The 11th annual Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards, which are very coveted in the amusements and attractions industry, were awarded on Wednesday during a ceremony set at Give Kids The World Village in Kissimmee, FL. Give Kids The World Village is a 70-acre, non-profit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. This was their first time hosting the ceremony.
The Amusement Today newspaper covers international amusement and water park news and trends and in its 12-year history is a five-time winner of various awards from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Over the years, the awards have become the subject of much discussion by park aficionados the world over.
Some of the big winners were:
- Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio for Best Amusement Park
- The Voyage at Holiday World won for best Wooden Roller Coaster
- SeaWorld Orlando for best Marine Life Park
Disney’s only award was for IllumiNations: Reflections of the Earth at Epcot. While Universal won 4 separate awards.
Congrats to all the winners and all the nominees. The full list of winners is below the cut:
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
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Fla..
Best Landscaping
Busch Gardens Europe, Williamsburg, Va.
Best Christmas Event
Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood,
Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
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 2008 – Amusement Park
Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer Park, Erie, Pa.
Best New Ride of 2008 – Waterpark
Dragon’s Revenge at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort,
New Braunfels, Texas.
Best Carousel
Grand Carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort,
Elysburg, Pa.
Best Indoor Roller Coaster
Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Orlando,
Orlando, Fla.
Best Indoor Waterpark
Schlitterbahn Galveston Island, Galveston, Texas
Best Funhouse/Walk-Through Attraction
Frankenstein’s Castle at Indiana Beach, Monticello, Ind.