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

"How was that trip on the space shuttle?", "It was a "D" ticket ride!" Well, it could have happened that way. For a few years in the late 1950's, the "D" Ticket was the top of the line ticket at Disneyland. The first tickets sold in books in 1955 were just ABC (well, technically as we learned in the "A" series posts, the very first tickets sold in books had no letters at all).

Since so many new attractions were already being added by the summer of 1956, in the second half of that year the ticket book letters were increased to include the "D" ticket. The "D" ticket would remain Top Dog only until June of 1959.

Here is the first "D" ticket it's from late 1956. (scan courtesy of www. keeline.com, I wish I had this ticket!!!) Surprisingly, there are Seven attractions on this ticket that are still at Disneyland today. Lots of "Rainbow" stuff here, too much fun. Check out this YouTube Video, make sure and see part two also.

Now for some JUMBO fun! This "D" ticket is from late 1957, looks like not much changed in just one year. However, notice the SF&D in Frontierland isn't the "SF&D Freight Train" anymore, it's the "SF&D Railroad Trains" now... I guess people really didn't like riding around like cattle. I personally would have loved to ride in one of the fully open cars, can you imagine the slides you could have taken from there!!!

By late 1958 we see the addition of the Tomorrowland SF&D Railroad station, and the Sailing Ship Columbia has joined the Rivers of America. This ticket actually has Nine attractions still operating at Disneyland! I guess when I get sad about the People Mover or America Sings being gone, I should look on the bright side, all these great attractions are still there to enjoy!

Sorry for this next blurry image (it's from http://www.keeline.com/, thank you keeline, at least you have something for me to show, much appreciation!).. This is a June 1959 "D" Ticket. Since the "E" Ticket was introduced at this this time, there was a major realignment of the attractions on the lettered tickets. Almost everything on the 1958 "C" ticket ended up on this 1959 "D" ticket (no longer the Top Dog) Several of these attractions will get downgraded to the "C" ticket in the early 1960's

Since we took a look at Knott's individual ride tickets yesterday, lets look at one of Disneylands early individual ride tickets. I don't have a date on this, but I am sure it's from the first couple years the park was open. Great art work, the Mark Twain looks ready to board. Cool low serial number....

Tomorrow we will take an in depth look at The "D" Ticket - Part 2 the early 1960's.

Sunday Brunch at Knott's

Setting the way back machine way back, today we take a look at some of Knott's Berry Farm's individual attraction tickets. At one time, Knott's had was free of any admission charge. In 1968, the Knott family fenced in the farm and charged admission for the first time.

Prior to 1968, the attractions that cost money each had there own tickets. These tickets were obviously made with the intent to be kept as souvenirs. I don't have dates for any of these, and I am no Knott's expert (but I know experts are out there). If anyone know the dates of these please let me know.

First up, for 35 cents, the Burro Ride! I'm thinking the Pack Mules thru natures Wonderland (closes at dusk) is a better deal, even at 50 cents!

Now, The Haunter Shack! I loved this place, I thought it was pure magic! Maybe Supernatural, maybe Knott!!! Who wrote these things? I love it!

Nice Legend detail on the back...

My absolute favorite attraction at Knott's! I was very young when I saw this, and I wanted that tiny TV for years!

Back detail; 'Tis a Small World Have Fun!

And lastly, let's take a ride on the Cable Car Tour! I have seen pictures of this and it looks fun! I have some old maps that show it also ran thru most of the parking lot at one time, nice tram! Notice the Globe Paper

Now to dust of my boots, and head a few miles down the road to Disneyland, I've got a pocket full of "D" Tickets to use all next week!

Magic Mountain - Inaugural Guest Preview Day

Since we've been focusing on Disneyland tickets all week, lets take a one hour trip north from Disneyland this Saturday morning. Let go to Valencia, California, May 21st and 22nd, 1971!


Magic Mountain will open to the public on May 29th, 1971, but we are getting a sneak preview one week before. This ticket was never used, someone missed out on a very cool opportunity! I wonder what the "National Assistance League Enchanted Evening" was all about? "Gourmet Dinner and Champagne" Sign me up! Reiss Davis (Huh?) Preview day 12pm to 10pm, where do I check in????

