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Hey guys, home stretch time for me. This is the final report and the final leg of a great, action packed 3 day trip. I must admit that I wasn't entirely sure we were going to have enough funds to even make it. A looong day at PKI and a rather expensive hotel room left us in shambles (money-wise). Keep in mind that we were going to have to make an 8+ hour trip back home and return the rental car full of gas. We even contemplated sleeping in the car! Brad really wanted to go, but since he's not a poster on this site and didn't have a whole lot of background on HW, it was tough for him to realize what kind of valhalla Holiday World is to us enthusiasts. We were THAT close and almost didn't go. But without even enough for a full lunch at HW, we pressed on.. determined to ride those two great coasters.
Standard Griswold rating scale here like usual... -3 (nightmarish) to +5 (religeous experience) with 0 being positive, but only slightly.
Before the trip, I had INTENTIONALLY made Brad watch the POVs for Raven and Legend. He was underwhelmed to be sure, but I wanted it that way. I knew they would be stellar, and kind of wanted him to not know. We got there about 30 minutes after opening and decided we would HAVE to leave by 4:00 our time to make it home at a decent hour.. both of us having meetings at the butt-crack of dawn in another time zone. ;) True to form, Brad stared at Raven, and I could see him dismiss it in his eyes. HaHa.. Poor fool.
After entrance ($14.99... SOLID!!! Thanks HW!) we headed past Raven towards Legend. I wasn't able to really take in the sights of HW yet, I had coasters on the brain.
THE LEGEND +4 (coaster count #58)
We walked up the stairs into about a rows-only station wait. We snagged a back seat ride after about a 6 train wait. It pained me to see them only running one train, and after asking, was saddened to hear predictions on attendance would force the one train operation for the day. As we rolled out of the station, I looked longingly at the pretty PTC sitting in the transfer track. Needless to say, I forgot all about that train once we crested the hill and dropped into that dark tunnel....
**Side note : I must tell you something about Brad and I on coasters. I always ride on the left side of trains (I'm left handed.. I dunno.. don't ask). This quirk of mine usually benefits me greatly as most coasters turn to the left allowing me to plaster him into the side of the train. Just the day before, I had punished him repeatedly on The Beast and loved every minute of it. Eric and Kris, who rode with us all day at PKI, must have noticed this. Kris took it upon himself to let Brad in on a little secret about the Legend... those of you who've ridden it know what's coming next.. Brian's come-uppance HAD ARRIVED!!***
The first drop into the banked turn to the left had given me a chance to do my normal chest-caving nudge to Brad. However, as it crested towards ZOOMbabwe! I saw that I was in trouble... big trouble. The sweeping turn to the right this time had given him chance to recoop the punishment, but I didn't care I was having a blast. Finally at the bottom, the vise-like squishing ceased and we headed into a standup airtime drop back into another tunnel. Then, I met my fate.. The helix that followed, combined with all Brad's might may have forever altered my lung capacity. ;) This coaster delivers in spades. Even though I was nearly crushed to death all 8 times we rode it, it was worth every second. CCI outdid itself with this masterpiece.
By this time, the water park had opened and the majority of the park's visitors migrated that way. We headed the opposite way, back up to
THE RAVEN +4 (coaster count #59)
By the time we got back up to the house, it was a stairwell wait (15 minutes for back row). I had watched the POV countless times before as well, and I was very anxious to see what this was all about. All it took was seeing the train whip around that last corner up the hill into the station to put my mind at ease. Leaving the station, the ride ops were slapping fives... something I thought would never be done outside a coaster event. The ride op waving in the window added a nice touch as well.. plus a kind of foreshadowing of things to come.
Eric had told me about drop #5 on this coaster, so I was preparing for it and made the mistake of almost looking past what was in front of me. Well I was savagely but comfortably brought back to reality as the first drop stood me up in the seat. The only other stand-up airtime that's even comparable (outside of the Legend) is the Georgia Cyclone at SFoG, but Raven is so much smoother of a bottoming out, so you're not scared of spinal compression syndrome. What a coaster! I absolutely flies through the woods and down by the lake! As the 5th drop approached, I readied myself and was flung AGAIN out of my seat. My t-shirt which was untucked, flew up and as the train bottomed out, I was flung back into my "cushy" seat but the shirt stayed up, and I got that nice flesh ripping on rubber sensation, but I couldn't worry about that now! We were flying at what seemed like 100 mph as it whipped up the last hill and into the station. What a great run! I just wish it were a bit longer though! All that speed dies in the brake run. But that's the closest thing you'll ever hear to a complaint by me about the Raven. 14 total laps.
Howler (kiddie) (coaster count #60)
I'm way too tall to ride this coaster, and I payed for it. Funny thing is, they let every train go around twice. Haha. I deserved it.
Other attractions we caught:
Tilt-a-whirl - After a slow start, we caught a rhythm and the bucket must have whirled top speed about 15 times in a row. We were laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. Actually got kinda funky feeling! :oD
Flying Eagles - I was disappointed as they really run like a kiddy ride. No speed meant no snapping. A shame too, as the fin is not restricted and can go as far as your arm can push it. I can imagine those fins at PKI.
The bottom line is this.. I've never gotten off two consecutive roller coasters in pain (two different reasons) and been so happy about it. You won't find a better 1-2 punch in any park in the world that I know of. The free sodas and water kept us in business. We didn't eat, and feel kinda bad cause we heard good things about Kringles, but we just didn't have the funds. 8+ hours or not, I will be back to this fabulous park!! Thank you Holiday World!
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Sorrrrrrrry folks! Parks closed. The moose out front should have told you.
Awesome TR Brian. Glad you had fun. Now you just have to come up to SRM so that you can give The Raven the +5 it deserves ;-).
Eric
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That is alllll........
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Sorrrrrrrry folks! Parks closed. The moose out front should have told you.
*** This post was edited by Homey G. on 6/20/2002. ***
Thanks for the TR Brian!
My first ride on Raven back in 1995 provided me with the 'it's a bit on the short side' feeling but after my first SRM, I never thought about the lenght factor again.
You must try to get to Holiday World next year for SRM. Sometimes it appears that HW has 4 wooden coasters on that special day (or days) due to what the lack of lunar light does to those monsters.
-Sean (power to the lefties) F.
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HuKeD oNN fonickS dusinT wOrK"[;.
Yes Raging... we did grab a front seat ride. Thanks for the compliment.. Did you catch the other two trip reports I filed earlier this week?
Sean, I'm going to do everything in my power to get up there for SRM. I'm probably going to have to come by myself by plane, so I'm trying to work it out to take a trip with a couple of guys... maybe you can get in on the action! :)
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Sorrrrrrrry folks! Parks closed. The moose out front should have told you.
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Be sure to visit Holiday World. Best park in the world!
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Sorrrrrrrry folks! Parks closed. The moose out front should have told you.
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Holiday World, it's impossible not to have a good time
Yeah, if your not at SRM next year I'll.......................
well I don't know what I'll do, but you won't like it! ;)
Eric
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You don't have to shout. Do you know how many internet etiquette laws your breaking by typing in all caps like that? Well........your breaking one. Don't type in all caps.
*** This post was edited by eric.walton on 6/21/2002. ***
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