Knoebels is a big winner in the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards - Kennywood too!

Since 1998, the industry publication Amusement Today, has been awarding world-wide amusement parks with a coveted Golden Ticket to show they are the best of the best in the industry.

Even with the Disney giants figured in and parks in every other part of the world, our Pennsylvania Amusement parks continue to hold their own in the Top 5 of many of the categories.  You can see all the details here.

Here is a list of all the reported wins for Pennsylvania Amusement Parks in the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards – arranged by park:

Knoebels
1st Place – Best Food (They beat Epcot and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, know why? Funnel cakes, potato pancakes and waffle Ice Cream sandwiches – that’s why!)
1st Place – Best Carousel  (Still grabbing the ring!)
2nd Place – Best Park (This means little ole’ Knoebels beat out ALL the Disney parks!)
#2 Wood Roller Coaster – Phoenix
3rd Place – Friendliest Park
3rd Place – Best Halloween Event
4th Place – Best Dark ride for the Haunted Mansion (betcha the Black Diamond shows up in 2012!)
Kennywood
1st Place – Best Funhouse/Walk-Through attraction – Noah’s Ark (Classic!)
4th Place – Best Halloween Event (Be scared, be very scared!)
4th Place – Best Carousel (It’s a nice one!)
8th Place (2 way tie) – Best Park (tied with Tokyo DisneySea in case you wonder)
#5 Steel Coaster – Phantom’s Revenge
Idlewild & SoakZone
1st Place – Best Children’s Park (In the world!!! Wow!!!)
Dutch Wonderland
5th Place – Best Children’s Park (PA has 2 in the top 5 in the world, what a great place to have kids!)
Waldameer
#6 Wood Coaster – Ravine Flyer II

So, did you notice a few big parks in PA that were not listed?  Yep.  Hersheypark and Dorney Park didn’t make the short lists on any reported categories, but they probably were in there someplace – just not at the top.

So why are Knoebels and Kennywood so successful in this contest when Hersheypark and Dorney aren’t?  I think it is because they are unique and they have a devoted following.

In Knoebels’ case they are still family owned and they just handle things differently than a corporate run park – free parking, free admission, affordable food and a bring your own food policy, etc.  No corporate park would go for that since it leaves too many profits to chance.  They keep a stable of classic rides running when others have given up on them. But most of all they take care of their employees and their community and people love them in return.  I didn’t see anyone taking up a collection to fix Hersheypark when it flooded this year, but that is exactly what Knoebels fans did for them.  That tells you how the people love this park.

And Kennywood, though corporate owned now, had been a family owned park forever before that and is a fixture in the Western PA area.  They have classic rides found no place else and an old carnival feel that is rare in an urban setting.  Kennywood makes you wish for the good old days – except you don’t need them ’cause they are still right there, but with a healthy dose of the best of the new stuff too. Kennywood’s employees have fond memories of working there unlike some other park’s employees who would rather forget working at the park. Kennywood also has a generations old devoted following like Knoebels and people go to bat for them no matter what.

All in all I think that is the secret.  If the park loves the people, the people will love the park and it shows in every way.

Congratulations to all our parks!!!