The Golden Ticket Awards | Presented by Amusement Today

The Golden Ticket Awards | Presented by Amusement Today

The Golden Ticket Awards | Presented by Amusement Today

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2023 GTA Winners

 

 

CATEGORY WINNER
Best Amusement Park Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Water Park Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas
Best Family Park of 2023 Dutch Wonderland, Lancaster, Pa.
Best Family Coaster of 2023 Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Water Park Ride Mammoth at Splashin’ Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.
Best Wooden Coaster Phoenix at Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.
Best Steel Coaster Fury 325, Carowinds, Charlotte, N.C.
Best Kids’ Area Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Guest Experience Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Breakout Family Entertainment Center of 2023 Fun Land of Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg, Va.
BestHalloween Event of 2022 Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Fla.
Most Beautiful Park Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va.
Best Christmas Event of 2022 Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Best Food of 2023 Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.
Best New Show of 2023 “Le Mime et l’Etoile” at Puy du Fou France
Best Water Ride Valhalla at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Best Dark Ride PStar Wars: Rise Of The Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Best New Attraction Installation of 2023 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT, Orlando, Fla.
Best New Roller Coaster of 2023 ArieForce One at Fun Spot America Atlanta
Best New Family Attraction of 2023 Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Universal Studios Hollywood
Best New Water Park Ride of 2023 Rocket Blast at Waldameer & Water World
Best Innovation of 2023 208 ReTraK by Rocky Mountain Construction
Leadership Award Eric Anderson, Quassy Amusement Park

Personally chosen by Gary Slade, publisher and editor-in-chief of Amusement Today, this year’s Publisher’s Pick Awards were presented in the following categorie

  • Renaissance Award – Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, for bringing renewed energy to the park experience; and
  • Turnstile Award – Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina, for giving new and fresh offerings in a thoughtfully planned atmosphere bringing guests back again and again.

2023’s Top 50 Steel Roller Coasters

Rank Name Park Location Supplier Year
1 Fury 325 Carowinds Charlotte, North Carolina B&M 2015
2 Millennium Force Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio Intamin 2000
3 Jurassic World VelociCoaster Universal Islands of Adventure Orlando, Florida Intamin 2021
4 Steel Vengeance Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio Rocky Mountain Const. 2018
5 Iron Gwazi Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tampa, Florida Rocky Mountain Const. 2022
6 Expedition GeForce Holiday Park Hassloch, Germany Intamin 2001
7 Superman The Ride Six Flags New England Agawam, Massachusetts Intamin 2000
8 Taron Phantasialand Brühl, Germany Intamin 2016
tie-9 Intimidator 305 Kings Dominion Doswell, Virginia Intamin 2010
tie-9 Maverick Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio Intamin 2007
11 Apollo’s Chariot Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Virginia B&M 1999
12 Phantom’s Revenge Kennywood West Mifflin, Pennsylvania Morgan/Arrow 2001
13 Leviathan Canada’s Wonderland Vaughan, Ontario, Canada B&M 2012
14 Lightning Rod Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Rocky Mountain Const. 2016
tie-15 Intimidator Carowinds Charlotte, North Carolina B&M 2010
tie-15 Iron Rattler Six Flags Fiesta Texas San Antonio, Texas Rocky Mountain Const. 2013
17 Mako SeaWorld Orlando Orlando, Florida B&M 2016
18 Helix Liseberg Gothenburg, Sweden Mack  2014
19 Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Mmotorbike Adventure Universal Islands of Adventure Orlando, Florida Intamin 2019
20 Nitro Six Flags Great Adventure Jackson, New Jersey B&M 2001
21 X2 Six Flags Magic Mountain Valencia, California Arrow 2001
22 Time Traveler Silver Dollar City Branson, Missouri Mack  2018
23 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind EPCOT Lake Buena Vista, Florida Vekoma 2022
24 Candymonium Hersheypark Hershey, Pennsylvania B&M 2020
25 ArieForce One Fun Spot America Atlanta Fayetteville, Georgia Rocky Mountain Const. 2023
26 Diamondback Kings Island Mason, Ohio B&M 2009
27 Orion Kings Island Mason, Ohio B&M 2020
28 Twisted Colossus Six Flags Magic Mountain Valencia, California Rocky Mountain Const. 2015
29 Skyrush Hersheypark Hershey, Pennsylvania Intamin 2012
30 Magnum XL-200 Cedar Point Sandusky, Ohio Arrow 1989
31 Ride to Happiness Plopsaland De Panne De Panne, Belgium Mack  2021
32 Zadra Energylandia Zator, Poland Rocky Mountain Const. 2019
33 Fønix Fårup Sommerland Blokhus, Denmark Vekoma 2022
34 Montu Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tampa, Florida B&M 1996
35 Nemesis Alton Towers Staffordshire, England B&M 1994
36 Steel Curtain Kennywood West Mifflin, Pennsylvania S&S 2019
37 Big Bear Mountain Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Vekoma 2023
38 New Texas Giant Six Flags Over Texas Arlington, Texas Rocky Mountain Const. 2011
39 Blue Fire Megacoaster Europa-Park Rust, Germany Mack  2009
40 Wildcat’s Revenge Hersheypark Hershey, Pennsylvania Rocky Mountain Const. 2023
tie-41 Banshee Kings Island Mason, Ohio B&M 2014
tie-41 Riddler Mindbender Six Flags Over Georgia Austell, Georgia Schwarzkopf 1978
tie-43 Steel Dragon 2000 Nagashima Spa Land Nagashima, Japan Morgan  2000
tie-43 Twisted Timbers Kings Dominion Doswell, Virginia Rocky Mountain Const. 2018
45 Goliath Six Flags Over Georgia Austell, Georgia B&M 2006
46 F.L.Y. Phantasialand Brühl, Germany Vekoma 2020
47 Cheetah Hunt Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tampa, Florida Intamin 2011
48 Alpengeist Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Virginia B&M 1997
49 Pantheon Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Virginia Intamin 2022
50 Black Mamba Phantasialand Brühl, Germany B&M 2006

