The Failure of the World's Tallest Water Ride | Pilgrim's Plunge - Holiday World

[@mbenkelley1]

I rode it on several occasions… I must say the trip up that elevator was terrifying. The whole boat leaned to one side when you got to the curved part of the elevator… Very unsettling.

[@Wheelspin.Studios]

Yeah feeling it sway once at the top was very scary

[@patrickhinnenkamp2855]

I couldn't agree with you more. It was a terrifying experience just on the climb!

[@desratlinda8639]

( Were you strapped IN??)

[@Bfyobrian12]

I rode it in my teens, possibly the opening year, and I thought the elevator was the scariest part. Since becoming a mechanical engineer, that thing is even more terrifying to me.

[@mbenkelley1]

@@desratlinda8639 I believe it had a lap bar

[@creppypastalover]

This is my local park, and I rode this ride frequently. I loved it, but I have to admit the elevator part was absolutely terrifying. The first time I rode it, no joke, I actually thought the cart was slipping off the edge and I was going to die. The tilt you experienced was absolutely insane, and I can't believe it was built to be like that. There's thrill, then there's genuinely wondering if a ride is safe or not

[@SeanFlaharty]

Thank you for the credit and mention! When you and I chatted while at KK, you mentioned something about watching my Pilgrims Plunge video. I instantly thought in my mind that I should be looking for a video from you soon in regards to that ride, and you did just that! You didn't disappoint. Part of the reason my channel has a lot of "vintage" stuff is so others can use it and tell their own story with it. You do exactly that. Thanks again. Hopefully next year we can catch a ride together someplace.

[@AirtimeThrills]

Thanks again, your footage is by far the best out there. Ive been wanting to do this video for a long time but needed the first hand footage of the site i was able to get during HWN

[@TKDragon75]

Oh hey your the guy with the old Steel Phantom pov footage.

[@SeanFlaharty]

@@AirtimeThrills Thanks! Now when folks ask me why they took out that ride, I can point them to your video.

[@SeanFlaharty]

@@TKDragon75 Ha ha. Yep, That's me.

[@marymarvel]

Scared the shit outta me- I was like 7 though so that’s not too surprising

[@peytonnewton7944]

The elevator ride up was the most intense part. Always felt like you were going to fall

[@HoliestDoughnut]

Pilgrim's Plunge was an awesome attraction. It was terrifying going up the huge lift and the drop was fun, plus I always love to see parks with a vast variety of major thrill attractions. Unfortunately at the time Holiday World's themeing was pretty barebones so it did sap some of the fun out of it when going through a completely unthemed channel at the beginning. Thankfully the area around Thunderbird really upped the game in terms of themeing and hope Holiday World continues to expand the dry park. Sad it had to go.

[@huntersullivan7861]

When the Thunderbird was first opened Will’s daughter Lauren talked about how her dad was “cheap” and that he would have never put as much into theming as they did with Thunderbird. In all his wisdom I think he was right for not adding theming as I’m sure he knew it wouldn’t last long.

[@austinmarcotte6509]

I actually did ride this pretty soon after it opened. Let me tell you, pictures and videos and even numbers do not do justice to just how *insanely* tall this thing was. Even while it was operating it simply did not look real. The line took *forever* which I think had to have contributed to its closure. Yeah, the beginning where you're slowly cruising to the elevator was odd and took a while. The elevator looked sketchy as hell, and probably was, but it really was efficient in raising the boat to, and I have to re-emphasize, the *insane* height of the drop. A lift hill would have taken literally minutes as opposed to 10-15 seconds. And my gosh, that drop. You would fall for so. long. Most log flume rides the drop is pretty much over as soon as you start to register the feeling of free fall. Not this ride. You get that feeling and then it just keeps going and going. An extremely unique ride I'm glad I experienced. But it almost reminds me of Son of Beast at King's Island where it looked like a kid designed it in Roller Coaster Tycoon with no regards for actual physics. I'm not surprised it was short-lived.

[@squillz8310]

I'm really glad I got to ride it too. I still remember the butterflies in my stomach the entire way down that drop. I absolutely love rollercoasters so I wasn't too intimidated, but my god it was huge. And that drop genuinely gave some light floater airtime that would give you that feeling of butterflies.

[@CZsWorld]

I love a good Airtime Thrills documentary!

[@poisoned_ivey]

Same dude

[@NyAppyMiku22]

Me too!!

[@carlschneider4816]

I thought you were a horror youtuber

[@ki11erprod]

Wait...this is so random lmao I never thought I would see CZsWorld here 🤣

[@divonwatson6265]

Lmao this was unexpected

[@jamieohjamie]

Basically, never seek to make the tallest water ride. It typically fails horribly.

[@familyguyfreemoviedownload8314]

i don’t think there’s a more disturbing story in the history of the amusement park industry than verruckt. just an absolute atrocity in every way

[@jamieohjamie]

@@familyguyfreemoviedownload8314 I live in the same city as that park. It was wild seeing the corpse of that ride still up for like a year or two afterwards.

