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YOUR 2012 Golden Ticket Awards...


McSalsa
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Well, Amusement Today has released their 2012 Golden Ticket Awards and once again, it's just the same old stuff! So, here's another "annual" poll from McSalsa (I did this same poll last year and in 2010). Enjoy.

What are YOUR picks for the following suggested categories? Or, you may also create your own if you feel I did not include one you'd want, but keep it realistic please (IE: No giving Kings Island an award for "Best Trash Cans", etc.)

Some Suggested Categories...(just a suggestion, of course :P)

Best Amusement Park

Best Theme Park

Best Value Park (New for 2011!)

Best Wood Coaster(s) (You can name just one, or make a "Top X" list)

Best Steel Coaster(s) (Same thing as Wood)

Best Flatride

Best "New" Ride (New for you, does not have to be a brand-new ride)

Best New Ride (Has to be a real, brand-new for 2012 ride)

Best Park Food

Most Beautiful Park

Best Water Ride (Includes river rapids, splash rides, and waterslides etc etc)

Best Waterpark

Best Park Staff

Best Kids Area

Best Park Show

Cleanest Park

Best Halloween Event (like KI's haunt, etc etc)

Enjoy the poll. If you dislike, click back.

A SUGGESTION

http://www.KICentral...__fromsearch__1 (for 2011 poll)

http://www.KICentral...et&fromsearch=1 (for 2010 poll)

If you did this poll last year or in 2010 (link above), click that and see your results from then. Then, for your steel/wood coaster rankings, you can "mark" if they have improved or gone down. Optional but would be nice.

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My Picks:

Best Amusement Park

Kings Island

Best Theme Park

Holiday World

Best Value Park

Holiday World

Top 5 Wooden Coasters

#1-The Beast, Kings Island (2010: 3rd, 2011: 1st)

#2-The Voyage, Holiday World (2010: 1st, 2011: 2nd)

#3-The Legend, Holiday World (2010: 2nd, 2011: 3rd)

#4-The Raven, Holiday World (2010: 4th, 2011: 4th)

#5-Red Racer, Kings Island (2010: 5th, 2011: 5th)

No changes here from 2011 for me.

Top 5 Steel Coasters

#1-Diamondback, Kings Island (2010: 1st)

#2-Flight of Fear, Kings Island (2010: 2nd, 2011: 3rd)

#3-Vortex, Kings Island (2010: 3rd, 2011: 2nd)

#4-Flight Deck, Kings Island (2010: 4th, 2011: 4th)

#5-Backlot Stunt Coaster, Kings Island (Not Ranked in 2010 or 2011)

Not much change here besides Vortex & Flight of Fear switching positions...again. It's like those two are dance partners! Also, BLSC kicks out Firehawk because I had a not-so-great ride on Firehawk this year...

Best Flatride: Delirium @ Kings Island (3rd year in a row)

Best "New" Ride: Viking Fury @ Kings Island!!! :P It was only contender for it, too...

Best New Ride: N/A. I did not ride anything "brand new" this year.

Most Beautiful Park: Holiday World/Kings Island (Tie)

Best Water Ride: Wildebeest @ Holiday World

Best Waterpark: Splashin' Safari

Best Park Staff: Kings Island/Holiday World (Tie)

Best Kids Area: Kings Island

Best Park Show: Still N/A...

Cleanest Park: Holiday World

Best Halloween Event: Kings Island's Halloween Haunt

I STILL really need to go to more parks...2012 was, to this point, an "off" year for me...

PS: Buying ad space on KICentral will not influence my picks. Also, I do not have a magazine to sell ad space so ha...huh? (Six Flags Great America offers McSalsa $100,000,000,000)...OK! X-FLIGHT IS DA BEST RIDE EVAH! :P Wait, how do they have...

Six Flags Great America has closed forever because they went into ultra-hyper-giga-bankruptcy for giving McSalsa too much money... :mellow:

(Note: That was a joke, inspired by Terpy's post above! Kind of makes fun of how the real GT awards work...)

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Best Amusement Park - Cedar Point

Best Theme Park - Islands of Adventure

Best Value Park - Holiday World

Best Wood Coaster(s) - The Voyage

Best Steel Coaster(s) - Millennium Force

Best Flatride - Skyhawk

Best "New" Ride - Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey

Best New Ride - Sparkler at Holiday World? (only new ride I've been on...)

Best Park Food - Holiday World

Most Beautiful Park - Epcot

Best Water Ride - Don't know.

Best Waterpark - Splashin' Safari

Best Park Staff - Holiday World

Best Kids Area - Kings Island, Planet Snoopy

Best Park Show - Ed Alonzo - for a theme park, the Sinbad show at Islands of Adventure

Cleanest Park - Holiday World

Best Halloween Event - Kings Island

(Notice how only one Disney park is in here...bigger isn't always better...)

