Holiday World announces Thunderbird, a launched B&M wing roller coaster
Posted
[Ed. note: The following is an excerpt of a press release. -J]
The nation’s first launched wing coaster will take flight over Holiday World in 2015.
Named Thunderbird, Holiday World’s first major steel roller coaster will feature a zero-to-60 miles-per-hour launch in 3.5 seconds, followed by multiple inversions - including a 14-story Immelmann loop, Zero-g roll, barrel roll, and a loop soaring 125 feet in the air.
Continuing Holiday World’s tradition of sending roller coasters through its thickly wooded and hilly terrain, Thunderbird will at first soar and loop high in the air and then hug the ground, surprising riders with rapid-fire “near misses” such as keyholes, themed elements, other rides, trees, and even the ground.
“A wing coaster creates a feeling of incredible freedom – you ride beside the coaster track with nothing above or below you,” says Holiday World’s president, Matt Eckert. “Thunderbird is the first launched wing coaster in the nation – we can’t wait to ride it!”
Eckert calls Thunderbird’s manufacturer, Bolliger & Mabillard, the “Cadillac of roller coasters, known for their safety, quality and reliability. We’ve dreamed of adding a B&M steel coaster for many years and are excited that Thunderbird will be B&M’s first launched coaster.”
Thunderbird’s $22 million price tag is more than twice the amount of any other single-ride investment at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in the park’s 68-year history.
Read more from the official site: Holiday World's Thunderbird
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Well, yes.
I know Holiday World has (wisely) grown as fast as they needed to without making rash decisions along the way. Still, it's awesome to me that they've grown from what was originally a kiddie park to a theme park in what is a relatively short period of time. And the theme park aspect started slow as well, there was a stretch where the park was nothing more than the kiddies, a few adult flats, a small steel coaster, and a log ride. The park (and we) were lucky to have Will Koch at the helm during those formative years. I believe he was the one with the clear vision.
I also believe the park didn't want to turn into a big regional theme park from the get go. They knew their numbers, were happy with them, and knew not to install huge attractions that their infrastructure and their customer base couldn't support. It was over time, and once again with Will's guidance, that the first wooden coaster, (small, but with the quality enthusiasts seek) was built. Then came another and another. In the meantime they saw the value of waterpark attractions, as not only a draw but as an affordable way to increase capacity and customer satisfaction.
I normally don't put a lot of credit on the enthusiast community for making a park what it is. But it was a lucky break that Will had his eye cocked toward us. He fed us and in turn we told everyone that we knew had never heard of the place.
As far as the regionality aspect of the park goes, yes, it's bound to happen. Thunderbird is going to make a big splash and the media outlets that cover these things in the spring will take notice. Last summer the park expanded their marketing into Missouri as far as the St. Louis area. I have a good friend that lives there and he reports that friends noticed the ads and asked him about it. He knows of several families that took his recommendation and, tired of Six Flags, made the 3 hour drive to Santa Claus. And came back with glowing reviews.
So it's easy for us to bemoan the loss of the mom and pop homespun park stuck out there in the corn. But we shouldn't. It seems to me the park is on the exact right track to expanding their business and their ability to draw patrons from far and wide. Oh, and hopefully make a boatload of money in the process. And why shouldn't they?
a_hoffman50 said:
CreditWh0re, I am still certain it isn't the Eagles. And those are not the only options.
I am certain that I would trust Andy's opinion on this....
Ummm, no, no winky...not this time.
rollergator said:
a_hoffman50 said:
CreditWh0re, I am still certain it isn't the Eagles. And those are not the only options.
I am certain that I would trust Andy's opinion on this....
Ummm, no, no winky...not this time.
Yep, I was wrong. Teach me to analyze and pontificate before the morning caffeine.
Gonch:
However poorly I worded my comment, I think we're arguing two different things. My point was intended to be that given their location and the (lack of) population centers around them, they've already grown beyond the small level, and by default are regional. I'm not sure what the threshold is for a "large" regional, and I wasn't attempting to equate 1+ million visitors at HW to 3+ million at KI, CP, GA etc. My point was solely that they pull a significant amount of their visitors from more than 1.5 hours away. I was thinking regional as in sheer geographic market swath, not regional vs. Orlando/SoCal destination areas.
Yes they are still a small park. Exclude the water park, and looking at solely the dry side, there is really a small number of adult rides (As mentioned by Jeff and others, the waterpark has been the main driver of growth so far, and the park should really be viewed as the sum of the wet and dry sides.) The thrust of the comment I was responding to was that only Enthusiasts knew of the place outside of its small market area, and that now that was going to change. I was trying to say that this was not true any longer, that certainly Thunderbird will help to bring further awareness, but that the park is already well known outside of its presumed small market area.
