Not once on the drive did I hear those dreaded four words: “Are we there yet?”
And if any of the four kids in the car had asked it, I could have replied, “Just about.” It’s nice having a theme park in our own backyard.
Going from Evansville to Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Ind., takes less than an hour. That’s longer than you’ll have to wait in line for the rides — and there are some BIG rides, such as two wooden roller coasters that have earned national acclaim.
This year marks the debut of a new cliffhanger, the ZOOMbabwe, a water slide-meets-roller coaster that’s nearly 900 feet long, more than 10 stories tall and as dark as midnight inside.
This family-run park is not a small mom-and-pop operation, it’s a full-scale production with more than 100 acres of attractions and distractions, spills and thrills.
Step through the entry turnstile and let the fun begin.
Once inside, the two 11-year-olds in our group headed off to do their own thing. We felt safe letting kids that age explore on their own, and knew they’d find us when they needed money.
The park is well-staffed, with a seasonal labor force 1,000-strong. Everywhere you look are fresh-faced workers of all ages, easily identified by colorful polo shirts and name tags. They range from local high school kids to 91-year-old Frieda “Flower Girl” Foertsch, who takes care of the pretty flowers adorning the grounds. It is obvious why readers of Amusement Today magazine voted Holiday World the No. 1 Friendliest Park and the No. 1 Cleanest Park.
A kiddie ride section is conveniently placed near the entrance, so the little ones can have it right away. The two 7-year-olds with us took a few spins on the merry-go-round and boats-that-float, then they were eager to explore The Big-Kid Rides.
The ride park is divided into three holiday sections: Christmas, featuring Santa and all the trimmings; 4th of July, which includes bumper cars and Holidog’s FunTown; and Halloween.
The big roller coasters are in the Halloween section. We had passed The Raven on our walk in from the parking lot ... and heard the screams. The wooden coaster hurls you over a lake, swoops between trees and careens down a hillside at a hair-raising rate of speed.
That would have to wait until we worked up the nerve.
We settled on the Scarecrow Scrambler, perfect for faint-hearted thrill seekers. After a few whirls, we noticed the nearby Great American High Dive Team was set to start its show. We squinted into the sun to see a diving board perched atop a skinny tower. Below was a tiny pool, framed by a seating arena.
We took a seat in the second row, undaunted by a sign that warned: “The first five rows will get wet.”
Wet? Drenched is more like it. Some huge splashes came out of that tiny pool. The deluge felt good in the Hoosier heat.
The act had everything — cute guys and a pretty gal, funny stunts, fancy flips and death-defying dives.
The kids enjoyed batting around beach balls to the surfing tunes. They worked up a thirst, and after the show we headed to a self-serve soda station. It’s a nice perk to have free drinks included with admission, especially since there are lots of other things to buy. The kids scored some stuffed animals at the carnival games and the moms scooped up some treasures from the glassblowing shop.
By that time, we’d dried out ... but not for long...
