Your Kids World Guide

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We’ve reached the end of daily operation and that can only mean one thing… It’s time for Kid’s World to return. Where Kids Rule the World!

Kids World runs weekends from August 20 to September 18

What is Kids World?

It’s everything you love about Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari plus fun tailored just for kids! All your favorite attractions will remain open, and we’ll have special food items, entertainment, and activities chosen just for kids!

Kids World Entertainment

The Hoosier Celebration Theater stage will be alive all day with performances of the Wild & Wacky Magic Show, Comedy Juggler Matt Jergens, Holidog’s Dance Party, and a Holidog and Friends Meet & Greet! Stilt walkers will be making appearances throughout the day in Christmas Plaza, Splashin’ Safari Plaza, and Thanksgiving section. Visit holidayworld.com/today for showtimes on the day of your visit!

Stilt Walkers will stroll the park during Kids World

Themed Zones

Holidog’s Fun Town will be the home of the Bubble Zone with multiple bubble machines, large bubble wands, and a Percussion Zone.
It’s a howling good time with tons of instruments you can play!!

 

The Percussion Zone for Kids World

 

Kids World Treats

From fun cereal funnel cakes to boba tea,  we pull out all the fun sweet treats just for Kids World!
Check out our online menus to see everything.

Coco Puffs, Fruity Pebbles, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch Funnel CakesSummer sun strawberry lemonade boba

Both parks will be overflowing with bubbles and balloons over the next few weekends, but we’ll still have all your favorite rides and attractions. The party’s just getting started!

Kids World runs weekends from August 19 through September 16!

Remember, our best ticket prices are always online. Visit HolidayWorld.com/Tickets to get yours now.

Would you like to receive HoliBlog notices – along with news releases and sweepstakes – by email? Sign up here and you can choose whether to receive the emails weekly or the same day the blog posts are published. Thank you!

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

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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.

Get Ready for HoliBlogger Central

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Today is Blogger Day. And we’re celebrating that here on the HoliBlog.

Our blog was started way back in April 2005. Back before Holiday World had a Thanksgiving section. Back before The Voyage and Thunderbird’s iconic silhouettes were part of our skyline.

The HoliBlog looked a little different when it launched in 2005.

The HoliBlog used to look a little different.

We’ve had a lot of contributors to our blog over the years.

I remember being nervous about adding my voice to the mix back in 2017 when I joined the Communications Team. I quietly made my blogging debut here in August talking about operating Reindeer Games in a blog post called “My Second First Day” and then turned my attention to Happy Halloween Weekends with blog posts about transforming the park for our fall event and tackling our corn maze. Since then, I’ve gone on to blog about a wide range of topics to help our Guests plan a trip to Holiday World and help pull back the curtain.

This year, I had the honor of contributing to the HoliBlog in a different way.

Early this spring, I launched the HoliBlogger program. I was in search of bloggers who could help tell Holiday World’s story through their eyes. And I picked 7 wonderful bloggers to join the ranks of those who have written for the HoliBlog.

And you can read all about this year’s story-tellers in a blog post I wrote called “Introducing the HoliBloggers.”

It’s been a joy working with them to decide on which topics are the best for them to cover, putting their stories into the HoliBlog, and sharing those blog posts with all our Guests and fans online. I still get excited each time I open my email inbox and see that one of the HoliBloggers has sent me a new blog post that I’ll be able to add to the HoliBlog.

I want to ensure that their stories are still easy to find, so I’m introducing the first version of what I’m calling HoliBlogger Central. It’s a single location where I’ll group all of the published blog posts into easy-to-navigate categories to help find the topics that are most interesting to you or most helpful if you’re planning a trip to Holiday World.

Trust me when I say that we’ll have to add more categories as the year goes on, and some blogs may move around or may be included in more than one list.

So here goes. Welcome to the first version of HoliBlogger Central.

Planning A Trip to Holiday World

Visiting with Kids

Tasty Treats For Your Visit

Making the Trip to Holiday World

Telling A Story with Pictures

And even though our drone and fireworks spectacular has come to an end this year, you can still read all about it thorough these blog posts.

All About Holidays in the Sky

Be sure to follow along with the HoliBloggers. They’ll continue to bring fresh content through next spring, so you’ll want to check back regularly.

