Insider Tips & FAQ
Use these tips to help plan your visit to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari! We also suggest reading through the Rules & Services we have in place to keep Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari safe and fun for our Guests.
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- We have smaller crowds and shorter waiting times – plus lower online ticket prices – on operating days in May, most of June, September, and October than in July or August. Please note that, in 2024, we are closed to the public May 15, and we are ONLY open to School Groups May 16, 17, 22, and 23.
- In general, Mondays through Fridays are the least busy days to visit, with Tuesdays through Thursdays a bit slower than Mondays and Fridays.
- Saturday is nearly always the busiest day of the week, followed by Sunday.
- With our Worry-Free Weather Guarantee, stormy forecast days might be the best days to visit! Lines are shorter, and if our rides close for 90 minutes or longer due to severe weather, keep your ticket to visit us again this year for free.
- Please remember, we’re on Central Daylight Time.
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- Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari have a pay-one-price admission, which entitles Guests to ride all the rides and slides (except where safety regulations impose height and/or weight restrictions) and see all the shows and attractions in operation during the day of admission. Age verification may be requested. Prices and schedules are subject to change without notice; no refunds.
- Searching for the deepest discounts on tickets? Look no further than our Pick Your Date online ticket deals! We also offer 2 Day and 3 Day Flex tickets online, plus Next Day tickets (available at Guest Relations for $30 each during your first day’s visit).
- For those that need to purchase tickets on-site, the Ticketing Booths open 30 minutes prior to opening on most operating days and at park opening on Friday Night Live! dates. Check our Park Hours page for operating dates and times. Remember, we’re on Central Time.
- We do not have “adult” and “child” tickets. Instead, children three and under are free. Preschool-aged children that meet our eligibility requirements can also receive a Free Pre-K Season Pass.
- Our tickets are not for re-sale. Please do not risk being scammed: do not purchase tickets from any third-party online sales or auction site. Tickets are only sold at HolidayWorld.com or at the Front Gate.
- The two parks are connected. Our Front Gate opens into Holiday World; Splashin’ Safari’s entrance is located across from HallowSwings in our Halloween section.
- Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is now cashless to provide faster service and increased security. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover via credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, and Samsung Pay too. (No personal checks.)
- Be sure to have your wrist stamped at the Front Gate as you leave if you wish to return to the park that day (you, too, Season Passholders).
- Parking is always free. The majority of our parking is located across the road, to the south of the park. Cars, campers, and other vehicles may not be left overnight in the parking lots.
- Rental lockers are only available in Splashin’ Safari. Lockers may be accessed during the hours Holiday World is open each day.
- Looking for signature food items? Pizza at Santa’s Merry Marketplace and fudge at Candy Cane Confectionary. Thanksgiving Dinner at Plymouth Rock Café and our blue ice cream at Udderly Blue. In Splashin’ Safari, don’t miss the Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap at Wildebeestro!
- There are five Family Restrooms located in Holiday World:
- Inside Santa’s Merry Marketplace (2)
- In Christmas Plaza next to the Holiday Theater
- In Stuffing Springs near Good Gravy!
- In Thunderbird Plaza
- You are also welcome to use individual restrooms in First Aid
- There are three Family Restrooms locations in Splashin’ Safari:
- Between Safari Sam’s SplashLand and Jungle Jake’s
- Beside Wildebeestro
- In Splashin’ Safari Plaza, by the changing rooms
- You are also welcome to use individual restrooms in First Aid
- Traveling with four-legged family members? Here’s information about our kennels.
- Please bring your own beach towels or plan to purchase them at one of our gift shops. Or, if you’re planning a stay in a Cabana, have them waiting for you with our Cabana Bag & Towels Add-On.
- Information about rental strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, and scooters is available on our Rules & Services page.
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At Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, we take ride safety seriously. Violating ride safety rules (written, spoken or implied), especially failing to remain safely seated with restraints in place at all times, could result in serious injury. If you violate ride safety rules, you will be ejected from our parks and prohibited from returning for a period of time as determined by park management, based on the nature of the violation. We want you to have the best visit possible, and that means taking care of yourself before and during your trip.
Tips for your visit no matter the year:
- Please be sure to eat breakfast the morning of your visit and apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before arrival.
- Once you’re here, reapply sunscreen often (every two hours) taking care to rub it in (not just “on”). Sunscreen is available free in both parks.
- Be sure to stay hydrated! Soft drinks are free in both parks and include iced tea, Gatorade, lemonade and water.
- Don’t take a vacation from medication! If you’re on medication, don’t skip it the day of your visit unless advised to by your doctor. If you need over-the-counter medications during your visit, please plan to purchase them in our gift shops. Our First Aid building is located in Splashin’ Safari’s entry plaza and is staffed with EMTs.
- It’s a great idea to wear a hat or cap plus sunglasses during your visit.
- Don’t hesitate to keep your shoes, sandals, flip-flops, etc., on in Splashin’ Safari; it’s okay to wear them in the water and on the slides.
- Do you have food allergies? Be sure to check out our Allergen-Friendly Menu, Healthier Menu Options, Gluten-Free Menu, and Nutritional Information available on our Food & Drinks page.
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- Lost Parents: Discuss ahead of time what to do if your family becomes separated during your visit. Plan a meeting place, such as the fountain in the Christmas section. Be sure to note what your children are wearing (better yet – take a picture on your phone), in case you need to describe your child to the Lost Parents attendant. Make sure your children know your name and can describe you, too. Children should know to ask a uniformed park employee for help if lost. If you are visiting with children too young to memorize your cell phone number, please be sure to get them Phone Find wristbands.
