Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana packs three award-winning wooden coasters, a launched steel thrill ride, and two record-setting water coasters into four holiday-themed lands, which means families juggling kids of different sizes need to plan around a wide range of height minimums before they ever reach the gate.
This guide walks through Holiday World’s height requirements ride by ride, grouped from the tallest coaster minimums down to the kiddie rides that have no minimum at all, plus the park’s supervising-companion policy for shorter riders. Ride lineups, attraction names, and minimum heights change seasonally — including a recent change to Thunderbird’s minimum — so always confirm current numbers on Holiday World’s official accessibility page before your visit.
Stats at a Glance
- Total Rides: 50
- Rides With Height Requirements: 38
- Shortest Requirement: 36 in (91 cm)
- Tallest Requirement: 48 in (122 cm)
Height Requirements, Tier by Tier
Holiday World’s biggest coasters all share a 48-inch (122 cm) minimum: The Voyage, The Legend, and The Raven — the park’s three celebrated wooden coasters — plus the launched steel coaster Thunderbird, which Holiday World lowered to 48 inches after new testing became available following the debut of a comparable coaster elsewhere; Thunderbird also carries a 78-inch (198 cm) maximum for its restraints. The pendulum ride HallowSwings and the launch coaster Liberty Launch require the same 48 inches (122 cm).
A second tier sits at 42 inches (107 cm): Revolution, Holiday World’s spinning coaster (capped at a 77-inch/196 cm maximum), plus the pirate ship Mayflower, Crow’s Nest, and Rough Riders. Good Gravy! Family Coaster splits the difference — kids as short as 38 inches (97 cm) can ride with a supervising companion, while guests 48 inches (122 cm) and taller may ride solo.
A 36-inch (91 cm) minimum covers several family-style spinners and flumes: Eagles Flight, Firecracker, Frightful Falls, The Howler, Reindeer Games, Scarecrow Scrambler, and Turkey Whirl.
Many of the youngest-rider attractions have no minimum height at all, only a maximum: Comet’s Rockets, Cranberry Corner, Dancer’s Fish, Dasher’s Seahorses, Holidog’s Treehouse, Just for Pups, Magic Waters, Prancer’s Merry-Go-Round, and Tippecanoes all cap riders at 54 inches (137 cm).
At Splashin’ Safari, the water coasters and slide towers require 42 inches (107 cm): Wildebeest and Mammoth — two of the longest water coasters in the world — plus Zinga, ZOOMbabwe, Cheetah Chase, Otorongo, Bakuli, and Jungle Racer. Watubee and select slides within the Kima Bay play structure require 36 inches (91 cm), while Safari Sam’s SplashLand is limited to guests under 54 inches (137 cm) or a guest accompanying a child under that height.
Tips for Families Visiting Holiday World
Measure kids against a wall at home before you go, and bring that number with you — Holiday World’s Height Measurement Station near the Christmas Fountain checks height with shoes on and rechecks it at each ride, while Splashin’ Safari measures shoes off, and footwear can’t legally add more than 2 inches either way.
If a child doesn’t clear a marquee coaster like The Voyage, The Legend, The Raven, or Thunderbird (all 48 inches/122 cm), Good Gravy! Family Coaster is the best next step down at 38 inches (97 cm) with a supervising companion, followed by the 36-inch (91 cm) family rides and the no-minimum kiddie rides scattered through each holiday-themed section.
Holiday World’s supervising companion policy requires that companion to be at least 16 years old and tall enough to meet the ride’s own solo-rider requirement — so a parent or older sibling riding alongside a shorter child on rides like Good Gravy! or the 36-inch family rides must themselves clear that ride’s height bar.
Because minimums do change — Thunderbird’s requirement dropped after updated engineering testing — check Holiday World’s official accessibility page or downloadable accessibility guide shortly before your trip rather than relying on last year’s numbers.
Explore more: Theme Parks guide.
Holiday World Height Requirements FAQs
What is the minimum height to ride at Holiday World?
The lowest minimum tied to a specific ride is 36 inches (91 cm), which applies to family rides like Eagles Flight, Firecracker, and The Howler, as well as Watubee at Splashin’ Safari. Many kiddie rides have no minimum at all. The highest minimum in the park is 48 inches (122 cm), required for The Voyage, The Legend, The Raven, Thunderbird, Liberty Launch, and HallowSwings.
Can kids under 42 inches ride anything at Holiday World?
Yes. Kids under 42 inches can ride Good Gravy! Family Coaster with a supervising companion starting at 38 inches (97 cm), plus 36-inch (91 cm) family rides like Eagles Flight and Frightful Falls, and numerous no-minimum kiddie rides — Cranberry Corner, Prancer’s Merry-Go-Round, Dasher’s Seahorses, Dancer’s Fish, Comet’s Rockets, Holidog’s Treehouse, Just for Pups, Tippecanoes, and Magic Waters — that only cap out at a 54-inch (137 cm) maximum.
Does Holiday World measure height at the gate or at each ride?
Both. Holiday World measures guests with shoes on at a Height Measurement Station near the Christmas Fountain and then rechecks height at each individual attraction. Splashin’ Safari measures with shoes off. In either case, footwear can’t add more than 2 inches to a guest’s measured height.
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Photo: Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari / OParalyzerx at en.wikipedia / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.