They still have a ton of stories to tell, but some topics you’ll see them writing about in the coming months include:

  • The Best Rides When You’re Too Short for Coasters
  • Tips for A Sensory Friendly Visit
  • How to Plan An Awesome Date Day, and
  • The Holiday World Ride & Slide Challenge

Plus, each HoliBlogger post will include a giveaway where you can enter to win a pair of tickets to visit Holiday World. What’s not to love?

Happy Blogger Day, everyone!

Equal Parts Holiday World and Santa Claus Land

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Tin Smith sign reads Geo. Koch 1873

Today is our 76th Birthday! 

In finding the words to share about today, I started diving into all the things I’ve learned since we began working on our commemorative book: “Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari: 75 Years of America’s First Theme Park.” Shameless plug: buy your copy of our book here. 

 

The world was changing in 1946, and while we were the first theme park, we were barely the first. Many similar attractions were opening around the country, yet we were just shy of a decade before the opening of Disneyland. Coming out of the war, people just wanted to have fun, and amusement parks and the entertainment industry were booming. But I’m still amazed that my great-grandfather, Louis J. Koch, had the vision and drive to build Santa Claus Land. After all, his family business, George Koch & Sons had found great success making tin horns at his family’s tin shop during World War II, when toys couldn’t be imported.

Tin Smith sign reads Geo. Koch 1873

Boulder Canyon includes a tribute to my great-great grandfather, who started the tin shop. Louis J. Koch and his brothers named the business after their father passed.

And then I started thinking about the early 1980s, when my grandfather, Bill Koch, decided that Santa Claus Land was too limiting a concept. He decided we should become Holiday World. He smartly started easing the name in, adding “It’s a Holiday World of Fun!” to marketing materials for a few years before the name changed. 

And it hit me. The name change happened 38 years ago. And that name change occurred 38 years into Santa Claus Land’s story. 

We’ve been Holiday World as long as we were Santa Claus Land. 

And yet, there are so many people out there who tell me this place will always be Santa Claus Land to them. 

I love that. 

I’m forever grateful that my grandfather had the vision to expand our park beyond just one holiday. It opened up a world of theming for Frightful Falls, Raging Rapids, The Raven, The Legend, and so many more attractions. 

It’s also incredible to think about the way the industry started to explode in the late 80s and early 90s. 

In 1984, we built Frightful Falls. We added Banshee in 1986. And it was another four years until we added Raging Rapids. In 1993, we began Splashin’ Safari, added the Wave in 1994, and of course, added The Raven in 1995. From there, it kicked off years of new attractions every year. And the rest of the industry was doing the same. 

In 1993, our water park looked like this: 

By 2000, my dad was introducing Free Unlimited Soft Drinks, and building The Legend. Meanwhile, I was playing Roller Coaster Tycoon. And telling my dad about how free soft drinks flopped in “my parks.” He responded that a simple computer game, “doesn’t get what we’re doing here.” Of course, he was right. 

 

And here we are in 2022, and the original water park is now the plaza for our existing water park. 

It’s incredible to think that our footprint has increased faster in the last three decades than it did in the first four, but it couldn’t have happened without each generation moving the park forward. My great-grandfather had the vision. My grandfather lobbied to move Interstate 64 closer to us to drive traffic and expanded us beyond Christmas. It all set my dad up to grow the park with the best attractions in the world, but he still had the vision to build a specialty in wooden coasters, and build the best water park attraction in the world, Wildebeest. And that all set us up so that my siblings, my mom, and I can tell stories with our attractions. We can even complete the theming my dad wanted all along but had to cut from the budget to keep us competitive in the mega-park generation of the 1990s and 2000s. 

I love to take August 3 each year to remember the three generations who so wonderfully shaped the history of this park and appreciate how far we’ve come. As we move into a time where we’ve been Holiday World longer than Santa Claus Land, I hope people appreciate the way Santa Claus Land shaped who we are today. 

We believe in Santa Claus. And we always will. 

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Dietary Restrictions Won’t Stop You from Visiting Holiday World

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It’s pretty common to have some sort of food allergy, sensitivity, or restriction in a family these days.

In our family, I’m the one. I have to eat vegetarian, and I have a gluten sensitivity. It can be hard to find places to eat with the family – especially at a theme park – where I can actually feel like I’m eating WITH the family. A lot of restaurants have made huge strides in offering vegetarian and gluten free options but not a lot of places like theme parks or zoos, etc. have come that far yet.

