This week's HoliHint

The two-week countdown has begun. On Wednesday, July 13, at 11:00 am CDT we’ll all know which new holiday will be added to Holiday World & Splashin' Safari for the 2006 season.

So how exactly will we get to the New Holiday Section?

The new walkway’s exact beginning is still to be determined. We do know, however, that one of the waterslides will get an interesting bit of cosmetic surgery.

Sort of a face-lift for the Bamboo Chute.

Only one more HoliHint to go!

A call from Afghanistan

We don't get many phone calls from Afghanistan, but a very special one came today.

Joe Yeager is stationed there. He was supposed to be home by now, but there was a delay.

And today is his wedding anniversary.

He had plans to bring his family to Holiday World to celebrate.

Could we somehow get a greeting to his bride and children?

(Now before everyone else starts planning signboards and announcements, we do not do this. There are so many birthdays and anniversaries, it would be pure insanity trying to satisfy everyone.)

But Joe Yeager is serving our country. And his family sacrifices daily; they miss him a lot. They had plans to be together today, their special day. So Joe figured out the NBT (Next Best Thing).

Rick, our graphic artist, whipped up a quick sign and affixed it to the back of a "sandwich board." It was placed by the entrance gate in the hopes Joe's family would see it as they left for the evening.

And they did.



That's Deborah and one of the kiddos. (He looks kind of shy, doesn't he?)

Here's her story...

We met several years ago, right after my dad and I moved to Corydon (Indiana) from California. I went into a store to rent a movie and asked the clerk, "What's fun to do around here?"

Her future husband replied, "Absolutely nothing -- except Holiday World. Wanna go?"

Real smooth, Joe!

Back to Deborah: I told him I had a boyfriend, but thanks anyway. A year or so later, I was working at Subway and he came in. We each thought the other looked familiar, but it took us a minute to remember. All of a sudden, we both said, "Holiday World!" and started laughing. This time I said "yes" when he asked me out.

So Holiday World has always been "our place." After we got married a year ago, we even honeymooned here.

Joe left for Afghanistan soon after. He's due home any day.

And guess where they'll be heading soon after?

(We couldn't possibly make this stuff up, folks.)

God bless our servicemen and servicewomen all around the world. And the families who love them. And miss them.

And happy Independence Day to us all!

One wish at a time

Remember Kelli?

It turns out her Wish was a milestone for the Make A Wish folks in Indiana.

Click here for the story.

HoliBribes

Kathy, who is one of our Bavarian Glassblowers, told me that lately she has been offered sugary bribes on a daily basis:

They want to know what we're adding for 2006! Mrs. Klaus's Kitchen is right next to us, and they try to bribe me with all kinds of fudge!

Wow. That's fighting dirty.

Petal pushers

How nice is this?

Heading out to the Front Gate to meet with yet another travel writer last Friday morning, I saw two nice-looking fellows standing by the Group Sales building, holding a bouquet of flowers.

How sweet. Maybe someone's getting engaged. Or meeting up with old friends.

Well, I was half right.

It was Chip and Tom. Two coaster enthusiasts from Atlanta.

Bringing flowers for Mrs. Koch.

And me!

For once, I was speechless.

How very nice. We had a fun chat and then they were off to ride our coasters. And we were off to find vases before the flowers wilted in the humidity.

And the greatest gift of all?

They didn't even ask about what we're adding for '06!

Overheard in Houston

This story comes from Kathy ... the lady in our Bavarian Glassblowers shop.

Kathy was in Indianapolis visiting family. The neighbor lady ran over to tell her:

I was on an airplane in Houston, Texas, last week. Two cute little girls sat in front of me--they looked to be about seven and eight years old.

As more and more people came on board, one girl remarked to the other:

"Wow! This plane is filling up! I wonder where all these people are going?"

The other lass didn't miss a beat, "I bet they're going to Holiday World!"

If we'd gone to school together...

...I would have picked Will to be my partner in science class.

We had an email yesterday from a woman who was concerned about the notation on our website stating that the average water temperature in Splashin' Safari is currently 85 degrees.

She asked if that water temperature was too hot to be comfortable.

I forward all emailed comments to Will, Mrs. Koch, and our directors. Usually I've already responded to the email by then, but sometimes I ask for help.

