Congratulations to 2010 Best Theme Park Attraction bracket winners

April 1, 2010 at 5:12 PM · I think these titles are all well deserved and matched. I know some people are surprised that older rides did well this year, but who says newer is always better?

But these final votes will be nasty, and people might get nasty.

April 1, 2010 at 5:16 PM · WHOOT! Fantasmic! is the best!

April 1, 2010 at 5:19 PM · And again, the whole coaster vs theme ride debate will commence.

April 1, 2010 at 6:41 PM · wow... i never thought a woodie could win... but i guess it is a lot better than i thought. Haunted Mansion was also a big surprise...i even think that florida's is better and it still won... and even against pirates! and it beat Tower of Terror(still wowing me because there wasn't a large voting plunge for a website like last years). Phillar and Fantasmic deserved their wins, though others would have been fine too.

April 1, 2010 at 6:42 PM · 3/4 of these winners make sense. I am very disappointed that Disneyland's Haunted Mansion emerged out of the Best Themed Attraction bracket. It is a fine attraction, but the best? Puh-lease! As much as I would like to support a themed attraction for the overall tournament winner, I just can't do it in good conscience.

I will ride The Voyage to victory. Derek, you and I share a common purpose this year. Let's rally the vote and show the fanboys what happens when they pick winners with their hearts instead of their heads.

April 1, 2010 at 6:49 PM · Who's picking with their heart? I'll take a good coaster over a dark ride anyday.

April 1, 2010 at 7:40 PM · The Voyage is a GREAT coaster, but if the dark ride it was facing was Disneyland's Pirates, or Spider-Man, or Tower of Terror, or Revenge of the Mummy, I would disagree with you. Remember, I am the original Theme+Thrills over Thrills Alone guy. But with the theme-only Haunted Mansion being the only other real contender for the crown, the decision is all too easy....

I will not hesitate to vote for the best wooden coaster on the planet (the Voyage) over the second best version of Haunted Mansion in the US.

Go Voyage!

April 1, 2010 at 8:55 PM · The people?

Who are we kidding! Its Disney 75% of the time! Didn't see that coming!

April 1, 2010 at 8:55 PM · FWIW, we had more number-one seeds make the final four of our tournament than the college basketball selection committee had for the one in Indianapolis this weekend.

April 2, 2010 at 12:34 AM · Well, it looks like I'm voting AGAINST Haunted Mansion regardless of what it is as I believe all 3 others are better than it. I'm a fan of HM, but this is Disneyland's not WDW's. I still can't believe that PotC lost to HM. But whatever happens, these top four are still great attractions!

April 2, 2010 at 4:30 AM · Why did you take the seeding numbers down yesterday?

April 2, 2010 at 4:43 AM · Haunted Mansion is evergreen. People can dismiss it because it's a 41 year old attraction. Sensibilities today certainly aren't the same as they were in 1969. Contemporary stories are paced much differently, special effects have improved, ride systems and show control are leaps and bounds above Mansion's Apollo-age technology.

But think about it: Haunted Mansion is still a wildly popular attraction in a wildly popular park. It is a benchmark for large-scale haunted house style attractions. How many times have you run into a gag from the Haunted Mansion that was lifted and plopped into another ride?

Most importantly, HM has achieved a status that few other attractions achieve. It's an archetype. It sticks with people. You talk to regular folks (non-geeks) who visited Disneyland thirty years ago and they'll still talk about that ghost that was sitting beside them.

Not sure I believe HM is the best themed ride in the USA (I didn't vote for it). But compared to the competition, it's one of the few very good choices. Considering how threadbare some newer, acclaimed attractions have become in recent years (I'm looking at you, Spidey) and how overrated some others really are (Mummy), I certainly can't complain.

April 2, 2010 at 5:14 AM · I would say the same things you just said about Disneyland's PotC, and then add the fact that at least there are a few minor thrills on top of all the great immersive story-telling, as well as some relevancy with today's generation due to the hugely successful feature films. Then throw in the Blue Bayou setting and a Monte Cristo, and the only thing I can surmise is that too few of the voters understand the vast difference between Disneyland's Pirates and Magic Kingdom's Pirates....

Fantasmic, Philharmagic, and the Voyage are all better, more repeatable attractions than Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, regardless of its status as a classic. And unless some miracle occurs, HM will be just another victim on the Voyage's triumphant march to #1.

But hey, it is not like the Voyage is undeserving of the overall crown. It may not be a themed, narrative, $100 million attraction, but it is the best wooden coaster on the planet. If you are a coaster fan, I strongly urge you to take a ride on the Voyage and experience greatness for yourself!

April 2, 2010 at 5:22 AM · Congrats to Holiday World and the Voyage. Great park, great owners, great rides! Voyage is one of the best coasters I have ever ridden. Glad to see it getting the notoriety and respect it deserves!

Hated to see Pirates and Spidey both knocked out. To me Haunted Mansion is one step behind those two. But oh well.

Fantasmic definitely locked up it's slot! Very nice!

April 2, 2010 at 5:53 AM · Haunted Mansion is the single greatest ride I've ever ridden. I'm surprised it won, but not upset by any means. It deserves its spot.

April 2, 2010 at 5:35 PM · Rode it twice, almost blacked out both times. The turns were a bit rough, so I wouldn't rank this as one of my favorites. Probably won't ride it again.