Much to my delight, dietary restrictions won’t stop you from visiting Holiday World and enjoy every bit of the fun with the whole family!

Holiday World even makes it so simple to find foods by restriction type AND where they are throughout the park. There is an Allergen-Friendly Menu, a Gluten-Free Menu Guide, and a Healthier Options Menu. While we’re there, I just keep the main food and snacks link up on my phone’s browser, so I know what I can get depending on which part of the park we’re in throughout the day.

Dietary Restrictions Won't Stop You from Visiting Holiday World

The biggest selection of food and these menu options can be found right at the front of Holiday World in the Christmas Section at Santa’s Merry Marketplace. I prefer to go there when we’re doing full meals.

A note that Impossible burgers are not gluten free, but I don’t personally have issues when I eat them. I did ask for a gluten free bun with an Impossible burger, and the staff was on top of it by making sure I knew the burger wasn’t gluten free and ensuring that I got what I needed. One thing important to mention, if getting a veggie/Impossible burger cooked, it will take at least 10 minutes. Another mom and I were just standing up there while our families had already eaten almost their entire meals. My recommendation is to go ask them to start it 10 minutes before you go back in line to order the rest of your family’s food. I made sure to do that the second time, and it was so much easier for everyone.

HoliBlogger Courtney at Santa's Merry Marketplace | Dietary Restrictions Won't Stop You from Visiting Holiday World

The biggest restriction I have with my gluten sensitivity is with breads and other baked goods. Their gluten free bun was one of the most delicious I’ve ever had, their gluten free brownie was just as good as a regular one, and my absolute favorite treat in all of Holiday World is their funnel cake!

I got mine at George’s Gluten-Free Pizza & Snacks in the 4th of July Section. I have never been able to get a gluten free funnel cake before, so this was such a treat and brought back so many wonderful childhood memories. My daughter doesn’t have any dietary restrictions, but she was game for helping me eat the funnel cake (it was way too big to eat by myself!). She even said it was just as good as a “real” funnel cake.

HoliBlogger Courtney at George's | Dietary Restrictions Won't Stop You from Visiting Holiday World

I found most all of my vegetarian options on the Healthier Options Menu. There was so much delicious food to choose from for me, I can’t wait to go back just to try more!

The kids may be excited about all the fun rides, but I just want the fun eats!

Next time you plan a trip to Holiday World, make sure to check out their special menus and all their tips they’ve included on the website. It’s so user-friendly and makes planning snacks and meals a breeze.

Thanks, Holiday World, for thinking of us with dietary restrictions and making the experience so magical for everyone!

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

Entries accepted through Wednesday, August 10 at 7pm CDT.

This blog post was written by HoliBlogger Courtney S.

A Cincinnati mom that spent my teen years in Indianapolis, I remember Summers at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari fondly. My family and I love travel and theme parks. I own the Cincinnati, Dayton, and Louisville Mom Collectives where we provide the best in trusted recommendations, tips, tricks, and resources to families in our communities. In my rare free moments, I like to write, read, draw, paint, game, go to the park, go to art museums, and try new foods. 

Christmas Ornaments in July

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It might be the holiday season all year long in Santa Claus, Indiana, but Christmas in July has finally arrived at Holiday World and it’s the perfect time of year to begin a new family tradition.

This tradition is simple to start and one that will spread even more holiday cheer each year as you are putting up Christmas decorations. It’s a fun way to add to your display of Christmas ornaments, too!

HoliBlogger Tara and her kids celebrate Christmas in July at Holiday World

Christmas Ornaments in July

My family has been getting Christmas ornaments when we travel for many years now. We have ornaments from places all over the country and even some from across the pond. Basically whenever we go on vacation we find a new ornament for our tree. Then we create a holiday display to highlight and remember our travels throughout the year(s). Our ornaments are either placed on our main tree (with all of our other ornaments), or some years we even have all of the travel ornaments displayed together on a separate tree.

A travel tree!

How to Start a New Family Tradition at Holiday World

Holiday World actually makes it really easy to begin this family tradition so I think that it’s the best place to start collecting. After all, Holiday World is all about Christmas so naturally you will find a large variety of the best Christmas ornaments. I’m willing to bet you can find the perfect ornament for your tree at Holiday World!

