By HoliBlogger Tara S.
Published

Having four kids with such a wide range of ages means that some travel destinations don’t work for us right now. It’s just one of the many reasons why we love Holiday World! Taking a toddler to the theme park is actually so easy to do and I’ve got some tips to make the trip even easier.

Everything You Need to Know About Taking A Toddler to Holiday World

Traveling as a family is something that we love to do together and we’ve been to quite a few theme parks together.  I’ll be the first to admit that some parks are not at all designed for the entire family. Dare I say, even, boring for toddlers.

Holiday World is not that type of park. Holiday World is about the entire family. So we can enjoy time together on our family vacation. Toddler and all!

Wagon and Stroller Rental

As soon as you enter the gates you know that you’ve arrived at a place that is toddler friendly. On the right you will see so many wagons and strollers that you can rent. These are available for rent on a first-come, first-serve basis at St. Nick’s Rental Depot. The daily rates for 2022 are:

  • Double strollers: $17
  • Push wagon with shade: $12
  • Pull wagon: $8

You’re also free to bring your own stroller as long as it’s not self-propelled or self-steered.

Family Restrooms, First Aid, and Nursing Mothers

You’ll find tons of family restrooms throughout the park. There’s even a specially designed First Aid facility that also houses a nursing mothers’ room. You’ll find it as you enter Splashin’ Safari.

While mothers are welcome to breastfeed anywhere in the park, Holiday World knows that sometimes moms and babies want some quiet time away from the crowds. Holiday World has thought of everything for this space from rocking chairs to free lockers to hold mom’s breast pumps to electrical outlets to charge your phone or plug in the pump. There’s even a fridge for you to use!

Another smaller area is found near the restrooms in Santa’s Merry Marketplace. Both areas are air conditioned, clean and also the perfect spot to escape the heat with your toddler when needing a rest.

Things for a Toddler To Do: Rudolph’s Reindeer Ranch & Holidog’s FunTown

There are actually entire areas of the park that are designed specifically for the younger kids in mind and particularly toddlers! Rudolph’s Reindeer ranch has so many kiddie rides. It feels like a carnival within Christmasland.

Then over at the back of 4th of July, toddlers will enjoy running around on a ginormous playground in Holidog’s FunTown and experiencing more fun rides designed just for their size. 

Food for Toddlers

You’ll find lots of food options for toddlers to enjoy at Holiday World. Even delicious meals that are just the right size. Holidog’s FunTown has its own food station in Hot Diggity Dogs. Basically every food that a toddler loves to eat can be found here. Hot dogs, chicken nuggets, fries and more!

HoliBlogger Tips

I find that sometimes my toddler just needs a quiet and cool place to nap while everyone else is running around the park. Depending on the time of day (particularly non rush food hours) I like to head over to Plymouth Rock Cafe. It has a large air conditioned eating area and it’s the perfect place to park with a sleeping toddler in a stroller. I just sit down at a table with a soda and take a rest myself!

Many people don’t know this but “Parent Swap” is available for rides where one adult needs to stay behind with a small child. Simply stand together in line (or have the adult and smaller child wait at the exit gate) to then switch out. This way both adults can experience the ride and even take another guest on with them!

Holiday World is the perfect place for the entire family to have a fun vacation together.

There’s something for everyone. Toddlers, too!

 

Be sure to follow the adventures of the HoliBloggers. Each blog post will have a sweepstakes where you can enter to win two tickets to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari!

Entries for this Giveaway will be accepted through Tuesday, August 16 at 11pm CDT.

This blog post was written by HoliBlogger Tara S.

Tara Smith has a degree in psychology with emphasis in community health, but has been a mom blogger for over a decade and lives in St. Louis, MO. You can find her blog at SeeingDandy.com. As a busy mom of 4, she likes to do fun activities with her family and travel. She also likes to sew, craft, make recipes and inspire others in motherhood. Tara and her blog have been featured on News 4 Great Day, Show Me St. Louis and in Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine.

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49 Responses to “Everything You Need to Know About Taking A Toddler to Holiday World”

    • Alejandra Hernandez

      Really want to take my toddlers here, but wasn’t sure if it was toddler friendly, you convinced me!!

      Reply
  3. Amanda Chapman

    We took our two toddlers for the first time this year! They’ve been begging nonstop to go back! We love HWSS!

    Reply
  4. Whitney Baker

    We just visited with my 3 year old son. He rode frightful falls and raging rapids for the first time and loved them! We would love to a photo pass photo spot at the Big Santa. We love the ones at the voyage and the beach chair! My favorite ride is a little too much for toddlers but i love the mammoth and wish there were cameras on there to capture our faces!!

    Reply
  5. Rosalinda Guardado

    Love the raging rapids can’t wait for my sun to ride the holidog roller coaster!

    Reply
  6. Monica Myers

    I love to cool down and wat at Santa’s Merry Market. Love Holiday World! Can’t wait to take my son for the first time! ?

    Reply
  11. Kati Hinch

    We took our 1.5 year old last summer and will be returning Labor Day weekend with the whole family! My husbands family went several times growing up and to no surprise my expectations for an amusement park with a toddler were exceeded! She was able to have so much fun and ride rides even at her age! Family friendly and overall a great place to visit!

    Reply
  12. Kati Hinch

    We took our kiddo last year at 1.5 years old and will be returning this year. We felt there were plenty of attractions for even children her age. Very family friendly and toddler friendly as well!

    Reply
  13. Kati Hinch

    We took our 1.5 year old last year and there was plenty of attractions for kids her age! Very family friendly/toddler friendly!

    Reply
  16. Theresa Anthony

    Would love to win tickets to take our son! He says it’s the best day ever when we get to take him!

    Reply
    • Betty

      I noticed children 2 and under are free. What do I need to bring to get their free ticket?

      Reply
  17. Sarah Wolter

    This is the first year we took our twin toddlers to Holiday World and they had an absolute blast!! I’ve been asked multiple times to go on “baecation” with the puppy rollercoaster since we got back! Their favorite ride all day was everything in Holidog land!

    Reply
  26. QT

    What a great list of advice! Our family loves holiday world but haven’t been yet this year.

    Reply
  27. Melinda Miller

    I’ve been wondering about a Holiday World trip with our two year old. I miss theme parks! Thanks!

    Reply
  31. Mike Beth

    I’ve heard great things about Holiday World and I’ve always wanted to go!

    Reply
  39. Jason Souther

    Thanks for the tips. My 3 year old loved Holiday World when we went in June. Would love the opportunity to take her back.

    Reply
  42. Melissa Fox

    My birthday was in August would be a great birthday gift to spend the time with my family here

    Reply
  43. johannah garrett

    Thank you so much for the information about visiting with a toddler. My husband is from atlanta and never been to Holiday World and I havent been in over 10yrs. So this will be a fun family trip.

    Reply