I emailed back that hot tubs are usually set at 100-101 degrees, so 85 degrees was considerably cooler. Quite refreshing, actually.

This morning, Will sent me a slightly more sophisticated explanation:

Most people don’t understand that because of water’s high specific heat capacity, water of a given temperature (say 85 degrees) can cool a guest much more effectively than air at the same temperature. Eight-five-degree water feels cool to us humans while 85-degree air feels hot (our bodies are at 98.6, of course). We are all constantly giving off heat, and the water is better able to “absorb” it than the air around us. Seventy-degree water feels downright frigid. Anything below 78 to 80 would be described as “cold.”

Who says working at a theme park isn't an educational experience?

A brief panic

Driving home last night, there it was...

By the side of the road.

On the shoulder.

On its side.

A sneaker.

Tennis shoe.

Casual footwear.

Left behind by someone.

How do you lose a shoe on the highway?

Do you fling it out the window because the Odor Eater finally gave out?

Does it slip off your sweaty foot during your morning jog?

How does this happen?

This made me think of something else I found recently ... in the water park.

Underwear.

A grown man's pair of underwear--abandoned--in the middle of a walkway.

How did this happen?

I was finishing up a tour of Splashin' Safari with yet another travel writer.

She'd already remarked about how clean the park appeared. We'd passed a napkin and I'd quickly scooped it up and disposed of it in one of the zillion trash cans Mrs. Koch has spaced evenly throughout the park.

And there they were.

Up ahead.

Gleaming, snowy-white in the brilliant sunshine.

A pair of tighty whities.

Oh, no.

While explaining our Free Sunscreen to the writer, my eyes dashed wildly about, hoping to find...

What? Someone looking for an errant pair of undies?

Well, you never know.

As we got closer, the decision-making time had arrived.

Gotta do it.

Gotta pick those puppies up.

"Goodness! Look at this! Someone lost something here...I'll bet they had just changed into their swim trunks and lost these on their way back to their locker."

(Why did I say that in plural? There was a single pair of briefs, not a pile of them.)

Can't just leave them lying there. Pick them up. Now!

Grimacing only slightly, I used my fingernails to gingerly snag the edge of the still-springy elastic waistband.

Now what?

They didn't look ... well ... used. Rather a shame to throw them out.

But who in their right mind will call a park the next day, "Um...did you find my...um...well, you know..."

I consulted the employee closest to me -- over in Locker Rental.

Anyone report a missing pair? No? Hmmmm...okay, thanks.

Now, socks, I'll put on top of the nearest trash can. If they're still there at close, into the dumpster they go.

But isn't a trash receptacle topped with someone's unmentionables rather...unseemly?

The travel writer started to get quite interested in my dilemma. Shifting focus in this way is not advisable.

Flip went the flap on the trash can.

Gone.

Whew!

I do apologize to the poor man who undoubtedly experienced chafing on his way home that night.

If, sir, you also lost a sneaker on your drive home, please send me an email and we'll get it back to you -- it's the least I can do.

Free unlimited compasses

While heading back to my office through the 4th of July section, I noticed two women--walking slowly and studying the park map with a perplexed look on their faces:

Gosh, if they'd just put a "You Are Here" marker on these maps, they'd be so much easier to read!

And yes, I did offer my assistance.

Overheard in the water park

You all have any water rides where you don't get wet?

A slice of our life

Our Call Center staff is still chuckling over this call that came in today:

Hello...I just bought a loaf of bread and saw your coupon on it, so I thought I'd call.

Are you a bakery?

That really got a rise out of the Call Center.

My response would have been: "Sorry, sir...we don't get to loaf around enough to be a bakery."

I guess that's why I'm not allowed in the Call Center.

It's HoliHint time again...

At last we know: On Wednesday, July 13, we will announce the 2006 expansion project.

It will be held in the Hoosier Celebration Theater at 11:00 am CDT.

Anyone visiting the park as a guest that morning is welcome to listen in and cheer with us.

So, which holiday will be announced?

Can’t tell you which one till 7/13, but we can tell you it’s one of the following (included are some rather remarkable suggestions for rides that have been suggested to us through emails and posts on Internet forums):

Presented in alphabetical order, of course:

April Fools ... “…with a bunch of queue lines with no rides.”

