NAPHA 2007 Survey Results

Mt. Prospect, IL – The National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) released the results of its 22^nd Annual NAPHA Amusement Parks and Attractions survey.  The oldest of its type, it is highly regarded within the amusement park industry. 

Kennywood (West Mifflin, PA) and Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA), both perennial favorites, tied as the top traditional park in the world, while Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL) was named as the number one theme park.

Knoebels’ Phoenix roller coaster, and the Voyage at Holiday World (Santa Claus, IN) tied for the top wooden roller coasters while Millennium Force at Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH), was once again the favorite steel coaster.  Cedar Point also won a second category with its Maverick roller coaster being named 2007’s best new attraction.

FAVORITE TRADITIONAL PARKS

• Kennywood regained its number one ranking, a position it has held since 1992, until last year when it dropped to the second spot. 
• Blackpool and Cedar Point have been in the top five for more than fifteen years, while Indiana Beach is a relative newcomer, only appearing on the list since 2006.

FAVORITE THEME PARKS

• Walt Disney World has been members’ favorite theme park since 2003. 
• Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure is back in the top three after being off the list for two years.

BEST PARK FOR FAMILIES

• Knoebels Amusement Resort and Walt Disney World tied for the top spot.  Both parks have been in the top five since the question originated in 1999, with Knoebels named as the Favorite Park For Families eight out of the last nine years.

MOST BEAUTIFUL PARK

• For the eighteenth consecutive year, Busch Gardens Europe has been named Most Beautiful Park.
• Walt Disney World has held the second place for the last three years, with De Efteling in the top five since 2001.

FAVORITE WOOD COASTER

• Tied for number one with Knoebels’ Phoenix, the Voyage (Holiday World) jumped to the top in only its second year.  Last year it was members’ second favorite wood roller coaster.

FAVORITE STEEL COASTER

• Since Millennium Force first appeared in the standings in 2000, Cedar Point’s Magnum XL200 and Millennium Force have been in either the number one or number position… until this year.  Superman has now edged into the second spot, pushing Magnum XL200 to number three.
• Superman has been in the top four every year since it debuted in 2000.

BEST NEW ATTRACTION

• For the first time, NAPHA members decided that three rides merited to be on the best new attraction list.  Most years, there is only one, and in 2002 no rides at all were named.
• Last year Voyage (Holiday World), which tied as the favorite wood coaster this year, was the best new attraction.

The National Amusement Park Historical Association, founded in 1978, is an international, educational and enthusiast’s organization dedicated to preserving and documenting the heritage of the amusement park industry, past, present and future.

NAPHA 2006 Survey Results

MT. Prospect, IL – The National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA), the country’s largest amusement park enthusiast organization, has released the results of its 21^st Annual NAPHA Amusement Parks and Attractions survey.

The survey, the oldest of its type, is highly regarded within the amusement park industry and within enthusiasts’ circles.  “Many amusement parks feature NAPHA’s survey results prominently in their marketing and advertising materials, as well as on signs in their park,” noted NAPHA’s Survey Coordinator, Marlowe McClasky Futrell. 

Top vote getters this year include Knoebels Amusement Park & Resort (Elysburg, PA) which was named both Favorite Traditional Amusement Park, and Best Park For Families, while Walt Disney World (Lake Buena Vista, FL) won honors as Favorite Theme Park.  Favorite Wood Coaster went to the Phoenix (Knoebels Amusement Park & Resort) for the third straight year, while the Magnum XL200 (Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH) was identified as Favorite Steel Coaster.

FAVORITE TRADITIONAL PARKS

• For the first time in fifteen years, Kennywood slipped from the top spot to number two, replaced by Knoebels Amusement Park and Resort as the favorite traditional amusement park.  This is Indiana Beach’s first time on the list.    

FAVORITE THEME PARKS

• The top three spots in the favorite theme park category have not changed in four years.  This is Hershey Park’s first appearance on the list.
• Walt Disney World has been long regarded by members as a favorite theme park, having appeared as one of the top four since 1996.

BEST PARK FOR FAMILIES

• These five parks have been recognized as family-friendly since this category was added to the questionnaire in 1999, making the list just about every year. 
• Knoebels Amusement Resort has won the honors as the best park for families for seven of the past eight years.

MOST BEAUTIFUL PARK

• For the seventeenth consecutive year, Busch Gardens Europe has been named Most Beautiful Park.

FAVORITE WOOD ROLLER COASTER

• For the third straight year, the Phoenix was the top wooden roller coaster.  This is the first time in the top five for Voyage, new this year, Shivering Timbers and Thunderhead.

FAVORITE STEEL ROLLER COASTER

• Cedar Point’s Magnum XL200 and Millennium Force have been either the number one or number two favorite steel coaster since Millennium Force first appeared in the standings in 2000. 

TOP NEW ATTRACTION

The favorite new attraction of NAPHA members in 2006 was Holiday World’s Voyage, which was also named as the second favorite wooden roller coaster.  Past winners have included Hades at Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park (Wisconsin Dells, WI) (2005), Dollywood’s Thunderhead (Pigeon Forge, TN) (2004), Cedar Point’s Top Thrill Dragster (2003), Kennywood’s Phantom’s Revenge (2001), and Cedar Point’s Millennium Force (2000).

The National Amusement Park Historical Association, founded in 1978, is an international, educational and enthusiast’s organization dedicated to preserving and documenting the heritage of the amusement park industry, past, present and future.