The Gravity Group is a roller coaster design and engineering firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in July 2002 by a team of former engineers from Custom Coasters International after that company went bankrupt. The founders brought decades of combined civil, structural, and mechanical engineering experience to a new company built entirely around one specialty: wooden roller coasters.
Since opening its first ride, Hades, at Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park Resort in 2005, The Gravity Group has grown into one of the most respected names in wooden coaster design, with credits on nearly 30 rides across the United States and countries including China, France, Sweden, Ireland, and Australia. Its best-known work, The Voyage at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, remains one of the longest and most intense wooden coasters ever built.
Stats at a Glance
- Headquarters: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Founded: July 2002
- Specialty: Wooden roller coaster design
- Sister company: Gravitykraft Corporation
- Signature train: Timberliner (debuted 2011)
- Notable design: The Voyage, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
- Coasters designed: About 29 worldwide (as of 2026)
From Custom Coasters to Industry Leader
The Gravity Group emerged directly from the collapse of Custom Coasters International, one of the wooden coaster industry’s biggest names in the 1990s. Rather than let that engineering knowledge disappear, several former CCI staffers regrouped in 2002 to keep building wood coasters under a new banner.
The strategy paid off quickly. Hades, the firm’s debut ride at Mt. Olympus in Wisconsin Dells, won Best New Ride honors in 2005. The Voyage followed in 2006 at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana, and Ravine Flyer II opened in 2008 at Waldameer Park, each one collecting the same industry award in its debut year.
Timberliner Trains and Global Reach
In 2008, The Gravity Group’s sister company, Gravitykraft Corporation, began developing the Timberliner, a steerable articulated train designed to reduce wear on wooden track and smooth out the ride compared to traditional coaster trains. Timberliners debuted in 2011 on Wooden Warrior and Twister, and have since become a signature feature on many Gravity Group projects and retrofits.
The firm’s portfolio has expanded well beyond the United States, with wooden coasters credited to the group in China, France, Sweden, Ireland, and Australia. As of 2026, a new project for MagicLand in Italy is under construction, with an opening planned for 2027.
Explore more: more roller coaster manufacturers.
Notable The Gravity Group Coasters on ThrillZing
- Ravine Flyer II — Waldameer & Water World
- Ravine Flyer II — Waldameer Park
- The Voyage — Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Browse every ride profile in our roller coaster guides.
The Gravity Group FAQs
What is The Gravity Group best known for?
Designing high-intensity wooden roller coasters, most notably The Voyage at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, one of the longest wooden coasters in the world.
When was The Gravity Group founded?
The Gravity Group was founded in July 2002 in Cincinnati, Ohio, by former engineers of the defunct Custom Coasters International.
What is a Timberliner train?
The Timberliner is a steerable wooden-coaster train developed by Gravitykraft Corporation, The Gravity Group’s sister company, which debuted in 2011 on Wooden Warrior and Twister.
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Photo: KillianfromTaytoPark / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.