Holiday World

[Rallyomalley]

I was just informed by my visiting mother-in-law and the wife that we are going to Holiday World on Monday the 3rd.  We've never been so I could use some pointers. The current plan is to be in the parking lot by 0900 as the park opens at 1000. Weather is supposed to be warm, high 80s, with only a slight chance of scattered showers.

I've done all the homework and checked out all their info online, but I figured the folks here would be a better resource than the park website.

Any suggestions on where/what to eat, ride order or anything to help make the trip more enjoyable feel free to comment.

[silver2005]

If you don't mind scaling Mt Thunderbird, there's a pretty good BBQ place up there.  

The reason I call it Mt Thunderbird is because HW is pretty hilly.  Its great for supporting 3 great terrain based woodies, but its a bit hard on the legs.  

Aside from the coasters, the smaller rides are worth a round or two.  I liked Frightful Falls and Liberty Launch a lot.  

Other than that, it's a small enough park where you can take your time.  

[King Ding Dong]

^ Never been there.  Is it any worse than climbing the towers at a water park?

[IndyGuy4KI]

Some responses might be a lot different if we knew if you were going to the water park as well.

Some people will hit the Coasters before going to the water park. I would hit Raven, Legend, voyage then Thunderbird. Then I would start riding some of the flats coming from the back to the front. As you start making your way towards the front the waterpark will open and most of the lines for everything at the front of the park will be a lot shorter.

Now if you're heading to the water park I suggest getting there as quick as possible and hitting the water coasters first.

[Rallyomalley]

Thanks for the responses.  We have the option to hit the water park, and are packing for it but aren't sure whether to hit the coasters first or the water park first.

I'm more stoked to get some laps on Legend and Voyage than anything else.  I'd like to go about everything in the most efficient way.

[jcgoble3]

The main draw for the general public is the waterpark, so they will start migrating from the dry park to the waterpark in the early afternoon. I recommend hitting the waterpark first thing when it opens, before it fills up with the masses, and going directly from rope drop to Wildebeest and Mammoth, as they will have the longest lines later on. After that, hit the other big slides while lines are short. Around early to mid-afternoon, as the general public migrates to the waterpark, dry off, change clothes, and head back into the dry park to take advantage of relatively short lines on the coasters (caused by the masses being in the waterpark).

Before waterpark rope drop, you have about an hour or so (not sure precisely how long). Use that time to make a beeline from main park rope drop to Thanksgiving and ride Voyage and Thunderbird, as most of the GP will start in Halloween* with Raven and Legend, since that section is closest to the front gate. Raven and Legend will have shorter lines in the afternoon when all those GP peeps are in the waterpark. After Voyage and Thunderbird, head for the waterpark, change clothes, and get your stuff in a locker (lockers and changing rooms are outside the waterpark gate and accessible as soon as the main park opens) to prepare for waterpark rope drop.

*Note that I haven't actually visited Holiday World on a public operating day since 2014, so I don't know what effect, if any, Thunderbird has had on that behavior. I suspect very little, but I welcome correction from those who have been there more recently.

[silver2005]

Thunderbird and Voyage are walk on or very close to it at the park opening.  

[TheRickster]

I'm debating going there on the 11th. But can't make up my mind if it's going to be worth the drive if I'm not a big water park person.

[Oldiesmann]

@TheRickster - It's definitely worth the drive. They've got a great collection of rides and it's a fun atmosphere (actual themed areas) with something for everyone. Also, don't discount the waterpark. I'm not a big waterpark person either and easily spent the better part of 6 hours there when I first visited the park a few years ago. Granted, it was 95 that day, but even so, I thoroughly enjoyed it and the water coasters are a must.

@Rallyomalley I also highly recommend Plymouth Rock Cafe. It's not the cheapest place in the park, but the food is delicious and it's a great value for what you get.

[MDMC01]

8 hours ago, jcgoble3 said:

Before waterpark rope drop, you have about an hour or so (not sure precisely how long). Use that time to make a beeline from main park rope drop to Thanksgiving and ride Voyage and Thunderbird, as most of the GP will start in Halloween* with Raven and Legend, since that section is closest to the front gate. Raven and Legend will have shorter lines in the afternoon when all those GP peeps are in the waterpark. After Voyage and Thunderbird, head for the waterpark, change clothes, and get your stuff in a locker (lockers and changing rooms are outside the waterpark gate and accessible as soon as the main park opens) to prepare for waterpark rope drop.

*Note that I haven't actually visited Holiday World on a public operating day since 2014, so I don't know what effect, if any, Thunderbird has had on that behavior. I suspect very little, but I welcome correction from those who have been there more recently.

