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Holiday World Park Deep Dive!
116 Plays21 days ago
This week it's just Allison and her good friend John Mike, who has grown up going to Holiday World, coming at you with another park deep dive! We talk about all the things we love about Holiday World, where it might be headed next, the marketing sensation that is Good Gravy!, the park's holiday theming, and more. Plus, a quick recap of Allison's trip to the Golden Ticket Awards at Carowinds!
Jungle Jike's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junglejikes/
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Transcript
Introduction & Special Guest
00:00:00
Speaker
You are listening to the Inverted Creative Podcast. I'm Allison. I'm Bryant. And I'm Jen.
00:00:17
Speaker
Hello guys, welcome back to the next episode of the Inverted Creative Podcast. According to the intro, I'm supposed to have Brian and Jen here with me, but um I'm actually joined by neither of them today due to ah some scheduling issues.
00:00:30
Speaker
So today is going to be the Allison show. um Not actually, we actually have a special guest with us, or with us, with me, who has actually been requested to be on this podcast by a couple people.
00:00:42
Speaker
So I'm happy to invite one of my best friends, John Mike. hello good evening everybody or morning or afternoon good evening good afternoon and good day whatever time of day time present life that you are listening to this episode goodness we have nobody to moderate us going to um interesting us and it's going to be um interesting It's going to be a great episode. and And I just want to say thank you again for ah the opportunity of having me on. And it's kind of shocking that people would request my presence. But alas, here we are.
00:01:21
Speaker
Because we love our famous friend John Mike. Oh, my gosh.
Theme Parks & Coaster Debates
00:01:27
Speaker
So our topic for this episode, it originally started with, um we knew that Jen was going to be unavailable this week. um She is back gallivanting through Europe once again, as she does.
00:01:38
Speaker
um So we're going to do a park deep dive originally on Wallaby, Belgium, um which Jen has not been to. um But I know we just recapped that very recently in our Europe recap episodes, all two and a half of them.
00:01:52
Speaker
Um, So we decided to focus on a park that Jen still has not been to, but um one that we could have John Mike on because he's very, very knowledgeable about this park.
00:02:04
Speaker
Knowledgeable. I really cannot talk today already. um Yeah, we're going to do a deep dive on Holiday World. That's right. Holiday World, the little oasis of holidays in the middle of the cornfields of southern Indiana.
00:02:21
Speaker
It's a wonderful place. I know Jen has already left a comment saying, can y'all insert me in ranting about how Voyage shouldn't have won Coaster Madness? And my answer to that, Jen, is ah no, because you do not have a say in this until after you go to Holiday World and ride Voyage for yourself, and you'll understand.
00:02:38
Speaker
See, that that take, with all due respect, Jen, that take says that you probably put Phoenix as the best wooden coaster in the world, which is not true either. So...
00:02:50
Speaker
There we go. You know, as I was watching the um Golden Ticket Awards live a couple weeks ago, and I was putting in Discord how Phoenix is probably going to win once again.
00:03:03
Speaker
and then I followed it up with, oh, look, Phoenix won once again. Give us all a moment to be shocked that Phoenix, yet again, won the best wooden roller coaster.
00:03:14
Speaker
Who would have thought? That was an excellent moment. Yes, I thought about that a lot.
Golden Ticket Awards Experience
00:03:19
Speaker
um
00:03:22
Speaker
Speaking of the golden tickets and everything, um you went to Carowinds recently, right? I did to see the golden tickets. Ah, well, how was, how was, how was Carowinds? How was your experience at Carowinds? Because I'm assuming with the golden tickets, you all were there for as part guests and perhaps maybe some perks question mark.
00:03:45
Speaker
Perks exclamation point. Oh, even better. yes So on the way down to Carowinds, because it's totally on the way, we stopped Pigeon Forge and did the new racing mountain coaster down there. That was really cool.
00:03:58
Speaker
That sounds really fun. I've I've seen so many pictures of it. And I, I mean, but other than that, I don't know the layout at all whatsoever. So it would be, it would still be very, very unique to experience that dueling aspect on Alpine coaster.
00:04:16
Speaker
Like that, especially going in between um all the trees and everything. Like in ah and the natural terrain, I'm sure it was probably just it's probably really awesome.
00:04:27
Speaker
ah I will say there's not a huge amount of trees, but the dueling aspect was really good when it lined up. We lined up a lot better on our first race. ah huh So it's like almost like a DNA kind of helix at the end where it's like intertwined and like Mike was right above me for the entire helix. That was pretty cool.
00:04:45
Speaker
Oh, that's awesome. We did not line up as well on the second round, but, you know, of course we both, we swapped and we got both sides for both of us, but it was a good time. Nice.
00:04:56
Speaker
I do recommend it's a little pricey, but ah well, I mean, what mountain coaster isn't right. Like what, what mountain coaster slash independent attraction in the Sevierville pigeon forge Gatlinburg area is not and but does It doesn't come with a hefty price tag, I should say.
00:05:15
Speaker
so it's kind of a It's kind of a just expected attribute of the experience of going down there as a tourist. You're in a tourist trap, and guess what are they that's what they're going to do? They're going to charge tourist prices.
00:05:31
Speaker
Ooh, ah. We love it. We love it. So what kind of perks at Carrot Wins did you all get, if you don't mind me asking?
00:05:42
Speaker
So we started, we got there too late on Friday to really do too much of anything. um I think Mike went down to the hotel bar, but I did not. I was edited i was editing the last episode of the podcast in the hotel. As Mike does.
00:05:56
Speaker
Of course. Yeah, we were in the Spring Hill Suites, like right on site. So it was very convenient
Haunted Attractions & Mergers
00:06:02
Speaker
to not have to go anywhere all weekend. Yes. So Saturday morning, um got to the park early.
00:06:09
Speaker
We actually got there earlier than we really needed to. But we started with... um We got to ride the new Snoopy Racing Railway, which we had just done like a week or two before in Canada as well.
00:06:23
Speaker
That's right. But same layout, different theme. Very, very cute. We happened upon one of the tours that they were doing in the morning, which was behind the scenes look at Snoopy's Racing Railway and their new...
00:06:35
Speaker
raft battle ride i forget what they're called i should know this splash battle thing don't know i don't even know what it's actually called but like they're new for 2025 water attraction where you shoot you're in a boat and you shoot other people with water guns so we got it's that's basically a splash battle yeah ah for i don't even remember what it's called that's that's very bad of me after doing a behind the scenes tour yeah yeah We got to go behind the scenes of Snoopy's Racing Railway, um go through their little the launch shed that they have, like the booster launch partway through layout.
00:07:08
Speaker
And then we went over to the Splash Battle where they gave us a lot of just kind of information about how the ride was designed, different like requirements that it has because it's in South Carolina versus North Carolina and a lot of safety requirements for that. It was it was all really, really interesting and I loved it.
00:07:26
Speaker
So then after that tour, we went over to the Scarewinds behind the scenes where we got a walkthrough of the new Conjuring haunted attraction. It's not a haunted house necessarily. It's a haunted attraction. It is separate from the haunted house passes that they're doing this year. and it Sounds spooky. it's I'm not a haunted house, girly. If you listened to the last episode where we talked about this season, this is very different from anything I've ever done.
00:07:54
Speaker
And um when we went through, it was all like lights on. There were no actors in it or anything like that. But like we went through, it's you know you go in small groups through different rooms, and it's very interactive. like There are things that you have to grab and carry throughout the whole attraction.
00:08:10
Speaker
Really? it's
Social Media & Jungle Jikes Travel Magic
00:08:12
Speaker
It is not just like a conga-line haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights. That is so that's very intriguing. It's almost as if it's...
00:08:22
Speaker
kind of blending the concept of, yes, a haunted house, of course, right? Like a conventional haunted house. But it's kind of blending the concept of a haunted house perhaps with kind of like a scavenger hunt type of scenario yes no julia a scavenger hunt um like you have a guide with you that like takes you through the different rooms um okay but there's like some parts where you have like a crawl space that you go through there's some parts where one person in the group is taken to a different spot and goes in a slightly different route from everybody else it huh it it would get me for sure i would be scared in there i will be honest
00:09:03
Speaker
That's very interesting. I mean, ah of course, again, you know, a lot of, we're seeing a lot of brand synergy going on ever since the merger of Legacy Cedar Fair and Legacy Six Flags.
00:09:16
Speaker
And, you know, this is definitely one of those opportunities where it's kind of materialized a little bit further, right? But I think, you know, as you saw with that,
00:09:29
Speaker
You're seeing things that are on a more grandiose scale versus what could have been done with each chain being independent of each other still. Yeah. And like so this one, this experience is at four of the parks.
00:09:46
Speaker
Four the Cedar Fair parks. I think Kings Island, Cedar Point, Canada's Wonderland, and Carolines, I think, are the four. And if was going to pick for the legacy seat of hair properties to put that attraction app because of attendance numbers, those will be the four.
00:10:02
Speaker
And um I do wonder if they're kind of like testing this style haunted attraction and like the four major parks to potentially bring to additional parks in the future. I can completely see that. And, you know, of course, as you, I'm sure it's completely obvious at this point, the one legacy Cedar Fair Park that is omitted is Knott's.
00:10:21
Speaker
But Knott's is its own special animal because of Sperry Farm and the notoriety and such that it has of some of its um specialty or signature haunted attraction. So it does make sense why they wouldn't attempt to put the Conjuring there at Knott's.
00:10:41
Speaker
Plus, it could also just be that Notts doesn't have the venue space for it to be able to host something of that caliber and that size. But, you know, again, if I was picking some of the Cedar Fair Legacy Parks to possibly beta test this at, and I knew that had the resources, the attendance numbers, it would be those four right there. Carowinds, Cannons, Wonderland, Kings Island, Cedar Point.
00:11:06
Speaker
Yep. I'm very curious to hear more, like, the guest reactions from that. Oh, yeah. i yeah like I know Mike and I talked about doing the one at Kings Island one too. I think it's set up like in the crypt for Tomb Raider.
00:11:19
Speaker
It's taken the place of whichever one was there last
Networking & Personal Moments at Carowinds
00:11:22
Speaker
year. um And it is like it is a separate pay that like price, but like going through it and seeing the quality of everything in there, I think it would be worth the price.
