Golden Ticket Awards • September 16 & 17, 2011 COURTESY S

GOLDEN TICKET BONUS ISSUE

TM

www.GoldenTicketAwards.com

Vol. 15 • Issue 6.2 SEPTEMBER 2011

Holiday World hosts Golden Ticket event for third time

Amusement Today sees the biggest voter response in survey history

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari

Host Park • 2011 Golden Ticket Awards • September 16 & 17, 2011

COURTESY S. MADONNA HORCHER

STORY: Tim Baldwin

strate the big inﬂux of additional voters.
Tabulating hundreds of ballots can seem like a somewhat tedious and daunting task, but a few categories were such close races, that a handful of winners were not determined until the very last ballots in the last hour of tabulation. These ‘nail biters’ always keep us on our toes that there is never a guarantee of any category.
The dedication of our voters is also admirable. People have often gone to great lengths to make sure we receive their ballot in time. And as mentioned before, every vote absolutely counts as just a few ballots determined some winning categories.

[email protected]

SANTA CLAUS, Indiana — It was Holiday
World’s idea for Amusement Today to present the Golden Ticket Awards live in 2000. The ceremony was on the simple side, and now over a decade later, the park welcomes AT for the third time. A lot has changed since that time, as the Golden Ticket Awards ceremony has grown into a popular industry event, filled with networking opportunities and occasions to see what is considered the best in the industry.
What has also grown is the voter response.
The 2011 awards saw the biggest response from our panel of experts than ever before. New participants and an increase of international voters have had an impact on several positions on our charts, and Amusement Today looks forward to an ever-growing community of aficionados to point out all that is great about our industry. Simply by looking at the points on our roller coaster charts will demon-
One new voter wrote on their ballot: “It is an honor to be asked to vote. Thank you!” And we agree. Not just anybody is qualified. There is a certain distinction and respect that comes with being asked to share a vast wealth of experience. But it is AT and the industry that truly offers the thanks for recognizing the “Best of the Best.”

Top, Pat Koch closed the 2006 Golden Ticket Awards ceremony with a tribute to Carol Burnett. Above, Holiday World welcomes AT for the third time in 2011.

COURTESY HOLIDAY WORLD

JOIN US NEXT YEAR FOR THE
2012 GOLDEN TICKET AWARDS AT:

SUBSCRIBE TO
AMUSEMENT TODAY
(817) 460-7220

P E R M I T # 2 0 6 9
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2 AMUSEMENT TODAY September 2011

NEWSTALK

OPINIONS

CARTOON

LETTERS

AT CONTACTS

EDITORIAL: Gary Slade, [email protected]

CARTOON: Bubba Flint

Send us your ideas

As we gather at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari for the 2011 Golden Tickets Awards, we want to remind our industry friends we are always listening to your ideas on how to improve the awards through new catageories to consider or the way the GT ballots are

Slade

distributed.
This year, at the request of many suppliers, we added the names of 75 well traveled ride suppliers to our ballot mailing list. Those returned ballots were included in the final tabulations that included ballots from four different regions of the United States and one international region. See regions map at the right on page 3 for complete details.
If any industry professional has an idea they would like us to consider, let us know. The Golden Ticket Awards are as much yours as they are AT’s.
Now for a few quick Golden Ticket fun facts:

•Dollywood is a finalist and/or winner in more

categories than any other park — 8.

•The New Texas Giant is only the 7th coaster in

Golden Ticket history to debut in the top 10.

•The Voyage holds the record for consecutive

wins of any coaster — 5.

•Cedar Point, Schlitterbahn and Busch Gardens

Williamsburg have been undefeated in their winning catageories for 14 years.

•Magnum XL-200 is the only steel roller coaster

to appear on every Golden Ticket top 10 list.

•In 1998, Amusement Today’s first year of pro-

ducing the Golden Ticket Awards, 14 Golden Tickets were awarded from the first-ever survey. This year, 28 Golden Tickets will be handed out.
Thank you to the Koch family and all the staff at Holiday World as our 2011 host park for another great event. See you in 2012 at Dollywood!

