Golden Tickets 2009 WINNERS

[PcMan]

 Golden Tickets 2009 WINNERS   http://www.amusementtoday.com/corndog/2009gtawinners.html

NITRO getting some good Love from the Industry and The Beast is in the top 10 (I like that)




















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
Bizarro
at Six Flags New England, Agawam, Mass.

Best Kids’ Area
Kings Island, Kings Mills, Ohio

Friendliest Staff
Silver Dollar City, Branson, Mo.

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

Best Halloween Event
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Fla..

Best Landscaping
Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va.

Best Christmas Event
Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood,
Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Best Food
Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.

Best Shows
Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

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 2009 - Amusement Park
Prowler at Worlds of Fun, Kansas City, Mo.

Best New Ride of 2009 - Waterpark
Congo River Expedition 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.

[B-mac]

Glad that BG won with landscaping, and cleanliness. What's the best waterpark? I only see rides
surprised Nitro ranked 3rd. It's a good ride, but I expected it to be 5-6. Bizarro(NJ) is a good ride, that should be atleast top 15
SM/Bizarro won how many years in a row now?

[nitrorox1414]

Ya go Nitro!!!!!!

[Steve]

No surprise CP got best park again.

I'm surprised MF is not on the top 10 list...

[WadeJ]

After being at Santa Cruz two days ago and hangin out for quite a while, I just can't even come close to understanding how they got the top spot.  I just don't get it...

[WadeJ]

See....

[nitrorox1414]

What is that?

[AV Matt]

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It's a GREAT park.

[chilled182]

Sigh.. I knew bizarro would get it.  I was on it in May, it drags with the speakers and the bigger headrests.  Its nothing like it used to be.

And whats it gonna take to get GADV in consideration for the park categories?  I mean Wiggles is pretty cool, our park has definitely become a lot more clean and friendly over the years...

[PcMan]

And whats it gonna take to get GADV in consideration for the park categories?  I mean Wiggles is pretty cool, our park has definitely become a lot more clean and friendly over the years...

Flats and Variety,    that's why CP won  how many rides for non-coaster fans ?
Don't get me wrong I LOVE all the Coasters but if I bring my fiancee with me she not into coasters to much we try to look for "other" rides and or shows to keep her entertained . I know I know I'm entertaining in myself 

[B-mac]

You should try and get her on a good ride... I don't mean like Nitro, start of with the Runaway train or something calm for that matter.

[jimmybjammin]

How does amusement today come up with these rankings exactly? I went to Cedar Point for my first time during my birthday.. I concluded that nearly EVERYTHING in terms of non-coasters that sfga has gotten rid since it opened in 74 seems to be up and running at CP. Even the train and petting zoo is there at CP. I think sfga has a far better variety of the big coasters though, staff at both are equally friendly. CP's parking lot is perfect, they keep ride themes which sfga doesn't. Flying Bugs and seagulls are a huge prob there.. Not a prob at sfga which is pefect for front row at night. I do miss millennium force, dragster, and maverick. Not so much being a bug deflector after 8. Raptor's a head banger though. I think the bugs and CP staff having no clue where things are should easily dethrone it from 1st. Also the fact you must RUN at CP but SFGA and King's Dominion are antirun at openning, are huge down falls for CP. Also the fact CP closed EVERY coaster when it sprinkled for 5 minutes the one morning should knock it off #1
SFGA needs flat rides, the parking lot repaved/with garbage cans throughout it to stop the trash mess at close, touristy scenes for attractions to bring it's # up in the awards for a chance to beat CP.

[AV Matt]

I'm far from Cedar Point's biggest fan, but Great Adventure has no chance of beating CP in this popularity contest. CP's location, ride collection, operations, and overall atmosphere, not to mention the insane publicity they get from all of those shows, make it tough to beat. Great Adventure has virtually nothing on them. El Toro is better than Mean Streak and GAdv has an awesome flume, but that's about it in comparison.

