Welcome to our 2020 Digital HoliWood Nights
If you haven’t already, go check out the HoliWood Nights Facebook page, where we’re announcing our new date for HoliWood Nights 2020: “The HoliWood kNights who say ‘Whee!'” We’re missing you all right now so we’ve decided to create a digital experience for you (because we hope you’re missing us too).
If you’re not familiar with HoliWood Nights, you’ll want to check out our page here.
If you can’t make our new date, there’s more information available here.
A note from Leah
This has been a hard year for many of us–not just because we’ve had to delay opening the parks, but because our team lives to make people happy and we’re in a time where people seem more unhappy than ever. It’s heartbreaking for us, and we hope that we can be united in fun soon enough.
Since this weekend would have been my personal favorite event of the year, we’ve decided to recreate something we did for our Guests earlier this year (Digital Opening Day). You’ll notice some similarities, but this is my little love note to the Coaster Enthusiast Community.
We’ve built out our usual itinerary with 360 ERT, treats you can make at home, activities you can do with little ones, a digital coaster walkback and even a night ride. Feel free to consume all at once, or act out your own day.
While we can’t be together in one place right now, we hope you’ll join us in spirit. We know COVID-19 has hit some parts of the country badly, and we hope you’re all staying safe and healthy. You’ve all been on our minds in this time.
We wish you all the best and safe travels this summer when we hope to see you for our new date!
All the best,
-Leah Koch
Director of Communications and Fourth-Generation Owner, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
Friday
4:30 pm – The kNights Assemble
Now would be a great time to show you all the welcome packet we’ve designed for you… but we’re not there yet. While you’re waiting on our award-winning (not really) Welcome Ceremony and Announcements, enjoy a soda. In real life, print out a flat Santa, add some color, and take a picture with him to show us where you are.
6pm – Welcome & Announcements
Famously known as the finest moment of HoliWood Nights (just kidding), our opening ceremony is a great way to catch up on what’s been going on around the park since last year. Since we can’t update you in person, check out our latest Hard Hat Chronicles from this year:
6:30 pm – Hors d’Oeuvres and Water Coaster ERT
At this time, we’d be gathering on the Beach of Bahari for some Ham and Jam and Spamalot sliders (just kidding!), and other themed hors d’oeuvres, and splashing into the top THREE water coasters in the world: Wildebeest, Mammoth, and Cheetah Chase.
Don’t forget to wait 30 minutes before getting in the water!
8:30 pm – More food! (And also ERT)
It may not be fudge and pizza, but we wanted to share a snack you can prepare at home.
It’s time for a sweet treat and our Marketing Director Ashley and her daughter Wren (Director of Cookies) are here to show you how to make our Jumbo Sugar Cookies. Scroll down for the ingredients, recipe, and a video you won’t want to miss!
Ingredients
- 2 sticks of butter, softened to a cool room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons light corn syrup or pure vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkles for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. If the cookies spread and flatten too much while baking, try increasing the temperature to 375 degrees. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg and light corn syrup and mix again for 1 to 2 minutes until the batter lightens in color. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Scoop the cookie dough into rounded balls. For jumbo cookies, make them slightly smaller than a tennis ball. For smaller cookies, about 2 tablespoons in size. I use my #40 cookie scoop. If you make the cookies smaller, heat the oven to 375 degrees F. This recipe works better for larger cookies like you find at Holiday World. Roll in granulated sugar or sprinkles and place on the prepared baking sheets. Be sure to spread the cookies out on the sheet.
- Bake for 11 to 15 minutes until slightly crackly on top, but not too much color around the edges or bottom to keep them soft and chewy.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- The most important step. Enjoy those cookies!
If you’re looking for more Holiday World Sweets you can make at home, check out our #HomemadeHoWo playlist on Youtube!
Now that you’ve seen the sweetest treat we have to offer, how about conquering our Foodie Word Search. It’s the toughest Word Search in Holidog’s Digital FunTown and features treats from both parks. Click below to download the puzzle and get started now.
Saturday
10 am- Rides and Shine!
We know after a long night of coaster riding, you’ll all be at the front gate waiting for us to reopen. Ok maybe not, but Saturday is your day to enjoy all our rides and attractions.
Your favorite rides and slides are calling!
Use this interactive park map to head to your first ride now.
2:30 pm – Walkbacks pair well with nachos, don’t you think?
Check out the scenery and shrubberies along the service road for The Voyage and Thunderbird. Spot an unladen Thunderbird train and guess its’ airspeed velocity. And take a few photos along the way. And don’t forget to leave time for nachos at the end. That’s our favorite!
4 pm – Another walkback, or just time to enjoy some coloring
Since we only have one walkback video, take a moment to color your own Holiday World skyline now with this coloring sheet.
7pm – Join in on the auction OR Check out our Digital FunTown
Holidog has put together tons of great activities for kids and kids at heart in his Digital FunTown. That includes puzzles, magic tricks, coloring sheets, virtual ride videos, and so much more.
His favorites are the Get Up & Move videos! Check out this super-cut of the exercises.
Holidog can’t wait to see all of his friends back in the park again, especially in FunTown and Rudolph’s Reindeer Ranch!
Speaking of the Ranch, can you help Holidog find all of Santa’s Reindeer in the word search below? Click the puzzle to download the full-sized version to print.
Share your favorite pictures with Holidog on social media using #MerryMemories
8pm – Exclusive Ride Time
Catch your favorite coasters before it gets dark, then go ride them again.
11:50pm- Grab one last night ride on the coaster with the GREATEST NIGHT RIDES
Yeah I said it.
12 am – Goodnight & Some Fireworks just for fun!
Thanks for playing along and checking out our Virtual HoliWood Nights. We hope to see you this season for our new date, but until then it’s just not going to be the same.
Until then, enjoy these Christmas-themed Fireworks.
12:59 am – The last of you leave. You know who you are. And we love you for it.
Thank you for visiting!