Best Rides at Holiday World — Ranked

The Voyage sits at the top of Holiday World's lineup for a reason: it is one of the longest and most relentless wooden coasters ever built, and it earns that reputation on every single run.

The Top 5 Ranked

1. The Voyage

A wooden coaster that hits over 67 mph and barely lets up for three full minutes, The Voyage throws triple-down drops and 24.3 seconds of airtime at you before you even catch your breath. Make it your first ride of the day when the track is cool and the line is shortest, then come back for a night ride if you can.

2. Thunderbird

Holiday World's launched wing coaster goes from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, and the wingseats put you completely over the track edge through every inversion. It loads efficiently, so even mid-afternoon waits tend to move fast, but the first hour after park open is still the sweet spot.

3. The Raven

A classic out-and-back wooden coaster with a drop over a lake and a legendary fifth drop that hits harder than the first. The Raven is shorter than The Voyage but it is still punchy and rerideable. Pair it back-to-back with The Voyage since both sit in the same section of the park.

4. The Legend

The Legend takes a different approach: longer layout, more twists, and a helix finish that builds serious positive G-forces. It rides differently depending on where you sit, so grab a back-row ride if you want the most force and a front seat if you want the clearest view of the woods flying past.

5. Wildebeest

The world's longest water coaster at over 1,700 feet, Wildebeest sends you uphill with water jets before dropping you back down through a series of plunges that guarantee you arrive at the exit completely soaked. Plan it for the warmest part of your afternoon, and wear what you are willing to get wet.

Honorable Mentions

Holiday World's ride card goes well beyond the top five. The Holidog's FunTown section runs its own set of junior coasters and flat rides that are genuinely fun for kids getting their first taste of coaster riding. The water park side at Splashin' Safari adds slide towers and family raft rides that can fill an entire half-day on their own. And the classic flat rides scattered through Christmas, Halloween, and Thanksgiving sections give everyone a reason to keep exploring after the coasters are done.

Finding Your Match

Thrill-seekers should build their day around The Voyage and Thunderbird, then use The Legend and The Raven as warm-ups or bonus laps. The wooden coasters especially reward reriding, and the difference between a morning and evening run on The Voyage is dramatic enough to justify going back.

Families with mixed ages have a natural progression here. Start younger kids on The Raven, which is intense enough to feel real but short enough not to overwhelm. Wildebeest works great for families who want a shared experience and do not mind getting wet. The park's layout keeps family-friendly zones close to the main headliners, so nobody has to hike far to find their preferred pace.

First-timers to big coasters will find Thunderbird a surprisingly approachable entry point despite being the park's newest and flashiest ride. The launch coaster format means no slow climb to dread, just a clean punch out of the gate and a clear, visible track ahead.

Best Ride for a First-Time Visitor

If you are visiting Holiday World for the first time and only have time for one ride, ride The Voyage. It is the ride the park is most known for, it delivers from start to finish, and it will tell you everything you need to know about why Holiday World has the reputation it does. Go early, grab a front or back row seat, and hold on.

Thoosie can show you live wait times across the whole lineup so you can move through the park at exactly the right pace.