2012 Golden Tickets: SEA and Dolly Beat Out Disney In Most.

[ScoutN]

Ahh yes, The annual Golden Ticket Awards are finally out. The World did not fair well; nowhere near as well as it should have. Looks like the company with the across I4 neighbor is stepping it up and showing muscle. SWO will have top 5s in the next two years. Uni is pummeling overall on WDW. BIG BIG BIG statement to be made here about the stagnant nature happening in a certain dust infused World. Maybe that is why I met so many WDWm members at BGW over the summer. The little Regional Park that could.


Busch Gardens Williamsburg beat out Magic Kingdom which was tied with Islands of Adventure.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg beat out on cleanliness over ANY Disney park.

As far as friendliness goes Disney was not the top (kind sad, right?).

Only one Disney Park beat out SeaWorld Orlando for Best Shows.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg makes another top 5 appearance for best food. Not bad for a QS only park, eh?

Busch Gardens Williamsburg pulls number ONE for best landscaping. Not a shocking pick!

Busch Gardens Williamsburg pulls ANOTHER top five for Halloween Events. Have mercy on WDW Hallowhatever if SWO picks up HoS.

Looks like the little company that could puts their park in the top 5 for Christmas events as well.

Verbolten placed fourth for best new coaster. Expect a top three next year for indoor coaster.

