Categories & Criteria

This year’s winners will join the esteemed companies already inducted
into the Park World Excellence Awards’ Roll of Honour.

Best Roller Coaster

A roller coaster that opened in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Pushed the boundaries in design and creativity, or overcame challenges in construction
Is unique and different to any other roller coaster
Can be wood, steel or hybrid

Best Roller Coaster – Limited Budget

A roller coaster that opened in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024 with a budget under €8million.
Pushed the boundaries in design and creativity, or overcame challenges in construction
Is unique and different to any other roller coaster
Can be wood, steel or hybrid

Best Ride(s)

A ride, or group of rides, that opened in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Can be an individual kiddie ride, family ride, thrill ride or water ride, or a mix of those rides
If creating a new area, the project can be entered as one
Isn’t a roller coaster, water slide or dark ride
Is innovative and unique

Best Ride(s) – Limited Budget

A ride, or group of rides, that opened in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024 with a budget under €2million.
Can be an individual kiddie ride, family ride, thrill ride or water ride, or a mix of those rides
If creating a new area, the project can be entered as one
Isn’t a roller coaster, water slide or dark ride
Is innovative and unique

Best Dark Ride or Media-based Experience

Opened in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
An indoor amusement ride or walk-through attraction in which guests ride in vehicles or travel by foot through scenes telling a story with animatronics, special effects or video
Or an attraction mixing video and physical experiences, such as scent pods, moving seats or water sprays
Is unique and pushes the boundaries in design and creativity

Best Water Park Experience

A ride/attraction/experience that opened in a water park in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
An indoor or outdoor ride (e.g. water slide), attraction (e.g. wave pool, surf simulator, etc.) or experience opened by a water park
Isn’t a water ride or a water slide opened in an amusement park
Is innovative and unique

Best FEC Project

A new project that opened between 11th July 2023 to 10th July 2024 in an existing a large (800 sqm and over), indoor Family Entertainment Centre or indoor attraction (eg. adventure golf, escape room, immersive or licensed experience, kids-oriented, E-Sport, active entertainment)
Can be a small ride or a new activity /equipment (an attraction, a show, a game, a game area or any kind of experience)
Must be a new project opened in an existing FEC, not a catalogue product. The corresponding FEC must be specified.
Is innovative and unique or pushes the boundaries in design, equipment or creativity.

Best Use of Theming

Theming or special effects introduced in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Implemented in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction seen in a ride, or restaurant, or walk through, or immersive experience (e.g. Escape Room) or shop, or show or in a resort hotel
The theming could incorporate scenery, animatronics, video projections, lighting, audio or pyrotechnics
Has significantly improved the guest experience of a ride or visit to a theme/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction, transforming the ordinary to the extraordinary

Best Supplier

Can be any supplier to the amusement industry: ride, retail, theming, catering, ticketing, access, services, etc
A supplier that stood out for doing something exceptional during the period 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024 in the EMEA region.

NEW! Best Food or Retail Development

A retail/ dining project or product introduced into a theme park, water park, FEC or stand-alone attraction in the EMEA region- between 11th July 2023 to 10th July 2024
Designed to enhance the guest experience during a visit to a theme park, a water park, a FEC, or provide guests with a unique take-home product.
Examples could be a new restaurant, a new beverage or food item, a new retail experience or a new line of merchandise- (Ticketing & access systems, virtual queue systems and mobile apps excluded).
Concepts excluded. The candidate must submit at least one location (EMEA region) in where the product or outlet has been implemented during the period mentioned above.

Best Large Park

In the EMEA region
Over 1.5million guests annually
Has stood out as doing something exceptional between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Has been seen to go above and beyond their usual standards

Best Regional Park

In the EMEA region
Under 1.5million guests annually
Has stood out as doing something exceptional between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Has been seen to go above and beyond their usual standards

Best Water Park

In the EMEA region
Has stood out as doing something exceptional between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Has been seen to go above and beyond their usual standards

Best FEC

In the EMEA region
Is a large (800 sqm and over), indoor Family Entertainment Centre or indoor attraction (eg. adventure golf, escape room, immersive or licensed experience, kids-oriented, E-Sport, active entertainment)
A particular venue, not an entire chain- if part of a multi venue group.
Has stood out as doing something exceptional between 11th July 2023 to 10th July 2024 (Grand opening, new area/attraction opening, new F&B, show, event, service, design or theming)
Has been seen to go above and beyond their usual standards

Best Live Entertainment

A show or live experience that opened in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Can be a parade, street performers, stage show, immersive experience (eg. scare maze) with actors, Christmas event with actors etc.
Must be different to anything seen before or enhancing previous examples in an innovative way

Industry Icon – Operator

Someone who has stood out for doing something exceptional in their career
Has made a difference in the EMEA region

Industry Icon – Supplier

Someone who has stood out for doing something exceptional in their career.
Has made a difference in the EMEA region

Best Green Initiative

Project(s) or practice(s) introduced by an operator/manufacturer/supplier serving the EMEA region, or by an operator in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Project(s) or practice(s) that reduce the impact of activities on the environment and that help partners and customers to do the same
Examples include the introduction of sustainable business practices, improving waste management practices, reducing carbon emissions, creating a healthy environment, protection of ecological systems
Must be innovative, creative and eco-friendly

Best Product Innovation (Rides/Games/Shows)

A project or product introduced in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Can be seen in a theme park, a water park or in a FEC
New and innovative, examples include new roller coaster or ride models / activity, game or play equipment or show equipment featuring an outstanding use of one or several technologies together
Concepts excluded. The candidate must submit at least one location (EMEA region) in where the product has been implemented during the period mentioned above.

Best Product Innovation (Guest experience/Park Operations)

A project, product or guest service introduced in a theme park/water park/FEC/stand alone attraction in the EMEA region between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024
Designed to enhance the guest experience or improve park operations of a theme park, a water park or a FEC.
Guest experience – examples include customer information systems, mobile apps, cashless equipment etc
Park operations – examples include ticketing, access control, security, F&B, HR etc
Concepts excluded. The candidate must submit at least one location (EMEA region) in where the product has been implemented during the period mentioned above.

Best Marketing Initiative

A marketing initiative introduced by an attraction operator or supplier in the EMEA between 11th July 2023 – 10th July 2024.
Could be use of social media, a publicity stunt or single/multi platform ad campaign that’s seen significant success.

PLUS!

Best of the Best

Judges choice – external nominations not permitted.

Winner revealed on the night – no shortlist published.

The judging panel will each put forward a park, ride or attraction from any point in time, that they believe is the best of all time.

The Park World Excellence Award for Best of the Best is the absolute pinnacle, reflecting everything that is great about our industry.