March 2010
Looking Back... March 2010
25 March 2010 - 7:26pm
Ready fenders
Been bugging the engineers at The Gravity Group for more photos of our new Timberliner trains.
Testing of the new trains for our Voyage roller coaster begins in just a few weeks, and the parts are in painting-and-assembly mode.
Korey was kind enough to send a few.
In Korey's words: I took a field trip today to the shop that is handling the fiberglass work on our Timberliners. They are deep in the process of producing the front and side fenders for your Voyage trains.
This first photograph shows seven of the fiberglass fronts that will attach to the foot box on each car.
The second photo shows the fenders that go over the road wheel. They are working with 6-7 pieces at a time. When I stopped in they were smoothing the pieces down in preparation for the painting, which they are planning on doing tomorrow or Monday.
Back in Santa Claus, we've turned on the water to begin the testing process for Wildebeest, the world's longest water coaster. Photos are posted on our Facebook Fan Page.
23 March 2010 - 6:23pm
The entertainers' first rehearsal
My new pal Steve at Matt Davenport Productions in Nashville (as in Tennessee) put together a little introductory video showing our entertainers' first rehearsals over the past weekend.
And yes, as a special treat, you get to see Will in jeans. (What next?! Cowboy boots and a 10 gallon hat?) Looks like we're in for a fun season...
23 March 2010 - 6:06pm
Simon says ...
...he wants Daddy and Mommy to take him to Holiday World!
This little fellow is only a few weeks old, but already he's pals with Holidog.And he has his first park shirt (okay, it's a onesie)
His dad, Jeff, is the coaster geek who founded CoasterBuzz. (Little Simon is bound to be a chip off the old block.)
Awwww...
19 March 2010 - 5:33pm
The belly of the 'beest...
Well, not really.
But I've always wanted to write that.
What we can show you, though, is the underbelly of the Wildebeest's boats. Will that do?
These aren't your run-of-the-mill inflatable pool rafts, bucko. These boats contain the other half of what makes the Linear Induction Motor (LIM) technology work. As in a sheet of steel. These puppies are heavy!
Will is an engineer; we'll let him explain:
“An alternating magnetic field beneath the slide surface propels the rafts, pushing them rapidly and smoothly uphill. LIM technology is a popular feature in some steel roller coasters; it’s cool to see it applied to water coasters, too.”
Sure do like those seatbacks. Looks sort of non-invasive, if you know what I mean.
We hit the "just add water" stage next week. Then testing starts next month.
Watch it all happen live on our webcam.
18 March 2010 - 4:33pm
Fwaaaaaap!
When we first talked about starting an online shop, the thought of asking staff to model for the photos appealed to us.
Our people, after all, are an important part of our "brand." (That's marketing talk for families-are-us.)
As you surely know, families don't always behave.
Above are Jennifer and Lori, the manager and director of Splashin' Safari. They're trying out the new Wildebeest beach towels that arrived recently for our shops, including our online HoliShop.
Here's a more passive approach to beach linens. Our marketing coordinator, Andy, stretches this Holidog towel to its full height (Andy, by the way, is six and a half feet tall).
If you'd like to shop around, here's the link to our HoliShop.
