Giga's Holiday World PTR

[gigacoaster2k]

There are A LOT of photos in this. Please bear with me.

I left my house at 4 am, hit up my GPS, and headed to Holiday World for HoliWood Nights.

On the drive down there, I started going into the hills of Kentucky (I took I75 south to I71 south to I64 east), and was astounded at how scenic the hills are. I'm aware that many of you live there, but the flatlands of Ohio just don't impress me. I like scenery when I'm driving, it keeps me from getting bored on a long drive.

While I was driving down I64, it got knocked down to one lane due to road construction. I followed this guy for over 10 miles who was cruising along at a speed of 40 mph.. and in a one lane road. I was ready to tear my hair out.

4 hours later, I finally see this sign, and I start getting excited!

I turned a corner, and THERE IT IS!! I actually started dancing in my seat, and I was shaking from excitement.

I arrived in the parking lot around 7:20 CDT. The HoliWood Nights group didn't have to meet until 8:15 am, so I just chilled in my car for a little bit. I got out of my car to stretch, and heard a door slam. I looked over to see three familiar faces.. Adam (pkiboy), and his friends Phil and Dave.

I got a great shot of Raven's sign on the side of the coaster from the parking lot.

I waited with them for the gates to open.. and realized that I didn't have my name badge for the event. A park employee gave me my name badge, a schedule, a flyer for a CoasterBuzz club event at the park, a pile of park coupons, my ERT ticket and my meal ticket.

A little bit later, we were all greeted by Pat Koch herself.

We were informed that the reason the park employees are so friendly is because they go through hospitality training. I was impressed. As we walked through the midway toward the waterpark ERT and breakfast, my jaw dropped and I was in awe at the sparkling clean midways, and the colorful and detailed theming throughout the park.

Here is what everyone calls "the praying fountain." The water rises and falls. I didn't even get the water at its full height.

We were taken to umbrella-covered tables in the Bahari/Bakuli section of the waterpark. I was happy to see that they had fruit, muffins, orange juice, and milk for us at breakfast. I was getting more impressed with this park by the minute.. I appreciated that they had food selections that are good for you.

Voyage seen from the waterpark!

Fountain in the wave pool.

Waves (and people having fun) in the wave pool.. I didn't expect the waves to be that intense. They were really choppy!

The cement in the waterpark is pressed with seashells and other sea-related objects to make it look like sand. I thought this was really cool.

Dave headed off to the waterpark, and Phil wanted to chill for a minute, so Adam and I went to see if Voyage was open.. which it was! Here's a photo I took while walking over from the waterpark!

I was so excited to be hitting Voyage first, I was literally shaking. So many people have raved about this coaster and gotten me pumped to ride it, and I was finally getting to ride it. My first ride was in the rear seat..

HOLY ****.

I do not even have a word to describe the intense, air-loaded, amazing, breakneck-speed ride experience that left me completely speechless for several minutes afterward. That thing is so fast it feels like you're going to fly off the track. That coaster alone was worth the 4 hour drive.. and no, I'm not exaggerating any of this.

We ran back for a second ride.. my God. I can't get over that coaster and how it pretty much destroys everything I've ever ridden.

Adam, Phil and I went to ride Legend. I was afraid that since I'd ridden the bad boy first, that it would overshadow Legend.. not a chance. Legend has some breakneck speeds and plasters you to the left side of your seat. I found Legend to be a pretty amazing ride as well.

Then we decided to hit Raven. I'm not sure I enjoyed this one as much as the other two. Raven is a great ride, but it is too short.

Phil was hungry, so we went to get some food. On the way, we found a few park maps laying around. Adam and I started joking about handing them out. I tried, but I got some weird looks. I dropped one in this guy's kiddy wagon and the kid started playing with it.. the dad looked at me like I was from another planet and Adam about died laughing. I grabbed a table and took photos while Adam and Phil got some grub.

Legend theming. I love how the theming in this park is done.

Here's what I think of Holiday world so far! Trim-free wooden coasters, free soda/Gatorade, free sunscreen, awesome theming, friendly employees, clean midways, and low food prices! Angie is happy!

What are they trying to say with this womens' bathroom sign?

Adam and I were getting hyper from all the free sugary drinks.

This is what we think of Holiday World.

This is what we think of Raven.

(Better and more relevant photos coming soon, I promise!)

It was getting hot outside very fast, and that meant it was time to hit the ride that was the reason I wore my bikini under my clothes: the ridiculously tall and somewhat intimidating Pilgrims Plunge. Phil didn't really want to ride, so he hung back while Adam and I got in line for the world's tallest water ride.

The fan in the queue is HUGE. I had to take a picture of it.

