Golden Ticket Awards 2023 List of Winners

Industry professionals from across the nation and beyond gathered at Dollywood today to enjoy the 25th annual Golden Ticket Awards ceremony and talk about best practices in the theme park and amusement industry.

Started in 1998, the Golden Ticket Awards were established by Amusement Today to shine a spotlight on the amusement park industry and attractions by recognizing the “Best of the Best.”

Today, they are among the most sought-after awards among theme parks, amusement parks, family entertainment centers and water parks. In 2023, Amusement Today celebrates the 25th anniversary of the coveted accolades.

Below are the winners of the 2023 Golden Ticket Awards:

Best New Attractions:

Best New Roller Coaster: Wildcat’s Revenge at Hersheypark

Best New Attraction: ArieForce One at Fun Spot America Atlanta

Best New Water Park Attraction: Rocket Blast at Waldameer Park and Water World

Best New Family Attraction: Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Universal Studios Hollywood

Best New Show: “Le Mime et l’Etoile” at Puy du Fou in France

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Best Rides:

Best Steel Coaster: Fury 325 at Carowinds

Best Wooden Roller Coaster: Phoenix at Knoebels

Best Family Coaster: Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood

Best Dark Ride: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Best Water Park Ride: Mammoth at Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari

Best Water Ride: Valhalla at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

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Best of the Best:

Best Water Park: Schlitterbahn

Best Park: Dollywood

Best Family Park: Dutch Wonderland

Best Kids Area: Wildwood Grove at Dollywood

Breakout Family Entertainment Center (FEC): Fun Land of Fredericksburg

Most Beautiful Park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Best Guest Experience: Dollywood

Best Food: Knoebels

Best Halloween Event of 2022: Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida

Best Christmas Event: Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood

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All Other Awards:

Best Innovation: Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) for its 208 RetraK as a solution for wooden coaster maintenance

Leadership Award: Eric Anderson, president of Quassy Amusement Park

Renaissance Award (Publisher’s Pick): Kennywood, for its “ongoing restoration and renewed guest experience with countless enhancements throughout the park”

“Landing” at Aeronautica Landing in 2023 will be:

Turnstile Award (Publisher’s Pick): Carowinds, for its “new Aeronautica Landing area, which created new experiences to keep people coming back”

Legend Awards:

The 2023 Golden Ticket Awards included three Legend awards.

SeaWorld Orlando took the first as the Best Marine Life/Wildlife category was retired. “The park, with its dynamic mix of animal experiences, iconic rides and mission of conservation had been the sole winner for 17 years.”

The founders of Great Coasters International, Inc. (GCI), Clair Hain Jr. and Mike Boodley, were also awarded a Legend Award for “their innovative design in wooden coaster building moved the industry forward.”

The final Legend award recognized three people whose “impact on the industry was accomplished with core values that treat people in the best way possible: Pete and Jack Herschend, founders of Silver Dollar City, and Dolly Parton, who partnered with the Herschends in the 1980s.

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The Golden Ticket Awards also includes rankings of the top steel and wooden coasters:

2023 Top 25 Wooden Coasters

1. Fury 325 at Carowinds
2. Millennium Force at Cedar Point
3. Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Islands of Adventure
4. Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point
5. Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa
6. Expedition GeForce at Holiday Park
7. Superman The Ride at Six Flags New England
8. Taron at Phantasialand
9. (tie for 9) Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion
10. (tie for 9) Maverick at Cedar Point
11. Apollo’s Chariot at Busch Gardens Williamsburg
12. Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood
13. Leviathan at Canada’s Wonderland
14. Lightning Rod at Dollywood
15. (tie for 15) Intimidator at Carowinds
16. (tie for 15) Iron Rattler at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
17. Mako at SeaWorld Orlando
18. Helix at Liseberg
19. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal Islands of Adventure
20. Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure
21. X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain
22. Time Traveler at Silver Dollar City
23. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot
24. Candymonium at Hersheypark
25. ArieForce One at Fun Spot America Atlanta

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2023 Top 25 Wooden Coasters

1. Phoenix at Knoebels
2. Voyage at Holiday World
3. El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure
4. Thunderhead at Dollywood
5. Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce
6. Beast at Kings Island
7. Mystic Timbers at Kings Island
8. Ravine Flyer 2 at Waldameer
9. GhostRider at Knott’s Berry Farm
10. Outlaw Run Silver Dollar City
11. Balder at Liseberg
12. Gold Striker at California’s Great America
13. Wildfire at Kolmården
14. Wodan at Europa Park
15. Jack Rabbit at Kennywood
16. Cyclone at Luna Park
17. Shivering Timbers at Michigan’s Adventure
18. Thunderbolt at Kennywood
19. Troy at Toverland
20. Rutschebanan at Tivoli Gardens
21. Legend at Holiday World
22. Lightning Racer at Hersheypark
23. Flying Turns at Knoebels
24. Prowler at Worlds of Fun
25. Comet at Six Flags Great Escape

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Congratulations to all of the winners of this year’s Golden Ticket Awards. For more, see past year’s Golden Ticket Awards recipients here.