Mayflower at Holiday World has been in operation since 2014. Designed and Manufactured by Chance Rides from their swinging pirate ship line. This type of ride is a staple of the theme park industry for good reason. Perfect for families and thrill-seekers looking for that stomach drop feeling.
Mayflower Rider Experience
Mayflower looks very impressive as you enter its queue line. This ride has very good capacity so even with a bigger line this one will usually move fast. Once it is your turn to ride you can pick from any of the 10 rows. Each row can sit up to 6 people, but that is going to be a tight fit. For the most thrilling ride pick the last rows if possible. Once sat down there is one long lap bar that comes down to secure all.
When the ride begins it will start to swing one way then the other. Constantly picking up more and more momentum each time it does. It is highly encouraged to yell when it is your side of the ship swinging since that always makes this ride a blast! After about a minute and a half, the boat will start to slow down. When it does come to a full stop the ride op will release your restraint. You can now exit the ride safely.
Mayflower: The Good
A ride like this is in almost every theme park for a good reason. They have great capacity, the fun interactions with the other rows are fun, and the airtime is constant! That airtime is also very unique to a ride like this. That feeling when the boat has lost its momentum and is going to start to swing the other way never gets old. Also, that airtime stomach drop is unique to the swinging pirate ship ride.
Mayflower is very well-themed. Mayflower being themed to a swinging pirate ship ride is a no-brainer. This is the kind of theme that actually makes the ride experience better. They even put it on the water! Hardly any swinging pirate ships do that. We have seen some that could but they just stop filling it for whatever reason. Holiday World has done everything to make sure that Mayflower is the best ride it can possibly be.
The Bad
There is nothing about Mayflower that is bad that isn’t baked into the swinging pirate ship ride. Yet just like with all of these models it has the problem of everyone wants the back seats. With each row closer to the back offering a better experience than the one before it. So out of the 10 rows, everyone wants the back 2. However, this is the case with every ride like this.
Final Verdict
Mayflower at Holiday World is a great addition to the park. It offers that classic stomach drop feeling over and over again. Holiday World has set this ride up for success. To being well-themed and looking great, this ride delivers. The fighting for the back is unfortunate but is the case of every swinging pirate ship. Because of these reasons, Mayflower gets a 9 out of 10.
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