We rode in the second seat from the back. I was fine until we were queued, and I got scared.. no joke. I was freaking out. I was screaming at Adam asking him what the **** I was doing riding this as we rode the lazy river toward the bottom of this towering steel elevator. When we started going up, suddenly I was excited. It takes you up so fast, and then you hang there for a few seconds just looking down.. then down you go at a 45 degree angle from a distance of 165 feet! We hit the bottom and it was just kind of spraying, but at the very end, this big wave came up from the front and drenched us to the bone! It was insane!

I was impressed by the capacity of this thing. Each boat holds 10 people, and they run 2 boats at a time. On the elevator lift, one boat goes up one side as one elevator piece goes down the other side. The queue never stopped moving.

The three of us hit Voyage again, much to our delight.

Adam's question to me was "Want to ride Voyage?" (Gee, let me think about that for a second!)

Enjoy a Voyage photo.

We headed back over to Raven, and it was sprinkling. Word to the wise: DO NOT ride trimless wooden coasters in the rain.. ow ow owie ow. I wanted to ride Legend again, and it was here that we met up with Nick (dare to fly) so he rode with us.

Random photo of Voyage and Pilgrims Plunge.

Nick, Phil, Adam, Nick's friend and I all headed for another ride on Voyage. Enjoy some more Voyage photos.

Nick, Phil, Adam, and I in Voyage's queue.

I had never ridden Liberty Launch, so we all headed over to the Fourth of July section of the park.

By this time, it was very hot and I was starting to feel burn even though I had applied sunscreen. Oddly enough, just as I thought that to myself, I walked past this.

Liberty Launch really wasn't that impressive to me. It feels to me like a smaller version of Power Tower's space shot.

Swings, and more theming.

Now, the photos you have all been waiting for: walkback photos!

First walkback was Legend and Raven. I'll just let you enjoy.

Legend.

Raven.

I like the usage of the terrain.

We went to get something to eat before the Voyage walkback.

All this was only $7.49.. no, I'm not joking.

We squeezed in a ride on Raven, and then headed over to the Thanksgiving-themed area of the park where my precious Voyage lies.

One more shot of the Plunge before the Voyage walkback.

Next post: VOYAGE WALKBACK PHOTOS!

[gigacoaster2k]

Now here's the big thing I've been waiting for. I am so happy that I got to be a part of this.. and they took us ALL THE WAY BACK.

Here, my dear friends, are your Voyage walkback photos.

Enjoy.

Voyage track in your face.

90 DEGREEEEEEES!!

After this, Adam and I decided that we just had to ride it again, so off to Voyage we went. Then we decided to get our last park credit and ride Howler, the shaky Zamperla kiddie coaster. What's hilarious is that the kid in the front row yelled "I wanna go again!" so we got a re-ride. We headed back over to Legend, and then hit Voyage again.

Voyage is well themed too. It feels like you're in a ship as soon as you walk into the queue.

By this time, we were starting to wear out a little, especially since the temperature hit over 90 and the sun wasn't helping.

I took some more photos of things in the park while we walked around with some drinks to cool off. Some of you might like this one.

Welcome HoliWoo Nights?

Epic win.

More park theming.

Not just at Kings Island anymore!

While we were sitting down, Adam had to sneeze. So he grabs a park map and sneezes into it.. I almost died. I haven't let him live that down, and I'm not going to.

We bought some souvenirs, and threw them all in my car since Dave (Adam and Phil's driver) was nowhere to be found. We re-entered the park and headed over to the picnic grove for our meal, and to wait until the park cleared out (we had ERT scheduled from 9 pm to midnight, park closes at 8:30).

Here is where the night takes a bit of a scary twist.

I got a text from my mom that some bad weather was on the way, and checked the radar on my phone. I was horrified to see a big mess of red and yellow heading straight for Holiday World. It started lightning and thundering, and Voyage was still running. We thought it was just storms until I get a frantic phone call from Dustin (pkiruler102) telling me there's a tornado warning in Mason and that he and his group are trapped in the FOF building. I flipped out and called everyone I knew in Cincy and told them to get to shelter now.

The weather was getting worse and worse.. it started hailing to the point where we couldn't see 10 feet past the edge of the picnic building.

I then get a frantic phone call from Kat telling me I need to be watching the sky like a hawk because there are reports of tornadoes by Holiday World. I checked my radar and felt the color drain from my face when I saw that the hail/thunderstorm that had just passed us had produced a tornado not too far away. I was at a point where I just wanted to cry. 1. I'm terrified of tornadoes, and 2. I was really upset thinking we wouldn't get ERT after I drove all this way. I was so depressed at this point, I didn't know what to do.

It finally stopped around 9:45 pm, and they let us back in the park and started everything up for ERT. I was ecstatic. I did not want to come all this way and miss out on this.

