Holiday World Set to Open
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowHoliday World and Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus will open for the season this weekend after undergoing $8 million in improvements. Chief Executive Officer Matt Eckert says the upgrades include a new restaurant and a swinging ship ride in the park's Thanksgiving-themed area. He expects the park to host more than 1 million guests this year.
May 2, 2014
News Release
Santa Claus, Ind. – Holiday World theme park opens for its 68th season this Saturday with the first sailing of the Mayflower swinging ship ride.
“Since 2006, when we expanded Holiday World to include a Thanksgiving-themed section, we've received hundreds of suggestions to add a classic swinging ship ride and name it the Mayflower,” says park president Matt Eckert. “We have a three-year Thanksgiving celebration plan for our park, and this is just the start.”
Eckert says the new family ride will carry up to 60 riders at a time, swinging in an arc 54-feet-high over a pool of water.
Additional projects for this season include:
-Friday Night Fireworks (Friday evenings from June 13 through August 1)
-Extended Splashin' Safari hours
-Mrs. Klaus' Kitchen makeover, including a new home for Santa Claus
-Summer Fun Card program, for multi-day summer visits
-New Wildebeestro restaurant and Safari Outpost shop in Splashin' Safari
Eckert says the cost of this year's improvements totaled $8 million. Ticket prices for Holiday World & Splashin' Safari did not increase from last season.
On May 10, a production crew from Hollywood will spend the day at Holiday World to capture the enhanced theming of the park's Christmas section for a new holiday special for The Travel Channel.
Holiday World will be open weekends starting May 3. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari will be open daily starting May 16. For more information, visit HolidayWorld.com or call 1-800-467-2682.
Source: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari