By We’ll occasionally reference E-ticket attractions throughout this guide. So, we should probably explain what those are. Long story short, these are the best rides at a theme park.
To understand why, we’ll need a quick history lesson. When Disneyland opened in 1955, guests paid per attraction. They’d buy ticket books. Then, they’d use their tickets for specific rides.
Before 1959, Disney listed the tickets in tiers, with the least impressive rides requiring A-tickets. The next-best group were the B-tickets, while the better rides were the C-tickets.
During those early years, guests who wanted to experience Disneyland’s best rides bought D-tickets. That all changed in 1959, when Walt Disney expanded The Happiest Place on Earth for the first time.
Disney added several new, expensive attractions, including the Disneyland Monorail and Matterhorn Bobsleds. To pay for them, Disney introduced a new ticketing tier.
As you can guess, this more expensive option was called the E-ticket. It was a kind of paywall wherein guests had to pay more for better park experiences. Yes, this business model isn’t new, despite what some Disney critics would indicate. It’s been a standard park practice since the 1950s!
Disney phased out the tiered ticket concept, at least in this form, in the 1970s. By 1982, Disneyland and Walt Disney World alike had fully implemented the current system. It’s the one where one admission ticket earns you access to every ride at the park.
Despite this change, the term E-ticket attraction has remained. Disney, its fans, and various theme park analysts still find value in the term, as it signifies the best of the best.
Whenever we reference an E-ticket attraction, we’re discussing something that should be a top priority during your theme park visit.
Feature Image: D23