Disney Only Won Two Golden Ticket Awards This Year

The Golden Ticket Awards are a series of prestigious accolades presented by Amusement Today to theme parks around the world. Disney usually dominates the awards taking many categories and rarely losing when nominated. This year, however, they just barely made the cut, scoring only two (and both were at Walt Disney World in Florida).

Credit: Disney

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance won Best Dark Ride for the second year in a row. It’s easy to see how this ride can so easily take the category: it truly is far and away the greatest dark ride in the world (though previous winner Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure at Shanghai Disneyland is a very close second). Interestingly, only Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios in Florida won despite the ride being identical at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. “It’s an honor to be awarded Best Dark Ride for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance,” said Jackie Swisher, Vice President of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. “Through a mix of world-class, innovative technology and only-at-Disney storytelling, I’m proud we help guests live their own Star Wars story every day as members of the Resistance or the First Order all throughout the immersive land of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge!” 

Credit: Disney

The other category Disney won was for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This ride, which opened in May of this year, won Best New Attraction Installation. This ride has been extremely popular since it opened. “Opening this attraction in summer of 2022 was a pivotal moment in the overall transformation of EPCOT and the 50th Anniversary celebration of Walt Disney World, and I am proud to see its excellence recognized,” she said. “From the planet Xandar to our own home planet, Terra, only Disney could tell a story as thrilling and groundbreaking as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.” 

Notably, Best Food, Best Guest Experience, and Best Park for Kids went to properties other than Disney Parks. Dollywood in Tennessee won several categories we would have expected Disney to win. Universal Orlando didn’t take home a single award this year though Velocicoaster did make the list for the world’s top 10 coasters.