The Golden Ticket Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cedar Point

Millennium Force was the world's first coaster to be higher than 300 feet. Like most ultra-high coasters, it has no inversions but rather derives its thrills from ample airtime, high speeds and daring turns. It is joined at Cedar Point by more than a dozen other coasters and over 70 rides in total - a world record for any single park. Cedar Point was the winner of the Golden Ticket award for Best Park every year from the award's inception until 2013.

It has since consistently ranked second. Millennium Force last won the Golden Ticket in 2015; it was since surpassed by Carowinds' Fury325 but still ranks a solid second - very impressive for a ride over fifteen years old.

Answer: Holiday World

Located in Santa Claus, Indiana, Holiday World originally opened in 1946 as Santa Claus Land but now celebrates all major holidays in its four areas themed for Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The park prides itself for family-friendly fun and thus doesn't feature many top thrill rides, but three world class wooden coasters in one location more than make up for that. Holiday World has also regularly won the Golden Ticket for cleanest park.

Answer: Universal Orlando

The Egyptian feline pictured belongs the the "Revenge of the Mummy" indoor coaster which won the award for best of its kind every year from 2008 to 2017. The annual Halloween Horror nights at the resort - usually concentrated in the Universal Studios park - feature several haunted house walk-through attractions and scare zones with live actors as well as special Halloween shows. I hope my Golden Ticket dream pass includes them - they are a separately ticketed event costing even more than a normal day pass!

Answer: Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Dating back to 1896, Blackpool Pleasure Beach ranked in the top ten for Best Park and second for Best Seaside Park several times but its claim to fame is the Valhalla water ride. Almost completely enclosed, the ride features several drops, heat and cold effects, a backward section, fire, water and lightning effects as well as a custom soundtrack and various animatronics. To repair failing effects and rebuild the facade with its signature waterfall, the ride was closed for almost a year in 2011 and 2012.

Answer: Hollywood Studios

Despite its venerable age, the Orlando version of the Tower of Terror - one of four built - is still the freshest, mostly because of its unique, randomized ride sequence. It is a dark ride with a thrilling drop tower sequence that shoots riders up and down a 13 story shaft.

The thrill ride part begins at the fifth floor level and the first move can be either up or down. Each ride sequence is guaranteed to include a full-length drop at almost 40 mph. The other - also excellent - awardees for Best Dark Ride are both Universal motion simulator rides: The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

Answer: Knoebels Amusement Resort

Knoebels is unique among the top parks in that it operates on a (quite modest) per-ride pricing with free admission although the park also provides a flat price all-day ride pass on all but the busiest days of the year. Two world class wooden coasters headline a traditionally oriented ride selection that includes the famous 1913 grand carousel, one of the few in the world still offering a ring dispenser for an interactive game experience if riding on one of the outside horses.

Answer: Busch Gardens Williamsburg

Like its Tampa Bay namesake, Busch Gardens Williamsburg combines the theme park experience with a zoological garden. Where Tampa Bay is mostly African-themed, Williamsburg is based on Europe, featuring British, Irish, Italian, German and French areas. Most of its eight roller coasters and other rides take advantage of the terrain to enhance the ride experience. Busch Gardens Williamsburg usually made the top ten for Best Park in the Golden Ticket awards throughout the 2000s and 2010s as well.

Answer: Dollywood

Country idol Dolly Parton has invested a substantial portion of her assets into the Dollywood park along with an associated water park and a dinner theater, all based in her native Tennessee. The remaining stake in these enterprises is held by Herschend Family Entertainment who operate additional theme parks in Missouri and Georgia. Apart from a full lineup of rides including eight roller coasters, the park features over ten daily shows, with a focus on music and dance, and live crafts exhibits. It shared third and fourth place honors for Best Park with Knoebels over the recent years.

Answer: IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth

Originally conceived just as a one-year offering for the year 2000 celebrations, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth has proven so popular that it remained EPCOT's nighttime show well into the 2010s and shows no signs of fading. In additions to fireworks, the illuminated globe is actually a video screen showing many scenes. Lasers, a fire barge, water fountains, moving colored searchlights and huge torches complete the extensive array of effects used in this show. Near the end of the show, the globe opens like a lotus flower, revealing the Unity Torch, a huge flame.

If the original twelve minute spectacle is not enough for you, visit on Fourth of July or during December for an added "tag" - approximately five extra minutes with even more fireworks. Or visit on New Year's Eve when the 9:30 pm original show continues into a countdown all the way to the triple-size midnight finale.

Answer: Europa-Park

Developed around the 15th century castle Balthasar in Rust, Europa-Park was founded in 1975, originally as an exhibition ground for the fairground ride manufacturing company Mack. It saw rapid growth, particularly after the "Europe" theme was implemented in the form of country-themed areas beginning in the 1980s. As of 2017, over 5 million visitors per year enjoy the seventeen countries, over 70 rides including 13 roller coasters and more than a dozen daily shows.

Part of the park's popularity is due to its high ride capacity - even on the busiest days, waiting times on popular rides rarely exceed an hour and smaller rides remain under 10 minutes - and its approach to busy days: There are no expensive "express passes" for a select few, instead, when there are more visitors than expected, the park's opening hours are extended so that everyone has more opportunities to enjoy themselves. On less busy days, catching 40 or even 50 rides in one day is a distinct possibility for the tireless thrill-seeker.

Of the other options, Phantasialand ranked 8th for Best Park in 2016 while the other two each feature one outstanding coaster but aren't in any immediate danger of making the top ten for Best Park any time soon.