golden ticket
Rare lucky entry
A golden ticket is something that grants access to a rare, highly desirable opportunity—from the literal prize in Roald Dahl's *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory* that admitted children to Willy Wonka's factory.
The phrase now describes any pass to exclusive experiences or guaranteed paths to success: A degree from Harvard is seen as a golden ticket, She landed the golden ticket—an interview with the CEO.
- storybookBook of tales
- children's literatureBooks aimed at youth
- fantasyImaginative mental wandering
- whimsicalPlayfully fanciful or erratic
Charlie Bucket · Roald Dahl · magical · adventure · imagination · dreamlike · enchanted · fairy tale
Likelihood of occurrence
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- accessRight to enter
- entryAccess or submission
- admissionEntry or confession
invitation · doorway · gateway · pathway · opening · prospect · launchpad · springboard
Unanticipated lucky gain
- serendipityAccidental fortunate discovery
- fortuneWealth or destiny
- lucky breakUnforeseen favorable occurrence
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
kismet · destiny · charmed · fluke · providence · auspicious · stroke of luck · good fortune
Notable, for short
- eliteSuperior select group
- selectCarefully pick from options
- privilegedHaving special advantages
- insiderOne with confidential access
coveted · sought-after · rare · limited · restricted · special · premium · high-end
Willy Wonka
- storybookBook of tales
- children's literatureBooks aimed at youth
- fantasyImaginative mental wandering
Charlie Bucket · Roald Dahl · whimsical · magical · adventure · imagination · dreamlike · enchanted · fairy tale · fable
chance
Likelihood of occurrence
- breakthroughSudden important advance
- accessRight to enter
- entryAccess or submission
admission · invitation · doorway · gateway · pathway · opening · prospect · launchpad · springboard · steppingstone
windfall
Unanticipated lucky gain
- serendipityAccidental fortunate discovery
- fortuneWealth or destiny
- lucky breakUnforeseen favorable occurrence
blessing · kismet · destiny · charmed · fluke · providence · auspicious · stroke of luck · good fortune · twist of fate
VIP
Notable, for short
- eliteSuperior select group
- selectCarefully pick from options
- privilegedHaving special advantages
insider · coveted · sought-after · rare · limited · restricted · special · premium · high-end · prestige
jackpot
Accumulated gambling prize
- grand prizeHighest contest award
- rewardPayment for service
- bonanzaSudden large windfall
treasure · bounty · payout · trophy · winner · contest · raffle · giveaway · drawing · competition
- advantagesedge, leverage, upper hand, leg up, head start
- ticketsstub, pass, day pass, rail pass, rail passes
- free passeshall pass, guest pass, backstage pass, day pass, press pass
- Kerberosrealm, authenticator
- game itemspotion, health potion, mana potion, power-up, extra life
- Fictional ObjectsExcalibur, magic carpet, invisibility cloak, Mjolnir, One Ring
golden ticketrejection letter
Written refusal notice
closed door · dead end · blacklist · pink slip · ban
golden ticketkiss of death
Ultimately ruinous act
death sentence · curse · bad break · raw deal · misfortune
gold, ticket, golden, tickets, ticketed, ticketing, gilded, gilding, goldenrod