A national vacation magazine is recognizing a Holiday World and Splashin' Safari thrill ride. The park's "Mammoth" water coaster has been named one of Travel + Leisure's "World's Craziest Waterslides."

The ride features a six-person raft that races down hills and a number of tunnels.

The national attention keeps mounting for Holiday world.

Sunday, "The Voyage" roller coaster was featured on the Travel Channel's "Insane Coaster Wars."

Source: Travel + Leisure Magazine

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

SANTA CLAUS, IN - Holiday World is no stranger when it comes to topping "best of" lists. They've had number one rides, been called the nation's friendliest and cleanest park, and now comes another distinction.

Travel website, tripadvisor.com, has named Holiday World's Splashin' Safari as the number one water park in the country.

In giving Splashin' Safari the top spot on their list, Tripadvisor.com cited what they referred to as "aquatic delights" such as the Wildebeest water coaster, and the parks practice of providing free soft drinks and sunscreen.

"This is huge," says Holiday World & Splashin' Safari president Dan Koch. "Our country has so many excellent water parks; it's humbling to be declared the best."

Last week, Holiday World officials announced they will be adding yet another attraction to Splashin' Safari. A second water coaster called "Mammoth" will open next May.

Here is tripadvisor's top ten water parks list:

• 1. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, Santa Claus, Indiana
• 2. Typhoon Lagoon, Orlando, Florida
• 3. Noah's Ark Water Park, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
• 4. Morey's Piers, Wildwood, New Jersey
• 5. Kahuna Laguna, North Conway, New Hampshire
• 6. Water Country USA, Williamsburg, Virginia
• 7. NRH20 Waterpark, North Richland Hills, Texas
• 8. Adventureland, Des Moines, Iowa
• 9. Aquatica (SeaWorld's Waterpark), Orlando, Florida
• 10. Wild Water & Wheels, Surfside Beach, South Carolina

Source: http://www.news25.us/story/15248434/holiday-world-named-number-one-water-park-in-country