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Best Amusement Park

Kings Island

Best Theme Park

Magic Kingdom

Best Value Park

Holiday World

Top Wooden Coasters

Beast, Kings Island

Voyage, Holiday World

Gwazi, Bush Gardens Tampa

Legend, Holiday World

Best Steel Coasters

Diamondback, Kings Island

Expedition Everist, Animal Kingdom

Wild Eagle, Dollywood

Backlot Stunt Coaster, Kings Island

Most Beautiful Park

Epcot

Best Waterpark

Boomerang Bay, Carowinds

Best Halloween Event

Kings Island

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Best Amusement Park: Hersheypark

Best Theme Park: Of the ones I've been to, Kings Dominion or Six Flags Great Adventure. I'm inclined to believe that the Disney or Universal parks are more deserving of this title, but I was in a stroller when I last visited the Magic Kingdom and can only recall being terrified of the Jaws ride at Universal when I was in elementary school.

Best Value Park: Holiday World

Best Wood Coasters: The Voyage (HW) and El Toro (SFGAdv)

Best Steel Coaster: Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion

Best Flatride: Noah's Ark, Kennywood

Best "New" Ride: El Toro, Great Adventure

Best New Ride: From looks, Leviathan. I've only ridden Wild Eagle in the 2012 coasters, and as much as I like it, I imagine the B&M giga is better.

Best Park Food: DOLLYWOOD. Oh my goodness.

Most Beautiful Park: Dollywood or Kennywood

Best Water Ride: Wildebeest, Holiday World

Best Waterpark: Splashin' Safari

Best Park Staff: Dollywood

Best Kids Area: Of the parks I've been to, I'll honestly say that I liked Kings Island's the best. I'm willing to bet there are other parks I've not been to that have better ones, but KI does the best, in my experience.

Best Park Show: ...I've just realized how long it's been since I've actually watched a show at an amusement park. Uhh... the first five minutes of British Invasion were decent? :lol:

Cleanest Park: Holiday World or Dollywood

Best Halloween Event: I've still only been to KI's Halloween Haunt, but I'm more and more inclined to believe the Universal parks throw the best Halloween event. I'll have to check out Halloween Horror Nights one of these days.

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I am not a big park traveler, so my list is limited. That being said, here are my top 5 favs:

Wooden

1. El Toro (SFGA)

2. The Beast ( KI)

3. The Blue Streak ( CP

4. The Villain ( Was it torn down or moved?)

5. The Hurler ( KD)

Steel

1. Top Thrill Dragster ( CP)

2. Millenium Force ( CP)

3. Raptor ( CP )

4. Diamondback ( KI )

5. Nitro ( SFGA)

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I have only been to Holiday World, Kings Island, and Cedar Point this year, so my options are few.

Best Amusement Park: Cedar Point

Best Theme Park: Holiday World

Best Value Park: Holiday World

Top 5 Wooden Coasters

#1- Voyage, Holiday World

#2- Beast, Kings Island

#3- Legend- Holiday World

#4- Raven- Holiday World

#5- Mean Streak- Cedar Point

Top 5 Steel Coasters

#1-Maverick, Cedar Point

#2- Millennium Force- Cedar Point

#3- Raptor- Cedar Point

#4- Diamondback- Kings Island

#5- Magnum- Cedar Point

Best Flatride: Drop Tower- Kings Island

Best New Ride: No new rides for me this year

Most Beautiful Park: Cedar Point

Best Water Ride: Mammoth- Holiday World

Best Waterpark: Splashin' Safari- Holiday World

Best Park Staff: Holiday World

Best Kids Area: Kings Island

Best Park Show: Luminosity- Cedar Point

Cleanest Park: Holiday World

Best Halloween Event: Halloween Haunt- Kings Island

Again, my options are semi-limited.

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Best Amusement Park - Cedar Point

Best Theme Park - Islands of Adventure

Best Wood Coaster(s) - Thunderhead and The Beast

Best Steel Coaster(s) - Magnum XL 200

Best Flatride - WindSeeker

Best Park Food - Dollywood

Most Beautiful Park - Dollywood

Best Waterpark - Great Wolf :P

Best Water Ride - Journey to Atlantis at Sea World Orlando (does that count? I'm not a water ride person)

Best Park Staff - Knott's Berry Farm or Dollywood

Best Kids Area - Cedar Point

Best Park Show - One Ocean at SeaWorld

Cleanest Park: From this year Knott's Berry Farm. Though I was impressed with Busch Gardens Tampa and Dollywood last time I visited those.

Best Halloween Event - Halloween Haunt at Knott's Berry Farm

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Based off of KI, Carowinds, Strickers, and Indiana Beach.

Grove

Best Amusement Park - Kings Island

Best Value Park - I got nothing there, but with a look at the prices, I say Strickers Grove.