[@englishatheart]

@@jamieohjamie Which makes no sense, because I think at least 2 people have died on the Timberwolf at WoF, yet that ride is still standing. People die in car accidents every day, yet cars aren't banned. Danger always exists. While I know what happened was awful and I don't necessarily think it should still be up and running, I just find it funny what people choose to eliminate because of death.

[@jamieohjamie]

@@englishatheart People died on the Timberwolf because a woman stood up. A kid was decapitated on Verrukt because the ride was dangerous and poorly-maintained. Cars are necessary to drive places. Should we also ban food because people choke? Are you fucking stupid?

[@familyguyfreemoviedownload8314]

@@englishatheart it wasn’t just the one death. there was a vast number of prior injuries that the park covered up. schlitterbahn knowingly opened an unsafe ride to the public and pretended nothing was wrong with it. it wasn’t just a malfunction or an irresponsible rider, it was deliberate disregard for human life in order to get publicity for having a record-breaking ride

[@derpnowitzki1766]

I grew up in Louisville, one of Holiday Worlds major business sources, and went nearly every year, so I did get to ride pilgrims plunge and I remember the exact news broadcast you aired at the beginning of the vid and getting so pumped to ride it. That being said it was a total letdown, the most thrilling part of the ride was the lift, honestly that lift straight up and out in the open was terrifying for some reason in a boat, but once you did the actual plunge it was very lackluster. The lack of splash didnt bother me bc I was still debating on going to the water park that day or just marathoning Voyage

[@laynewebb5986]

+1 on the lift hill being the most thrilling part. That slight tilt scared me as a kid.

[@contentdaddy6467]

The movement of the boat on the lift was terrifying.

[@hfreddy127]

Intamin in the late 2000’s: Expensive disappointment

[@alecscheerer_run]

Late 2010s is for example 2018, 2019, etc. I think you mean late 2000s which would be 2008, 2009, etc.

[@hfreddy127]

@@alecscheerer_run i edited it. Thanks for noticing it!

[@alecscheerer_run]

@@hfreddy127 No problem! I was pretty sure you made a typo but just wanted to make sure

[@NickyD]

lol you mean 2000-2020 they still are ask IOA about hadridgs

[@TonyKimtheamusementparkfan]

Even now, but definitely prominent for problems in the early 2000s.

[@soilaborrero]

I’d like you to do more of these “failed rides” subjects. Rides can include Superstar Limo, Journey into Your Imagination, Rocket Rods, Flying Saucers, and Luigi’s Flying Tires.

[@martinallysonsenn6108]

Why only the disney rides?

[@soilaborrero]

Martin Allyson Senn There will be rides other than Disney rides. One example can be Europe in the Air at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

[@martinallysonsenn6108]

@@soilaborrero yeah but you only listed the disney ones

[@TheSlipperyNUwUdle]

Superman in Six Flags would be a good one. Though we don’t actually know as much as we should about it.

[@lars2256]

Thumbnail: “worlds tallest fail” Son of Beast: *laughs in aneurysm*

[@bruceaskew2107]

😔,🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

Son Of Beast is the roller coaster equivalent of being born with cerebral palsy and then dying of an epileptic seizure from said cerebral palsy.

[@annabananabread9773]

Love this video. I’ve been an almost annual park attendee since I was about six, just tall enough to ride the Raven. I love roller and water coasters, but this was…something. I love the feeling of a drop, so I was ready to ride the Pilgrim’s Plunge with my dad (I was a preteen when this opened). Waiting in line was fine, nothing special. The ride from when you got on the boat to the elevator was incredibly boring. Nothing to look at, no theming, and I felt like I wasn’t even in the park anymore. And then came the elevator. Oh my goodness, that elevator. Tied for the most scared I have ever been on a ride (tied with the Windseeker at Cedar Point), and one of the reasons I never rode this again. The others were that it was indeed always closed for maintenance, and that it just wasn’t fun. It felt so slow compared to the Wildebeast or any of the other water slides. I didn’t even get wet on it 😂 Still, I got anxious even watching that elevator part more than 10 years later. The boat tilted to the side at one point, and for how terrifying the lift was, the drop was so disappointing! Anyway, I still love Holiday World, and the Thunderbird more than makes up for that terrible time imo. I also love theme and amusement parks and rides, so I’ll have to check out more of your videos!

[@jimfritz8983]

I rode this ride 2 or 3 times. I was a little nervous about the lift up but I enjoyed the ride itself. There were no disappointment. The last tome I rode and the last time I saw Will Koch was while I was riding this ride. I waved at him. He waved back and he looked happy. He must have spent a lot of time there because of the problems.

[@freedomgal3726]

We go to Holiday World almost every year. We LOVED Pilgrims Plunge! We rode it a bunch when it was open, one of our favs! We were bummed when it closed and wondered why. Thank you for doing this video!

[@lucysnow4443]

As a young child, I loved this ride, mainly due to the fact that I was blind to it's issues. Once, during the off season, I even got to ride it over 10 times in a row, as I was the only person in line, and no one else showed up! Let me say, too, that those front seats were horrible; great view, but that water would turn to shards of glass on the way down, it felt like. Was sad to see it go, so thanks for making this amazing video on it!