Arbor Day ... “Will Koch likes trees – doesn’t this make sense?”

Arbour Day ... (one of our Canadian neighbors suggested this one)

Easter ... “How about a family/kiddie coaster called the Cotton Trail?”

Groundhog Day ... “…part of a ride could go underground and pop up again…”

Mother’s Day ... “Name a ride The Stork.”

New Year’s ... “A coaster could be named The Countdown.”

St. Patrick’s Day ... “Lots of rides for the little people.”

Thanksgiving ... “Free unlimited gravy!”

Valentine’s Day ... “What about The Heartbreaker?”

Only two more HoliHints to go!

Kind words from a "Fool"

According to today's column at The Motley Fool, a hugely popular investment site, our HoliHints:

"...are being dispersed in magnetizing spoonfuls."

We're running a bit low on flatware, but will try to serve up another tidbit later today.

So, who won the truck?

Remember that truck that was on display in the Christmas plaza?

And the contest being sponsored by WBKR radio station?

The 33 finalists gathered here Saturday morning and each picked a spot on The Revolution.

A quick spin of the wheel and...

A tie.

The special arrow added to the ride just for the contest didn't determine a clear winner.

Spin the wheel again, Vanna!

(Am I the only one who would have seriously considered getting off the ride at this point?)

This time ...

...we have a winner!

And here she is, Stacy Lloyd of Utica, Kentucky,



And who's that cutie in Stacy's arms?

That's her son. No one thought to ask his name, so we'll just call him Little Squirt.

There's a reason, you know.

Before the park opened Saturday, the truck was moved to our guest parking lot -- up by the front gate in the Raven Lot.

Right next to the truck was the registration table for the 33 finalists.

As Stacy signed in, she stood Little Squirt next to her, cautioning him not to go anywhere.

He didn't...well, not really.

He turned around, and, facing the pretty new truck ... um ... put in his vote for his mum to win.

Perhaps we should call him The Whizzer of Claus.

Let the good times roll

The lifeguard crews aren't the only ones having fun after-hours.

The games crews recently got together for a friendly little competition:



According to April, their director:

The eight teams were paired up and they each got to play three games of Skeeball in the first round, with the winner advancing to the "Final Four." Five games were played in the "Final Four" and then the championship game consisted of seven games each from our final two teams. The scores were tallied by the number of tickets won by each team.

Everyone had a blast – some coming up with cheers and chants, dressing up, and then some serious competing.

The final game came down to the "4 Hot Mamas and their Sugar Daddy" team and the "Sign Up w/Me" team.

Here is the Mamas/Daddy team in all their finery:



Those who are still in uniform have made the traditional "I'm off the clock" fashion statement by untucking their shirts.

Back to April's report: We didn’t let anyone know the score of the final round until the last game – this of course was driving everyone crazy. In the end, Sign Up w/Me pulled out an upset over the heavily favored 4 Hot Mamas and their Sugar Daddy with a final score of 292 to 261.

It was a fun couple nights and everyone enjoyed it – so much so they are asking when the next tournament will be.

Here's the "Sign Up w/Me" team after their win with the "Bob the Rock" trophy.



Bob the Rock?

Yes, of course. Bob the Rock.

It seems Bob the Rock once took up residence in Tori's office.

It's not a large office, and Tori decided one day it was time to downsize her ... um ... decor.

Although surely some items were permanently removed from the office building, Bob the Rock simply moved across the hall.

Into April's office.

A few minutes ago, April told me that when she realized she needed a trophy, she looked around her office. Bob the Rock seemed to be the natural choice.

Yes, of course. Why have all that cool, colorful plush from your office serve as a trophy?

Not when Bob the Rock is available.

I never thought to keep a rock in my office, much less to name it.

Must be a generational thing.

Bahari baby

A local mom gave us permission to show you her little Savannah, enjoying her ice cream at Bahari:



Not a bad way to spend a June afternoon.

Not bad at all...

HoliHint of the week

Alrighty, class, let's review:

1. The capital expansion budget for 2006 is $13.5 million;

2. The expansion will include both Holiday World and Splashin' Safari;

...and last week's HoliHint promised to answer the following question:

Which themed-section will host Holiday World's portion of the '06 expansion?

Let's see...

Christmas?