00:11:36
Speaker
That's very encouraging to hear because I know that that's been very much a talking point of affairs after the merger has happened. Right. Of the quality of attractions, even ah even it if it's just a selective seasonal attraction, like a haunt attraction, um how good would the quality still be? you know Would it still be there? Would it begin to degradate a bit?
00:12:03
Speaker
But, you know, again... being a bigger company now they can have certain type, certain types of brand synergies like with the conjuring that they can tap into, uh, that they may have not had the means to do before. And that allows potential for even more bigger and greater things to come in the future.
00:12:24
Speaker
So, you know, it's, it's exciting and I guess we will see how everything pans out with this. Yeah. I'm excited to see it. Um, So after our behind-the-scenes tour of The Conjuring, the park was open by then.
00:12:39
Speaker
um i don't even remember what all we did during the day. It wasn't a huge amount. we had um Our passes came with Fastlane for Friday and Saturday, which was very nice That's nice. That is very nice.
00:12:51
Speaker
It was very nice. um we i don't We rode a few things. I think we did like Intimidator
00:12:59
Speaker
Thunderstrike whatever the heck it is now. um We did Afterburn.
00:13:06
Speaker
We probably did other things. I don't remember. um We had food somewhere in there. um And then went back to the hotel to get ready for the actual Golden Tickets Awards ceremony.
00:13:17
Speaker
um It is a you know and much nicer event for all the industry people to dress up very nicely. um And that's what I did. I had a nice dress. I actually put on some makeup. And then as we were walking into the park, it decided to monsoon.
00:13:32
Speaker
Oh, no. Absolute buckets. um You know, you have people in nice like suits and dresses and then we're like hiding under one of the umbrellas by the security um checkpoint. There were like 10 of us under one umbrella.
00:13:49
Speaker
gosh. Where there were just a bunch of us and they handed out ponchos. like I'm so glad that I dressed up for this. ah Could not have picked any worse timing for that to have happened.
00:14:02
Speaker
We had a feeling they were like, um well, we knew that they were changing the site of the like cocktail hour and dinner because it was going to be outside um kind of near the carousel in that area.
00:14:14
Speaker
um But as we were in Harmony Hall for lunch, we saw them start moving tables around and chairs in. We're like, oh, okay, that changed. um So we knew weather was a possibility. um We did not think it would be that much.
00:14:31
Speaker
Right. ah very, very good thing that they moved that venue. We had a very lovely dinner. It was delicious. um
00:14:39
Speaker
And then after that, like, there was a cocktail hour in there, too. It's one of the good things about Golden Tickets. Open bars everywhere. It's wonderful. Fantastic. Fantastic.
00:14:50
Speaker
Um, so then we went over to the theater for the ceremony, which was very nice. Um, Epic Universe just did like a clean sweep of awards. I think they got five or six awards as they. Wow.
00:15:05
Speaker
Um, yeah. Phenix won best wooden coaster. Um, and then naturally Fury won best steel coaster again.
00:15:16
Speaker
What? No way. Who could have seen that coming? On their home turf. We were surprised that they didn't already have the new thing at the entrance when we left the theater.
00:15:26
Speaker
um After the ceremony, we had ERT on a number of rides. um I think Carolina Cyclone, Hurler, and of course, Fury.
00:15:40
Speaker
Well, yes, of course. I would hope to have ERT on Fury. For that event, for ERT, they were running three trains. What? At one point, it was three of us on the train.
00:15:53
Speaker
and the Oh, my gosh. I think I got, like, eight rides. um There's more vibration, like, in the middle than in the front or the back, which was odd.
00:16:06
Speaker
Huh. So that started giving me a little bit of a headache, but...
00:16:11
Speaker
I wonder if that has something to do perhaps with will compounds or something, or could it just been ordered wills? Who knows? Who knows? I don't know, but it was a great time. Um, got some good pictures of fury, um, and that whole plaza area.
00:16:24
Speaker
Um, Sunday morning before we left, um, since we had some nice clothes and we had some, uh, some good friends by the name of coaster studios who know how to use a camera, Mike and i took some engagement photos with them in front of fury Aww.
00:16:40
Speaker
John Mike has seen a preview of those. um yeah i have. They turned out very good. but but And I'm very excited. And it was a nice way to kind of close out the weekend. And then we hit another mountain coaster in West Virginia on the way home.
00:16:55
Speaker
as As you do. it's It's a pretty new one. It's Brush Creek or something like that. oh It was a good layout. Well, regardless, I know that um friend of the show, mr Gary...
00:17:09
Speaker
from coasting with culture would certainly be tremendously proud of you all for going and pursuing that coaster. So yes, for sure.
00:17:18
Speaker
Yeah. It was a fun little weekend.
00:17:22
Speaker
That, that sounds like it's so
History & Evolution of Holiday World
00:17:24
Speaker
much fun. And, you know, I, you know, I've heard nothing but tremendously awesome things about attending the golden tickets and the just absolute networking opportunity that,
00:17:38
Speaker
that type of event can present. And, you know, if you're, you know, anyone is ever in the industry or wanting to get into the industry and, you know, obviously again, the golden tickets is nuanced to get into, of course.
00:17:53
Speaker
However, it is a tremendous opportunity for, your, you know, one's career, if you are able to get there. ah Same thing with IAPA, of course, so know, IAPA is meant to be more of a trade show for the industry for deals and such on attractions to be made.
00:18:12
Speaker
You know, it's not necessarily a, an event geared toward the enthusiast, you know, it's geared toward, it's geared toward selling products.
00:18:23
Speaker
ah and again, another fantastic networking opportunity. And so for you all to have that opportunity, you and Mike to have that opportunity to be able to go to the golden tickets and, um, be able to represent your all's, uh, employer and stuff like that's a very unique thing. And, you know, and who knows what kind of doors that could potentially open for you all as a company, you know, for continued projects and such.
00:18:48
Speaker
Yeah. Um, I know there's definitely some projects that we would love to kind of take on. um,
00:18:56
Speaker
Yeah, we definitely and want to put some bugs in people's ears about things without, you know, going too much about into ah what our day job is. but Right, of course. um Yeah, hopefully we'll get some more business through it.
00:19:08
Speaker
um Looking forward to ah next year's golden tickets, which are going to be at Codaland.
00:19:16
Speaker
We are already planning that one out for next year. And we definitely want to go to ah Morgan's Wonderland, which is in that same area. We'd love to go and visit that while we're over there. That would be so cool. And I, mean I mean, actually had the absolute pleasure of being able to listen to that episode and forgive me. I'm, I'm, I can't recall the name of the the park president that was on with you, Richard, Richard.
00:19:43
Speaker
Yes. Like just hearing ah Richard's passion about the park that he is at and how he's navigated the industry and grown to being there. And Morgan's like,
00:19:55
Speaker
It's just so, so cool to see people that are extremely passionate and that do care about the overall guest experience end up in these very unique ah job situations to where they could continue to foster that to so many, even those that do have accessibility ah matters that they have to contend with on a daily basis.
00:20:18
Speaker
And being able to bring a smile to someone's face, you know it's just such a unique opportunity that everyone and anyone in the amusement space can do. And that's one of the pride and joys of this entire hobby and industry and, and everything, right? Like you're able to put smiles on people's faces and create memories.
00:20:37
Speaker
That's what it's all about. It certainly is. Well, speaking of, uh, putting smiles on faces, I'm going to shift gears a little bit towards you. um Oh no. No, Um,
00:20:52
Speaker
not no um I know you
Social Media Dynamics & Holiday World Charm
00:20:56
Speaker
semi-recently, within the past couple years, started a new um Instagram account to kind of showcase your travels um called a Jungle Jikes, which I was honored to have done the logo design for while in the backseat of the car on our way home from a trip of some sort.
00:21:12
Speaker
um You know, where from the front seat you give me this idea, and then from the backseat I turn my laptop around and I'm yeah. And I'm just like, like this? You're like, what? Yeah. um But I wanted ask you, like, how is kind of, how has that instagram instagram Instagram been going for you? Anything that you've learned on like a creative aspect for posting on that?
00:21:35
Speaker
Yeah. so just to give a little bit of a 50,000 foot view in terms of my background with social media and everything, about,
00:21:47
Speaker
about Gosh, coming up on nine years ago now, that is insane to think about, but, uh, coming up on nine years ago, I was a part of a previous YouTube channel that had grown, very organically.
00:22:05
Speaker
And we had a lot of engagement, especially on our Instagram page, uh, which we had grown, um to, I believe we had.
00:22:16
Speaker
I think we got close to 20,000 followers on our Instagram. And at that point in time, of course, Instagram instagram was defaulted for showcasing photos and hashtags, et cetera, things like that. you know The algorithm was very much tailored toward that toward that because Instagram by nature was a photo sharing application.
00:22:40
Speaker
Through some decisions and choices that were made, ah not of my own devices, that channel came and gone. And on the other side of that, I decided to take a little more of a relaxed approach, I guess you could say, but still doing the things that I wanted to do, such as showcasing a little bit you know showcasing travel outside the aspect of just the hobby of roller coasters.
00:23:05
Speaker
Because there's, shocking, there's more to the world than just that. What? but I know. Isn't that crazy? So anyway, I, you know, as, as Alison already mentioned, I had this idea of starting this, uh, travel Instagram because I wanted to kind of get back into that space and, um, started a Instagram account called jungle jikes travel magic.
00:23:31
Speaker
And so on it, you know, where I'm highlighting, you know, local places to eat, I'm highlighting, unique roadside attractions. I'm highlighting um just different ah parks that I've gone to and visited.
00:23:46
Speaker
oh And so it's kind of a, it's very much a relaxed approach, but also the thing that I've noticed in terms of engagement is the algorithm now is biased more toward short form video content versus photo content.
00:24:02
Speaker
It really is. And it's in in my assessment, I personally think that's a crime and shame because that's not what Instagram was designed to be.
00:24:15
Speaker
ah However, that's that's the way in which Meta has chosen to take the application. And so I've had some success with, you know, still photo engagement and things like that.
00:24:30
Speaker
But all in all, at the end of the day, um i don't really have any tremendous objectives with the with the account per se of like growing it exponentially and, you know, like intentionally trying to grow, grow, grow, grow.
