What to Know
- Richardson, of Alberta, Canada, visited Disneyland with a prize ticket she won back in 1985 for the park's 30th anniversary celebration
- A ticket to Disneyland cost about $16 in 1985 when Richardson was 14
- She took her two teen daughters with her on a magical day at the Anaheim theme park
More than 30 years after she was among the lucky few to win a Disneyland pass as part of a 30th anniversary giveaway at the theme park, Tamia Richardson returned to claim her prize -- a day of magic with her two teen daughters.
Richardson, of Alberta, Canada, said she wasn't sure the park would still accept the pass, which she won as a prize that went to every 30th park visitor for the 1985 anniversary celebration.
She was 14 at the time. Attractions like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the California Adventure park were still years in the making and Disneyland ticket prices were about $16.
So, it was with uncertainty that she approached the park entrance Thursday with teen daughters Mia and Maren and the aged pass that features an image of Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
"I was a little nervous because it was an old ticket," she told the LA Times. "I was crossing my fingers."
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It didn't take magic, just a call to a manager from the employee at the turnstile -- her faded and worn three-decade-old pass was valid for entry.
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When she won the prize 34 years ago, a ticket cost $16.50. That's about 39 bucks when adjusted for inflation and a significant bargain when compared to today's prices.
Richardson has been to Disneyland several times since that prize-winning August 1985 visit, but never thought to use the free pass. She was looking through boxes of old photos and other items when she found the it, the Times reported.
"I found it and I said, 'I need to try to use it,'" she told the Times, adding that she planned to see everything -- old favorites and new theme park stars -- during her family visit.
