Holiday World & Splashin' Safari — Attraction in Santa Claus

Most esteemed reader,

I extend to you a cordial greeting and invite you to indulge in my humble discourse regarding an extraordinary establishment that hath captured my heart and imagination—an amusement park of unparalleled delight known as Holiday World. As I strolled through its grand gates, I was immediately beset by a fervent desire to experience the enchantments within once more.

Let us commence with an examination of the park's splendid attractions, beginning with its roller coasters, for they are the pièce de résistance of this remarkable venue. The first to greet one’s gaze upon entering is a venerable wooden coaster called The Raven. Though deemed the least illustrious amongst its peers, one must not dismiss it hastily. In truth, within the confines of any other amusement park, The Raven would surely stand as a formidable contender. This coaster embodies the charming essence of classic wooden constructions. Its ride is relatively smooth, evoking nostalgia for bygone days.

Next, we find ourselves in the presence of The Legend, a magnificent creation inspired by the tale of the headless horseman. This roller coaster is extraordinary. Rather than aiming for airtime the fleeting and exhilarating sensation,The Legend excels in delivering lateral thrills, leaving riders joyfully tossed about from side to side. I dare say it ranks as the second finest coaster within the park’s esteemed assemblage.

Then shall I introduce the delightful duo known as Howler and the jubilantly named Good Gravy! These rides are splendid family coasters, suited to both young and old; however, I shall refrain from dwelling too long upon them. A noteworthy mention is the queue of Good Gravy!, adorned so captivatingly that it may well be regarded as a minor attraction.

Moving swiftly along, we encounter Thunderbird, the illustrious second installation of the B&M Wing coasters. This marvel of engineering offers an invigorating experience, launching riders with unexpected intensity immediately after departing the station. While the theming leaves little to be desired, Thunderbird remains a commendable addition to this magnificent park.

And yet, we arrive at the crowning triumph of this amusement kingdom: The Voyage. This coaster, a veritable masterpiece of engineering prowess, stands as the most awe-inspiring ride I have had the fortune to experience. It eclipses even such venerated titans as Steel Vengeance and Velocicoaster. Remarkably, the Voyage is set within the landscape itself, as one winds through it with continuously burgeoning speed it is a true testament to the ingenuity of its designers. It is an experience worthy of a pilgrimage from any distant location, and I assert, with unwavering conviction, that it is the finest roller coaster to grace the world.

Beyond the realm of thrilling coasters, let us not overlook the fine selection of flat rides that Holiday World offers its patrons. Liberty Launch, the most exhilarating S&S air launch tower I have ever dared to ascend, shall leave you breathless. For the younger visitors, a myriad of playgrounds provide ample respite while the adults partake in daring pursuits. Furthermore, there exists a selection of flat rides tailored to amuse youthful spirits.

Equally notable is the sustenance offered throughout the park. The victuals are of commendable quality and priced reasonably, unlike many similar establishments. The atmosphere at Holiday World is resplendent, contributing to a sensory tapestry that enhances the overall experience. Even the Gobbler Getaway, a shooter dark ride, proved to be an enjoyable diversion, despite my usual misgivings about such attractions.

In conclusion, I implore you to consider that Holiday World is an institution deserving of your attention it’s a destination every individual ought to visit at least once in their lifetime. It is a delightful abode of amusement wherein joy and laughter abound. I extend my gratitude for your patience in perusing this review and encourage you to follow my musings for further accounts of...

If you want to visit a theme park that cares about the guest experience with free parking, soda, and sunscreen, this park is for you! Located just an hour outside of Louisville, this park is easy to get to. If you're flying in, Louisville is the closest major airport, and renting a car is the best and only option since Santa Claus is a small populated town with no Uber/Lyft services to the major cities. Once inside the park, there's lots to see and do, and if you’re a coaster enthusiast, you already know which coasters to hit!

The rollercoasters here consist of 3 world-class wooden coasters, 1 launched wing coaster, 1 family boomerang, and 1 kiddie coaster; so 6 rollercoasters! Out of all the coasters, The Voyage is my favorite as it goes through the woods, and makes for an awesome night ride if the park closes later. If rollercoasters isn’t your thing, there are also several flat rides and attractions all throughout. Didn’t do any flat rides on my visit, but I did a dark ride called gobbler getaway. In general, my favorite blasters dark ride because it’s adorable, targets are well calibrated, and a great way to get out of the hot sun. My top 5 rides are Voyage, Legend, Raven, Thunderbird, and Good Gravy! For this park, they have a pretty good Top 3 for wooden coasters, with The Voyage being most peoples favorite wooden coaster.