00:24:45
Speaker
I'm
Family-Friendly Atmosphere & Attractions
00:24:46
Speaker
doing it just as kind of a space to be able to share my travels and share the things that, I enjoy experiencing and seeing and highlighting these local businesses. Yeah, even if it's just a couple of people that see it, it's still a couple of people that may, you know, hopefully will remember that local business and visit it, you know, because ultimately and our present economic climate, it's more paramount now than ever.
00:25:09
Speaker
to support small family-owned local businesses. Absolutely. And, you know, of course, that's a little bit of a segue toward a small family-owned business that has slowly morphed into a bigger family-owned business known as Holiday World.
00:25:26
Speaker
Well, that was a heck of a segue right there. I don't know how you were planning that one in your head while you were talking. um You know, it just kind of...
00:25:37
Speaker
It just kind of happens. So we we'll roll with it. um I'm going to let you talk about your history with Holiday World. You have a lot more of a history with the park than I do. You've definitely gotten a lot more experience there.
00:25:52
Speaker
um You've really gotten to see the park grow. Yeah. um So my very first visit to Holiday World um in Santa Claus, Indiana was in 2001.
00:26:08
Speaker
um I was nine years old. they're Somewhere there are um pictures of a very young me um in a rocket power orange tsh t-shirt with orange basketball shorts and glasses on standing in front of the Santa Claus there at Holiday World.
00:26:29
Speaker
Wait, can use that? Yes, if I could find it, I will get that to you. I know I have it here in my house somewhere. I'll just have to get that to you. It's such a bad picture, but its it's honestly hilarious how bad it is. This is the best ones.
00:26:48
Speaker
Oh, yeah. So, and believe it or not, Holiday World, a apart from SeaWorld Ohio and Dollywood, was the only other new park I had went to besides Paramount's Kings Island.
00:27:07
Speaker
so from the time that i was three or four i you know my family and i we went to king's island every single summer like that's where i wanted to go that's where we went and so going to holiday world was kind of a you know a new opportunity it
Hollywood Nights & Wooden Coasters
00:27:29
Speaker
kind of opened a new piece of my mind up you know and During that first visit in 2001, you know, there there was no back section of the park.
00:27:44
Speaker
You know, the entirety of Thanksgiving was a cornfield. ah Voyage was air. There was nothing there whatsoever. And so all you had was just the Christmas section, 4th of July, and then Halloween, and that's it.
00:28:03
Speaker
And then, of course, did already have Splashin' Safari because Splashin' Safari, I believe, opened in 1993. And so, you you know, in terms of me as a kid, though, I didn't want to go to the water park.
00:28:18
Speaker
And i was terrified of water at that time, too, so it worked out. I feel that.
00:28:26
Speaker
So... I do remember seeing Raven and Legend, of course, because Raven at that point in time was only ah six years old.
00:28:37
Speaker
And then Legend, of course, had just been built.
00:28:41
Speaker
However, i did't I don't recall writing either of those. Knowing me, I was probably too scared. ah But I do distinctly recall writing Banshee.
00:28:53
Speaker
Yes, Holiday World did have a ride called Banshee. It is now where the present Hallowswings are. And it was a
00:29:02
Speaker
a chance falling star. And so I vividly remember writing that. And it faced toward the Splashin' Safari section of the park.
00:29:14
Speaker
So you didn't see the main part of the park ah like Christmas and Fourth of July sections, but you saw just a bunch of fields and a little bit of spot of a water park with Splashy Safari, and that's it.
00:29:27
Speaker
That's all you saw from the top of that thing. um And I remember riding that multiple times.
00:29:36
Speaker
um And so, know, I got to experience that, and then, of course, the park. Continue to grow and change from there. As did I. Yeah, I think my first visit to Holiday World, i want to say was Hollywood Nights, like 2021. Oh, yes.
00:30:01
Speaker
Hollywood Nights. ah No, no, no. I did go once before that, at least. 2019, I went. don't remember if I went any time before that.
00:30:15
Speaker
Really?
00:30:18
Speaker
Huh. And i I do remember um there was a storm rolling in and i was on the Voyage Lift Hill and I saw lightning.
00:30:31
Speaker
Getting very close. And I'm pretty sure were on the last train that was sent out before they shut down the rides. oh And then that's thought we were driving back to Louisville, actually. We were staying in Louisville.
00:30:43
Speaker
And that storm cloud basically sat on top of us for the entire drive home. Yeah. That can happen sometimes. um Yeah, since then I've gone to a few different Hollywood Nights. Yeah.
00:30:58
Speaker
I'm not, you know, now I live a lot closer to the park too. Yeah.
00:31:04
Speaker
I don't have as much experience. I'll go there a couple times a year, but... Yeah, and, you know, kind of piggybacking and talking about Hollywood Nights, I've... For years, I've had the absolute just unique opportunities to be able to go.
00:31:25
Speaker
um i have gone... to every one
Growth & Influence of Holiday World
00:31:29
Speaker
of them since 2017. Oh, seventeen oh wow. And so at each year, like after the first three or four and after 2020, I've, I've just said, you know, I don't need to go this year.
00:31:48
Speaker
And I've intentionally tried to skip it and opportunities for me to go just keep falling in my lap. So much so that people are like, if they've said to me, if you're not there, i don't feel like it's a true Hollywood night. So I'm like, okay, hold up.
00:32:04
Speaker
but Like this event is not about me. let's but's Let's knock that down right now. ah But no, it's it's been a pleasant opportunity. Well, pleasant pleasure to be able to attend Hollywood nights and be able to see friends um that are in this roller coaster hobby and park hobby, uh, from all over the country. And in some cases the world, um, and be able to ride some of the most renowned wooden coasters on this earth.
00:32:36
Speaker
Um, you know, and it's, and it's kind of crazy, you know, just thinking about the history of holiday world, just the three lightning strike, three lightning strikes of wooden coaches that they have in their collection, because it's Any single one of them in their own right at a park would be the standout star attraction.
00:32:57
Speaker
it It would. And then you have Holiday World, though, that has three of the best walking distance from each other. And one that should be winning the Golden Tickets best wooden coaster every year.
00:33:14
Speaker
There it is. I agree, and I know for a fact that the the the very awesome and good folks at Holiday World will concur with that statement as well. I mean, it won a Coaster Madness one of the years recently, too, I believe.
00:33:28
Speaker
It did, and Voyage also does have the pedigree of being a winner for the best wooden coaster from the golden tickets, ironically enough. yeah Isn't that something?
00:33:42
Speaker
It should be the winner. It's not my number one. It is definitely up there for me, though. It's still my number one. Sorry, world. You're on this podcast with me. It's also Mike's number one. Oh, yeah, it is, isn't it?
00:33:59
Speaker
Yeah. And multiple other people I know. It's their number one, if not still high. I think Matt has it as number one as well.
00:34:11
Speaker
I believe he does.
00:34:14
Speaker
I believe he does. don't know. We all stay a lot of V coasters with a Voyage Voltron Velocicoaster. Yeah. think that's the trick. Name your coaster something that starts with a V and it'll be phenomenal.
00:34:29
Speaker
I mean, there's there's a track record there. Yeah. Unless your name is Viking at Energylandia, then you can just please disappear.
00:34:41
Speaker
but i Correct me if I'm wrong. That's the spinning wild mouse with over the shoulder restraints, right? Correct. Oh, yep. That's a ride experience of all time. It is terrible.
00:34:54
Speaker
Oh, man. So I guess another thing to highlight with Holiday World 2 is, you know, when we're thinking about the experience, because yes, you know, you and i especially would want to talk about the coasters and talk about those attractions.
00:35:11
Speaker
Um, but something else that, you know, can get overlooked though, is just the overall experience in part, you know, thinking about the food, thinking about the beverage offerings, um, thinking about the cleanliness of the pathways and how the park is presented.
00:35:29
Speaker
And again, ironically with the golden ticket awards, holiday world has a tremendous pedigree of winning the cleanest park in the world multiple times they have won that they've they have not won that recently but they have won that for years and years and years and years and i think though even still to this day that speaks to the care that that team puts into that property and you know of course we're seeing them expand a little bit by entering the hospitality space with
00:36:08
Speaker
Santa's Cottages just down the road from Holiday World there in Santa Claus.
Food Offerings & Unique Experiences
00:36:13
Speaker
And if anything, I think it's a testament to how good the park truly is, but also with where they could go.
00:36:26
Speaker
Yeah, I would be very curious to see what they end up doing in the future. Oh, I completely agree with you. A lot of potential. Oh, there is so much potential. And of course, we already know that they're going to be receiving a CapEx investment in 2027.
00:36:44
Speaker
We don't, nobody knows what it is right? ah but But we know it's it's coming because they have the area. if you're if so if you're listening and you're familiar with the park, I'm referring to the area that was previously occupied by the River Rapids attraction.
00:36:59
Speaker
ah There at the very back section of the 4th of July area. And also encompassing the hillside as you walk down toward Thanksgiving and Voyage.
00:37:12
Speaker
That whole entire area is completely being cleared. I was last there. Gosh, because I just popped over um on a because the the park was open this year because for the first time ever, the park, you know, to thinking about events and stuff, which I know we'll get to here in a minute, but they have there at the park.
00:37:35
Speaker
They are were doing a summer wind-down festival, and it was kind of their take on a food and wine festival. And I was there on a Thursday night. was the first time that they had ever been open, and there was not very many people there. I mean, the weather was perfect, though, and tickets were only $25. And that $25 also got you a bite from the summer wind-down food festival.
00:38:03
Speaker
Oh, that's cool. Yeah. Um, and so,
00:38:09
Speaker
you know, I know that that's one thing that they're slowly trying to improve too, is their food offerings and it is showing, um, for example, the little bite that I had was, um, uh, Turkey, Turkey and stuffing meatballs.
00:38:26
Speaker
And it was so good.
00:38:31
Speaker
It was so good. Um, But here's what's even crazier. Whenever the receipt printed from the register and the ah the person gave me the receipt, I took a look at it.
00:38:46
Speaker
And the going price on that little on that bite, I mean, again, it was in a little bowl, probably about five, six ounces or so. But I mean, it was full. It was completely full. They didn't skip on the portions.