Adam and I were first in line for the front seat for my first night ride on Voyage. This is an experience I cannot describe. NOTHING beats a night ride on Voyage. NOTHING.

We headed for Legend, and then Raven for a night ride, and then back to Voyage. We were informed that bad weather was in the area again, so we squeezed in 3 more night rides on Voyage. We could see a ghostly white thunderhead against the black night sky as we climbed the lift hill, and saw a fantastic bolt of lightning in the thunderhead as we dove into the first underground tunnel.

Night rides on Voyage with lightning in the sky was an experience unlike anything I'd ever dreamed of.

The lightning was getting closer than we liked, and we were starting to hear thunder. My eyes filled with tears as I realized we were really leaving. I blew a kiss at Voyage and told it goodbye. As we left the park, I knelt down, kissed my hand, and slapped it on the ground.. I couldn't help it. I fell in love with Holiday World.

Ride count:

Voyage - 10

Legend - 4

Raven - 4

Howler - 2

Pilgrims Plunge - 1

Liberty Launch - 1

[The Interpreter]

Great Trip Report.

That praying fountain is actually in honor of Holiday World receiving the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions' famed Applause Award...(two hands clapping!)

[gigacoaster2k]

I just added 4 Voyage walkback photos that I missed the first time.

[DropZone99]

Super awesome PTR! I loved it, and I actually felt like I went to Holiwood Nights from reading it. Seems you had a great time, I really wish I could of came! And I can only imagine how amazing Night ERT on Voyage during Lightning would be!

[Avatar]

Wow Angie that was a great trip report!!!! Looks and sounds like it was worth your trip and I am glad you like Holiday World, I never understood why some seem to want to down play their success. Thanks for posting I enjoyed the read.

[DaveStroem]

Great TR as always. I would have loved to have gone to Holiwood Nights, but since I am self employed and work Saturdays this was out. In retrospect this last Saturday was a total bust with only 2 customers in the entire day.

The only time I was there was pre-voyage. I sure hope we can squeeze a HW trip in this year.

Cya at CoasterMania. Are you going up Friday or Saturday Morning?

[KIfan1980]

Awesome PTR. Thanks for sharing - I especially like the Legend and Raven structure pictures. I'm always impressed with the engineering and construction that goes into a wooden coaster.

I'll have to find a way to make it to Holiday World at some point.

[BavarianBeatle]

Wonderful! I took my kids last year. It was the first trip ever for all of us! A friend gave me very good advice to go there because I found it as wonderful as you did!! I may have said this before, but after getting the second train of the day on The Voyage in the back car, I got off of the ride thinking that "if I had to leave now, this trip was worth the 3 hour drive...." I did make the mistake of leaving my keys in my left pocket on my first Legend ride. I thought "That's gonna leave a mark!" It did. A nice purple one! But we loved HW and will be going back this year. Thanks for the great TR!!

[Aaron88stang]

Nice PTR. I was there too, but my party skipped out on the Saturday night ERT when the weather showed up. We did however do the Friday night ERT. When we arrived Friday Legend and Pilgrims Plunge were both down and had been all day. During the Friday night get together in the picnic area Will Koch told us all teh nature of the problems and informed us that Legend would be up for ERT and Pilgrims Plunge would most likely be up Saturday due to the park (and Will) going above and beyond to get the replacement parts needed to get them both operating. This little park really does a great job and that Applause Award is well deserved.

[gigacoaster2k]

Anyone who has not been to Holiday World, you owe it to yourself (and whoever may go with you) to make a trip out there.

Before this trip, I thought that this would be a one time trip because I just wanted to visit a new park. After the outstanding experience I had at Holiday World, I am seriously considering buying a season pass.. I'm THAT impressed.

[BavarianBeatle]

Anyone who has not been to Holiday World, you owe it to yourself (and whoever may go with you) to make a trip out there.

Before this trip, I thought that this would be a one time trip because I just wanted to visit a new park. After the outstanding experience I had at Holiday World, I am seriously considering buying a season pass.. I'm THAT impressed.

My kids said exactly the same thing!! HW reminded me, in some ways, of Geauga Lake before Six Flags, which I used to enjoy very much.

[FOFreak]

Its good to see my dear Voyage get the respect that it deserves! Actually if I get on my roof, I can see I quite a bit of its hills!

And quite frankly, I belive that our Udderly Blue Ice Cream stand has been there longer than Kings Island has thiers! Just some FYI for ya'!

[gigacoaster2k]

I forgot a very important photo (to me, anyway) that I would like to share.

One of my acquaintances from other coaster events was sitting across the table from me at the picnic grove. He won a wheel from Voyage at the auction, and was passing it around. So here I am with a Voyage wheel in my hands (that thing wasn't light!).

