Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards 2013

[Coastergenius250]

Hello, I made this thread for you to discuss your opinions on the results of the golden ticket awards. (I don't know if something like this was even made) Here are some results.

 

Best New Rides:

Outlaw Run Silver Dollar City 45%

Iron Rattler Six Flags Fiesta Texas 19%

GateKeeper Cedar Point 15%

Gold Striker California’s Great America 6%

Tranformers the Ride Universal Studios Orlando 5%

 

Best New Waterpark Additions:

River Rush Dollywood’s Splash Country 53%

Bonzai Pipelines Six Flags New England 23%

Constrictor Wet ‘n’ Wild Las Vegas 7%

Bonzai Pipelines Six Flags America 6%

Bootlegger’s Run Splish Splash 5%

 

Best Park:

Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio 23%

Europa-Park Rust, Germany 22%

Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 9%

Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 8%

Disneyland Anaheim, Calif. 7%

Tokyo DisneySea Tokyo, Japan 6%

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. (tie) 5%

Universal’s Islands of Adventure Orlando, Fla. (tie) 5%

Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 4.50%

Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo. 4%

 

Best Waterpark:

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, Texas 45%

Splashin’ Safari Santa Claus, Ind. 17%

Aquatica Orlando, Fla. 6%

Dollywood’s Splash Country Pigeon Forge, Tenn. (tie) 5%

Noah’s Ark Wisconsin Dells, Wis. (tie) 5%

[PKI Jizzman]

Oh wow I forgot about these. Seriously, if no one posted about them, I wouldn't have thought about them at all.

[A.J.]

Here's the full breakdown -

 

http://www.goldenticketawards.com

 

Best Amusement Park - Cedar Point

Best Waterpark - Schlitterbahn New Braunfels

Best Children’s Park - Idlewild and SoakZone

Best Marine Life Park - SeaWorld Orlando

Best Seaside Park - Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Best Wooden Coaster - Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce

Best Steel Coaster - Millennium Force at Cedar Point

Best Kids’ Area - Kings Island

Friendliest Park - Dollywood

Cleanest Park - Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari

Best Halloween Event - Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando

Best Landscaping - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Best Christmas Event - Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood

Best Food - Dollywood and Knoebels Amusement Resort (tie)

Best Shows - Dollywood

Best Outdoor Night Show Production - IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Walt Disney World’s Epcot

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

Best Waterpark Ride - Wildebeest at Splashin’ Safari

Best Dark Ride - Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Best New Ride of 2013 – Amusement Park - Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City

Best New Ride of 2013 – Waterpark - River Rush at Dollywood’s Splash Country

Best Carousel - Grand Carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort

Best Indoor Roller Coaster - Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Orlando

Best Indoor Waterpark - Schlitterbahn Galveston Island

Best Funhouse/Walk-Through Attraction - Noah’s Ark at Kennywood

 

Steel Coasters:

#1 - Millennium Force at Cedar Point

#2 - Bizarro at Six Flags New England

#3 - Expedition GeForce at Holiday Park

#4 - Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure

#5 - Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

#6 - New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas

#7 - Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia

#8 - Intimidator [232] at Carowinds

#9 - Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point

#10 - Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion

 

Wooden Coasters:

#1 - Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce

#2 - El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure

#3 - Phoenix at Knoebels Amusement Resort

#4 - The Voyage at Holiday World

#5 - Thunderhead at Dollywood

#6 - Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer

#7 - Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City

#8 - The Beast at Kings Island

#9 - Lightning Racer at Hersheypark

#10 - Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure

[Mater]

If Gold Striker had been at Cedar Point and Gatekeeper had opened at Great America.. I wonder how different that Best for 2013 list would look.

[ernierocker]

^Their spots probably would just be flip-flopped. Neither of those rides were going to pass Iron Rattler or Outlaw Run.

[Mater]

That's sorta exactly what I was inferring.

 

Location, location, location!

[ernierocker]

^True, but I don't think Gold Striker would have a much higher of a percentage than Gatekeeper though. I can't speak for IRAT (stupid Texas Giant ) but compared to Outlaw Run, a GCI and a Wing Rider aren't really in the same ballpark.

[cmullin]

Finally I305 makes the top 10! Now I have to give them a little creibililty.