As for the Splashin' Safari waterpark, since I was mainly there for the coasters, and did half of my day at Kentucky Kingdom, I didn’t get to experience it as much since I arrived at the waterpark less than 2.5 hrs before closing. The waterpark was great. Nice lazy river, awesome water coasters, and plenty of water slides which mainly consisted of raft slides. Something to note, if you’re a single rider, do your ride research in advance since some slides do not allow single riders. The major slides that do allow for it are Wildebeest and Mammoth, which has a dedicated single rider line. If you plan on ordering a revisit or a multi-day flex ticket, it’d be best to do one-day dry park, and the other day waterpark since this park has so much to do that you just need another day. Just keeping that in mind, for a better waterpark experience, it’s best to make sure you have a plus one since you can do so much more in parties of 2.

The park staff were phenomenal, and have great customer service. I can tell that they care for their guests and experience making sure each guest feel welcome for being at Holiday World. Ask them a question, they most likely have the answer for you. The ride operators were awesome! I like the fact that you can put your pocket-sized items in baskets, and handing it to them (they’ll take your bags too if you’re okay with it) once you’re about to ride, indicating that they want you to get on the ride and dispatch it as soon as possible. That right there is how most parks should run it. If you go on a slow day, and want to take advantage of re-rides on the rollercoasters, as long as there’s an empty row, or asking another single rider they’re okay with it, the ride ops will allow it with no limit unless there’s a full station.

Lastly, about the Holiday’s in the Sky show, absolutely amazing! Say the park closes at 8pm, the park will leave the Thanksgiving section of the park open until 9pm when the drone and firework show starts! Which means while most of the families are partying at the dance plaza before the show, if you want to marathon The Voyage, and get that night ride experience everyone talks about, this is the perfect opportunity to do so!

Overall, Holiday World is the best independently owned theme park I've been to, and cannot wait to return in the near future! Not only to ride the world class wooden coasters, but to explore more of the Splashin' Safari waterpark and making it a full day...

Holiday World is one of the best parks out there Only one complaint

As a season passholder, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Holiday World several times this year, and each visit reminds me why it’s one of the best-run and most enjoyable parks in the country. On this trip, I brought friends using the $30 Bring-a-Friend deal, and they were completely impressed from start to finish. From the moment you arrive to the moment you leave, the hospitality here stands out — free drinks, free sunscreen, and free parking are just the beginning of what makes the experience smooth and guest-focused.

The park is incredibly clean, staff are polite and welcoming, and you can tell they care about the guest experience — whether you’re a family with kids or an adult group like ours.

Coasters — Each One a Highlight

Raven – Short, fast, and scenic with a surprise drop and a great lakeside setting. Legend – Wild and intense with strong turns and a powerful, twisting layout. The Voyage – Long, fast, and packed with airtime — easily one of the best wooden coasters in the world. Thunderbird – Smooth and thrilling with an exciting launch and unique winged layout.

Water Coasters — Just as Impressive

Wildebeest – A fast and bouncy ride with great airtime and constant speed. Mammoth – Big, floaty, and unpredictable with strong splashes and a fun group dynamic. Cheetah Chase – A racing water coaster that’s smooth and competitive, with a solid launch and tight corners.

The rest of Splashin’ Safari is excellent as well — both wave pools are fun, the lazy rivers are well-kept, and there’s a great mix of big thrills and relaxing options.

Food, Atmosphere, and Staff

The food is good and fairly priced (we had pizza, frozen lemonades, and funnel cakes), and operations are efficient even when the park is busy. The themed areas are charming, and it’s one of the few parks that really captures a friendly, nostalgic vibe without feeling outdated. Staff across the park were consistently helpful and professional, even during peak crowd times.

Also one thing to say I have not seen anyone say is that the raging rapids ride is getting replaced! Last time I went I saw red white and blue flip flops with 2027 on a few of them. Which probably means we are getting a 4th of July themed water ride in 2027!

Holidays in the Sky was beautiful and the dance party before that was amazing!!! Light benches I mean that's awesome!

The Locker System — My only negative

The only major negative this year was the change to the locker system. In the past, lockers used latex wristbands that made opening and closing lockers easy, fast, and perfect for waterpark use. This year, they’ve been replaced with a 6-digit PIN code, which is inconvenient, slower to use, and easy to forget — especially when your hands are wet or you’re juggling bags.

To make matters worse, the website still lists the old wristband system, which confused us and several other guests nearby. For a park that normally goes out of its way to make things easier, this change stood out as something that didn’t feel like Holiday World.

I hope they bring the wristbands back or at least update the website and provide clearer info.

Despite that issue, Holiday World is still a top-tier park and one I’ll keep returning to — but I hope they take guest feedback seriously...