[violakat03]

That's too funny. They gave away a coaster wheel at ACE Dives! too. It was for a coaster that doesn't exist anymore. I won a commemorative coin for Hypersonic XLC, which used to be at Kings Dominion.

[The Interpreter]

I really hate to bust anyone's bubble, but Udderly Blue debuted at Holiday World many years after the blue softserve at what was then Huckleberry's Dairy...(where IS WooferBearATL when you need him?)

[FOFreak]

Yes! Score one for the Freak!

[Hoeter]

Nice PTR. Pilgrim's Plunge looks awesome, as do Raven and Voyage. I'll definately have to check out Holiday World.

[Beast79]

Nice report, I have been wanting to go back since 2006, night rides on Voyage is just amazing. After my first ride on Voyage I took off my beast t-shirt and bought a voyage shirt to wear for the rest of the day. I'm surprised you didn't mention the awesome drop after the mid-course block breaks. The Gravity Group did a good job with Voyage. From the size of the wheel it looks to be a side friction or and up stop wheel.

[UnrealNightmare]

Yes! Score one for the Freak!

I think what Terpy was saying is that it was at Kings Island before it was at Holiday World.

[gigacoaster2k]

I also failed to mention that at one point during the day, Adam and I got to shake hands with Korey Keipert himself and we told him how much we love Voyage. Really nice guy too.

[UnrealNightmare]

I'm glad you had a good time at Holiday World. I have only ever been there once, and I can't wait to return. Hope to meet up with you guys at Coastermania this weekend.

[The Interpreter]

Yes! Score one for the Freak!

I think what Terpy was saying is that it was at Kings Island before it was at Holiday World.

Yep. And long before at that....

[cassie_KY]

Hey Miss Giga, I saw you all running around on Saturday. We were a cycle behind you on Pilgrim's Plunge. I laughed out loud at your expression coming back from the front seat Voyage ride after the weather cleared up. I totally understood how you felt.

Did you get to ride Voyage as the evening progressed? Coolest coaster riding experience in my life. I am typing on my trip report and will put it and some other pictures in there.

I agree with the guys from Gravity Group being so wonderful. On the Voyage walkback, we stood around Korey and listened to his explanations on why they designed the turnaround the way they did and just how cool an idea it was to have three ninety degree turns on the ride. He didn't have to be that friendly or partipate to the degree that he did and that was no nice.

I don't think I can say enough good things about Holiday World, but will shut up now and get to typing on my backlog of trip reports.

[gad198]

Voyage was running absolutely insane after the rain on Saturday! The combination of diving down into pitch darkness and rising up to see lightning out in the distance made for the best coaster rides I've ever experienced.

I'd be willing to say that a trimless, pitch black Beast ride might come close, but even then I can't imagine that it would have the same ferocity as those Voyage rides had. I was on the train with the gentleman who was on his 100th ride of the day. I still don't know how he did it!

Holiwood Nights is something everyone needs to do at some point!

[cassie_KY]

^ That's exactly what I am talking about. It seemed like the lightning timed to going in the tunnels or right when we plunged down a drop. Just... wow!

[gigacoaster2k]

Hey Miss Giga, I saw you all running around on Saturday. We were a cycle behind you on Pilgrim's Plunge. I laughed out loud at your expression coming back from the front seat Voyage ride after the weather cleared up. I totally understood how you felt.

Cassie, why didn't you come up and introduce yourself? We're always willing to include another KIC member and/or their friend in our riding group!

Voyage alone was worth the 4+ hour drive. That coaster is downright out of control. I can't get enough. Riding on a wet track in total darkness with lightning in the sky was just out of this world amazing.

By the way, another thanks to Adam, Phil, and Dave for letting me crash with you guys. I was planning to drive home that night. Adam and Phil saw how tired I was getting, said that they didn't want anything to happen to me, and insisted that I stay at their hotel room. That was really appreciated.. I didn't realize how tired I was until I sat down, and was out almost as soon as I laid down.

[KIfan73]

Great TR! HW might be my first "new" amusement park trip this summer.

You are just as enthusiastic in your TRs as you are in person!

[Beast79]

Was Korey the only one from Gravity Group there, they are the best group of guys you'll ever meet. Mike Graham and I go to the same church.

[cassie_KY]

Chad (didn't catch last name) was there also. Part of the event consisted of a live auction and both guys auctioned off 30 minutes of their time for a personal meeting. All proceeds went to the Christmas Museum. I thought that was really nice! Korey brought his laptop and all types of goodies for the winning person to look through. I can't remember how much each went for, but over $200 for Korey and something similar for Chad.