Thunderbird Review, Holiday World B&M Wing Coaster | America's Best Wing Coaster 

What really surprised me is that thunderbird doesn’t feel like a prototype at all despite being one, B&M really loves perfection

Last year, I took a trip to Kentucky Kingdom with a friend of mine. An hour away from our destination, and I jokingly remarked that Holiday World is only an hour away and in a different time zone, and that we could do both in one day. Well, what started out as a joke soon became an epic park-hopping experience capped off by the notion that we were assigned the front row to three of the four coasters at Holiday World. And the coaster we got a back row ride on? The Voyage. Thunderbird definitely is the best wing coaster I’ve ridden to date. Surprising that another one hasn’t been built.

B&M wing coasters are so underrated! Especially this ride because it’s over shadowed by Voyage

Thunderbird is a sentimental favorite of mine. It’s my first launch coaster, and it sparked my preferences for launch coasters. Out of 228 coasters, Thunderbird is still a top 15 coaster for me to this day

This is 100% my favorite wing coaster.

I've been on Wild Eagle and Gatekeeper so I'm excited to see what a launch brings to a wing coaster during Holiwood Nights. I know we'll see B&M do more launch coasters with their surf model, but I'd love for them to implement launches on their inverts. Seems like that would make for a wild ride.

Glad someone finally brought up Firecracker

I like the first half more because that launch is surprisingly amazing, their is some great positives and the pacing is just better in the first half

I can't wait to see what a B&M launch feels like when I head there next month. Right now, my only wing coaster credit is X-flight so I'm looking forward to this. Great review, that layout looks amazing in the woods with the near miss elements

I did ride 2 wing roller coasters. I did the Thunderbird and the other one was Gatekeeper at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. The Gatekeeper does have a chain driven lift hill.

I know if you think about it people will realize that wing trains are heavier than most trains so it would need more power for it. Anyway thanks for the great video

Hey, Canobie Coaster! B&M should build more launched Wing Coasters!

So it is hard to comprehend now but the announcement of Thunderbird and how big of a deal it was. Enthusiasts today question why Holiday World went with a giant steel coaster even though this park was about the wooden coasters. (I’ve heard these questions countless times.) Well the thing is the locals of Holiday World begged for a steel coaster for ages upon ages. Look at some of the early Holiday World RU-vid videos and you’ll see people spamming them with comments on when they are getting a steel coaster? Comments that are over 10 years old. A major steel coaster represented a major park for many locals. What separated Holiday World to the other major parks in the region. So it was a major deal when Thunderbird was announced! I remember multiple people thinking they will boost ticket prices because now Holiday World is a major park with Thunderbird under their belt.

Looks great

Merry Christmas, bro!

Smooth B&M's like chain lifts. Master of the "pre release" to take stress off chain b 4 drop. When they did Hulk (they didn't want to make the launch system) I had a friend that wanted a launched B&M in his park. When I talked to them in early 2000's they still were not into launches (I'd have to contract that part out) Now, with the launch trend "our guys" are getting on board with it! I can't wait to ride this one. Holiday World is an excellent park!

8:08 he’s so excited 😂

B&M's elements are much more mellow nowadays compared to when they were making a splash with Kumba and Hulk or even the floorless coasters. Guess they're designed to be more graceful and casual. I enjoy wing coasters. They're unique and I can get my parents on them once but they could be so much more. I wish they would stiffen the outer seats on the trains. Not sure they can reasonably do that engineering wise or I'm sure B&M would have done it. Not like they didn't think of it. Love these in depth, daily reviews. Good stuff.

just went to holiday world for the first time yesterday and we loved it! thunderbird was amazing! we got 6 rides on thunderbird and voyage. 2 on legend and 3 on raven! walk ons all day cause of a very slight rain in the morning. great park and we saw thunderbird have 1 break down, heard it was a break sensor or something but it was back up in 15 minutes.

I cant wait for kings dominions launched wing coaster!

B&M seems to really love their immelmanns.

I have been on all 4 Wing Coasters in the US. Thunderbird is my clear favorite. It is also my 2nd favorite coaster at HW. The ending to Thunderbird is quite good. I didn't have an issue with the first half. I also was never uncomfortable on this one like Wild Eagle or deal with a big rattle like I do sometimes with X Flight or GateKeeper.

The first half is so good with that crazy launch, but I enjoyed the inversions more on the second half.

FWIW, I’ve ridden six B&M wing coasters - including Fenix and Flug der Daemonen - and Thunderbird is easily my favorite.

I have only ridden 3 B&M Wings and they are fun. Not forceful but they are just enjoyable. I have also ridden Hulk so a launch on a B&M was very unique to experience. I wonder what its like to put them together and have a cool layout through the woods. I also think I will love that inline twist as the one on X Flight was my favorite part of the ride.

I love Thunderbird. 10/10. It's my 2nd favorite at Holiday World. I don't know why, but I just thing wing coasters are amazing (except for those S&S free spins). There's nothing like having no track above or below you on a coaster. Thunderbird is my 2nd favorite wing coaster behind X2, and is in my overall top 20.

1. Thunderbird 2. Voyage 3. Legend 4. Raven those are my rankings for the coasters at Holiday World.

I kinda wish railblazer would come here for some reason it just seems so perfect here than at any other park other than six flags gray america

Great review! A review of furius baco will be very interesting. And witch one do you prefer more: Furius baco or thunderbird?

I personally prefer this over Legend and Raven, and I agree its the best wing coaster in the US. It's great launch, layout, and finale is why it's in my overall top 25 As for the major coasters at Holiday World, I'd rate them like this: 1. Voyage (no contest) 2. Thunderbird 3. Raven 4. Legend None of Holiday World's coasters are bad by any means, which is why I don't mind visiting this park at all.

It just went down for Holiwood Nights in 2021

👍

This would be great for Kings Dominion.

Every time I go to howo thunderbird goes down at least once but never for too long.

I've ridden Thunderbird in 2016 initially and GateKeeper in 2019 initially. I'd rate Thunderbird the better coaster over GateKeeper because of the launch even though GateKeeper is a little longer and a little faster.

I was the guy in the orange shirt at HoliWood nights!!! That’s me! YAYYYYYYYYYYYY! 🙂 am I famous?

What are your favorite coasters for laterals?? I love Legend!!!

Does the jumanji one in the Uk have a lanch or is it a boomerang?

off topic, but how much time do you think one needs for Tokyo Disneyland / sea

In my opinion gatekeeper has a better layout, except after the mid course.

I'm first also thank you for reviewing my first wing coaster

Have you ridden Velocicoaster?

I might get some hate for saying this, but this is actually my least favorite of the four B&M wing coasters in America. I don't mean this in a bad way because it's still a very fun and unique roller coaster, but I had to choose whether I liked this or Wild Eagle at Dollywood more, and I liked the location of Wild Eagle on the hillside with the great views of the surrounding area more despite the area not being anything special. As for Thunderbird, my main complaint was that it was too short and over very quickly. In other words, I wanted more of it.

Do you think Thunderbird is better than Gatekeeper?

So fenix is the best wing coaster now?

1:40 6 million for voyage!? Is that it….

The B&M rattle is getting serious on this coaster. Several seats are not even fun anymore imo

No one considers this the best wing. The best wings are in China, by far, in Soaring with Eagle & Parrot

C’mon dude, the beasts in Asia are widely considered to be the greatest wingriders ever made, not this 🙄

"Best wing coaster"? I dunno, who cares though. Winged coasters, like most B&M coasters are just novelties. Bleh, they're fun. But they're nothing in the ballpark of better coasters.