TM CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF GOLDEN TICKETS Vol. 16 • Issue 6.2 SEPTEMBER 2012 Dollywood hosts Golden Ticket event for second time Amusement Today hands out 29 Golden Tickets during ceremony Dollywood Host Park • 2012 Golden Ticket Awards • September 7 & 8, 2012 PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — “Going for the Olympics got caught up in many touching stories. gold” has such an Olympic connotation, and in As those that watched got drawn into the person- this Olympic year, those that were avidly riveted to al lives of these athletes, it was easy to cheer for the worldwide competition can easily draw some them, but also be curiously baffled when watching comparisons between the Games and the Golden those that were tragically tearful to collect “only” Ticket Awards. Everyone involved would love to a silver medal. On the flipside, it was encouraging take the gold, but sometimes the competition is to see those athletes who tried so hard just to get exceptionally fierce. Witness Michael Phelps and on the medal stand to simply receive a bronze — Usain Bolt. A few of Amusement Today’s catego- and be amazingly proud to do so. Likewise, while ries seem to contain finalists that maintain a simi- it is reasonable for parks to strive for their best lar tight lock. and fall slightly short of the Golden Ticket, just The 2012 Summer Olympics also had tales of to rank among the finalists in the Golden Ticket redemption. Many of this year’s athletes compet- Awards is an amazing accomplishment. The com- ed in the Games in Beijing (2008) and went home petition around the world is nothing short of in- with no medals, only to return in London to rise to timidating. There is so much good product and take gold. In 2007, Dollywood hosted the Golden amazing parks in AT’s Golden Ticket categories, Ticket Awards, yet were without a single win in to stand among those rated “The Best of the any of the categories. Best” is a monumental feat indeed. Congratula- This year as Amusement Today returns to Dol- tions are due for each and every finalist in all 25 of lywood, the park finds itself on the podium with our categories and four Publisher’s Picks. Phelps-like adrenaline, collecting more Golden The Golden Ticket Awards are often called Tickets this year than any other park. Last year, the “Oscars” of the amusement industry. Perhaps Dollywood’s beautiful park setting and authentic Dollywood the park finished as finalists in more categories they are much like the People’s Choice Awards. Express steam train are but a few of the highlights enjoyed than any other competitors, but an astounding But in many ways, the competition is like the five Golden Tickets were claimed in 2012, which Olympic Games as well. Enjoy the fanfare. by 2013 Golden Ticket attendees. The Tennessee park picked up a record five Golden Tickets during the two-day ties a record for these awards. — Tim Baldwin It is also worth noting that viewers of the event. COURTESY DOLLYWOOD JOIN US NEXT YEAR FOR THE SUBSCRIBE TO 2013 GOLDEN TICKET AWARDS AT: Dated material. material. Dated AMUSEMENT TODAY RUSH! NEWSPAPER POSTMASTER: PLEASE Mailed Sept. 10, 2012 Monday (817) 460-7220 PERMIT # 2069 # PERMIT FT. WORTH TX WORTH FT. com PAID amusementtoday US POSTAGE US PRSRT STD PRSRT SEPTEMBER 6-7, 2013 2 AMUSEMENT TODAY GOLDEN TICKET AWARDS September 2012 NEWSTALK OPINIONS CARTOON LETTERS AT CONTACTS EDITORIAL: Gary Slade, [email protected] CARTOON: Bubba Flint GTA event is for you When Amusement Today started the Golden Ticket Awards in 1998, we did it as a way to honor those parks and facilities who were doing a great job. Long before that first “live” ceremony started at Holiday World, AT still awarded Slade the parks with their winning Golden Ticket bricks. Some were sent in the mail while the very first bricks to be hand delivered were by former AT staffer Randy Duffer, who hand-delivered winning Golden Tickets to Dick Knoebel, Knoebel’s Amusement Resort. 