A Review of Holiday World and Splashin' Safari Theme Park in Santa Claus, Indiana

Over the last decade I have visited numerous theme and water parks across the southeast portion of the United States. I have been to water parks in Atlanta, Little Rock, Nashville and Bowling Green(KY). And I have been to several different theme parks as well. So I am here today to give you my opinion on where Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana ranks amongst all the great parks I have been to over the years.

First off, the location for Holiday World is in a tiny town in southern Indiana. It is a bit of ride through the hills of Santa Claus to get to Holiday World. But the traffic was not bad at all, considering when my friends and I arrived the parking lot was packed with thousands of cars.

Now before I begin my review, I will preface it by telling you that I am not big on roller coasters and instead I focused mainly on the water park section of Holiday World, also known as Splashin' Safari. Outside of the water park in Atlanta, Georgia, Splashin' Safari definitely had the best water slides I have ever been to. Of course Safari includes all the staples of the traditional water park from the giant wave pool to the kids pool area to the lazy river portions of the park. But if you are really looking for a great time at the water park then you will need to check out the wide variety of water slides that Safari has. There are a few great family rides. There are tamer family rides but for a fast, fun time try the Watubee white water slide where up to four people fit into a large raft float and go racing down drops and high up on the curves. This was one of my favorite rides because not only was it a very exciting ride but I also got to experience it with a few of my friends.

But there are also the more standard single or double tube slides that are short but extremely fast. And the best part of these tube slides is that when I visited Safari, the wait time was less than 5 minutes. However, the wait time was not quite as short for the most spectacular water ride at the park, the Zinga, a water slide that empties into a large funnel. The wait time was just under a hour, but the slide was definitely worth the wait. The slide portion is in the dark and only lasts a few seconds before you hit a 10 ft. + drop and go racing up one side of the funnel and back up the other side until your float finally settles at the bottom of the funnel into the pool below. The rides seats 1-4 riders at a time and is not for the faint of heart. But there are several other great rides to check out and chances are you won't have enough time to visit every ride at the park.

The roller coaster park has two very famous wooden roller coaster rides. I'm a chicken so I didn't ride either one but of what my friends told me they were amazing and worth the 40 minute wait. The Raven has been voted the #1 wooden roller coaster on the planet and those brave enough to ride it can attest to that fact. There are several tamer rides that the whole family will enjoy. And for the bravest souls, the Voyage is the tallest, fastest ride in the park and will take you to the limit and beyond. Just explore the park and use your best judgment on what you can and can not handle.

Finally, I will make a quick comment on the food. Usually the food at amusement parks tastes like it has been soaking in the fryer all night, but the food at Holiday World was surprisingly good. There are the traditional favorites like nachos and funnel cakes but they also have a fudge shop and fried oreos. I ate in Thanksgiving Land and nothing is better after a day at the pool then a hot dinner plate after wards. We had fried chicken, mac n' cheese, dressing, mashed potatoes and a roll. I don't know if it was because I was so starving but the food actually tasted very good. It wasn't quite as good as a home cooked meal but it wasn't too far off. Also one of the best things about Holiday World is that there is unlimited, FREE access to soft drinks found throughout the park.

So if your looking for a good place to bring the family or want a day out with a group of friends, Holiday World is definitely a good bet. The price of admission is around $34 but that is a bargain for the amount of fun that can be had at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana.