Disneyland's Exclusive Club Just Got Sued
Club 33 is a semi-secret, exclusive club that is located behind an unmarked door in New Orleans Square at Disneyland. There's a lounge and a dining room that's for members only, who reportedly pay $15,000 a year on top of a $50,000 initiation fee. But according to one couple who have sued the park after getting kicked out, all that luxury comes with a lot of drama, too.
Scott and Diana Anderson were executive members of Club 33 through their company, Carlton Enterprise, since 2012. Their membership granted them access to Club 33, plus the exclusive 1901 Lounge in California Adventure Park. They have sued Disneyland, claiming they were kicked out of Club 33 after they complained about bullying and harassment from the private group.
They claim everything went well until a new general manager started in 2016, and they say he changed the environment of Club 33, playing favorites and setting arbitrary internal rules. They say Scott emailed the manager to complain about a favored member "verbally attacking" a terminally ill person and "blatantly" sexually harassing female club members and workers. After that, the couple says they received a suspension letter that claimed Diana "used a raised voice," but the issue of harassment was never addressed.
Later, the Andersons say they were falsely accused of videotaping a performance at Club 33, which is against the rules, and were threatened with a suspension. And finally, Scott suddenly became ill at a fantasy football draft event, and club staff accused him of being drunk. They were suspended a second time, and then their membership was terminated in October.
The Andersons are asking for damages, claiming they can't revoke their membership without due process. Their attorneys say Disney may have kicked them out to make room for younger members. "There is a waiting list to become a Club 33 member. It's our belief that new management has been told to force the older members out so they can bring in new members and charge them more with less benefits," Sean Macias, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys, told the Orange County Register. "They're looking for any excuse. If you complain, you're out. If you're ill, your membership will be suspended."
Disneyland claims the couple's behavior is what got them the boot. "Like other private clubs, Club 33 has rules and regulations that address, among other things, member conduct," Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown told the Los Angeles Times. "All members must abide by these rules and regulations so that all members may enjoy Club 33 benefits without disruption. In this case, the termination of membership was due to multiple violations of Club 33 rules."
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