Disney Ends Membership for Life After $400K Spent, All Over a Glass of Red Wine
What would you do if you spent $400,000 just to dine and drink at Disney, only to have your membership revoked for life?
At Disney World and Disneyland, while getting into the parks will cost you a pretty penny, especially if you are buying tickets for multiple people and multiple days, that cost is a drop in the bucket compared to what some elite guests choose to pay in order to have certain luxuries become available to them.
For example, one way to visit Disney often while staying at the nicest resorts on the property is through a Disney Vacation Club membership.
Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a timeshare program offered by The Walt Disney Company. Members purchase vacation points, which can be used to book stays at Disney resorts and other Disney experiences.
While DVC can be a valuable way to save on certain Disney vacations, it’s not suitable for everyone due to its limitations, high costs, and significant commitment. For dedicated Disney fans who are confident in their long-term interest, DVC may be a financially sound investment.
To join DVC, members must purchase a “real estate interest” in a Disney Vacation Club resort, which serves as their home resort. This involves a significant upfront cost of at least $30,000, plus closing costs starting at $380.
In addition to the initial purchase, members are subject to annual dues of approximately $900. The DVC membership contract typically extends for 50 years, making it a long-term commitment.
Considering the high cost and lengthy contract, joining DVC is a major decision that should not be taken lightly.
Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points differ from traditional loyalty program points in that they must be purchased rather than earned. While airline and hotel loyalty programs offer points as a reward for spending, DVC points require a significant upfront investment.
New DVC members in 2024 are required to purchase a minimum of 100 points, which cost over $22,500 at the current rate of $225 per point. For families of four planning a week-long summer trip to Disney theme parks, 275 points (approximately $61,875) are recommended per Nerd Wallet.
DVC members receive an annual allotment of points and can bank or borrow points from previous or future years to avoid expiration. However, even with 100 points, infrequent travelers or those seeking smaller accommodations during off-peak seasons may face limitations.
Of course, that is excluding ticket costs, food, drink, travel, and merchandise purchases that you will be making while on vacation.
Another popular luxury that big spenders like to have it the ability to enter Club 33.
Club 33 is available at multiple Disney parks, but the Disneyland version is the original and among the most popular.
With a lengthy waiting list, access is limited to members, VIPs, celebrities, and executives. Membership fees are substantial, with previous reports indicating a $25,000 initiation fee and annual dues of $10,000 for individuals. Corporate memberships are even more costly.
In addition to Club 33 at Disneyland, there’s also the 1901 Lounge inside Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disney California Adventure, which is exclusively accessible to Club 33 members.
But, when you join Club 33, even with such a high price tag, there are still rules that guests must follow in order to not have their membership revoked.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Scott and Diana Anderson spend nearly $125,000 annually on their frequent visits to Disneyland. They have now invested about three times that amount in an unsuccessful attempt to regain their membership to Disney’s exclusive Club 33.
The Andersons spent over a decade on the waiting list for Disney’s exclusive Club 33, finally joining in 2012 and paying annual dues of $31,500. The Arizona couple, both 60, made as many as 80 trips to Disneyland each year. However, their fairy tale ended abruptly on September 3, 2017, when Scott was accused of being intoxicated near the entrance of California Adventure.
Their Club 33 membership was revoked due to the club’s strict no-public-intoxication policy, and they have been battling to regain it ever since. Their legal struggle faced a setback on Tuesday when an Orange County jury ruled that Disney did not improperly revoke their membership.
“His breath smelled of alcohol quite a lot,” one of the guards said in court.
Testimony from the civil trial indicated that security guards reported Scott smelling strongly of alcohol, slurring his words, and having difficulty standing on the night in question. Attorney Sean Macias argued that Scott had consumed only three drinks, including red wine, which he claimed caused a vestibular migraine and the symptoms described.
Macias also pointed out a lack of evidence, noting that there were no surveillance videos, Breathalyzer results, or blood tests.
The couple wanted to argue that their expulsion was retaliation for complaining about another member’s behavior—the Daily Breeze reported that Scott had emailed management about a Club 33 member who allegedly verbally attacked a terminally ill fellow member. However, the judge did not allow this claim to be presented as evidence.
Scott expressed his determination to fight the decision, stating, “My wife and I are both dead set that this is an absolute wrong, and we will fight this to the death.” Diana echoed his sentiment, saying, “I’ll sell a kidney [to pay for the fight]. I don’t care.”
The September 2017 incident was not the Andersons’ first clash with Club 33 management. The previous year, Diana had faced a brief suspension for “using some salty language… a couple of F-words,” according to Macias.
Macias informed the jurors that the Andersons filed a lawsuit against Disney to clear their names. “He doesn’t want to be known as a drunk,” Macias said. “They love that place. They took the fight to Disney because it’s his reputation at stake.”
In their lawsuit, the Andersons sought reinstatement to Club 33 and requested a $10,500 reimbursement for four months of unused membership from 2017. They also demanded $231,000, which represents the value of seven years’ worth of club membership.
Jonathan E. Phillips, Disney’s attorney, emphasized that Club 33 membership guidelines strictly prohibit public intoxication. He argued that Scott Anderson’s actions, which violated these rules, resulted in the revocation of his membership. Phillips highlighted the credibility of the security guards, questioning their motive to lie.
The Andersons initially claimed that their membership was revoked as retaliation for their complaints about another club member’s behavior. However, the judge ruled against this line of evidence, which the Andersons viewed as a significant setback in their case.
Scott Anderson expressed his unwavering determination to fight for reinstatement, stating that he would not give up. He revealed that the lawsuit had cost him approximately $400,000, delaying his retirement plans.
Lately, we have seen Disney become even stricter about following the rules they set for guests. The inability to follow those rules has left guests unable to enter the park or even trespassed for life.
One rule that guests exploited for social media was the dress code.
While Disney does not have a black-and-white dress code, guests cannot dress in costume if they are older than 14, and they must be dressed appropriately for a family theme park. Cast members are able to make judgment calls on that, and in the past, if a guest was wearing something a little too “scandalous,” that guest would be able to pick a new clothing item from a store at Disney for free.
Disney did this as it was likely that the guest did not intend to break a rule, which was a fast way for them to resolve the issue without ruining the guest’s day. Once, a few TikTok’s went viral sharing this as a free clothing hack. However, things changed.
Disney now will not even let guests enter the park to purchase their own shirt; they must leave, change, and then return.
We have also seen many intoxicated guests not even gain a lifetime ban from Disney but be taken away by the police — so the Andersons may have to count themselves lucky.
If you want to step inside Club 33 at Disneyland for yourself, watch our tour below!
Do you think that Disney made the right call here?
