Jefferson, NH - Visitors to Santa's Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire, have one last summer to enjoy Rudy's Rapid Transit Roller Coaster before the ride is retired from service during Fall 2023. 

The classic family roller coaster has been at Santa's Village since 1988, and the park's 70th anniversary summertime season from late May into October 2023 is scheduled to be the final run for Rudy's Rapid Transit.

 

"Rudy's Rapid Transit was the first coaster ride that generations of New England kids shared with their families," said Santa's Village spokesperson Jim Miller, "so we want to let people know they have one more summer to climb aboard and feel the joy of riding behind Rudy."

 

The theme of Rudy's Rapid Transit is to give riders the feel of flying with reindeer, like Santa does on his annual trip to deliver presents. 

Children who are at least 39 inches tall can ride with adults, as the coaster climbs up to 26 feet before descending onto a double-figure-eight track with multiple dips and turns at speeds up to 22 mph. 

A smiling Rudy with authentic reindeer antlers is at the front of the lead car, with as many as 20 two-person cars and up to 40 riders behind.  

 

"It's a really fun family ride and it'll be a little sad to see it go," Miller said. 

"At the same time, as we saw a few years ago when we replaced the original Great Humbug Adventure with a beautiful modern dark ride, a ride retirement can give us a real chance to improve. 

We'll enjoy one more summer of pure joy, family style, with Rudy's coaster, and we'll share news about improvements for future seasons soon."

 

The Santa's Village 2023 summertime season is scheduled for every weekend from May 27 through October 22, and every day from mid-June through late-August. 

Hours are 9:30am to 5pm for most of those dates, and from 10am to 4pm on FEASTival special event dates.  Attendance is limited each day, and admission is sold online only. 

The park is located on Route 2, in the town of Jefferson, in New Hampshire's White Mountains.  Find details and purchase admission tickets online at santasvillage.com.

 

Rudy's Rapid Transit is a steel roller coaster, and was manufactured by Germany's Zierer amusement ride company as its large Tivoli model. 

It was originally located in Hudson, New Hampshire, from 1981 through 1987 at Benson's Animal Park (New England Playworld), where it was known as the Firefly Coaster. 

The ride was moved to Santa's Village for the 1988 summertime season where it was renamed Rudy's Rapid Transit. 

Santa's Village is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2023, and remains family owned and operated by the third and fourth generations of the family that created the park in 1953.

 

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