[MrSum1_55]

I am somewhat surprised by the rankings this year, but, this time around, it is actually a pleasant surprise.

 

In the past, the GTA has done a terrible job ranking coasters, glorifying average hypers within the US while ignoring great international coasters. However, this year, I do think the ratings have gotten better, with I305 breaking the top 10, Europa ranking #2, and Millennium winning by a much smaller margin than the past two years. The GTA is still not a good ranking reference, but it is better than it used to be.

[TroyWD98]

Why is Whizzer at SFGA #40?

 

Also, interesting to see Boulder Dash take the #1 spot.

[cfc]

I didn't even get the invitation to vote for the Golden Tickets this year, and I've been voting for a few years now.

[downunder]

A Six Flags park made #5 for friendliness, world gone mad. Though I have to admit even in Six Flags darkest days, New England was relatively pleasant.

 

Hades 360 in the top 20 wood, seriously do some GT voters sacrifice babies and often use the phrase "thankyou sir, may I please have another". I guess Hades 360 is manna to masochists.

 

I don't have a problem with Cedar Point being best amusement park. Though some of the coaster rankings seem a little out of synch with popular opinion. I was surprised HHN at Hollywood couldn't crack the top 5 haunts.

[Coaster_Fanatic]

Even though Nitro and Apollo's Chariot are excellent rides...I don't see how they could've made it several places ahead of I-305. Whatever

[azza29]

These awards always seem a weird mix of stating the obvious and bizarre controversy.

 

CP still #1? It's a great park but when you've got Disney and Universal in the mix I'm not so sure it deserves top spot.

 

As for the coaster rankings, Mitch Hawker's poll does a better job of considering voters' overall coaster-riding experience and relative preferences, whereas the GTAs seem to oversimplify with most votes going to the usual suspects. Boulder Dash is a very good ride, but #1 ahead of El Toro?

 

How Knoebels' Haunted Mansion ends up with more votes for 'best dark ride' than Indiana Jones I do not understand. maybe this is a cultural/nostalgia thing?

 

All that said - I find a lot of the awards fairly non-controversial. Kings Island definitely has an excellent kids area (although one could argue that the whole of Disneyland is essentially a kids area), Busch Gardens does have beautiful landscaping, and Knoebels' food is great for sure.

 

Might sign up as a voter for next year, so I can contribute to this madness.

[Jew]

These results really mean nothing. At all. Didn't even read them.

 

Us as enthusiasts see Mitch's poll as being the better option, but for the industry as a whole---these are still the "it" award, along with the THEA's.

[Big-M]

Boulder Dash is a very good ride, but #1 ahead of El Toro?

Yup, pretty much!

 

I like El Toro a lot, but...

[robbalvey]

This is what I have a problem with:

Best Park:

Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio 23%

Europa-Park Rust, Germany 22%

Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 9%

Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 8%

Disneyland Anaheim, Calif. 7%

Tokyo DisneySea Tokyo, Japan 6%

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. (tie) 5%

Universal’s Islands of Adventure Orlando, Fla. (tie) 5%

Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 4.50%

Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo. 4%

 

Perhaps they need to separate out a best "amusement" park and best "theme" park category.

 

Cedar Point might be the best "amusement park", but when you see Tokyo DisneySea at 6%, that alerts me that this system is obviously flawed. As much as I might like Cedar Point there is no way... NO WAY someone who has been to both would vote for Cedar Point.

 

I just can't take these awards seriously.

 

--Robb "And Epcot doesn't even make the list???" Alvey

Edited September 9, 2013 by robbalvey

[Rollercoaster Rider]

What part of Nickelodeon Universe is the Kids Area?

 

 

I really want to see the "voters" yearly ride and park list. Just to see how many of them vote recent and vote nostalgic

[azza29]

^^Completely agree Robb. Either separate out the theme and amusement parks, or change the award name to "most popular theme park" instead of "best".

[medoman]

no love for shambala either

[_koppen]

The Golden Ticket Award really need to get it's ass out of America.

[PalmTree55]

Some how my home park's hyper(I232) is better than an Intamin Giga! Well, this IS the GTAs.....

[David H]

This is what I have a problem with:

Best Park:

Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio 23%

Europa-Park Rust, Germany 22%

Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 9%

Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 8%

Disneyland Anaheim, Calif. 7%

Tokyo DisneySea Tokyo, Japan 6%

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. (tie) 5%

Universal’s Islands of Adventure Orlando, Fla. (tie) 5%

Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 4.50%

Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo. 4%

 

Perhaps they need to separate out a best "amusement" park and best "theme" park category.

 

Cedar Point might be the best "amusement park", but when you see Tokyo DisneySea at 6%, that alerts me that this system is obviously flawed. As much as I might like Cedar Point there is no way... NO WAY someone who has been to both would vote for Cedar Point.

 

I just can't take these awards seriously.

 

--Robb "And Epcot doesn't even make the list???" Alvey

 

You're going to hate me for this Robb, but hear me out.

 

If I had to vote between Cedar Point and Tokyo DisneySea, I'd probably give my vote to Cedar Point -- by a hair. It would be a really tough call for me, though, because everything DisneySea does they do amazingly well -- and I mean everything. But ultimately, I'm a coaster and thrill ride junkie. And if you asked me to ultimately say if I'd rather be on Raptor and Magnum and Maverick and the dozens and dozens of other coasters and rides at Cedar Point vs the admittedly awesome Journey and Tower and Sindbad and Fantasmic and the dozen or so full sized attractions there, I'd probably have to give the very slight edge to CP. To be clear, though: I've loved my visits to DisneySea and absolutely will be back! If I were voting solely on theming, nothing would come close to Disneysea. But I'm not.

 

That said, I'd vote for Europa over either of them because they strike a better balance between awesome theming and thrill rides and a balance of rides overall, with a huge park with tons of attractions and great food and some of the best park operations on the planet. The new Arthur area is gong to give the park an even bigger boost in the kiddie department with what looks like an incredible new themed area with a state of the art kid's powered coaster/dark ride combo. I'm glad to see Europa finally getting the recognition in this category, almost toppling the mighty Cedar Point.

 

And, no, Epcot wouldn't even make my top 20 list. Probably not even my top 40. They just don't provide what I'm looking for in a park. Then again, I'm not that much of a foodie when I'm traveling, and food is a big part of the Epcot experience. I enjoy the place, for sure. But it's a park I visit when I'm already down in Orlando for the other parks. Ultimately, there isn't even one attraction at the park (including Illuminations, as nice as it is) that I'd be upset if I never got to experience again.

 

Everyone goes to parks looking for different things. I try to appreciate each park for what it does well. And Disneysea is absolutely in a class of its own when if comes to theming and an immersive experience. But in the end I'm a thrill ride and coaster junkie. That's what's going to get the very highest rankings from me in polls.

 

Ultimately, though, in any poll that counts the number of votes a ride or park gets, Cedar Point is going to have a huge advantage. They are simply the most popular park in the world among enthusiasts. More enthusiasts have been there than any other non-Disney/Universal park. And more enthusiasts WANT to go there than any other park either. But enthusiasts tend to be more impressed with thrills them theming, for better or for worse, so Disney is never going to score all that highly in most categories.

 

I agree that maybe it's time to split "amusement park" and "theme park". It would definitely shake things up and make for some interesting battles.

 

As to everyone out there who disagrees with the results -- and I'm certainly one of them -- vote. That's the best way to make your voice heard.

[cfc]

^I'm the opposite here, David--no contest at all for me in TDS v. CP. TDS would tie to CP to the bumper of its car and drag it down a gravel road! And, yes, I do like CP; it's just that TDS is at a whole other level. Now I could see it being close between Europa and TDS.

[JJLehto]

Well...it's the GTA, the object of ridicule amongst us enthusiasts so not much to say besides

 

BUT there's a few minor surprises. Like, they got the new rides pretty spot on IMO

Opposed to last year with Wild Eagle (!?) being "best new ride" over Skyrush, Leviathan, Shambhala (and it just happened to be hosted by Dollywood isnt that interesting???) So yeah, Outlaw Run by a large degree, few will disagree.

 

All the rest are as expected: not much changes at all with the GTA and we all know they are not as accurate as Mitch Hawker. There's still some ??? in the top 10 but it is indeed cool to see I305 make it in there.

But yeah, I dont put much energy, good or bad, into the GTA. It can't be taken seriously at all. It's the watered down mainstream/for show award. Wait for Mitch Hawker for real results!