It's a jolly holiday with Shredley and Joni! Holiday World, located in Santa Claus Indiana, earned worldwide recognition with the debut of the Raven Roller coaster in 1995, and in 2006 introduced another extraordinary wooden wonder.
The dream of Louis Koch (pronounced "Cook") began in 1946 as Santa Claus Land, the world's first "theme park". The town of Santa Claus had no Santa, so Mr. Koch decided to give Kris Kringle a home. His eldest son, Bill, married "Santa's daughter", Patricia Yellig, and the two of them managed the park until Bill's death in 2001. Pat, and her son Will, continue to manage the park to this day. The highway that goes by the park is named after William Koch.
A fitting memorial to Bill Koch, a theme park pioneer (Photo by Shredley)
In 1984, Santa Claus Land's name was changed to Holiday World. This was because new themed sections, including Halloween and Fourth of July, were added. In 1993, Splashin' Safari water park was opened, and is one of the largest such parks in the Midwest.
Splashin' Safari - coolin' off on a hot Indiana day (Photo by Shredley)
In 2000, another world class wooden roller coaster called The Legend was opened. This was the same year that the park began offering unlimited free soft drinks to its guests.
Holiday World has been the recipient of many awards, including "The World's Friendliest Park" for seven consecutive years, and the "World's Cleanest Park" for five years running. In 2004, the park received the International Applause Award honoring "foresight, originality and creativity plus sound business development and profitability". This was the smallest park to have ever earned this distinction.
Brochure Courtesy of Holiday World
In 2006, the Thanksgiving section was added, and with it, an explosive roller coaster of monumental proportions called Voyage.
We visited the park in 2005 and again in 2006. We were welcomed by Holiday World's owner Pat Koch. She graciously walked us through the park and over to The Legend coaster.
Joni and Shredley with Holiday World's owner Pat Koch
Holiday World is a great family destination. In addition to the great food and free drinks, there are wonderful shops and museums to visit. We were especially impressed by the Bavarian Glass Blowers at their craft. The park features beautiful landscaping, with buildings nestled in a forest-like atmosphere.
In the Halloween section we gobbled Goblin Burgers (Photo by Shredley)
Shredley and Joni with The Big Guy
There are four roller coasters at Holiday World. The only steel coaster is a family sit-down junior ride called Howler. Built by Zamperla and operating since 1999, Howler is 280 feet long and ten feet high. It is themed after Holidog, the park's official mascot.
Keikis howl while riding the Howler (Photo by Duane Marden www.rcdb.com)
Raven was designed by Dennis McNulty and Larry Bill of Custom Coasters International, Inc. and has been operating since 1995. Raven was the winner of the "World's Best Wooden Roller Coaster" award by Amusement Today magazine from 2000 through 2003.
Raven explodes with pride! (Photo by Shredley)
Fear the Raven "nevermore" (Photo by Shredley)
Will Koch, President of Holiday World, described the ride for the Discovery Channel. He commented that there are no brakes anywhere on the coaster. He also pointed out that during the ride's construction, the fewest trees possible were removed. This created an environmentally friendly attraction while giving riders the feeling of being on an out of control romp through the woods.
Raven's first drop is 110 feet, which begins an out and back adventure on a track that skirts nearby Lake Rudolph. The ride lasts a minute and forty eight seconds with speeds up to 48 miles per hour, and it is 2,731 feet long.
We love this ride. Many have called it "re-rideable" because of its excitement and smoothness.
Raven's first drop into the forest (Photo by Shredley)
Raven - riders scream through the waterfront banked turn (Photo by Joe Schwartz www.joyrides.com)
The Legend roller coaster was also designed by McNulty and Bill, and has been operating since 2000. Unlike the out and back configuration of the Raven, The Legend gives riders two minutes of twisting insanity. The theme is based on Ichabod Crane and The Headless Horseman. Riders have the feeling of fear and trepidation as if they were being chased by this evil entity. This coaster reaches speeds of 58 miles per hour, and features four tunnels, a double helix and a 113 foot drop. It is a rousing and breathtaking ride! We rode it again and again.
Enter The Legend (Photo by Shredley)
The Legend's first drop into turmoil (Photo by Shredley)
Joni and Shredley take a hair-raising front seat ride on The Legend
In 2006, Holiday World shocked the roller coaster community by introducing an unbelievable super-fast, super-long, and super-electrifying thrill ride called Voyage. It was designed by The Gravity Group, and, at a length of 6,442 feet, it is the third longest wooden roller coaster in the world. Its first drop is 154 feet at a 66 degree angle. The ride reaches speeds of almost 70 miles per hour and lasts almost three minutes. This hybrid coaster features a steel structure with a wooden track.
Voyage speeds through acres of land at Holiday World (Postcard Courtesy of Holiday World)
Voyage - the train slowly ascends the gigantic lift hill (Photo by Shredley)
Voyage - the first colossal drop (Photo Courtesy of Holiday World)
Voyage - the train flies through one of many superbanked turns (Photo Courtesy of Holiday World)
Our return to Holiday World, within a year, was specifically to ride Voyage. The first ride seemed to be pure chaos. The airtime is explosive, the curves are intense, and the many tunnels added to our disorientation. It took four rides for us to feel we had conquered this mammoth, overpowering scream machine.
Joni, Shredley, and Joyce take an incredible journey on Voyage (On-ride Photo by Holiday World)
We recently returned from the mainland and raised our roller coaster total together to 262 (since the year 2000). Many people have asked us which rides we like best. We'll divulge our favorite top ten wooden roller coasters in next month's column. Until then.
Much Aloha!
-Joni and Shredley
Next Installment: Chapter XXXVII: Our top ten favorite wooden roller coasters
Related Links:
www.holidayworld.com
www.rcdb.com
www.joyrides.com
www.aceonline.org
