Disney Wins Two Golden Tickets in 2023
The theme park industry’s answer to the Academy Awards are in the books.
How did Disney parks do? Honestly, it’s about the same as usual.
Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom
In other words, Disney won the category it has historically dominated and then lost almost everything else.
Let’s talk about the 2023 Golden Ticket Awards.
About the Golden Tickets
Longtime MickeyBlog readers know the deal by now. Still, let’s do a quick refresher for everyone else.
Each year, Amusement Today, a monthly industry periodical, determines the winners of the prestigious Golden Ticket Awards.
Photo: Amusement Today
Amusement Today selects a group of respected theme park insiders to vote on the categories each year.
While I have nothing but respect for the voters, let’s be clear on a recurring theme. They tend to take Disney for granted.
Tree of Life in Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney owns and operates theme park attractions, while the title of the publication is Amusement Today.
Given the name, you can understand why the participants would prioritize all forms of amusement parks rather than simply theme parks.
Spaceship Earth in EPCOT
Often, a Six Flags or Cedar Fair attraction proves just as popular with industry insiders as the meticulously themed Disney rides.
That’s totally fine and completely reasonable. However, the slant of the voters typically leads to Disney winning only one or two categories.
Magic Kingdom
As such, winning a Golden Ticket matters more to a place like Dollywood than it does to Disney.
Not coincidentally, Dollywood actually hosted this year’s Golden Ticket Awards and won the title of Best Amusement Park.
Photo: Getty Images
Since Disney technically isn’t an amusement park, it’s not a big deal, but I always feel the need to explain what’s happening to our new readers.
In short, you shouldn’t take it personally or act offended when Disney doesn’t win much.
EPCOT
Amusement Today typically lauds the places that could use a boost. Also, there’s some politicking involved as well.
Why did Dollywood win this year? Well, it certainly doesn’t hurt any that Dolly Parton appeared to accept the Industry Legends Golden Ticket Award.
Photo: Getty Images
Still, politics aside, the Golden Tickets are a lot of fun. Let’s look at this year’s winners.
Disney’s Big Win and Other Strong Performances
Historically, Disney has absolutely dominated in one category.
No matter how the voters think and feel about other topics, everyone in the industry knows that Disney does the Dark Ride the best.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
That’s understandable since Disney invented the very concept.
Over the years, attractions like Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Radiator Springs Racers, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye have dominated this category.
Tower of Terror
More recently, an even more impressive Disney attraction has turned heads, and it just won again for 2023.
Yes, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance stands tall as the Best Dark Ride in the world, according to the Golden Tickets.
Rise of the Resistance
Disney also finished fourth in this category with Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney California Adventure.
In 2022, Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure won the Best Dark Ride category, while Rise of the Resistance and Indiana Jones Adventure also ranked in the top four.
Photo: Disney
Amusement Today changes its voter base annually, which explains why Battle for the Sunken Treasure failed to earn placement this year.
Disney also emerged victorious in a relatively new category and for a brand-new ride.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Voters awarded Disney a Golden Ticket for Best New Attraction Installation for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Disney also performed quite well in other categories. For instance, the Golden Tickets added a new category: Best Family Coaster.
Cosmic Rewind loading area
Disney didn’t win here, but Slinky Dog Dash finished second, while Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disneyland Paris claimed fifth.
In the Most Beautiful Park category, Tokyo DisneySea finished fourth, which is good…but also way low for such a breathtaking park.
Photo: Disney
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disneyland Park also earned second place for Best New Family Attraction.
Sadly, that’s the full list of Disney accomplishments in this year’s Golden Ticket voting.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Disneyland
Disney inexplicably failed to place in categories like Best Halloween Event, Best Christmas Event, and Best New Roller Coaster (for Tron Lightcycle / Run).
What Won at the Golden Tickets?
Here’s something I find strange. Disney water parks rarely prove competitive at the Golden Tickets.
For 2023, the Best Water Park is Schlitterbahn. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach don’t finish in the top five, which makes no sense to me.
Typhoon Lagoon
In the Best Family Coaster category, Slinky Dog Dash loses to Big Bear Mountain at Dollywood. That park cleaned up this year with five Golden Tickets!
Slinky Dog Dash
Here are some other categories and winners for 2023:
- Most Beautiful Park – Busch Gardens Williamsburg
- Best Family Park – Dutch Wonderland
- Best Water Ride – Valhalla
- Best Kids’ Area – Dollywood
- Best Halloween Event – Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios
- Best New Show — Le Mime et l’Etoile
- Best New Roller Coaster – Wildcat’s Revenge at Hersheypark
- Best New Family Attraction – Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at Universal Studios Hollywood
- Best Guest Experience – Dollywood
- Best Food – Knoebels Amusement Resort
- Best Christmas Event – Dollywood
- Top Steel Roller Coaster – Fury 325 at Carowinds
- Top Wood Roller Coaster – Phoenix at Knoebels Amusement Resort
Since I know you’re wondering, yes, the Top Steel Roller Coaster winner is the one who almost experienced a tragedy.
Also, EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ranked 23rd if you’re wondering.
Cosmic Rewind
You can read the entire publication with an explanation of the voting methods and winners here.
Photo: MickeyBlog
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