2023’s Top 50 Wooden Roller Coasters

Rank Name Park Location Supplier Year
1 Phoenix Knoebels Elysburg, Pennsylvania Dinn-PTC/Shmeck 1985
2 Voyage Holiday World Santa Claus, Indiana The Gravity Group 2006
3 El Toro Six Flags Great Adventure Jackson, New Jersey Intamin 2006
4 Thunderhead Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Great Coasters Int. 2004
5 Boulder Dash Lake Compounce Bristol, Connecticut Custom Consters Int. 2000
6 Beast Kings Island Mason, Ohio KECO 1979
7 Mystic Timbers Kings Island Mason, Ohio Great Coasters Int. 2017
8 Ravine Flyer 2 Waldameer Erie, Pennsylvania The Gravity Group 2008
9 GhostRider Knott’s Berry Farm Buena Park, California Custom Coasters/GCII 1998
10 Outlaw Run Silver Dollar City Branson, Missouri Rocky Mountain Const. 2013
11 Balder Liseberg Gothenburg, Sweden Intamin 2003
12 Gold Striker California’s Great America Santa Clara, California Great Coasters Int. 2013
13 Wildfire Kolmården Norrköping, Sweden Rocky Mountain Const. 2016
14 Wodan Europa-Park Rust, Germany Great Coasters Int. 2012
15 Jack Rabbit Kennywood West Mifflin, Pennsylvania Miller 1920
16 Cyclone Luna Park Brooklyn, New York Baker/Keenan 1927
17 Shivering Timbers Michigan’s Adventure Muskegon, Michigan Custom Coasters Int. 1998
18 Thunderbolt Kennywood West Mifflin, Pennsylvania Vettel/Miller 1968
19 Troy Toverland Sevenum, The Netherlands Great Coasters Int. 2007
20 Rutschebanan Tivoli Gardens Copenhagen, Denmark L.A. Thompson 1914
21 Legend Holiday World Santa Claus, Indiana Custom Coasters Int. 2000
22 Lightning Racer Hersheypark Hershey, Pennsylvania Great Coasters Int. 2000
23 Flying Turns Knoebels Elysburg, Pennsylvania Fetterman 2014
24 Prowler Worlds of Fun Kansas City, Missouri Great Coasters Int. 2009
25 Comet Six Flags Great Escape Queensbury, New York PTC/Shmeck 1994
26 Raven Holiday World Santa Claus, Indiana Custom Coasters Int. 1995
27-tie Colossos Heide Park Soltau, Germany Intamin 2001
27-tie Twister Knoebels Elysburg, Pennsylvania Fetterman 1999
29 Giant Dipper Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Santa Cruz, California Prior & Church/Looff 1924
30-tie Boardwalk Bullet Kemah Boardwalk Kemah, Texas The Gravity Group/M&V 2007
30-tie Playland Wooden Coaster PNE Playland Vancouver, B.C., Columbia Phare 1958
32 Goliath Six Flags Great America Gurnee, Illinois Rocky Mountain Const. 2014
33 Texas Stingray SeaWorld San Antonio San Antonio, Texas Great Coasters Int. 2020
34 White Lightning Fun Spot America Orlando, Florida Great Coasters Int. 2013
35 Rampage Alabama Adventure Bessemer, Alabama Custom Coasters Int. 1998
36 Cú Chulainn Emerald Park Ashbourne, Ireland The Gravity Group 2015
37 Renegade Valleyfair Shakopee, Minnesota Great Coasters Int. 2007
38 T Express Everland Youjin-si, South Korea Intamin 2008
39 Boss Six Flags St. Louis Eureka, Missouri Custom Coasters Int. 2000
40 Screamin’ Eagle Six Flags St. Louis Eureka, Missouri PTC/Allen 1976
41 Racer Kennywood West Mifflin, Pennsylvania Miller 1927
42-tie Cornball Express Indiana Beach Monticello, Indiana Custom Coasters Int. 1999
42-tie Grizzly Kings Dominion Doswell, Virginia KECO 1982
44 Hades 360 Mount Olympus Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin The Gravity Group 2005
45-tie InvadR Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, Virginia Great Coasters Int. 2017
45-tie Viper Six Flags Great America Gurnee, Illinois Starkey 1995
47 Wicker Man Alton Towers Staffordshire, England Great Coasters Int. 2018
48 Zippin Pippin Bay Beach Green Bay, Wisconsin M&V 2011
49 Comet Hersheypark Hershey, Pennsylvania PTC/Shmeck 1946
50 Switchback ZDTs Seguin, Texas The Gravity Group 2015