The Raven on approach from the parking lot
Once ranked 1sttop wood coaster, Golden Ticket Awards

Holiday World, Santa Claus, Indiana

Raven

POV
Ride it: back row POV
Back row
only lit by the moon and fireflies
a timeless layout that doesn't peak early
What riders love
  • It's fantastic riding out in the forest.
  • The bank turn over the lake/pond was a particular highlight.
  • I also enjoy the view of the lake and speeding through the woods.
  • Back row gives insane airtime and I love the layout, theming and setting.
  • In the back you just get launched down the hill, then suddenly you are twisting around the woods while being pushed up against the side of the car.
  • The big hill in the middle of the ride provides great airtime and from there you pick up so much speed.
  • Raven really has an out of control feel to it especially at night.
  • But personally it's a nonstop intense jaunt the whole time through!
  • Crazy laterals and incredible speed with the cold forest air in your face, if you're in the front.
Raven Watch Performance Should I ride it? Specifications Reviews Planning History

Watch POVs and more

Raven front seat on-ride 4K POV @60fps Holiday World

youtube.com › CoasterForce

Raven back seat on-ride 4K POV @60fps Holiday World

youtube.com › CoasterForce

Raven 4K POV CRAZY Wooden Coaster Holiday World, Indiana

youtube.com › CoasterVisuals

Raven Review Holiday World CCI Wooden Roller Coaster

youtube.com › Coaster Studios

The Raven REVIEW CCI Wooden Coaster | Holiday World

youtube.com › Theme Park Hunting

The Raven 2021 Coaster Review | Holiday World | Does the Re-Profile make the Coaster Better?

youtube.com › Thrill Ridez

Raven's First Flight of 2019 | Holiday World

youtube.com › Holiday World & Splashin' Safari

Performance

Vs. other coasters at Holiday World

The first drop is good and you get airtime on Raven unlike legend, the view of the lake is great but that’s where it starts to get really rough.

Stormin Norman

If you’re in the back here, you really get dragged over the drop for some ejector airtime.

Coaster Critic

The rest of the ride has amazing drops in the back with awesome airtime, but in the front it’s just okay.

Eric Esty

There was a little floater air time, but it didn’t make up for the beating that I had experienced.

Liam Dodds

Not sure if was rain related but the airtime was meh this time around.

Glass Cannonn

Very smooth after the retrack, I think the length is fine, but the lap bar can come down really far.

J&B FitzTubeKidz

After riding the Raven I could not understand how it won multiple Golden Tickets.  I thought it was rough, and way too short.

Bansheelover

Slightly concerned with how its aging as the turns in the first half are particularly rough nowadays - tweaked my neck after a few laps this past trip.

Bryan Bonafede

Airtime is good, pacing is very quick and intense, to a definite detriment of comfort.

Evangelion Martini

This sounds tame, but its actually fairly intense.

Coaster Critic

The ride is a little short but still pack a real punch.

Jack Jack J.

The terrain is nice, pace is good as is intensity.

Glass Cannonn

Raven is a great starter ride for anyone who isn’t sure if they’re ready to brave thrill coasters yet.

Rollertoaster

I still love its pacing with the fifth drop and everything after being a total mad dash back to the station, but right now it’s in a weird in-between state.

Ethan S.

The top speed is only 48 miles per hour, but it feels much faster because of the trees and ground zooming by around you.

Coaster Critic

Its my least favorite woodie at holiday world but it still packs a punch love all the airtime love the location and this things pacing is crazy its rough though also kinda short

Lacie Lawson

The big hill in the middle of the ride provides great airtime and from there you pick up so much speed.

Chris Jones

However, it is still a fun ride overall and runs super fast when it’s warmed up.

Rollertoaster

It only goes 48 miles per hour, though the ride feels so much faster than that, especially with how fast it goes through that layout.

Coaster Adventures

Should I ride it?