Best New Ride for 2012 (Amusement Park)Walhalla WaveAquatica (San Antonio)4% tie
Wild Eagle Dollywood 30%
Radiator Springs Racers Disney California Adventure 15%
Leviathan Canada's Wonderland 14%
Verbolten Busch Gardens Williamsburg 7%
Ozlris Parc Asterix 6% tie
Skyrush Hersheypark 6% tie
Top
Best New Ride for 2012 (Waterpark)
Mammoth Splashin' Safari 54%
King Kaw Rapids River Schlitterbahn Kansas City 11%
King Cobra Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (N.J.) 7%
The Lost City Mount Olympus Theme Park 4% tie
Top
Best Park 2012
Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio 21%
Europa-Park Rust, Germany 14%
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 13.5%
Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 9%
Disneyland Anahiem, Calif. 8%
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. 7%
Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 6% tie
Universal's Islands of Adventure Orlando, Fla. 6% tie
Tokyo DisneySea Tokyo, Japan 4.5%
Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Blackpool, England 4%
Top
Best Waterpark 2012
Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, Texas 53%
Splashin' Safari Santa Claus, Ind. 15%
Blizzard Beach Orlando, Fla. 7%
Dollywood's Splash Country Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 6%
Aquatica Orlando, Fla. 5% tie
Noah's Ark Wisconsin Dells, Wis. 5% tie
Top
Best Childern's Park 2012
Idlewild & SoakZone Ligonier, Pa. 31%
Legoland California Carlsbad, Calif. 18%
Fårup Sommerland Saltum, Denmark 12%
Legoland Florida Winter Haven, Fla. 7%
Sesame Place Langhorne, Pa. 6%
Top
Best Marine Life Park 2012
SeaWorld Orlando Orlando, Fla. 55%
SeaWorld San Diego San Diego, Calif. 11%
SeaWorld San Antonio San Antonio, Texas 10%
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Vallejo, Calif. 8%
Discovery Cove Orlando, Fla. 6%
Top
Best Seaside Park 2012
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Santa Cruz, Calif. 34%
Pleasure Beach Blackpool Blackpool, England 20%
Gröna Lund Stockholm, Sweden 19%
Morey's Piers Wildwood, N.J. 16%
Galveston Island Pleasure Pier Galveston, Texas 4%
Top
Best Indoor Waterpark 2012
Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Galveston, Texas 33%
Kalahari Resort Sandusky, Ohio 18%
Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells, Wis. 17%
World Waterpark Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 12%
Splash Landings Staffordshire, England 8%
Top
Friendliest Park 2012
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn 46%
Holiday World Santa Claus, Ind. 25%
Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo. 7%
Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 6%
Beech Bend Bowling Green, Ky. 4% tie
Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 4% tie
Top
Cleanest Park 2012
Holiday World Santa Claus, Ind. 29%
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 16%
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. 14%
Disneyland Anaheim, Calif. 13%
Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 8%
Top
Best Shows 2012
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 45%
Six Flags Fiesta Texas San Antonio, Texas 15%
Disney's Hollywood Studios Orlando, Fla. 8%
Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo. 7%
SeaWorld Orlando Orlando, Fla. 6%
Top
Best Food 2012
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 27%
Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 20%
Epcot Orlando, Fla. 18%
Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo. 13%
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. 6%
Top
Best Water Ride (Park) 2012
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls Universal's Islands of Adventure 26%
Valhalla Pleasure Beach, Blackpool 17%
Splash Mountain Magic Kingdom 11%
Mountain Slidewinder Dollywood 10%
Pilgrim's Plunge Holiday World 8%
Top
Best Waterpark Ride 2012
Wildebeest Splashin' Safari 26%
Master Blaster Schlitterbahn 23%
The Falls Schlitterbahn 12%
Congo River Expedition Schlitterbahn 7%
Zoombabwe Splashin' Safari 5%
Top
Best Kids' Area 2012
Kings Island Kings Mills, Ohio 31%
Universal's Islands of Adventure Orlando, Fla. 15%
Nickelodeon Universe Bloomington, Minn. 13%
Efteling Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands 9%
Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, Calif. 6%
Top
Best Dark Ride 2012
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Universal's Islands of Adventure 24%
Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man Universal's Islands of Adventure 18%
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Disney's Hollywood Studios 13%
Haunted Mansion Knoebels Amusement Resort 10%
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye Disneyland 6%
Top
Best Outdoor Show Production 2012
Epcot Orlando, Fla. 42%
Disney California Adventure Anaheim, Calif. 17%
Six Flags Fiesta Texas San Antonio, Texas 13%
Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 11%
Disney's Hollywood Studios Orlando, Fla. 10%
Top
Best Landscaping 2012
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. 36%
Gilroy Gardens Gilroy, Calif. 13.5%
Efteling Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands 13%
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 8%
Tivoli Gardens Copenhagen, Denmark 7%
Top
Best Halloween Event 2012
Universal Orlando Resort Orlando, Fla. 35%
Knott's Berry Farm Buena Park, Calif. 26%
Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 13%
Kennywood West Mifflin, Pa. 11%
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. 4%
Top
Best Christmas Event 2012
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tenn. 33%
Disneyland Anaheim, Calif. 13%
Magic Kingdom Orlando, Fla. 10% tie
Silver Dollar City Branson, Mo. 10% tie
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Va. 4%
Top
Best Carousel 2012
Knoebels Amusement Resort Elysburg, Pa. 44%
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Santa Cruz, Calif. 18%
Six Flags Over Georgia Austell, Ga 8%
Six Flags Great America Gurnee, Ill. 7%
Universal's Islands of Adventure Orlando, Fla. 6%
Top
Best Indoor Coaster 2012
Revenge of the Mummy Universal Studios Orlando 30%
Space Mountain Disneyland 16%
Black Diamond Knoebels Amusement Resort 10%
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Disney's Hollywood Studios 9%
Space Mountain Magic Kingdom 8.5%
Top
Best Funhouse / Walk-Through Attraction
Noah's Ark Kennywood 30%
Frankenstein's Castle Indiana Beach 25%
Lustiga Huset Gröna Lund 14%
Gasten Ghost Hotel Liseberg 12% tie
Ghost Ship Morey's Piers 12% tie
Top

 

[rodserling27]

Knoebels beating out EPCOT for best food? I say "hogwash!" And there's no way Busch Gardens is cleaner than MK...maybe I'm just super-biased or have too much pixie dust in my eyes.

 

[ScoutN]

What a crock of crap. Knoebles beating out EPCOT for best food? I say "hogwash!"

It is what happens when you care about the inidividual product and not mass quantities of Plans.

 

[BoardwalkGlenn]

Love seeing Knoebels in the top so many times!! Grew up going there every summer. Great food, Haunted Mansion, carousel, and wooden coasters!!