EDITORIAL: Tim Baldwin, [email protected]

It must be in the genes

I had the privilege to be a smoother coaster over one that is a bit more part of a group of amusement rugged. But, by golly, I still have that gene. I park enthusiasts doing a tour love being in the world of amusement parks. of German parks this summer. As I watched the group riding a small family About half of our group were coaster over and over in the rain — cheering! Americans with the other half — I knew these people had it within them to being European (with a large have fun. Many folks in the industry would have contingent from the U.K.). It just preferred to stay in their ofﬁces, or even was interesting to listen to the head home. But not fans like these.

Baldwin

discussions of the parks and the roller coasters.

It is this slice of the public, these enthu-

We enjoyed the smallest of children’s parks to siasts, who truly “get” what the industry is the most magniﬁcent theme parks. The group about. They can’t get to every park every year, debated the attributes of the roller coasters, and most assuredly long to get to far away desand often prodded each other to do the water tinations which they may never have the means rides even though many days were on the cool to visit. But they are out there — riding, phoside. The one thing the whole group had in tographing, documenting and spending. It is common was that everyone was having a great this collective mass of fandom to which AT is

time.

indebted for telling us who is doing a great job

Maybe there is a certain gene that cre- and what new rides are the “must get to” atates an enthusiast. Children seem to have it, tractions.

Gary Slade is the founder and publisher of Amusement Today. His love for amusement parks began at age six when he first visited Pontchartrain Beach Amusement Park and Six Flags Over Texas. His long newspaper career helped lead to the launch of AT in 1997.

but as some people get older they let that

When it is my time to leave this earth, I

gene become buried. Sure, as the body ages, hope it is after I have had one last chance to we might not be able to spin quite as much enjoy a great amusement park trip with friends or hang upside down like we used to. Heaven like these. After all, we share the same genes. knows as I get older I sometimes prefer the

AMUSEMENT TODAY STAFF

Tim Baldwin

Editorial [email protected]

Gary Slade, Founder

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief (817) 460-7220

Bubba Flint

Cartoonist [email protected]

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Amusement Today is an independent newspaper, published monthly by Amusement Today Inc., P.O. Box 5427, Arlington, Texas 76005. Presort Standard Postage (Permit No. 2069) pre-paid at Fort Worth, Texas. The entire contents of this newspaper and its related Web sites are copyrighted and trademarked by Amusement Today 2011, with all rights reserved.

Contributors: Dan Feicht, Howard Gillooly, S. Madonna Horcher, Dave Jackson,

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Amusement Today, P.O. Box 5427, Arlington, Texas 76005-5427.

Jeffrey L. Seifert, B. Derek Shaw, Allan Reid, Janice Witherow, WHR Inc.

September 2011 AMUSEMENT TODAY 3

Our panel of experts

Since Amusement Today

introduced the Golden Ticket

Awards in 1998, we continue to

seek out the most experienced park enthusiasts to participate in our survey. AT follows a fair and balanced protocol of dividing our ballots between four geographical regions (see color map at right) of the United States. In addition to the hundres of surveys sent to American enthusiasts, international fans are also sought out and we invite such fans to contact us for participation in future years.

Amusement Today thanks the

hundreds of voters who helped form this year’s panel of experts and make the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards a reality.

3

2
1

Are you a qualiﬁed candi-

4

date? Contact Golden Ticket Awards Communications Coordinator Tim Baldwin at [email protected] and we’ll see if you would make a good representative for your region on next year’s new panel.
Of note, park employees,

and Amusement Today staff are

not eligible to be on the panel.

5 – International Surveys

2011 park winners shine their brightest to take the gold

STORY: Tim Baldwin

Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and

Noah’s Ark. Each of these parks is known for a particular quality, whether it be the latest waterslide products, exceptional theming or a huge variety of attractions. Regardless of which, all these parks rate high marks for fun.

[email protected]

Since the inception of the
Golden Tickets, the catego-

ries of Best Park and Best

Waterpark have been domi- top ﬁve at No. 4 with Disneynated by winners Cedar Point land just behind.

and Schlitterbahn. Some

The second half of the wonder if this lock can ever be top 10 sees Universal’s Isbroken. But for this year, both lands of Adventure, followed parks take the win for the 14th by Busch Gardens Williamsconsecutive year. This unques- burg, Kennywood and Totionaby speaks to the quality kyo DisneySea. A tie for the of the product these parks of- No. 10 spot— Holiday World
Idlewild is thrilled to take the Golden Ticket for Best

Children’s Park for the sec-

ond year in a row.
“We still can’t wipe the smiles from our faces,” says Ed Saxton, marketing manager for Idlewild & SoakZone. “The 2010 Golden Ticket was the cornerstone to our entire marketing campaign and we intend for the 2011 Golden Ticket to be the focal point as well.” Lipton beams, “What better tagline can you get?”