Ho, ho...no.

Halloween?

Scary concept.

Nope.

What about 4th of July?

Hmmmm.

Don't think Will is going to put his "John Hancock" on that one.

So, what's left?

A new themed section?

A new holiday?

The first in 22 years?

YES!

Which holiday?

Yeah, right ... did you really think I would give out that many details?

I think we'll save that for the big announcement.

And when will that be?

There's a good chance we can let you know the date when we gather again for next week's HoliHint.

Paying it forward

...it really works.

Just ask Sheldon.

He's been a sweeper at a park for a number of years.

Really nice guy. Always a smile on his face. Good role model.

After work yesterday evening, he stopped by a local C-store for a snack.

While in line to pay, a lady noticed his park uniform and started up a conversation.

She'd been at Holiday World with her family that day and had a great time.

...until it was time to go home and she saw she had a flat tire. Rats!

An employee had cheerfully changed her tire for her and before long they were on their way. She wanted to know whom to contact at the park to say thanks for the help.

Sheldon explained the options ... call, write or email. They paid for their items and said good-bye.

Moments later, Sheldon was in his truck, taking a bite of chicken.

A bone caught in his throat.

He grabbed his water, but that didn't help. He couldn't breathe.

Sheldon was choking.

He was still parked at the C-store. He jumped out of the truck and turned toward the people milling around the parking area. His hands reached for his throat, the universal signal for choking.

Within seconds, his friend from line ran up and grabbed him from behind.

She knew the Heimlich Maneuver, thank the good Lord.

It didn't work the first time.

So she did it again, harder this time.

The bone came loose and Sheldon could breathe again.

He came by my office a bit ago, hoping we'd heard from the lady as he wanted to get in touch to thank her again. In the aftermath last night, he didn't ask her name.

The Good Samaritan had already called and talked to Mrs. Koch this morning, so Sheldon has a name and a number.

And a friend for life.

The paper chase

Mrs. Koch and I were chatting outside the front gate yesterday. It's always easy to find her in the morning, as she likes to greet our Guests as they approach the admissions area.

"Hey! That's the lady on TV!"

Sometimes families stop to talk for a minute or two, maybe ask a question; but usually they just smile, nod and keep moving.

All of a sudden, with no warning, the day threatened to turn ugly.

There it was -- off in the distance -- coming toward us:

A piece of trash.

As the breeze lifted the paper napkin, it flew loftily toward us.

Teasing.

Taunting.

Coming right at Mrs. Koch.

Our Queen of Clean.

(Now, what does that make me? Her henchman? Henchwoman? What's a "hench"?)

The breeze picked up and became a gust. The napkin unfolded and careened past the strollers and wagons, overtook the mom pushing the pram with the twin baby boys.

GET THAT TRASH!

We jumped into action and gave chase.

Since the napkin was floating just above the ground, moving along at quite a clip--the best way to catch it was, of course, to stomp it.

You try to get just a bit in front of it and then step firmly on it with your clean, white sneaker.

Stomp!

Missed!

Stomp!

Missed again!

(How embassassing. People are watching. People with cameras.)

Mrs. Koch graciously held back at the end to "let" me capture the offender. As I turned around triumphantly, with the piece of white paper crumpled in my hand, I saw the crowd.

Smiling sheepishly, I realized there were probably a few cynics who thought this was a staged production. Or that we were chasing a $100 bill.

Nope. Just two middle-aged women fighting the good fight.

One scrap of refuse at a time.

A little closer to the edge

If you've read earlier posts, you understand the trepidation we feel when someone messes with our two-way radio numbers.

It's happened again.

For a good reason, of course. We've added additional channels. And moved the "administrative types" from Channel 1 to Channel 3.

As of about 4:00 pm CDT yesterday, we 100s are now 300s.

Which makes me Unit 360.

No wonder I feel all turned around.

Girls just wanna...

...well, you know the rest.

Part of the job when working at a park is those pesky team-building exercises.

Yesterday afternoon, Splashin' Safari's female management team left the guys in charge and held a campout:



So what sort of grueling programs do the other crews go through during the season?

Your intrepid reporter has no clue ... but we'll see what we can find out.

Kelli's Wish

If you could invite your closest friends to spend the day at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, would you be able to come up with a list of 20 friends?

