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:

Courtesy of Hersheypark

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

Courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood

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

Best Rides:

Best Steel Coaster: Fury 325 at Carowinds

Best Wooden Roller Coaster: Phoenix at Knoebels

Courtesy of Dollywood

Best Family Coaster: Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood

Courtesy of Disney Parks

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

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

Courtesy of Busch Gardens Williamsburg

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

Courtesy of Dollywood

Best Christmas Event: Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood

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”

Courtesy of Carowinds

“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.

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

2023 Top 25 Wooden Coasters

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