Thunderbird (Holiday World) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thunderbird |
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| Holiday World & Splashin' Safari | |
| Location | Holiday World & Splashin' Safari |
| Park section | Thanksgiving |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | April 24, 2015 |
| Opening date | April 25, 2015 |
| Cost | $22 million |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Wing Coaster – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Model | Wing Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | LSM |
| Height | 140 ft (43 m) |
| Length | 3,035 ft (925 m) |
| Speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 1:18 |
| Capacity | 1,140 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds |
| Height restriction | 52–78 in (132–198 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train. |
| Thunderbird at RCDB | |
Thunderbird is an exciting steel roller coaster located at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari amusement park. You can find it in the park's Thanksgiving section in Santa Claus, Indiana.
This amazing ride was designed by a company called Bolliger & Mabillard. It first opened in 2015. Thunderbird was the eighth "Wing Coaster" ever built in the world. It was also the fourth of its kind in the United States.
What makes Thunderbird special? It's the first launched roller coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard in many years. It zooms from 0 to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in just 3.5 seconds! Plus, it has the tallest vertical loop of any Wing Coaster. Thunderbird had its first test run on March 8, 2015, and opened to everyone on April 24, 2015.
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Building Thunderbird: A Look at Its History
On July 24, 2014, Holiday World announced big news. They shared that Thunderbird would open for the 2015 season. This was a huge step for the park. It would be their very first major steel roller coaster.
Thunderbird was also the first launched Wing Coaster in the United States. Even more exciting, it was the first roller coaster at Holiday World to go upside down! The parts for the track and supports started arriving at the park the very next week. By October, the first two upside-down sections were completed.
New trains for the ride were shown off at a big amusement park event called IAAPA 2014. Finally, the entire track was finished on December 2, 2014.
Riding Thunderbird: What to Expect
Get ready for an amazing flight on Thunderbird! After you get into the train at the station, it moves forward and stops. Then, mist blows around you, and thunder sounds fill the air.
Suddenly, the train launches from 0 to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in just 3.5 seconds! This happens thanks to powerful linear synchronous motors. Right away, you'll soar into a 140 feet (43 m) tall Immelmann loop. This is a cool move where you go up, flip over, and come back down in the same direction.
After that, the train drops into a 125 feet (38 m) vertical loop. This is the tallest vertical loop on any Wing Coaster! It's even taller than the one on Wild Eagle at Dollywood. Next, the train crosses over a valley near another coaster called The Voyage. You'll then go through an overbanked turn and an overbanked elevated spiral.
The adventure continues with a zero-g-roll. This makes you feel weightless as you spin! It runs right next to The Voyage. After several turns near The Voyage's triple-down drop, the train dips into a barn. This barn acts like a "keyhole" element. Inside, you'll curve left through an inline twist. This part crosses over The Voyage's underground tunnels.
Once the inline twist finishes, the train enters the brake run to slow down. From there, the track turns right to another set of brakes before you arrive back at the station. One full ride on Thunderbird lasts about 1 minute and 18 seconds.
Thunderbird's Special Features
Where to Find Thunderbird
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Thunderbird is located in the Thanksgiving section of the park. It shares this area with another famous coaster, The Voyage. Thunderbird's track runs right next to The Voyage. It even crosses over The Voyage twice during the ride!
A company called PGAV Destinations designed the look and feel of Thunderbird. They used the idea of a powerful, legendary bird flying through the farms and forests of southern Indiana. This theme makes the ride even more exciting!
Who Built Thunderbird?
Thunderbird is a "Wing Coaster" model. It was built by a famous Swiss company called Bolliger & Mabillard. This was Holiday World & Splashin' Safari's first big steel roller coaster.
Thunderbird was the eighth Wing Coaster ever built. It was also the fourth in the United States. Other Wing Coasters in the US include X-Flight at Six Flags Great America, Wild Eagle at Dollywood, and GateKeeper at Cedar Point.
Thunderbird is special because it's the first Bolliger & Mabillard coaster to use an LSM launch. LSM stands for Linear Synchronous Motor. These motors use magnets to push the train forward very quickly. Another launched coaster by Bolliger & Mabillard, The Incredible Hulk roller coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure, uses a different launch system.
The Trains on Thunderbird
Thunderbird uses two open-air trains. They are made of steel and fiberglass. Each train has five cars, and each car has four seats. Two seats are on each side of the track. This means each train can hold 20 riders. The ride can carry about 1,140 people every hour!
Because the seats are on the side of the track, a special steel arm supports the "wings" where you sit. This design gives you a unique, open-air feeling as you fly through the course.
Thunderbird's Track Details
The steel track of Thunderbird is 3,035 feet (925 m) long. That's over half a mile of twists, turns, and loops! The tallest part of the ride is the first inversion. This is the Immelmann loop, which reaches a height of 140 feet (43 m).
