2006 Golden Ticket Awards

[nitroblast]

Wow. Just wow. Neither the Voyage or El Toro won for Best Wooden Coaster, though the Voyage won Best New Ride for 2005.

THE ?BEST OF THE BEST? IN THE AMUSEMENT INDUSTRY HONORED AT GOLDEN TICKET AWARDS

AMUSEMENT TODAY ANNOUNCES WINNERS
OF ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL POLL

ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 27, 2006 ? In the world of amusement and waterparks, what is the best wooden coaster? Who has the best shows? How about the friendliest staff? In an awards? show today hosted by Holiday World & Splashin? Safari, Santa Claus, Ind., Amusement Today announced the winners of its prestigious 2006 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 23 categories such as ?amusement parks,? ?roller coasters,? ?landscaping,? ?food,? and ?waterparks.? The 2006 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 Wooden Coaster
Thunderhead at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Best Steel Coaster
Superman Ride of Steel
at Six Flags New England, Agawam, Mass.

Best Kids? Area
Paramount?s 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 - 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 2005 - Amusement Park
The Voyage at Holiday World & Splashin? Safari,
Santa Claus, Ind.

Best New Ride of 2005 - Waterpark
Bahari River, Holiday World & Splashin? Safari,
Santa Claus, Ind.

Best Capacity
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Best Theming of an Attraction
Dueling Dragons at Universal?s Islands of Adventure

Best Concert Venue
TimberWolf Amphitheater at Paramount?s Kings Island,
Kings Mills, Ohio



El Toro didnt even make the top 10! jesus.

http://www.amusementtoday.com/2006gtawood.html

Nitro somehow made number 4, but TTD makes 10 with no sign of Ka.
http://www.amusementtoday.com/2006gtasteel.html

[overlord]

So Yeah, I'm kind of angry how low El Toro ranked in everything. It should have been much higher in everything. People are just jealous they dont have a smooth woodie like us....

[Deadman]

Bah... this is kind of rediculous.

[Robert T Ackerman]

You also have to take into consideration how many people actually rode El Toro and Kingda Ka this year. I haven't been able to ride KK in about 2-3 months, the waits are just unbearable, and now with it launching one train every 5 minutes, its even worse. Toro IS a great ride, in my personal top whatever, but there are tons of people that had more of a chance to ride Superman SFNE, Thunderhead, rides that aren't questionable with operations. Next year, Toro will most likey make higher rankings, as more enthusiasts and voters will have ridden it.
Posted on: August 27, 2006, 04:05:41 pm

So Yeah, I'm kind of angry how low El Toro ranked in everything. It should have been much higher in everything. People are just jealous they dont have a smooth woodie like us....

These polls are based on EVERYONES opinion, not just yours. If it's in your personal top 10, then why would it anger you if other people don't feel the same way?
And personally, I'd prefer a woodie with some "violence" to it, not the glass smooth feeling Toro provides.

[matt]

I'm with overlord on this one. El Toro definitly should have been in the top 10. Yes thats my opinioun but this is the most bias awards.

BTW- Magnum #3, yea ok.

[overlord]

It doesnt anger me that people dont feel the same way, it angers me that I feel Toro isnt getting the respect it deserves. I wouldnt want polls to be based on my opinion. Having different views on coasters are good because it makes you want to get out there and ride it to see how you will like it. But I just feel Toro was not given credit to where credit is due.

[rjholla2003]

The opnly thing I'm happy about is the #4 spot for Nitro.  This wasn't El Toro's year thanks to many things.  Next year is when the truth shall come out.

As for Kingda Ka, reliability as well as smoothness is what's killing it.  I'm not suprised by that.

[SilverBullet]

I don't think Nitro deserves #4 in the world to be honest. I think Storm Runner should've gotten somewhere in the top ten.

Bah, let's wait for the Mitch Hawker's for some real results.

[rjholla2003]

Basically.  The only reason that I'm happy about Nitro's spot is because it seems that some of the anti-Gadv bias is sheding away.  Also, I think that having it run trimless on those hot days *really* boosted it's standings.  It's not so much that it's a win for Nitro because it is that good, but a win for Gadv.

[PcMan]

You can count on Nitro to be running when you get to the park and the lines for it moving .I think the waiting in line and or brake downs effect the "whole ride experience" to some extent it has to.The thing people remember after ridiging KK is I waited forever, they will not stand in line to re ride after 2-3 hours.
It's the same old people voting.
I think only people that rode every coaster in the states or world should vote or something like that. even though it's almost imposable.
Like noted above that other rankings my be more accurate.
I been a ACE member for 21 years and I steal have not been on S:ROS so if I was asked to vote I would decline.
I do personally think Voyage at night is one of the best out there ( I also like a rough ride).
And how many people have ever been on J2 (I love that little coaster) half the people probable don't even know about the park.
I have not been on THunderhead yet (will next year) but been on Kentucky Rumbler.

Noted below I also been on the Georgia Cyclone the year it opened and prefer the above to it but I did enjoy it.

[GADVwow]

Hmmm.

Having ridden Thunderhead, Tsunami nka J2, El Toro and Voyage, I must say, in all fairness, I prefer the Georgia Cyclone to any of them!

That being said, El Toro was robbed.

And Paramount's Kings Island having the best kids' area?  Puh-leeze. 

These ratings are little more than a joke.

[matt]

Seeing as I haven't been on any of the top 10 wooden coasters I can not give a fare vote. But I have riddien El Toro and I know it deserves to be top 5 if not top 10. I have heard that Boulder Dash has gotten very rough in some TR's yet its number three. I to feel the same way as overlord that El Toro hasn't gotten much respect.

Over to the steel. Seeing as I have Four of the coasters I can say that no way in hell is magnum #3 quality. MF deserves its spot as does Nitro and I feel that TTD is fine where it is.

I am definitly not getting bent out of shape over these awards becuase it means nothing to me. I will be waiting for Mitch's poll.

[Dubya91]

The #1 spots are the only thing accurate about those tickets, thats in MOST cases, the top ten is a circus

[sir clinksalot]

You have to remember who votes for these things. Enthusiasts who favor certain parks.

I'm actually surprised the Haunted House at Knoebels didn't win again this year. We rode it last year, and it's great. But come on, it doesn't compare to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland/MK or Spiderman (so I've heard).

[WadeJ]

Check out the link on the left under the Six Flags News feed.