Holiday World sits in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana, where retired industrialist Louis J. Koch opened it in 1946 as Santa Claus Land, making it one of the oldest theme parks still operating in the United States. The park was rebranded Holiday World in 1984 and today spans four holiday-themed lands: Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Fourth of July. Long known for treating guests well, Holiday World has repeatedly been voted the world’s friendliest theme park and has racked up more Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards than any other park, including honors for its wooden coasters and for park cleanliness and food.
This guide breaks down exactly how Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari tickets work — the different ticket types, current season pass tiers and prices, what every ticket includes, and the free perks that make a visit here different from most theme parks — plus the full ride lineup, seasonal hours, and the discount programs most guests miss.
Quick Answer
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari tickets come in four main flavors: single-day Pick Your Date tickets (the cheapest option, priced by calendar date and booked online at least a day in advance), Any Day tickets (a flat, higher price valid on any operating day for guests who need flexibility), multi-day Flex tickets, and season passes (Summer Fun Card, Season Pass, and Platinum Season Pass). The single-day gate price is about $76.99, but online Pick Your Date pricing is almost always lower, and every ticket type covers admission to both the theme park and the water park plus free parking, soft drinks, sunscreen, and Wi-Fi.
Ticket Types Explained: Pick Your Date, Any Day & Flex
Pick Your Date (PYD) tickets are Holiday World’s cheapest option. Pricing follows a color-coded calendar — a busy Saturday in July costs more than a quiet Tuesday in June — and the listed prices apply only when you buy online by the day before your visit; buying on the day of your visit costs about $5 more, though still less than the walk-up gate price of $76.99. If your plans change after buying a PYD ticket, Guest Relations can typically switch it to a different date, though additional charges may apply depending on the new date.
Any Day tickets cost more than most PYD dates but are valid on any single operating day of the season, which suits guests who can’t commit to a specific date. Multi-day Flex tickets (2-day and 3-day) are built for families visiting more than once in a week or spreading a trip across a weekend. Group tickets are available at a discount for parties of 15 or more through the park’s group sales office, and children ages three and under always get in free.
Season Passes: Summer Fun Card, Season Pass & Platinum
For repeat visitors, Holiday World sells three season pass tiers. For the 2026 season, the entry-level Summer Fun Card runs about $170 and is valid Sunday through Friday up to Labor Day — a good fit for families who don’t need weekend access. The standard Season Pass, around $205, adds unlimited admission on every operating day of the season, plus a monthly allotment of discounted ‘bring-a-friend’ tickets and a discount on food and merchandise.
The Platinum Season Pass sits at the top at roughly $240, with unlimited season-long admission, twice as many monthly bring-a-friend tickets (about $29.99 each), 20% savings on food and merchandise, and early entry into Splashin’ Safari during peak summer dates. Exact pass prices and included dates can change year to year, so confirm current figures before buying.
Free Perks, Discounts & Who Gets In Free
Every ticket type — daily or season — covers admission to both the theme park and the Splashin’ Safari water park, plus free parking, unlimited soft drinks, sunscreen, and Wi-Fi, so there’s no separate parking fee to budget for on top of your ticket. Holiday World also offers a free Pre-K Season Pass for eligible 4- and 5-year-olds born within a set date range each year (for 2026, children born between July 1, 2020 and November 1, 2022 qualify), which must be registered online in advance and processed on-site.
Special-rate programs are available for military members, veterans, and Gold Star families, first responders (police, fire, corrections, and EMS), nurses, teachers, and foster families (who receive one free annual visit per child plus discounted tickets for the rest of the family). Children ages three and under are always free, regardless of ticket type.
Planning Your Visit: Where to Buy Tickets & When the Park Is Open
Tickets are sold exclusively through Holiday World’s own website and on-site at the gate — there’s no third-party reseller that beats the park’s own Pick Your Date pricing. Buying online in advance is almost always the better deal: it locks in the lower calendar price and skips the day-of markup.