[@JulianDale94]

0:57 C'mon Chris, don't think you can sneak that pun past us

[@tommyplays8790]

Lol

[@bruceaskew2107]

he be sneaky as fuck 🤣🤣🤣

[@mrutherford1106]

As an employee of Holiday World, it's unfortunate that I was never around this area to see this ride, or see Will Koch in person. His family is really nice, though, and you'd never know that they had a rough past.

[@joelmoore886]

My family has attended Holiday World for one day every year for the past 18 years as a tag-on to my wife’s family reunion in southern Indiana. During the years of Pilgrims Plunge, I never experienced any of the downtime you spoke about. I always enjoyed the ride...although you are correct about the splashdown. It wasn’t very big. I appreciate your documentaries. I always wondered why they removed this ride and now I know. Thank you for your continued excellence in your videos!

[@nothanksguy]

A so-so ride. The plot of land that it sat on is a huge headache now. Big concrete pool means big redevelpopment costs unless its a new water ride

[@Elykism]

They are working on something for that area. Have signs up calling it Turkey Chase

[@kaden_lee24]

I completely forgot that Pilgrims Plunge was a thing when I was there last month and was very confused by that empty plot of land that looks like an abandoned super cheap rapids ride😂

[@josiahberry6531]

Same here.

[@thefiredragon09]

I go there usually every year and have since I was 7 and I've always wondered what that spot was used for lol

[@craigperry3779]

Could you say this ride was..... Problematic?

[@greycarton]

Sigh

[@kristalic]

when you click a random coaster video and hear "WARNING" :000

[@joshlutz3017]

*BLOCK ZONE INTENSIFIES*

[@jackschissler255]

We need to send this over to ElToroRyan for his “Problematic” series 😂. But there is no block brake sections 😢 so it may not work for him.

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

Get out

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

The Giraffica rename actually happened in 2013, and it was removed at the end of 2013.

[@AirtimeThrills]

Youre right, i either misread the date or got some bad info

[@yotsubafanfan]

I live in the same tri-state area as Holiday world and remember the announcement. When first video displaying Pilgrims Plunge came out you wouldn't believe the hype it had. I only got to ride it a couple of times (because storms and winds would close the ride.) But I loved it. The ride up was kind of fun. It made you terrified and excited at the same time. Although I wish the drop was better. But now I'm just glad I got to ride it. My poor twin sister though. She chickened out both chances she had to ride it bless her heart!

[@Lap_Bar_Down]

Holiday World is my home park and I rode Pilgrims Plunge many times. It was such a big deal locally when it opened and when it went down. There were so many rumors of the boats falling off the lift, boats crashing, people being stuck on the lift for hours, etc. I'll go ahead and say that as impressive as it looked, the ride was always a huge disappointment. The most you got wet was going down the drop when they had the water running. Most times I rode it the water was not running down the hill. All in all I loved the look of the ride, but was never a fan of the experience itself. I would love for a power splash to take its place, but I don't see that happening. Loved the video and huge fan of the channel!

[@samcollins1862]

It's a really cool credit to have, and was very nerve wracking going up the lift. It was a fun ride but I'm not surprised it was removed so quick

[@chiefbeef6251]

Sam Collins Wait, it's a credit? How can it be a credit of it doesn't have any coaster track?

[@Coolsomeone234]

@@chiefbeef6251 some count the ramp as coaster track. I personally don't

[@samcollins1862]

@@chiefbeef6251 I still consider it a credit personally

[@hankburnsyt]

@@samcollins1862 very cool thing to be able to ride, but wouldn’t consider that as a credit. no hate tho!

[@jamiem.362]

This ride was great and I was very disappointed that it was removed years ago!! I do agree that it desperately needed to be better themed, but it was a wonderful ride and the lines were not typically very long.

[@NerdyQueen456]

I was young when this came out and got the chance to ride whenever I could. It was actually really fun and I enjoyed it. Still feels weird seeing the building still there. I always said that they should turn the building into a picnic area but we will see.

[@aliyarber6248]

I live 45 minutes from Holiday World, my first time going was in 2007-2008 and I vividly remember watching the commercials and hearing radio ads for Pilgrim's Plunge. The first time I went was for a family vacation and we spent three days there, so seeing a new water ride being added was super exciting but I didn't go again until 2014-2015, after the ride had been taken down. I've always been super sad that I never got a chance to ride it (not sure I would've actually gone on it though, the elevator looked terrifying) but it's pretty cool getting to see the area where it used to be when getting on the Mayflower

[@SingleRiderReak]

"Pilgrim's Plunge would feature a first-of-its-kind elevator lift." Matterhorn Blitz at Europa Park and Journey to Atlantis at SeaWorld San Diego: **Confused Mack Rides noises**

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Well double style elevator lift unless those have it as well?

[@SingleRiderReak]

@@Brandon-qd2lb They do have the double lift. Although, Pilgrim's Plunge is the first ride to have the double lift system entirely outdoors.