30?

40?

Well, a sweet teen named Kelli was granted a "Make A Wish" today, and her list of friends tops 150!

And Kelli has already made a few new friends:



Have a wonderful day, Kelli. It may be a bit cloudy today, but your smile will make the sun shine through!

Aw, shucks...

We received a nice mention in the Evansville Courier & Press this morning. Scroll down to the end of the article, to Weekly Web Wonder.

When emails go bad

About once a week, an email reply comes back to me, marked:

The e-mail account does not exist at the organization this message was sent to. Check the e-mail address, or contact the recipient directly to find out the correct address.

How frustrating! Now the person who emailed us thinks we gave him or her the brush off!

That we didn't care enough to take the time to send a reply.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

(I really do hear that voice in my head in such situations. I know, I know. I'm teetering on the edge.)

One time (yes, I remember the particulars; it bothers me that much) it was someone asking about accessibility. Another time, a question about food allergies. A third about our kennels. All valid questions. I had the answers and sent them out.

Anyone else hear Elvis crooning?

Return to sender -- address unknown...

Anyway, it just happened again. A sincere email from a teen from Michigan. His name is Jeremy and he's visiting early next week. An obviously intelligent fellow -- rather intense, actually. (I went into Mommy-mode and reminded him to have *fun* during his visit.)

Jeremy...if you're out there...your email address isn't working. Sorry! I saved the reply and will send it again if you email me back with a working address.

Okay, now I have to get Elvis out of my head ...

I was really asked this...

"What's the date for your Fourth of July fireworks?"

(Anyone want to take a crack at who might be buried in Grant's Tomb?)

An email from a friend at a New Jersey park

...You know that the 2006 Holiday World expansion announcement is big when ACEers at our park are asking us if we know anything about it!!!!

Bad hair day

This photo of Tori, our hard-working rides director, is brought to you courtesy of Will:



Now, how nice is that?

Tori was trying to lighten the mood in the office and grabbed a (brand-new-and-unused, I hope!) mop-head and tossed it on her noggin. Kind of a Raggedy Ann/punk look.

Will's immediate reaction was, "Is that hair legal?" (Uniform standards, after all, must be met.)

He snapped off a few photos of Tori (red from embarrassment, not sunburn) and gleefully emailed them to me.

HoliBlog her, I say!

Like...real mature, Will.

The thing is, though ... Tori gives as good as she gets. She and Will have this
big-brother/little-sister teasing relationship that makes me want to run and hide. Those two are relentless and, at times, ruthless!

So it didn't surprise me when Tori emailed me this photo:



The photo is from last week's Rides Night, an after-hours party for our employees. Tori decided Will shouldn't get away with not riding our new Revolution just once at night.

Apparently Will gave in and gave it a spin.

I'm glad no one realizes I have yet to give Revolution a whirl.

Oops.

Excuse me while I go lock my office door.

Calling for coupons

For the past several years, John (our marketing maniac) has worked out a promotional arrangement with the Indiana Tourism Department. I don't know all the negotiated specifics, but I do know part of what we do is include their phone number on our TV and radio ads.

They use one of those toll-free numbers that spell something. That's handy for radio and TV, since often the number can be remembered until you have a moment to write it down. State Tourism's slogan is "Enjoy Indiana," so their number is:

1-888-ENJOY-IN.

That's the number.

Well, actually the numbers are 1-888-365-6946.

"IN," by the way, is the postal abbreviation for the Hoosier State.

Anyway, this is the number to call to request a coupon booklet with summer travel offers from throughout Indiana.

Thought it would help to give you the numbers, as leaving it all to memory and chance can be a bit risky. In fact, a number of years ago, the State Tourism number was one slim digit away from (gasp!) a dirty-talk phone line. Enough people made the dialing mistake (and blamed me personally for the nasty results!) that we persuaded the State Agency to quickly change their number.

Never a dull moment, folks.

HoliHint

Okay, let's start off with a few housekeeping items.

