walt saw on a trip to Paris. It's the old-fashioned cage variety with folding doors.

Throughout the club's lobby and two dining rooms are genuine antiques selected by Lillian Disney, as well as pieces used in Disney films such as Mary Poppins.

As part of that special 1996 tour of Disneyland I wrote about yesterday, our group also had the privilege of not only visiting Club 33, but dining there. In the photo below, I'm pictured with Dave Smith and Robert Tieman from the Walt Disney Archives, along with the glass phone booth from Disney's The Happiest Millionaire.

Of course, this was before the advent of digital photography, and I was more interested at the time in enjoying the fabulous food and fascinating company. As a result, I don't have any personal pictures of the dining rooms themselves, although I'm sure the curious can find plenty of examples elsewhere online.

What I do have for you, though, are more pictures from the tour, including peeks backstage and a trip aboard the Lilly Belle. Check back tomorrow, when I'll be sharing it all with you.

Dreaming Down in New Orleans

When New Orleans Square was being built in the 1960s, Walt Disney envisioned a private apartment above the guest areas where he could entertain friends, family and business associates. Walt Disney passed away before New Orleans Square was completed, and the apartment idea was shelved. In 1987, the space above the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean was opened as The Disney Gallery. The Gallery operated there for two decades before moving to Main Street so Walt's vision of a dream apartment could finally be realized.

Opened in early 2008 as part of the Year of a Million Dreams promotion, the Disneyland Dream Suite brought to spectacular life the designs and plans originally commissioned by Walt Disney so many years ago. Imagineering artist Dorothea Redmond, who had previously done illustration and set design for films ranging from Gone with the Wind to Rear Window, produced a series of watercolors as design inspiration for the suite.

Today's Imagineering team went back to those designs and recreated them as closely as possible. The sitting room (above and below) is the first room of the Dream Suite guests experience. Decorated in a French Provincial style inspired by the New Orleans surroundings, the room has been plussed with some unique Disney touches.

There's a full-size carousel horse at one side of the room, as well as wall paintings of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria and the Chateau Chenonceau in France, the real-world inspirations behind the look of Sleeping Beauty Castle. The castle itself is seen in silhouette on the fireplace screen, behind which a faux flame sparks with magical fireworks. Those who really know their Disney history will even appreciate the small mechanical bird in a cage on the mantle. It's a working replica of one Walt Disney purchased on a trip to New Orleans, inspiring him toward the creation of Audio-Animatronics.

Off the main sitting room are two bedrooms. The decor of the one closest to Adventureland takes its cue from that exotic realm. At bedtime, a special "kiss goodnight" effects show transforms the room into a tropical paradise as mermaids appear in the painting above the bed and a familiar pirate ship silhouette soars across the face of the moon.

The Adventureland bedroom connects to the other side of the Dream Suite by way of an open air patio. The patio is especially beautiful at night, illuminated by Chinese lanterns and the flickering glow of fireflies (more Imagineering magic, of course).

The other bedroom in the suite draws inspiration from Frontierland, with dark woods accompanied by model trains and ships. A copy of Peter Ellenshaw's iconic painting of Disneyland hangs above an antique cast-iron stove.

As with all the rooms of the suite, details abound. Take this chandelier, for example, complete with spurs and sculpted bison... not to mention the distinctive Disneyland "D" on each gas key.

Hidden Disney elements are everywhere in the Disneyland Dream Suite. The "kiss goodnight" moment in the Frontierland bedroom sends the model trail chugging along the ledge, bringing to life the model vignettes seen there. One of these vignettes depicts a small band beside a sign labeled "ISIGNEY." This is actually a reference to Walt's family origins. The Disneys' earliest known relatives came from the village of Isigney on the northern coast of France. The name "d'Isigney" (of or from Isigney) was later anglicized, becoming "Disney."

Of course, the best known Disneys today are the brothers Walt and Roy. Their initials can be found in the ironwork (recently enhanced with gold leaf) of the Dream Suite's balcony, overlooking the Rivers of America.

It's a spectacular view and one of the best places in the park to watch Fantasmic! It's too bad neither Walt nor Roy ever got the chance to take it in themselves.

The Year of a Million Dreams has since ended, but the Disneyland Dream Suite still hosts the occasional guests, typically winners of a sweepstakes or other promotion tied to the park.

