Anybody ever been to Holiday World?

[Bud Parsley]

I hear this place is very cool: a themed park with "lands" that are themed to certain holidays: Christmas, Halloween, etc.

Three world-class woodies including the new Voyage which is being called hands-down the best coaster in the country, wood or steel. For those who don't know much about this ride, this is the one that stole the "underground tunnels" record from Tremors with 5, plus it has a massive lift hill, long ride, plenty of twists, airtime, and turns including some of those sweet 90-degree banked turns.

I've seen some pics and this thing looks amazing. Just wondering about the park in general (including this ride if you've been on it). Thinking this might be on my next stop of theme parks to visit.

[65skylark]

I was thinking about going in late September when the wife and I hit Dollywood for Rideworld's Night of Thunder 3 coaster event but we decided to go to SFOG instead. Partly because other people we know are heading down there and partly because I REALLY want to get a ride on there new B&M hyper, Goliath.

I have personally talked with a few people (both of whom have over 400 credits including Millennium Force and the S;ROS's) and they say The Voyage beats anything they have ever been on, wood or steel.

From everything I have read and heard Holiday World is one of the best run parks you will ever see.

[Bud Parsley]

^Funny you say that Skylark.

When I was at Coastermania at Cedar Point a couple of months ago, there was a guy who had a Voyage t-shirt on. The people we were chatting with asked him how it was. His response was "I've been on over 300 coasters and it is hands down the best."

[skinnyguy]

Out of curiosity, I went over to RCDB to check out pictures of this ride...it looks amazing! I can see why people say it's the best coaster...it looks like it kicks the crap out of Tremors and TT!! Forget my earlier comment about being burnt out on wooden coasters....if Silverwood added something like this, that would make me very happy!

Let me know when you're headed that way, Bud....I may just have to tag along with you. That coaster just looks awesome...the drop is so huge!!! And I've never seen anything like those 90 degree banked turns....which designer did this? It looks like CCI, but I thought they weren't making coasters anymore.

[65skylark]

^ Gravity Group, LLC. A lot of former CCI employees work there.

The Voyage, along with Hades at Mt Olympus, is the reason I have been saying I would WAY rather see Silverwood put in another woodie. You can build a woodie like The Voyage for less than half the cost of a top quality steel coaster and most people who have been on The Voyage like it better than almost any B&M or Intamin out there.

Here's a good picture of Hades with the lights on in the tunnel. Longest tunnel on any coaster in the world, wood or steel.

[skinnyguy]

^yeah, I wouldn't mind if SW put one of these in as their next coaster....like I said it looks way better than Tremors and TT. Wouldn't be a bad idea. What other coasters has Gravity Group built other than Hades and Voyage? Anything closer to the northwest?

[65skylark]

^ They are the only two coasters so far. Gravity Group has only been in buisness for three years. Holiday World just posted on there blog a few weeks ago that "another" theme park owner (they wouldn't say who) was there riding The Voyage because he was planning on contracting Gravity Group to put in a coaster in his park. I have a feeling we will be seeing many more coasters by them in the years to come. Between Gravity Group, GCI, S&S, and Intamin, there are at least 4 very good, proven, wooden coaster companies out there.

[styvx]

yup, gravity group is amazing.

puts tremors and timber terror to shame.