Experts declare the world's best amusement parks in 2011 competition

And the winner is: Cedar Point!

The honor will come as no surprise to diehard amusement park fans who track these things, seeing as the Sandusky, Ohio, park has ranked No. 1 in the annual competition since it began 14 years ago.

Sponsored by Amusement Today, a publication that covers the amusement and water park industries, the Golden Ticket Awards recognize the best parks in 25 categories as ranked by "experienced and well-traveled" fans who know their way around the amusement park world.

Winners include industry giants like Universal Studios and Disney, as well as family run enterprises like Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Ind.

Curiously, though the results were tallied from an international database of fans, according to Amusement Today, not a single non-U.S park landed on the "best" list.

The full roster of 2011 Golden Ticket Award:

Best Amusement Park – Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Best Waterpark – Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas

Best Children's Park – Idlewild and SoakZone, Ligonier, Pa.

Best Marine Life Park – SeaWorld Orlando, Orlando, Fla.

Best Seaside Park – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Best Wooden Coaster – The Voyage at Holiday World, Santa Claus, Ind.

Best Steel Coaster – Millennium Force at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Best Kids' Area – Kings Island, Kings Mills, Ohio

Friendliest Staff – Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.

Cleanest Park – Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.

Best Halloween Event – Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, Orlando, Fla.

Best Landscaping – Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va.

Best Christmas Event – Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Best Food – Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.

Best Shows – Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Best Outdoor Night Show Production – IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Walt Disney World's Epcot, Orlando, Fla.

Best Water Ride – Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.

Best Waterpark Ride – Wildebeest at Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Ind.

Best Dark Ride – Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando, Fla.

Best New Ride of 2011: Amusement Park – New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas

Best New Ride of 2011: Waterpark – The Falls at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, New Braunfels, Texas

Best Carousel – Grand Carousel at Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pa.

Best Indoor Roller Coaster – Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Orlando, Orlando, Fla.

Best Indoor Waterpark – Schlitterbahn Galveston Island, Galveston, Texas

Best Funhouse/Walk-Through Attraction – Noah's Ark at Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pa.

Here's your chance to cast a vote. What's your favorite amusement park and why?

Source: http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2011/09/the-worlds-best-amusement-parks-/547884/1

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