one week ago today was our fun adventure at Holiday World over in Santa Claus Indiana. this was an outing that Dad had been planning since February.... a chance to get the family together in celebration of dad and mom's anniversary. Mike, Katrina and John were able to make it as well which was cool! dad scored us a little private cabana to call home for the day, which was very helpful to have as a rest spot and Honnold HQ.
in summary, this place amazed me.... not just for the quality of their rides, but for their family-friendly spirit, great customer service, and a real focus on park cleanliness.
first impression of the park..... no charge for parking. think how much money they give up each day by not ripping everyone off of $10+ bucks for the "privilege" to be able to park on a baking-hot slab of asphalt.
second impression.... security check. they check each and every bag thoroughly and carefully. of course, they are looking for contraband like weapons and plastic forks, but they also enforce their rule of no outside drinks. i saw multiple folks having to leave their water bottles at the guard station. it's clear that this rule is in place for safety (so that someone doesn't carry in gasoline or vodka) because.....
the land of Holiday World flows bountifully with all sorts of free beverages. seems like I was never more than a 2-3 minute walk from an oasis of goodness to get a cold cup of Diet Dew! and when they advertise free drinks, they mean it! as much as you want, as often as you want it. and they are not stingy on selection either. probably 8-10 carbonated choices, plus lemonade, gatorade, tea and of course water. just imagine how much $$$$$$ their cash registers don't collect each day by not charging $5 for a soda!! thousands and thousands and thousands of bucks.
other positive impressions:
- the best admission discount they offer is to military veterans! whoop whoop!! we love you senior citizens, but our vets have done so much more to deserve cheap tickets than you just..... growing older (no tomato throwing please)
- the grounds are immaculate; beautiful flower beds, well-kept landscaping and grass, freshly-painted buildings, many staff walking around to pick up litter
- free sun tan lotion -- stations outside many bathrooms to get all slick and glisteny
- super friendly, helpful, and engaged staff; I am not sure what they do to foster such an overwhelming attitude of positive customer service, but someone oughtta write a book about it
- cheap food; definitely not trying to gouge
- strict enforcement of the dress code: if you are a guy leaving the waterpark area without a shirt, you will be stopped and will not be let thru until you have covered your manboobies; if you are a lady in your swimsuit, you will not get thru security back into the dry area until you have shorts on; they enforce this hard
as for our day, we had an absolutely awesome blast of a time. Our oldest daughter rode pretty much every big ride (dry side) with Uncle Mike.
then, she grabbed Dad and Mom and got them on the water rides. how cool it was for me to see them do this! Dad and Mom were water ride FIENDS, I tell ya!!
They (dad and daughter) even rode Wildebeest:
They (mom & daughter) rode this thing ("Jiraffica"):
yeesh! just looking at that water coaster makes my butt pucker!
I rode this monster:
what an interesting ride thru Mother Goose Land! i had no idea that Jack and Jill both resembled trolls, and that Mary (of little lamb fame) and Little Bo Peep were such lookers. I'm sure they were constantly having to fend off stinky, dirty boy-shepherds who wanted to come into their pasture. ;)
Now, if you talk to the lovely Mrs. Honnold, she will maintain that I flipped her off her innertube on the lazy river. i categorically deny that. she will also maintain that i thought it was hilarious how drenched she got on both Raging Rapids and on the Hyena Falls waterslide (as a kind, gentlemanly gesture, I allowed her to sit in the front hole of the tube; yes, she got much wetter than I did, but I can't help that she was deflecting the water away from me.)
Our 2 youngest daughters had a blast in the wave pools and on the smaller rides. Our youngest is clearly developing into another daredevil-child (like her oldest sister), as she loved riding with Grandpa on the Scrambler and the really tall swings that would have turned me into Nauseated Vomit Boy.
what a great day. what a great park. highly, highly recommend.
now, where did i put that Diet Dew.....,
Matt