Holiday World-July 1st 2008

The final day of my trip took me to Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. I arrived with an hour till the park opening and the main lot was quickly filling up. It seemed like it would be a busy day on the first day of July. I was a bit worried with the amount of cars as I wanted a few good rides on the coasters with less than an hour wait. I'll take what I can get though.

I lined up in the crowd outside of the entrace with my online admission ticket. The crowd kept coming in and in. I'm really glad I printed my ticket online and avoided the ticket booths.

The crowd was let into the Christmas/Main plaza of the park a half an hour before open. I took this time to browse some of the shops and played some skee-ball. The touch of the theming in the Christmas area is nice. There was something a bit different about hearing Bruce Springsteen singing Santa Claus is coming to town on the first of July but hey, it's a new kind of experience.

I wasn't too sure where to head first. I figured I should start small with raven, head to Legend, and finally conquer voyage. Well, I abandoned that theory and just went with the flow of the crowd. I ended up at the entrance of the fourth of July area while the crowd waited for the chain to drop. The chain dropped and it was go time. I ended up following the crowd down the pathway to where it split between going to Thanksgiving and Splashin' Safari. I figured that I might as well ride Voyage while I was down here. I arrived in Thanksgiving and headed towards a line that appeared to be already spilling out of the queue.

When I arrived to the line, it appeared the ride wasn't even open yet. The ride was being worked on by maintenance but opened within ten minutes of my arrival to the line. I walked with the line through the rather extensive queue that had a small but cool theme to it. I arrived up into the station and decided on a front row ride to get familiar with the layout of the ride. I waited two trains and it was finally my time to take the voyage.

I hopped in and we were quickly dispatched out of the station. As the train ascended the lift I looked down at Splashin' Safari. It looked like a very nice waterpark. It reminded me a bit of Splashwater Kingdom at Kentucky Kingdom. I figured I'll give a whirl on my next visit as I wasn't planning on donning my swim gear today. The view of Splashin' Safari soon ended as we crested the top of the lift and the voyage began.

The first couple of hills hit which gave some nice float air in the front. From there we hit the crazy fast turnaround section which was a little bumpy and jerky but still enjoyable. The ninety degree banked turns were rather weak though. We exited the turnaround as we flew over the not so trimming trims and began the second half of the ride. The second half was ridiculous. The lats on a few of those hills were crazy but rather fun. The second half offered more air that the front did. It was all a big blur to me as we dipped, ducked, dodged, dived, and dodged some more throughout the second half. We finally made it back to the end blocks and trims.

Overall, I thought it was a nice ride but I didn't understand the hype behind it. I mean it was fast but it lacked the crazy air I've heard that it delivered. It was fun but definitely not number one on my list. After my first ride in the front it fell behind Toro, Ravine Flyer II, and The Kentucky Rumbler as the number five woodie on my list. I was determined to let it warm up a bit in the day and conquer the back seat to see what it offered later in the day.

After the somewhat disappointing ride on voyage I headed into Halloween to hop on Raven and Legend. I passed on legend as it had a line spilling out onto the midway. I continued walking back towards raven and entered the queue.

I'll hand it holiday world for the nice ride entrance on Raven, I thought it looked rather awesome. I waited a good fifteen to twenty minutes for the ride and finally boarded the train. I wasn't expecting much from this ride as I've heard this is the least intense of the three coasters at Holiday World. As I waitied in line I took notice of all the signage and audio announcements about you must have your seatbelt buckled at all times. I figured this must be in reference to the accident at the last SRM event that I've read and heard about. I finally boarded the train and was dispatched.

Going up the lift I noticed the rather packed parking lot that was beginning to fill deeply into the Legend lot. We crested the lift, made a slight turn and began flying with the raven. The first couple of hills offer some nice pops of air but after that the ride seems like a rather big bore for me. The train arrived back into the station and we exited. Overall, raven was a decent woodie but nothing for me to write home about.

After the ride on Raven I walked around the park for a bit and snagged some pics as all the lines still seemed a bit too long for me at the moment. I almost queued up for the flyers but with the low capacity and long wait I figured it wasn't worth waiting a half an hour for non-snapable flyers. I continued to walk around while snapping some pics and drinking free pop. I walked over by The Legend for a second time and opted to queue up as the line died down a bit.

While waiting I really started to appreciate the setting of the park with all the trees and varied terrain. It allowed for some nice shade and pictures while waiting for Legend. After a quick fifteen minute wait in the queue I ended up in what I believed was going to be the station to be deceived by another set of switchbacks. Oh well, that's what I get for going to parks where most queues end once you hit the main building. After another ten minute wait through the switchbacks, I boarded the first car for my first Legend ride. This was the coaster I didn't know much about. Looking at the first drop I imagined some nice air.

