Golden Ticket Awards 2024 List of Winners

Amusement industry professionals from across the nation and beyond gathered at Kennywood today to learn for the 26th annual Golden Ticket Awards 2024 to learn about the winners for this year.

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

The following are the winners of the Golden Ticket Awards 2024:

Golden Ticket Awards 2024 – Best New Attractions:

Best New Roller Coaster: Voltron Nevera at Europa-Park

Voltron Nevera, courtesy of Europa-Park

Best New Attraction: Fire in the Hole at Silver Dollar City

Fire in the Hole (courtesy of Silver Dollar City)

Read our review of Fire in the Hole here!

Best New Water Park Ride: The Rise of Icarus at Mount Olympus Water & Theme Park

Best New Family Attraction: Fire in the Hole at Silver Dollar City

Best New Show: “From The Heart: The Dolly Parton Story” at Dollywood

Golden Ticket Awards 2024 – Best Rides:

Best Steel Coaster: Fury 325 at Carowinds

Best Wooden Roller Coaster: Phoenix at Knoebels Amusement Resort

Best Family Coaster: Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood

Big Bear Mountain (courtesy of Dollywood)

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

Courtesy of Disney Parks

Best Water Park Ride: Wildebeest at Holiday World

Best Water Ride: Chiapas at Phantasialand

Chiapas (courtesy of Phantasialand)

Golden Ticket Awards 2024 – Best of the Best:

Best Water Park: Schlitterbahn New Braunfels

Best Park: Europa-Park

Courtesy of Europa-Park

Best Family Park: Dutch Wonderland

Best Kids Area: Wildwood Grove at Dollywood

Wildwood Grove at Dollywood

Breakout Family Entertainment Center (FEC): Adventure Park USA (Monrovia, Maryland)

Most Beautiful Park: Dollywood

Best Guest Experience: Dollywood

Best Food: Knoebels Amusement Resort

Best Christmas Event: Dollywood

Amusement Today announced that it will retire the “Best Christmas Event” after the 2024 Golden Ticket Awards.

Best New Theme Concept: Good Gravy! at Holiday World

Golden Ticket Awards 2024 – All Other Awards:

Best Innovation: Holiday World for “audience participation in creating a segment in the park’s nighttime show, ‘Holidays in the Sky'”

Leadership Award: Gordon Hartman and Richard Pretlow of Morgan’s Wonderland

Nemesis Reborn (courtesy of Alton Towers)

Renaissance Award (Publisher’s Pick): Nemesis Reborn at Alton Towers

Person of the Year: Beth Root (organizer of the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson)

Turnstile Award (Publisher’s Pick): Europa-Park

Legend Awards:

The 2024 Golden Ticket Awards included several Legend awards.

Amusement Today founder Gary Slade
Universal Studios Florida’s Halloween Horror Nights
Paul Nelson, owner of Waldameer Park
Richard Munch, Roy Brashears and Paul Greenwald, founders of American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE)
John Reilly of Palace Entertainment

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

Golden Ticket Awards 2024 – Top 25 Wooden Coasters

Phoenix – Knoebels Amusement Park
The Voyage – Holiday World
The Beast – Kings Island
Thunderhead – Dollywood
Mystic Timbers – Kings Island
El Toro – Six Flags Great Adventuire
Boulder Dash – Lake Compounce
Ghost Rider – Knott’s Berry Farm
Wodan – Europa Park
Ravine Flyer II – Waldemeer
Outlaw Run – Silver Dollar City
Cyclone – Luna Park
Balder – Lisenberg
Gold Striker – California’s Great America
Joris en de Draak – Efteling
Shivering Timbers – Michigan’s Adventure
Jack Rabbit – Kennywood
The Legend – Holiday World
Wildfire – Kolmården
Lightning Racer – Hersheypark
Thunderbolt – Kennywood
Troy – Toverland
Prowler – Worlds of Fun
Goliath – Six Flags Great America
Boardwalk Bullet – Kemah Boardwalk

Golden Ticket Awards 2024 – Top 25 Steel Coasters

Fury 325 – Carowinds
Jurassic World VelociCoaster – Universal Islands of Adventure
Steel Vengeance – Cedar Point
Millennium Force – Cedar Point
Iron Gwazi – Busch Gardens Tampa
Taron – Phantasialand
The Ride of Happiness – Plopsaland De Panne
Zadra – Engerylandia
Expedition GeForce – Holiday Park
Maverick – Cedar Point
Voltron Nevera – Europa Park
Superman The Ride – Six Flags New England
Leviathan – Canada’s Wonderland
Project 305 – Kings Dominion
Phantom’s Revenge – Kennywood
F.L.Y. – Phantasialand
ArieForce One – Fun Spot America Atlanta
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – EPCOT
Mako – SeaWorld Orlando
TIE
- Diamondback – Kings Island
- Iron Rattler – Six Flags Fiesta Texas
TIE
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – Universal Islands of Adventure
- Lightning Rod – Dollywood
Hyperion – Energylandia
Apollo’s Chariot – Busch Gardens Williamsburg