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Kennywood, Disneyland Named Top Amusement Parks

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Kennywood, Disneyland Named Top Amusement Parks FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Marlowe McClasky Futrell (412) 831-6315 or www.napha.org KENNYWOOD, DISNEYLAND NAMED TOP AMUSEMENT PARKS Lombard, IL – While most of us are stuck at home due to the COVID-10 pandemic, with amusement park season delayed, which parks are you missing the most? The National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) recently asked their members what parks and attractions are their favorites. NAPHA released the results of its annual Amusement Park and Attractions Survey. The survey is the oldest of its type. This is the survey’s 34th year. “Exchanging opinions about favorite amusement parks and rides is fun for enthusiasts, especially during this difficult time” 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.” Some of the attractions seizing the top ratings in the 2019 NAPHA survey include: Favorite Traditional Amusement Park: Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA). Favorite Theme Park: Disneyland (Anaheim, CA). Most Beautiful Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Williamsburg, VA) for the 30th consecutive year. Favorite Wood Coaster: Phoenix, Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA), for nine years running. Favorite Steel Coaster: Phantom’s Revenge, Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA). NAPHA members are typically 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 140 different amusement parks and has ridden about 330 roller coasters. 1 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. In 2019 NAPHA members voted Kennywood as the top park, while Knoebels was their second favorite park, after being number one for the seventh straight years. FAVORITE TRADITIONAL PARKS 1 Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA) 2 Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA) FAVORITE THEME PARKS Similarly, Disneyland (Anaheim, CA) and Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL) have occupied the top spots virtually every year since the survey was first fielded in 1986. This year Disneyland was voted as the Favorite Theme Park. These theme parks are perennial favorites. FAVORITE THEME PARKS 1 Disneyland (Anaheim, CA) 2 Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL) MOST BEAUTIFUL PARK For the thirtieth consecutive year, Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, was voted by members as the Most Beautiful Amusement Park. FAVORITE WOOD ROLLER COASTER For the ninth consecutive year, Phoenix was voted by NAPHA members as Favorite Wood Roller Coaster. It has been named the favorite wood roller coaster fourteen years since 2000. Kennywood’s 100-year old Jack Rabbit tied with Boulderdash as the second favorite. FAVORITE WOOD COASTER 1 Phoenix, Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA) 2-tie Boulderdash, Lake Compounce (Bristol, PA) 2-tie Jack Rabbit, Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA) FAVORITE STEEL ROLLER COASTER For the third consecutive year, Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood was chosen as the Favorite Steel Roller Coaster. Cedar Point’s Magnum XL 200 tied with Fury 325 at Carowinds for the second spot. Phantom’s Revenge has been the first or second place coaster since 2011. FAVORITE STEEL COASTER 1 Phantom’s Revenge, Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA) 2-tie Fury 325, Carowinds (Charlotte, NC) 2-tie Magnum XL 200, Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH) 2 FAVORITE POST-SUMMER SEASON AMUSEMENT PARK EVENTS NAPHA members’ favorite Halloween, Fall or Christmas amusement park-related seasonal events is Knoebels’ Hallo-Fun, which is kicked off by their Phall Phunfest. Kennywood’s Holiday Lights was named the second favorite post-season event. BEST NEW ATTRACTION Kennywood’s Steel Curtain was named by NAPHA members as the Best New Attraction in 2019 by a wide margin. MOST ANTICIPATED ATTRACTION IN 2020 The Orion steel roller coaster at Kings Island (Kings Island, OH) is the most anticipated amusement park attraction among NAPHA members. The ride has a first drop of 300 feet with 5,321 feet of track and speeds of up to 91 miles per hour. Members are also looking forward to Candymonium at Hersheypark, a steel roller coaster with an ascent of 210 feet. _______ The National Amusement Park Historical Association, founded in 1978, is an international, educational and enthusiast’s organization dedicated to preserving and documenting the heritage of the amusement park industry, past, present and future. For more information about the survey or about NAPHA, please contact Marlowe McClasky Futrell, Survey Coordinator, at (412) 831-6315 or at [email protected], or go to www.napha.org. This study was conducted for NAPHA by MMc Marketing Research, which can be reached at (412) 813-6315, or via email at [email protected]. 3.
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