Cedar Point voted "Best Amusement Park in the World" for sixth consecutive year in prestigious annual poll

Monday, 25 August 2003

Cedar Point Press Release

SANDUSKY, Ohio, Aug. 25, 2003 - For this sixth consecutive year, the famed Cedar Point amusement park/resort was voted the "Best Amusement Park in the World" in the recently announced Golden Ticket Awards, a prestigious annual poll conducted by Amusement Today newspaper.

In addition to the "Best Park" title, four of Cedar Point's roller coasters received high honors and were ranked among the Top 11 steel coasters in the world, an unprececedented achievement in the Golden Ticket Awards. The amazing 310-foot-tall, 93-mph Millennium Force rated No. 2; the mighty 205-foot-tall, 72-mph Magnum XL-200 came in at No. 4; the 137-foot-high, 57-mph inverted Raptor ranked No. 10; and the new 420-foot-tall, 120-mph Top Thrill Dragster entered the list as a first-year coaster at an impressive No. 11.

"Cedar Point continues to rate at the top of the 'Best Park' list with it unusual combination of old-fashioned charm, waterfront resort atmosphere and sheer quantity of world-class roller coasters," says Gary Slade, editor-in-chief and publisher of Amusement Today. "The park has an uncanny ability to successfully blend the old with the new - all in a clean, friendly and truly pleasant environment. And when it comes to roller coasters, Cedar Point doesn't just have on major player, they have entire team of all-stars, which probably makes voting for a favorite very difficult - as evidenced in the poll."

The Golden Ticket Awards are presented to the "best of the best" in the amusement industry by Amusement Today, the Arlington, Texas-based publication that covers international amusement and water park news and trends. Surveys were sent to a database of experience park fans around the world, asking them to rate the "bests" in 19 categories, such as "amusement parks," "roller coasters," "food," "capacity" and "live shows." This is the sixth annual year for Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards, which are considered the "Super Bowl" or "Academy Awards" of the amusement industry.

Cedar Point also rated No. 1 for the sixth time in the all-important "Best Capacity" class, which measures how effectively and efficiently guests flow through queue lines.

Cedar Point is located on a scenic Lake Erie peninsula and is home to the largest collection of roller coasters (16) and rides (68) in the world. With a rich heritage dating back to 1870, Cedar Point is also the second oldest amusement park in North America and has four hotels, one of the largest marinas on the Great Lakes, a beautifully manicured beach and boardwalk, RV campground and cottages and cabins, award-winning live entertainment, Campy Snoopy family playland, children's areas, Soak City water park, miniature golf courses and much more. Situated on 364 acres, Cedar Point is one of the most visited amusement parks in the country, attracting more than 3 million guests each season.

"All of us at Cedar Point are thrilled to be rated so highly in the prestigious Golden Ticket Awards," says Daniel Keller, vice president and general manager of Cedar Point. "These honors have special meaning, especially since they are voted on by park enthusiasts who travel all over the world seeking out the "bests" in the industry. We will proudly continue our commitment to maintain Cedar Point's No. 1 status and reputation as the best amusement park in the world."

For more information about Cedar Point, guests can call the park's general information line at 419.627.2350 or log on to cedarpoint.com.