00:39:01
Speaker
But the going price on that, if you didn't have the tasting card or that ticket that got you a free bite was $10.
00:39:12
Speaker
oh Meanwhile, there at the Plymouth Rock Cafe, ah which is where I got this from and in park, you can get a basically a full course meal for like four bucks more, I think.
00:39:28
Speaker
And so... and so you know um And, of course, you know every park has to have things priced a certain way in order to you know to be net positive on it. They can't sell things at a loss, of course.
00:39:43
Speaker
But still, the the pricing, I was just like, I don't know if I would just willingly pay $10 for this. I will say it's a smart move on their part to include one of them with the ticket price.
00:39:55
Speaker
oh Oh, 1000%. Because if they can pull you in, at least for that free one and get your attention, you might be more willing to do a lot more. Absolutely.
00:40:05
Speaker
Absolutely. and And when you think about it, the tasting card was, oh dear, Forgive me, I'm trying to recall the the correct price. I want to say it was...
00:40:23
Speaker
it was It was in the ballpark between $25 and $37. thirty seven dollars it was It was in that range. That's about normal for tasting past like that. Right.
00:40:34
Speaker
But I believe that got you seven or eight different options, like different offerings. Yeah. So you youve you got a you got a pretty good bang for your buck.
00:40:47
Speaker
And also, you know of course, the ah Holiday World started the event last year of Friday Night ah friday night Live, I believe it was called.
00:40:58
Speaker
And they very famously had 50% off all of their alcoholic offerings. I am very happy to report. Sorry?
00:41:09
Speaker
I know you partook in that. So there's this thing called the Berry Scary Sangria.
00:41:18
Speaker
oh And it was up at the Witch's Brew, which is the bar in the Halloween section of the park. It's right next to Legend. So if Legend gives you a headache, you can come right off and get a cure.
00:41:31
Speaker
oh Or even bigger headache. Or a bigger headache. You know, that you take your pick. Dealer's choice. Yeah, dealers literally dealer's choice. But the very scary sangria that I had was very tasty.
00:41:47
Speaker
And, you know, just for something that they make in park, you trust me, you've got your bang for your buck if you catch my drift. but Holiday World was not skipping.
00:41:59
Speaker
Now, when you were there, did they have the ah corn maze open yet? So, no, the corn maze was still actively being grown. but yeah so So the corn maze was not open at that time.
00:42:14
Speaker
And, of course, this year they have decided to integrate dinosaurs into the corn maze. Why not? Exactly. And I believe the design this year is a play off of Jurassic Park in terms of the the shape of the logo design.
00:42:31
Speaker
I think I saw something about that. Yeah, and so it's a very unique theme to say the least. um But, you know, again, that just kind of goes back to the perk of being an independent park where you can kind of do whatever type of theme, whatever type of thing you want to do If you have the resources to do it, you can do it.
00:42:52
Speaker
You know, there there isn't a corporate entity to answer to that can say, well, you know, i don't think so. yeah that they could kind of yeah They have more creative liberty to do what they want. And I think you know going forward, we're going continue to see that come out of Holiday World. I mean, the biggest example is good gravy.
00:43:12
Speaker
Exclamation. You took Gordes out of my mouth. Me too, We all saw the very good, very well done theming that they did for that ride all on their own.
00:43:27
Speaker
And, you know, they were able to transform that plot that was previously occupied by Pilgrim's Plunge or Giraffica, which was a Intamin log flume that had an elevator
Regional Park Dynamics & Collaborations
00:43:41
Speaker
lift.
00:43:41
Speaker
And the most just bizarre thing that I recall from that is going up the elevator. Of course, you awkwardly tilted because it was a kind of a dual elevator setup um that we've seen on, for example, the if you will have If you have experienced Cobra's Curse at Busch Gardens, Tampa, then you're very familiar with that same type of elevator setup.
00:44:08
Speaker
But being at the top of that lift and getting ready to drop, and you're just like slightly above the lift to a voyage, and you're just like, oh, they we're really high up.
00:44:21
Speaker
That's just a little tall. it's it was like It was no slouch. It was really, really tall, especially on that plot of land, because that plot is very flat. ah But it's it's good to see that they have taken that structure that station that huge station structure that they had for that attraction. you know Obviously, Pilgrim's Plunge or Giraffica in its later years is no longer there at the park.
00:44:50
Speaker
But it's just really good to see that they took that bass station and they were able to throw a bunch of just really good theming to convey a story with with good gravy.
00:45:01
Speaker
And yes, it's a simple Vekoma family boomerang, but it has a very unique theme that the public just adores. Like, they they adore the theme. And the fact that the queue...
00:45:14
Speaker
has scents from like Thanksgiving home-cooked meals in it throughout. like If you're walking through a certain section of the queue, I believe it's right as you walk in, you can smell pumpkin spice and cinnamon and and just those scents that just remind you of that home-cooked meal at Grandma's house on Thanksgiving Day.
00:45:35
Speaker
and yeah It's a small little detail, but it goes such a long way. Yeah, the care and, like, just attention to detail, like you said, that they put in that theme just truly puts it over the top.
00:45:47
Speaker
Oh, yeah. I think one of the funniest... Oh, sorry, go ahead. um I was going to say, like, the merchandise that they've put out from that ride is just adorable.
00:45:59
Speaker
Yes. You can get little chicken timers. Yes. the The fact that they... Yeah, the fact that they created the little chicken timer oh to play off of the the physical chicken timer they have out there in front of the ride is hilarious.
00:46:17
Speaker
Like, seriously, just some of the cutest merchandise that I've seen for ah ride. Oh, yeah. And it's, I mean, you, like, even if you go to a park somewhere else in the country, I can guarantee you will more than likely see a good gravy t-shirt.
00:46:35
Speaker
Oh yeah, they're they're everywhere. And again, this is a small Vekoma family boomerang attraction. It's almost got like its own little cult following. It really does.
00:46:47
Speaker
It really, really does. Do we want to start going through some of the listener comments and things like that?
00:46:57
Speaker
Uh, yeah, we could certainly do that. Or if, um, There's anything else ah that you want to highlight in regards to Holiday World or the history of the park or anything like that?
00:47:08
Speaker
I mean, I can't really speak too much to the history. That's more of a you thing. Well, but before we transition into that, I guess one thing I will highlight um as it relates to the history is In this little region of the country, we're in a very unique spot as it relates to parks and experiences.
00:47:29
Speaker
Because we have ah Six Flags Entertainment Corporation with um Kings Island. And then you have Hershen with Kentucky Kingdom now here in the Louisville market.
00:47:42
Speaker
And then, of course, you have the independent company there at Holiday World. And, of course, over the years, as we've already highlighted, you know Holiday World has tremendously grown. you know We've seen so many unique attractions with you know Raven and Legend, and then, of course, Voyage, and then Wildebeest and Mammoth there in the water park at Splashin' Safari, and the new era of water attractions that those attractions ushered in.
00:48:13
Speaker
And then, of course, we have Thunderbird, which was the first launched wing coaster. Yeah. And which rides extremely smooth still to this day. i can't think of another attraction that, you know, I'm hinting at when I say that.
00:48:29
Speaker
Yeah, i'm I'm not sure. Me neither. You know, it's 10 years old and still really smooth. But
00:48:39
Speaker
Holiday World's success really came at the detriment of Kentucky Kingdom. throughout the nineties and late two thousands with then legacy six flags.
00:48:53
Speaker
And, you know, when you, when you looked at the two parks overall, it came down to the guest experience. And, you know, the thing that you always know about this industry is that guests vote with their feet.
00:49:08
Speaker
They do. yet And as Kentucky kingdom continued to go down holiday world, continue to grow and flourish, especially pulling ah you know so much of the audience in the Louisville market.
00:49:24
Speaker
And that's what I think really catapulted Holiday World into the place that it it has become today and the place that will continue to become tomorrow.
00:49:36
Speaker
And you know as you already highlighted you know earlier on, Alison, trying to see where are that, where holiday world is going to go, especially, you know, again, as they're entering the hospitality space as well, it's going to be very intriguing to see what happens with holiday world.
00:49:56
Speaker
For sure. And it makes me excited for the future because there's a team there that cares about the product that they have. They care about every aspect of the experience. They care about the fact that every ride is staffed and opened Because that plays into the guest experience as well.
00:50:15
Speaker
So... It's... I'm excited for the for the next few years for this park.
00:50:23
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. also kind of love... like I know you mentioned kind of like the local market. um Holiday World, Kentucky Kingdom, and Kings Island kind of becoming like a trifecta of a weekend for coaster enthusiasts.
00:50:36
Speaker
Like three oh yeah very different parks... but three very good parks. Yes. All together. Oh yeah. And mean, I know that this is a, you know, we're, we're focused on holiday world of course, but you know, we can't talk about the region and not highlight what's new at Kentucky kingdom very briefly for this year with discovery meadow and just the level of care and detail that they have put into that section alone.
00:51:07
Speaker
um that Hershey has put into that section of the park alone and truly rejuvenated it and way better utilize the space that is in that section of the park.
00:51:19
Speaker
you know it if If that's what Hershey can do with just a small section of the property, then just as with Holiday World, I'm excited to see what's going to happen over the next coming years with Kentucky Kingdom.
00:51:31
Speaker
yeah Because you know it's going to be reshaped and morphed into a property that none of us are probably going recognize in a few years. Yeah. I've not gotten the opportunity to go down there this year.
00:51:42
Speaker
um I know it's kind of vaguely in our plans. I would like to get down there and see the new area, but hopefully soon. Well, you will be happy to know that pumpkins at Kentucky kingdom is a thing as is Christmas at Kentucky kingdom. Yep.
00:51:57
Speaker
Plus, you know, we got to go visit you. Oh, who man, me, what? Yeah. Well,
00:52:08
Speaker
So they there there could be some healthy competition between Kentucky Kingdom and Holiday World.
Listener Comments & Feedback
00:52:16
Speaker
Oh, I completely agree. And I think that that's going to be the thing that's going to shape this region over the next few years. Because, I mean, Kings Island is kind of on its own because it is a big, sizable regional park.
00:52:31
Speaker
Yeah, they have behind it for sure. Yes, yes, they they have the money. It's going to be interesting, though, to see how to see how to see the scale of investment shake out over the next few years.
00:52:47
Speaker
Because you have Six Flags with... you know it's It's no secret that Six Flags was having some money woes ah you know as of late.
00:52:58
Speaker
But then you know you have Hershen. you know Of course, it's a privately held company, so we assume they're doing well because they did just purchase... the palace parks.
00:53:10
Speaker
And then of course you have the independent park of holiday world. And so you have Kentucky kingdom. Now that also has some money behind it. And then of course you've got Kings Island, which I mean, Kings Island basically prints money for the six flags that entertainment corporation. And then, and then you have, you know, this independent park that is going to try to do its own thing. And so again, you know, as I said earlier,
00:53:34
Speaker
It's going to be interesting to watch this little trifecta of parks, this little trifecta of a region um of what these three places do to continue to attract guests.
00:53:49
Speaker
I'm excited for it. Oh, dead um I'm very excited. with With both of us living in within that trifecta of parks. Yes. and time We're in for a treat. I think I agree.
00:54:03
Speaker
I agree.
00:54:06
Speaker
So I believe you said you want to go on ahead and transition into some listener questions and comments regarding Holiday World and such. Oh, people had some things to say. oh did they really?
00:54:18
Speaker
um There is a lot of love for Holiday World. We can certainly say that. Um, so I posted on our Instagram and I kind of asked our listeners two kind of vague questions to get people talking.
00:54:30
Speaker
Um, in terms of holiday world, what creative aspects of the park are most memorable to you and what holiday theme is best represented and what would you like to see more of? Um, oo so many of them, many of the comments were geared toward that.
00:54:43
Speaker
Um, first one from legendary voyage just said, uh, my home and he had the hearts in the three voyage colors. Oh, I mean, yes, I agree. Voyage is basically my home. Like, a little unknown fact about me is there are two wooden coaster moments on this planet that I love above any other true, like, full-on coaster experience.
00:55:13
Speaker
The first one is going to be actually with Voyage, and it's being in the back row
00:55:20
Speaker
And after you do the sequence of the mid-course, and if if you have' it if you haven't written Voyage, skip the next minute or so. you haven't written Voyage, I'm not sure you should be listening to this episode, Jen.
00:55:36
Speaker
Well, you know, we we all have ways in which we can improve, and the way we can improve is by experiencing Voyage. um Agreed. Yeah. let's But one of my favorite spots to be on a coaster is in the back row of Voyage and the sequence of dropping off the midcourse, doing the one, two, three drops, and then just blasting out of that last tunnel into that airtime hill.
00:56:01
Speaker
Like, that that sequencing is just one of my favorite moments on any coaster in the world in that back row. The other one is ah guilty pleasure of just...
00:56:13
Speaker
going full speed sideways into a helix on beast. But, you know.
00:56:21
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think Voyage, one of my favorite spots, is that triple down after the mid-course. Oh, yes.
00:56:33
Speaker
The mid-course is not mid-coursing.
00:56:37
Speaker
The mid-course says, yes, more speed, please. And then the train just falls out from under you, which is wonderful. Yeah, the train just says, all right, I'll see you later.
00:56:48
Speaker
All right, I'm out.
00:56:53
Speaker
All right. Wom, wom, wom, wom, wom. It said Thanksgiving is by far the best themed land. Halloween has so much potential. The ringing of Legends bell is my favorite thing in the whole park.
00:57:06
Speaker
They could up the spooky factor a hundred times from where it is now. At least more Halloween marched more halloween merch to start would be nice. And then continued on to say, would also love to see a Valentine's Day section with a tunnel of love and a love roller coaster. Maybe they can buy Dragon Mountain and call it Cupid's Arrow.
00:57:26
Speaker
Oh, man. I, you know, it's, You know, going back to what we were saying earlier with, you know, the fact that Holiday Worms is an independent park.
00:57:39
Speaker
the The theming is is good and it's cute, right? But there's that you know there's always room for improvement. And, you know, the the theming in the Halloween section is very cute, but it's also kind of generic.
00:57:58
Speaker
You know, i mean, yes, you have...
00:58:02
Speaker
Raven, which is themed to Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven Poem. And then, of course, you have Legend, which is themed to The Legend of a Sleepy Hollow. ah But then you have something like Hallowswings, and it's just like cutesy little animated Halloween characters that you can that you could see on virtually anything. um get This is a family park.
00:58:26
Speaker
Yes. They are not the spooky factor, unfortunately. Yeah, and that's and that's exactly what i was getting ready to move into saying was, at the end of the day, this is a family park. you know We're not going to see The Conjuring sponsored by Snickers at Holiday World.
00:58:46
Speaker
Sponsored by, that's great.
00:58:49
Speaker
Sorry, presented by. let me Let me use the correct word. and Same thing.
00:58:56
Speaker
ah But yeah, i I mean, it would be really, really cool to see the the holiday theming continue to improve. And, you know, I think going on into the future, I could totally see holiday world revisiting their existing theming and, you know, doing the thinking emoji of, hmm, how can we dial this up? How can we improve it? How can we make it a little bit better?
00:59:25
Speaker
um The comment about ah Legend and the Bell, it reminded me of um when we did the um the themed cabin crawl at Lake Compounce.
00:59:37
Speaker
Yes. And then, were you were you in our cabin? i don't even remember. i was I was there. hungry there were you Were you part of the Legend cabin? i don't recall.
00:59:50
Speaker
I think so. I know I was wearing a questionable t-shirt as my costume. Yeah. I don't remember that, but also I don't remember a lot from that night, let's be honest. um What jealous shots?
01:00:03
Speaker
ah Listen.
01:00:06
Speaker
But for that one, um you know, other people in cabin chose to dress up as literally like the the headless horsemen and things like that. um I dressed up actually as the legend roller coaster um where I made a skirt out of legends flag colors and had a brown dress that was the track or like the wooden track. And then I had a chain necklace that was the lift hill and I just embodied legend because that's just how ah how I am as a person.
01:00:39
Speaker
You did. you and you did it amazingly. Although, i will say, the my favorite my favorite duo of the Legend Cabin was Everborn.
01:00:52
Speaker
No, that was the Raven Cabin. Oh yeah, that was that was the Raven Cabin. You're right. My apologies. Where there's and a Raven and Edgar Allan Poe, and our friend Tim is the Raven, just yelling out, CAH!
01:01:06
Speaker
Yup. No way. You have an incredible um moment for that. um But we digress. um I do love calling it Cupid's Arrow.
01:01:20
Speaker
That'd be perfect. That would be perfect. oh the The one that got away from me. did you You never got on Dragon Mountain?
01:01:31
Speaker
Unfortunately, no. I never got to make it to Marineland.
01:01:37
Speaker
Um, each opportunity that was presented to me to be able to go just life wise did not work. So oh that one stings a little bit, but because for those of you that are listening and don't know, I am a bit of a aerodynamics fan boy. So yeah, that one stings. Yeah. Well, like like he said, maybe Hollywood will buy Dragon Mountain. I'm not sure how that would quite fit into the terrain there, but...
01:02:10
Speaker
yeah You know, there there are just certain things that you can outright say are a fever dream in this world, and that is one of them. If only.
01:02:21
Speaker
If only. It won't happen, but if only. um Alex Bauer said, Indiana's pride and joy. And then he posed a question, said, what is one improvement, i.e. attraction, pathway, ambiance, food, etc.
01:02:34
Speaker
you would make to each section to polish off each existing holiday? Oh, that is a very good question. now
01:02:45
Speaker
Huh.
01:02:48
Speaker
um love that I just know I would love to see more in the ah fourth of July section. Yes. Because yeah think about is that they have the the drop tower, the firecracker. Fun tower, fun ride.
01:02:59
Speaker
but Yes. But don't think of much else in there. Yeah, they um they have the the drop tower, as you said. And they also have the bumper cars, which are extremely fast and very hilarious. Yeah.
01:03:15
Speaker
And then, of course, they do have the the blue ice cream that is there. And then they have a carousel. They have a carousel that's right there as well. And then they have a small little canoe ride for...
01:03:29
Speaker
Tippecanoe. Tippecanoe, yep. Tippecanoe. And then they have a Mexican restaurant themed to the Alamo. Don't forget the Alamo. Remember the Alamo.
01:03:40
Speaker
I forgot about that restaurant. Yeah. yeah See what you did there. And then, of course, they they do have a flying scooters and then a kind of a just standard roundup ride.
01:03:52
Speaker
And that's kind of it. But, you know, as ah you know we were talking earlier, that's one of the original sections of the park, too. So it it does need some polishing. It does need some modernizing.
01:04:06
Speaker
But it's, you know, it does, you know, the the question comes of, well, you know, there's not much land there. Are we really going to see And investment in that part of the park. In the future.
01:04:21
Speaker
So I would say.
01:04:26
Speaker
i think one thing that I would do to polish off each section. Which it is something that Hollywood is already continuing to focus on and working to improve.
01:04:40
Speaker
But continuing to improve their food you know, and their food offerings and experimenting a little bit more with some ah ah different types of things. oh Like, for example, I can think of one thing that can, that they can add to the menu right now, that would be a tremendously awesome bet there in the Thanksgiving section.
01:05:02
Speaker
And if Allison, you recall this, it's the It's called a burger in Ireland, but there at the Dublin airport, I got the Thanksgiving burger, which which was a chicken sandwich.
01:05:15
Speaker
And it had cranberry sauce and stuffing and i believe some gravy on it. I think I had the same thing, if I remember right. You may have. i can't recall.
01:05:28
Speaker
But... Man, if if they could have something like that as a chicken sandwich, or even if they just brought out, for example, like a specialty chicken sandwich even for each section of the park, that would be really cool.
01:05:42
Speaker
You know, just being able to embrace not only a higher quality of food, but also unique offerings, I think, and that are tailored to each section of the park.
01:05:54
Speaker
So that way it doesn't feel like you're eating the same thing in every single food stand. I think that would go a tremendously long way. I mean, thinking back to King's Island, for example, they were kind of the ones that jettisoned this trend of bringing in somebody, you know, bringing in a chef that knew what they were doing and upping the quality of their food.
