Thunderbird (Holiday World)

Thunderbird is a steel roller coaster in the Thanksgiving section of Holiday World & Splashin' Safari amusement park in Santa Claus, Indiana. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened in 2015 as the eighth Wing Coaster in the world and the fourth in the United States.

"Thunderbird (roller coaster)" redirects here. For the roller coaster in Finland, see Thunderbird (PowerPark).
Thunderbird
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari
LocationHoliday World & Splashin' Safari
Park sectionThanksgiving
Coordinates38.124246°N 86.908957°W / 38.124246; -86.908957
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateApril 24, 2015 (2015-04-24)
Opening dateApril 25, 2015 (2015-04-25)
Cost$22 million
General statistics
TypeSteel – Wing Coaster – Launched
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelWing Coaster
Lift/launch systemLSM
Height140 ft (43 m)
Length3,035 ft (925 m)
Speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Inversions4
Duration1:18
Capacity1,140 riders per hour
Acceleration0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds
Height restriction52–78 in (132–198 cm)
Trains2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train.
Thunderbird at RCDB
Pictures of Thunderbird at RCDB

Thunderbird is B&M's first launched coaster in sixteen years and their first launch coaster built in-house (The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure uses a launch system supplied by the park). The Wing Coaster reaches a speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds and features the tallest vertical loop on a Wing Coaster.[1] Thunderbird had its first test run on March 8, 2015 and opened to the public on April 24, 2015.[2]

History

On July 24, 2014, Holiday World announced that they would be opening Thunderbird for the 2015 season. It would be the park's first major steel coaster, as well as the first launched wing coaster in the United States. Thunderbird would also be the first roller coaster at the park to go upside down.[3] The track and supports began arriving at the park the following week.[4] By October, the first two inversions were topped off.[5] The new trains were shown off during IAAPA 2014.[6] Then, the track layout was completed on December 2, 2014.[7]

Ride experience

After loading in the station, the train moves forward and stops. Mist blows in front of the train and thunder sounds as the train launches to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds by linear synchronous motors. The train immediately goes into a 140 feet (43 m) Immelmann loop. After the first element, the train then goes down its first drop into a 125 feet (38 m) vertical loop, the tallest vertical loop on a Wing Coaster, surpassing Wild Eagle at Dollywood.[8] After the vertical loop, the train crosses over the valley between The Voyage's second and third hills, goes through an overbanked turn, and then an overbanked elevated spiral. The train then goes through a zero-g-roll parallel to The Voyage. After several curves next to The Voyage's triple-down drop and spaghetti bowl, the train dips down into a barn (which is the keyhole) where it then curves left back into the barn by doing an inline twist, crossing over The Voyage's underground tunnels. Once the inline twist ends the train enters the brake run. From the brake run, the track makes a right turn to another set of brakes before entering the station. One cycle of the ride lasts about 1 minute and 18 seconds.

Characteristics

Location
Thunderbird's first two inversions.

Thunderbird is located in the Thanksgiving theme section of the park along with The Voyage and it runs parallel and crosses over The Voyage twice: after the vertical loop and during the inline twist.[8]

PGAV Destinations is the theming designer for Thunderbird. The designers took the Thunderbird name and coaster design and created a visual theme of the legendary bird’s powerful flight through farms and forests of southern Indiana.[9]

Manufacturer

Thunderbird is a Wing Coaster model manufactured by Swiss roller coaster firm Bolliger & Mabillard. It is Holiday World & Splashin' Safaris first major steel roller coaster. Thunderbird is the eighth Wing Coaster to be built and the fourth in the United States, the others being X-Flight at Six Flags Great America, Wild Eagle at Dollywood and GateKeeper at Cedar Point.[10][11] Thunderbird is the first Bolliger & Mabillard coaster to utilize an LSM launch. An earlier launched coaster, The Incredible Hulk roller coaster at Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando, utilizes a pinch-wheel drive system that was designed exclusively for Universal Studios by Universal Creative.[12]

Trains

Thunderbird operates with two open-air steel and fiberglass trains, each with five cars of four seats each, with two on each side of the track. Each train holds 20 riders and the ride has a capacity of about 1,140 riders per hour. Because the seats are on the side of the track, a cantilevered steel arm is used to support the wings.[13]

Track

Thunderbird's steel track is 3,035 feet (925 m) long and the tallest part of the ride is the first inversion, an Immelmann loop at 140 feet (43 m).

Reception

Thunderbird was ranked in the Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards for best new ride of 2015 with 9.5% of the vote, to come in fifth place.[14]

Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride for 2015
Ranking
5[14]

References
  1. McCleery, Bill (July 24, 2014). "Holiday World takes flight with $22M Thunderbird wing coaster". Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  2. Thunderbird Official Test Video
  3. "Holiday World adds $22M Thunderbird wing coaster".
  4. ""Orange is the New Track!..." - Holiday World Facebook post".
  5. "Two Inversions Now Complete on Holiday World's Thunderbird Launched Coaster".
  6. "Scott And Carol Present - Holiday World Unveils Thunderbird's Train".
  7. "Holiday World Completes Thunderbird's Track - NewsPlusNotes".
  8. Adams, Matt. "Holiday World announces new $22 million roller coaster 'Thunderbird'". Fox 59. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  9. "Thunderbird: Holiday World Reveals New Launched Wing Coaster". Blooloop. July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  10. "Recap of Cedar Point's GateKeeper announcement". Sandusky Register. August 14, 2012. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  11. Black, Lisa (September 3, 2011). "Six Flags gets in line for more thrill rides". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  12. Seifert, Jeffrey (2015). "Willpower brings B&M launched coaster to Holiday World". Amusement Today. 19 (3): 30.
  13. Main, Dalton. "Holiday World unveils park's first major steel roller coaster". WDRB. Archived from the original on August 4, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  14. "Park and ride winners". Amusement Today. September 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
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