Holiday World operates seasonally, typically opening in the spring and running through Halloween-season weekends in the fall, with hours that shift by season — generally longer hours (around 10am–8pm) during peak summer weeks and shorter hours (around 10am–5pm) during spring and fall weekends. Because both the operating calendar and daily hours change throughout the season and from year to year, check the official Holiday World tickets page for the exact hours and Pick Your Date pricing on your travel dates before you book anything else.
Holiday World’s Roller Coasters
Holiday World’s coaster lineup centers on three acclaimed wooden rides: The Raven (1995), The Legend (2000), and The Voyage (2006), consistently ranked among the world’s best wooden coasters by Amusement Today and enthusiast polls. The Voyage is regularly rated among the top two wooden coasters on earth, stretching over a mile of track with a huge amount of airtime. The Legend follows with a trio of dramatic drops, including the world’s first spiral drop, while The Raven is famous for a surprise fifth drop and a low, fast finish that skims Lake Rudolph.
On the steel side, Thunderbird, a Bolliger & Mabillard launched wing coaster that debuted in 2015, was the first of its kind in the United States, launching riders to highway speed in seconds before sending them through a 14-story Immelmann loop, a zero-g roll, a barrel roll, and the tallest vertical loop found on any wing coaster. Thanksgiving land got its own headline ride in May 2024 with Good Gravy!, North America’s first Vekoma Family Boomerang coaster — a milder, family-friendly complement to the park’s bigger wooden coasters that’s a good option for younger riders who aren’t ready for The Voyage or Thunderbird.
Splashin’ Safari Water Park
Splashin’ Safari is included with theme park admission rather than sold as a separate ticket, so a single-day ticket covers both sides of the property. The signature attraction is Mammoth, a Guinness World Record holder as the longest water coaster, which carries multi-person rafts through a long run of enclosed and open track. Wildebeest and Cheetah Chase add to the lineup, with Cheetah Chase billed as the world’s first launched water coaster.
ZOOMbabwe, billed as the world’s largest fully enclosed water slide, sends multi-person tubes through roughly ten stories of steep drops, banked curves, and complete darkness before a splashdown, rounding out the park’s marquee thrill slides alongside a wave pool, lazy river, and dedicated areas for younger kids. The park has also announced Cannonball!, a new Mack Rides water coaster planned to open in the coming seasons, with early access planned as a Platinum Season Pass perk.
Plan Your Holiday World Visit
- Holiday World height requirements for every ride
- Best rides for little kids at Holiday World
- Scariest rides at Holiday World, ranked
- Happy Halloween Weekends 2026 at Holiday World
Rub-on sunscreen that fits in a pocket — reapply in the queue without greasy hands on the lap bar.
Folds into its own pocket. Pop it on when the storm rolls in and the rides reopen to short lines.
Keeps your phone strapped to you, not in a loose-article bin. Zip it before the lift hill and walk straight off the exit ramp.
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari tickets FAQs
How much is a one-day ticket to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari?
The walk-up gate price is about $76.99, but buying a Pick Your Date ticket online at least a day in advance is almost always cheaper, since pricing follows a color-coded calendar based on how busy that date is expected to be.
Does one ticket cover both the theme park and the water park?
Yes. Splashin’ Safari isn’t sold separately — every Holiday World ticket, whether a single-day Pick Your Date ticket, an Any Day ticket, a Flex ticket, or a season pass, includes full access to both the theme park and the water park.
Is parking included in the ticket price?
Yes. Parking is free for all ticketed guests, along with unlimited soft drinks, sunscreen, and Wi-Fi — there’s no separate parking fee to pay at the gate.
What’s the difference between a Season Pass and a Platinum Season Pass?
Both give unlimited admission for the whole season, but the Platinum Season Pass adds more discounted bring-a-friend tickets, bigger food and merchandise discounts, early entry perks during peak summer weeks, and early access to new attractions.
Are kids free at Holiday World?
Children ages three and under are always free. Eligible 4- and 5-year-olds born within a set date range can also get a free Pre-K Season Pass if registered online in advance and processed on-site.
Where should I buy Holiday World tickets?
Buy directly through the park’s own website rather than a third-party reseller — online Pick Your Date pricing purchased in advance is the lowest price available, and it’s the same source the park uses for current hours and calendar updates.
Get More from Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari tickets
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari tickets, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.