 

[wiigirl]

Surprising....very surprising...

 

[GLaDOS]

I'm a huge Universal fan...but Dudley as best water ride is a freaking travesty.

Pop Eye I could understand, though. I'm really surprised to see IoA have the second best Kid's Area, which I assume is Seuss.

 

[kcnole]

While I agree with the sentiment that people are catching up. Those awards always seem to be favored towards roller coaster parks and thrill rides which WDW isn't known for.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just wondering are these awards something that are held in high standards in the industry? I did a little research on who gives out the awards and it is just a small magazine. It isn't like the Oscars of the Amusement Park world or anything.

Not trying to devalue them but when I started reading up on the company it seems like a guy and a small group of people who go to the parks and place values on them not like a committee who analyzes data and personal opinion.

In the end all awards are just personal opinions. This one just happens to have a small group of people voting and nominating.

Just my two cents.

 

[captainkidd]

I'm a huge Universal fan...but Dudley as best water ride is a freaking travesty.

When I saw that, I figured the whole "Awards" was a joke.

 

[Mawg]

I hope more and more news like this keeps comming out so that Disney will start investing more in WDW. Competition is always good for the consumer.

 

[GLaDOS]

When I saw that, I figured the whole "Awards" was a joke.

I can't disagree with most of them, save for that.

 

[ScoutN]

Just wondering are these awards something that are held in high standards in the industry? I did a little research on who gives out the awards and it is just a small magazine. It isn't like the Oscars of the Amusement Park world or anything.

They get a good amount of attention elsewhere with how in depth they are known to go. Several sites and outlets will spread these like they do every year. Just because some coaster parks does mean that they are not much higher quality than what WDW is offering right now. Heck, BGW's new little launch entry level coaster has effects much better than RnR does. Pretty big statement has been made with these announcement. A statement several here have been making.

 

[WDWmazprty]

Doesnt matter, people will still go where they want to go. To most people those 'awards' are meaningless.

 

[ScoutN]

When I saw that, I figured the whole "Awards" was a joke.

As someone who has visited a good portion of places ranked well above WDW I can easily say that these are right on point. Quality, well rounded, and updated offerings are elsewhere that provide a better bang for buck right now.

 

[devoy1701]

30 year old IllumiNations beats out technelogically advanced/amazing and NEW World of Color as best outdoor production?

c'mon now.

Can someon also offer some more insight to the nature/background of these awards...who votes...etc?

 

[dcibrando]

I have annual passes to both Dollywood (1 1/2 hours away) and Disney World (DVC member) and I couldn't disagree more.

Wild Eagle is a great new ride I'll admit... but...ummm...for everything else... I'll be nice and leave it there

 

[ScoutN]

30 year old IllumiNations beats out technelogically advanced/amazing and NEW World of Color as best outdoor production?

c'mon now.

Can someon also offer some more insight to the nature/background of these awards...who votes...etc?

Independent International Poll. Other than Publisher's pick of course. As sad as it is, RoE is still wildly popular.

 

[NADisney]

I live an hour away from Holiday World. I'm surprised that they were not listed in most of the awards.Even though it's a small family park, They have three great coasters, and one of the best waterparks I have been too outside of Disney World, and Dollywood.

I was at Dollywood in late april of this year, and the WildEagle coaster looked amazing, But I couldn't ride it due to recovering from cancer.

 

[SirLink]

Cedar Point getting 'Best Park' - the Matt Ouimet effect. Honestly Jay Rasulo should of promoted him to be the President @ WDW, maybe our parks wouldn't be quite as stale as they currently are.

 

[captainkidd]

They get a good amount of attention elsewhere with how in depth they are known to go. Several sites and outlets will spread these like they do every year. Just because some coaster parks does mean that they are not much higher quality than what WDW is offering right now. Heck, BGW's new little launch entry level coaster has effects much better than RnR does. Pretty big statement has been made with these announcement. A statement several here have been making.

....And it all amounts to very little. Do any of those parks have even close to same attendance as WDW?