As of 2016, that is still true. Specifically, 1/3 of the people (including myself) headed to Raven following rope drop.

[silver2005]

BTW, you have to be quite the trooper to head to T-bird at the rope drop. 

[PhantomTheater]

Remember that the park operates on central time.

[stashua123]

14 hours ago, PhantomTheater said:

Remember that the park operates on central time.

This.

My first trip to HW on June 8th 2016 was made both better and worse by the central time change, better for opening and close, because we thought we were arriving late but due to time change we arrived right on time! and due to poeple being confused about the closing time, the park EMPTIED at 7:00 PM CDT due to phones having to manually reset the time to go to CST(what I had to do), but wayyyy worse for the drive home which made us arrive later than we were anticipating.

HW is a GREAT park, be prepared that on some dead days by mid day they may switch some rollercoasters especially Raven and Legend to 1 train operation and Voyage to 2 train operation(I dont think they will EVER even on the deadest days go down to 1 train operation for Voyage for obvious reasons)

Ride Raven, Legend, Voyage, Thunderbird. In that order. Riding Raven last will make you feel slightly dissapointed like it did for me. 

The food is delicous, and the free drinks and sunscreen are quite convienent.

Thunderbird is a VERY excrucitating walk I must say, but it is worth it, it is kind of like an oasis once you get up there through a long hard desert walk lol.  

DO NOT miss out on the Waterpark, Mammoth ALONE makes it worth it, Wildebeest makes it a must visit. All the other slides, wave pool, lazy river are also as well awesome!

I will be visiting there again in late July and I already cannot wait!  

 

 

[FoF96"]

^ literally every time I've been, Voyage has been on 1 train operation.

[silver2005]

I rode Raven last to make it #70 and I still found it pretty good.   Unfortunately, I only rode it once over 2 days due to maintenance issues. 

All 3 woodies deliver great night rides as well.  

silver2005, a Legend lover. 

[stashua123]

8 minutes ago, FoF96" said:

^ literally every time I've been, Voyage has been on 1 train operation.

That must be unfortunate luck then! 

I went on an EXTREMELY dead June day that was achingly perfect yet it was still running two trains all the way up to close. 

2 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

I rode Raven last to make it #70 and I still found it pretty good.   Unfortunately, I only rode it once over 2 days due to maintenance issues. 

All 3 woodies deliver great night rides as well.  

silver2005, a Legend lover. 

I LOVE Legend as well, I rode that one first. Raven was down in the morning. Legend in my opinion is very underrated, I just dont understand all the "meh" reactions the ride gets. 

I think Raven is a great rollercoaster, just not as great as Legend or Voyage.

[Rallyomalley]

Thanks for all the replies.  I found some info on another site where one of the owners (I think she's one of the sisters) post and she had said the 1st week of July and the 4th is traditionally slow.  

My plan was to try to hit Legend, Voyage, then lockers on the way to Thunderbird and try to get those out of the way before the water park opens at 11.  Then to the water coasters for a few hours.  

Weather says 91 with a slight passing chance for showers.  We're planning on staying until close, not sure how dark it'll be at 9.  But I'd like to get multiple laps on Legend and Voyage, I've been dying to ride them.  I told the wife to wear her big boy pants so she's prepped for some walking. 

[jcgoble3]

1 hour ago, Rallyomalley said:

My plan was to try to hit Legend, Voyage, then lockers on the way to Thunderbird

The waterpark entrance is between Legend and Voyage, but much closer to Legend than Voyage, so you'll want to hit the lockers before Voyage. Waiting until after Voyage means quite a bit of backtracking, and in a park with that many hills, you want to avoid backtracking.

[TheRickster]

I'm still debating going, I probably honestly won't go to the waterpark at all since I'd likely be by myself and be way to self conscious. 

Any idea if Thunderbird has the longer belts in 4 and 5? I can fit on Banshee but it's tight and they have to give it a good nudge. Will HW be accommodating in helping with this or are they a bit hands off?

[Rallyomalley]

15 hours ago, jcgoble3 said:

The waterpark entrance is between Legend and Voyage, but much closer to Legend than Voyage, so you'll want to hit the lockers before Voyage. Waiting until after Voyage means quite a bit of backtracking, and in a park with that many hills, you want to avoid backtracking.

 

Stupid question, but do you know if backpacks can be left in the station while riding?  Based on your recommended route, we'd have the backpack for Legend and Voyage, then put it in a locker after Voyage.