4See PARKS, page 11

fer guests.

and Pleasure Beach Black-

In the category for Best pool — lets AT showcase 11
Park, Knoebels has now be- parks on our chart. come cozy in the No. 2 spot for the third year in a row.

For Best Waterpark,

Schlitterbahn’s win comes

Continuing to climb is from the largest percentage
Europa-Park, now rising to of votes on all of our 2011 the No. 3 spot in 2011. Dol- charts.

lywood is also seen climbing

A top ﬁve is completed

several notches up into the by Splashin’ Safari, Blizzard

Cedar Point’s record breaking rides and diverse resort entertainment has swept the category of Best Park for 14 years.

AT/JEFFREY L. SEIFERT

Park and Ride Winners

Ranked by percentage of votes cast

BEST NEW RIDE FOR 2011 (Waterpark)
BEST NEW RIDE FOR 2011 (Amusement Park)

The Falls

Schlitterbahn

Water Country U.S.A. Raging Waters
45% 15%
8% (tie) 8% (tie)
New Texas Giant Cheetah Hunt Wooden Warrior Twister
Six Flags Over Texas Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Quassy Amusement Park

Gröna Lund

45% 12% 11%
Vanish Point Bombs Away

Viper

NRH O

5% (tie)

2

Zippin Pippin

Bay Beach Amusement Park 5% (tie)

BEST SEaSIDE ParK
BEST ParK

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Pleasure Beach Blackpool Morey’s Piers
Santa Cruz, Calif. Blackpool, England Wildwood, N.J. Stockholm, Sweden Kemah, Texas
29%
Cedar Point Knoebels Amusement Resort Europa-Park Dollywood Disneyland Universal’s Islands of Adventure Busch Gardens Williamsburg Tokyo DisneySea Kennywood Holiday World
Sandusky, Ohio Elysburg, Pa.
23% 13% 12%
8% 7%
28% 16%

5%

Rust, Germany

Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Anaheim, Calif. Orlando, Fla. Williamsburg, Va. Tokyo, Japan West Mifflin, Pa. Santa Claus, Ind. Blackpool, England
Gröna Lund

Kemah Boardwalk

4%

BEST INDOOr WaTErParK

6.5% 5.5%
5% (tie) 5% (tie)
4.5% (tie) 4.5% (tie)
Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Kalahari Resort
Galveston, Texas Sandusky, Ohio
31% 16% 15% 12% 11%
Kalahari Resort World Waterpark Splash Landings
Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Staffordshire, England
Pleasure Beach Blackpool

FrIENDLIEST ParK
BEST WaTErParK

Holiday World Dollywood Knoebels Amusement Resort Silver Dollar City Beech Bend
Santa Claus, Ind. Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Elysburg, Pa. Branson, Mo. Bowling Green, Ky.
32% 25% 13% 12%
5%
Schlitterbahn Splashin’ Safari Blizzard Beach Typhoon Lagoon Noah’s Ark
New Braunfels, Texas Santa Claus, Ind. Orlando, Fla. Orlando, Fla. Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
66% 14%
6% 5% 4%

CLEANEST PARK

BEST CHILDrEN’S ParK

Holiday World

Santa Claus, Ind.

Williamsburg, Va. Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Orlando, Fla.
35% 15% 10%
9%
Idlewild & SoakZone Legoland California Fårup Sommerland Legoland Windsor Dutch Wonderland

Ligonier, Pa.

30%

25% 11% 10%
6%
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Dollywood
Carlsbad, Calif. Saltum, Denmark Windsor, England Lancaster, Pa.
Magic Kingdom

Disneyland

Anaheim, Calif.