When you arrive through the theme park gates you’ll find St. Nick’s Trading Company off to the right. This gift shop is divided up into 3 rooms of souvenirs. From hats and t-shirts with the Holiday World logo to holiday decor, it’s the right place to find some really great best sellers when it comes to holiday swag. You’ll also be able to spy a special gift or two so be sure to get some of your holiday shopping down early. Even perfect stocking stuffers and other great gift ideas that you won’t find anywhere else!

In the first room of the shop you’ll find so many holiday ornaments hanging on artificial Christmas trees. Holiday World has so many unique Christmas ornaments for family members to choose from. There are cute ornaments with woodland animals, ones with just a little sparkle, rustic look wooden ornaments, glass Christmas ornaments, baubles to match any color scheme and even throwbacks to Old World Christmas style.

We all picked out a new ornament for our tree to remember our time at Holiday World.

During your time at Holiday World make a point to find Christmas ornaments to commemorate the trip in your favorite style. Our family personally likes to have an assortment of different types of travel ornaments, making our tree unique and eclectic.

HoliBlogger Tips

Did you find the perfect Christmas tree ornaments right when you walk into Holiday World but not quite ready to leave the park? You can have your purchases left for you at Guest Services and simply pick up the items at the end of the day as you are heading home. Guest Services is at the front of the park and directly across from the St. Nick’s Trading Company. So it’s really quite convenient!

Didn’t get a Holiday World ornament while in the park? You can actually purchase the in shop ornaments online in the HoliShop.

Combine your vacation keepsake ornaments with other special occasions that you are celebrating. Be it an ornament to commemorate your new home, baby’s first Christmas or just something to get you into the holiday spirit in advance, you’ll find that special tree decoration at St. Nick’s.

Time to Decorate!

A tree filled with Holiday World Christmas ornaments. I envision displaying this tree each year with only our Holiday World collection on its branches. A beautiful reminder of our family’s season as HoliBloggers.

I absolutely love the vintage style of this ornament.

Merry Christmas in July!

Be sure to have the best time ringing in Christmas in July at Holiday World! I hope that this new family tradition helps to add a beautiful addition to your Christmas season each year!

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

Entries accepted through Sunday, July 31 at 8pm 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.

Designing Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari: Secrets Of A Theme Park Landscape

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Did you know Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari sprawls over 300 acres of land? That’s a lot of ground to cover!

Like many, you’ve simply soaked in the floral ambiance without truly noticing every natural detail. As one of the cleanest, well-designed family parks around, Holiday World subtly surrounds us with cool shady spots and pleasing pops of color along our path.

It’s easy to rush past with your head stuck in the map looking for directions to the next exciting attraction. But, if you stop for a moment to take in the magical bits of scenery, you’ll truly enhance your park experience.

How does a theme park best plan the landscape in an aesthetically pleasing way for the benefit of park-goers? It all begins with a great team and a lot of ingenuity.

It Takes A Holi-Village

Cathy Greubel, Director of Park Services at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, oversees the design and maintenance of landscaping throughout the park. Greubel says one of the first considerations given to plants selected for landscaping is finding ones that are low maintenance, like Boston Ferns. Potted plants also help with decorating areas throughout the park and can be revitalized seasonally.

With over 1,500 plants in the Christmas section alone, there’s plenty to tend to! All plants throughout the 300+ acre park are maintained by a crew of four who work four hours a day prior to park opening.

Selecting plants that are not labor intensive is key to helping the crew get their daily tasks done quickly. This ensures guests to have a beautiful backdrop when they arrive.

Setting Nature’s Stage

Imagine walking in the gate of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari only to see a monochrome setting devoid of plant life. Lacking color and natural personality, the theme park would look different, indeed! It’s the bio-diverse shades and shapes of nature that fill our view with vibrant interest.

Planning landscape for the park involves a lot of creative vision. Each ride area, attraction, and walkway are its own intense project. Each are focused on a particular theme. There’s not only consideration for the concept but also the way the guests will interact with the landscape.

For example, Splashin’ Safari is designed to have a tropical feel. Plants are used to soften up the area to make it more inviting, but they are also used to help create shade for guests. In addition, foliage helps hide distracting areas like service roads to create a seamless, more pleasing view.

The planning doesn’t stop there, there’s plenty more to take into consideration such as varying the landscape colors to add interest. Landscapers also consider guest comfort by utilizing plants that don’t attract stinging bugs, yet still maintain balance in eco-environment.

Tending to the Native Biome

One only has to drive up to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari to realize it’s surrounded by nature and farmland. It’s part of what makes the theme park so charming and special!

