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How does one save money on Disney World amid soaring prices? By going back in time.
An enterprising TikTokker managed to gain admission to the Orlando, Florida-based theme park for only $8 by using a “golden ticket” that was nearly 50 years old.
The incredible inflation-negating hack was detailed in a TikTok video with over 8 million views.
“I tried getting into Disney World using a 46-year-old ticket,” Matthew Ables declared in the caption to the clip.
Ables explained that this so-called inflation by-pass — which hailed from 1978 — had been “collecting dust” since before he was born, leading him to believe it was an “old keepsake.”
But he quickly realized the vintage ticket was potentially valid after noticing “it had never been used and there is no expiration date,” per the clip.
The only caveat was that ticket only granted him access to the Magical Kingdom, and for one day only.
But it was not a bad deal considering that the ticket only cost $8 at the time of purchase. For reference, current MK ticket prices can cost as much as $184 for visitors over 10 and $179 for those aged 3-to-9.
Nonetheless, the TikTokker arrived at the park unsure if his half-century-old ticket had passed the statute of visitations.
“I was getting nervous there, because she [the Disney World gate agent] started aggressively stamping ‘void’ all over the ticket booklet and then left,” said Ables while at the ticket booth.
Thankfully, she eventually returned with a yellow pass which granted him access to the park.
“I can’t believe this actually worked,” gushed Ables.
Needless to say, the TikTok commentariat felt that he’d gotten the deal of the a lifetime.
“$8 in 1978 is worth about $40 in today’s value,” declared one viewer. “It’s crazy how much they keep increasing prices.”
This prompted one Disney defender to retort, “They’ve obviously improved the park since 1978. So yeah, it’s gonna be more…”
“As a former vacation planner — this is what we trained for and most of us never got to do,” said another user. “You made her day.”
Others felt dismayed that Ables didn’t get the ticket back given that it’s a collector’s item.
Ables’ find couldn’t have come at a better time. In October, Disney jacked up prices at its California and Florida theme parks by as much as 10% on some tickets to combat shrinking profit margins.