Question for you Disney history buffs

[avalon451]

I need to get a book about the history of Disney. But hey, I've got a wealth of information available here!

I've heard references to "A-ticket" rides or "E-ticket" rides, sounding like that's a reference to days when you had to have tickets to do particular things in the parks, and some were more expensive than others? This is just what I've gathered from context.

Anybody tell me how it used to work? And is there a reason why people will still refer to a really good ride as an "e-ticket" ride?

(I read Steve Martin's autobiography, "Born Standing Up"-- Great read! He talks about his early days working at DL; it's very interesting. One memory he has is of finding an "A-ticket" on the street and getting to use it to ride a horse-drawn surrey up Main Street.)

TIA!

 

[fairycat]

Pre-1982 you used to pay a small admission fee to get into Disneyland and then you would buy booklet's of Tickets. You got so many of each style of Ticket from A-E.

"A" tickets were for things like the cars on Main Street and "E" were for the "good rides" all the Mountains and things like that.

I need to try and find all the ticket levels now. I was pretty young when they stopped doing the tickets but I do remember them.

Here are some links to what the tickets got you on in 1972
http://www.yesterland.com/abcde.html

 

[disneyfaninaz]

E tickets referred to all the big attractions and thrill rides. Haunted Mansion and Pirates were considered E ticket rids.

 

[bumbershoot]

Gail, have you seen the First 50 Years film in that little theater on Main Street? Stars Donald Duck and Steve Martin, and even though I didn't think I would be touched by it, I got a bit teary-eyed!

 

[nunzia]

Gail, have you seen the First 50 Years film in that little theater on Main Street? Stars Donald Duck and Steve Martin, and even though I didn't think I would be touched by it, I got a bit teary-eyed!

I knew I would be touched by it..and was ! It's a great presentation..everyone should try to see it.

 

[avalon451]

Gail, have you seen the First 50 Years film in that little theater on Main Street? Stars Donald Duck and Steve Martin, and even though I didn't think I would be touched by it, I got a bit teary-eyed!

Oh, yes! We went to see it the first night we got there last month. After reading that book I knew I wanted to see Steve Martin hosting that film. It was really funny, and I definitely got teary-eyed, too. It was really well done!

 

[RaeRae's Mommy]

When I was young and lived in Ca. If comething was really cool and fun we would called it a E ticket ride!

 

[stopher1]

Sally Ride, the first American woman in space back in 1983 on the Challenger shuttle paid Disneyland the highest compliement possible when she said after returning to earth that the trip was a real e-ticket ride!!

 

[stopher1]

Last December inside one of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD collections (can't recall which one right now since I'm at work and the discs are at home ) had a reproduction of a full set of an A-E ticket book. It was pretty cool - brought back tons of memories of childhood.

 

[fairycat]

Last December inside one of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD collections (can't recall which one right now since I'm at work and the discs are at home ) had a reproduction of a full set of an A-E ticket book. It was pretty cool - brought back tons of memories of childhood.

In the "Great Moments" building they have original tickets also on display. I know my family has some hangout some where, because like so many people we still have some tickets.

Interesting tid-bit you can take unused tickets and apply them to your admission. The only issue, the most expensive ticket was approx .95 so not exactly worth it

 

[wendypooh22]

Last December inside one of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD collections (can't recall which one right now since I'm at work and the discs are at home ) had a reproduction of a full set of an A-E ticket book. It was pretty cool - brought back tons of memories of childhood.

My dad was going thru some old stuff in his closet and found lots of old ticket books and a couple of unused entry tickets to the park. They are pretty cool to have in our collection of family treasures

 

[TripHHH]

I remember the ticket books from my childhood. We would count our E tickets and painstakingly decide which rides we would use them for. I remember the Matterhorn was an E ticket because I once lost my E ticket for it when I was waiting in line! Funny that I remember that particular thing.

I also remember when they went to one admission fee and you could ride everything in the park as many times as you want. We were in heaven!

 

[stopher1]

I also remember when they went to one admission fee and you could ride everything in the park as many times as you want. We were in heaven!

So were my brother and I - it was great to be able to just roam around and do whatever you wanted without worrying about tickets - but the tickets surely did help drive attendance at so many of the "lesser" attractions that were great for getting some people off the walkways... Walt knew what he was doing having a lot of "little" attractions as well as the bigger ones. You certainly didn't want to "waste" money by not using those tickets...at least that's what my dad always said! I still have a real A and a B, but no C, D or E.

I remember seeing the tickets displayed in the Opera House last year - that was cool. I like that display. I remember working there, too, that there was a "timeline" hallway under the old admin building connecting the old costume window area allowing access to the men's locker room (underneath the train and Primeval World diorama at that time). The hallway had glass cabinets on each side filled with all kinds of memorabilia through the park's history (only up to 32 at the time I started at DL...35 when I left) and they had ticket books too, along with the very first [or close to it] of the day long passports. It was always a fun hallway to be able to walk through.

 

[pumpkin5156]

My dad grew up two blocks from DL, and him and his brother would ride their bikes to the Exits at park closing. They would bring buckets and ask for people's extra tickets. He said he very rarely had to buy tickets when they went, because the out-of-town tourists would give them so many!

I am really glad it's not like that anymore...

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Gail, have you seen the First 50 Years film in that little theater on Main Street? Stars Donald Duck and Steve Martin, and even though I didn't think I would be touched by it, I got a bit teary-eyed!

Now this is why I'm on the DL board! Making my first DL trip in 16 years and this is exactly what I'm looking for. Many trips to WDW but the Mother ship is calling me hame. (First DL trip was in '61) And of course, this show interests me more that anything! It is permanent, isn't it?

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Last December inside one of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD collections (can't recall which one right now since I'm at work and the discs are at home ) had a reproduction of a full set of an A-E ticket book. It was pretty cool - brought back tons of memories of childhood.

Walt Disney Treasures -- Disneyland -- Secrets, Stories & Magic (DVD)

 

[Hound 109]

My dad grew up two blocks from DL, and him and his brother would ride their bikes to the Exits at park closing. They would bring buckets and ask for people's extra tickets. He said he very rarely had to buy tickets when they went, because the out-of-town tourists would give them so many!
...

That's genius!


(your dad isn't bill gates or some other wunderbusiness dude who got his start at an early age...is he??)

 

[Master Mason]

Now this is why I'm on the DL board! Making my first DL trip in 16 years and this is exactly what I'm looking for. Many trips to WDW but the Mother ship is calling me hame. (First DL trip was in '61) And of course, this show interests me more that anything! It is permanent, isn't it?

God I hope not, they need to bring back Mr Lincoln.

 

[pumpkin5156]

That's genius!


(your dad isn't bill gates or some other wunderbusiness dude who got his start at an early age...is he??)

Don't we all wish he was? He was a little trouble maker in his early years, and now he's just an older trouble maker. Wasn't a Disney fan until my son (his first grandchild) was born. It's amazing how Walt's park can bring familys together, isn't it?

 

[DevilDuckie]

Wasn't there a period when you could buy either tickets OR a "passport". I seem to remember one trip when I was a kid where it felt very glamorous to have a "passport" that got us on everything. Would have been early 80s.