New Orleans Square Inside & Out

New Orleans Square, opened in 1967, was the first new land added to Disneyland and among the last projects overseen by Walt Disney himself. Today, it stands as one of my favorite spots in any Disney Park around the world. From the live jazz and delicious creole cuisine of the outdoor French Market to the twisting streets and back alleys with their shops and infinite details, I can easily spend half a day in New Orleans Square alone.

New Orleans Square is full of hidden gems, like the quiet Court des Anges, seen below in a festive moment as the cast of Princess Tiana's Mardi Gras Celebration wrap up a morning performance.

Of course, I always like finding small details that help tell the story of a place, and New Orleans Square is full of them. Take this plaque, for example. It depicts an old-fashioned hose and chemical wagon, along with the letters "D" and "L." This is the Disneyland version of a traditional fire insurance plaque. Homes having paid their insurance premiums would display this plaque on an exterior wall, so the fire department would know just which buildings to save first in the event of an emergency. (Click here for a similar detail from Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom.)

There's plenty to see at eye level, but visitors to New Orleans Square can also benefit by looking up. The "homes" on the second floor of the buildings are each dressed to tell us something about who might live there. There are artists and musicians... and a lady preparing to host guests for afternoon tea.

As fascinating as the exterior details of this land can be, the interiors are equally spectacular. Even if shopping isn't your thing, it's worth it to browse through what New Orleans Square has to offer.

One of the most beautiful and ornate is the Jewel of Orleans (formerly Mademoiselle Antoinette's Parfumerie). This space, like many of the interiors of New Orleans Square, was designed by Disney Legend Dorothea Redmond. The hand-painted mirrors seen here are originals, done by Dorothea in an ages-old style that involved applying details to the back of the glass one layer at a time. Even the antique chandelier has a story to tell. It was purchased by Walt Disney on one of his many trips to the Crescent City.

Other details in the shops of New Orleans Square are newer, but no less interesting. Each space has its own eclectic mix of fixtures and props, creating a real sense of a series of small, privately-owned boutiques.

Sometimes, the detailing is so clever, you may miss it unless you take a step back. I purchased something from this checkout counter in the Pieces of Eight shop, but it wasn't until I was walking away that I realized it was dressed as the Captain's quarters at the aft of a ship. I especially appreciated the keyboard, implying that the counter itself is part of an elaborate organ like the one played by Davy Jones.

The Frontierland Depot

Out at the edge of Frontierland (in what is now New Orleans Square) is the depot for the Disneyland Railroad. The original Frontierland Station was actually this small building (above), built using the plans for a railroad station set used in the 1948 Disney film So Dear to My Heart. After production wrapped, the set found its way to animator Ward Kimball's backyard railroad, Grizzly Flats. When it came time to build Disneyland, Walt Disney asked for it back, but Ward respectfully declined. Instead, Walt had a copy built for the park. (Another interesting note: The Disneyland version was later used as a set for the "Two Brothers" sequence in The American Adventure for Epcot.)

In 1962, as construction started for what would become New Orleans Square, the original depot was moved across the tracks to where it is today, and guests instead met arriving trains on a simple covered platform (below). While waiting for the next engine to pull in, though, you can take the time to admire that first station, sitting across the way. Be sure to listen, too, to the Morse Code tapping away in the telegraph office. It's actually excerpts from Walt Disney's opening day dedication speech.

Also across the tracks from where guests await the trains are a couple of other facades, shrouding the show building for Pirates of the Caribbean and telling part of the story of this section of Disneyland. Look for The Creole Hotel, where visitors arriving by train might spend a night or two, and New Orleans Trading Company, handling imports and exports delivered by train or ship.

Among the most interesting details on these facades are the iron anchor plates. Often found on masonry structures built in the 18th and 19th centuries, the plates on the exterior walls connected to tie rods running through the building to provide added structural support. Since the anchor plates were usually visible, they were often decorative, cast in the shape of stars or in this case fanciful X's.

There's one other detail in this area that I love. The importing of goods by train makes obvious sense, but what about the shipping? Sure, the Rivers of America runs along one side of New Orleans Square, but if that's the Mississippi to Disneyland's New Orleans, the Gulf would be on the other side of the city.

