Proving to be the “Happiest Place on Earth,” Walt Disney World recently honored a 46-year-old Magic Kingdom admission ticket.
In a TikTok video, Matthew Ables explains that he found the “old family keepsake” that was purchased in 1978 for $8. Upon reading the ticket, he noticed it was never used and there was no expiration date. He decided to test his luck by flying to Orlando and heading to the park.
“I was getting nervous there,” Ables says about handing the ticket to a Disney World employee. “Because she started aggressively stamping ‘void’ all over the ticket booklet and then left.”
@matthewables I tried getting into Disney World using a 46 year old ticket #disneyworld #disney #themepark #funny #fyp ♬ original sound – Matthew Ables
However, the Disney World employee ended up returning with a yellow pass to the park. That granted him admission to Magic Kingdom. “I can’t believe this actually worked!” he declared.
According to Disney World’s website, tickets to Magic Kingdom start at $109 per day. However, for a one-day pass, the price ranges between $139 to $164, depending on the day.
Ables explained that the ticket had been collecting dust since before he was born. “I just assumed it was an old family keepsake until I realized that it’s never been used,” he said. “And there’s no expiration date. Which means I’ve either found the golden ticket here, or I’m delusional thinking that the Mouse is going to let me use it to get inside nearly half a century later.”
Ables did reveal in the comment section that he was unable to get the ticket back from the employee. “I asked but unfortunately they kept it.”
Walt Disney World Says It Honors Any Ticket No Matter How Old They Are
In the Frequently Asked Questions section of its website, Disney World stated that tickets purchased years are are still valid.
“Walt Disney World Resort continues to honor all unexpired theme park tickets with remaining admission days,” the park stated. “For dated theme park tickets, you may be able to change the date on your tickets.”
TikTok users claiming to be former cast members also say Disney honoring old tickets isn’t uncommon. “I used to work [at] Magic Kingdom Guest Relations,” one TikTok user wrote. “This exact scenario would happen a few times a week!”
Another former cast member said that the ticket also more than likely made the Magic Kingdom employee’s day. “As a former vacation planner – this is what we trained for,” they wrote. “And most of us never got to do. You made her day.”
However, many TikTok users pointed out the significant price increase at the themed park over the years. Surprisingly, it had nothing to do with inflation. “$8 in 1978 is worth about $40 in today’s value,” one user wrote. “It’s crazy how much they keep increasing prices.”
The exact inflated price is $39.26.