[@samcrandall3094]

SingleRiderReak Sea World San Diego also has a traditional lift segment, so no, it wasn’t the first double elevator lift

[@Cwilson21005]

When I visited Holiday world this past July, I was walking past the old remnants of pilgrims plunge. I had no idea at the time but then when I remembered that Holiday world had some sort of crazy water ride, I emmidiatly thought that was the old remnants of the pilgrims plunge. I had no clue that it was still there.

[@superflyriri4153]

I didn't care that the splash down was lame. I actually liked it. What I did NOT like was the elevator ride. It felt very unsafe. As a ride operator I understand things that may seem unsafe are safe, but the boat would tilt side to side on the way up. Not fun.

[@Abnerdoodle]

The elevator ride was more scary than the drop. Minimal splash as well.

[@big-e2635]

Awww yeah one of the best part of my days are these videos as I sit at home wishing to go to parks and hop on rides hopefully next year, Keep up the good work Chris

[@coasterkeychain6852]

So that’s what happened to Pilgrims Plunge!! I’ve always wanted to know! Very Interesting. Nice Video 👍

[@daltonreed5083]

I was able to ride this twice when I was really young. I was less than 10 years old. And I have to say that at the time it was scary to me, but looking back on it I really miss it. It was honestly really fun even without a huge splash. Also when I was there the line was always very long. It was such a unique ride and it is nearly impossible to replace unless they revamp it and put it where it used to be. Since the two similar rides in Europe work well I think that Holiday World should use the new technology to their advantage.

[@Coolsomeone234]

Should have mentioned that the water park expansion next to Giraffica closed down in 2019 abandoning the entire section

[@Elykism]

Was just there and wondered why a random water slide set empty an unaccessible. Thanks for the update.

[@Coolbyrd1]

I was 9 when this opened, and as a 9-year-old, it was one of my favorite rides. I’ve always been sad that it got shut down, but I know that if I ride it as adult, it would be a letdown. I’m glad that I will always have fond memories of Pilgrims Plunge. Thank you for the closure.

[@gadzooks5398]

Another Holiday World video? Yes please. I rode Pilgrim's Plunge several times and honestly, the ride itself was surreal to look at. Riding it? Eh, it was alright. Pretty much everything you said was true; the reputation around the GP was that the ride was too intimidating and some even feared that the boat would overturn once it "sank" at the end of the runoff. It rarely ran, even when they turned into a waterpark-only ride, and those lapbars were really tough to put on, even with the help of the ride operators, unless you were like 6'5" lol. Every time I've been there since 2014, in particular during the Halloween events in October, I've always wondered if Holiday World planned on doing anything with that plot of land. Thought maybe for their 75th next year, they would put something there, but with... you know... I doubt it. Great video as always, Chris :D

[@coryburdette6949]

Having been going to Holiday World a lot, as well as working there for 5 seasons, there was a rumor spreading around that I heard that they still have all the boats they used in the attraction in one of their storage areas, and that there was an idea for a slow, Thanksgiving themed water ride (a tamer Raging Rapids, if you will) brought up at one point, but to my knowledge nothing ever came of that. Fantastic video! Still remember the ride to this day. Might I suggest, if you're into Holiday World rides, doing a video on an oldie called Banshee or Paul Revere's Midnight Ride, better known as the "octopus"!

[@SASEntertainment]

There is just something about your narration that I love, its soothing while informing me of everything coaster and theme parks...I’d listen to you narrate discovery channel, shark week or the gotdamn phone book ❤️

[@Jason_Maier]

Chris, I'm going to repeat what I said on ElToroRyan's video about Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure: An Intamin coaster with technical and reliability issues? Holy shucking fit, I am not surprised!

[@ParkPros]

I always really enjoyed Shoot the Rapids and Pilgrim's Plunge. It's a bummer that Intamin just couldn't get those right.

[@7thdayproductions330]

Proud to have been a main op on this things last season; This was my favorite ride at the park.

[@TEHSTONEDPUMPKIN]

I remember being so hyped when this thing opened, never got around to riding it, and now I had completely forgotten it even existed until I saw this. lol.

[@frugalprepper]

We visited Holiday World for the first time this year and I wondered hat all those concrete water ways were for. Thanks. I had no idea this ride ever existed. Voyage has one of the best first drops ever. They weren't busy at all while we were there and I rode the Voyage over and over and over and over again.

[@generalguy64x]

I'd honestly be terrified of that ride. Log Flumes never feel safe, and being on one so high up would be hella nerve-wracking.

[@eriklakeland3857]

It was intimidating going up the elevator of that beast. Really hoping the station is reused for a custom RMC raptor with 12 car trains, Pilgrims Plunge 2.0

[@ayedunno3255]

Hey there! Just found this video. Holiday World is my home park. I was about 8 or 9 when Pilgrim’s Plunge was opened, so my family went opening summer and I loved it!! We rode it a few times, and I always wanted to sit on the front row to get the adrenaline from that moment when you’re looking down that hill. The ride itself was just like any large water slide. I remember some splashes were bigger than others, and my older brother had this myth that if you leaned forward, you could go faster and create a bigger splash. Probably just a trick to get me to bonk my head, looking back lol. I do remember being the only one of my friends who would ride it; I’ve never really been one to be afraid of heights or rides; I was a big kid, and was tall enough to ride to Voyage only a few years after it opened. I think I was about six the first time I rode the Voyage, and I loved it from day 1. Sometimes I miss Pilgrim’s Plunge, but I certainly don’t miss waiting in line for it. Now in that section we have the Thunderbird, which scratches almost every coaster itch for me personally, so I’m quite contented. Sometimes it’s just lovely to ride a nice smooth B&M winged launch over and over again.

