SANTA CLAUS — Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is making waves with the announcement of its largest single-attraction investment in park history: Cannonball!, a groundbreaking $22 million water roller coaster slated to open in May 2027.
Promised to be the fastest water roller coaster in the United States and the first of its kind in the Midwest, Cannonball! will serve as the marquee attraction of the park’s Fourth of July section.
Record-Breaking Thrills and Speed
Designed by German manufacturer Mack Rides, Cannonball! will feature state-of-the-art water coaster engineering, making it only the third traditional Mack water coaster built in the United States.
The ride will feature impressive specs:
- Height & Drop: A 90-foot-tall lift hill followed by a dramatic 75-foot plunge—the tallest drop on any water roller coaster in the nation.
- Speed: Reaches top speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, officially claiming the title of America’s fastest water coaster.
- Track Length: Over 1,000 feet of steel coaster track filled with five drops, steep banks, and airtime turns before plunging into the splashdown pool.
- Capacity: Seven distinct 8-passenger boats styled as giant pool floaties.
Whimsical Small-Town Community Pool Theming
Cannonball! immerses riders in a nostalgic Fourth of July community pool party set in the fictional town of Boulder Canyon, USA.
Guests enter through a community center station building where they board boats designed as giant novelty innertubes, including themed designs like a giant watermelon, donut, American flag, patriotic popsicle, and a red-and-white life preserver.
After drifting past a backyard barbecue scene, riders ascend the 90-foot hill before navigating five drops and splashing down in the Boulder Canyon Community Pool. As the boat hits the water, riders drift past inflatable swan statues named “Ron the Swan” and “Ron Swan’s Son” before returning to the station.
“This ride is dedicated to every kid who had to work up the courage to climb the tall diving board at their community pool,” said Leah Koch-Blumhardt, fourth-generation owner and Director of Communications at Holiday World. “And it’s a tribute to every small town with a quirky annual tradition.”
Expanding Indiana’s premier Theme Park Legacy
Founded in 1946 as Santa Claus Land, Holiday World holds the distinction of being America’s first themed amusement park. Today, the park spans over 125 acres across four holiday-themed sections: Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July.
Cannonball! continues the park’s tradition of unique family-friendly thrill rides, following the 2024 launch of Good Gravy!, a family coaster in the Thanksgiving section. While Splashin’ Safari already holds world renown for its slide-style water coasters like Wildebeest, Mammoth, and Cheetah Chase, Cannonball! will bridge the gap between steel roller coasters and water attractions in the main theme park.
Construction is officially underway, with Cannonball! scheduled to make its public debut when the park opens for the 2027 summer season.
For a complete breakdown of the ride’s layout and conceptual design, check out this Holiday World Cannonball Water Coaster Announcement Overview.
This video gives coaster enthusiasts an in-depth look at the specs, story, and engineering behind Holiday World’s $22 million record-breaking attraction.