Again, poorly phrased, and certainly I didn't make my point clear.
CreditWh0re said:
The thrust of the comment I was responding to was that only Enthusiasts knew of the place outside of its small market area, and that now that was going to change. I was trying to say that this was not true any longer, that certainly Thunderbird will help to bring further awareness, but that the park is already well known outside of its presumed small market area.
I wasn't talking awareness on any level.
Quite simply, the things that make enthusiasts wet about HW are distinctly small park things. This is the start of the long term transformation to large park - the kind of park that doesn't necessarily make the collective enthusiast panties moist.
My comment was simply schadenfreude disguised as a useful, contributing piece of insight.
To me, how far people travel to a park isn't as significant as how many people pay to enter a park.
Holiday World today is a (relatively) small park in a small town. Outside of Lake Rudolph and Santa's Lodge, most people have to find accommodations a fair distance away from the park.
As noted, Holiday World has said Thunderbird will, in the future, be at the center of the park rather than the farthest point in the park from the entrance. As the park grows, it will be interesting to see if the hotel/motel chains add locations in Santa Claus or in nearby locations.
Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep.
--Fran Lebowitz
Many businesses in the town know what Thunderbird will mean for the economy of Santa Claus including those in hospitality and tourism. I expect more touristy attractions to pop up in the town.
Looks like they plan to announce the ride move sometime this week.
http://www.holidayworld.com/holiblog/2014/12/07/66-hours-see/
I know a_hoffman50 doesn't think it will be the eagles...but what else could it be?
From the photos, it looks like it might be a kid's ride. Does HW have a kiddie Whip? Roto-Whip? No....
Scarecrow Scrambler? Hallowswings? Turkey Whirl? No, no, no.
What could it be? I think the Eagles seems like the obvious choice, but if Andy says no...
It's the dollhouse isn't it? I bet it's the dollhouse.
With the 77th and final piece of track now in place, the question is whether Thunderbird will be up and running when the park opens on April 25. I'm betting on it but not enough to make travel plans.
And yes, the addition of this first of a kind coaster will expand the market. A friend in Canada who visits one theme park in the States each season was considering several options but Thunderbird sealed the deal. He lives 15 hours northeast of Toronto and it's another 10 hours to Santa Claus but he's willing to drive all that way for the experience.
Bobbie
I have no idea why everyone keeps questioning if B&M rides will make their opening dates next year..
- B&M hasn't missed a single one as of late (that I am aware of). Even with the polar vortex that we had last year, Banshee was completed well within the scheduled timeline.
- Fury and Thunderbird are making great progress.
- Thunderbird's track was completed 3 weeks ahead of schedule.
- B&M has very likely allowed substantial time for testing of the LSM launch system. They are always very cautious at adapting to new technologies and this is likely no different. This now means that they have an extra 3 weeks for testing.
Bottom line? Unless something significant happens, there is no reason to believe these B&M's will miss their parks' respective opening dates.
I'd be somewhat willing to bet on it opening on time. Like coasterzombie said, B&M has three extra weeks, and they're usually pretty darn sure their tech works BEFORE they go pitching it to different parks (or it sure seems like it because you don't see a whole lot of re-profiling, retrofitting, etc on a B&M).
That being said, I just wouldn't plan a trip around a new coaster's opening. It just isn't a good idea, no matter who the park/park chain or manufacturer is. Wait a few weeks at least, for the love of god!
"Look at us spinning out in the madness of a roller coaster" - Dave Matthews Band
It's one thing to plan a visit to your local park on the day a new coaster is scheduled to open. But definitely wait until a new ride is up and running before committing to extensive travel plans.
Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep.
--Fran Lebowitz
I'm not sure there's anything in the world worth driving 25 hours for. At that point, I'd suck it up and get a plane ticket.
Yeah, the only way I'm driving that long is if I'm making several stops at various points of interest...and possibly in an RV. But a single destination 25 hours away? I'm getting on a plane.
Raven-Phile said:
I'm not sure there's anything in the world worth driving 25 hours for. At that point, I'd suck it up and get a plane ticket.
Says the guy who wanted to drive to Florida in 2001, despite a free plane ticket.
(Or was it the thought of wearing a collared shirt? haha)
They're moving the ride and putting it in it's new home... http://www.holidayworld.com/webcams/holiday-world-construction-cam/
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