[@alanablumberg1558]

I would go to Holiday World all the time as a kid with my family from around the ages of 8-13. Pilgrim’s plunge was always the ride my sister and I would only ride once then move on just so we could say we did it. As a kid with anxiety, the lift going up was probably the most intense part😂 I always felt like I was going to tip out on the curved part of the lift, so the plunge going back to the ground was more like a huge breath of relief

[@davidg3412]

I’d just like to say I went to Holiday World most years growing up, and the Pilgrims Plunge was, without a doubt, one of my favorite rides in the park. When I was younger I really enjoyed Frightful Falls, so the idea of kind of having a giant flume ride was awesome. In addition to that, the lift was great at building anticipation for the drop. I loved how long it took to get lifted, how the boat would shift and slightly tilt at certain parts of the lift and how you’d sit for a moment at the top before going down. While it wasn’t incredibly steep, I think it’s height, combined with the max speed it reached really created a great thrill! I think this is a good video, because it definitely had some major flaws, but I also wanted to share my opinion as someone who loved this ride and probably rode it around 50 times while it was still operational.

[@RedSoxfan95]

Watching Airtime Thrills is the second best thing to riding a roller coaster. Especially during Quarantine and my stroke recovery.

[@austinwoods5858]

The years I got to go this park while it was open this ride was always closed and I really wished I got to ride it

[@nito209]

Like wise. I went four times. Closed all four times.

[@mamagoldielocks]

Same! I was there once or twice per summer and it was closed every time! They've finally put something in the old spot though, and they definitely themed it better than this!

[@rcky6506]

These documentary style videos are super entertaining, keep it up!

[@dudebrochill6583]

I got to ride it MANY MANY times when it was still around. The lift up and the amazing view you got from the top was the coolest part of it for me, and worth giving it a ride every time I visited. The splash never ever ever got that big, but sometimes if you were in the right seat you would get wet.... although not SOAKED by any means. But the lift itself was pretty damn amazing and impressive to ride in and of itself and I was sad to see the ride go. By BIGGEST complaints about it (as a overall fan of the ride itself) Is that is was down a LOT of the time, and the fact that after loading and riding the Shute to the lift was not themed whatsoever. It felt like you were taking a little boat ride out to the middle of nowhere with nothing interesting to see at all until you got to the lift. But again for me the lift and that initial drop from the top were what was fantastic about this ride. When it was placed there I always thought it was a weird placement to begin with. An expansion of the water park out that direction didn’t make much sense because the walk between the two sections was long. After its removal they did place a slide complex over that way as well, but again the path to get there was incredibly long for just a slide complex... that slide complex has too been removed I believe. I think they have completely scrapped taking the water park out in the direction now in my opinion. However I have been told they DO have long term plans for the station and that area... what they are the public won’t know. I do know that it appears that they do regular upkeep of the station and the water canal as it always appears very clean and new looking. I would not be surprised if they repurpose the area for another ride that uses water to some degree. The parks flume ride is getting very old and is nothing to write home about at all. They could make a really cool new version in this area. Just my thoughts.

[@amnz-pq6py]

The 'slide complex' that you speak of was called Hyena Falls and I, also, thought it was odd that the slides seemed to be VERY FAR from the rest of the water park, Splashin' Safari.

[@ducksfan_1149]

I remember looking at photos of this too- and my first visit was this year, I had no idea its footprint was still there. I wish I got a chance to ride it, but I probably wouldn’t have cared for it. Also loving the more frequent uploads lately.

[@MondoCoasters]

Haven't been on Giraffica, or Holiday World for that matter (actually I've yet to visit America, so there's that) but I have been to Mirabilandia many times and I can safely say that Divertical is a fairly underwhelming experience. Not only that, but it's also extremely unreliable, since it often opens later in the day, breaks down regularly and it sometimes doesn't even open at all. You'd think they'd have learned from that experience, but if their new lawnmower coaster is anything to go by, I wouldn't be surprised if they really were the most out-of-touch amusement park in the world.

[@Toastyscrub]

I was able to ride this 3 times and i really enjoyed it. i was a lot younger so the memory is a little fuzzy but i remember the lift being really neat and the splash at the end kind of disappointing. overall though it was a whole lot of fun

[@OASISAlchemy12345]

I had the opportunity to ride while it was still called Pilgrim’s Plunge. If I’m being honest it was one of the most terrifying experiences I’ve had on any ride (water park or amusement park). Going up the lift, you felt as if you were going to slide right off the track. Once at the top, you could easily feel the ride swaying back and forth. When I first heard that it closed down I assumed that it was because something awful had happened. Never stepped foot on that ride after my first go.

