saginawhxc Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I haven't done a trip report in almost a year and a half, but I figured I would post a few pictures I took at Holiwood Nights 2012. As always it was an amazing event. Holiday World puts on a great event. Raven was running great, Legend feels like it might be slightly rougher than the year before but I still feel like it runs way better than people give it credit for, and Voyage was running absolutely AMAZING! The difference between Voyage last year and this year really needs to be felt to be believed. The first couple of valleys have zero hammering now, and the back turn around is glass smooth now. Voyage has always been my favorite ride and I have always thought it wasn't quite as rough as people said, but last year even I started to grudgingly admit she was getting a little on the rough side. Not this year though. I didn't ride it in it's first season, but I have never felt Voyage run this good, fast, or be this re-ridable. It was a little chilly in the water park during our Saturday morning ERT. It was 55 degrees when we entered the park, and rose to about 67 by 10:30 when the park opened to the public. Wildebeest opened at 8 for us, and Mammoth was scheduled to open at 9. While everyone else made a beeline to the breakfast table my son, my friend Alex, and I all headed straight to Wildebeest. With the cool weather and the presence of a breakfast table, we managed to put quite a few Wildebeest rides in that first hour. Mammoth appeared to have some issues and left people stalled on the lift hill for awhile so we continued to ride Wildebeest for a little bit longer, but it didn't take them too long to get people moving again and we headed over to Mammoth. Mammoth felt like a very different ride than Wildebeest. We made two trips through it. One trip had a boat 2/3 full and had moderate spinning, and the next trip had a full boat and the spinning was intense. It made for a very fun ride. The water felt very frigid compared to the water on Wildebeest though, so after two rides we went back over to Wildebeest for the remainder of ERT. During the 2 and a half hours of water park ERT we put in 15 rides on Wildebeest, 2 on Mammoth, 1 on Bakuli, and had breakfast. During the night time coaster ERT on Saturday it rained for a bit. I'm not sure as to how long because I was having so much fun that I think I may of lost track of time. During that time it was raining the rain was pelting my sun burned face hard enough to be borderline painful but Voyage was running the fastest I have ever felt. I think it rained somewhere in the range of about 30 minutes or so, but maybe someone can correct me about this. All in all the weekend was a blast. I put in about 10 rides on Raven, 10 rides on Legend, and 50 rides on Voyage. They also fed us three times, and gave us yummy yummy fudge. The friends I get to see and have good times with are always the star of the show though. My son, who was a first timer at Holiwood Nights this year, said it best when he said "I don't ever want to miss one of these again." My first picture ever of Sparkler. I think it is a nice little addition to the park. Am I the only amused that they are still using the Timberliners? If you want to photograph Raven you pretty much have to only shoot the first drop, or you have to go on the walkback tour. Out over the water. Legends first drop. Legends airtime hill. The star of the show though was The Voyage. I never got to ride her in her first year, but this is the best I have ever felt her run. The valleys at the bottom of the first couple hills are super smooth now. The back turn around went from being possibly the roughest part of the ride to one of the smoothest parts. The hand rail being gone makes this spot extra awesome to take photographs. I love the people that pose for the coaster paparazzi. It seems like I take the same pictures every year, but I still love doing The Voyage walkback. All the talk this year seemed to revolve around a general opinion that Voyage is running the best it has since year one. I have never felt her quite so re-ridable. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post pictures of Voyage without making at least one "Hair time" reference. The kid in the fourth row cracks me up. I'll finish this out with a couple of Mammoth pictures. The water was very frigid on this slightly chilly day. It was fun, and despite accusations to the contrary it is a very different ride than Wildebeest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saginawhxc Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 My wall is decorated with black and white coaster photos I have taken. I took a few more this year that I think I am gonna replace some of my older ones with. I love walking up to the front gate and seeing this beauty there to greet me. Legends first drop. Voyage from the walk back. More Legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STR8FXXXINEDGE Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Good stuff, Brandon! Glad to hear Voyage is running well. I'm super bummed that I couldn't make it down there with you. It's been a few years since I've been to the event. Hopefully next year will be the year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saginawhxc Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 As an added bonus (or a simple self indulgence) here is a couple from the trip report for last year that I never finished. Love the guy in the first row. Oddly enough I never took any pictures of this spot this year. Wish I had though. Another Raven shot. Awful similar to the one from this year, but probably better. Great structural shot of Legend. Last one from 2011. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeykaise Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 It was definitely a fun time. I only got one ride on Raven with my son and one on Legend on Friday night and none on Saturday. My son is still wary of them a little bit so I think next year it will be my wife and me. Mammoth was an awesome ride and it was freezing when we rode it at 11 am so I can just imagine what it was like during ERT. This was an awesome trip report and I'll definitely have to get a nice camera my poor blackberry camera doesn't make a very good coaster camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saginawhxc Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 It was my son's first year this year. I refused to take him till I felt he was old enough to be trusted on his own. I warned him repeatedly that if he wanted to go with me and Voyage became too much for him that he was gonna have to sit and wait by himself. My middle son really wanted to go, but I knew if I took him I would of spent very little time on the coasters and he is not quite as trustworthy to be left on his own inside the park. I spoil my sons with amusement park trips, but they know Holiwood Nights is my personal time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jynx242 Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Awesome report and I'm glad to hear good things of Voyage!! I truly love that ride! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCo Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 It's been a couple of years since my last Holiday World visit and I can't tell you how glad I am to hear Voyage is running well. 50 rides? That just sickens me with jealous rage. Seriously, glad to know HoliWood Nights delivered, per usual. You've got some gorgeous photos here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derwood Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Great shots Brandon! Sorry we missed the event this year. Go Habs Go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saginawhxc Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 Thank you guys for the comments. Sorry I've been slow to reply and update this. Here is a last few shots from 2012. Voyage. Voyage. Legend. Lazy river. Last picture of Voyage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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