Golden Ticket Awards announced for 2007

[Alpengeist]

Here are the results::rolleyes:

AMUSEMENT TODAY ANNOUNCES WINNERS
OF ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL POLL

ARLINGTON, Texas, Sept. 5, 2007 – And the winner is … In an awards’ show today hosted by Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Amusement Today announced the winners of its prestigious 2007 Golden Ticket Awards..

The Golden Ticket Awards are presented to the “Best of the Best” in the amusement industry calculated from an international poll conducted by Amusement Today. Surveys were sent to a database of experienced and well-traveled amusement park fans around the world – in balanced geographical regions – asking them to rate the “bests” in 24 categories such as “amusement parks,” “roller coasters,” “shows,” “friendliest staff” and “water rides.” The 2007 winners are …

Best Amusement Park
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Best Waterpark
Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas

Best Children’s Park
Legoland California, Carlsbad, Calif.

Best Marine Life Park
SeaWorld Orlando, Orlando, Fla.

Best Seaside Park
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Best Wooden Coaster
The Voyage at Holiday World, Santa Claus, Ind.

Best Steel Coaster
Superman Ride of Steel
at Six Flags New England, Agawam, Mass.

Best Kids’ Area
Kings Island, Kings Mills, Ohio

Friendliest Staff
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.

Cleanest Park
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.

Best Halloween Event
The Haunt at Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, Calif.

Best Landscaping - Amusement Park
Busch Gardens Europe, Williamsburg, Va.

Best Landscaping - Waterpark
Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas

Best Food
Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.

Best Shows
Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio

Best Outdoor Night Show Production
IllumiNations: Reflections of the Earth
at Walt Disney World’s Epcot Center, Orlando, Fla.

Best Water Ride
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.

Best Waterpark Ride
Master Blaster at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort,
New Braunfels, Texas

Best Dark Ride
Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.

Best New Ride of 2007 - Amusement Park
Maverick at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Best New Ride of 2007 - Waterpark
Bakuli at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari,
Santa Claus, Ind.

Best Carousel
Grand Carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort,
Elysburg, Penn.

Best Indoor Roller Coaster
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney-MGM, Orlando, Fla.

Best Indoor Waterpark
World Waterpark, West Edmonton, Alberta, Canada


This is the 10th annual year for Amusement Today’s coveted Golden Ticket Awards, which are the most sought-after awards in the business of amusements and attractions. The awards have become the subject of much discussion by park aficionados the world over and have garnered mentions in such notable media outlets
as USA TODAY and the Chicago Tribune, by venerable radio newsman Paul Harvey and were the topic of a one-hour documentary on the Travel Channel.

“We applaud this year’s class of Golden Ticket Award winners and finalists for their achievements,” says Gary Slade, publisher and editor-in-chief of Amusement Today. “When we began this survey 10 years ago, I never would have dreamed it would become such an anticipated and big sensation. The Golden Ticket Awards have been compared to the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards for the amusement industry … these are truly the ‘Best of the Best’ as voted by amusement park fans around the world.”

Personally chosen by Slade, the Publisher’s Pick Awards are presented in three categories: Park, Individual and Supplier. Respectively, the 2007 recipients are Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for its continuous commitment
to excellence and genuine hospitality; the late Milton S. Hershey, Hersheypark, Hershey, Penn., for his fortitude, vision and compassion; and National Ticket Co., Shamokin, Penn., for 100 years of outstanding ticketing service in the amusement industry.

For the third consecutive year, Amusement Today recognized college students who plan to pursue a career in the amusement industry and are employed by the ceremony’s host park of Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country, as well as area amusement parks Lake Winnepesaukah, Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Ripley Entertainment, Gatlinburg, Tenn., as Ms. and Mr. Golden Tickets. These individuals exemplify the spirit and integrity
of the amusement park industry by promoting the cornerstones of safety, service, courtesy and cleanliness at the highest level, while consistently exceeding job expectations. This is an annual designation by Amusement Today to promote education in the field of hospitality and amusement, as well as to spotlight future leaders in the amusement industry.

Amusement Today newspaper covers international amusement and water park news and trends and in its 11-year history is a five-time winner of various awards from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

For a detailed outline of the 2007 winners and survey results, please log on to amusementtoday.com. News media may also call the Amusement Today offices at 817.460.7220 for interviews or more information about the Golden Ticket Awards.