[@davidd6118]

The lift was freaky in a good way, the drop was smooth and fast, but not stomach dropping like a coaster. The splashdown was kind of skating along then sinking, and I do remember some good splashes, depending on the seating / loading and weight distribution. It felt stuck on to the edge of the park, kind of sitting alone, and the ride to the lift was just nothing but getting there.

[@Alveyjr21]

Pilgrims Plunge was not Will Koch's last contribution. He actually had began planning and designing the Thunderbird, Holiday World's first steel coaster.

[@huntersullivan7861]

Plus, he helped design and was there for the opening of Wildebeest

[@anthonymacken6564]

My wife and I got to ride this ride. It was a neat concept. I thought the approach to the lift was kind of boring but the lift was really neat. The main problem that we encountered was when the boat left the runout section after the drop. It sank so hard that the boat actually slammed onto the bottom of the trough. It hit so hard that it actually bothered my back. I always thought that maybe this could have been a reason for it's removal. Also I remember that they would weigh the boat so it wouldn't reach a maximum load.

[@joe_isom]

I’m from southern Indiana & I rode this ride in its opening year & the year after that. It was a very unsettling ride but man it was a rush! The ride up was terrifying. There was only a small lap bar & that’s it. It was also renamed Giraffica but I guess that didn’t work out. People forget Pilgrims Plunge/Giraffica was a prototype, a first of its kind, which means a lot of trial & error. Sad it didn’t last because it was a thrill ride & family ride in one. It was the elevator lift is why a lot of people wouldn’t get on it. The middle part where the two lifts meet each other is what made me nervous because the cart tilts at that part & it was freaky.

[@TylerPCoyne]

R.I.P Eddie Van Halen! I know this is supposed to be a coaster video, but I can’t help myself when it comes to the loss of a rock legend! 🤘🏻😔

[@coasterhockygamingboy9549]

TylerPCoyne ikr 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@coastercraziness]

Seriously tho it’s really sad

[@coasterhockygamingboy9549]

Coaster Craziness :(

[@AirtimeProductions]

He was always one of my favorites 😔

[@bobbyricigliano2799]

2:12 It is worth mentioning Perilous Plunge at Knott's Berry Farm had a passenger fatality when a woman fell out of the boat. That ride has been closed for years, but I remember riding it back in the day.

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Yesss been waiting for a video on this! I need to know more about this ride. All the other models intamin made have been running just fine but they do not have a huge drop into a splashdown since the layout is much longer which this model didn't have. Shame these models just didn't work in the US. It's weird to see the station and track is still there. They gonna reuse it or what? I'm gonna bet the boats were to light to form a huge splashdown like the traditional splashdown boats do. The splash looked fine to me though. If it ain't broke don't fix it imo.

[@sethhansen2439]

They use the area as an entertainment area. They have a play a few times a day and during the fall season it has a maze inside

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

Seth Hansen what lmao

[@jevoliva]

@@Brandon-qd2lb he speaks the truth...

[@emilyharris6137]

Honestly, the barren path to the elevator was terrifying to me just because of how long the wait was and there was this 15 story elevator right in front of your eyes. The anticipation was enough of a thrill. It’s all you could focus on. I was also 13-14 so it was extra scary

[@CBETV11]

I have ridden Speed at Energylandia a lot and the only good thing with it is the elevator. That elevator always scares you. The drop is ok, the layout is ok, it doesn't really feel like a coaster but the splashdown is so soaking. They modified the trains and you get soaked every time, especially if the train is heavy. The view is also incredible!

[@lynnmassey53]

I did get to ride Pilgrim's Plunge. I was totally freaked out going up that lift. The drop was also amazing.... but the splash was definitely lack-luster. Thankfully, the Holiday World park itself is simply over-the-top great. It was nice to have two days to truly enjoy the park.

[@Biomancer99]

I remember having the opportunity to ride Pilgrim's Plunge when it opened in 2009. At the time I was 11 years old, and I was very excited for it since I had seen many ads and billboards claiming it was the worlds tallest water ride. I rode it with my brother, sister, and cousin multiple times when we visited. Strangely, there was no line at all even though the ride had just opened that season, which allowed us to hop off the boat and immediately get on the next one. I honestly thought the most fun part of the ride was riding the elevator to the top rather than the slide down. The slide's 45 degree angle didn't impress me very much, and I hoped to get more wet than I did riding the Pilgrim's Plunge. Sure, the boats splashed water high in the air, but if you were sitting behind the front row you wouldn't get very wet. Overall I was impressed by the height of the ride more than the ride itself, although it was adjacent to the Voyage which was taller than it was. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to ride it again.

[@Ry24gaming]

Rumor on staff was that one of the large gears broke in the elevator on the ride the company that made the originals had gone out of business and the cost of sourcing a replacement was to high to justify keeping the ride

[@Monorail-Beyond-the-Veil]

That makes sense.

[@Coolharry64]

I like how you’re starting to do documentaries about failed rides similar to Expedition Theme Park and Theme Park Crazy!

