Guy finds an $8 Disney World ticket that was bought in 1978 — then he decided to use it

Since its establishment in 1971, Disney World has been something everyone wants to check off their bucket list someday. But the golden opportunity to experience one of the greatest theme parks in the world was sitting in a man’s desk drawer for nearly half a century before he decided to use it. Matthew Ables (@matthewables) had discovered a dusty old Magic Kingdom coupon book from 1978 in his home, an item he claimed was purchased before his birth. One day, Ables had the bright idea to try and use it since the Disney World ticket worth $8 showed no expiration date and shared how it went in a viral TikTok video. 

"It's been collecting dust since before I was born and I always assumed it was an old family keepsake until I realized that it's never been used and there's no expiration date," Ables revealed in the video, which has amassed 19 million views. He dramatically inspected the 46-year-old ticket with a magnifying glass and weighed his chances of getting into Disney World in Orlando, Florida. “I’ve either found the golden ticket or I’m delusional thinking that the mouse is gonna let to use it to get inside nearly half a century later,” the man continued. 

With high spirits and little hope, Ables flew off to Orlando and landed at the front gate of the popular theme park. Reaching the Guest Relations counter, Ables informed the person in charge about his interesting situation. “Hi, I have a ticket for a day at the Magic Kingdom but it’s from 1978,” he notified. Vague footage showed a woman on the other side of the counter confirming if the ticket was from Magic Kingdom and then “aggressively” the coupon book with “VOID” stamps and left. By this point, Ables was unsure if his stunt would pay off but to his surprise, the woman returned with a yellow pass valid for entry into the park. “I can’t believe this actually worked!” he said.

The TikTok creator concluded the video with a then-and-now comparison of the price values of a Disney World ticket. He highlighted that his $8 ticket would cost 20 times more if bought today, much higher than inflation. However, the fact that Magic Kingdom, the oldest park at Walt Disney World, honored the age-old ticket was worth appreciating. The video received a ton of comments from curious viewers who asked questions about his fun experience. “Did you get the ticket back???” inquired one person (@shirleymorales28). The creator replied, “I asked but unfortunately they kept it.” Another person (@3nvoy0fthe3nd) noted the intrinsic value of the vintage ticket, and wrote, “That was a treasured relic I do hope they put it up like a museum piece. It is something from the past.”

Someone else (@work0ut00) said, “I have the same unused book from the 70s. I just don't want it voided out and kept.” However, a fellow internet user (@larryhalberston) revealed that this is not an uncommon occurrence after all. “It happens all the time! Disney will honor all old tickets that don’t have expiration dates on them. And most of the tickets sold before the late 80’s DON’T have expiration dates!” the comment stated. Several other viewers chimed in with similar experiences and admitted that Disney World always honored old tickets. 

You can follow @matthewables on TikTok for more fun videos.