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justshannon
03-28-2008, 08:07 AM
Is there a connection betwene the name of the secret club in Disneyland and Walt's final resting place?
From Snopes.com:
As you drive through the entrance of Forest Lawn Glendale, you will be on a road called Cathedral Drive. Stay on this road until you reach eastern edge of the park, where Cathedral Drive intersects Freedom Way. When you reach this intersection, turn right onto Freedom Way. You should quickly see a large court with trees and fountains and statues off to your left. This is Freedom Court. Keep driving until you reach the far end of Freedom Court, where a large mausoleum stands. Pull over to the right-hand side of the street and park. If you are in the right place you should see a '33' painted on the curb opposite your car, indicating that you are at 33 Freedom Way.
Walk up the steps leading to the mausoleum level, then follow the sidewalk and stop when you are directly in front of the mausoleum. You should now be standing at the base of the steps leading to the main entrance of the Freedom Mausoleum. Turn to your left and walk to the far edge of the steps (but do not go up the steps). You should find a small private garden in the area between the leftmost edge of the mausoleum steps and a brick wall enclosing a courtyard area. The garden is enclosed by a low fence with a gate; inside the fence is a plot of grass, a statue of a seraphim, and a marble bench. Open the gate and enter the garden. You should see an area of dirt planted with trees between you and the brick wall. On this wall, behind the trees, is a plaque listing the names of the people interred in this plot (Walter Elias Disney, Lillian Disney, Sharon Disney, and Robert B. Brown).
Is it merely a coincidence that the name of the secret club in Disneyland is Club 33? there are several theories floating around on the web, including that is is the address of the club, neccessary to obtain a California liquor liscense; that it is the number of sponsors (of the then 47) who voted to continue with the construction of the club after Walt's death; that if you take the 33 and turn it sideways you have "MM" for Mickey Mouse. But nowhere have I found any mention of the burial site also being 33 or any connection between the two.
Does anyone out there know something more about this?

oregontraveler
03-28-2008, 08:36 AM
I think its a coincidence. Of the many theories you mentioned, the official response from Disney is that Club 33 is so named because of the street address in NOS, 33 Royal Ave. (or Street) That's what the tour guide told us on the Walk in Walt's Footseps tour.

Heffalump
03-28-2008, 10:34 AM
I think I read in a book that it was the address of Club 33 being needed for the liquor license.

adriennek
03-28-2008, 10:49 AM
Except that I thought the license covered the entire park, not just Club 33, thus DLR can serve alcohol during private events, media events, movie premieres, etc.

Adrienne

MagicKingdomBoy
03-28-2008, 10:50 AM
I have read and heard several times that the name of the club is based on its address. Although they certainly didn't have to name the club after its street address obviously. But it is a cool name, isn't it.

dznyphreak
03-28-2008, 10:52 AM
I'm pretty sure Club 33's address is just for show...you couldn't address an envelope to "33 Royal St. New Orleans Square, DL" or Anaheim for that matter. It just wouldn't get there.

Alex S.
03-28-2008, 11:58 AM
It probably would. The Post Office would just deliver it to Disneyland and Disneyland would take it there if they wanted.

Wasn't it just late last year that Disneyland applied for a liquor license to cover the whole park (I seem to recall something about the application notice being displayed at the park entrance) and before that they were all on a location-by-location basis and special events applied for temporary license?

Bytebear
03-28-2008, 01:55 PM
From what I understand, only Main Street, USA is an official Anaheim street. No others are registered with the city. (Note: none of the internet map sites show any streets within the parks)

bradk
03-28-2008, 03:22 PM
i had only heard the liquor license story myself which i always considered plausible but not likely.. more of a good story than anything else.

my favorite 'coincidence' is that disneyland's address is 1313 s. harbor blvd. since the 13th letter of the alphabet is M, that would make their address MM.

Malcon10t
03-28-2008, 06:25 PM
Club 33 had the only liquor license. It was also used when there were catered events in the park where alcohol was served (only one I had been to was the Orange Grove Party.) They recently applied for a liquor license for the catering division to separate from Club 33. The number of people thinking beer would soon be served in the park while we were in line for the park in Oct was a riot.

tod
03-30-2008, 11:29 AM
I think I read in a book that it was the address of Club 33 being needed for the liquor license.

That seems to be incorrect, according to this post (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showpost.php?p=897021&postcount=13) of a few years ago.

Disneyland seems to no shortage of street addresses, and this one, at the West Street/Disneyland Drive gate, was used for a planned independent company to operate Club 33. Opus1guy -- now, apparently, an inactive member of MousePad -- has been an excellent source of information about Club 33, both factual and anecdotal. (Take a look at this (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showpost.php?p=453749&postcount=107).)

"33 Rue Royale" is a dummy address, for atmosphere purposes only.

--t

What's "Disney"?
03-30-2008, 12:28 PM
Supposedly 3 is Walt Disney's lucky number.

justshannon
03-30-2008, 06:17 PM
OK so apparently the liquor liscense thing is all anyone's ever heard. I was just wondering if there was a connection to the address on fake streets named in a cemetery and fake streets named in an amusement park. Since these are both at the discresion of the property owner. Just wondering if maybe Walt picked #33 when he bought the plots? Or if someone in the family, who knew the address of the gravesite suggested it in his honor? It's probably nothing; I just like conspiracy theories : )

TikiGeek
03-31-2008, 06:56 AM
I like this theory:

Walt was a 33rd degree Freemason - that's one guess.

From the OC Weekly:


So why 33? One theory is that Walt Disney was a 33rd Degree Freemason, the order’s highest level. And that number’s significance? It’s the age Jesus was said to have been when he was crucified. However, the Internet urban-legend debunkers at Snopes.com give their own elaborate explanation: after Walt passed away, 33 of the 47 amusement-park participants voted to create the semi-public club. This seems even less likely than the Freemason theory. Could Snopes.com be part of an elaborate Masonic conspiracy? Rice, an avid student of religious symbolism who has dined at the club a few times, says he looks for overt Masonic imagery whenever he’s there. The closest he has found to Masonic masonry is at the top of the windows, where there are designs that are almost shaped like an eye.


From Wiki:


There are various origins that have been claimed for the name "Club 33." One says that Club 33 was named for Disneyland's 33 sponsors at the time...


IMHO - Much like BB, it's way overrated.

bradk
04-02-2008, 05:39 PM
I thought that there was something about the freemasons denying disney was a member? for whatever that's worth.

this is what i've seen:


Walt Disney?
USA motion picture and television producer, Walter Elias Disney (1901/12/05 - 1966/12/15), was a member of the appendent organization for boys, DeMolay International. He was not a freemason. For reasons of their own, a few anti-masons, detractors of American pop culture and conspiracy theorists have referred to Disney as a 33º freemason but this claim is unfounded.

from http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/anti-masonry/anti-masonry03.html