Regional Parks / Attractions

Holiday World Shows CANNONBALL! Construction Progress Ahead of 2027 Opening

An August 21 official video shows work underway on the Santa Claus, Indiana park's 90-foot water roller coaster.

By CrowdLevels News Desk | Published July 1, 2026 at 9:18 a.m. CDT | Updated August 24, 2026 at 7:49 a.m. CDT
Official rendering of the CANNONBALL! water roller coaster at Holiday World
Image credit: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari.

Holiday World & Splashin' Safari has shared a behind-the-scenes look at construction of CANNONBALL!, the 90-foot MACK Rides water roller coaster scheduled to open in May 2027 at the Santa Claus, Indiana park.

Holiday World posted construction footage August 21. CANNONBALL! remains scheduled to open in May 2027 at the Santa Claus, Indiana park.

Holiday World's official construction video. Open the post directly.

The new ride is planned with a 45 mph top speed, 1,700 feet of track, and a 75-foot drop. Holiday World says that top speed makes CANNONBALL! the fastest water roller coaster in the nation.

Guests will ride in seven eight-passenger floats, each with lap bars. Riders must be at least 42 inches tall with a companion or 48 inches tall to ride alone.

CANNONBALL! Ride Stats

  • Opening: May 2027.
  • Ride designer: MACK Rides.
  • Coaster type: Water roller coaster.
  • Height: 90 feet.
  • Track length: 1,700 feet.
  • Top speed: 45 mph.
  • Ride duration: 3 minutes.
  • Ride vehicles: Seven eight-passenger floats.

Boulder Canyon Project

CANNONBALL! follows the Project Flip Flop tease Holiday World used for what it called its largest single-attraction investment. The July 1 reveal tied the ride to Boulder Canyon, the same area behind the park's annual cannonball competition.

The official renderings show a blue track layout wrapped through a wooded section, a splash pool below the first big drop, and a station area decorated with red, white, and blue bunting.

Official CANNONBALL! Renderings

Wide official rendering of CANNONBALL! with its station, splash pool, and track layout
Holiday World rendering showing the full CANNONBALL! layout.
Official rendering of a CANNONBALL! float splashing down between waterfalls
The ride includes a large splashdown scene.
Official rendering of a CANNONBALL! float descending the blue track
Holiday World lists a 75-foot drop for CANNONBALL!.
Official rendering of CANNONBALL! riders climbing the lift hill
The coaster reaches a listed height of 90 feet.
Official rendering of a CANNONBALL! eight-passenger float on track
CANNONBALL! uses seven eight-passenger floats.
Official rendering of CANNONBALL! track through landscaping
The ride travels through a landscaped Boulder Canyon setting.
Official POV still from CANNONBALL! showing blue track ahead
Holiday World's official POV still shows the track profile from the float.
Official rendering of CANNONBALL! track curving through trees
The track layout curves through the wooded side of the area.
Official rendering of CANNONBALL! riders banking along a curve
A rendering shows one of the banked turns after the lift.
Official rendering of CANNONBALL! track over a water channel
The ride mixes coaster track and water channel sections.
Official rendering of a low CANNONBALL! turn through landscaping
Holiday World's renderings show several low track turns.
Official rendering of the CANNONBALL! track and landscape from a wide angle
A wide rendering shows the ride path around trees and pathways.
Official panoramic rendering of riders on the CANNONBALL! blue track
Holiday World's panoramic rendering shows the track and float design.

Sources: Holiday World's August 21 construction post, CANNONBALL! ride page, Project Flip Flop teaser, and July 1 reveal note.

Image credit: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari.

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