The Ride
In 1993 the Koch Family, the owners of Holiday World, approached Custom Coasters International to talk about adding a wooden coaster to their park. After many locations were surveyed and the parks Halloween section was chosen as the best spot. Work on the new coaster started in the winter of 1994 and wrapped up in the 1995 off season. The name Raven was given to the coaster, and on May 5, 1995 Raven opened to the public. What happened next was something that Holiday World never expected. Raven started making coaster top ten lists and Holiday World became a known name in the coaster world.
The Experience
Raven starts out with a U-turn followed by a curve passong under the ride's final brake run. The trains encounter the chain lift and begin the first climb of the ride. The track levels off and rounds a curve before the first drop begins. The Raven carries it's passengers down the 7 story drop and through the tunnel. The trains crest the second hill and encounter another turn to the right. The track then dives to the right, and a banked U-turn leads the trains over the lake. After the curve the train climbs paralleling the second hill. The track ahead curves left, drops down, and then rises again before soaring down the third drop. The track curves to the right and then the left as the trains race through the woods. Riders experience a second banked turnaround. The train completes a banking element, and climbs to level ground.
|