[@rjurmanovich]

Don't forget Defunctland

[@harleyssecrets]

The trip up the elevator was the most absolutely terrifying thing I've ever experienced on any ride. The way down was a disappointment. But I did get a sense of conquering something after that crazy, SLOW and terrifying lift. I've gone to this park since I was a tot. I'm 25 now and still go about every two or three years.

[@rieskame]

I was at Holiday World this summer for the first time since Voyage opened, and was trying to figure out what was going on with the empty flume ride track. Had no idea that ride existed! Good video

[@jackbarsan1714]

My family and I went to Santa Claus, IN every summer and stayed at the campground right by the park. One of my first memories of the park was when I was 6 and Pilgrims Plunge first debuted. I probably rode it 25 times that first year but it seemed to be close just about every year following that. I remember when they changed its name to Giriffica to fit the 'Splashin' Safari' theme, though I always thought that was a stupid name. When I did get to ride it, however, it was one of my favorite rides purely because of the height of it. The only problem I experienced from it (other than other-worldly wait times) was the actual elevator system that lifted you to the top. The legs clearly do not go straight up so when the elevator got to about the middle, the platform would tilt a little which scared me at first time. I'm glad I got to ride it while it was a round but I won't miss it that much if I ever go back to Holiday World.

[@Gunit119]

I remember riding this in highschool and it was so sketchy but it was fun! I know this video is 2 years old lol but they just annouced a new family coaster going in the area and I am very excited for it!

[@sonnysinnott8397]

Ahhhhhh. Airtime thrills documentaries. U gotta love em

[@disciplerocks13]

Love these mini-documentaries. Keep em coming, good sir.

[@InfinitePlaylist909]

Awesome vid! I didn’t know this story. Am I the only one that is terrified of getting on a water ride/coaster with any type of pneumatic roller coaster restraint? I don’t care how shallow it is, that’s just something I can’t get over.

[@clintcollins6540]

In the summer of 2009 myself and four other guys from my graduating class took an impromptu trip to Holiday World. I distinctly remember Pilgrim's Plunge had just opened earlier that year and those were NOT the vehicles we rode in. They sat 3 or 4 passengers across a bench-style seat with a simple lap bar. I remember one friend and myself both commented that the ride up was 10x scarier than coming back down.

[@DudeWatIsThis]

The problem with the splash could have easily been fixed by adding some hardware on the front. Like some chutes that could simply redirect water upwards on impact. Or even put some sensors that shoot water on the bottom when the wagon comes down. I don't know, doesn't seem too hard to fix.

[@hannahraines3117]

can’t believe i was only 9 when this ride came to be! i rode this a few times and i always enjoyed it. i will agree with everyone else in saying that the lift was absolutely terrifying though. the first time i rode it, the lack of theming leading up to the lift felt incredibly eerie and it almost felt like a “last moments” kind of thing 😭 very silent… very still… relaxing even. and then you would get to the lift and it was like death was upon you 😂 i still will never forget the feeling of the boat tipping on the curve the first time. i remember gripping the side of the boat (as if that would’ve done anything lol). but the height/drop… completely insane. pictures and videos truly do not do the height any justice. driving into santa clause, the voyage would always be the main attraction you see in the distance, but when pilgrim’s plunge was up, you could see it too. the height made it a monster of its own. walking up on it going into the thanksgiving section was surreal. just looking up at it would create a pit in your stomach. the second time i rode it, again it felt like the moment before death, and i remember going up the left side facing out to the park. we went on the curve and the boat SLID and i literally had a moment of accepting what i thought was going to happen 😂 aaaand when we got to the top, the boat slid backwards and i’ll just say that i had never been happier to be going down that big ass drop 😅 i truly enjoyed that ride though. never went on it as giraffica, but am thankful to have been on it as pilgrim’s plunge. i seriously will never forget being at the top of that thing and hearing the roaring of the water and just waiting to drop. love the mems i got from it and have always ALWAYS loved holiday world with all my heart. i haven’t been back for awhile - it’s been far too long. that place is my childhood. definitely can’t wait to go back there again ❤

[@fordrollhaus9086]

Today’s lesson: Intamin + Prototype ≠ Success

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

Prototype of any kind ≠ success, actually.

[@jamesholman2346]

I live about half an hour from Holiday World, so I have been a frequent visitor since 1977 or 1978 when it was still Santa Claus Land. My wife and I rode The Pilgrim’s Plunge often and multiple times during one visit and there seemed no problems; as for the drop and the splash, that didn’t bother us as we were in our late 30’s and early 40’s when the ride operated.