1. It's pronounced Hol-i-blog (not holly-blog)...just like hol-i-day and Hol-i-dog;

2. Our webcam will go "live" as soon as the water-tower folks are finished, which should be a week or two from now -- we miss it, too! The webcam will go on top of the new water tower--we'll let you know when it's back up (or maybe you'll let me know; judging from all the emails, some of you spend a lot of time tapping your Refresh button);

3. Sorry, but the new '06 Announcement Date hasn't been set yet. We've invited a VIP to attend and are waiting to hear which date (if any) that State Official would be able to attend. When we have the date set, it will appear immediately here on the HoliBlog;

4. And finally...we love to get your emails, but we don't plan to release unannounced '06 information through email replies. Good try, though.

Okay, down to business...

Last week, we promised to address where next year's $13.5 million capital expenditure budget would be spent.

Holiday World?

or...

Splashin' Safari?

or...

Both?

(Gosh...my heart is pounding just writing this. I need to calm down. Deep, cleansing breaths...)

Last-minute hint: We do not plan to put all our eggs in one basket. So to speak.

The answer is...

Both!

Feel better? Is this relief ... or more stress? Do you need some air? Maybe you should go lie down...

Okay...so what's for next week?

We will answer the following question:

Which themed-section will host Holiday World's portion of the '06 expansion?

"Great Old Amusement Parks"

Have you seen this PBS special? It's a wonderful hour of park history. The directory from our local PBS station describes it this way:

This program celebrates pre-Disney parks: Holiday World, Playland in Rye, New York, and California's Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

If you're in the Evansville area, you can catch this program tomorrow (Thursday, June 9) at 9:00 pm CDT on WNIN-TV.

Here's a review of the show, which includes a list of the parks that are included. You could also do a Google search to see if "Great Old Amusement Parks" will be on your local PBS station.

Producer Rick Sebak and crew were here from WQED-TV in Pittsburgh back in July of 1998 to shoot our portion of the show. Talk about a guy who loves his job -- he never stopped smiling.

Just think about it...back in 1998 was before we had The Legend, Liberty Launch, HallowSwings, Holidog's FunTown, and Free Unlimited Soft Drinks. We've added lots to Splashin' Safari since then, too.

And there'll be even more next year. Check back later today for a bit more information...and an answer to last week's questions.

Park of Doom

Just about the most important part of my job is giving tours of the parks to reporters and travel writers.

The PR department focuses on getting writers to visit; presumably, they will have a great time and will eventually write an article or two about their experience. So when they're here, we like to tour the hundred acres and tell stories. (That was where the idea for the HoliBlog came from, in case you came late to class.)

I just returned from one of the most enjoyable tours ever. Laura and her four boys were a blast.

Laura's from northern Indiana. She writes for newspapers and magazines. She was interested in learning more about our southern Indiana theme and water parks.

Her sons, though, they already know this business.

They're Roller Coaster Tycoons.

I grew up with three brothers. I have three sons. So I feel right at home among the ruckus. All the talking at once, untied shoe laces, interrupting with far more important questions, plus the singing of silly songs, are nothing but fun in my book.

We could hardly take a step without a question or comment.

Hey! Is that one of those free-fall tower rides?

Yes, it sure is. It's called Liberty Launch.

We've got one of those in our park. We call it "Tower of Doom." When the line gets long, we jack up the price to make more money.

Oh? Do you charge at the front gate and charge again for individual rides?

Sure! We make $27,000 a day! That helps us pay off our big bank loan.

Next, I pointed out one of our Pepsi Oasis buildings.

What are you giving drinks away for? When it's hot and humid at our park, we jack up the cost of soda an extra buck. We jack it up to $4.

Don't your guests complain?

Sure, but we don't care. When it's hot, we also jack up the price of sitting under an umbrella.

You guys know Donald Trump?

Hey! Have you got a log ride?

Sure do ... it's called Frightful Falls.

We've got one in our park --

(It was my turn to interrupt) Let me guess -- Flume of Doom?

Not quite. It's the "This Log Should Be Burning Flume of Doom."

When I pointed out the Free Sunscreen kiosks, they sensibly helped themselves and slathered it on.

At our park, we charge for sunscreen. It's 50 cents per glob. But when it's extra sunny, we jack up the price.

I shamed them when they admitted they only pay their maintenance crew members $55 a month.

We've got to pay off our loan!

And they shamed me for not charging for inner tubes.

Hey! When it gets really hot, you could...

I know, I know ... jack up the prices.

This went on and on and I could barely contain my laughter. I resisted the urge to group-hug those tycoons.

