It's a big weekend for a major southern Indina tourism business. Holiday World will open for it's 66th season Saturday, while Splashin' Safari waterpark will welcome visitors for 2012 starting next week. President Dan Koch says the parks have doubled attendance over the past 10 years, which he describes as "very good in the industry." Koch hopes the trend continues this year with the opening of the $9 million Mammoth water coaster.

The largest single-ride investment in Holiday World’s history also sets a new size record: the world’s longest water coaster – Mammoth – opens in May.

"We added our first water coaster in 2010; Wildebeest was a runaway hit,” says park president Dan Koch. “So we asked our designers for something even bigger. It’s so huge, we’re calling it Mammoth.”

Located east of Wildebeest, Mammoth will begin with a conveyor ride up the water coaster’s lifthill. Including a 32-foot drop at a 45-degree angle plus six additional drops, linear induction motors (LIMs) will propel the six-person round boats up six hills, into five enclosed sections and through twists and turns. Mammoth’s one-third mile ride will cover three acres, increasing the water park’s size to 30 acres.

“The new twist to this water coaster is the six-passenger boats—this is a brand-new design,” says Koch. “These round boats add tremendous capacity, plus riders may be facing forward, backward or even sideways. It’s all the fun of Wildebeest, plus Mammoth is taller, longer and wider. Starting in May, we’ll have the two longest water coasters on the planet!”

Mammoth’s tallest elevation is 69 feet higher than its lowest drop. The conveyor-style lifthill replaces any slide-tower stairs, making the water coaster accessible to riders who might have difficulty walking up stairs.

The price tag for Mammoth is $9 million. Other additions for 2012 include Sparkler, a six-story vertical swing ride, the new “Rock the World” Christian music festival, a new family-friendly event called Holiday World’s Happy Halloween Weekends throughout the month of October, plus park-wide Wi-Fi and rental cabanas.

Source: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=53546