Well, stand at the railroad station and look to your left. Peeking above the buildings are the masts of sailing ships in port, implying a larger world beyond that which we can actually visit in the park. It's a detail which was likely more visible when New Orleans Square was young and its trees were smaller, but it's just as much fun to discover today!

Fortune Telling in Disneyland

Shrunken Ned, whom we visited at the Adventureland Bazaar in last Friday's article, is but one of a collection of unique fortune tellers to be found throughout Disneyland. Near the exit of Pirates of the Caribbean in New Orleans Square is Fortune Red. Originally part of the Pirates Arcade Museum, he now stands alone, ready to dispense a fortune card for those willing to depart with a bit o' treasure.

Meanwhile, over at the Penny Arcade on Main Street is Esmeralda, a gypsy fortune teller happy to predict the path your life might take. Dropping quarters into these contraptions and receiving a fortune card in return has been a popular pastime at Disneyland for decades.

To visit Fortune Red and have your, uh... fortune read, check out this page at SorcerersWorkshop.org.

The Disney Parks Blog had a great video of Esmeralda back in June. You can find that at this link.

To listen to the wisdom of Shrunken Ned (as well as Aladdin's Other Lamp and other Disneyland audio treasures), pay a visit to Theme Park Audio Archives.

Popcorn Revisited

While not characters in the traditional "meet and greet" sense, the little figures cranking away inside Disneyland's popcorn carts are just as fun to discover. I talked about these in an earlier post, on which DIZNEYFAN Philip commented that the spooky little guy at the cart near the Haunted Mansion gets changed out each year during the holiday season. Having recently visited The Happiest Place on Earth for HalloweenTime, I was able to snap this photo of Oogie Boogie working away in New Orleans Square.

On the same trip, I also noticed another figure I had previously overlooked. Serving up popcorn in a cart in Tomorrowland is none other than the Rocketeer! The Rocketeer himself had made appearances at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios during the summer of 1991 to promote the movie's release. Outside of a few cameos like this, however, he hasn't been seen since.

What's This?

Over the past week, we've visited with several Disney characters not seen regularly in the parks for various reasons. Some fall out of favor over time, while others are linked to special promotions. In the case of today's characters, they appear seasonally along with other characters or character costume overlays tied to specific holidays.

Right now at Disneyland Park, Haunted Mansion Holiday has brought the story of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas to the popular New Orleans Square attraction. Haunted Mansion Holiday runs from mid-September through early January. During this period, Jack Skellington and Sally can be found nearby, greeting their fans. You'll have to catch them soon, though, before they return to Halloweentown.

(Trash) Canned Art

Artistry and craftsmanship are the hallmarks of the Disneyland Resort. Everything is beautifully done, including the trash cans. Take a look at these examples of detailed and hand-painted cans, each a work of art that helps tell the story of the setting in which it's found.

At Disney's California Adventure, we travel from a bug's land with art inspired by the Disney-Pixar film a bug's life to the shores of Paradise Bay and the brightly-colored cans of the Paradise Pier oceanfront park. Near Mulholland Madness, it's the story of California car culture, where road signs and related graphics are most appropriate. Step around the bend into Golden State, and you'll first find yourself in the Grizzly Peak Recreation Area, styled after the National Parks of California. Further still, the area becomes Condor Flats, the Mohave desert headquarters for breakthroughs in aviation with cans inviting you and your fellow pilots to "Drop Your Debris."

Across the esplanade at Disneyland, the cans are more traditionally painted, but no less beautiful. From the filigree of Main Street and Fantasyland to the tropical prints of Adventureland and the refined lines of New Orleans Square, the work on the trash cans throughout Disneyland Park is top notch. It's especially interesting to see how the Jiminy Cricket icon has been worked into designs on recycling bins... completely original designs that complement the adjacent trash cans, but are unique unto themselves.

The Tiniest Cast Members

Although the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California is one of the smallest of the Disney Parks, it is packed with little details to discover. One of the most unique and fun can be found at the popcorn wagons throughout the park. Sure, other parks sell popcorn, but the wagons in Disneyland are the old-fashioned variety, each featuring a tiny figure cranking away on the mechanism inside. Here are just a few examples. From Frontierland, a straw hatter:

Over in New Orleans Square, a ghostly resident from the nearby mansion:

And in Fantasyland, even the Abominable Snowman himself is pressed into service, popping fresh corn for explorers daring the icy slopes of the Matterhorn: