Cannonball! Holiday World's Record-Breaking Water Coaster
Holiday World Announces a National First
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, located in the small town of Santa Claus, Indiana, has announced Cannonball, a new water roller coaster set to become the fastest and tallest of its kind in the United States.
It is also the first and only water roller coaster in the entire Midwest, and only the third of its kind ever built in the country.
The $22 million ride marks the largest single-attraction investment in the park's history, according to Holiday World officials.
Cannonball is scheduled to open in May 2027, giving the park roughly a year to complete construction on what is already being called one of the most anticipated new attractions in the American theme park industry.
What Makes Cannonball a National Record Holder
Designed by MACK Rides, a German manufacturer based in Waldkirch and known internationally for water coaster engineering, Cannonball will send riders 90 feet into the air before a series of drops carries them back down.
Its steepest descent, a 75-foot plunge, is being billed as the tallest drop ever built into a water coaster in the United States.
Riders will travel across more than 1,000 feet of track, moving through five total drops before the ride's climactic splashdown.
The full ride experience is expected to run about three minutes, blending traditional roller coaster mechanics with a water-landing finale unique to this category of ride.
How a Water Coaster Actually Works
Unlike a standard log flume, a water roller coaster uses coaster-style boats that climb a chain lift hill and then navigate a full track layout of drops, twists, and turns, much like a conventional steel coaster, before finishing with a dramatic water landing.
This hybrid format is still rare in the United States, with Cannonball becoming only the third installation of its kind nationwide once it opens.
The Theme: A Fourth of July Pool Party
Cannonball is themed around a nostalgic Fourth of July community pool party, complete with a fictional cannonball diving competition at its center.
Boats will depart the station past a themed Boulder Canyon barbecue cookout scene before climbing the lift hill and eventually splashing down into what the park calls the Boulder Canyon Community Pool.
Riders float past giant inflatable sculptures nicknamed Ron the Swan and Ron Swan's Son, and are encouraged to shout "Cannonball!" during the final splashdown.
Guests will board one of seven specially designed boats styled as oversized novelty pool floats, including a giant donut, a watermelon, and a patriotic popsicle.
Design
Built by MACK Rides, a leading German manufacturer specializing in water coaster technology.
Family Access
Minimum height of 42 inches when accompanied by an adult, or 48 inches to ride unaccompanied, keeping it family-friendly.
Timing
Announced days before America's 250th anniversary, with an opening set for May 2027.
Why This Announcement Matters Beyond One Ride
Cannonball will become Holiday World's seventh roller coaster and its first new coaster since Good Gravy!, a family coaster that opened in 2024.
For a regional, family-owned park competing against much larger national chains, a genuine national record, fastest and tallest in its category, is a meaningful marketing and business milestone.
It reflects a broader trend we've tracked in the travel industry, where travelers are increasingly choosing quieter, regional destinations over crowded, overexposed ones, giving smaller parks like Holiday World a genuine opening to compete for family vacation dollars.
Holiday World has already begun selling 2027 Platinum Season Passes, which include a bonus ticket to visit during the current 2026 season along with early access to ride Cannonball during its opening summer.
Family Entertainment Investment in Context
Large single-attraction investments like this one echo a pattern visible across the wider entertainment and family leisure sector this year, from new regional attractions to the kind of major ticketed spectacles we covered in our recent look at how demand and pricing collide at major live events.
What to Expect Before Cannonball Opens
Construction is now underway at the Santa Claus, Indiana park, with the ride slated to anchor an expanded Fourth of July themed section once complete.
Holiday World has a track record of pairing new record-setting attractions with strong value positioning, including admission that already includes free unlimited soft drinks, sunscreen, and parking.
As with any major coaster project, exact statistics, ride time, and specific track elements could see minor adjustments between now and the May 2027 opening as construction and testing progress.
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