The "B" Ticket - Part 1 the 1950's

Are you ready for an in depth look at the beloved "B" ticket? I hope so, because this series has a lot to look at!

As I learned during my post of the "A" ticket series, the very first tickets sold in booklets at Disneyland didn't have letters at all, but they look very much like the first lettered ones. If someone out there (Scott or Melissa?) has the "B" and "C" series of these first tickets, would you please scan them for my Blog? OK, now that my groveling is out of the way....

First from Late 1955, the famous "B" Ride ticket, it's not a "B" Coupon yet. (This image and the next one are borrowed from http://www.keeline.com/, all scans on this blog are from my personal collection unless otherwise noted) If this was my ticket and if it was still attached of course, I would use it for the Phantom Boats!:

Now from Early 1956, the same ticket but now it has the more appropriate title "Coupon". Notice how the "Freight Train" was only in Frontierland and was 50 cents, all the other attractions are only 25 cents (I'd still use it for the Phantom Boats!):

Setting a date for Disneyland Tickets prior to June of 1959 is difficult. Since June of 1959, all the ticket books have a date code on the front part of the hard paper backing. It's three of four numbers, June of 1959 is 959, October of 1965 is 6510. So with that said, the next ticket is....

From Early 1957 this is how the "B" ticket looked, notice the odd comment on the bottom "All Attractions Subject to Availability" You would think this is something you'd see on the later tickets, but this is the only time I have seen it. Now sporting a price of 25 cents for all listed attractions. Hello Skyway, I think I'll used this ticket for you!

Why am I putting this date at Early 1957? Here is a scan of the back of this ticket. (The tickets had not yet adopted the slogan "Good Any Time") Since these are good during 1957 and 1958 but do not have the Viewliner(s) (6/57 to 9/58) like the next ticket does, I'm guessing it is from early 1957:

Now we have a Late 1957, Early 1958 "B" Coupon. Notice: The Brackets for the Lands are gone, now straight lines separate them; The addition of the Viewliner(s) and Midget Autopia:

Now for Late 1958, Early 1959. This ticket shows the first Entry for Sleeping Beauty Castle (ready for her journey from A to B to A tickets for the next two decades) Also notice the Viewliner(s) are gone and were did Midget Autopia go? (this photo borrowed from http://www.keeline.com/):

From the new "ABCDE" booklets, we have from June 1959, then new "B" Ticket. June of 1959 saw the introduction of the "E" ticket, with all Walt's new toys, they needed more lettered tickets! We will study the "E" ticket more in detail on it's own post series.

Notice here Midget Autopia is back (whew!), Frontierland Shooting Gallery has been moved up to the "C" ticket as well as the "Conestoga Wagons" (The Conestoga Wagons will only last for a little while on the "C" ticket, by June of 1960, they are not on any tickets...) And the "Skyway" was moved/upgraded all the way to the "D" ticket!

Also notice the color of the "B", its now a Reddish color that will remain on the lettered tickets thru 1981. Nice low serial number too.

Last up for the 50's "B" series is an odd one indeed. This is a lose ticket in my collection and as such I can not date it with total accuracy. I would guess it to be from the first batch of 1960 tickets or maybe a later 1959 batch (if there even was one). It's the same as the June of 1959 "B" ticket above, except that the "Omnibus" and "Horseless Carriages" have been moved (or downgraded) to the "A" ticket where they were the year before! Doesn't this ticket look weird with just one "Land"?

That's it for today's Post! Next, The "B" Ticket - Part 2 the early 1960's