Holiday World Announces New $10 Million Dollar Coaster

Santa Claus- 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 backwards uphill before flying forwards through the station onto cranberry-colored track, hitting a maximum speed of 37 miles per hour. 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 journey will be nearly 1,500 feet long.  

The coaster has a 38-inch height requirement, so children approximately 3 years old can ride along with the whole family.

“Since 1946, our family has been dedicated to being the best at family fun,” says Fourth-Generation Owner Leah Koch-Blumhardt. “We’re excited to add a coaster to our lineup that caters to the entire family, just like Thanksgiving dinner! The experience will be smooth and gentle enough for grandparents and younger children to enjoy, yet it’s still dynamic enough for the thrill seekers.”

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. 

“We put the Guest experience at the center of this design,” adds Fourth-Generation Owner, Lauren Crosby. “We took every detail seriously. We added stroller parking, and a play area for kids who aren’t quite big enough to ride yet, and benches with shade for the family members who prefer to watch. The best detail is that the queue building is air-conditioned, and themed elaborately to Thanksgiving at Grandma’s house.”

Construction has already begun on the station and ride footers, and track will arrive in early November.  

“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,” adds 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, and children born in 2019 and 2020 qualify for a free Pre-K Season Pass. 

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari will end daily operations August 6, and will be open weekends through the end of October, including Labor Day. Kids World, an event with special entertainment, food and activities geared toward kids, begins August 19 and ends September 16. Splashin’ Safari is open to the public through September 16. Happy Halloween Weekends begins September 23.