The Raven Roller Coaster has been in operation at Holiday World since 1995. Designed and manufactured by Custom Coasters International. It was the park’s first roller coaster. Holiday World would go on to be known for its collection of wooden roller coasters. Raven got it off to a great start with this picturesque out-and-back classic. As long as you are 48 inches or taller, Raven is sure to please.
The Raven Roller Coaster: Rider Experience
You enter through a creepy gate that looks like an old victorian manor entrance. Helping to cement the Edgar Alan Poe theming from which the ride takes its name. The line will snake around eventually heading to the station/mansion. The Philadelphia Toboggan Company provided the great-looking 12-row trains. We slightly recommend the back for the best ride. A lap bar and a seat belt will keep you secure.
Once the trains are dispatched you will do a little turn around through the coasters maintenance house. Which has been cleverly themed as to not make it look out of place. After a little dip, you are brought up the chain lift-hill. From here, the coaster has a couple of different ways to thrill you. No drops on Raven are huge, but how it takes those drops does give some solid airtime. There are also tons of sharp turns and even a tunnel.
The Raven Roller Coaster: The Good Stuff
A forest is the perfect setting for a wooden Roller Coaster. Raven has just about as beautiful of a setting in the woods, and even by the water, that we have ever ridden. After its second hill, it does this little turn around over the water that is truly an outstanding moment.
Raven is pretty well-themed. We are not talking Disney-level theming here but the look of the station house, design of the trains, and forest setting all add to the Edgar Alan Poe vibe that this coaster is trying to give off. Many parks neglect the way that theming enhances a roller coaster. Good for Holiday World for getting this right.
The Raven Roller Coaster: The Okay
As a roller coaster Raven is kind of a mixed bag. It doesn’t have anything truly outstanding about it. It isn’t fast enough, tall enough, or forceful enough to leave much of an impression. If Raven didn’t have the beautiful setting it would be rather forgettable.
The Bad
This classic wooden coaster is showing its age. You can tell that Holiday World has done everything they can to keep it as good as possible. Signs of retracking can be spotted throughout the layout. Still, for a coaster of its modest size, we found it rather rough.
If you ride in the front you will be missing out on most of the forces Raven has to offer. Then again, if you ride in the back you will be in for a very rough ride. If a coaster is going to be rough at least let it be fierce and fast. Sadly Raven really isn’t either of those.
Final Verdict
The Raven Roller Coaster is a lot of fun. However, it has some key problems that keep it from being outstanding. We love its theme and setting but the coaster is just not great at anything enough to stand out. Don’t misunderstand this review. We didn’t dislike Raven. It just happens to be the least impressive of the three wooden coasters at Holiday World. It looks great from the parking lot and helps set the mood for this great Theme Park. Because of these reasons, Raven on a scale of one to ten gets a seven.
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Howler at Holiday World