Organize by

Specifications

80 ftHeight
159 Voyage 140 Thunderbird 99 Legend 80 Raven
85 ftFirst drop
154 Voyage 130 Thunderbird 113 Legend 85 Raven
48 mphTop speed
Voyage67 Thunderbird60 Legend59 Raven48 067 mph
0Inversions

What riders say

Praised for

Great viewsStrong airtimeFeels fast

Criticised for

Rough or rattlyPainful or bruisingToo short

Its my least favorite woodie at holiday world but it still packs a punch love all the airtime love the location and this things pacing is crazy its rough though also kinda short

Lacie Lawson, Captain Coaster review

The location is incredible and the layout is better than many other woodys I’ve had the pleasure of riding, but it’s like going 9 rounds with Tyson in the back.

Caleb Vines, Captain Coaster review

It’s no surprise why, as this ride served as a light in dark times for woodies with its airtime-heavy, lateral-intense layout, standing out amongst the RCCAs and no-name manufacturerers of the world.

I'm NotHere, Captain Coaster review

You heard correctly, Voyage was running great when I was there in mid July.  Raven sucked rocks....

IBEW_Sparky, review

Raven is rough, but manageable as the length of the ride is just right for the intensity/roughness it produces.

Sean Reardon, Captain Coaster review

This ride has amazing pace, fun forces, and is a nice thrill ride for your kids.

Ian, Captain Coaster review

Photos

The Raven
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
Scan of print photo, me waiting in line for The Raven for my dad to finish taking my photo
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
About to take flight on The Raven
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
Up the Raven's lift
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
Raven at Holiday World
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
In the Raven station
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
The Raven making the first turn toward the transfer shed
Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 2.0
The Raven pre-2002. Bill Koch Sr. is seen in the suit on the left, while Will Koch is seen on the right
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. OParalyzerx at en.wikipedia, Public domain
The Raven Roller coaster across Lake Rudolph
Mavision PC, CC BY 3.0

9 photographs. Swipe or drag sideways.

Planning your ride

History and awards

May 6, 1995Opened

Built by Custom Coasters International, designed by Larry Bill.

$2 millionTo build

Golden Ticket Awards, top wood coaster: ranked in 28 polls, 1998 to 2026

2nd1998, its first poll
1st2000, its best placing
32nd2026, most recent

Sources

Restraint types: Captain Coaster. History, incidents and awards: Wikipedia. Specifications and status: Coasterpedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. From the park and maker: Holiday World guide. Also read: Captain Coaster (converted to feet and mph). Rider sentiment and performance scores: rider reviews on Captain Coaster, coastercritic.com, kicentral.com, youtube.com, read and scored by AirtimeFever.

Photographs via Wikimedia Commons: Jeremy Thompson (CC BY 2.0), Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. OParalyzerx at en.wikipedia (Public domain), Mavision PC (CC BY 3.0). Video thumbnails remain the property of their channels and link back to them.

What riders love, by theme (themes in the order riders pick them most on Captain Coaster): Rollertoaster, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The setting is very nice; it passes by the…”; Nathan F, rider review on Captain Coaster: “It's fantastic riding out in the forest.”; Sean Reardon, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The bank turn over the lake/pond was a particular…”; Trent Yoder, rider review on Captain Coaster: “I also enjoy the view of the lake and…”; Clayton, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The airtime is insane, especially the first drop in…”; Zach S., rider review on Captain Coaster: “Back row gives insane airtime and I love the…”; I'm NotHere, rider review on Captain Coaster: “In the back you just get launched down the…”; Chris Jones, rider review on Captain Coaster: “The big hill in the middle of the ride…”; Evangelion Martini, rider review on Captain Coaster: “Feels absolutely out of control as it hauls through…”; Jack Jack J., rider review on Captain Coaster: “Raven really has an out of control feel to…”; JJ Vavrik, rider review on Captain Coaster: “But personally it's a nonstop intense jaunt the whole…”; Eric Esty, rider review on Captain Coaster: “Crazy laterals and incredible speed with the cold forest…”; Evangelion Martini, rider review on Captain Coaster: “Holiwood Nights rides with you screaming through near pitch…”; Bryan Bonafede, rider review on Captain Coaster: “Just has a timeless layout that doesn't peak early.”.

The photo slider at the top and the fading stills: CoasterForce's back row POV, Raven back seat on-ride 4K POV @60fps Holiday World (YouTube), and the page's Wikimedia Commons photographs.