Holiday World ’ Safari 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 about 125 acres divided into 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. Its included water park, Splashin’ Safari, opened in 1993 and features some of the longest water coasters in the world. This guide covers the ride lineup, ticket options, seasonal hours, parking, and the free perks that make a visit here different from most theme parks.
Quick Answer
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is a family-owned theme and water park in Santa Claus, Indiana, built around four holiday-themed lands (Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Fourth of July). It’s best known for three top-rated wooden roller coasters — The Raven, The Legend, and The Voyage — plus the steel launch coaster Thunderbird, and it includes admission to Splashin’ Safari, a water park with the world-record water coaster Mammoth. Every ticket includes free parking, free unlimited soft drinks, and free sunscreen, and the park typically operates May through October with hours that expand in summer and shrink to weekends-only in fall.
Holiday World’s Signature Roller Coasters
Holiday World’s coaster lineup centers on three acclaimed wooden rides: The Raven (1995), The Legend (2000), and The Voyage (2006), all built by Custom Coasters International or The Gravity Group and 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 record-setting amount of airtime (roughly 24.3 seconds across the ride). 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. It launches riders to highway speed in a few seconds, then sends them through a 14-story Immelmann loop, a zero-g roll, a barrel roll, and the tallest vertical loop found on any wing coaster. Between the wood and steel lineup, Holiday World consistently wins Golden Ticket Awards for having some of the best-maintained and most re-rideable coasters in the industry, which is a big part of why enthusiasts return year after year.
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 at roughly 1,763 feet, which carries six-person rafts through nearly a quarter mile 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, using water jets to propel side-by-side rafts through dueling tracks. ZOOMbabwe, an enclosed body slide dropping riders through roughly ten stories of darkness, rounds out the park’s marquee thrill slides, alongside a wave pool, lazy river, and dedicated areas for younger kids.
Planning Your Visit: Hours, Tickets & Parking
Holiday World typically operates from early May through the end of October, with Splashin’ Safari open from May into early September; the park usually shifts to weekends-only from mid-August through the end of the season while Halloween events run. Daily hours expand during peak summer weeks (commonly 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. or later) and contract to shorter windows in the shoulder seasons, so it’s worth checking the current calendar before you go since these dates shift slightly each year.
Tickets come in a few tiers: Pick Your Date tickets (booked in advance for a specific day and usually the cheapest option), Any Day tickets (valid on any operating day of the season, for guests who want flexibility), and multi-day Flex tickets for families visiting more than once in a week. Season passes are also available for repeat visitors. Every ticket type includes the same core amenities — admission to both the theme park and water park, free parking, unlimited soft drinks, sunscreen, and Wi-Fi — and buying online in advance is generally cheaper than paying at the gate. For exact current hours, calendar dates, and ticket prices, check the official Holiday World tickets page and its hours & calendar page, since both are updated seasonally.
Parking is free for every guest, which is unusual among major theme parks and is part of the park’s long-running ‘no hidden fees’ approach. Lockers are available for rent inside the park for guests who want to store belongings while riding water attractions.
A Park Built on Freebies
Since 2000, Holiday World has offered free unlimited soft drinks throughout both the theme park and water park, a perk that has become central to its identity and drawn national media attention. Free sunscreen and free parking round out a guest-first approach that has helped the park earn ‘Friendliest Park’ recognition from Amusement Today multiple times. Combined with no separate charge for the water park, families often find the total cost of a day at Holiday World lower than comparable regional parks once drinks, parking, and sunscreen are factored in.
Holiday World Santa Claus Indiana visitor guide FAQs
When did Holiday World open?
It opened on August 3, 1946, as Santa Claus Land, making it one of the oldest continuously operating theme parks in the U.S. It was renamed Holiday World in 1984.
What is Holiday World’s most famous ride?
The Voyage, a wooden roller coaster built by The Gravity Group in 2006, is the park’s signature ride and is regularly ranked among the top wooden coasters in the world for its length and airtime.
Is the water park included with admission?
Yes. Splashin’ Safari, which opened in 1993, is included with regular theme park admission rather than requiring a separate ticket.
Is parking free at Holiday World?
Yes, parking is free for all guests, along with unlimited soft drinks and sunscreen, as part of the park’s long-standing no-hidden-fees policy.
What months is Holiday World open?
The park typically operates from early May through the end of October, with Splashin’ Safari open from May into early September; fall weekends focus on Halloween-themed events. Exact dates shift each year, so check the official calendar before visiting.
How much are Holiday World tickets?
Pricing varies by ticket type — Pick Your Date tickets bought online in advance are typically the cheapest, followed by flexible Any Day tickets and multi-day Flex tickets. Children ages 3 and younger are free. Current prices are posted on the official ticket page since they’re adjusted seasonally.
Which Holiday World coasters are wooden and which are steel?
The Raven, The Legend, and The Voyage are the park’s three wooden coasters. Thunderbird is the main steel coaster, a launched wing coaster from Bolliger & Mabillard.
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