View the complete list of winners at www.amusementtoday.com




Well, at least they got the best steel coaster, water ride, and dark ride right.;)

[simtanic8]

Cool. I always love these.

[SnooSnoo]

Well, at least they got the best steel coaster, water ride, and dark ride right.

Thats about all they got right.

El Toro.. THAT low? Disgraceful.

[LightGrenades]

I'm with SnooSnoo, El Toro 9th? Bull****. The fact that it's just a little a head of Lightning Racers says something. Lightning Racers was good, but it's no where near El Toro.

[Harpo]

Well, at least they got the best steel coaster, water ride, and dark ride right.;)

Actually, I don't agree with the Best Steel Coaster winner. It's not even my favorite of the rides that opened as Superman -- I preferred Darien Lake's version.

I'm not particularly surprised that Cedar Point was the World's Best Park for the 10th consecutive year.

I also liked seeing Maverick as the best new ride for 2007.

[Albert Caine]

I'm glad to see Sea World Orlando on that list!
same for Ripsaw Falls at IOA.

Too bad Universal's Halloween Horror Nights didnt make it this year. :(

[Alpengeist]

There are so many things I want to say in general, but why bother.:rolleyes:

[Albert Caine]

^ Please tell us! ;)

[SnooSnoo]

^Its really not worth saying.. because its been said by either my bantering.. or very nicely by Alpie.. ;)

[CoasterMouse]

Is this something like hosted on TV?

[-NGS-]

I've got some reading to do.

No, CoasterMouse, it isn't hosted on tv.

Edit: I agree with most of this, based on what I've heard, but I don't understand how Deluge can be a worse new waterpark ride than Bakuli, but a better waterpark ride in the other category.

[WoddenWarior]

My baby came out on top.... =]

[fathorse]

The magazine seems highly inaccurate. They say Maverick debuted at #14 on the top steel coasters, but it's 13 on the list. There's a little article about how the Coney Island Cyclone (1927) is the oldest coaster on their lists, but the Big Dipper at Geauga Lake (1925) is there too. I hate inaccuracies.
And how the hell did a) Mean Streak outstrip Blue Streak, and b) how did it make the list at all?!?!?

[Boston]

Does the list ever change?

And it seems to me that these "awards" are highly biased.

[Albert Caine]

And it seems to me that these "awards" are highly biased.

Yes it does seem like it is biased.
We were talking about this on the HHN vault.
http://forum.hhnvault.com/index.php?showtopic=1640

[Squid2]

Actually, I'm shocked that Thunderhead isn't the #1 wooden anymore. Nice to see that Goliath at SFoG went up to #8 from #9. But I agree... there does seem to be an emphasis on American rides and parks, at least from a casual glance.

Squid2

[David Ellis]

I agree entirely.

Having ridden almost 600 coasters around the World I cannot believe that only 5 steel and 7 wooden coasters from Europe have made it into the respective top 50s. Looking at the top 20 coasters, only 2 steel and 1 wooden coaster from Europe make it...which is very biased really.

I can't believe that Balder is only number 15, and Nemesis 14 in steel. Katun (50 in steel) is as good as Raptor (19) in my opinion. Thunderbird (31) is easily as good as Thunderhead (2) and Rumbler (13).

I know a certain proportion of the surveys are sent internationally, I have completed one for the last 5 years, but it doesn't really show a true Worldwide picture.

David.

[supermarioman]

That fact that Cedar Point is the best park ten years in a row confounds me.
I don't really trust these awards, they seem to be Biased towards certain rides and parks.

[-NGS-]

Ehh, I wholeheartedly agree with CP being on top again, but parks like Holiday World, Heide Park, DisneySea, and Port Aventura should be further up there, and Knoebel's further down.

[SnooSnoo]

I agree entirely.

Having ridden almost 600 coasters around the World I cannot believe that only 5 steel and 7 wooden coasters from Europe have made it into the respective top 50s. Looking at the top 20 coasters, only 2 steel and 1 wooden coaster from Europe make it...which is very biased really.

I can't believe that Balder is only number 15, and Nemesis 14 in steel. Katun (50 in steel) is as good as Raptor (19) in my opinion. Thunderbird (31) is easily as good as Thunderhead (2) and Rumbler (13).

