PW Sept 09 P38-40.qxd 8/26/09 1:27 pm Page 39
Ride Profile
www.parkworld-online.com
"Frankly, even though it’s enormous, it’s still a with two-abreast seating rather than the four seats
family ride. Sometimes our guests cheer after coming found on Intamin's earlier chutes rides. Not Holiday
down the drop hill, so I think they like it. I’ve ridden. surprisingly, the narrower boat creates a smaller
Homage
It’s a lot of fun. The drop is the 'big moment,' of splashdown.
course. However, the elevator lift is unique and is a "We are disappointed with the splash as it is,"
Evansville, Indiana, industrialist
very different experience. It’s definitely part of what confesses Koch. "IntaRide is planning to return at
Louis J Koch created America’s
makes Pilgrims Plunge special." the end of the season to make modifications to the
first theme park as a retirement
With a major new attraction like Pilgrims Plunge runout and 'reshape' the way the boat enters the
project. He was troubled that the
one would expect a big attendance increase, but water there, to try to create a larger splash."
tiny hamlet of Santa Claus,
that's not happened so far. "This season has been a As with any prototype, there were also some
Indiana, was visited by children
tough one to call," admits Koch. "Our corporate computer bugs to eliminate. "We have had a number
who were ultimately disappointed
picnic business is down significantly due to the of operating issues primarily related to the control
when they found out Santa was
economy. However, our 'walk-in' business has been system," Koch acknowledges. "All such systems are
not there. Santa Claus Land
very strong, thanks to Pilgrims Plunge. With a little designed to shut the ride down in the event of any
opened on August 3, 1946, and
luck, we could see an increase in attendance unexpected signals. Pilgrims Plunge has a very
flourished over the decades.
As the park expanded, the
compared to 2008, which I would consider to be a complex control system with a large number of
Koch family knew that Christmas
huge success. Had we introduced Pilgrims Plunge in sensors. As a result, during early operations we had
was not the only theming
a 'normal' economy, I think we’d have been looking many control system 'faults' that shut the ride down.
possibility. In 1984, Santa Claus
at a five to eight percent attendance increase." The incidents that caused these faults were never
Land grew to include Halloween
'serious,' but our guests perceived them as such
and 4th of July sections, and the
Smaller Splashdown because of the time required to clear the errors and park's name was changed to
Koch remembers being surprised by the ride's restart the ride. As we've put more operational days Holiday World. Larger rides were
construction. "The design of the concrete footer for and weeks under our belt, we've learned a great added and then, in 1993, came
the tower is amazing. It’s the only place in the park deal and have eliminated many of these problems. the Splashin' Safari waterpark.
we’ve ever used number 11 rebar [reinforcing bar] – The ride is running much more reliably now with
The park’s current president, Will
that’s rebar that’s 1 3/8 inch [41mm] in diameter. fewer faults."
Koch, is the grandson of its
I’d never even seen rebar that big before."
founder.
Pilgrims Plunge is the prototype of a new style of Turn the page for some breathtaking shots of Pilgrims
shoot-the-chutes from Intamin. It employs boats Plunge in action.
See us at
EAS
booth no.
107
SEPTEMBER 2009
39
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