IAAPA 2005: Big-E Awards announced

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

ATLANTA , GA (USA) – The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) presented its seventh annual “BIG-E” Entertainment Awards today during IAAPA Attractions Expo 2005, the association’s 87 th annual conference and trade show at the Georgia World Congress Center.

The “BIG-E” awards honor amusement facility entertainment, performers, and the behind-the-scenes personnel who “make it happen” at attractions. Numerous awards are presented for quality of atmosphere, performers, shows, as well as overall production.

This year’s BIG-E award winners are:

Category 1 – Best Atmosphere Show Performance
Winner: Mystic Sheiks of Morocco, Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa, Florida, USA
Hon. Mention: The Lagoonatics, SeaWorld San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Category 2 – Best Female Performer
Winner: Eileen Cabrera, Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa, Florida, USA
Hon. Mention: Anne-Marie Sepe, Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA

Category 3 – Best Male Performer
Winner: Eric DiCenzo, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Hon. Mention: Michael Howard, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA

Category 4 – Best Production- Parade Performance
Winner: Nickelodeon Celebration Parade, Paramount’s Kings Island, Kings Island, Ohio, USA
Hon. Mention: Summer Splash, Samsung Everland, Yongin-Si, Kyonggi-Do, Korea

Category 5 – Best Live “Edutainment Show”
Winner: One Wild World, Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa, Florida, USA
Hon. Mention: Wild Wings of Africa, Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa, Florida, USA

Category 6 – Best Sports Show
Winner: Xcelleration, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio, Texas, USA
Hon. Mention: Trio Voila, Busch Gardens Entertainment Department

Category 7 – Best Overall Production: Under $25,000 USD
Winner: Monster Stomp, Busch Gardens Entertainment Department
Hon. Mention: Pure Country, Six Flags New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Category 8 – Best Overall Production: $25,001 to $50,000 USD
Winner: Love at First Fright, Six Flags Great America, Gurnee, Illinois, USA
Hon. Mention: Snoopy Rocks!, Worlds of Fun, Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Category 9 – Best Overall Production: $50,001 to $100,000 USD
Winner: Twistin’ to the 60s, Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, USA
Hon. Mention: Trash Time: We are the Best, Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA

Category 10 – Best Overall Production: $100,001 to $200,000 USD
Winner: Christmas Celebration, Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa, Florida, USA
Hon. Mention: Iron Beats, Busch Gardens Tampa, Tampa, Florida, USA

Category 11 – Best Overall Production: More Than $200,001 USD
Winner: Eclipse, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire, UK ( England)
Hon. Mention: Arachnome, Phantasialand, Bruehl, Germany

Jeff,

Does IAPPA happen to mention the shows that the individual performers were part of? I was wondering if Hershey's honorable mention for Best Female Performer was the female of the "Fall Guys & A Gal" jazz-style group....also, the elderly gentlemen's (Bill, I believe) pantamime stetch was hilarious, and was one of best performances we saw at the park this past summer.

It's surprising to me that there is *not one* Disney show even mentioned. I'm really shocked to not see "The Lion King" show from Animal Kingdom listed somewhere or the Beauty and the Beast from Disney-MGM. Glad to see SFGAm on there, even though I cant remember the last time I saw a show there.

I'm surprised as well, and would add DCA's Aladdin to the list of really great productions.

I don't think Disney has ever been on the list. Heck, the two new parades at DLR are lightyears better than the one PKI produced!

How did Kennywood get left out again?

I was wondering about the Disney thing too. Is it because they have a larger budget than most of these parks? Or is it just because its Disney?

Not saying that extra money guarantees an award winning show...take Light Magic...lol.

The reason none of the Disney shows won is become Disney does not enter their shows into the Big E Competition. To be fair, the awards should be judged from every theme park show around, but that would be impossible for the judges to see them all.

Those parks that want their shows to be considered must send a video or DVD of the show to IAAPA who then lets the judges view and critique them. And not every show from a park may be sent to be judged.

While the Big E is a good indicator of the best shows, the awards themselves, like the Oscars, can only be won by those shows that are nominated (submitted) for consideration.

I'd think that Disney does nothing for less than 200,000, eliminating itself from several categories right off the top. I'd also think that Disney isn't about individual performers getting recognized, after all you're not Jane Doe or Joe Shmo, you're Cinderella or Prince Charming.

First, OrlandoCoaster has it right... Disney chooses, for whatever reason, not to participate.

The reason specific characters and shows are not represented for the Invidual Awards is because most performers play in multiple roles in multiple shows during the course of a year. (I missed the Awards this year, but I remember last year seeing the video for the nominees specifically showing them in multiple shows).

If there was any confusion, the "Busch Gardens Entertainment Department" winners were from Busch Williamsburg.

(SOOOOOOO Happy to see Monster Stomp and Trio Voila get nods... Specifically last year's Stomp cast (Halloween shows are normally the previous year's production due to the timeline of the nomination process) and the three AMAZING girls in the French Trio show (the Orangemen still stink ;) )

Go Lagoonatics! Man what a Summer. I was actually part of

The Lagoonatics

, I played the snare drum in our little show. It was an awsome experience and I can't wait until this summer at Sea World San Antonio!

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