September
5, 2007
Contacts:
Gary
Slade 817.460.7220
Janice
Witherow 419.357.3520
THE “BEST
OF THE BEST” IN THE AMUSEMENT
INDUSTRY HONORED AT GOLDEN TICKET AWARDS
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!
Click here to download
2007 Golden Ticket Awards Bonus Section
PDF file (14 mb)
