The "E" Ticket

The "E" Ticket was an American fan magazine about the history of Disneyland, founded by brothers Leon and Jack Janzen, who published the first issue in the winter of 1986. ^†1 It was named after the "E" ticket at Disneyland Park and devoted each issue to a different ride or attraction. ^†2 The final issue, number 46, was published in the summer of 2009, and the Walt Disney Family Museum later acquired the magazine's assets. ^†1

History

Leon and Jack Janzen grew up in Southern California and created The "E" Ticket as a fanzine about Disneyland. Their stated aim was to give a detailed history of the park and to spotlight the "artists, Imagineers and other creative individuals who helped design and build Disneyland". The early issues were small and resembled a newsletter; the magazine later became a color glossy publication. It appeared two to three times a year. ^†1

Leon Janzen died in 2003, and almost a year passed before the next issue appeared. ^†1 In a 2003 column for LaughingPlace.com, Ken Pellman called The "E" Ticket the only unofficial Disneyland publication to "stand the test of time with regular publication". ^†3

In 2008 Jack Janzen announced that "the end of the line for the magazine was in sight". He published the final issue, number 46, in the summer of 2009; it covered Disneyland's Indiana Jones ride. On August 7, 2009, he invited readers to a farewell gathering at the Griffith Park carousel, attended by guests including Bob Gurr, Alice Davis and Tony Baxter. On December 31, 2009, he announced his retirement and that the Walt Disney Family Museum had acquired all of the magazine's assets. ^†1 The museum sells back issues in its store and through its webstore. ^†2

Publishing history timeline

1. First issue

   Winter 1986

   Leon and Jack Janzen published the first issue of The "E" Ticket.

2. Death of Leon Janzen

   2003

   Almost a year passed before Jack Janzen released the next issue.

3. Final issue

   Summer 2009

   Jack Janzen published issue number 46, covering the Indiana Jones ride.

4. Assets acquired

   December 31, 2009

   Jack Janzen announced his retirement and that the Walt Disney Family Museum had acquired the magazine's assets.

Editorial profile

Each issue was devoted to a particular land or ride at Disneyland. The brothers researched the articles, added their own childhood memories of the park, and recorded audio interviews with craftsmen who had worked on it. Early issues also covered other Southern California attractions, including Marineland, Pacific Ocean Park and Corriganville. Imagineers and other behind-the-scenes figures, among them Bob Gurr, Yale Gracey and Marc Davis, contributed to the magazine. ^†1 The Fall 2004 issue, number 41, included an interview with Diane Disney Miller, who gave a tour of the Gorgas Avenue warehouse where the museum's collections were once stored. ^†2

Because the early issues went out of print, the Janzens reissued them on CD-ROM, in a collection that grew to three discs covering the first 24 issues. ^†1