2012 marks the 15th year of the awards and what I am most proud of is that the awards ceremony has given all of us in the amusement industry a reason to get together at the end of the long, hard summer grind. Sure, the awards are fun for our industry winners, but I must confess that I now enjoy the visitation time with the parks and suppliers during the GTA event. EDITORIAL: Tim Baldwin, [email protected] With that said, we have worked hard to keep the program new and fresh each year with different tours Hunches and items on the agenda. I think this year’s program is Each year as I tabulate like never before. another example as we have cut time on the rides, in the Golden Ticket Awards I Getting voters to take notice is part of the order to give more exclusive time in two indoor always have a hunch of what battle. Savvy marketing, enthusiast events, attractions at Dollywood. The National Roller Coaster might take the No. 1 spot for group tours…it all brings exposure to what Museum has its first-ever exhibition of coaster and Best New Ride. There is always parks hope will bring them particular notice to park history on display and Chasing Rainbows at the strong competition, but I usu- voters. ally have a gut feeling of which This year marked the advancement of al- Dolly Parton Museum gives time to view all the history Baldwin way it could go. lowing our panel of experts to vote online for and collections on display of the Nashville recording This year, however, the play- the first time. While this had numerous benefits, artist fame. ing field was much more competitive than ever. it took a little bit of the “nail biting” races out Next year we take our event to the lovely Santa It was certainly an impressive year for B&M. of my hands. Most of the categories had tabula- Cruz Beach Boardwalk, where much of the agenda is What with introducing their new wing coast- tions done electronically, so the ballot-by-ballot already in place. Again, we have some unique tours ers to the U.S., breaking the 300-foot barrier tabulation was consolidated into survey end re- for the first time, building the tallest coaster in sults. We could take a look at certain intervals and events on the agenda. The dates are set for Europe, and after a five-year absence, unleash- to see how voting was going, but for a year in September 6 & 7, 2013, so add this to your calendar ing their newest inverted coaster (their most which I didn’t have a strong hunch for Best New and plan to join us! prolific product) to rave reviews with the Eu- Ride, the down-to-the-wire counting was most- As we move forward, AT has locked in parks for ropean audience — clearly a competitive year ly gone, taking away my delicious moments of both the 2014 and 2015 awards. If anyone has ideas or just among its own installations. Throw in one suspense. As it turns out, congratulations go to suggestions for something you want to see added to of Disney’s most thematic and innovative at- Dollywood for flying above the stiff competi- tractions and the competition gets even more tion. the event agenda, please let us know. After all, the elevated. Then add creative launched coasters, As 2013 announcements are starting to sur- annual Golden Ticket Awards event is for you, the a new woodie at the virtually perfect park, im- face, I’m already getting hunches for next year. amusement industry professional. mersive dark rides, the world’s tallest drop ride Let the speculation — and the fun — begin. —Gary Slade and so much more…2012 had a “wow factor” AMUSEMENT TODAY STAFF Gary Slade, Founder Tim Baldwin Sammy Piccola Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Editorial Accounting / Circulation (817) 460-7220 [email protected] (817) 460-7220 [email protected] [email protected] Deliveries Member of: Pam Sherborne 2012 E. Randol Mill Rd, Suite 203 IAAPA, AIMS International, PAPA, Stacey Childress / Childress Media Editorial Sue Nichols Arlington, Texas 76011 NEAAPA, NJAA, OABA, WWA, TTIA, Web & Graphic Design [email protected] Advertising NAARSO and IISF [email protected] (615) 662-0252 Subscription rates are: 1 year (14 issues) $75 in the USA; $100 elsewhere; 2 years (28 issues) $140/$180; Scott Rutherford [email protected] 3 years (42 issues) $200/$250. Send check or money order (U.S. funds only, drawn on a U.S. bank) to John Robinson / W.H.R. Inc. Amusement Today, P.O. Box 5427, Arlington, Texas 76005-5427. Your cancelled check is your receipt. Editorial Please allow up to six weeks for your subscription request to be processed and the first issue mailed. Daily E-mail Newsletter [email protected] Bubba Flint [email protected] Cartoonist Amusement Today is an independent newspaper, published monthly by Amusement Today Inc., P.O. Jeffrey L. Seifert [email protected] 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 Editorial / Special Projects by Amusement Today 2012, with all rights reserved. [email protected] POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Amusement Today, P.O. Box 5427, Arlington, Texas Contributors: Dan Feicht, Terrance Lind, David Lipnicky, Richard Munch, B. Derek Shaw, Joel Styer, Janice Witherow, WHR Inc. 76005-5427. September 2012 GOLDEN TICKET AWARDS 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.