01:06:16
Speaker
And King's Island, and in turn, now Six Flags, is reaping the benefit of that because people are like, well, if the food quality is this good here in part, then why should I leave and go anywhere else?
01:06:30
Speaker
And so I think Holiday World can benefit tremendously from that. And, you know, again, we are already seeing the fruits of that. and We're seeing food improvements and beverage improvements there in park.
01:06:42
Speaker
You know, I just, I would love to see that continue.
01:06:47
Speaker
Yeah. My thought is like, I would love to see kind of like a little bakery or something maybe in the Halloween section that kind of focuses on like just fall treats like lots of cinnamon, lots of pumpkin.
01:07:01
Speaker
um
01:07:04
Speaker
And even like taking kind of a note from Halloween Horror Nights with some of the food offerings that they have that are really themed to the spooky season.
01:07:16
Speaker
Oh, yeah.
01:07:23
Speaker
Yeah, is there anything else that you could think of perhaps to polish off one of the existing holiday sections? Can we make the hill to Thunderbird less egregious?
01:07:36
Speaker
I don't think that's an option particularly, but can we put in some kind of Thanksgiving-themed funicular? Listen.
01:07:49
Speaker
Oh, man. we can call it the Gobbler Getaway. oh wait.
01:07:55
Speaker
We already got that.
01:08:00
Speaker
Let's see. How to improve... um put Make that Gobbler Getaway sound of the guns just everywhere. Oh, gosh. In the Thanksgiving section.
01:08:10
Speaker
You just hear random little turkeys everywhere. Oh, my gosh. my gosh. I think one thing, I mean, of course, you um Alex is wanting us to highlight you know an attraction pathway ambiance.
01:08:28
Speaker
I think one thing that they could continue to do, and this kind of segues a little bit with thinking about events and such what they that the park now offers, ah but just the Friday Night Live events, those style of affairs, where the park kind of lets their metaphorical hair down a little bit,
01:08:47
Speaker
You know, of of having live music and being open late and having 50% off select, you know, alcoholic beverages and cocktails for mom and dad to have a good evening and while kids are on the rides.
01:09:01
Speaker
You know, it's, I think it's tremendously awesome to see Hollywood World kind of let their hair down a little bit. ah Because, know,
01:09:12
Speaker
it the The park wasn't stuck up on its own laurels by any stretch of the imagination. I'm not asserting that whatsoever.
01:09:20
Speaker
But it did have an air about it of just being very, very, very, very very very very overtly family friendly. this but Yeah, very. Especially prior to the introduction of ah some alcoholic beverage offerings there in park.
01:09:36
Speaker
And... Seeing them roll out this event, as simple as it may seem in the grand scheme of things, it's been a huge success for them. ah And I hope that they continue to expand on that type of concept for a event for the park. you know of Of having it be controlled, yes, and having it be...
01:09:57
Speaker
in a subdued manner yes because obviously you know no park or business wants to forsake their reputation right because the reputation is paramount especially in the amusement space but it's been really really cool to see them kind of be relaxed a little bit and have you know different things to have offered to you know unique experiences and i hope that they continue to expand on Because I think it would be, i think it's going to continue to be rather very, very, very beneficial for them.
01:10:31
Speaker
Very. Very, very, very. um Yeah, they definitely like started at least, I'm glad they did like a slow rollout kind of testing the waters with it last year.
01:10:44
Speaker
But yeah clearly it was ah successful enough to bring it back this year. Yes, it was. And we have a lot of ah friends in our group ah planning to go to it this year. Yeah.
01:10:57
Speaker
We sure do.
01:11:00
Speaker
all right. Brayden kind of hits on a couple of things that we've already mentioned. He said, i absolutely love the Halloween section. It's so underappreciated. I do think they should flesh out the 4th of July section.
01:11:14
Speaker
Yep. a and A common ah thought for the theming. Um, what do you think of the new, I know they like redid all the signage kind of going into the new or not new, um, new signage going into the different themed lands for this year.
01:11:34
Speaker
Um, I know you've been there and seen it in person. How do they look?
01:11:39
Speaker
So I have thoughts.
01:11:44
Speaker
Um,
01:11:47
Speaker
it, given the, uh, the initial renderings, um, There was a lot to be left. There was a lot left to be desired.
01:11:58
Speaker
Yeah. ah And in person, especially... I feel like they they showcase really well at night. I mean, yes, they are illuminated now.
01:12:11
Speaker
um Each entrance portal is illuminated at night. I think they present best at nighttime. um
01:12:22
Speaker
yet
01:12:25
Speaker
There are certain design elements that are on the portals that you're just kind of like, now you know? I don't know if it quite captured the vibes correctly.
01:12:39
Speaker
Yes. Me, yeah I work in graphic design. um I have a strong affinity for good signage. um Good signage can make or break a lot of things in life, not just in theme parks.
01:12:54
Speaker
Yes. And yeah, i I saw the pictures and I'm like, you you tried. you You really tried. and I kind of feel bad saying that about Holiday World, but don't know.
01:13:10
Speaker
it's It's missing just some oomph behind it or something. I don't know what. It's missing something. Yeah, and and I mean, of course, you know now that they have been installed and everything too, you know they can always retroactively add elements to the signs, I'm sure. Yeah. ah Again, i feel like they present best at nighttime.
01:13:34
Speaker
And for a park that's only mostly open during the day, it's it certainly is a bit of miss. um this This feels like Epic Universe problems right now.
01:13:47
Speaker
How it's designed for the nighttime that's not open during and the night as much as it should be. Yeah. ae i mean again mean, again, I completely understand the reasoning of modernizing those and bringing them kind of into the 21st century, giving them a breath of fresh air.
01:14:10
Speaker
There was a nostalgic charm, though, to the original entrance portals. And I think, Allison, you know, when you said that there was just something missing with the the modernized portals, I think that's kind of part of what you may be alluding to is just that that charm and the warmth that those original arches or i see the original portals had.
01:14:34
Speaker
The modern ones don't fully encompass that charm. yeah But again, you know, now that they're installed, now that they're in park,
01:14:45
Speaker
they can certainly go back and retroactively add elements to those, you know, if they so choose. And hopefully they will.
01:14:55
Speaker
Yeah, that's like my only not super positive thing about the park, is those signs.
01:15:03
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah.
01:15:08
Speaker
And the parking lot can be a pain in the butt, but that's different. Well, the... The parking lot, especially the main lot, there used to be a tram that always ran through the lot.
01:15:23
Speaker
And so they actually had in that original parking lot there with Raven and the actual entranceway to the park, they used to have three different tram stops along that path.
01:15:35
Speaker
Well, along that parking lot. And, uh, I mean, back in 2001, at least, I vividly recall them running multiple trams just in that parking lot alone.
01:15:47
Speaker
ah I don't, I can't recall if the legend lot had been built yet. I just know that the main parking lot did exist then because I vividly remember standing at that little coalle but the for the stop for the tram to take the tram up to the entranceway.
01:16:06
Speaker
Mm-hmm.
01:16:12
Speaker
All right. Next on the list is from our buddy Ethan. So one of my favorite parks. I love the Thanksgiving section the most because it is home to the goat. And also good gravy has really good theming.
01:16:26
Speaker
yeah Yes. Yes. All correct. Yes. the The only thing I would correct is, Ethan, you forgot good gravy exclamation point. That's true. Yes, there was no exclamation point. I copy and pasted that from my Instagram messages.
01:16:43
Speaker
ah But yes, the the Thanksgiving section is certainly ah very good section. And of course, if we're thinking about the layout of Holiday World, that is the only section, ah unless some changes are made to the 4th of July area, where the park can really, really expand.
01:17:04
Speaker
yeah ah And of course, that's also where they have the launching area for their drum show that they have in park too. So, you know, there's there's just a lot of land there for, you know, for the people of Hollywood and want to be able to play with.
01:17:21
Speaker
Yeah.
01:17:25
Speaker
Oh, there's a cat. Hi, Nemi.
01:17:29
Speaker
Nemi makes an appearance. um nick Has to make up for Jyn's dog this week. Yeah, yeah and noa so this no this week. No Ahsoka, yes. um Oh, no Ahsoka, sorry.
01:17:43
Speaker
Jen, I'm sorry. I mispronounced your dog's name. Forgive me
01:17:48
Speaker
me. Good old soaker.
01:17:53
Speaker
Chris Leonard left a nice ah lengthy comment. Said, a first time visit this year during Hollywood Nights and my first enthusiast event. Really enjoyed how much care the staff puts into every aspect of the park.
01:18:04
Speaker
Park was super clean and had some amazing food. Waterpark ERT was in freezing cold weather. Voyage and night trim list was an experience I'll never forget. He said, I think this park should get a Vekoma family invert or a thrilling one.
01:18:18
Speaker
Would fit perfectly to do a theme based on Santa's sleigh and reindeer or maybe a motorbike coaster. Ooh. That could be.
01:18:28
Speaker
Yeah, and I've, from the me from the whispers that I have heard, um the park has thought very highly of Vekoma ever since the installation of Good Gravy.
01:18:42
Speaker
actually So, exclamation point. So you know hopefully this will continue uh to manifest into a very fruitful relationship with Vekoma. Perhaps another Vekoma attraction or two or three or ten can make an appearance there at Holiday World. So You know, I just, again, I i've just heard that they were very impressed with the, with Vekoma.
01:19:10
Speaker
That's, so, hopefully that relationship will continue to manifest. Yeah, after going on, like, Fianna Force, I would love to see something like that there. I have no clue what to theme it to, necessarily.
01:19:26
Speaker
But, man, I feel like that would be a good, like,
01:19:30
Speaker
middle ground almost between the wood coasters and Thunderbird. Yeah. It, you know, they, they don't have any type of fan of inverted coaster there.
01:19:47
Speaker
And technically speaking right now, the only park in the whole only park in the area that has any type of inverted type of coaster is Kings Island. um kentucky kingdom does not have one at this time with uh t3 being removed it can stay removed um say something different like rest in peace no well it's it's in a retirement home just in a different part of the world but um but nevertheless um
01:20:19
Speaker
It would be a very unique concept for them to have. you know it It's very unfortunate that they couldn't have gotten a two-coaster package like with Fianna Force and the... Gosh, I can't remember the name of the family boomerang. They are an emerald.
