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Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards 2014


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I really don't know where to start... what I'm most shocked about is that Intimidator 232 is on the top ten list when I305 is nowhere to be seen. Flying Turns is certainly a very unique attraction, but I would not at all consider it to be the best new attraction. It's amazing to see how screwed up this poll is each year.

 

Agreed--Carowinds' Intimidator doesn't belong in the top ten (or twenty, for that matter).

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What about Best New Park of 2014...?

 

These awards are definitely biased, if you ask me. I can't argue with some of the top contenders (especially considering I've never been to nearly half of the parks nominated), but it seems like some within the wood and steel lists could've been ranked differently. The latest reviews I've heard about Apollo's Chariot have mostly been complaints about some aspect of the coaster I can't remember, but I wouldn't expect it to top New Texas Giant. And The Beast over Outlaw Run?

 

Edit: I'm not saying the awards are bad, though. It's still great to see parks that are't big-name chains receive prestigious awards!

Edited by Midgetman82
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Kennywood's Noah's Ark as best funhouse/walk thru? Have they added something to the ride this year that I'm not aware of, like free patch fries and beer to where the flooded chamber used to be because last year when I did it there was absolutely nothing for a good portion of the attraction!

 

Nice to see Europa get recognized finally, must mean they bought a lot more subscriptions to Amusement Today than Cedar Fair did to get that honor

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What about Best New Park of 2014...?
I would say Ocean Kingdom would be the winner but apparently they don't even know what's the difference between it and Ocean Park

 

The latest reviews I've heard about Apollo's Chariot have mostly been complaints about some aspect of the coaster I can't remember, but I wouldn't expect it to top New Texas Giant. And The Beast over Outlaw Run?
They don't like airtime. "RMC Coaster 1 is too intense for me"
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Some of these winners I can agree with, but some are just downright bizarre.

 

Diamondback and Intimidator (at Carowinds) being in the top ten? That right there is just crazy talk, people. Both are good coasters, but no where near top ten material.

 

Definitely nice to see Europa win. Although their coaster collection doesn't hold a candle to CP's, the overall experience, theming and attention to details were what won me over with this park - it's just beautiful.

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Incredible to me how I-305 continues to not place higher! Every year it's the same old bs. As for others like Skyrush and I-Rat, Goliath for wooden, it seems ejector airtime is not a fond vote in this sector!!

 

Even though I personally love Skyrush cause I'm a homer about it, I didn't expect it to place top 10 for this poll because of it's alleged "pain" people experience. But I-305 definitely should be in there. Incredible how this is the "authentic" poll parks follow. The Hawker poll is probably 200% more accurate than this one. Every year we all get frustrated over the GTA's it will never change, but what's the point of a "Review" website without some yearly tarnish

 

Also Flying Turns getting best new ride......crickets my friends crickets

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This is a very interesting poll because most of the voters don't actually ride. It's basically a poll of what rides and parks have the best PR. You'll notice SDC is only mentioned for OR, but it's staff friendliness and food probably edge out DW based on reports from this year from those who have experienced both parks. Of course both parks are extremely similar, but DW is obviously closer to most of these pollers, so it's always going to get the nod even if SDC is substantially better in a given year. In the same manner, all other parks that are closer to the pollers and get more press are rated higher.

 

I mean, no one who is actively watching and riding is going to vote MF #1 right now. It just shows how marketing controls this industry.

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I see people complaining about how Intimidator 232 and Apollo's Chariot don't deserve their places, but at the same time, Leviathon and SFOG Goliath? Really?

Leviathan's been generally well-received by enthusiasts too. It placed thirteenth in the Hawker poll, it's not like Intimidator 232 that barely scraped the top 50.

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No suprise to me that the GTA is screwed up (as always). I mean, was there ever a year when GTA made sense? Also most of the GP thinks that I-305 and Skyrush are too extreme (to be their favourite coaster), so maybe that's why all the B&M hypers score so high.

