Holiday World / Voyage Question

My lovely wife and I are heading to Holiday World this weekend after a 3 year hiatus. We're definitely looking forward to riding Voyage for the first time and getting back on Legend and Raven. However, my wife (and myself to a certain degree) is a little worried because we've heard Voyage is very intense. I've read trip reports which seem to back this up. It seems that 3 or so rides is what most people can handle before calling it quits.

So, the basic question is: how intense is Voyage? Can we expect to leave there bruised and battered? Should we pack hip/leg/shoulder pads? :-)

While opinions will differ, we're very interested in knowing the general concensus about Voyage's re-rideability and what to expect.

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Can we expect to leave there bruised and battered? Should we pack hip/leg/shoulder pads? :-)

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Not at all. That would be the result of a rough ride or roughness. Voyage is not rough for the most part, it is intense.

I liken it to strenuous workout, not a boxing match. You won't be beat up as much as you'll be worn out.

I guess the moral here is don't confuse rough and intense. A ride can be one without the other.

It's the single most aggressive, intense, wild, whatever word you want to use coaster I've ever ridden.

Just ride it once and see what you think. Once around and my mom, who generally likes her coasters on the wild side, is done. My last visit, I could do a few laps here and there but I certainly wasn't power riding. Others can go over and over, and I tip my hat to them.

There are three ways I've ridden Voyage: 1. Wear your seatbelt and hang on to the hold bar in front of you, 2. wear your seatbelt and put your arms up, 3. or tighten your seatbelt and put your arms up and let yourself loose. I found that tightening the belt and letting myself loose instead of trying to hang on and stay inside of the train is the least strenuous to do. The Voyage (and from what I understand the rest of the GG woodies do this) tries its best to "throw" you out of the train, whereas other rides are designed around you and your comfort.

After your first ride on Voyage you might be a little winded and that might be just enough, but I would try to just tighten the seatbelt and let yourself loose and you can try to get a few rides out of it. I rode it 21 times in a row for the Fall Affair last year and I loved it after learning how to ride it, but I'm sadistic like that.

Have fun at the park!

~Rob Willi

You should be fine. The Voyage does pack quite a punch, but it's nothing you should be hesitant about.

I always tell people that if they can ride the Legend twice in a row, then they'll have no problem with the Voyage. I've found that the best way to ride it is to relax, hold on and just let your body "become one" with the coaster; i.e. lean into the turns, prepare for airtime, etc.

IMO, the reason people hail the Voyage as so "intense" is not due to the actual intensity of the elements, so much as the fact that there are so many of them. It's one element after another after another. The Voyage quite simply does not let up. Ever. From the top of the lift hill until the final brake run, you are going to be hauling a$$ and doing crazy manuevers you never though possible on a wooden coaster. The whole experience is amazing and can (and probably will) physically wear you out. That's why you hear so many people comment that one or two rides and they are done.

If you like Raven & Legend, you will love The Voyage. I promise.

P.S. Be sure to post a Trip Report when you get back so we know how it went.

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DEK said:My lovely wife and I are heading to Holiday World this weekend after a 3 year hiatus. We're definitely looking forward to riding Voyage for the first time and getting back on Legend and Raven. However, my wife (and myself to a certain degree) is a little worried because we've heard Voyage is very intense. I've read trip reports which seem to back this up. It seems that 3 or so rides is what most people can handle before calling it quits.So, the basic question is: how intense is Voyage? Can we expect to leave there bruised and battered? Should we pack hip/leg/shoulder pads? :-)While opinions will differ, we're very interested in knowing the general concensus about Voyage's re-rideability and what to expect.

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Bruised and battered???? I don't know. Take Legends intensness and multiply it by three. You'll last longer if you do not hold your hands up as it will wear you down quickly like that. I wouldn't call it rough. Lots of directional changes and relentless speed. I'll just say you've never been on a 1:45 ride that never lets up. Thats from drop to stop. Beast is 5 minutes long but has about 4:30 of lifts and brakes LOL.