01:20:34
Speaker
ah Quest. Quest, yes. Thank you. Queso, as the logo looks like. Yeah, speaking of graphic design. But...
01:20:44
Speaker
but You know, it's ah it's a shame that they weren't able to do a two-for-one type of setup like with Fianna Force and Quest at Emerald Park because, man, that would have been a tremendous addition. And could you imagine having the theming of Good Gravy and then having a fly-through element there in the station above just like with Quest?
01:21:05
Speaker
Like, man, that would have been awesome. That would have been awesome that would been one extreme kitchen, but...
01:21:16
Speaker
Well, you know, it would be an extreme kitchen, but, you know, you can theme it to something crazy happening in the garage and, well, bam, there's your coaster flying through the garage.
01:21:27
Speaker
It all starts with someone deep frying a turkey in an explosion that occurs from that and it launches you out. And we'll call it Gobbled Getaway.
01:21:40
Speaker
Not the turkey exclamation point.
01:21:46
Speaker
Not the turkey, exclamation point. I am the turkey, the ride.
01:21:53
Speaker
Oh, man. Good gravy, too. Electric Boogaloo. Ooh, now that's a coaster name I could get behind. Exclamation point. Yeah. yeah And, you know, going back to what Chris said, you know, I know that I've mentioned it.
01:22:07
Speaker
And so, you know, again, if you're listening, forgive me for the repetition, but the staff, of this park care 110% of the time.
01:22:19
Speaker
And that, you know, goes back to just how everything filters down. You know, if you're people up top of any business, if the people at the top of the business truly care, that's going to filter down into every layer of your staff.
01:22:36
Speaker
And
01:22:39
Speaker
That, you know, has manifested in the tremendous customer service that you see at holiday world. And I hope that that is one cornerstone of the guest experience that they never, ever, ever, ever, no matter how big, small that part goes in the future.
01:22:57
Speaker
I hope that is one cornerstone that they never forsake. Yeah.
01:23:04
Speaker
And what, like, another thing I think of for guest experience is the, um, the free drinks and free sunscreen. Yes. And to add to that, you know, you have the, uh, worry-free weather guarantee now.
01:23:21
Speaker
Oh, yeah. They, they activate that so often, too. Yeah. Like, that's really cool thing that they do. Yeah. um And so for those of you that, you know, if you are listening and you're not familiar with that, that policy at Holiday World, essentially what happens is if inclement weather rolls into the area and park attractions are shut down for, I believe the target time is 90 minutes consecutive.
01:23:50
Speaker
um It may not be consecutive. I'm sure somebody may chime into you, Alison, later on with the correct question. interval, but it's a certain set interval of time that if the attractions are down, they will automatically activate that every time.
01:24:08
Speaker
Um, for example, the last two Hollywood nights that I have attended, they've had to activate that, that weather guarantee. And you, if you have, as long as you have your Hollywood nights badge with you, you can go to ah guest services and get your day ticket for free and go back into the park.
01:24:26
Speaker
Yep. And so, again, going back to that that commitment on experience. you know And it's something that if you're if you' are a you know ah corporation, for example, you're looking at that and you're like, well, you know we're going to lose gate revenue on this.
01:24:41
Speaker
you know we're giving the We're giving away our gate admission. But Holiday World views it in a different way of if they offer you that free ticket, you're going to more inclined to come back to the park and spend even spend money on the things that actually make revenue for them, such as the awesome chicken timers, such as the awesome good gravy t-shirts, such as, uh, the tremendous, you know, the, the, the food offerings that they do have such as the summer wind down food pass, you know?
01:25:16
Speaker
So it's just a difference in philosophy of, of running a business. And, you know, again, kind of beating a dead horse here, It's what sets Hollywood World apart.
01:25:29
Speaker
Yep.
01:25:31
Speaker
I agree.
01:25:35
Speaker
And also shout out to just Hollywood Nights as event in general. Yes. Yes. Hollywood Nights feels like a family reunion for me.
01:25:46
Speaker
Same. Of just all of our friends getting together. Sure, riding coasters, but mostly just hanging out, having a good time.
01:25:55
Speaker
And water charity. Yes. Yes. And, you know, the fact that Holiday World still hosts this event, you know, um is is huge. Because the park doesn't have to, right? Like, you know, at the end of the day, there I'm sure they're making some kind of revenue on it, right?
01:26:18
Speaker
But it's a type of event that is becoming less and less common. And the fact that Holiday World is determined to continue to host it, to continue to innovate with it, to continue to expand on the offerings with it, it's, man, it just goes a long way. Now, one thing, this is going to date me a little bit, but one aspect of Hollywood Nights that used to exist, um and Allison, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, you may be but there used to be a Water Cup Challenge on Legend.
01:26:54
Speaker
think i've heard about that yes
01:26:59
Speaker
um and so for if you don't know holiday world did used to host a water cup challenge uh where teams of uh event attendees would would form and you would sign up and then you would get onto to legend but you would be given cups of water and your whole objective was to keep as much water in this cup while writing legend as possible. And then whichever team cumulative came back into the station, had the most water still,
01:27:32
Speaker
one Man, missed that. Because it was pandemonium. No, it was legend.
01:27:43
Speaker
dairy
01:27:46
Speaker
Jesus. All right. Next comment on our list is from ah Cedar Kev. So don't know how they do it, but somehow, even though they have drastically different themed areas, they all seem to blend together. So well for me, walking from one area to another feels like a natural transition.
01:28:08
Speaker
Yeah. I, agree with, with Kev on that. Um, it's It's not necessarily a hard, just straight, like, cold-cut transition to a different land where it's so abrupt that it's jarring.
01:28:26
Speaker
it Everything does feel like it flows together. And yeah, there's buts a sizable area between the entrance portal of Thanksgiving under Voyage and coming down the hillside from 4th July or the Halloween section.
01:28:44
Speaker
where it's kind of a no man's land at this time, but it's something that that could be, that whole area I'm sure is going completely revitalized for 2027. twenty twenty seven So it's just a matter of what, what is that attraction going to be themed to, but yes, the, the transitions between each of the lands does feel very natural. It doesn't feel forced. It doesn't feel jarring or abrupt, but,
01:29:15
Speaker
Each one is very nicely done. And of course, you know, they're the, on the top of the hillside with the original sections, you do have the portals that kind of help break everything up nicely too.
01:29:31
Speaker
had a thought in my head and it disappeared.
01:29:35
Speaker
Give it five minutes. Yeah, I'm sure. Um, It kind of like fits just life in general in a weird way. this That sounded very philosophical. It's really not.
01:29:47
Speaker
um Just how like a lot of holidays kind of tend to blend together more now. um You know, people, I'm like one of those people who will put up a Christmas tree on November 1st and not think anything of it because I love combining things.
01:30:06
Speaker
like the Thanksgiving themes of fall with like the Christmas lights and kind of blending those together. And it's, I don't like the abrupt change of holiday seasons.
01:30:18
Speaker
Yeah. And I recall Kelly saying something very similar to that last week, you know, where she had talked about putting up, you know, Halloween decorations, like September one, like let's go, you know, um,
01:30:36
Speaker
But no, du there's there is something to be said about that of, you know, you have these huge occasions, namely holidays, and, you know, you're able to look forward to each one. And it's it's just nice to have that bout of positivity um in in know in your own space, too, of being able to look forward to each one because each one offers something unique.
01:31:02
Speaker
And, you know, there's...
Distracted Moment & Future Themes
01:31:05
Speaker
not only is it unique, but there's also some repetition in that and there's comfort in that repetition too. So.
01:31:13
Speaker
Sorry, I got distracted. The cat's trying to climb the window right now. Oh boy.
01:31:19
Speaker
Yes. I'm talking to you about you.
01:31:24
Speaker
Nemi. It's probably a bug. Probably. um Last comment we got is from Steven Eubanks said Thanksgiving easily the best holiday easily the holiday best represented would love to see if they could add a coaster in 4th of July 2027 project maybe question mark interesting would I'm I will be very curious to see what the next major coaster theme will be I'm sure yes expected good gravy and then they just like
01:32:00
Speaker
drop that on the table. um,
01:32:07
Speaker
I love the fact that good gravy and top thrill two were both announced on the same day. That's right. More
Good Gravy Ride & Unique Marketing
01:32:15
Speaker
people were talking about good gravy. Yes. Just completely overshadowed. Um, you know, and it's, I mean, when you look at the theme on the surface,
01:32:31
Speaker
It's kind of absurd, right? But... But it's so wholesome. Exactly, but that's the whole point, though. It's like, not only is it incredibly wholesome, but it's also...
01:32:44
Speaker
It just goes to show what happens but the park when a park has an idea. and they're like, you know, we're not exactly sure how this is going to go, but let's just run with it.
01:32:55
Speaker
Like, let's just if let's just commit and see what happens. Yeah. but And my gosh, did it work.
01:33:06
Speaker
Because they think about it. Like the marketing campaign for Good Gravy, exclamation point, completely overshadowed the reimagining of Top Thrill Dragster into Top Thrill 2.
01:33:22
Speaker
but A Vekoma Family Boomerang 420 foot strata coaster.
01:33:28
Speaker
ah A Vekoma Family Boomerang overshadowed it. It worked. The marketing worked. Oh, it so worked. It so worked. And, you know, going back to the marketing and the theme of that ride, did you know, you you probably already knew this, but did you know that the ride vehicle for that attraction, all of the stenciling on the side of the gravy boat is all actually hand-painted?
01:33:56
Speaker
Yeah, I have heard that. Which is just insane to me that All of that is hand painted on. Like it could
Ride Details & Cultural Integrations
01:34:06
Speaker
have been very easily for them to have just gotten a vinyl decal and, you know, glued it and said, okay, there's, um you know, have a good day But again, with that coaster installation, like we've said earlier, of just the park going the extra mile with it and running with the story, it, man.
01:34:29
Speaker
Shaping coaster cars to gravy boats. Like, who does that? Uh, Vakoma. but It's like, the race that some of the silliness has, like, I don't know how many of our friends will be on a ride, and we just start mixing.