I know a certain proportion of the surveys are sent internationally, I have completed one for the last 5 years, but it doesn't really show a true Worldwide picture.

David.


See thats the problem..

1/5 of the votes are for European rides... the other 4/5 are split up amoung America.

Hence you'll probably never see fantastic rides rated too high somewhere else.

[-NGS-]

I'm also a bit concerned that Nitro is so high up there; I haven't heard many good things about it from you guys lately.

[-LiLDaReDeViL5-]

No surprise with the park category.
Nice to see my homepark,Hersheypark ranked in something.Lightning Racer #10.Whoohoo!

[FATAL SHOT]

Ha! Snoo, I see you registered on HHNVault just for that thread. Same here, lol! :D

[~LoveTulie]

Thats about all they got right.

El Toro.. THAT low? Disgraceful.

I dissagree. I am VERY happy about that :D.

And it doesn't shock me that CP got the best amusement park again! And Maverick is the BEST ride of 07 :D. yays! And kings island had the best kids area! :)

[Alpengeist]

^Are you sure you're not one of the people who voted?


You know, the one's who think everything in Ohio is great and everything outside Ohio is bad. ...oh, except for Holiday World, Schlitterbahn, and Knoebels of course.:bored:

[Harpo]

I voted one year, but not last year.

After visiting more than 180 parks, my favorite is Cedar Point, so I agree with that #1 rating. But, I don't agree with all the ratings. I chalk it up to unique individuals having different likes and dislikes.

As for the thought of:
You know, the one's who think everything in Ohio is great and everything outside Ohio is bad

I've lived in Michigan all my life, but lived summers in Ohio while working at Cedar Point during my college years. I took on the opinion that I dislike most of Ohio, with the exception of Cedar Point! :D

Recalling my history lessons, as I understand it, the northern strip of Ohio used to belong to what would become Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, inexplicably, belonged to what would become Ohio. The two swapped properties. Anyway, that situation means that Cedar Point, at one time, was part of Michigan, hence explaining why it's better than the rest of the State of Ohio! :D

My Ohio State coworkers and I always had one college-related argument... Does Ohio State or Michigan State have a greater hatred of University of Michigan? Let's see the Golden Ticket Awards tackle THAT question!

[SnooSnoo]

Almost went to war over that land too.. ;)

But I dunno where you get CP as part of it.. always thought it was just that crappy city we call Toledo.. lol

Either way, Ohio won.. like ALWAYS.. and we can call CP our own.. you crappy Michigan people.. hahahaha

[Harpo]

But I dunno where you get CP as part of it.. always thought it was just that crappy city we call Toledo.. lol

In my school district, they taught that the land extended approximately to the western edge of Cleveland, so Sandusky and Cedar Point would have been within that stretch. Was my school district accurate? Who knows. They have a good reputation as one of the top school districts in the country, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're right about everything they taught us.

Gee, what have you got against Corporal Klinger, the Toledo Mud Hens, the Glass Capital of the World, and Tony Packo's Hot Dogs? Now, I CAN understand having a problem with The Freeway of Perpetual Construction (I-280).

[Alpengeist]

My Ohio State coworkers and I always had one college-related argument... Does Ohio State or Michigan State have a greater hatred of University of Michigan? Let's see the Golden Ticket Awards tackle THAT question!

We all know which way that vote would go.;)


^^...and with the Gators whipping Ohio State last year in football and basketball, I guess amusement parks aren't the only thing better in Florida.:p

:haha: I couldn't resist.:p

[fathorse]

Almost went to war over that land too.. ;)

But I dunno where you get CP as part of it.. always thought it was just that crappy city we call Toledo.. lol

Either way, Ohio won.. like ALWAYS.. and we can call CP our own.. you crappy Michigan people.. hahahaha

You are correct Sir. It was really just Lucas County that was 'part' of Michigan. Though it never really was. So we marched down and captured a farmer and then holed him up in another nearby farm. His friends came to rescue him, shots were fired, his friends left (uninjured). The government was alerted, we eventually got the U.P. (from Wisconsin, which hadn't really formed into a state yet).
Interesting thing is Ohio wasn't a state yet either! Your fancy 1803 admission to the Union date is actually false because the paperwork was never properly ratified until 1953 when the sesquicentennial came around and they discovered the mistake.

[SnooSnoo]

Ohio.. proud to be the 50th state in the Union.

:)