We crested the lift, made another slight turn and went barreling down the drops while the wolves howled through the speakers. There was some nice air on the hills and then we hit the first of many crazy helixes. I've never experience lateral Gs this strong in my whole life. They even beat the Laterals in the back seat on the helix on the Beast. We exited the turning and began our course towards the station. We arrived back and I wanted more. Overall, I was greatly impressed with The Legend. I definitely wanted another ride on this in the backseat to see how intense it would be.

By this time I was a bit hungry. I've heard nothing but good things about the Plymouth Rock Cafe. I headed back down to Thanksgiving to have a bit of a thanksgiving meal myself. Ordered my food and was rather impressed with the prices, the average family would really get a nice experience for their well spent money at Holiday World. The turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans tasted great and the meal was even better with free pop. After lunch I decided to hop on the Gobbler Getaway.

I entered the nice cool building and waited about twenty minutes for the ride. It was a decent ride that told a kid orientated story accompanied with laser guns. Overall, I had fun with a score in the second highest tier possible. After shooting some turkeys I figured it was time for my back seat voyage.

I queued up for Voyaged once again. I waited around twenty minutes to get into the station followed by a three train wait for the back. I was even more excited and anxious for my second ride hoping for the ride to really deliver. It was finally time for my back seat ride and the train was dispatched.
We traveled up the lift once again while I tried to look for the row of construction flags that recently popped up on the internet but sadly I couldn't find the flags. The train finally reached the top of the lift and began the voyage.

Once the first couple of cars crested and began to travel over the lift, I finally got the nice pull over the drop and a nice sized amount of air. That's the kind of air i was expecting my first ride. The train traveled down the first drop with me completely out of my seat until we hit the bottom. The next two hills were more of the same as the first drop with nice helpings of air on both of the crests and as we traveled down the hills. We hit the turnaround with a bit more speed than from before. It seemed to be running a bit faster than it did my first ride earlier in the morning. The last ninety degree banked turn seemed a bit more powerful but not too noticeable. We flew over the trims and continued to swerve in and out of the course being rewarded with more and more airtime as we traveled. The train arrived back at the final blocks and trims once again and my opinion instantly changed on this ride.

Overall, Voyage is a whole different kind of beast in the back. It delivers a bunch of air, some nice laterals, and a great but very re-ride able experience. After the ride it moved up a few notches in my book but it still isn't number one in my book. Voyage is just a notch below El Toro to me.

I walked back over to Legend to get another ride in for the back. I waited about 15 minutes for it. There was a bit more air in the back on the first drop and it was cool hearing the wolves howl as the train went down the drop. The laterals weren't as strong in the back but it was still really fun.

After Legend I decided it was time to get going. With a good crowd in the water park and in the park itself, it didn't seem the park would become less busy in mid-afternoon. I also had a long six and a half hour drive back to northeast Ohio.

Overall, I was very impressed with the park. The value of the ticket is great with free parking, free drinks, and free sunscreen. The food was reasonably priced also. I'm definitely going to try and head back next summer to try out the water park and whatever additions are coming in 2009.

Sadly I did not have my time traveling DeLorean yet so I have no clue as to what next years addition(s) will be.

As before, pictures in the link in my signature.

Glad you had a good time.

My opinion: For me The Voyage isnt about air at all. I could care less about this "24.2 seconds" of air garbage. I ride it cause its fast as **** and never lets up. No coaster is half as intense(besides HADES!!).

Voyage should not be looked at as an airtime machine before you ride it, but a coaster that will rip your heart out and eat it.

Toro! Toro! Toro! I know everyone's sick to death of me talking about El Toro, but I can't help it. I haven't been on a ton of coasters, but I've been on enough to make an informed opinion. I cannot imagine any woodie overtaking Toro, airtime or no airtime. So far, wood or steel, I've not been impressed as thoroughly as I have with Toro. We'll see if that changes when I do CP for two days, but I sincerely doubt it. Maybe Millenium Force or Maverick will unseat it. I know for a fact that while Voyage looks like a thriller, if I rode it, it would NOT take away the #1 rating from me. Maybe the number 2 though. LOL

Great trip! Bunky I'm probably the exact opposite. I may not be the most traveled enthusiast as well but before Voyage, I didn't have "true love" for any wood coaster I've been on. My top was probably Georgia Cyclone (mainly because it gave a ride 100 times better than I was expecting). After riding Voyage I don't see any coaster being able to top it. I'm excited for Toro, I'm hoping next summer, but even as good as it looks, I couldn't imagine it topping Voyage.