Top 5 Woodies:

1. The Beast (KI)

2. Cornball Express (Indiana Beach)

3. Tornado (Strickers Grove)

4. Lost Coaster Of Superstition Mountain (Indiana Beach)

5. Hurler (Carowinds)

Top 5 Steel:

1. Afterburn (Carowinds)

2. Diamondback (KI)

3. Intimidator (Carowinds)

4. Steel Hawg (Indiana Beach)

5. Flight of Fear (KI)

Best Flat - Drop Tower (KI)

Best "New" Ride: Steel Hawg (Indiana Beach)

Best New Ride - The Only one I've been on, WindSeeker (Carowinds)

Best Park Food - Kings Island (Strange, huh?)

Most Beautiful Park - Kings Island

Best Water Ride - Rendevous Run (SC)

Best Waterpark - Soak City (KI)

Best Park Staff - Kings Island

Best Kids Area - Planet Snoopy (KI)

Best Park Show - Ed Alonzo (KI)

Cleanest Park - Strickers Grove

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Best Amusement Park - Cedar Point

Best Theme Park - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Best Value Park (New for 2011!)

Best Wood Coaster - Voyage, Holiday World

Best Steel Coaster - Millenium Force

Best Flatride - Skooter Bumper Cars, Knoebels

Best "New" Ride - Sky Rocket, Kennywood

Best Park Food - Dollywood

Most Beautiful Park - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Best Water Ride - Mountain Sidewinder, Dollywood

Best Waterpark - Splashin Safari

Best Park Staff - Idlewild

Best Kids Area - Idlewild

Best Live E - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Cleanest Park - Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Best Halloween Event - Phantom Fright Nights, Kennywood

Best Carousel - Grand Carousel, Knoebels Grove

Best Dark Ride - Curse of DarKastle, Busch Gardens Wiliamsburg

Best Walk Through - Confusion Hill, Idlewild

Best Park Rail Road - Dollywood Expresss

Best Ride Operations - Cedar Point

Best Christmas Event - Smoky Mountain Christmas, Dollywood

Best Observation Tower - Eiffel Tower, Kings Island

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I decided to look at what I would use for my selections, and the list would be very different if I never went to Disneyland. I also don't see how Holiday World could be anywhere close to being the cleanest, when you consider half of the park is a waterpark.

Friendliest - Disneyland

Indoor coaster - Disneyland

Walkthrough/Funhouse - Disneyland (Tom Sawyer island)

Best water ride - Disneyland

Cleanest park - Disneyland

Best Shows - Disneyland/California Adventure

Best Food - Disneyland

Landscaping - Disneyland

Dark Ride - FFFFFFoG Monster Mansion

Outdoor show - Knotts

Carousel - Knoebels

Wooden: Zippin Pippin

Steel: Maverick

New ride: Skyrush

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I also don't see how Holiday World could be anywhere close to being the cleanest, when you consider half of the park is a waterpark.

Have you been there? When I was there, restrooms in both parks were very clean, there was no trash to be found anywhere, and walkways were kept free of debris and looking clean. The lack of debris on walkways is especially important in the waterpark, and this is definitely something you can't say about Soak City. If the water in a properly treated public bathing facility bothers you, you don't have to get in. (Yes, nasty stuff does find its way into swimming pool water.)

Arguing whether Holiday World is cleaner than vastly different Disney parks is a trivial point. Keeping impeccable grounds is a big accomplishment regardless of meaningless rankings as to who keeps them cleanest. It's an especially big achievement when comparing the resources of Holiday World to the resources of Disney.

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Best Amusement Park - Knoebels

Best Theme Park - Magic Kingdom

Best Value Park - Knoebels

Best Wood Coaster(s) - Ravine Flyer II (Waldameer Park)

Best Steel Coaster(s) - Magnum XL-200 (Cedar Point)

Best "New" Ride: Cheetah Hunt (Busch Gardens Tampa)

Best New Ride: Leviathan (Canada's Wonderland)

Best Dark Ride: Whacky Shack (Waldameer Park)

Best Carousel: Knoebels

Best Water Ride: Thunder River (Waldameer Park)

Best Live Show: That one acrobatics show at Canada's Wonderland that I can never seem to remember the name of.

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Have you been there? When I was there, restrooms in both parks were very clean, there was no trash to be found anywhere, and walkways were kept free of debris and looking clean. The lack of debris on walkways is especially important in the waterpark, and this is definitely something you can't say about Soak City. If the water in a properly treated public bathing facility bothers you, you don't have to get in. (Yes, nasty stuff does find its way into swimming pool water.)

Yes, I have been to Holiday World, and it is one of my most favorite places.

I think it is awesome that there is very little litter, if any.

I also remember that Nickelodeon Universe was very clean, no trash anywhere...might be caused by the mall around it.

But, I still think waterparks are not clean.

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