01:34:53
Speaker
I feel like we, yeah, we did that on Quest at Emerald Park, whenever where we were. Any Vakoma family boomerang, now we do it. um I know Nate did it. I have a video of him doing it like through the station in Europa Park of Alpine Express.
01:35:10
Speaker
like And I just see Nate smiling and mixing in the video. I'm like, really?
01:35:17
Speaker
Oh, man. Yeah, and... Oh, gosh, that write-off at Hollywood Nights that created that phenomenon. and ah Was that a thing that started at Hollywood Nights?
01:35:30
Speaker
Yeah, it was it was a write-up at Hollywood Nights in 2023? No, no, not 23, 24. Yeah, 24. no twenty three twenty four i assume yeah twenty four um It was in 2024. There was a write-up that was in the control booth.
01:35:46
Speaker
And as soon as we, you know, we would begin the dispatch sequence, he was just, okay, and mix, mix, mix, mix. mix mix mix And everybody on the train was just doing that.
01:36:00
Speaker
It's so funny to see people doing that as trains go by. Just walk happen to glance up at a train and like, oh, there's somebody mixing. Yep. and don't And don't forget screaming in the can.
01:36:11
Speaker
Oh, yes.
01:36:16
Speaker
Oh, man. they there's There's also a really cool Easter egg on that, on the label for the cranberry sauce for the can of the ride.
01:36:28
Speaker
So there's another holiday for you Easter. Yeah, right. That's another one that they could do. That would actually be really fun, I think, um for them to do That would be really neat.
01:36:43
Speaker
But there is an Easter egg on the nutritional facts of the label that if you look up at the top of it, I believe it's the servings. It's actually the weight of the whole ride converted to grams.
01:36:56
Speaker
Oh, jeez.
01:36:59
Speaker
So look up a picture of that. Oh yeah. It's, it's very funny. i actually did not know about that. Until somebody else told me about it.
01:37:15
Speaker
um And, and, you know, yeah. Going back to Steven's comment too, if like thinking about that 27 project, it's going to be interesting. Cause of course, you know, nobody really knows what it's going to be.
01:37:28
Speaker
and we don't know if it's a coaster. We don't know if it's another water ride. We don't know if it's maybe it's just a taco bell, you know, like we, we don't know.
01:37:41
Speaker
Um, and go to my section with a taco bell and nothing else. Listen, with it that, ah i mean, again, that could be another holiday. That would be really, really cool to celebrate.
01:37:56
Speaker
um I mean, I think there could be ah ah there could be a family-friendly way to be able to do that. Maybe not perhaps call it Secret of Mayo, but something yeah yeah it something along the lines of like a fiesta type of ah thing.
01:38:12
Speaker
That would be really neat. um But also like thinking about that area and the forecoming attraction, yeah they are already clearing land for it.
01:38:24
Speaker
they They do already have some construction equipment on site. That was... ah as in my most recent visit. So work's begun.
01:38:35
Speaker
So something's coming.
01:38:40
Speaker
You know, now that I think about it more, I would love to see other like cultural holidays worked in. So like in the Halloween section, having something themed to like La Dia de los Muertos. Yeah, that or...
01:38:54
Speaker
even if it's not necessarily a holiday section, but maybe build some seasonal ah event experiences around those and integrate that in, um you know, kind of like with the summer wind down festival of having some unique food offerings that they don't typically offer in park, ah maybe different beverages, things like that.
01:39:17
Speaker
Cause the legacy Cedar fair parks, for example, have seen tremendous success in, offering those types of ah events such as grand carnival, um, grand carnival, for example, at Kings Island alone had pulled in more revenue and guests when it was first unveiled than new coaster being installed there.
01:39:40
Speaker
So it does show that if you have a very unique experience, which I think is going to be very paramount in the amusement space in the future,
01:39:51
Speaker
to continue to pull guests back in park, it does go to show that these unique seasonal experiences can pay dividends to parks and, and work.
01:40:04
Speaker
So
Challenges & Innovations in Park Expansions
01:40:05
Speaker
i think it would be really cool to see some like seasonal cultural themed events happen at holiday world. That would be a really cool thing to, to celebrate and honor those other cultural holidays that are of significance while not having to,
01:40:21
Speaker
you know, put a bunch of money into a new section that may or may not work long term. I think it would be a good fit, like being a family park and the amount of kids that come to that park, introducing them to these other cultures and just learning more about the world outside of, you know Santa Claus, Indiana.
01:40:42
Speaker
No, i i completely agree. you know, it would be really cool to see I mean, this is really, really ambitious here. But, you know, one park that does it really well that comes to mind, Jen, you're going to win this one, Europa Park.
01:41:03
Speaker
but
01:41:06
Speaker
Like, you know, Europa Park does that very, very well of having all of these different themed areas from all over the world. But yet you can go to each one and there's something unique. Like, for example, I think of, oh, dear.
01:41:22
Speaker
Was it Swedish? The Swedish area that we were in? Or was it the...
01:41:29
Speaker
wasn't Finland. I think it was Swedish. Where you got your soup bowl at. You got a bread soup bowl. Oh. um Switzerland. and Switzerland. Yes. Thank you. but like The cheese soup.
01:41:42
Speaker
The cheese soup. Which was very delicious, by the way. Yes. Yes, it was. um But having themed areas like that with unique food offerings where it doesn't even have to be that big of a section in the park, but you can still execute it extremely well and then still offer unique foods that help to give your guests a sense of place in that theme and help with that immersion.
01:42:10
Speaker
you know, that could pay, it would pay really big dividends. I think if holiday world did do something like that. Yeah.
01:42:21
Speaker
Or, I mean, I know it will probably never, ever, ever happen, but maybe have like a Christmas market or something to where they don't even have to open up the whole park, but they just have like a Christmas market that people can walk.
01:42:35
Speaker
You know, ah you know, kind of like a ah Chris Kendall market, you know, European style. Yeah. um You know, again, all these things take time, all these things take planning, all these things take money.
01:42:50
Speaker
You know, we we could, we could dream in, in fantasy land and or in sandbox mode of rollercoaster tycoon all we want. But, you know, at the end of the day, these, these types of events do cost money and do have a price tag to them. And,
01:43:06
Speaker
you know, it comes down to, are you going to be able to attract enough guests to be able to break even or have a profit on that event? Yeah. So I completely understand the rationale of why holiday world doesn't have something like that or have an event like that. That is clearly not in the season of their operation.
01:43:28
Speaker
Um,
Will Cook's Legacy & Future Developments
01:43:31
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we can dream all we want, but at the end of the day all of these ideas take resources, time, and money, and it comes down to if the business is going to make money off of it.
01:43:43
Speaker
all It all comes down to money. but Money, money, money, money, as in the words of Mr. Krabs. Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking.
01:43:55
Speaker
Well, now that we've ah already somehow been talking for an hour and 45 minutes and we have gotten through all of our comments, do we have any other last words about Holiday World?
01:44:08
Speaker
oh Man, i I think the last words are
01:44:15
Speaker
if... so So back in Holiday World's history, um the The person that was responsible for really modernizing the park and growing the park and being passionate about the park um was the former park president, Will Cook.
01:44:37
Speaker
um You know, Will was a part of the family that – part of the Cook family that founded the park back in 1946. believe it was 46? Yes, 46. 46. um believe it was forty six yes forty six
01:44:52
Speaker
You know, if it if it wasn't for his tenacity and his vigor and his imaginative brain, we wouldn't have a lot of the renowned attractions that Hollywood world has to offer, such as Raven, Legend, Voyage, Wildebeest, Mammoth.
01:45:13
Speaker
You know, it's... I definitely wish I could go back and just meet him and hear his passion and just shake his hand. Yeah. And... you know, a again, the modern holiday world that we all enjoy and love would not be here today if it wasn't for Will Cook. And it's, it's very unfortunate that, you know, he's, he's no longer with us.
01:45:41
Speaker
And, um,
01:45:44
Speaker
you know, the, the, the amusement industry can use more people like him and, you know i think jeffrey siebert is another tremendous example too um of just somebody that cares but thinks about every single detail of the guest experience because that's what it takes for any type of amusement park or attraction or theme park to be successful it takes somebody that has that vigor that can not only empower their entire team but can also
01:46:17
Speaker
take a look around and be like, you know what? Those benches need to be replaced.
01:46:23
Speaker
And I hope that there's more and more people that are coming into the industry or about the and the industry, or if you're listening and you are in the industry, i hope that you continue to do that because guests notice.
01:46:40
Speaker
They do for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I think Holiday World, all in all, you know they've had a tremendous history for ah since 1946.
01:46:54
Speaker
And I think the sky is the limit. And I can't wait to see what they do. Yeah. I agree.
01:47:08
Speaker
You sum it up a lot better than I do. So I'm just letting that happen.
01:47:15
Speaker
Well, this has
Farewell & Humorous Wrap-Up
01:47:16
Speaker
been a very festive conversation. Thank you so much for joining me. i wish so I wish all of us could have been here, but you know. Yeah, I do too.
01:47:31
Speaker
Yes, and and thank you for allowing me to come on and and talk and be able to do a bit of a deep dive on Holiday World with you all.
01:47:41
Speaker
um Jen and Brian, i know you all could not be here tonight, and I'm very, very sorry that I could not enjoy the riveting conversation that I'm sure that we all could have had. ah To be fair, Jen mostly just would have been complaining about Voyage and Coaster Madness, but... Oh, well, and which it would have made for great content because her and I would have been going back and forth passively the entire time.
01:48:07
Speaker
One day we will get Jen to Holiday World to experience Voyage for herself. And we will change her mind. Yes.
01:48:18
Speaker
Well, until next time, hashtag think inverted, think festive.
01:48:27
Speaker
Hashtag think festive. Hashtag think gravy.
01:48:33
Speaker
I'd say happy holidays, but I'd rather, um, I'm going to go to the, uh, hashtag happy Honda days. Happy Honda days. My house only celebrates Toyota son.
01:48:45
Speaker
Mary Chrysler. Uh, I don't know what Nissan is except for when I bought my car. It was Nissan thrill of the sales event. So.
01:48:58
Speaker
Woo. Woo.
01:49:03
Speaker
But yeah, go to Holiday World. Go enjoy it see for yourself. Definitely. And we will see y'all next time. Bye. Bye-bye.