Chuck

Coming from my home park of KI, I was concerned a few years ago as well. Having ridden SOB, I expected a ride like that. But not at all. It is an intense ride with lots of laterals but not abusive ones. We were there for Hollywood nights the year it opened. It left me exhausted and sweaty. As they say it is like a crazy aerobic workout. Love that feeling on the return trip back of speed building up instead of slowing down. You really should try riding this in total darkness like we have. It will really be the best coaster ride you have ever had!

The only bruising I had from it was on my thighs from all the airtime!

I agree at the distinction between roughness and intensity.

I didn't find Voyage to be 'rough' hardly at all, except that this year, climbing the 2nd hill, in certain seats, there is a nasty jackhammer effect, but it only last's a split second.

The thing where people (myself included) say they can only ride a few times in a row is not really rooted in it hurting too much, but rather that your brain can't take it! *** Edited 7/23/2008 1:03:02 PM UTC by macevhicz***

I'm 43 and rode Voyage non-stop for almost 5 hours at the park's event over Memorial Weekend (2 1/2 hrs Sat night and almost 2 hrs Fri night) and could have easily handled more.

Rough? No. Intense? Yes...in the best way possible ;)

I don't see why everyone thinks this is the most rough or intense coaster on the planet. The turnaround can get a bit crazy but overall, it's not that bad of a ride.

I think El Toro is the crazier and more intense of the two.

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matt. said:
It's the single most aggressive, intense, wild, whatever word you want to use coaster I've ever ridden.

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I'll second that, if the Voyage was any longer it would be too much. I can only handele about 3 rides in a row, it's not that it's so physically sick even though it is but it is just mentally insane. I love thew Voyage but it is not a ride I can Marathon.

DEK:

You've put SFGAm as your location on your profile. I suspect that you have gone up to the Dells to ride Hades a time or two.

Now I am not claiming that Hades is the same as Voyage. I will say it is a good example of what to expect from Voyage. If you like Hades, you will love Voyage.

I personally could not go more than 3 times in a row on Voyage either. So I'd go back to the other two for a cople of rounds before heading back down the hill.

Have fun.

Bruised and battered = Son of Beast

Restore your faith in God = The Voyage

The ride is intense...but not rough.

Fever

I have ridden it over fifty times in one day when it first opened. I only stopped to eat pizza. It was a very exhausting day, but I still love the Voyage.

DEK - There isn't a bad seat on Voyage. Middle seats offer a great ride. If you and/or your wife are truly concerned try sitting near the middle. If you're overly worried take the extra step and choose the front row of the car, thus avoiding any vibration from sitting over the wheels.

The Voyage is sick, just sick. Ride in the back row for your first ride please.

Rode it 30 times in one day back in June.

Just start riding in the front if it gives you trouble. But like others have said, its intense not rough. BUT, bring some Advil.

To Nel: LOL. That's a good one.

I found the front to be a lot meaner than the back, but others in my party felt the exact opposite way.

Moosh is right about the middle, though. That's what's great about the best coasters. On good and great coasters, the front and back can offer very different experiences with the middle being a bit watered down. On the best coasters the middle can almost be a "best of both worlds" kind of thing.

The back is too insane for words.

It's not that the voyage is the most intense ride ever it's just that it has the most prolonged intensity of any ride ever.

It's like taking a BTR and making it 3 times as long with the same level of intensity throughout. It's just sick.

I agree with just about all the above comments. I would just add that IMHO Voyage was running even better last month than when it first opened. A couple of the more "challenging" :) spots seem to have been smoothed out and it's simply a joy to ride. And to reride. And then to reride again. It's Nemesis intense but not Coney Island Cyclone brutal, if that makes any sense at all. However it is very long, so sometimes it's just the sheer quantity of the experience which wears riders down rather than any inherent lack of quality. In reality it's probably not significantly more intense than Legend, but just maintains the relentless pacing for so much longer. Have fun!