Holiday World Announces 2005 Plans
I am a great fan of Holiday World and I suggest everyone should visit. Today they announced plans to double their water park's size and a few other "little things:
HUGE WATER PARK EXPANSION STARTS IN ’05
SANTA CLAUS, IN---Indiana’s largest water park will continue to grow until it is double its current size. The first step is part of Holiday World & Splashin' Safari record $6.3 million expansion plan for 2005.
“When we announced the opening of Splashin' Safari for the 1993 season, we never dreamed how successful it would be,” says Will Koch, the president of Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. “We have added to it nearly every year since, and for the 2005 season are launching an expansion that will eventually make it twice as big.”
Koch announced Wednesday the first step of this expansion will be the addition of Bahari*, a huge themed wave pool.
“Bahari is Swahili for ‘immense sea,’” says Koch, “and that sums it up. Bahari’s size will be nearly twice that of The Wave, the wave pool we added in 1994.”
Bahari’s six-acre expansion will include a new food outlet and a second smoking area for the water park.
In Holiday World, a new ride called Revolution will replace the Roundhouse in the 4th of July section. “This is an updated version of the existing ride, with higher capacity, a faster and higher spin, plus it lights up at night,” says Koch. “And we can continue with our joke that after getting wet riding Raging Rapids, you can spin dry on Revolution.”
Additionally, Koch says the following improvements will be ready for 2005:
- Second train for The Raven wooden roller coaster, increasing capacity by approximately 70%;
- Karaoke added to the entertainment lineup;
- A fireworks display on the 4th of July;
- Improvements to both parks to increase capacity and comfort.
The park will hire an additional 50 seasonal staff members for the 2005 season, bringing the total number of employees to 1,150. Koch expects the 2005 expansion to increase the parks’ attendance an additional 50,000 guests next season. Attendance for the 2004 is up 14 percent, with the season’s final numbers expected to approach a record 885,000 guests.
Holiday World will be open October 9 and 10 and then close for the season. For more information, visit www.holidayworld.com or call 1-877-Go-FAMILY.
* Bahari rhymes with “safari.”
