FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

KNOEBELS, WALT DISNEY WORLD NAMED TOP AMUSEMENT PARKS

Lombard, IL – The National Historical Association (NAPHA) released the results of its 27th annual NAPHA Amusement Park and Attractions Survey. The NAPHA survey is the oldest of its type.

“Throughout its existence, the NAPHA survey has been highly regarded not only to enthusiasts, but to the industry. Many parks feature the results prominently in their marketing and advertising materials,” noted NAPHA’s Survey Coordinator, Marlowe McClasky Futrell.

Some of the attractions seizing the top spots in the NAPHA survey include:  Favorite Traditional Amusement Park: Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA)  Favorite Theme Park: Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL)  Best Park for Families: Idlewild and Soak Zone (Ligonier, PA)  Most Beautiful Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Williamsburg, VA) for the 23rd consecutive year  Favorite Wood Coaster: Phoenix, Knoebels Amusement Resort  Favorite Steel Coaster: Millennium Force, (Sandusky, OH)  Best New Attraction (2012): , (Pigeon Forge, TN)

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 121 different amusement parks and has ridden more than 350 roller coasters. These NAPHA survey results list some of their favorites.

1 FAVORITE TRADITIONAL PARKS Two amusement parks, Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA), and (West Mifflin, PA) have been neck and neck in the standings since 1996 with each holding one of the top two positions in this category. This year Knoebels was voted number one, a position it also held in 2010.

FAVORITE TRADITIONAL PARKS 1 Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA) 2 Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA)

FAVORITE THEME PARKS Walt Disney World has been named NAPHA members’ Favorite Theme Park for eleven consecutive years – more than a decade. Disneyland (Anaheim, CA) came in second, a position it has held since 2010.

FAVORITE THEME PARKS 1 Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL) 2 Disneyland (Anaheim, CA)

BEST PARK FOR FAMILIES While Idlewild grabbed the top spot, for the past seven years, Knoebels Amusement Resort has finished as one of the top two parks in the category. These three parks have each been one of the four best parks for families since 2005.

BEST PARK FOR FAMILIES 1 Idlewild and Soak Zone (Ligonier, PA) 2 Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA) 3 Holiday World (Santa Claus, IN)

MOST BEAUTIFUL PARK Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA, has been voted the World’s Most Beautiful Amusement Park for twenty-three consecutive years. Walt Disney World was named the second most beautiful, a position it has held since 2005.

BEST POST-SUMMER PARKS Kennywood and Knoebels Amusement Resort are considered to be the Best Post-Summer Parks. After the traditional season, Kennywood hosts Phantom Fright Nights in the Fall and Holiday Lights celebrating the holiday season. Likewise, Knoebels celebrates with Hallo-Fun.

FAVORITE WOOD The Phoenix was once again was voted by NAPHA members as Favorite Wood Roller Coaster. The Voyage secured the second position. The two wood coasters have been named as either the Favorite or Second Favorite since 2006. 2

FAVORITE WOOD COASTER 1 Phoenix, Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA) 2 Voyage, Holiday World (Santa Claus, IN)

FAVORITE Millennium Force, members’ Favorite Steel Roller Coaster, has been the top ranked or tied for the favorite steel coaster since 2002. Kennywood’s Phantom’s Revenge grabbed the second spot.

FAVORITE STEEL COASTER 1 Millennium Force, Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH) 2 Phantom’s Revenge, Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA)

BEST NEW ATTRACTIONS This year NAPHA members named only one Best New Attraction – the Wild Eagle at Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN).

Last year, the Black Diamond, a combination roller coaster and dark ride (Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, PA), and the Zippin Pippin wood roller coaster (Bay Beach, Green Bay, WI) shared the honors. Other past winners include:  2010: Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Islands of Adventure, Orlando, FL) and Sky Rocket (Kennywood)  2009: Diamondback (, Kings Island, OH), Manta ( Orlando), and ( & , Kansas City, MO)  2008: Ravine Flyer II (Waldameer & Water World, Erie, PA)  2007: Maverick (Cedar Point), (Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, TN), and Renegade (!, Shakepee, MN)  2006: Voyage (Holiday World)  2005: Hades (Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park, Wisconsin Dells, WI).

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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].

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