World’s best theme parks
The Golden Ticket Awards surveyed experienced theme park goers, fans, suppliers and journalists.
GERMANY’S Europa-park has been named the world’s best amusement park 2019, trouncing Disney and emerging rivals from China and South America.
The Golden Ticket Awards are hosted by Amusement Today and survey experienced amusement park goers, industry fans, suppliers, manufacturers and journalists to rate the best parks in 22 categories.
Unfamiliar with Europapark? As its name suggests, the park features 15 Europeanthemed areas – Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, etc – 100 attractions, 13 roller coasters and is the largest theme park in Germany, spanning 95ha.
It also boasts the title of largest entertainment park in the world, with 23 hours’ worth of live entertainment programming every day including a recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, music concerts, ice shows and acrobatics performances.
Located in Rust, in the border region where Germany meets France and Switzerland, the park attracts 5,500,000 visitors per year.
New attractions introduced this year include the Mission Astronaut, a 360° cinematic experience in space travel and the opening of a new on-site hotel, Hotel Krønasår.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, arguably the biggest theme park story of the summer, was named the best new family attraction 2019.
Other big winners include the Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort in New Braunfels, Texas, which was named best water park, and Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario which received the award for best innovation 2019. – AFP Relaxnews
Here are some of the winners:
• Best amusement park: Europa-park, Germany
• Best water park: Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, United States
• Best family park: Dutch Wonderland, US
• Best wildlife/marine park: Seaworld Orlando, US
• Best guest experience and kids’ area: Dollywood, US
• Most beautiful park: Busch Gardens Williamsburg, US
• Best new attraction installation: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, US
• Best new roller coaster: The Steel Curtain at Kennywood, US
• Best innovation: Canada’s Wonderland, Canada