Preparing for Your First Visit to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari

This weekend is the unofficial start to summer, which means an increase in outdoor events, extra quality time with family, and vacation fun! As a highly organized, planning parent, it is also time to make sure the family is ready for all the scheduled trips and summer adventures. If you are planning your first visit to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, here are some reminders and tips to be prepared for the perfect first visit. 

Research Places to Stay
You can get over two fun-filled days at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. We are planning our trip next month for three park days. For overnight accommodations, right next door is Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph, which we will be staying at. Check availability and research other places here. There are nearby options in Santa Claus, IN, and other towns 20-30 minutes away with lodging.  

Utilize the Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari Calendar
The Holiday World website is full of resources, all in one place. You can browse all the rides, insider tips, and everything to make the most of your visit. The best place to start planning is in the Calendar. Select the day(s) you will be visiting to see that day at a glance: The park hours, daily deals, show schedule, menus, maps, trip tips, and more. Pro Tip: Bookmark each calendar date page for your visit or add shortcut links to your phone home screen. During your visit, you can easily access everything in one place. 

Create a List of ‘Must-Ride’ Rides & Slides
Sit down with the family to research and discuss the rides and slides that each person wants to visit. You can filter the rides on the website by type, experience, park section, and height requirements. Have each person pick 1-3 favorites and rank any others by the desire to ride. This way when you get to the park, everyone’s picks are prioritized, and you can make sure no ride is missed. Pro tip: Group the rides on the list by park section for easy navigation during the visit. 

What to Bring While at the Park
The park offers free soft drinks (including Gatorade, lemonade, iced tea, coffee, and water). Bring or purchase a reusable water bottle to fill and keep with you all day. You will also find free sunscreen throughout the park, so no need to add that to your bag. If you are planning to visit the waterpark and/or ride water rides, wear a swimsuit under a t-shirt & shorts. The concrete can get hot, so wear water shoes to keep your feet protected (plus they dry fast). You can also rent a locker, if needed. 

Follow Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari on Social Media for Timely Updates
Social media is a great place to get punctual updates before, during, and even after your visit. Follow the park’s social account(s) so new updates appear in your feed. It is a great resource for deals, shows, giveaways, new foods, weather updates, and so much more. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

Join the Holiday World Fans Facebook Group
This Facebook group is full of a wealth of information and tips from seasoned park goers. You can search the group for specific questions or scroll through to read amazing experiences and feedback. I spent some time browsing the group for tips for first-time visitors and we asked in a post for some tips. 

It is very helpful reading what others recommend and have experienced.

Here are a 10 bonus in-park tips sourced from the Facebook Group: 

• “Get kids measured when you enter the park so they can get a bracelet and be ready to ride the rides.” Alicia C.
• “Get there early. Be dressed in swim wear and ready to go into the water park at opening (11). You can do the dry park when done in the water park. Less crowed this way.” Linda W.
• “Get ready to have the time of your life at the cleanest park and friendly staff and def taste all the food you can.” Mark P.
• “Bring your stuff in a backpack so much easier to carry around all day. Or rent a locker in the waterpark.” Christa C.
• “Start at the HallowSwings. Head up to Thunderbird. Then water park. Then other rides. Do fourth of July last. That is an easier hill leaving than the one next to HallowSwings.” Angie E.
• “If you are going solo…. work the park by section, bypass the longer lines on the first pass, use what wait time you do have to keep an eye on the time to catch the entertainment, arrive at each show a little early and use that time to snack. Pick one of the major eats for a sit down meal. Once you have made a full lap of the park retrace your steps for shorter lines on what you skipped. Also…. always ride the carousel.” Brent S.
• “Get there early. Get a locker also if you don’t want to carry your stuff. And have fun!” Shauna W.
• “Eat at the Alamo or Plymouth Rock. Gobbler Getaway is a great ride mid-afternoon for a way to chill out and cool off. Wear dry fit clothes and crocs. They’ll dry so much quicker.” Elizabeth M.
• “We always wear rash guards and swim trunks or skirts if we’re doing both parks. That way you can go between them without changing.” Dierdre M.
• “Go ahead and get the two day tickets so you can take your time and enjoy all the little things about the park.” Steve R.

While I love planning ahead, I am sure visiting Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari and just exploring would be an exciting option for others! Enjoy the rides, try lots of food, take pictures, and have the best time!

If you have a tip for first-time visitors, leave it in the comments!

This blog post was written by HoliBlogger Samantha K.

Samantha is a self-proclaimed chaos coordinator from St. Louis, MO and runs NiftyMom.com. In her family of five, she is outnumbered by all boys (plus two male huskies).  She and her family love finding new places to explore, adventuring outdoors, and taking road trips throughout the Midwest. Fun fact: Year-round Samantha watches Christmas movies and sports her Christmas pajamas with no shame.