Sunday, November 18, 2007

Special Events Sunday

Special Events at Disneyland, how sweet they used to be.

One of the main reasons I collect Disneyland A thru E tickets is because as a kid (Ok, I'll get this out of the way, I was born in 1965) I rarely used regular A-E tickets. My dad worked for PHCC (Plumbing, Heating Cooling Contractors) and we would always go once a year on PHCC night. We would get a ticket with a tag on it or a cloth sticker to place on our shirts. It would let us have unlimited used of all attractions (except the shooting galleries of course).

It wasn't until I went with my best friend and his family in 1977 that I actually used the A-E tickets. Having to "ration" your day at Disneyland sure was a different experience than having unlimited fun! But you know what? There is something to be said for trying to "use up" all your tickets. On that 77 trip, I rode the motorboat cruise for the first time just so I could use all my "B" tickets.

First Special Event ticket for today is not really a special event ticket, but it is an unlimited attractions ticket, and its old and rare, so what the heck. From October 26, 1956 we have an "Special Adult Guest - Admit one". Presented to "CPO Charles J. Christel", compliments of The Marines at Camp Pendleton, CA! "Admission for one day to Disneyland and all its wonderful rides and attractions..." Can I use it to go back to 1956?????

Next from September 22, 1967 this was a cool Friday night "Private Party at Disneyland" for System Development Corporation. 8pm to 1am, was the park closed for everyone else? How fun would that be! You'll find me in Tomorrowland 67' all night!


This last one is interesting, 1st annual Private United Methodist Night, Friday, December 5th, 1986. What's interesting is this is an unused, voided, low serial number ticket. Was this a test ticket? Did they give these to the main gate ticket takers so they knew what to look for? Was this event cancelled? Anyone know? Back of the ticket includes free parking and lots of Lawyer talk.


Back side:

Tomorrow, we'll take a look at the "B" ticket!


5 comments:

Matterhorn1959 said...

When you used the 1956 special guest ticket, you would get a red ribbon for your hand. You would show the ribbon to the ride attendent and get on the ride without using tickets. I have a similar ticket and the red ribbon in a scrapbook a young visitor kept from their trip in 1956.

Vintage Disneyland Tickets said...

I was wondering how that worked. This tickets looked too clean to have been used on each ride. Do you have a picture of one of those ribbons??????

Thanks for checking out my blog! Did you get a chance to download that great 1956 Disneyland film I had a link to? The link isn't working anymore, too bad, it was awesome. I also collect 16mm films and this has to be one of the best Disneyland (or any amatuer) films I've seen. I feel like I went with that family in 1956...

Link about the film:

http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1662&dept_id=11233&newsid=15720294

p.s I am making DVD copies, for free to DL bloggers, let me know if you want one.

p.s.s. Matterhorn, Send me you email address, mine is: Rushrules9999@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

The Methodist Night ticket looks legit: the southern California Conference of the Methodist Church had these events through the late 80's and early 90's where the park would close at 6pm for the public, then reopen for these ticket holders from 7pm to midnight. It was usually the first Friday night of December and often rained. My family went every year except one year where it rained so hard they had to close Disneyland, but we were given free passes to come back anytime we wanted for a full day.

Anonymous said...

I remember going to Methodist night every year through the 90s. That was really the only way my family went to Disneyland; as my father was a United Methodist pastor, and we were a family of 6. I don't remember what the ticket looked like but that one seems legit.

Anonymous said...

I went to United Methodist night late 80s through mid 90s, the last year or so was combined with another group, PG&E or a contractor group. Those were fun times!!