And for those that don't know, the Golden Tickets are decided by "a panel of experts" including myself and other enthusiasts and industry people. (Please note the sarcasm) Not sure exactly how you "get in" to this club, but I finally received my first ballot this year after joining ACE 20 years ago. Somehow they decided I was worthy. Anyhow, Amusement Today sends out a ballot with multiple choice options for most categories and then has you write in your top ten steel and top ten wood coasters. Unfortunately voters are encouraged to make use of propaganda for making decisions about parks/attractions they have not visited, which IMO is why there seems to be the same winners year after year and more obscure attractions/parks are overlooked.

[B-mac]

So bizarro(ne) can be tagged with this? But you'tr right CP has way too much publicity, I'm not saying it's overrated, but the way people ad. about it, it gets annoying after a while. They completly skipped King's dominion too, Which I thought dissapointing

[PcMan]

CP is a Destination RESORT  Great Ad. IS NOT
you can go to CP and spend days there and still not get in your car.

THis is what Makes CP the park that it is  they have onsite hotels and a variety of them, on the beach etc.

GREAT ADVENTURE NEEDS A HOTEL ON THE PROPERTY
I continue to ask this question and the answer is
They NEED SOMEONE TO RUN IT and take on some of the expense,Like a Lowes,Hilton,Radison, or big chain they know how to accompaniment people.
CP,Disney,Universal all can do it. Universal has Lowes running it I go there once a year and its great just to walk to the park or water taxi.
GReat Adventure knows they need a Hotel but it just hasn't happened yet and with the economy/bankrupt etc. it may not for a while.
I think about 3 years ago they may had some preliminary plans to put one near/behind KK but I could be wrong/rumor .

[ChuckR]

How was Expedition GeForce number 5?!?!

[CoasterPrince]

"El Toro is better than Mean Streak and GAdv has an awesome flume, but that's about it in comparison.
"
Ummm..El Toro isn't just better than Mean Streak...Infact, Toro will crush 3/4 of Cp coasters alone. What El Toro doesn't crush Nitro and Ka will. Sure Cedar Point is well rounded and pretty much the perfect park but if it were owned by Cedar Fair I think I know who would be Flagship. You just wait a couple of years and we will see whos better...Gadv or Cp..

[WadeJ]

I used to be a raving fan of the point but now, the only thing I'd say we'll never catch them on is the location. Otherwise, meh. And the last 3 years have taken it's toll as it's nowhere near the same as it was just 5 years ago.

But location aside, gadv still has a long way to go before catching up.

[Bubba Z]

^^ Cedar Point  would still be the flagship park , sorry.     Tom didn't I show you the plans for the hotel @ at winter tour 06 ?

[chilled182]

And whats it gonna take to get GADV in consideration for the park categories?  I mean Wiggles is pretty cool, our park has definitely become a lot more clean and friendly over the years...

Flats and Variety,    that's why CP won  how many rides for non-coaster fans ?
Don't get me wrong I LOVE all the Coasters but if I bring my fiancee with me she not into coasters to much we try to look for "other" rides and or shows to keep her entertained . I know I know I'm entertaining in myself 

I've been there, got the t shirt.. trust me, I know that were not going to beat CP.
I'm talking about getting us up there in the top 10 or even top 5.  Why not?  We have a great park, and I've seen a lot of parks.  Theres no reason why we shouldnt at least be in consideration is what im trying to say.

By the way, we have stepped up with our location a lot thanks to saturday night lights.  How come theres no category for best end-of-the-night show?

[rjholla2003]

There is and we got snubbed.

[CoasterPrince]

Bubba I was talking about if CF brought Gadv a couple years back. I'm sure they would have added flats and shows and when it comes down too it that's all we need...and a hotel. All a Dream.

[Bubba Z]

Still  think Cedar Point would have won. It's Dicks pride and joy.

[AV Matt]

CP just has so much that regardless of how much I prefer to go to other parks, I can't help but love the place.

[kingdakafan]

DO WORK EL TORO!