Was Walt Disney a Freemason?

It’s a question that never seems to die: was Walt Disney a high-ranking member of an elite secret society? Did he have access to the greatest secrets of the universe? Did he nefariously slip subliminal pieces of Masonic imagery into his films as part of some sinister master plan to brainwash the world’s children and do the evil work of the Illuminati?

Well…no. Not at all. But if the answer was yes, I would have to say no for my own safety. So maybe the answer is actually yes. But officially it’s no.

Or is it?

The Disney/Masonry urban legend has been around for years, and has been espoused in popular works such as Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” (which right there should tell you that it’s probably a fairly dubious “fact”). But in fact, no evidence exists that Disney was ever a member of the Masons in any capacity (let alone being of the highest order). He was, however, a proud AAA member, but he kept that affiliation private and didn’t include any roadside assistance propaganda in his films (except for “Herbie the Love Bug”).

But if he wasn’t a Mason, then what’s the deal? Here is what we do know: as a very young man, Disney belonged to the Order of DeMolay (and later inducted Mickey Mouse into the Order), a youth fraternal organization sponsored by the Masons. Think of them as being sort of like the Masons, but with more ultimate frisbee. Other famous people to have been in the Order include John Wayne and Walter Cronkite, who are hardly conspiratorial figures. Many who join the Order grow up to become Masons, but Walt Disney was not among them. This affiliation may have a lot to do with how the Masonry rumor got started and continues to persist. The rumors may also have to do with Walt having famously vowed to purge the Earth of unbelievers and usher in a new Luciferian Golden Age with blood in the streets, but that quote was taken entirely out of context.

Another thing that conspiratorial types love latching onto is the fact that Disneyland contains a very exclusive (VERY expensive) members-only restaurant above the Pirates of the Caribbean ride called Club 33. Could it be a nod to the fact that Disney was a 33rd degree freemason (the highest order)?

Unfortunately, the truth is rarely as exciting as the conspiracies. The club—which caters largely to businesses—was not even completed until after Disney’s death, and the significance of the number could have derived from any number of sources: for example, Disneyland had exactly 33 sponsors, which included Kodak, Coca-Cola and Bank of America among others. Disney’s daughter was born in 1933. Threes turned on their sides could signify mouse ears (Mickey and Minnie) or M’s for ‘Mickey Mouse.’ Thirty-three is also the number of years Jesus Christ spent on Earth, and Disney often stated that he was the second coming of Christ (but not a freemason; that’s just silly). When you weigh all the facts, the freemason theory is among the least convincing.