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Holiday World unveils The WildebeestBy Nicole DiDonato
Posted by Noah Stubbs
SANTA CLAUSE, IN (WFIE) - Holiday World continues to grow.
A new water attraction is opening next year being called the world's longest water coaster.
They unveiled plans for the second largest ride in park history, The Wildebeest.
Holiday World said they've had success with the latest Pilgrims Plunge, and this should carry on in popularity.
"When we started Splashin Safari in 1993, I never dreamed it would be this big," Holiday World President Will Koch said.
Will Koch, president of Holiday World, stood before a packed house to announce the newest addition to the growing theme park.
At 1/3 of a mile long, the Wildebeest will be the world's longest water coaster.
It'll take riders for a thrilling two 1/2 minute adventure.
The new ride will be located in Splashin' Safari.
"Its going to be set in the woods." Koch said. "A lot of the towers will be surrounded buy trees."
The Wildebeest is called a water coaster because it uses a special motor to propell riders through the course, making it smoother.
Riders will go up and down 7 hills, through three tunnels and around a helix.
Koch said because water attractions are so popular, it's important the ride can hold a lot of people.
"We want to make sure were adding enough capacity so as our attendance grows, our lines don't get longer," Koch said.
To tease the big announcement, Holiday World looked to the Internet.
Holiday World joined the social networking site, Twitter.
They are the first amusement park to do so.
They started tweeting about this big announcement as a way to get people involved.
James Bean spends at least one day a week at Holiday World.
So he was thrilled to learn there were plans for a new ride.
Holiday World found a unique way to advertise this announcement on Twitter.
Bean is one of their Twitter followers.
"They seem to tease us with hints every once in a while," Bean said.
Holiday World would tweet hints about the ride's name.
As president Will Koch finally announced the Wildebeest to a crowded room, Bean was on his phone, tweeting updates about the world's longest water coaster to all his followers.
"We twittered the name and as he was going through the facts, we twittered the facts," Bean said.
Bean calls himself a coaster enthusiastm but said he mostly stays on dry land.
This, however, could change his stance.
"It'll expand my horizons and move me over to the water park," Bean said.
The Wildebeest will be able to carry just over 700 riders and hour.
The entire project costs $5.5 million and will be open in May.
Check out Holiday World's Twitter Page.
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