Golden Tickets, 2008.

Toro's tricky. I can see where people may not feel it is traditionally "woodie" enough for them. After all, while it feels wooden in the shape and feel of the trains, and it has a wooden look and layout, the smoothness is a bit confusing. I haven't been on Voyage yet, but I think that it would probably surpass Toro just on length alone. I mean, a 3-minute ride? Whew! Toro's only downfall is the short length. Plus, I've seen video of Voyage and love the way it is a terrain coaster (those dark tunnels look chock full of scary goodness). However, I would never vote for Voyage just on "looks". Why do people vote for stuff they've never ridden. It could be the most painful, unsafe-feeling ride in the country for all they know. Seems kind of stupid.

Were the Golden Tickets EXACTLY the same as they were last year except for Maverick? Seemed like it! LOL

bunky666 said:
Why do people vote for stuff they've never ridden.

For some people these polls and popularity contests actually mean something to them personally and they feel like there's something to be gained by voting dishonestly just to promote or hurt certain rides, or maybe even just to feel like they're part of the "in" crowd. The CBuzz crowd is pretty good about taking all of these things with a grain of salt but some people still get really riled up when a poll doesn't reflect their own personal taste, or whatever.

^I think alot of people just want to feel like a winner...and for SOME reason, voting for the winning park/ride or whatever accomplishes that. Maybe that's like voting for the winning presidential candidate even if you don't agree with their policy agenda? ;)

2007 vs 2008 Wood
1. The Voyage - The Voyage
2. Thunderhead - Thunderhead
3. Phoenix - Phoenix
4. Boulder Dash - El Toro
5. Hades - Boulder Dash
6. Shivering Timbers - Hades
7. Raven - Shivering Timbers
8. The Beast - The Beast
9. El Toro - Lightning Racer
10. Lightning Racer - Raven

2007 vs 2008 Steel
1. Superman Ride of Steel - Superman Ride of Steel
2. Millennium Force - Millennium Force
3. Nitro - Nitro
4. Apollo's Chariot - Apollo's Chariot
5. Magnum XL-200 - Expedition GeForce
6. Expedition GeForce - Goliath
7. Phantom's Revenge - Magnum XL-200
8. Goliath - Phantom's Revenge
9. Top Thrill Dragster - Top Thrill Dragster
10. Montu - Montu

Jason Hammond said:

2007 vs 2008 Steel
7. Phantom's Revenge - Phantom's Revenge
8. Goliath - Phantom's Revenge

Eh? Phantom was 7th and 8th this year? ;)

My two favorite things are how do some rides as far as experience go are always up there. The two i mean are Top Thrill Dragster and the Beast. It has to be done with the advertising in mind, like Jeff said. If majority of us voted on the rides, i bet both of those wouldn't make a top ten for most of us.

These rides are at some of the most heavily visited seasonally operated parks. I always thought that it should be based on experience of the ride rather than the name and the park it is at. I for one could care less for the dragster, and i would be happy if the beast was just the second hill and the helixes afterward. Its funny but after riding coasters for about 5 years now, i realize that we would change our feelings about rides after riding new ones, but come on now, its a bit much to say that these rides are always gonna be the best when something new comes out or the rides are not performing to past year's capabilities.

Indeed this poll is crap, i know its based on opinion, but they need to find a new way to come up with this stuff. I have never done Mitch Hawker's poll, but it seems much better and it gives a fair and evenly distributed category breakdown.

Eh? Phantom was 7th and 8th this year? ;)

Oops. :) It's fixed. How could I possibly have forgotten Magnum. Oh the shame.

MagnunBarrel said:
If majority of us voted on the rides, i bet both of those wouldn't make a top ten for most of us.

I always thought that it should be based on experience of the ride rather than the name and the park it is at.

Before you mentioned it in your last sentence, I was going to say that you essentially described Mitch's poll. Make sure to participate this year if you want the most fair assessment of coaster rankings. Every poll is subject to its share of crap, but the algorithm Mitch uses filters it out the best.

That and you know, it's an opinion poll...

Opinions are like a$$holes. Everyone has one and they all stink.

And, as mentioned a bajillion times, it probably doesn't have as many riders as some of the older coasters.

If you want to see it near the top of a poll, wait for Mitch's.

Glad to see that Kennywood got #4 best Christmas event. We work really hard at that.

Wait... what?

^ Well, obviously 10% of the people who voted remember going to a Christmas event at Kennywood.

I was wondering the same thing. I clicked on your link and it now appears SDC has the 4th best Christmas event.

It was probably just a typo. Someone else pointed out another typo. SheiKra and Griffon's points would indicate that Griffon should be 19th and not ShieKra, but the typo could be in the points as well. Maybe ShieKra has 180 points not 170. Who knows.

There is two major problems I have with the poll. One is a poularity contest with no way to deciver which is actually the better attraction on mutual riders head to head.Two, WAY TOO OFTEN they insert their own choices over the voters. I still stand to bet the majoity of poll takers have never been to Six Flags FIesta texas.Three, New catagories every year and they just toss the ones they feel unesessary Best Carousel with no mention of SEABREAZE? Certaintly KNoebels and SDBB are in the top but Seabreezes is imaculate with organ and sheet music. Best kids park. I've said for years Wonderlands is ten times better than KI'sBunch of palm greasing and back slapping if you ask me and just a way to get their name on the front of every park that advertises in their publication.Chuck, sorry, this is my view of it. I don't hate em. I think parks should strive for excellence but all too often the actual BEST IS LEFT OUT OR WAY DOWN THE LIST ON THIS POLL.

I wonder how many of the judges have kids to judge best kids park.

^Judges?

Charles Nungester said:
WAY TOO OFTEN they insert their own choices over the voters.

I've tried to stay out of this, and everyone is entitled to their opinions, but to make a completely uneducated and blatantly incorrect statement like this is going too far. With the exception of the publisher's pick, the AT staff does not participate in the selection of the Golden Tickets, it is left entirely to the voters. The winners are not determined by who buys an ad, the parks are not even contacted until after the voting is complete and the results tabulated. There have been many Golden Ticket winners who have not purchased ads.

Lord Gonchar said:
Mitch should sell advertising to the winners.

Holiday Park has certainly gotten a lot of marketing mileage out of Mitch's "Internet Coaster Poll."

Expedition GeForce mug