Theme park operators and attraction developers gathered in Texas this September as the 2026 Golden Ticket Awards highlighted achievements across 28 categories.
Organised annually by trade publication Amusement Today, the ceremony brought together hundreds of industry professionals to recognise top-performing parks, major ride installations, and individual leadership.
The event took place on 12 September at COTALand, a brand-new theme park located on the campus of Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. Around 300 delegates attended the ceremony, gaining a sneak preview of the venue just two weeks ahead of its official grand opening. Attendees were hosted at the Kalahari Resort in nearby Round Rock.
“Being from Texas, it was especially nice to welcome the world to the Lone Star State,” said Amusement Today Publisher Gary Slade. “COTALand was such a new experience. No one knew what to expect. I think the race car fans among us were particularly excited. The host hotel was the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, so attendees got to experience two impressive Texas facilities.”
Golden Ticket Awards Communications Coordinator Tim Baldwin highlighted the collaborative nature of the annual gathering. “Opportunities such as this are so rare,” Baldwin said. “Everyone is so busy operating their own parks and companies that it is challenging to find occasions to get together to socialise and collaborate. Our attendees find that time invaluable. It’s such a positive weekend, and I think people need that.”
Industry winners
Determined by more than 500 ballots cast in an international poll, awards were presented across 22 voted categories alongside Publisher’s Picks and Legend designations. Dollywood collected the highest number of awards on the night, securing four Golden Tickets for Best Guest Experience, Best Kid’s Area, Best Family Coaster, and Most Beautiful Park. Meanwhile, Germany’s Europa-Park took the top title of Best Park for the eleventh time.
Roland Mack, owner of Europa-Park, commented: “We are immensely proud to have been honoured with the Golden Ticket Award for the Best Theme Park Worldwide! It really is the ultimate endorsement of our values: Quality, perfection and a genuine passion for our guests. However, this is not a reason for us to become complacent; rather, it is as an incentive.
“As a family-run business, we think in terms of generations. We will continue to drive Europa-Park forward with new ideas, new attractions and an unwavering commitment to continuous development. We are truly grateful to our guests from all over the world; they are our greatest source of inspiration.”
A new winner emerged in the Best Water Park category as Splashin’ Safari at Holiday World in Indiana took top honours for the first time. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari accepted two additional awards: Best Water Park Ride for Mammoth, and Best Wooden Roller Coaster for The Voyage. The wooden coaster, which stretches for over a mile, had previously won five times but had not claimed the title in more than a decade following extensive refurbishment work.
Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia secured two Golden Tickets for its Falcons Flight roller coaster, winning Best New Attraction Installation and Best New Roller Coaster. The ride, which opened on New Year’s Eve, holds world records for being the longest, tallest, and fastest coaster. Other international winners included Germany’s Phantasialand, which won Best Water Ride for its multi-level log flume Chiapas, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, which won Best New Show for the 2025 edition of “Monster Mash Bash”.
Universal Epic Universe picked up Best Dark Ride for Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, which debuted last year. Fury 325 at Carowinds took Best Steel Roller Coaster for the tenth time, standing 325 feet tall and straddling the border between North and South Carolina. Santa’s Village in New Hampshire was named Best Family Park, while the second annual Show Person of the Year award was presented to Sandy Schmidt of T.J. Schmidt & Company for her life in the mobile carnival industry.
Several newly opened 2026 attractions earned Golden Tickets. Kings Island won Best New Family Attraction for Phantom Theater: Opening Nightmare, developed by Sally Corporation. Legoland received Best New Theme Concept for Galacticoaster, and Aquarabia in Saudi Arabia won Best New Water Park Attraction for Aquaticar, the first ride of its kind allowing guests to drive underwater.
Manufacturer Zamperla won Best Innovation for WingZ, a ride allowing guests to raise their chair by flapping their arms, accepted on behalf of the manufacturer by debut location Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio. Level99 at Disney Springs at Orlando’s Walt Disney World, Florida, was named Standout Family Entertainment Centre.
Award-winning personalities
Voted on by industry peers, the Leadership Award was presented to Franceen Gonzales of Enchanted Parks for her work in brand development and safety standards. Amusement Today Publisher’s Picks included COTALand’s Matt Hughey as Person of the Year, roller coaster manufacturer Vekoma Rides as Supplier of the Year during its centenary, Knoebels Amusement Resort as Park of the Year for its 100th anniversary, and Kentucky Kingdom with the Turnstile Award for its recent festival and family-focused enhancements under Herschend Family Entertainment.
Two Legend Awards were conferred during the ceremony. Kalahari Resorts founder Todd Nelson was honoured for building a global hospitality brand and for philanthropic work providing fresh water to one million people in Africa while supporting native artisans. Len Soled of Rides 4 U was recognised as an industry dynamo for representing international clients, managing used ride sales, and supplying ride packages to both COTALand and Kalahari.
Reflecting on the event, Baldwin added: “The ceremony brought a lot of cheers and applause. But connecting, whether it be through discussions, handshakes or hugs, makes it an annual event worth attending.” Slade concluded: “Texas did us proud. It was hot, but everyone had a cool time getting together.”
The Golden Ticket announcements come in the same week that the UK celebrated its key industry accomplishments at the UK Theme Park Awards, held at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire.
