Holiday World announces Pilgrims Plunge, the world's tallest water ride

"Also interesting how enthusiasts so often say that the days of a ride needing to be the '-est' are over or that an '-est' ride doesn't guarantee a good ride, and HW keeps delivering '-est' rides to praise."True. I think the change is almost as stark as pre-TTD and after-TTD. TTD showed us what the tallest and fastest could be, and while really thrilling, $24M is a lot to drop on a one-trick pony. Furthermore, companies like Maurer Söhne, Gerstlauer, S&S, and Intamin are starting to show us what they can do with a small budget and some neat engineering. MS and G weren't contenders in the early 2000s; we haven't seen everything they've got to offer. While some of the design tricks are gimmicky (Sky Wheel, anyone?), some of the newest and notably smallest coasters are the most fun. Unless a park has a serious budget with some serious investors, we're not going to see another TTD for a long time, and if we do, it won't be much bigger. I'd really like to see B&M branch out (kind of like what they did with Daemon), but they've got a proven design that seems to be popular -- why change? I'm really bored with this concept; unless the park NEEDED a water ride, they should have saved their money for another woodie.Uhm*** This post was edited by 8/27/2008 3:01:39 AM ***Hey, Jeff... did you notice this comment doesn't have a username? Oh, and guess what. I'm not the one who originally posted the comment, but I'm able to edit it?Interesting... Bug perhaps?*** This post was edited by 8/27/2008 3:02:28 AM ***Wow I can edit it too.*** This post was edited by 8/27/2008 10:51:01 AM ***

So I am able to also must be a bug!!!
*** This post was edited by 8/27/2008 6:28:29 PM ***

^^ - because Pilgrims is in the plural rather than possessive form.

"Why is it "Pilgrims Plunge" rather than "Pilgrims' Plunge?""

Since it's the tallest chute in the world and thus closest to God, perhaps we can describe the people who flock to the new attraction as 'pilgrims,' or those who went to the park to fulfill ostensibly religious desires (some people worship coasters). Thus, the ride is aptly named because pilgrims, people who have trekked to the park to fulfill a seemingly religious calling, will be, well, plunging.

Did I just lay down some seriously smart syntax or is it simply smelling of...?

YOU DECIDE '08.

The elevator system actually takes these types of rides back to the old days when Shoot the Shutes used elevator systems to hoist the boats up.

The only thing I see wrong is there isn't a splash zone to play in.

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Lost Kause:
The HoliWatches are a great idea! ...And the service is FREE! This adds to the great value that the park already offers!

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I thought you said in the past that RFID technology kinda wigged you out. Too big brother. That sort of thing.

New ride and RFID system. Will 2009 be the year that HW's gate catches or passes some of the big chain parks?

Actually Chute the Shoots were mostly pulled backward up the hill by cable and winch, The early ones steam powered. The cable was always connected to the rear of the SHIP as it were but the splash was less controlled by guide rails and such.

Chuck, rather glad for the OTSRs the first time I rode that thing at SFKK I got the wind knocked out of me bad from sitting back and being slammed forward also they are a bunch more forgiving for us full sized riders.

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I understand the park is a family park, but $4 million for a water ride seems a bit excessive. Furthermore, the 45 degree drop is unimpressive. The elevator lift might be more thrilling than the drop!

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Yes, it's only a 45* drop, but it is a 135ft 45* drop! Ever ridden Frightful Falls? I'm pretty sure that drop comes nowhere NEAR 45*, yet it takes my stomach every time!

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To tell the truth, I'm getting kind of tired of these one-trick ponies.

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I think you are forgetting something...THIS ISN'T A COASTER! I mean seriously, are you just searching for something to complain about? It's a Shoot-the-Chutes ride, of course it's going to be a 1-trick pony! (Find me one that isn't...)

I for one think that this will be an AWESOME new addition to the park, and I can't wait for the commercial shooting!

