Theme Park Insider Awards Announced

Theme Park Insider has announced the winners in its park awards for the 2008-09 season.

Best Theme Park: Disneyland
You can't really argue with the choice. The runners-up were Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Islands of Adventure (really? with half the park surrounded by construction walls?) so I guess we should be happy it went to a Disney park. Hey, at least it wasn't Cedar Point.

Best New Attraction: Manta
This award I kind of take issue with, if only because the ride really hasn't been open long enough to provide an accurate sample. The only people who rated it are people who happened to visit SeaWorld in the last month, as opposed to the much greater number that visited, say, Hollywood Studios in the time since Toy Story Mania opened.

Best Hotel: Portofino Bay
Here's the thing with Portofino...seems like a nice place and all but I'm thinking it's the front of the line passes that push it over the top. And frankly, anyone could give out front of the line passes if they wanted to. It isn't gonna make the pool nicer or help me fall asleep quicker. Plus it's Universal so it's so...icky.

Best Restaurant: Les Chefs de France
And FINALLY Mythos goes down, to an odd Epcot choice. The place always seemed nice...almost too nice to be in a theme park. I guess that means it deserves to win though I'm really surprised it didn't go down to internet darling Le Cellier.

I'm also a little embarrassed, seeing as I do this for a living, that I haven't experienced ANY of the 4 award winners. Disneyland and Portofino Bay aren't happening any time soon but hopefully I can knock off Manta and Chefs by the end of 2009.