For 20 years, The Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards have been the industry leader in the “best of the best”. The awards choose the best of the amusement industry by a panel of voters that includes coaster and ride enthusiasts as well as other experts that visit theme parks around the world.
The two day event was held at Lake Compounce, with the awards ceremony happening Saturday night.
Here’s this year’s winners:
BEST AMUSEMENT PARK: Europa-Park
BEST WATER PARK: Schlitterbahn New Braunfels
BEST MARINE LIFE PARK: SeaWorld Orlando
BEST SEASIDE PARK: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
BEST CHILDREN’S PARK: Idelwild & SoakZone
BEST DARK RIDE: Tower of Terror / Walt Disney World
FRIENDLIEST PARK: Dollywood
BEST SHOWS: Dollywood
BEST CAROUSEL: Knoebels Amusement Resort
BEST FUNHOUSE: Noah’s Ark / Kennywood Park
BEST FOOD: Dollywood
BEST WATER RIDE: Valhalla / Blackpool Pleasure Beach
BEST WATER PARK RIDE: Wildebeest / Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
BEST KIDS’ AREA: Planet Snoopy / Kings Island
CLEANEST PARK: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
BEST LANDSCAPING: Busch Gardens Williamsburg Landscaping
BEST CHRISTMAS EVENT: Smoky Mountain Christmas / Dollywood
BEST HALLOWEEN EVENT: Halloween Horror Nights / Universal Orlando Resort
BEST NEW WATER PARK ATTRACTION OF 2017: Thunder Rapids / Six Flags Fiesta Texas
BEST NEW AMUSEMENT PARK ATTRACTION OF 2017: Mystic Timbers/Kings Island
BEST INDOOR ROLLER COASTER: Revenge of the Mummy / Universal Orlando Resort
BEST WOODEN ROLLER COASTER: El Toro / Six Flags Great Adventure
BEST STEEL ROLLER COASTER: Fury 325 / Carowinds
PUBLISHER AWARDS
SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR: Intamin Rides
PERSON OF THE YEAR: Jerry Brick, Lake Compounce
PARK OF THE YEAR: Morgan’s Wonderland
The big winners are of course, Dollywood, with four awards
Congratulations to all the winners this year.
Next year, the event will be held at Silver Dollar City in Branson Missouri. Amusement Today will release the complete list of top coasters and attractions on their official website.
Stay tuned for more, and be sure to get social with us on Facebook and follow along with us on Twitter @BehindThrills for the latest updates!
For our latest theme park videos please be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube!