When the natural environment is altered to give new life to a plot of land, such as a beloved holiday theme park, there’s an eco-balance that must be considered. The landscaping team has been very conscientious about using plants native to the area like Hydrangeas and Lagerstroemia indica (Crape Myrtle).

The team is also working on re-forestation, replanting trees to replace aging trees or trees that were pulled for safety reasons. Re-forestation helps wildlife thrive by providing shelter and supplying food sources.

HoliBlogger Barb | Landscape Blog | Taking a Photo with Kitty

If you take time to look at the landscape throughout your journey around park, you may just see a few bunnies taking advantage of the shade provided by the bushes. At night, the local deer love to munch on the SunBelievables and ornamental Sweet Potato Vines.

Landscaping Gems

All this hard work by the landscaping team truly makes Holiday World & Splashn’ Safari a lovely haven. Everyone is greeted immediately with the splash of Christmas colors which sets the festive tone.

A consistent fan favorite are the orange and purple SunPatiens that lead the way into Halloween. These hardy flowers tolerate all weather conditions, including heat, allowing guests to enjoy the blooms throughout the seasons.

If you look around Halloween you’ll find additional plots of orange and purple SunPatiens that have been added for fan enjoyment.

New beds of flowers have also been planted in Holidog’s Funtown. Additional potted plants decorate your journey along the walkways, and you’ll spot new trees by the Star Spangled Carousel.

Next time you’re at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, do take time to stop and smell the roses, per se. Admire all the beauty of the natural surroundings that enhance the landscape and brighten your day!

Want to learn how to utilize the secrets of a theme park landscape at home? Visit Rural Mom to get gardening tips from Director of Park Services Cathy Greubel!

 

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

Entries accepted through Wednesday, July 27 at 6pm CDT.

 

HoliBlogger Barb WThis blog post was written by HoliBlogger Barb W.

Barb Webb is a sustainable living expert nesting just outside of Louisville, Kentucky. When she’s not chasing chickens around the farm or engaging in mock Jedi battles, she’s writing about country living, artisan culture, and exploring the roads less traveled.

An award-winning author, Barb is also the Owner/Editor of the popular blog RuralMom.com where she shares her love of all things green and empowers others to live country life to the fullest. Her newest books “GETTING BAKED” and “GETTING LAID” are cheeky guides offering a fun, in-depth journey into sustainable living topics including traditional and medicinal gardening.

Sweepstakes: National Water Coaster Day 2022

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National Water Coaster Day

Last year, Wildebeest, our first water coaster that started us on a journey toward becoming the Water Coaster Capital of the World, hit 1 MILLION cycles on July 22. We celebrated by declaring our own holiday: National Water Coaster Day. After all, we’re Holiday World, and it was about time we created our own holiday.  National Water Coaster Day

Our second-annual celebration of National Water Coaster Day is July 22, and we hope you’ll join us! 

In celebration, we’re giving away a Water Coaster Family Fun Package that includes: 

  • Six Tickets to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari for the 2022 Season, and
  • Six single-use Quick Access Passes valid for up to four Guests each so each member of the family can skip the line at their favorite water coaster (and bring a few people along)! These aren’t available for sale in the park, so you don’t want to miss entering! 

Sweepstakes ends at 7 pm on National Water Coaster Day, July 22, 2022.

But first, please read through these instructions and rules:

  • You must be at least 18 years old to enter and you must not have won tickets from Holiday World in the past 12 months.
  • Employees of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari and Koch Development Corporation and the immediate family members of employees are not eligible to enter.
  • By entering, you agree to be added to our e-newsletter list (you may unsubscribe at any time by following the directions in your email).
  • Use the widget, below, to enter daily. There are lots of options, including following us on different social media channels, and many more! 
  • All prizes are non-transferable and not for re-sale. Each winner is solely responsible for reporting and paying any and all applicable taxes related to the prize(s). Tickets to Holiday World must be picked up at Holiday World.
  • View full rules through the widget below. 

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10 Instagram Worthy Spots at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari

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From photos with Holidog and Santa, to the Photo Spots, murals, and extraordinary backdrops, there are several spots around Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari to capture the perfect Instagram worthy photo.

It was hard to narrow down this list to only ten spots, especially between both of the parks. But, with the help of my teenage crew of savvy Instagramers, I’ve narrowed down our favorite spots (plus a few bonus locations!).

