Epcot's Illuminations named best outdoor night show

Amusement Today has announced their 2009 Golden Ticket Awards, honoring the best of the best in amusement/theme parks.

In the outdoor night show production category, Epcot's Illuminations: Reflections of Earth was named the best production. The Disney parks took four of the top five spots in this category (Disneyland 2nd, Disney's Hollywood Studios 4th and Magic Kingdom 5th).

Also, The Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios earned second place for the best dark ride, while Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye at Disneyland placed 4th.

As for indoor roller coasters, Disney earned several honors. Rock N' Roller Coaster at Disney's Hollywood Studios was named 2nd while Space Mountain earned double honors (Disneyland's version placed 3rd while WDW's version placed 5th).

Disney parks, however, didn't fare quite as well in many of the other categories including best park and best new ride. Cedar Point took the top honors in the best park category. Disneyland and WDW's Magic Kingdom were the only Disney parks represented at 3rd place and 8th place respectively. Disney didn't make the best new ride list. Blizzard Beach earned a 3rd place spot in the best waterpark category.

Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom did place 4th and 5th in the cleanest park category, but, interestingly enough, no Disney park made the list in the friendliest park staff category.

Disney's Hollywood Studios came in 4th place in the best shows category, while Epcot came in 3rd place for best food. Epcot and Animal Kingdom came in 3rd and 4th place respectively for best landscaping while Spash Mountain was named 3rd place in best water ride at an amusement/theme park. As for best waterpark ride, Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach came in 5th place.

When it comes to the holidays, no Disney park made the list for best Halloween event, while Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom came in 3rd and 4th place for their Christmas events.

Finally, Amusement Today also released the top 50 steel and wooden roller coasters. Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom was ranked 36th and Disneyland's Space Mountain ranked 49th. Disney doesn't have any wooden coasters.