ANAHEIM – For the first time in a decade, Disneyland is opening up new memberships to its exclusive Club 33 – the famous, secretive restaurant tucked inside the park.

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Disney also is adding a private lounge for club members at Disney California Adventure.

Starting today, Disney will begin sending embossed invitations to the first 100 people on its 800-name waiting list, asking if they want to join the club. Individual initiation fees are $25,000, with annual dues at $10,000.

The openings come with new perks. The 1901 private lounge (named after Walt Disney’s birth year) will open June 15 in Disney California Adventure as part of its $1 billion makeover project. Also, new memberships will include valet parking, VIP tours and other perks.

Walt Disney was inspired to create the club after seeing the VIP lounges for corporate sponsors at the New York World’s Fair, said Kim Irvine, Disneyland’s art director who headed up a recent renovation of Club 33. Dining rooms and a lounge alley wind around the top floors of New Orleans Square buildings. Disney died before the club opened, in June 1967.

Only club members and their guests are allowed behind the door next to a “33” plaque, marking the address of 33 Royal Street. Club 33 is the only place in Disneyland where alcohol is regularly served. The lure is the fact it is exclusive, its fine food and top-drawer service. Once diners gets in, they still pay for their meals.

Disney remains very closed about many aspects of the club: Employees won’t divulge how many members there are. They won’t name any members or guests. And they won’t say how many new members will be added, only noting that all 800 on the list won’t get in.

A 2007 Los Angeles Times story said the club had less than 500 members. Celebrities who have gone to Club 33 reportedly include Tom Hanks, Michael Jackson, Christina Aguilera and Elton John.

For new members, Disney will ask interested parties questions and set up individual meetings with a member-services employee, said George Kalogridis, Disneyland Resort’s president.

(Disney also will start adding names to the list. Interested parties can email club33interest@disneyland.com.)

The new 1901 lounge space allows Disney to add more members, Kalogridis said.

The lounge sits on the bottom floor of the Carthay Circle Theatre building along the hub of the entrance corridor of California Adventure. The lounge will serve drinks and appetizers, but no full meals. Disney describes it as a den with plaster arches and woodwork, overstuffed leather chairs and a bar with accessories, including some of Walt Disney’s personal art and photos.

Annual dues used to be $3,600 annually. Current members are grandfathered in under the previous prices, if they want to keep the former plan, which excludes the new lounge and VIP services.

Each individual club member gets four annual passes that are valid at both California and Florida Disney parks, as well as 50 day passes that can be given to guests.

With the itinerary planning, members can call a special number and have an employee set up a customized visit, like a four-hour morning with two mothers and two toddlers to go on kids’ rides or a night out with adults that includes a sit-down dinner and “World of Color” viewing. Fastpasses would be given on rides that offer them.

“If you are coming to the resort, it’s a great deal,” Kalogridis said.

Contact the writer: 714-704-3793 or stully@ocregister.com