*** This post was edited by DantheCoasterman 8/26/2008 8:48:30 PM ***

^try these:
-the Jurassic Park rides (ok cheap shot)
-Escape From Pompeii
-the one at Busch Gardens Tampa (sorry, forgot the name)

Gonch, RFID tech does have a high potential for abuse if in the wrong hands, but it could be pretty cool if used responsibly. In my lifetime, we will probably see new laws regarding legal uses for RFID once it becomes more popular.

The picture that spychips.com paints about RFID tech is pretty scary though.

"I think you are forgetting something...THIS ISN'T A COASTER! I mean seriously, are you just searching for something to complain about? It's a Shoot-the-Chutes ride, of course it's going to be a 1-trick pony! (Find me one that isn't...)"

Thank you Captain Obvious. I'm saying that a log chute should involve mindless meandering through pretty scenery and various drops here and there before a big kersploosh. I love sitting in the boats and just floating around. Think Splash Mountain or Ripsaw Falls, to name the more mainstream ones. If I'm going to get soaked, at least let me enjoy the ride. The ride as it is is like mechanical sex - just there to produce a climax; I want a log chute with boat rocking, squirting fountains, and, at the end, an explosion of wonderful wetness.

[Sorry... I really don't know how I got into the sex metaphor.]

OMG, Bart?!!? You still out there man? Hit me up with an e-mail....maybe do HRP?

Pilgrims Plunge (no apostrophe) - it's what Pilgrims DO...apparently.

AV Matt - Tanganyika Tidal Wave.

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

YAY!!!! Who wants to die in 2009? Nothing like another Intamin death trap on the market.

Holiday World, you get to pick your rides, and their manufacturers (whom we all know the terrible safety records of), so when the first couple die on this thing you get no sympathy from me.

For you Intamin fans, I officially reserve the right to say "I told you so" for the first two (2) deaths on this particular contraption.

I don't understand why people keep buying from this company...

That Sandor has to have some mad brain washing skills!

The drop is 45-degrees... I highly doubt that the negligible airtime the ride produces would be enough to lift riders from their seats, let alone eject someone from the ride against their will.

Wow that is going to be a huge splash! Are they planning an observation / splash zone area?

According to Paula, yes. They are planning a splash area but they're still working out the details. That's why it wasn't in the animation.

Intamin hater said:

I don't understand why people keep buying from this company...

That Sandor has to have some mad brain washing skills!

Maybe because what they come up with is more thrilling that most other companies out there? It's got the OTSR system that IMHO is much safer not because the lapbar is unsafe on non lapbars it's because proper possitioning of it is less of a factor.

The cable break? Seems to me that wasn't intamins fault. The only death I question and even that one had a phystical mental handicap factor was PGA's drop zone. to which I still don't think they found a valid cause.

If Intamin keeps making em. I'll keep riding. If I don't think it's safe. I wont.

Chuck

It has nothing to do with thrilling rides, it has to do with them being the cheapest.

coasterMNguy said:

I'm saying that a log chute should involve mindless meandering through pretty scenery and various drops here and there before a big kersploosh. I love sitting in the boats and just floating around. Think Splash Mountain or Ripsaw Falls, to name the more mainstream ones. If I'm going to get soaked, at least let me enjoy the ride. The ride as it is is like mechanical sex - just there to produce a climax; I want a log chute with boat rocking, squirting fountains, and, at the end, an explosion of wonderful wetness.

Pilgrims Plunge isn't a log flume. Traditionally Shoot-the-chutes have been pretty simple rides: up the lift, around the turn, down the drop, back into the station. Yes, there are exceptions (Jurassic Park, Escape from Pompei).

That being said, it sounds like this ride will have many elements you're asking for. It'll have a meandering course pre-lift and post-drop. The press release mentions that post-drop the boats will negotiate rock formations (Plymoth Rock, perhaps?) and shooting geysers. The artwork and video shows it.

Just because it didn't show any other kind of theme elements doesn't mean they won't exist.