I'm a last seat rider all the way, especially for wood coasters. I'm glad you gave it a second change in the back Nel, that's where the ride truly shines!

While the back and front deliver vastly different rides, the difference in quality of your two rides probably has more to do with the time of day than anything else. The Voyage just becomes a different beast as the day progresses. I've had my fair share of early morning rides on it, and while good, they offer no comparison to rides in the evening or even late afternoon.

Like all coasters, however, the back gives you great pull over the hills while the front provides insane float over the tops of the hills. *** Edited 7/25/2008 5:23:03 AM UTC by Craig the Coaster Freak***

Guys, I love these discussions, but isn't saying that a ride that you haven't ridden yet CAN'T unseed your current favorite ride seem a little short-sighted? I'm opposite of a lot of people, I am LOOKING for that next ride to unseed my favorite. Please, somebody somewhere build a coaster that tops Voyage!!! I'll be the happiest man alive. Now to the El Toro-Voyage comparison. I loved both. El Toro currently has my #1 roller coaster drop, hands down, the backseat on that first drop is breathtaking. Also, the first half of the ride in the back is incredible. However, Voyage is on a whole different level to be quite honest. That thing, if you drew a line graph for intensity, it would go up, up and up from the beginning of the ride and peaking near the very end. For the first time in my life as a roller coaster junkie, I actually am not sure if a ride will be improved upon either ever or anytime for years into the near future. I know that sounds crazy but what HW did with Voyage is just that, CRAZY. Most agree that none of the major park chains which own most of the parks would ever build a ride like that. So, it will more likely take some serious gung-ho private park to go try to outdo Voyage. Personally, you can't build a ride crazier than that and have it be too rideable. I am always in shock at how many diehard coaster people have to take 5-10 minute breaks during ERT on Voyage. Less than half or 1/3 of the people actually get right back in line again. It's crazy. There is no other coaster that I can't just get back in line for other than Voyage. Especially at night.

Great TR, but skipping the waterpark was a big mistake. It's every bit as good (if not better) than the ride side. And it is much better than Splashwater Kingdom at SFKK. You unfortunately skipped a huge part of what HW offers. Don't miss it on your next visit!

Personally I didnt find El Toro did too much for me. Its still a great ride and it sits at #7 on my wooden list.

It has the best air on a wooden coaster by far but, if I want airtime I'll just go ride Superman @ New England.

I want to feel out of control and be tossed around on a wooden coaster and El Toro certainly didn't do either.

Yeah, Toro, How can you get air when your stappled. Oh wait, thats my opinion of nitro too. Also Toro's ride time is a full 45 seconds less drop to stop.

Chuck, who enjoyed your report but feels you suffer a bit of anticipointment. I don't do to much research on parks or coasters and sure as hell don't let others opinions get me over excited for a coaster. I learned that with Boulderdash. The coaster I feel was overhyped to the max and I found it fun but lackluster compared to what I was expecting.

I think it was a good case of anticipointment for my first ride combined with riding it on the 3rd train of the day.

Like I said though, Voyage is a great ride, however just not great enough to be number one for me.

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BamBam36 said:
Glad you had a good time.

My opinion: For me The Voyage isnt about air at all. I could care less about this "24.2 seconds" of air garbage. I ride it cause its fast as **** and never lets up. No coaster is half as intense(besides HADES!!).

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...Or Ravine Flyer II!

I would LOVE for something to unseat my favorite ride, and I'm looking for it, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I mean, wouldn't I be much more thrilled if Voyage DID then unseat my favorite? Don't want to give myself anticipointment. I just hope I can get out there someday. I'm thinking of making myself drive to Indiana this August and checking it out, but 3-4 days of amusement parking and lengthy drives just sounds like too much for me. We'll see. I just like to start the controversy. LOL :) Plus, I think half the thrilling shock of Toro was because I didn't care what the enthusiasts said, I couldn't see a wooden coaster being that great. I had the surprise of my life!!

Stapled or not, you still get airtime on it. I'm a big, big girl, and I still flew like I was going to get tossed out of my seat. You will love Toro, and I hope to love Voyage.

Yeah, Nitro gave me no airtime whatsoever, or if it did, it was so mild that I didn't realize it. Only the bunny hops at the end did something for me, and only one of them actually gave the air. Still a great ride, but I KNOW something could unseat that for me as one of my top 5.

Toro. Bwahahahahahahahahaha! *** Edited 7/26/2008 9:07:04 PM UTC by bunky666***