2009 Golden Tickets

Mind Bender #16! Bout time it got a little higher up there. The big B&M's are fun. After 10 rides they are ok. After 5 years they are... blah. The newer hyper Intamins are not far behind. Something certain old steel coasters just does it. Maybe b/c they actually feel like a rollercoaster; make noise, and have variety. I'm just glad to see good old MB a little higher than usual.

The whole idea of lists is silly, but you gotta admit the Golden Ticket awards is more interesting that the crap you see on Discover/Travel, etc., channels.

You're not going to find a lot of GT love around here. It's worth a quick look, but everyone knows not to take it seriously.

Polls are dumb enough as it is. Popularity contests even more so.

Lord Gonchar said:
You're not going to find a lot of GT love around here. It's worth a quick look, but everyone knows not to take it seriously.

Polls are dumb enough as it is. Popularity contests even more so.

Agreed.

But there's a certain satisfaction of being on a list. It's like a thin line between love and hate. It's a good feeling, at the same time a kind of repulsion ;)

Kinda like when your favorite band becomes too popular...

I might think about a trip out to Mt. O one day, if not for the insane kart tracks alone.

^THE insane kart-track, "Medusa's Drop" (? - name) is the one that was removed. Mt. O picked up a "Ride the Ducks" vehicle and are doing that in/around the lake out front - and a little through the wooded areas on property behind Hades/Zeus. Pretty cool, and from what I understand they're looking into some more flats this offseason....but the go-kart experience has taken a bit of a downgrade from years' past.

Doesn't a ride have to be operating to be on the list? How did OzCat get on the best woodies list?

MT Olympus really is a disappointment and even counting posidion noah's ark is the better water park. Hades is good but has seen little if any maintnance since it opened. Zeus has gotten very rough and is not as much fun without the heavily wooded surroundings it once had. And food is pretty comparable to cedar point in price and quality now. It is my home park and I have not even gone once this year let's you know what I think of the place. They merged with family land and it all went down hill from there except the addition of hades which still runs one train so always has a long wait.

CoasterDemon said:
Mind Bender #16! Bout time it got a little higher up there.

I knew I wasn't the only one putting in my top ten every year... ;)

StLCPfan said:
Doesn't a ride have to be operating to be on the list? How did OzCat get on the best woodies list?

I was about to say the same thing.

rollergator said:

CoasterDemon said:
Mind Bender #16! Bout time it got a little higher up there.

I knew I wasn't the only one putting in my top ten every year... ;)

It's ranked about right to me. I always hit it a couple time each visit in fact my trip a month ago I got 6 rides.

Goliath at SFoG keeps making moves towards the top. #9 in 2006, then #8, #6, and now #4 in 2009.

StLCPfan said:
Doesn't a ride have to be operating to be on the list? How did OzCat get on the best woodies list?

Hah.. Aska at Nara Dreamland is 47th and its been closed 3 years...

I wonder if the people voting for those rides even realize they're closed. I know I stop voting for a ride when it closes. Ala "Nights in White Satin".

Wish I could've experienced NiWS. "MonStars of Rock" was perhaps the most atrocious excuse for a dark ride I've come across.

rollergator said:

I knew I wasn't the only one putting in my top ten every year... ;)

Heaven - [hey-vuhn] noun,
1. The abode of God, the angels, and the spirits of the righteous after death.
2. My Mom's pecan pie topped with ice cream and caramel
3. The last drop on Mindbender into the third loop

I was pretty happy with the polls this year... too bad to see that fiesta texas no longer has the best shows (this park is incredibly different from any of the other six flags parks... if it wasnt for signs and characters you'd have no idea you were at one)... Bizarro is still #1 which is a great relief although things were closer this year.

I have a problem with Knoebels being rated so high.... first off let me say that its a tremendous park and a great loving experience but its a tiny small park thats run as a family park... the food is good but not the best (best price though) and the employees arent always even paying attention to the rides. Its not worth a #2 spot.