Here is a compete scan of the brochure that came with this ticket. This is from before the park was even open.

My scanner isn't big enough to scan the entire front. it opens up as one big picture. I had to break it into two scans, but you get the idea. This is amazing art work, I love the early 70's feel, not too much detail, but enough to get the mood and look they were aiming for.

Inside, these artist renditions are great! Reminds me of the first Disneyland tour book from 1955, when there weren't any pictures to take yet since notice was finished until the last minute."Family Funland" interesting how Six Flags is currently trying to reinvent what they once had.

This is the Magic Mountain I remember well. My Grand parents took me and my brother to Magic Mountain in June 1971, all that Valencia grass and no shade! Magic Mountain being just a few miles from where I grew up and still live, I have spent every summer of my childhood there. Too bad I can barely recognize the place today....

Tomorrow, We are going back south, down interstate 5, almost to Disneyland, but we are going to spend the day at Knott's!

The "C" Ticket - Part 4 the 1970's

The early 1970's "C" Tickets or Mystery of the Disappearing Attractions!

This September 1970 "C" ticket has several attractions missing that were on the "C" just 3 months before. Alice in Wonderland got bumped down to the "B" ticket. But these others are just plain old GONE, they are even gone from the attraction list in the back, missing are; Fantasyland Autopia, Fantasyland Theatre, Mike Fink Keel Boats, and Adventureland's Big Game Shooting Gallery. WHERE DID THEY GO???? This mystery is killing me!

September 1970 Back of the ticket book:

May 1971 finds all the attractions right back where they belong, as if nothing happened? Someone, please help me figure this out. Was there a lengthy refurb on these attractions? Were they left off by accident (not likely)....

May 1971 Back of the ticket book:

Last of the line for the larger (money size in height) ticket this April 1973 "C" ticket sports the addition on "Adventure Thru Inner Space". This is the first ATIS ticket to be on a lettered ticket, the other ATIS ticket is the special ticket from 1968 I posted yesterday. I believe this attraction was free up until 1973, but I could be wrong, anyone know?????

Notice: Snow White's Adventures is now "Scary".... It wasn't scary before 1973?

First of the little tickets, measuring just 2 x 3 7/8", this June 1974 "C" ticket has the same attractions as the April 1973 ticket above, but I don't like the fonts, they look too light.

I like the fonts better on this June 1975 "C" ticket. See how Autopia is just called "Autopias" in both lands, in 1978 they will loose the "s". This is also the last of the tickets with a printed value. I like the lower and even numbered serial number.

Cool back's of the ticket books in 1975/76 "America On Parade" Always reminds me of America Sings, one of my favorites, oh how I wish.... Don't get me started!

And we will finish up the "C" Ticket series with a nice trio, From top to bottom:

September 1978, the Keel boats & Fantasyland Autopia are gone - again! Also missing is the Big Game Shooting Gallery and Fanstasyland Theatre, but they just moved down to the "B" ticket. Mission to Mars is new to the "C" blasting down from the "D" ticket.

May 1979, the Keel boats & Fantasyland Autopia are back!

September 1980, the Keel boats & Fantasyland Autopia are gone once more! This "last of the Line" C ticket's color looks a tad bit pink.

Well, that does it for the "C" Ticket series, I had a "blast to the past" examining these babies! I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did!

Next Week, the "D" ticket, even more going on there than with the "C" ticket.

This weekend; something odd on Saturday and Sunday we will be traveling a few miles down the road, stopping at Vintage Knott's Berry Farm to review some classic vintage individual ride tickets!

The "C" Ticket - Part 3 the late 1960's

A "Castle" paper "C" Ticket from May 1967. Peter Pan Flight, Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and Snow White have all found there way down from the "D" to the "C" by 1967. For the most part (except poor Alice who gets bumped around a bit), the "Dark Rides" will remain on the "C" ticket until the end in 1982. Swiss Family Tree House is gone from the "C", sliding down to the "B", where it also stays until 1982.

