Holiday World (HW) Discussion Thread

[ZeroGravity55]

Thinking about doing a HW, KK new credit run on Friday or Sunday. Any suggestions?

 

If you go on Friday, HW has their Friday night fireworks if you'd be interested in that type of thing.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^I'd stop by Beech Bend for the Zamperla Air Race credit, but that's just me

 

I'll be at Beech Bend during the day on July 7th. We're going for the Weird Al concert in Bowling Green that night.

 

If you go on Friday, HW has their Friday night fireworks if you'd be interested in that type of thing.

 

As much as I love Fireworks, I was gonna Carbo Load Thunderbird in the AM, Hit up Mammoth and Wildebeast early, then hit The Legend and Raven on the way out. If luck is on my side, I can be at Kentucky Kingdom by 4 get my Lightning Run Credit by 4:30. Then spend the rest of the day tooling around until I feel like going home.

 

However, if I went the opposite direction and started at KK, then made my way to HW. I would be using the time zones to my advantage and could spend a bit more time at each park and catch the fireworks before I go home.

 

Sold! Fireworks it is!

 

It's gonna be a good Friday!

[parkjunkie]

Thank you for the info on where to find coupons. This will actually be the first time Ive ever paid for admission to Holiday World since I used to get in free when I worked for Six Flags... I'm gonna miss those perks!

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Thank you for the info on where to find coupons. This will actually be the first time Ive ever paid for admission to Holiday World since I used to get in free when I worked for Six Flags... I'm gonna miss those perks!

How'd that work? Holiday World has always been independent, and in fact was directly in competition with Six Flags for a while when the latter owned Kentucky Kingdom....

[ZeroGravity55]

^ It's a thing that the parks workout with one another. I know that all HW employees get free admission to all the surrounding parks. Remember, the industry is mostly a big family and all the parks want each other to succeed.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

^ Wow, well good for them then. Friendly competition isn't something you see very often. I can't see Wal-Mart giving Target employees a discount.

[ajfelice]

^In reference to the comparison of a retailer exchanging discounts to a local competitor.

 

Amusement parks are exchanging a service between employees, not profits from goods being purchased. Free admission exchanges aren't really hurting either side. So a few bucks will be spent on food, merchandise, and games, but the little spending by park employees isn't enough to create any competitive advantages to either park when employees visit outside parks. The benefits of having a happy workforce far outweighs the benefits of a few employees pumping a few bucks into a regional competitor.

 

And the family description of the industry does hold true for the most part. Competition is alive and well, but industry gatherings are far from hostile or severely divided. Almost everyone can shake hands and be cordial.

[jjfinazzo]

"Industry Courtesy" is what we used to call it. When I worked at a music club in college we let anyone who worked at another club in free. The other clubs returned the favor to us.

 

Nice to see it exists in the amusement park industry.

[ZeroGravity55]

Today marks 5 years since Will Koch has passed away. I had met Will three weeks earlier for the first and only time on a behind the scenes tour of the park with one of my classes from school. He had just arrived at the park and took 5 mins to talk to us. Looking back on that day, I'm amazed at how down earth he was. I then saw him at least 3 separate times throughout that day just walking around the park. I imagine one of the greatest thrills for him was walking around the park and seeing all the smiling faces that his park was providing.

[ZeroGravity55]

Double post....

 

Some good news from HW. Thunderbird has been such a success for the park so far, that they're having to hire additional help to get through end of daily operation.

 

https://duboiscountyherald.com/b/holiday-world-seeking-100-additional-employees

 

Edit:

 

Also, the park finally put some of the still shots from the commercial up on their website. They look awesome!

 

 

 

 

[kyleparks77]

Yep, I need a 4K octocopter

[Midgetman82]

Holy clarity, batman! Those stills!

[thrillrider]

I hear that the park had a tornado scare today.

[RollerManic]

^^^^Holy amazing... And vignetting?

[sirspud]

^

And the family description of the industry does hold true for the most part. Competition is alive and well, but industry gatherings are far from hostile or severely divided. Almost everyone can shake hands and be cordial.

 

When it comes down to it, in a way most parks aren't really competing with each other, at least unless they are in the same general area. Except for some parks like Disney, Universal, & CP, many parks are going to get the bulk of their money from people within a certain radius. Parks in the same general area are certainly going to be directly competing, but only in select areas do you have multiple parks trying to provide a similar experience (ie Disney and Universal). Rarely do two local parks try and do the exact same thing, only one do it better. Most parks will try and distinguish themselves and have a different atmosphere, different type of ride experience, etc.

