Disney, Universal, SeaWorld nab Golden Ticket Awards
Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando each landed Golden Ticket Awards, which recognize achievements in the theme park industry.
Disney took home honors for Epcot’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind for best new attraction installation of 2022 along with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, a ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, winning for best dark ride.
SeaWorld Orlando was named best marine life/ wildlife park, and Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights was recognized as the best Halloween event of 2021.
Iron Gwazi of Busch Gardens Tampa nabbed the best new roller coaster prize, beating out runners-up Cosmic Rewind and Ice Breaker from SeaWorld Orlando.
The awards were presented by Amusement Today at a ceremony in San Antonio.
Big winners included Europa-Park of Rust, Germany, best park and Dollywood of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for best kids area, best guest experience and best Christmas event of 2021. It was Europa-Park’s eighth consecutive best park win.
Additional Golden Ticket recipients include Schlitterbahn of New Braunfels, Texas, a 24-time winner for best water park; Busch Gardens Williamsburg of Virginia as most beautiful park; Dutch Wonderland of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, best family park; Denver’s Meow Wolf Convergence Station as breakout family entertainment center; Chipas at Phantasialand of Germany as best water ride; Six Flags Over Texas’ “Christmas at the Southern Palace” for best new show; Lost Islands’ Volkanu: Quest for the Golden Idol as best new family attraction; Medusa’s Slide Wheel from Mount Olympus as best new water park ride; Splashin’ Safari’s Wildebeest as best water park ride and Knoebels Amusement Resort of Elysburg, Pennsylvania, for best food.
Kings Island of Mason, Ohio, was named by the Amusement Today publisher as park of the year. The attraction has been celebrating its 50th year of operation.
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