May 1968 Adult "C" Ticket. Tomorrowland jets are gone, Moved up to the "D" Ticket. Why was it still on the "C" ticket above from May 1967? The old jets were long gone by then, with the new ones opening in about a month, odd.. Fantasy land is really loaded up now, with 8 attractions, adding the Mad Tea Party and the Fantasyland Theatre, both upgraded from the "B" ticket in 1967.

Notice the addition of Main Street: Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. This was the first appearance on a lettered ticket. Before this, I believe tickets for Mr. Lincoln were sold separately, for adults that is, it appears kids (child and junior) got in for free.

This is a Junior "C" Ticket also from May 1968, notice it does not have any Main Street - Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Both the Junior and Child ticket books from 1968 to around 1972/73 did not have Mr. Lincoln on the "C", but they actually had separate tickets in the front of the book, see next scan after this "C" ticket.

From the same ticket book of May 1968, this is the special ticket for Juniors to see Mr. Lincoln. Disneyland could have just put Mr. Lincoln on the "C" ticket like they did for adults. They obviously wanted to make this a special event for children and these tickets make it feel special indeed. (Blogger Side Note: My first trip to Disneyland was in 1968, I was 3, it is also my first memory, that's right my very first memory in life is screaming my fool head off when Mr. Lincoln stood up, I ran for the doors and started pulling at the curtains, screaming and crying the whole time, my dad had to pick me up and get out of there quick. FYI - I love it now, I wish Mr. Lincoln would come back)

Also from the same May 1968 Ticket book also has this neat little ticket to Adventure Thru Inner Space. Maybe I'm up too late, but does the wording about how to use this ticket seem confusing? (note the Castle paper ticket, it was mixed in a book with the rest of the tickets being Globe paper!)

This next ticket I do not have a date for. These were sold with General admission tickets, when you were to cheap to by the whole ticket book. Looks like you still got Mr. Lincoln and Adventure Thru Inner space for free.....

Last for today is a undated copy of a Junior general admission ticket with the Mr. Lincoln ticket attached. Notice the serial #!!! This is not my ticket, I wish it was. This copy is from a private source, and the ticket itself has probably never left Disneyland.......

Tomorrow - The "C" Ticket - Part 4 the 1970's - Lots of tickets in part 4!

The "C" Ticket - Part 2 the early 1960's

Starting off the 1960's we have this nice yellow (or is it goldenrod?) Childs Admission "C" Ticket from June 1960. Tomorrowland is once again represented on the "C" Ticket, with the TWA Rocket to the Moon and Tomorrowland Autopia back down from the 1959 the "D" ticket. Fantasyland also got it's Autopia back from the 1959 "D". Frontierland lost the Mine Trains, upgraded to Natures Wonderland and the "E" Ticket! And a moment of silence for the permanent loss of the Conestoga Wagons......


Back to basic grey, this June 1961 "C" Ticket is almost identical to June 1960 as far as attractions. The only difference is the "Rocket to the Moon" no longer sports "TWA". Was Douglas signed on by June 1961? How come the tickets from 62' to 66' never said "Douglas Rocket to the Moon"?

Notice the The Main Street Shooting Gallery on the 1961 "C" ticket above. This will be its last appearance on any ticket, it will close in January 1962. I have attempted to find a photograph of this attraction and have come up empty handed. Nothing can be found on the Internet. I checked Micechat, folks have asked for photo's but no one has found any.

From some research I did, I see it was inside the Penny Arcade. Here is a Main Street map from the big 1957 Disneyland brochure:

And here is a scan from a daily main gate handout from August 1961:

Therefore I have to conclude it did exist, I wonder why there are no photo's? If anyone has a picture of the Main Street Shooting Gallery or even if you ever saw it in person, please contact me.

October 1962 finds this "C" ticket minus the Main St. Shooting Gallery of course. Tomorrowland Autopia is gone, but Fantasyland Autopia is still there? Dumbo is gone, not on any ticket? Keel Boats gone, off to the "B" ticket. Indian War Canoes are gone too, where did everything go in October 1962, first round of refurbs? Oh, and speaking of Shooting Gallery's, the New Adventureland Big Game Shooting Gallery is open for business!