Remember, Instagram worthy photos don’t always have to be perfectly posed, scenic, and aesthetically-pleasing snaps. Fun, memorable, goofy, and interesting photos and locations are also worthy of an Instagram post.

1. The Raven

Located at the entrance of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.

The Raven is the first roller coaster to greet you as you walk into the entrance of Holiday World. It was the World’s #1 Wooden Roller Coaster from 2000 to 2003. Even up close, a person looks tiny under those big wooden trestles. 

2. Santa Statue

Located next to Christmas Cupboard.

Get ready to run to Santa! Actually, walk – don’t run. Okay, so maybe not everyone was as excited about this as I was. My teenagers may have been trailing behind me and rolling their eyes over my insistence for a photo with Santa. But, who can resist the friendly Holiday World Santa? It’s one of the most iconic photo spots in the park. You don’t want to miss this!

HoliBlogger Jamie W, 10 Instagram Worthy Photo Spots , Santa Statue

Bonus: A real Santa also hangs out in this area as well. There is a Photo Spot located inside St. Nick’s Toy Shop to snap a picture with Santa at specific times throughout the day.

3. Santa Claus Land Mural

Located on the side of the building next to Santa’s Storytime Theater.

If you are heading in the direction of Santa’s Merry Market, Santa’s Storytime Theater, or the 4th of July area, you don’t want to miss this snapshot. Take a photo with the “Greetings from Santa Claus Land” mural. It’s another Photo Spot in the park. 

4. Holidog Statue

Located in Holidog’s FunTown.

Holidog’s FunTown is a hop, skip, and jump through the 4th of July area. You’ll be quickly greeted by a larger-than-life statue of Holidog, Holiday World’s mascot. Strike a pose with Holidog while the Magic Waters splash pad springs to life in the background.

5. The Voyage lift hill

Located at the bottom of The Voyage’s lift hill.

If you time this photo perfectly, you can catch The Voyage roller coaster ascending the lift hill in the background. There is a Photo Spot located at the bottom of the hill (also a Holiday World Digital Photo Pass location). Brag about taking a ride down one of the steepest drops of any wooden roller coaster in the world.

Or just take the picture anyway to prove you were there – we won’t tell!

HoliBlogger Jamie W, 10 Instagram Worthy Photo Spots , In front of The Voyage

6. Thanksgiving Turkeys

Located on the front of the Gobbler Getaway building.

Gobble, gobble. I love taking cheesy photos with my family and there is an opportunity for a few of these at Holiday World. The Thanksgiving Turkeys mural is especially great for families and is another Photo Spot location.

7. Thunderbird and Crow’s Nest lane

Located on the path to the Thunderbird and Crow’s Nest.

The nation’s only launched wing coaster is worthy of its own path. I like to call this the “Thunderbird and Crow’s Nest lane” because they share the same walking path to and from the rest of the park. Along the lane, there are several perfect spots to capture both rides in the background. It’s especially delightful at dusk. 

8. Bahari Wave Adirondack chair

Located in Splashin’ Safari by the Bahari Wave pool. 

Climb into the giant Adirondack chair at the Bahari Wave pool. It’s great for a solo or group photo and captures the Wildebeest water coaster and Bahari Wave in the background. Look for the Digital Photo Pass Attraction sign.

HoliBlogger Jamie W, 10 Instagram Worthy Photo Spots , Adirondack Chair

9. Zinga Observation Deck

Located in Splashin’ Safari near Jungle Racer.

There is an observation deck at the end of the Zinga water-park ride, and it is perfect for capturing the expressions of friends and family enjoying the ride. The colorful, checkered Zinga funnel is ideal for Instagram. And who doesn’t want to brag about capturing themselves on the world’s first giant half-pipe water slide?

10. Cheetah Chase Champions booth

Located in Splashin’ Safari at the end of the Cheetah Chase water coaster.

Ride the world’s first launched water coaster and document your victory at the Cheetah Chase Champions booth. This is a fun photo opportunity we discovered after the ride, near the Digital Photo Pass Attraction area. And if you didn’t win the Cheetah Chase? Don’t worry, anyone who took the challenge of riding at “maximum curving speed and centrifugal force” is a champ.

