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It’s been 60 years since Disneyland’s first summer of the “E” ticket. The Submarine Voyage, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and the Disneyland-Alweg Monorail all premiered June 1959. With these attractions, the “E” ticket was born.
based on a Yesterland article originally published July 9, 2009 |
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There were 14 attractions listed on “E” tickets in the Disneyland ticket books of 1959. However, a closer look shows that the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad was listed four times because guests could board the trains in four lands. So there were really 11 “E” ticket attractions—three brand new ones and eight that had been promoted from “D” tickets, which had previously been the highest. |
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Click the links on this simulated “E” ticket for Yesterland articles |
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When Disneyland opened to the public on July 18, 1955, there were no ticket books. Guests paid one U.S. Dollar for general admission to the park and 10 to 35 cents per attraction. Less than three months later—on October 11, 1955—Disneyland began to sell ticket books. Rides were designated as “A,” “B,” or “C” attractions. The best rides required a “C” ticket. The “D” ticket was introduced in 1956; top attractions such as the Jungle Cruise were promoted to “D” status. In 1959, when the “E” ticket was born, a Disneyland “Big 10” Ticket Book cost $3.50 for adults, $3.00 for juniors, $2.50 for children. It provided one “A” ticket, one “B” ticket, two “C” tickets, three “D” tickets, and three “E” tickets. For a dollar more, guests could buy a “Jumbo 15” Ticket Book, which provided two “A” tickets, two “B” tickets, three “C” tickets, four “D” tickets, and four “E” tickets. Let’s take a look at vintage photos of the initial 11 “E” ticket attractions, in the order in which they’re listed on the ticket. |
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Photo by Charles Lympany, 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor SF & D Railroad Trains |
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Photo by Charles Lympany, 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor TWA Rocket To The Moon |
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Photo by Charles Lympany, 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor Submarine Voyage |
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Photo by Charles Lympany, 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor Monorail |
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Photo by Charles Lympany, 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor Matterhorn Bobsleds |
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Photo by Charles Lympany, 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules |
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Photo by Frank Taylor, courtesy of Chris Taylor Rainbow Mt. Stage Coaches |
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Photo by Frank Taylor, 1959 Mark Twain Steamboat |
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Photo by Frank Taylor, 1959 Sailing Ship Columbia |
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Photo by Charles Lympany, 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor Tom Sawyer Island Rafts |
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Photo by Frank Taylor, 1959 Jungle Cruise |
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Only three of these “E” ticket attractions are now completely gone: TWA Rocket To The Moon, Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules, and Rainbow Mt. Stage Coaches. The others have all changed in some way, but retain the same qualities that made them top attractions in 1959. Arguably, the Submarine Voyage (now the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage) is the most changed. The “E” ticket remained the top ticket until Disneyland eliminated attraction tickets completely in 1982. Well, that’s not quite true. In 1963, an “E” ticket had a face value of 60 cents but effectively cost much less when obtained as part of a ticket book. There was one attraction that was “too good” for a mere “E” ticket: Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room was so revolutionary that guests had to part with 75 cents for adult admission. |
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© 2009-2019 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated August 2, 2019. |
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, Curator of Yesterland, August 2, 2019
