What is Holiday World's new ride for 2027?
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari is promising its "largest single-attraction investment in park history" for next year. But what will its new ride for 2027 be?
We know that the new attraction will replace the former Raging Rapids attraction that closed in 2023. A construction fence has surrounded that site for some time now, with painted images of flip-flop sandals decorating it recently.
That's the first of many clues that Holiday World has been dropping about its plans, which it has code named "Project Flip Flop." The park officially detailed its recent stealth hype campaign today with a post on its website, Fencewatch 2027: What the Flip Flop?!
Remember that the old Raging Rapids stood in the park's Fourth of July section. And that the ride flowed through the fictional town of Boulder Canyon. The town returns for whatever this new attraction will be, and Holiday World has created a website and social media accounts for it.
Reading the clues, and it sure feels like there is a Fourth of July cookout theme in play here. The cynic in me wants "Project Flip Flop" to be a spinning coaster where you are the meat flipping on the grill. But that seems a bit too dark for the very family friendly Holiday World.
Admission to the Splashin' Safari water park is included with Holiday World admission, so it's not like Holiday World visitors are suffering from a lack of access to water rides. But Raging Rapids was a popular attraction on the Holiday World side of the park. I suspect that a new water ride likely would be welcomed by the fine folks of Boulder Canyon next year. If the "Flip Flop" reference really is just to those plastic sandals, perhaps another water ride is in the works.
Whatever the new ride is, Holiday World clearly is working to develop a backstory for it. I am partial to theories that there's some connection to the Good Gravy family here. There are duck and swan clues, too, so throw those into the mix.
At some point soon, construction will go vertical to the point where the type of new attraction that this ride will be will become obvious. Until there, Holiday World welcomes your best guesses.
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@VCoaster:
I see and appreciate your “Breakin 2” reference. In my head canon, Pilgrims Plunge II: Mayflower Boogaloo is a locally made community theater play with actual breakdancing by a crew of religious b-boys and girls called the Raving Quakers. I will have my people call yours and set up a lunch.
Just been there. What a great park.
Not that busy, most people were in the water park.
Duck days too .. LOL, so good times :)
Voyage was amazing, well worth the visit just for the woodie.
Most are interpreting the seemingly deliberate misspelling of "mackery" as an indicator that Mack Rides is behind this project, with the leading theories being either a water coaster (think Journey to Atlantis) or a rocking boat (think NightFlight Expedition). Personally, I think the former would be a wonderful fit for the park, and given the issues Dollywood appears to be having with their ride, seems a much safer bet for an independent park.
If it does wind up being a pure coaster, one of Mack's spinning coasters would be an excellent choice as well.
Today's clue from the park all but confirms that this will be a Mack Rides Rocking Boat, the second U.S. installation after Dollywood's NightFlight Expedition. Look for a July 1 announcement.
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If this is 4th of July themed, I am happy because this park does seem to be loaded with Thanksgiving and Halloween themed rides already. However, the whole flip-flop cookout thing does seem to be throwing me off. Didn't they already have a cooking themed ride? Do they need two?
Maybe a fireworks-themed water coaster is what's going here. Or Pilgrim's Plunge II: Mayflower Boogaloo.