Other notable photo locations around Holiday World:

  • The Christmas fountain near the entrance, in front of Santa’s Merry Marketplace.
  • The Christmas door mural Photo Spot on the building of Santa’s Merry Marketplace. 
  • Holidog nutcracker in front of Santa’s Merry Marketplace. 
  • The pilgrim photo booth, located next to the Mayflower.
  • The ghosts photo booth near Scarecrow Scrambler in the Halloween area.
  • Digital Photo Pass on-ride photo locations: The Voyage, Thunderbird, Frightful Falls, Gobbler Getaway, Cheetah Chase, and Wildebeest.

 

HoliBlogger Jamie W, 10 Instagram Worthy Photo Spots , Christmas Fountain

Use the hashtag #OurHoliday and tag @HolidayWorld in your photos!

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

Entries accepted on this sweepstakes through Wednesday, July 20 until 11:59pm CDT.

This blog post was written by HoliBlogger Jamie W.

Jamie Ward is a travel writer and published author. She founded Cornfields & High Heels, a travel and lifestyle blog, over five years ago and travels throughout the Midwest sharing her travel stories and adventures. She wrote 100 Things To Do In Indiana Before You Die and co-authored Midwest Road Trip Adventures. Jamie resides in Central Indiana with her husband, Paul, and their four teenagers. She was born and raised in Indiana and enjoys road trips, coffee, thrifting, historic places, and spending time with her family.

Know before you go: The German American Bank Party Plaza!

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Holidays in the Sky is a drone and firework extravaganza, but it’s also a full interactive experience!

Take a look at the German American Bank Party Plaza by clicking and moving around in the video below. Find your favorite spot to enjoy Light Up the Night with DJ Illuminate and watch Holidays in the Sky Drone & Fireworks Spectacular! Light Up the Night & Holidays in the Sky is both included in your park admission! 

Working from left to right through the video, you’ll see things in the plaza such as a Pepsi Oasis,
locations to buy food, restrooms, and more!

Concession & Pepsi Oasis
Hungry after a full day of play? Our team has you covered from a light snack to a full meal!
At the concession stand near the Pepsi Oasis, there is popcorn, kettle corn, Cheese pizza, Pepperoni pizza,
Icee cotton candy buckets, and Dippin’ Dot packs.

Elevated Experience
If you’re looking for a VIP experience look no further! In the Elevated Experience area, Guests get premium seating for the DJ Dance Party and Holidays in the Sky drone and firework show. Finger-food style snacks like fruit & veggie trays, tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole, and popcorn! We’ll only sell 20 of these spots a day, so get your reservation in early by calling (812)937-4401, extension 2642. Click here to learn more about the Elevated Experience, when you call be sure to ask about our Elevated Experience + Tour, which comes with all of the above, plus four hours of escorted front-of-the-line privileges to all Holiday World Attractions plus three water coasters, and more!

DJ Illuminate
Starting at 8:05 pm on 8 pm closing and 8:25 on 9 pm closing nights, DJ Illuminate and the Illuminators are warming up the dance floor with an interactive dance party titled Light Up the Night! Guests can expect Conga lines, popular line dance songs like the Cupid Shuffle and the Macarena, and to dance their hearts out!

Light Up Souvenirs
Once you’re in the German American Party Plaza you’ll definitely pick up on a theme: LIGHTS!
Light-up souvenirs and bubble wand toys are available for purchase at a stand just north of the DJ booth.

Holidays in the Sky Show location
For Guests preferring to spectate, they’re welcome to grab a snack and take a seat on one of our light-up benches or grab your seat for Holidays in the Sky.

Restrooms and Family Restrooms
These restrooms are perfect to visit before the show begins or before your car ride home! Our Family restrooms are perfect for groups that don’t want to get separated or need more space for changing.

Lillypad with Light Up Stones
Just northeast of the concessions area, Guests will find Light Up Stones that can be jumped on!
When you step on the stones, they light up in different colors!

When should you arrive?
The drone and firework show starts between 8:30 and 8:40 pm on days when Holiday World closes at 8:00 and the show begins at 9:00 pm on nights when Holiday World closes at 9:00 pm, but you’ll want to arrive before then! The German American Bank Party Plaza is the perfect place to play and interact or relax and grab a quick snack before the show begins!

Light Up the Night & Holidays in the Sky is both included in your park admission!
If you want to read more about Holidays in the Sky, check out these other great blog posts:
The Story of Holiday World’s New Drone Show
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Holidays in the Sky
Roadtrip to See Holidays In the Sky at Holiday World