Before we parted so that they could ride The Legend, they made a solemn promise to pay their employees better (We couldn't afford to pay the staff, so we drowned a bunch of them!) and to rethink their pricing structure.

We talked short-term versus long-term strategy and I think they were coming around.

Time to finish this and post it -- I have a meeting with Will. I'm proposing this idea I just came up with: Since we're giving away so many soft drinks, I think we should start charging for toilet paper. And for the restrooms closest to the Pepsi Oasis buildings, we could jack up the price...

Hospitality Training

It doesn't just happen, folks.

It's not something in the water.

...or in the free, unlimited soft drinks.

We have to work on being friendly.

It means reporting for work at 7:30 am for Hospitality Training.

7:30 am.

In the morning.

How friendly is that?

We pack the Holiday Theater for three mornings this week as we bulk up on what it's all about.

We tell stories and read emails aloud. One in particular brought tears to my eyes. (A father wrote to thank us for helping his family to forget about his cancer for a day. He hadn't heard his wife and son laugh in a long, long time.)

We remind everyone that we don't know what the families visiting us might be going through.

Maybe they're celebrating a birthday.

Maybe they've been counting down the days for months.

Maybe there's just been a divorce in the family.

Maybe Junior barfed in the car on the way down.

You just don't know, do you?

We talk about the little things...and the big things.

And someone (it was Will this year) always asks for a show of hands:

Anyone out there shy?

Well...if they're truly shy, they might not be too eager to raise their hands, right?

We always get a chuckle out of that. Corny, I know.

After the theater portion, we break into small groups and scatter all over the park to practice, practice, practice.

Chris and I were assigned his Security Crew. As we headed over to Santa's Storytime Theater, I joked, "Why don't you sit up on stage, just like we do with Santa?"

Good grief -- they did just that!



This photo was taken during a serious discussion. (That's Chris in Santa's chair.) A bit later, we practiced smiling, eye contact, and chatting with our Guests.

They did very well. And so did the three or four entertainers who were part of our group.

Earlier, in the theater, Mrs. Koch told us about how she enjoys greeting families as they arrive at the front gate. Even though not everyone responds, she keeps trying.

Will couldn't resist: We have to do a good job. Otherwise, the business will fail and we'll have to close. And Mom will have to get a job as a Wal-Mart greeter.

"No way!" she countered, somehow louder than the laughter.

"I'd be an exotic dancer!"

Then Will: I'll give you all a moment to wipe that image from your mind.

Well, 7:30 am or no 7:30 am, everyone was wide awake then. The theater rocked with good-natured laughter.

Those two are quite a pair.

Mother and son.

Friends.

Setting an example every day for the rest of us.

And starting our day with a smile.

Zinga, anyone?

Check out this month's wallpaper.

Zinga is the Swahili word for "to move in a circular motion."

Apparently it's also an Italian surname.

Mrs. Zinga (I won't disclose her location) was not at all happy with the Zinga billboard in her city a few years back. She had to drive by it every day and it got on her nerves.

Somehow, I don't think she's reading our HoliBlog.

But just in case...sorry, we didn't mean to annoy you.

Remembering

It was back in March of 1955. A movie star was crossing the country, promoting his new TV show.

He made an appearance at the General Electric plant in Tell City. Someone suggested that he check out Santa Claus Land, located in a neighboring county.

Back then, it wasn't a big deal to change a star's schedule on the spur of the moment.



That's Ronald Reagan with Will's two grandfathers...Louis J. Koch and "Santa Jim" Yellig.

Today seems to be the appropriate day to share this photo.

Ta-da!

The lights arrived. The fountain filled.

And by golly, it works!

I got a particular charge out of what I presume is the brother/sister act below:



They look like they're waving at the water.

Actually, the brother taught the sister to, Jedi-like, raise her arm to make the fountain waters rise. And then lower her hand to let the fountain rest for a bit.

It was cute.

Housekeeping note: This is not a hot tub. Please don't soak your feet.

Last year, I couldn't convince a young lady to remove her tootsies from the old fountain.

Until I told her it would make her feet turn green.

It's a burden...

...knowing, but not telling.

A burden, I tells ya!

Our '06 announcement will be made in the coming weeks (I'll let you know the date as soon as I have it) and some folks are getting antsy.