It's June 1963 and the Tomorrowland Autopia, Dumbo and the Indian War Canoes are back (whew!)... The "Swiss Family Treehouse" is already down from the "D" Ticket, is the novelty already wearing off by 1963? (it never did for me, I miss it so bad!).

And just because I love these little "Ways to Enjoy" Disneyland Ticket pamphlets, here is a cool one from 1964.

Notice the 15 book of tickets isn't JUMBO and more, it's now just Deluxe!

$2.00 each night to see these greats of the big band era, I would go each night!

Next post, The "C" Ticket - Part 3 the late 1960's. In this post we will also take a close look at the Mr. Lincoln Exhibit ticketing.

Please stand by...

Due to circumstances beyond our control (such as falling asleep on the couch) today's regularly scheduled post is delay until tomorrow. Please accept this February 1977 Readmission ticket to re-join us tomorrow for The "C" Ticket part 2 - the Early 1960's.

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

Today's post will be a little different. I will confess upfront as to why; my collection seems to be missing a few "C" tickets! Don't get me wrong, I got hundreds of "C" tickets, just none from 1955 to 1957!!!!! I have requested a little help from a couple of other Disneyland ticket collectors, I hope to hear back from them soon. Also, if ANYONE has a "C" ticket from 1955 to 1957, please scan that baby and send it to my blog....

Alright, with that out of the way, lets take a look at my first "C" ticket for the series. It's a June 1958 "C" ticket from the "Jumbo 15" book. This is when there were "A thru D" tickets, so this "C" ticket gets you the second best group of attractions in 1958. Looks like the "C" covered most of Fantasyland.

Let's side track for a moment and look at Disneyland's "New" book with 15 tickets in it. They called it the "Jumbo 15" and let me tell you, it really was Jumbo! Jumbo sized that is! The booklet itself measures 6" x 3 3/8" with this "C" ticket at 5" 3 3/8". I believe this were only sold from June of 1957 to June of 1958.

Here is a neato handout from April 1958:



"Mom, Dad, Children, EVERYBODY! Have MORE FUN for LESS MONEY with DISNEYLAND TICKET BOOKS" Wow, I sure do dig that family! I love Dad's Pipe! Why wouldn't you want the Jumbo Book? Until you try and fit in your pocket!

"The Happiest Place on Earth" indeed...

Back of each Jumbo Book, pretty aren't they?:

Now for June 1959. This was from the first "A thru E" booklet, so there was a major realignment of the attractions on the lettered tickets, some that would not last but a few months as we will see in the 1960's tomorrow.

This ticket is GREEN, just like the "E" Ticket! It's because it is a "Junior" ticket, they got different colors for Junior and Child tickets on and off throughout the run of lettered tickets. No Tomorrowland rides, and the only thing on this "C" ticket and on the 1958 "C" ticket is the "Mike Fink Keel Boats".

Also notice the "Rainbow Caverns Mine Train" it's not in "Natures Wonderland" yet, at when it does, it's straight to "E" ticket!

That does it for 1950's "C" ticket. I apologize for not having 55, 56 or 57 "C" tickets. One of my goals with this blog is to try and gather as much information about these tickets as possible. So please, all contributions are welcome.

Grad Nite 82!

Here's some funky stuff. Grad Nite 82! Grad Nite originated at Disneyland in 1961 for local area students. Fascinating stuff about it over at Wikipedia.

In 1982, $11 got you unlimited rides and attractions, except not ALL of them - according to Wikipedia "Disney has adjusted its policies on which rides to open. Attractions such as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln have been closed, as students will use them for romantic getaways or to sleep. Generally, the rides that involve travel across water have been closed."

Oh boy, the dress code, I believe this has changed also, denim was NOT allowed in 1982! And, "Hold your own ticket"!

Front cover of the special Grad Nite brochure. It really does look like that, it was all blurry before I scanned it. For the record, much of the early 80's was blurry and fuzzy like this, I know, I was there!

Sister Sledge! "We are Family".... LOL! Tommy Tutone! This is killing me!

Two who pages of what we were supposed to look like having fun on Grad Nite. These seniors look kind of college age don't they?

My School is on there, is yours??????

Coming Monday - The "C" Ticket series. I've been sorting thru them, these are getting really fun now, it's all up town from here!