[@reesesland]

fairly certain i rode pilgrim’s plunge the first year it opened, and i have to say the lines for it were insanely long! however, any time i went after that, i could walk on the boat as soon as i got in the station (i would attribute this to, not only the ride being problematic, but also it’s placement was in a very desolate area of the thanksgiving section at the time before thunderbird). i think that’s why i enjoyed the ride so much. i will agree with everyone else who rode it, the elevator was terrifying. it would always make awful sounds and rock around way too much to not feel at least a little unsafe. the drop was enough to entertain a younger version of myself and some of my older family members. i can remember everyone coming off completely dry or completely soaked. really depended where you sat. i was unaware of the name change because we hadn’t been to the park in a few years, so i had no clue what giraffica was supposed to be. i assumed it was to mesh with the splashin safari theme, but everyone continued to call it pilgrim’s plunge up until it closed. since i rode the plunge more in its prime, i never saw it closed as much as other people. i honestly never knew it closed until i walked past the old station. it’s truly very unsettling to look at. if you were none the wiser about the pilgrim’s plunge/giraffica, i’m sure you would just think it’s some creepy thanksgiving scenery. i really hope they do something with the space out there because i believe it’s being used as some type of performance or showtime setting currently. looking back at just how horrifying the structure of the ride, especially the elevator, was, i’m surprised it wasn’t removed sooner.

[@PhilipBader-x5l]

I remember riding this when it opened. The wait time to get through the line. They had one of those giant ceiling fans to try and help cool you off while you waited. And just when you thought it was your turn, you had to go over a bridge in the station to get to the other side to load the boats. Being able to ride from both sides of the park was very unique. I liked that idea. The first stretch of the ride was calming. I guess to get your mind off of what was about to come. That elevator ride up was the worst part of that ride. It was the most thrilling part of the ride. The sideways lean always made you feel like it was just going to keep going over the side and that would be it. When the platform locked in at the top of the slide, very often I would get the feeling that the boat was about to go backwards off the platform. The ride down was okay. I got soaked a few times but it wasn't much. I swear I only have memories of this ride for the elevator ride up.

[@Megatron0443]

The pilgrim plung building is now being used for a hunted house i went in and most of the stuff I can see is still in there the name of the hunted house is Hotel B&B

[@landonrutherford5466]

I was sad to see it go. The elevator was terrifying (which sounds bad but it actually made it better) and I wasn’t super disappointed with the drop, it was still fun. Also I used to get drenched on this ride, the clips from the video didn’t seem to do it justice from what I remember but I think it depended on where you were sitting. Seeing the husk that it is now is kinda sad because it seems like Holiday World really started to blow up around the time it was built. Like there’s a piece of prime Holiday World frozen in time.

[@indianapatsfan]

I loved Pilgrims Plunge. That was my favorite ride in the park. The elevator ride up was so cool. I went to that park four or five times with my kids and I never saw the ride shut down. I guess I was one of the lucky ones.

[@deathbackwards7850]

I always had season passes and rode this a lot as a kid. The elevator was 1000x scarier than the drop. The drop itself really wasn’t bad at all, but I can definitely see how it was scary from a visual point scaring away families.

[@ralphb.8934]

Rode Pilgrims Plunge in 2009..with my daughters..Was incredible. I wanted to ride this since it looked like a super modern Shoot- the-Shoots with its Elevated Lift and Super High Hill. It was Fast and exciting at least to me. I rode two extra times the day we were there. Rode Shoot-the-Shoots at Riverview Amusement Park in Chicago, when I was a kid. What a comparison.

[@al0742]

Yay!!!!! Back-to-back uploads from Chris

[@FerrisBueller86]

I remember riding this on my first trip to Holiday World in around 2011. My dad got all four of us in my family on it, and I remember being really scared to ride! From what I remember, the section before the elevator was just long enough for my 11 year old brain to mentally prepare for what came next. I specifically remember the elevator being terrifyingly fast and then arriving at the top. The drop was pretty fast and I remember getting fairly wet, but not as wet as some smaller water rides. The next time we went to Holiday World in June 2017, I was confused as to why it was gone but the area still had the station building and concrete troughs. I did really enjoy riding Thunderbird, Voyage, Legend, and Raven several times though! Even during the rain!

[@rollercoastduran7500]

Can you do a history of Knott’s Berry Farm?

[@rollercoastduran7500]

That would be cool

[@coasterhockygamingboy9549]

Andrew Duran ikrrr?

[@swetzel08]

Yeah

[@laynewebb5986]

I rode it opening year and I too was very disappointed with the splash. I'm from the Louisville area, so my experience with a shoot-the-chute ride was Mile High Falls from Kentucky Kingdom. Mile High Falls had a *huge* splash so when I heard that Pilgrim's Plunge would be twice as big, I was pumped. Instead, Pilgrim's Plunge's splash was directed mostly outward and I got off almost completely dry :/

[@benrey47]

I’ll never understand how they thought it would be a good family ride. I was about 9 or 10 when the ride was first out and I remember my parents wanting all us kids to get on. We would all cry on the lift part, if felt like the boat was tilting and going to fall. I can’t even tell you if the actual drop was fun cause all I do recall is crying on the lift thinking I was gonna fall off and die.

[@Onoitsbroko]

I got to ride this about 5 times during my visit back in 2010 and I'm so grateful I did. It was a great ride!

[@nickasta3400]

Another quality video! I hope this channel someday gets the attention it deserves!

[@scs998]

i went to holiday world in 2009-10 ish as a seventh grader and I freaking loved pilgrims plunge!! i had no idea it was taken down 😩😭

[@dantefreely5850]

Nothing says Thanksgiving like a 45 foot plunge into recycled water 🦃