One fellow got so testy with me the other day, I was tempted to ask if it was "finals week."

That probably would not have helped.

It's time to set the record straight regarding the budget for the expansion project.

Now this isn't the final number, but a working figure.

It's $13.5 million.

That's $13,500,000.00.

Quick! Someone bring the smelling salts. Mrs. Koch just keeled over.

Someone once asked her if her heart pounded the day she rode The Raven.

"Not nearly as hard as when I signed the note with the bank."

And that was a decade ago. The Raven cost $2 million.

The Legend was $3 million in 2000; that where WTVW-TV came up with the "four times any other project" statement.

Thus concludes this week's HoliBlog Hint.

Please check back in a week for the answer to the following question:

Is the expansion for Holiday World?

Or Splashin' Safari?

Or both?

A humbling evening

If you're a faithful reader, you already know what a close relationship we have with the children, staff, and other supporters of the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center.

Their smiles and laughter are more than enough thanks. The letters and coloring pages they send are a sweet bonus.

And last night, they humbled us at the annual Easter Seals Tribute Dinner by presenting Mrs. Koch with the "Creating Solutions, Changing Lives" Award.

This photo says it all, doesn't it:



Plaques can be a dime a dozen, but this framed photo will leave a lasting impression on the hearts of all who see it. Just look at those happy little hams!

The folks at Fifth Third Bank were also honored for their tremendous support of children and adults with disabilities in the tri-state area.

And so were the Thompson twins. Emilie and Kaitlin Thompson are the incredible young women who, a decade ago, decided to give back to the Rehab Center by holding their own fundraiser. Their LemonAid Stand has raised money and awareness over the years.



It was an evening filled with laughter, tears, and black olives (Mrs. Koch picked mine out of my Greek salad before Rachel or Lori could get them).

We'll always treasure the lessons of love, determination and strength the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center families and staff have taught us.

Was that a cabin?

All summer long, we get emails from folks who were at the park and wondered about some cabins they think they saw through the trees back by The Legend's spiral drop.

Those cabins are part of Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort.

Here's an interesting bit of background from Dave, their marketing director:

Lake Rudolph’s main office was the original Koch family home. The main lobby was once the bedroom of Lake Rudolph's owner, Philip Koch. The marketing office is the old dining room. We have a call center in what used to be the girls' bedroom. And, the general manager’s office was once the master bedroom. Every time Mrs. Koch stops by, she cries, “What have you done to my house?” We’ve made so many changes to the house that it only vaguely resembles its former self, but the memories of Bill and Pat Koch and their five growing children are still very much alive.

Here's the home/office Dave just described:



Intrigued? Stop by this Saturday between noon and 2:00 pm CDT if you'd like to take a Resort tour. Their Open House will include a look around one of the new king-size rental RVs. Free hotdogs, too.

This rental RV thing is a great concept, as are the cabins.

Here are some numbers from Dave: Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort also features more than 200 full-hookup RV sites (water, electric, & sewer), 45 Deluxe RV sites with concrete pads and patios, 40 tent sites with water & electric, 141 family rental RVs...



...19 cabins, and amenities including: 2 swimming pools & kiddie pool, 2 basketball courts, playgrounds, 2 miniature golf courses, fishing lake with paddleboat and rowboat rentals, 72 rental golf cars, beach volleyball, game room, horseshoe pits, camp store, 4 modern air-conditioned bathhouses, 2 laundromats, outdoor pavilion, Free Holiday World shuttle, and more.

What, Dave? No partridge in a pear tree?

Just add water

It's so frustrating when a supplier is late.

But sometimes it happens and there's nothing you can do about it.

Except to maybe whine a little.

Sigh!

The new fountain still awaits lights.

Until the lights arrive and are installed, the well is dry.

Dry as a bone.

Dry as a ... wishbone?



Happily, folks still seem to enjoy the fountain.

They approach it with a curious look on their faces, glance in, look around, comment to one another about the town's water supply, and then move on.

One person wondered aloud if somehow the new water tower had somehow caused the "shortage."

For some, old habits die hard:



Maybe they're wishing ... for the new fountain to be finished?

(Note to self: Watch Will carefully the next time he walks by the fountain; he's always jingling coins in his pockets.)