8%

BEST SHOWS

BEST MarINE LIFE ParK

Dollywood Six Flags Fiesta Texas Silver Dollar City SeaWorld Orlando Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Pigeon Forge, Tenn. San Antonio, Texas Branson, Mo. Orlando, Fla. Orlando, Fla.
30% 28% 10%
8%
SeaWorld Orlando SeaWorld San Antonio Discovery Cove SeaWorld San Diego Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Orlando, Fla. San Antonio, Texas Orlando, Fla. San Diego, Calif. Vallejo, Calif.
55% 14% 11% 10%
6%
7%

From the signature tube chutes from its early years to the latest in waterpark innovations, the original Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, Texas has the unique attractions to win Best Waterpark.
Voted Best Seaside Park, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk exempliﬁes perfectly what the ambience of such a setting should be with an ideal mix of new rides and classic, traditional favorites.

AT/GARY SLADE

Park and Ride Winners

Ranked by percentage of votes cast

BEST FOOD

BEST LaNDSCaPING

Knoebels Amusement Resort Epcot Dollywood Silver Dollar City Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Elysburg, Pa. Orlando, Fla. Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Branson, Mo. Williamsburg, Va.
29% 17% 15% 13%
7%

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Efteling Gilroy Gardens Dollywood Epcot
Williamsburg, Va. Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands 13% Gilroy, Calif. Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Orlando, Fla.
33% 12%
9% 7%

BEST HaLLOWEEN EVENT
BEST WaTEr rIDE (ParK)

Universal Orlando Resort Knott’s Berry Farm Knoebels Amusement Resort Kennywood
Orlando, Fla. Buena Park, Calif. Elysburg, Pa. West Mifflin, Pa. Rust, Germany
32% 26% 16% 10%
5%
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls Valhalla Pilgrim’s Plunge Splash Mountain Journey to Atlantis
Universal’s Islands of Adv. Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Holiday World Magic Kingdom SeaWorld Orlando
26% 19% 10%
9%
Europa-Park
7%

BEST CHrISTMaS EVENT

BEST WaTErParK rIDE

Dollywood

Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Branson, Mo. Orlando Fla. Anaheim, Calif. Orlando, Fla.
38% 14%
13.5%
10%
Wildebeest Master Blaster Dragon’s Revenge Congo River Expedition Zoombabwe
Splashin’ Safari Schlitterbahn Schlitterbahn Schlitterbahn Splashin’ Safari
34% 24% 13%
8%
Silver Dollar City Magic Kingdom Disneyland

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

7%

5%

BEST KIDS’ arEa
BEST CarOUSEL

Kings Island

Kings Mills, Ohio

Orlando, Fla. Bloomington, Minn. Staffordshire, England
30% 16% 12%
8%
Knoebels Amusement Resort Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Six Flags Over Georgia Kennywood
Elysburg, Pa. Santa Cruz, Calif. Austell, Ga West Mifflin, Pa. Gurnee, Ill.
55% 18%
7% 5% 4%
Universal’s Islands of Adventure Nickelodeon Universe Drayton Manor

Efteling

Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands 7%

Six Flags Great America

BEST DarK rIDE
BEST INDOOr COaSTEr

Harry Potter and...Forbidden Journey Universal’s Islands of Adv. Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man Universal’s Islands of Adv.
26% 23% 15%
Revenge of the Mummy Space Mountain Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Mindbender
Universal Studios Orlando Disneyland Disney’s Hollywood Studios Galaxyland
31% 15% 13% 12%
9%
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Haunted Mansion
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Knoebels Amusement Resort 10%

Disneyland 6%

Indiana Jones and...Forbidden Eye

Space Mountain

Magic Kingdom

BEST OUTDOOr SHOW PrODUCTION
BEST FUNHOUSE/WaLK-THrOUGH aTTraCTION

Epcot

Orlando, Fla.

34%

17% 16%
Noah’s Ark Frankenstein’s Castle Noah’s Ark

Ghost Ship

Lustiga Huset
Kennywood Indiana Beach Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Morey’s Piers Gröna Lund
24% 23% 15% 13% 12%
Six Flags Fiesta Texas Disney California Adventure Disneyland
San Antonio, Texas Anaheim, Calif. Anaheim, Calif. Orlando, Fla.
10% (tie)

10% (tie)

Magic Kingdom

Thanks for your support in the Golden Ticket Awards!

2011

MILLENNIUM
FORCE

TO
PRESENTED

GOLDEN

BEST

CEDAR POINT

TICKET

STEEL COASTER

AWARD