[McSalsa]

In addition to everything already posted here, I can offer 1 more tip based on my trips to Holiday World- for a amazing view of the Waterpark as well as Voyage (and now probably Thunderbird- my last visit to HW was in 2013 so it wasn't there yet), while in the waterpark, go to ride the gigantic purple waterslide known as ZOOMbabwe. It is over 100 feet tall, and on the edge of the waterpark, so you can see nearly every other waterslide from there. Also should Legend be running (witch it should unless it breaks down), do note that it passes directly under ZOOMbabwe and when it does the entire structure shakes (same thing happens to the giant funnel slide, Zinga, next door as well as Legend passes by that one too) which can be intimidating. Also after getting the amazing view you'll probably have to ride ZOOMbabwe and it is one of the more intense and scary waterslides they have, given that not only is it huge, but the entire slide is in pitch black darkness. It's fun if you like intense, scary waterslides though.

[jcgoble3]

9 hours ago, Rallyomalley said:

 

Stupid question, but do you know if backpacks can be left in the station while riding?  Based on your recommended route, we'd have the backpack for Legend and Voyage, then put it in a locker after Voyage.

Yes, you can leave backpacks in the station on all three woodies. I don't know if that is true for Thunderbird, though.

Also, just to be clear: Legend (if you want to), then lockers, THEN Voyage without the backpacks. Repeat: Legend, lockers, Voyage, in that order. Trust me on that. Your legs will thank you later, because you reeeeeeaaaaalllly don't want to backtrack from Voyage all the way to the waterpark lockers and then double back all the way through Thanksgiving. Comprende?

[silver2005]

I believe you can leave loose articles in the station on T-bird.  I'm about 65% sure on that.  I didn't have anything loose on me there.  Also, I don't remember there being lockers atop of Mt Thunderbird.  

[Rallyomalley]

15 minutes ago, jcgoble3 said:

Yes, you can leave backpacks in the station on all three woodies. I don't know if that is true for Thunderbird, though.

Also, just to be clear: Legend (if you want to), then lockers, THEN Voyage without the backpacks. Repeat: Legend, lockers, Voyage, in that order. Trust me on that. Your legs will thank you later, because you reeeeeeaaaaalllly don't want to backtrack from Voyage all the way to the waterpark lockers and then double back all the way through Thanksgiving. Comprende?

Got it.  Legend. Lockers. Voyage.  That answers my next question which was if we'd be able to get to those water park lockers before the water park opens at 11.  We're planning on arriving at 9 and heading right to Legend when the rope drops.

[Gannersdaddy]

There are cubbies at Thunderbird.

[Rallyomalley]

Got here on time and everything.... And Voyage is down.

 

Edit:Raven and Legend are also down.

[jcgoble3]

12 hours ago, Rallyomalley said:

Got here on time and everything.... And Voyage is down.

 

Edit:Raven and Legend are also down.

Yikes! I hope the day improved after that?

[silver2005]

Sounds like the first day of my trip last summer, though at least I had Voyage.  

Are Raven and Legend prone to downtime or something?

[Rallyomalley]

44 minutes ago, jcgoble3 said:

Yikes! I hope the day improved after that?

Well, Thunderbird was the only thing open for the first few hours we were there.  I did however splurge and put in 5 laps on Thunderbird, 5 on Voyage, 2 legend, and 1 Raven.

32 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

Sounds like the first day of my trip last summer, though at least I had Voyage.  

Are Raven and Legend prone to downtime or something?

Legend opened around 1 or so, Voyage at about 2.  Both rides went back down later in the afternoon.  No joke, I was making smalltalk with one of the Voyage ops and I asked whether the downtime was mechanical or weather and if it was down frequently.  She said, "well we only have so many mechanics, and when everything is down they have to prioritize what to fix first. 

Because I chose to binge on the coasters, the only thing we got to in the waterpark was 1 Wildebeest. A lot of folks I spoke to had commented that the attractions were experiencing unusual amounts of downtime.  They were even having problems with the flat rides like Mayflower and that chicken/Turkey spinning ride.

My wife made the Executive Decision and added the consecutive day so I'm unexpectedly in a Holiday Inn about 30 minutes north of the park staring at tomorrow's forecast and wondering if this adventure "has a low statistical probability of success."

 

Edit: Voyage night ride with a slight drizzle. Ermahgerd.

[TheRickster]

Would it do a disservice to do this park and Kentucky Kingdom the same day? I tend to kind of like to experience the parks and I don't always like to just hit the big coasters and blow back out the gate. But both parks are on the smaller end and technically Holiday World as far as the clock goes is 20-30 minutes away from KK. (they are an hour behind). I doubt I'll be taking advantage of the waterpark and I'd be going to KK first to make the best of the timezone advantage at HW.

 

Thoughts?