SANTA CLAUS, Ind., Aug. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Good Gravy! family roller coaster will open to the public May 2024 at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, located in its Thanksgiving section. The coaster, manufactured by Dutch company Vekoma Rides, is a family boomerang, the first of its kind to open in North America.
Guests will board a train shaped like a giant gravy boat, which will be pulled backward uphill before flying forward through the station onto cranberry-colored track, hitting a maximum speed of 37 miles per hour on the 1,500-foot journey. The train will fly through a giant cranberry jelly can before narrowly avoiding giant kitchen accoutrement, such as a 20-foot-tall whisk and an 18-foot-tall rolling pin before flying up a 77-foot-tall spike and repeating the journey backwards. The coaster has a 38-inch height requirement, so children approximately 3 years old can ride along with the whole family.
“We’ve been family-owned since 1946, and we value good, clean family fun,” says Fourth-Generation Owner, Leah Koch-Blumhardt. “Good Gravy! may not be the tallest or fastest coaster being built in 2024, but it is the family-est coaster. Here at Holiday World, families are our bread and butter.”
America’s First Theme Park, located in Santa Claus, Ind. began as Santa Claus Land in 1946 and expanded to include Halloween, the Fourth of July, and Thanksgiving sections after it was renamed Holiday World. The park is famous for its outstanding value, offering free unlimited soft drinks, sunscreen, and parking to all Guests, as well as free Pre-K Season Passes for qualifying children.
“We’re making a meal out of this Thanksgiving-themed coaster,” says Fourth-Generation Owner, Lauren Crosby. “This coaster is guaranteed to be the graviest coaster anyone has ever seen, and the queue will take you back in time to Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma’s house.”
The full addition includes a Stuffing Springs area, complete with a children’s play area, benches, and shade, as well as a Dippin’ Dots stand made from a refurbished 1964 Airstream Camper.
“Good Gravy! is a coaster experience for everyone,” adds Ricardo Tonding Etges, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Vekoma Rides in the Americas region. “We created a “family-thrill” experience with a fantastic blend of elements, including two drops, exciting speed and maneuvers, and a stretched-out layout that interacts nicely with the ride area and Guests. Visitors will love it. The theme of the coaster cars is the icing on the cake. Vekoma is extremely excited about the project and grateful for the excellent collaboration with the Holiday World team.”
“We’re proud to be building our first Vekoma roller coaster. The company has a stellar reputation, and it is well-deserved,” says Koch-Blumhardt. “As for the theme, this coaster might be a little corny, but that’s exactly who we are. We’ve always been as cheesy as grandma’s potatoes au gratin. We’re stuffing this ride full of puns and giving families pumpkin new to talk about.”
Holiday World and Good Gravy! will open to Season Passholders May 4 & 5, 2024 and open to the public May 11, 2024. 2024 Season Passes are on sale now.
Contact:
Sabrina Jones
[email protected]
SOURCE Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
