Golden Ticket Awards 2014

[Bill]

Unfortunately, just about all of the amusement industry awards are based on a very small voting pool and can't possibly reflect a very accurate broad count.

Unlike movies which can be seen by most anyone anywhere, you're not likely to visit a smaller park across the country. Also, I find it hard to compare parks like Magic Kingdom to parks like Knoebels in one giant category - they are at two completely different ends of the park spectrum.

I will say there is one set of park awards that are even more of a joke than this one. (No, I won't specify which one). That said, the parks that win these types of awards are happy to get them - I've seen several of them use these awards in marketing campaigns. Plus, they're fun for enthusiasts like us to pick apart.

 

[Nicole]

Dollywood has huge signs up in the park advertising their Golden Tickets, actually.

 

[Party Rocker]

I'm certain just because it is an award park's will advertise them to their advantage. Busch Gardens flaunts their landscaping award constantly.

I feel even though the awards are not accurate, it's an award nonetheless. Therefore, they use it the best they can. I would assume the Golden Tickets are the more highly thought of awards for the industry, but when it comes down to the best park attendance is what matters. As for the other more subjective awards, unless everyone visits all of the parks across the world and rates each thing, the awards will not be as accurate as desired.

 

[Unagi]

When the Golden Ticket Awards first started BGW also use to win for best food and cleanest park. The Best Landscaping Award use to be called Most Beautiful Park and they've won that every year.

 

[David]

I think ParkFans should create the Diamond Ticket Awards. I am willing to fund this venture, and we shall give the awards to the parks we want, like all the others do.

Edit: Or the highest bidder.........

 

[CoasterBoy]

As someone who just came back from Dollywood, all of their golden tickets are complete jokes.

As someone with experience at BGW and Dollywood... I say BGW deserves more awards then they win yearly.

 

[mwhinva]

According to the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards article, BGW almost lost the best landscaping award to Gilroy Gardens in California (1% difference).

Other than the best park category, (top 10 - BGW came in 9th - not bad when you have to compete with Disney and Universal), all other categories were top 5.

BGW 9th in best park. (top 10)
BGW 1st in landscaping. (top 5)
BGW 5th in cleanest park. (top 5)

BGW did not place in the top 5 in any other category (though I am sure they would have been in the top 10 if those votes were published).

Other categories I thought BGW would have placed at least in the top 10:

1. Entertainment
2. Food
3. Halloween Event
4. Christmas Event

Here is the link to the lists above. You could navigate from there to see the top 10 coaster lists.

Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

I could see BGW loosing best landscaping to a lot of parks, but Gilroy Gardens is not one of them. It would be sad to see them lose it, but I think it would teach them a lesson too.

 

[The Kid]

I don't even pay attention to these awards. They're unfair.

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

Also, it should be noted Colossal Curl came in second for best new water ride. It would've been first if it weren't for the fact that the tallest water slide opened this year.

 

[Nicole]

For what it is worth, I found many of the employees at Dollywood very rude. I really don't understand how the get picked as the "Friendliest Park."

 

[Mushroom]

Dollywood must be very good at linking to the polls on Facebook.

 

[Party Rocker]

Or you could have just always gotten a bad experience by random?

 

[Nicole]

I wasn't the only one in my group, and we found the employees to be rude throughout both parks, all weekend long. I have had much better experiences in Virginia and Florida.

That said, a single trip probably isn't representative enough to draw any conclusions.

 

[MAZ]

For what it is worth, I found many of the employees at Dollywood very rude.  I really don't understand how the get picked as the "Friendliest Park."

Were you planning on doing a short trip report on your Dollywood trip Nicole? Maybe a small one for me? I'm planning a trip there, but rude employees really piss me off. I would hate to reconsider because of that, but I will.

 

[Zachary]

Nicole, Shane, and I all went a few weeks ago and I think all three of us have very different views on the place. Nicole and I have tossed around writing something up but we have yet to sit down and actually do so. Dollywood is an interesting and, in some ways, a flat-out bizarre park. It's certainly a unique experience, especially from an enthusiast's perspective, but I don't know that it's necessarily a great one.

 

[Zimmy]

it has a wide tent!

 

[Nicole]

I actually have a list of reports that I want to do:
- LEGOLAND Florida
- Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure
- Dollywood
- Asian Food #ForScience
- Water Ride #FunChallenge

I'm sure I'm missing some others, as well.

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

Asian Food should come first.

 

[netdvn]

Were you planning on doing a short trip report on your Dollywood trip Nicole? Maybe a small one for me? I'm planning a trip there, but rude employees really piss me off. I would hate to reconsider because of that, but I will.

To be fair, this is the first time I've heard anyone knock Dollywood. I talked to a friend who was there in early August and he said it was fantastic.

It LOOKS like a great park with solid coasters, good food, good shows, and nice atmosphere. I'd still plan a trip out there just for the coasters, the food, and the area attractions.