At Holiday World, fear comes from three things: inversions, steep wooden drops and height. Thunderbird has the inversions, The Voyage has the steepest drops, and Crow’s Nest has the height. Overall the park is a family park with a few very serious coasters, so the thrill level is lower than at a big coaster park, but the top two rides are among the most intense in the region.
This ranking is limited to rides whose current details I read on Holiday World’s own ride pages, with RCDB and Ultimate Rollercoaster used to cross-check stats. Where the park and RCDB disagree (Good Gravy!’s height, and the top speeds of The Legend and The Raven), I say so. Rides I could not verify are left out, and the ranking does not cover everything in the park. Cannonball! is a water coaster the park lists as opening in 2027, so it is not ranked. I ordered the rides by how intense they feel (forces, inversions, drop steepness, speed and exposure), not by how tall they are.
Stats at a Glance
- Scariest Ride: Thunderbird
- Tallest Drop: 154 ft (46.9 m) — The Voyage
- Fastest Ride: 67.4 mph (108.5 km/h) — The Voyage
- Most Inversions: 4 — Thunderbird
The Ranking, Most Intense First
1. Thunderbird (launched wing coaster) — the scariest ride in the park. Height 140 ft (42.7 m); top speed 60 mph (96.6 km/h); 4 inversions (per RCDB). What makes it intense: the LSM launch from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 96.6 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, straight into a 140 ft (42.7 m) Immelmann loop and a 125 ft (38.1 m) vertical loop. It feels like being fired off a ramp with your legs dangling and nothing above or below you, so you get no sense of a safe frame around you. Rider requirement per the ride page: at least 48 in (122 cm) and no taller than 78 in (198 cm).
2. The Voyage (wooden out-and-back coaster) — the most punishing ride and a close second. Lift hill 163 ft (49.7 m); first drop 154 ft (46.9 m) at 66 degrees (Ultimate Rollercoaster); top speed 67.4 mph (108.5 km/h); no inversions. What makes it intense: the park calls it ‘an intense high-speed wooden roller coaster with steep drops, sharply-banked turns, dark tunnels and sudden stops’, with strong forces from all directions. It feels like a very long, relentless ride: one big drop after another, with little chance to catch your breath. Rider requirement: at least 48 in (122 cm).
3. The Legend (wooden terrain coaster) — a fast, forceful wooden coaster. First drop 111 ft (33.8 m); top speed 65 mph (104.6 km/h) per the park (RCDB lists 59 mph / 95.0 km/h); no inversions. What makes it intense: the drops are large (the park lists 113, 77 and 64 ft as its most dramatic) and one of them is a 77 ft (23.5 m) spiral drop. It feels like a fast, twisting run down through the trees, with strong sideways forces in the turns. Rider requirement: at least 48 in (122 cm).
4. The Raven (wooden terrain coaster) — the smallest of the three big wooden coasters. First drop 85 ft (25.9 m); top speed ’50+ mph’ (80.5+ km/h) per the park (RCDB lists 48 mph / 77.2 km/h); no inversions. What makes it intense: a first drop, plus a further 61 ft (18.6 m) drop, that hugs the hillside. It feels like a steady, twisting ride through the woods, thrilling without being brutal. Rider requirement: at least 48 in (122 cm).
5. Crow’s Nest (vertical swing ride) — scary mostly for its height. Height 65 ft (19.8 m); 7 rpm. What makes it intense: exposure. You swing around high above the park with your feet hanging. It feels like a slow, floating ride that tests your nerves about heights, not your stomach. Rider requirement from the ride page: ‘Children 42″ and taller may ride this 65-foot-tall vertical swing ride, as long as they ride with bigger family members’; riding alone requires at least 48 in (122 cm).
6. Mayflower (swinging ship) — a pendulum-style swing. The arc reaches 54 ft (16.5 m). What makes it intense: the swing itself, which gives a brief drop in your stomach at the top of each arc. It feels like a big playground swing. Rider requirement: ‘Guest must be at least 42″ to ride with a companion’ (42 in / 107 cm) and at least 48 in (122 cm) to ride alone.
7. Good Gravy! (Vekoma family boomerang coaster) — the gentlest ride I ranked. Height 77 ft (23.5 m) per RCDB (the park’s ride page lists 72 ft / 22.0 m); top speed 37 mph (59.5 km/h); no inversions. What makes it intense: a modest shuttle-style drop and a small burst of speed. It feels like a short, fun first coaster. Rider requirement from the ride page: at least 38 in (96.5 cm) to ride with a companion, and at least 48 in (122 cm) to ride alone.
Intense vs Rough: Know the Difference
Thunderbird and The Voyage are scary because they are intense. Thunderbird’s launch and inversions are dramatic but designed. The Voyage’s steep drops, banked turns and sudden stops (its own park page mentions ‘strong forces from all directions’) are what make it demanding. The Legend belongs in the same group, a notch lower.
I did not find any first-party source saying a particular ride is rough, and I would rather say that than guess. The park’s own descriptions do not mention roughness on any ride I checked. As a general point, wooden coasters can feel more jarring than steel ones, so if you have a bad back or neck, be cautious with the three wooden coasters. If you are just afraid of heights, that points to Crow’s Nest, not the big coasters.
If You Are Nervous, Start Here
Step one is Good Gravy!, a short family coaster you can ride from 38 in (96.5 cm) with a companion. Step two is The Raven, the smallest first drop of the big wooden coasters at 85 ft (25.9 m) with no inversions. Step three is The Legend, once the Raven feels comfortable.
The one to skip while you are nervous is Thunderbird: a launch, four inversions and open wing seats give you no time to settle in. For riders who need a companion, the park defines a Supervising Companion as ‘any Guest who is at least 16 years of age and meets the rider requirements to ride alone.’ Check each ride’s own page for its exact rule.
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Scariest Rides at Holiday World FAQs
What is the scariest ride at Holiday World?
Thunderbird. It launches from 0 to 60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, then runs through 4 inversions, including a 140 ft (42.7 m) Immelmann loop and a 125 ft (38.1 m) vertical loop, in seats with nothing above or below you. The Voyage is a close second for its steep drops and forces.
Which ride at Holiday World has the biggest drop?
The Voyage. Its lift hill is 163 ft (49.7 m) and its first drop is 154 ft (46.9 m) at a 66-degree angle, with a top speed of 67.4 mph (108.5 km/h).
What is a good first thrill ride at Holiday World?
Good Gravy! is the gentlest coaster I ranked, with a height of 77 ft (23.5 m) per RCDB (the park lists 72 ft / 22.0 m) and a top speed of 37 mph (59.5 km/h). Riders 38 in (96.5 cm) and taller can ride with a companion, and 48 in (122 cm) and taller can ride alone. The Raven (85 ft / 25.9 m first drop, no inversions) is a good next step.
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Photo: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.