Amusement Parks: Holiday World - ‘Voyage' Named #1 by 'Los Angeles Times' Blooloop

One of the nation’s largest newspapers has released its list of the Top 10 Wooden Coasters in the U.S., including two coasters from Holiday World.

The Los Angeles Times named The Voyage the nation’s #1 wooden coaster; The Raven ranked #7.

“We were all smiles when we got the news, ” says Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari president Will Koch. “The list includes incredible wooden coasters from all over the country.”

Holiday World was the only park to have two coasters on the list. The list of other parks with a top-ten coaster includes Hersheypark, Dollywood and Six Flags Great Adventure.

The L.A. Times is also conducting an online poll so that readers can vote for their favorite coaster on the list. Currently, The Voyage is leading with 42 percent of the vote.

When The Voyage opens for the season on May 1, it will feel faster and a lot smoother, thanks to a new set of trains, engineered by the same team who designed the record-breaking coaster. The wheels on the new Timberliner trains are engineered to steer through curves as they move along the coaster track, creating a smoother ride and less wear and tear on the track. The seats are ergonomically designed for greater comfort, including an exclusive seat-suspension design. The padded seats will also accommodate wider-hipped and longer-legged riders.

The Voyage is 1.2 miles long and provides a record 24.2 seconds of “air time.” This steel-structure wooden coaster, ranked the #1 Wooden Coaster in the World by Amusement Today for three years running, includes a record five underground tunnels (some are double, creating eight “underground moments”), a series of dramatic drops (including a 66-degree angle of descent on the first drop), three 90-degree banked turns, and multiple track crossovers.

Holiday World’s 64th season begins May 1; the premiere of the World’s Longest Water Coaster, Wildebeest, is May 14, Splashin’ Safari’s opening day. For more information about Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, visit the parks’ website at www.HolidayWorld.com or call 1-877-463-2645.