Two Holiday World Coasters Win Top Honors at Annual Golden Ticket Awards (Again)

Two of the best coaster in the world are right here in the Tri-State as both the Wildebeest and the Cheetah Chase received top honors during the annual Golden Ticket Awards announced on Thursday.

The awards show is put on each year by Amusement Today, a monthly publication that focuses on what's happening in the theme park world. The awards cover nearly every aspect of what theme parks around the world offer, food, visitor experience, cleanliness, and of course the various rides and attractions.

Due to the continuing COVID pandemic, this year's awards were held virtually with each category's nominees and winners announced in pre-produced videos posted to the publication's Facebook page.

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The Wildebeest took home the award for Best Water Park ride for the 11th (!!!) consecutive year, while The Cheetah Chase scored the Golden Ticket for Best New Water Park Ride of 2020/2021.

Although it didn't win Best Water Park Ride, the Mammoth water coaster did land in the number three spot in that category behind Krakatau at Universal’s Volcano Bay in Orlando, and of course the Wildebeest.

Other Holiday World rides that received recognition were The Voyage (the voted the second-best wooden coaster in the world), The Raven (voted the 17th best), and The Legend (voted the 24th best). Those recognitions made Holiday World the only theme park on the planet to have three wooden coasters rank in the Top 25.

For those of us who are lucky enough to live in the Tri-State, the recognition likely comes as no surprise as we've had the privilege of experiencing those rides over and over again. The Wildebeest and The Cheetah Chase are fantastic rides and a great way to cool off on those hot, humid days we know all too well in the Tri-State.

Of course, The Cheetah Chase served as the star of our Great Cheetah Chase Race earlier this summer where Jessica Campbell and her family ended the day winning a brand new camper from Owensboro RV.

If you haven't made it to Splashin' Safari yet this season, you don't have much time. The water park will close for the 2021 season at the end of the day on September 19th. Something to keep in mind if you are planning a trip to the park sometime soon or during their upcoming Happy Halloween Weekends, the park is limiting capacity to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, meaning you must purchase your tickets in advance through the Holiday World website.

[Source: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari Press Release]