When and why are Great Adventure and Magic Mountain never in the top parks. They have made great strides every year... I have never seen any garbage or anything at these parks. They are well organized beautiful and have terrific coasters and themeing... I'm shocked why they never show up.. Plus they have great capacity on all of their rides with the only real exception being deja vu at MM. The parks have unique rides and high rated coasters.

I cannot make any complaints on the waterparks... Sclitterbahn is the greatest by far.. .nothing really compares to its excellent experience although Holliday Worlds waterpark is great and they are getting that new ride Wildebeast for next year.

Ok another thing I have a bit of a problem with... not one coaster with an inversion is in the top 10 anymore and I think there may be a bias program going against coasters with inversions. I believe Montu and X2 should be higher up on the list. X2 is the best coaster ever and i countinue to wonder why its only #13 and how tatsu is #34 that puzzles me a bit.

I do like how BBW got in the top 25 for its last year though.. that was nice by amusement today.

Jimmy Boy said:

When and why are Great Adventure and Magic Mountain never in the top parks. They have made great strides every year... I have never seen any garbage or anything at these parks. They are well organized beautiful and have terrific coasters and themeing... I'm shocked why they never show up.. Plus they have great capacity on all of their rides with the only real exception being deja vu at MM. The parks have unique rides and high rated coasters.

I've had some pretty 'dreadful' times at Great Adventure. Same with MMountain. MMountain used to be a beautiful, fun park, but with all the changes, Revolution being how it is, lack of 'rides', etc., it just is a large pot of mediocre coasters.

I would say any Six Flags park is gonna have a hard time making it on the Golden Ticket Awards. I used to vote, don't anymore. But you are looking at folks who visit parks alot, and ride many coasters. With all the SIX FLAGS brand shoved in your face at the parks now, it's hard to actually find the 'fun' anymore, I think. Flash pass pisses alot of people off, that's not family fun. Waiting in line for any one of many B&M rides for any amount of time - watching loads of empty seats going out - and having people walk up with flash passes - pretty much a slap in the face to people who are paying the regular price to be there.

Aside from Great America (I am a little bias, it is my home park, and I still think better than the last 15 years) most of the Six Flags are just 'blah'.

You get many cookie cutter rides (aside from gems like Mind Bender, Shockwave, Greezed Lightnin', perhaps Screamin' Eagle on a good day), poor operations, nearly ZERO 'real human interaction' from the employees (god forbid someone who works there would actually have to CONNECT with another human, aside from other employees or a cell phone). It's just not alot of fun at the SFlags parks.

The last time I was at Great Adventure, SFAmerica and SFKKingdom, it was an under 2 hour visit (and I've only been to SFAmerica once! - last month). I just don't get the quality of fun or value at a SF park that I get at most other places. Again, Great America is the huge exception to that, I spent a full day there yesterday.

Deamon, I respectflyy disagree and beg to differ about all SF parks being bad.

My only trip to a SF park was back in July to SFNE. I found the park to be pretty clean, and the restrooms pretty much spotless for the most part.

The staff was very friendly, and I even had pleasnt chat with one of the garbage guys and dude at the skyride station.

The only complaint I had about the park was the sky-high price for the food.

Granted, I MAY have hit the park on a good day.

I have to disagree with you on SFGadv. I think it should have made it onto the list. There are bad SF parks like America, but SFGadv isn't one of the bad ones. They have plenty of great coasters and themeing. They've also added a lot of nice kid areas. They are lacking in flat rides though and need to add more. They also have plenty of great shows and animals. I have had bad experiences with their employees before but I think things are getting better there.

Maybe I'm a little harsh, having been spoiled this year by Holidayworld (for the 15th year in a row), Kennywood, Busch Gardens, etc. The SFlags parks are much cleaner now, a little more reliable. I just think about my visits to SFAmerica and SFKKingdom (Greezed Lightning rocks as always) this summer.

I see alot of big differences in each SF park. There may be a couple employees that seem genuine, but for every one of those, there are 5 who are sarcastic "have a six flags day" and just don't seem connected. I wouldn't be into it being forced to say generic things, etc. Probably just comes from being spoiled at the really awesome parks...