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Home , Amusement park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Marlowe McClasky Futrell (412) 831-6315 or www.napha.org

KENNYWOOD, KNOEBELS AND WORLD NAMED TOP AMUSEMENT

Lombard, IL – Given 2020’s unusual amusement season, the results of the 35th annual National Amusement Park Historical Association Survey are remarkably consistent. Favorite amusement parks and roller coasters from past years remained members’ favorites. Extensive closures did not affect opinions.

While most amusement parks did open in 2020, they had abbreviated seasons. Many did not open at all; attendance was a fraction of a normal year. Not surprisingly, the annual number of visits by NAPHA members to amusement parks plunged in 2020. In past years, members generally visited an average of 8 to 13 parks annually. In 2020, the average number of visits was 3.8. Virtually all of NAPHA members went to fewer parks in 2020 compared to 2019.

“Exchanging opinions about favorite amusement parks and rides is fun for enthusiasts, especially during the pandemic,” noted NAPHA’s Survey Coordinator, Marlowe McClasky Futrell, “Parks are also interested in the survey findings, and many incorporate the results into their publicity materials, maybe more so in 2020.”

Some of the attractions seizing the top ratings in the 2020 NAPHA survey include: • Favorite Traditional Amusement Park: (West Mifflin, PA) tied with Knoebels Amusement (Elyburg, PA). • Favorite Theme Park: (Lake Buena Vista, FL). • Most Beautiful Park: Williamsburg (Williamsburg, VA) for the 31st consecutive year. • Favorite Wood Coaster: Phoenix, Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA), for nine years running. • Favorite Steel Coaster: A four-way tie between Fury 325 (), Magnum XL 200 (), Millennium Force (Cedar Point) and Phantom’s Revenge (Kennywood).

1 NAPHA members are experienced riders who have visited countless amusement parks and have ridden a diverse assortment of roller coasters and other rides. The average member has been to more than 118 different amusement parks and has ridden about 386 roller coasters.

FAVORITE TRADITIONAL PARKS Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA) and Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA) have been neck and neck in the Favorite Traditional Park standings since 1996 with each holding one of the top two positions in this category throughout the years. Last year (2019) Kennywood was voted as the top park followed by Knoebels. In 2020 Kennywood and Knoebels tied as the top park. Kennywood was preferred by members for its combination of vintage and new rides, great wooden roller coasters. Knoebels’ was characterized as having a “family atmostphere, classic rides, low prices nice staff, great food, shade and it retains the magic of childhood visits,” one member commented that “when I’m at Knoebels I feel like I’m at home.”

FAVORITE TRADITIONAL PARKS 1-tie Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA) 1-tie Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA)

FAVORITE THEME PARKS Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL) was named as members’ Favorite Theme Park. It has occupied the top spots virtually every year since the survey was first fielded in 1986. Disney World was enjoyed by members for its variety of things to do and its big rides. For only the second time (Pidgeon Forge, TN), known for its atmosphere, selection of rides, shows, unique food and crafts, was in the number two slot, a spot it also held in 2016.

FAVORITE THEME PARKS 1 Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL) 2 Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN)

MOST BEAUTIFUL PARK For the thirty-first consecutive year, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, was voted as the Most Beautiful Amusement Park. NAPHA members list the “rides, the scenery, the atmosphere and the animal connection.” The second most beautiful park was Dollywood (Pidgeon Forge, TN), known by members for its “variety of rides and non-rides, thing to do – show, concerts, the eagle sanctuary, the glass blower, Dolly’s cottage, the dolly museum, and they have great food!”

2 FAVORITE WOOD For the tenth consecutive year, Phoenix was voted by NAPHA members as Favorite Wood Roller Coaster. It has been named the favorite wood roller coaster fifteen times since 2000. For three consecutive years, Kennywood’s Jack Rabbit was the second favorite.

FAVORITE WOOD COASTER 1 Phoenix, Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA) 2 Jack Rabbit, Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA)

FAVORITE Four steel roller coasters tied for Favorite Steel Roller Coaster: Fury 325 (Carowinds), Magnum XL 200 (Cedar Point), Millennium Force (Cedar Point) and Phantom’s Revenge (Kennywood). Phantom’s Revenge, Magnum XL 200 and Fury 325 were name top steel coasters last year (2019). Phantom’s Revenge has been the first or second place coaster since 2011.

FAVORITE STEEL COASTER 1-tie Fury 325, Carowinds (Charlotte, NC) 1-tie Magnum XL 200, Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH) 1-tie Millennium Force, Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH) 1-tie Phantom’s Revenge, Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA)

FAVORITE BUCKET LIST PARKS After spending well over a year going to only a few parks, the survey asked a new question regarding NAPHA members’ bucket list parks. They are all in Europe.

FAVORITE BUCKET LIST PARKS 1 Europa Park (Rust, Germany) 2 Gardens (, ) 3 Pleasure Beach (, UK)

Organized in 1978, the National Amusement Park Historical Association is an international educational and enthusiasts’ organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of the heritage of the amusement park – past, present and future. Membership is open to anyone interested in amusement parks and includes individuals from all over the 3 world. In addition to enthusiasts, many amusement parks, manufacturers and other attractions industry-related businesses are NAPHA members. Follow NAPHA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.napha.org for more information.

For more information about the survey or about NAPHA, please contact Marlowe McClasky Futrell, Survey Coordinator, at (412) 831-6315 or at [email protected].

This study was conducted for NAPHA by MMc Marketing Research, which can be reached at (412) 813-6315, or via email at [email protected].

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