The most expensive Disneyland ride ticket in the original ticket books was the E ticket.
When Disneyland opened in 1955, guests paid park admission and then bought separate coupons for individual attractions. The first Value Books contained A, B, and C coupons, ranked from simpler to more popular experiences. Disney added D tickets in 1956 for attractions such as the Jungle Cruise.
The E designation arrived in June 1959 during Disneyland’s major expansion. New attractions including the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Submarine Voyage, and the Disneyland Monorail received E status, while several former D attractions were upgraded. An E coupon had a face value of $0.85, compared with $0.50 for a D coupon.
The coupon system disappeared by June 1982, when admission began covering nearly every attraction. “E-ticket” survived as shorthand for a spectacular, premier Disney attraction; it does not refer to an electronic ticket.