Quassy's roller coaster 3rd best new ride in the world

Middlebury, Conn. (WTNH) - When Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, Conn., started constructing its new “Wooden Warrior” roller coaster in August of 2010, park officials knew they would have something special when the marquee attraction opened this past spring.

It became very apparent Saturday afternoon at the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards, which were presented at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari here, that Quassy’s owners were correct in their assumption that the new ride would make some waves.

In a poll conducted by Amusement Today, a trade publication that devised the Golden Ticket Awards in 1998, the “Wooden Warrior” placed third among the best new rides worldwide for 2011.

“These (Golden Tickets) are the ‘Academy Awards’ of sorts in our industry,” said Quassy President Eric Anderson upon learning of the honor. “Looking at the list of winners, were up against some pretty stiff competition.”

The Golden Ticket Awards honor the “Best of the Best!” in the amusement park industry worldwide. According to Amusement Today’s Tim Baldwin, the voter response was the largest in the awards’ history. A panel of international experts is polled each year to select winners in a variety of categories, including best new rides and top roller coasters. A total of 28 awards were handed out this year.

Quassy’s new thrill machine not only made the ballot for best new ride, but the “Wooden Warrior” also climbed aboard the listing of the top 50 wooden roller coasters in the world.

“Taking into consideration that we are a small, family-owned park, what the ‘Wooden Warrior’ accomplished in the balloting was quite amazing,” Anderson said. “We knew we were on the ballot for best new ride, but also realized we were up against huge theme parks which are at a very different playing field.”

The “Wooden Warrior” received 11 percent of the votes cast for best new ride at an amusement park, placing the entry in third place.

The winning ride was the “New Texas Giant” at Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas, capturing 45 percent of the votes. “Cheetah Hunt” at Busch Gardens, Tampa, Fla., was second with 12 percent of the ballots. “Twister” at Grona Lund, Stockholm, Sweden, and “Zippin Pippin,” Bay Beach Amusement Park, Green Bay, Wis., tied with five percent of the vote. All of these rides are roller coasters.

According to Baldwin, the “Wooden Warrior’s” No. 3 spot puts Quassy Amusement Park on the map.

“While smaller in stature, the ride has been given high praise by the coaster fans who have ridden it. It creates more of a destination draw than just the park’s usual local audience,” he stated in his published awards report.

The “Wooden Warrior” also made its debut on the top 50 wooden roller coasters in the world chart, taking the No. 40 slot.

“It’s an accolade just making this distinguished list,” noted George Frantzis II, a Quassy owner. “We’re in some pretty incredible company here.”

There are more than 180 wooden roller coasters operating worldwide, according to the American Coaster Enthusiasts.

Even at the No. 40 spot on the list, the ranking puts the “Wooden Warrior” ahead of a number of coasters three times its size.

Quassy’s new ride was designed by The Gravity Group of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the “Wooden Warrior” features a state-of-the-art Timberliner train from Gravitykraft Corp., a sister firm of The Gravity Group.

For more information about Quassy Amusement Park visit www.quassy.com or call 1-800-FOR-PARK