- Next Day Tickets: Save time by buying your Next Day tickets for $30 each ($20 each during Happy Halloween Weekends) when you purchase your first day’s tickets, rather than waiting until just before you leave.
- Map & Show Schedule: When you log on to our free park-wide Wi-Fi, you’ll automatically be directed to our Today in the Park page, which includes that day’s hours, menus, show schedule, and more. Bookmark the page on your phone or even add it to your home screen to get back to it easily! You may also pick up a printed Park Map at one of our Gift Shops.
- Attraction Wait Times: Right after opening each morning, lines in the Halloween Section tend to be longer than later in the day; try mid-afternoon instead. In the morning, rides in the Fourth of July Section (especially Holidog’s FunTown) tend to be much shorter than elsewhere in Holiday World (Holidog’s FunTown is a great spot for families with younger children!). Visit Splashin’ Safari before lunch, when it’s not as busy.
- Best Time to Eat: Try eating a bit earlier than most: For shorter waits—try a meal between 10 am and 11:30 am CDT and then dinner between 4 pm and 6 pm CDT. Snack locations (ice cream, pretzels, etc.) are least busy between 10 am and 2 pm CDT (they are busier in the evenings).
- Games are the least busy before 3 pm CDT.
- One Last Ride: Please don’t wait until just before closing time to ride your favorite ride one more time. The queues at the more popular rides may close early so that everyone already in line gets to ride before (or shortly after) the park closes for the day.
- Bring an Extra Set of Keys: Nobody wants to think about losing their car keys, but unfortunately, it happens. It’s a great idea to bring an extra set of car keys and secure them in a locker, a separate bag from your primary set of keys, or even inside your locked vehicle. If you realize you’ve lost your keys during your visit (and you didn’t bring a second set), please come to Guest Relations immediately (instead of waiting until the end of the day) so we can help you find them or help you make arrangements to get another set brought to you as soon as possible.
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Yes, really! Here’s the list:
- Free soft drinks (including Gatorade, lemonade, iced tea, coffee and water) are available throughout both parks all day, every day.
- Free sunscreen bottles are located in front of the restroom buildings in Splashin’ Safari and by the west steps of Holiday Theater in Christmas, in Holidog’s FunTown, next to Tippecanoes by The Alamo, and in Thunderbird Plaza in Holiday World. These pump bottles contain 50 SPF Australian Gold sunscreen.
- Free parking
- Free Package Pick-Up is available for purchases made prior to two hours before Holiday World’s closing time. Packages can be picked up at Holiday World Services a minimum of two hours after purchase up until park closing.
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free use of inner tubes
- Electric Vehicle Charging Station in the Legend Parking Lot – free, of course!
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Holidays in the Sky–a 15-minute drone and fireworks spectacular! Each evening in 2024 between June 22 and August 4 (weather permitting), 500 drones will take to the skies in a celebration of the four holidays of Holiday World: Halloween, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, and Christmas–before a fireworks finale ends the celebration.
- Show begins at 9:00pm Central each night from Saturday, June 22 – Sunday, August 4, 2024 (weather permitting).
- The best place to watch? Head to the Party Plaza in the Thanksgiving section, just past Mayflower on your way up to Thunderbird.
- Get there early, and join in on the fun! Light the Night, our DJ Dance Party leads right up to showtime, and you won’t want to miss it!
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Indeed we do:
- Click here for Splashin’ Safari Cabana information, including a map
- We also have mini Cabanas, called Cheetah Chaise Loungers
- Reserve your Cabana or Cheetah Chaise Lounger online or by phone at 1-800-467-2682
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Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari do not close in bad weather; the rides continue to operate in the rain.
- If lightning, high winds and/or other extreme weather issues occur in the immediate area, some or all of the rides in both parks will temporarily shut down, and will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so. We encourage your family to wait out the storm and enjoy the rest of your day with us.
- Worry-Free Weather Guarantee: During your visit, be sure to take a picture of your ticket or keep it with you. If storms force us to close our rides for a total of 90 minutes or longer, the Worry-Free Weather Guarantee is activated and you’ll be able to use your ticket to return another day this season. Just check online to see if the day you visited qualifies for the Worry-Free Weather Guarantee. If it does, bring your ticket (or a picture of it) back with you to Guest Relations on the day you’d like to visit.
- Please note: Major rides and attractions must be down for more than 90 minutes for the Guarantee to be activated. You don’t have to leave to get a return visit, so you might as well stick around the rest of the day and see if things can open back up!
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The average water temperature in Splashin’ Safari is 63°. Last updated: 9/9/2024
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- Please review this list of Rules & Services before your visit
- Connect with us on Social Media, our E-Newsletters, our blog, plus our Podcast!
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- Happy Halloween Weekends run from September 21 through October 27, 2024. Park hours during this event are Saturdays 11 am to 8 pm CDT and Sundays 11 am to 5 pm CDT.
- Enjoy many of the rides you love at Holiday World, plus lots of Halloween shows and fun!
- Enjoy a variety of our Fall Food items, such as Pumpkin Funnel Cakes and Caramel Apples! Our Food & Drinks page is updated each Fall with our newest food items!
- Tip: Visit Saturdays during Happy Halloween Weekends to catch night rides! For more spooky-season tips and our daily schedule, visit our Happy Halloween Weekends page.