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I don't know why people expect the coaster list to be anything other than 'messed up'. Not least that it practically entirely ignores every other country of the world since with exception to just one or two rides, they're all in the USA.

 

For me, it's the non-coaster categories that are of more interest (best park, food, events etc.).

 

For a coaster poll, we've Mitch Hawker anyway!

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I think part of the reason Flying Turns won was because of the uniqueness aspect of the ride...it is the only wooden bobsled in the world. Is it the best new attraction? I don't think so. Gringotts should have won that. My issue is with the best water park list. I have been to Splash Country, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach, and I can say that both Disney water parks are head and shoulders above Splash Country, better rides and better overall theming. My other issue is that Dollywood won best food (my home park believe it or not). This summer I went to Knoebels, and I can say without a doubt that their food was better and there were many more options than Dollywood, not to mention how much seating there was...

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No suprise to me that the GTA is screwed up (as always). I mean, was there ever a year when GTA made sense?

 

Which makes it all the more remarkable that Europa unseated Cedar Point for Best Park.

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Deleted my post in the KI thread and moved it here:

 

I got one ride on the Beast and it was early in the morning on a rainy, cloudy, and chilly day. The train moved excruciatingly slow and yet the trims were on all the way. We hardly made it to the second lift hill.

 

I'm hoping to get a night ride in next season, so hopefully The Beast can move up on my list.

 

However, even my worst ride on Outlaw Run would be better than 99% of all rides I've taken on other coasters. I can't say the same about the Beast.

 

Then again, this is the GTA we are talking about. The results are always stupid. I liked Diamondback, but #4 in the world? That is hilarious.

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Everything is so much better in the midwest. Or...their results are just skewed by the large number of voters who live there.

 

Amusement Today has made an effort in recent years to be more diversified in number of voting members from different parts of the US. However, it is extremely skewed in terms of US voters versus international voters.

 

Last time I saw the percentage % by part of the US I think it was still skewed towards the Ohio/Midwest. With that said, not all enthusiasts are alike. Some will travel the world but some only occasionally leave their region.

 

Most members that vote are coaster enthusiasts, not theme/amusement park enthusiasts, and that certainly skews the results, also. Whether you agree or not many coaster enthusiasts consider Cedar Point someplace they have to visit and return to over and over.

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This takes the cake for being the biggest joke year of the awards. I swear they get worse every year...

 

The only thing I like is Thunderhead down at Dollywood getting some love that it deserves.

 

Can anyone honestly look me in the eye and say InTRIMidator at Carowinds is a top 10 ride in the world? Hell, if that's a top 10 to these awards, then Fury 325 will be top 3 next year by this bias for sure.

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Best Steel Coasters:

#1 - Millennium Force at Cedar Point

#2 - Bizarro at Six Flags New England

#3 - Expedition GeForce at Holiday Park

#4 - Diamondback at Kings Island

#5 - Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure

#6 - Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland

#7 - Apollo's Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg

#8 - New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas

#9 - Goliath at Six Flags Over Georgia

#10 - Intimidator [232] at Carowinds

 

MF doesn't surprise me. Although not ranked as high among enthusiasts, GP loves it.

 

Diamondback... wait... what? Don't get me wrong. I really like Diamondback. I would maybe rank it #1 out of the B&M hypers I've ridden, but if I had a top 10 list out of my 150 coasters, I'm not sure D-back would even be up there.

 

Even more surprising is Goliath. Goliath is fun, but aside from the Helix it's relatively forgettable. It probably ranks last on my list of B&M Hypers. Alto, Intimidator is a great airtime machine but lacks positive forces of any kind.

 

It looks like the GP weighed in heavily this year. This is yet another example of how the majority opinion differs from the coaster geek. The food critic prefers rack of lamb, but your average Joe (or average Zach in my case) will still take a crowd pleasing hamburger any day.

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