 

Since theme parks are an entertainment industry for people to use disposable money on, its really to everyone's benefit for theme parks countrywide and worldwide to provide a quality experience and create fans of parks and rides. Someone who enjoys Disney will probably try Universal at some point. Someone who likes a Cedar Fair park will likely try and Six Flags.

[ZeroGravity55]

I hear that the park had a tornado scare today.

 

If you follow HW on Twitter, they had 3 separate tornado scares today. One with guests in the park and the other two after the park closed early. They also invited guests who visited today to sign up for free return passes at GR or to email them. From the sounds of it, the park executed their emergency plan to perfection, which is very difficult when 1.) You're dealing with a large number of guests and 2.) Some guests don't want to cooperate. I couldn't even imagine how hard it would be if there was 10,000-14,000 (A very busy day for HW if I remember correctly) people in the park. I have a little experience with this at work and it just sucks. I live in the town that was struck by the Leap Day Tornado back in 2012 and usually, everyone will cooperate as were all paranoid of Tornadoes now, but you always have that one group that doesn't want to take shelter and gets mad when nothing happens.

[Superbatboy]

Double post....

 

Some good news from HW. Thunderbird has been such a success for the park so far, that they're having to hire additional help to get through end of daily operation.

 

https://duboiscountyherald.com/b/holiday-world-seeking-100-additional-employees

 

Edit:

 

Also, the park finally put some of the still shots from the commercial up on their website. They look awesome!

 

 

 

 

Good to hear Thunderbird is paying off for them, $22 million aint cheap lol. Great pics by the way

[gp1086]

Recommended "best" hotel to stay at within 15-20 minutes of Holiday World? Don't mind spending some more money and recognize not going to find any Hilton or Marriott. Right now am fairly torn between Santa's Lodge and Baymont Inn & Suites in Dale for July trip? Care most about comfortable beds and good breakfast.

[sirspud]

I too am looking for a good hotel idea near HW. I'm coming from the south so I am considering just staying in Owensboro, KY and driving the 40 minute drive in the morning.

[prozach626]

Recommended "best" hotel to stay at within 15-20 minutes of Holiday World? Don't mind spending some more money and recognize not going to find any Hilton or Marriott. Right now am fairly torn between Santa's Lodge and Baymont Inn & Suites in Dale for July trip? Care most about comfortable beds and good breakfast.

 

We're going to give the Hampton in Jasper a try. I'm a hotel snob, so that's about the lowest I'll go. The pictures and reviews were nice. It's also right next door to a really authentic great German restaurant. They have German imported beer and great food.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Recommended "best" hotel to stay at within 15-20 minutes of Holiday World? Don't mind spending some more money and recognize not going to find any Hilton or Marriott. Right now am fairly torn between Santa's Lodge and Baymont Inn & Suites in Dale for July trip? Care most about comfortable beds and good breakfast.

Santa's Lodge has a good breakfast buffet, but it's not included. I ate there both mornings of Holiwood Nights, and it cost me about $10 each day. It's honestly an expensive hotel, but it's within walking distance of the park, and I actually did walk to the park. If you consider that it's more or less like staying on site, even though it's not on park property, it's a really good deal. You'll pay a lot more for on site hotels at other parks.

[mike541x]

Anyone know a place in Indiana that has discount tickets for the park?

[Koasterking48]

Anyone know a place in Indiana that has discount tickets for the park?

McDonalds, Taco Bell/KFC, Subway, and probably more restaurants have coupons. I don't believe you can buy an actual ticket anywhere else except through the park website or at the park unless you stay at Santa's Lodge or Lake Rudolph

[ZeroGravity55]

I think the park website is the best way to go. They're cheaper and they don't make you pay a processing fee or tax. It's a flat $40.99. If you you follow HW on social media, they consistently run promo codes that you can use to get discounted online tickets. If you can't print it off, I do believe you can still purchase it online and go to guest relations with your information and still get in. Don't hold me to that though. I know you can also purchase tickets at a local Krogers.

 

As for hotels, I've never had a problem with the Days Inn in Jasper. Honestly, I think staying in Jasper is the best choice. You do have to watch where you stay, as there is a good chance that you will jump timezones. HW is on central and it seems like the rest of the area is on eastern.

[mike541x]

Thanks for the replies. I'll definitely check with their website before our visit.