Heading to Holiday World & Kentucky Kingdom. First Timers Suggestions where to stay

In mid-July I'll be heading to Holiday World and Kentucky Kingdom and staying in Louisville. Is it worth my time to hit Beach Bend?

Hmmmm... Yes? Maybe?

I made that very same 3-park trip a few years ago. BB was a park I'd never been to and I wanted to try Rumbler.
The drive from Louisville took longer than I expected, it's closer to Nashville than anything, but I wound up getting there earlier than I thought due a time change, so check that out and keep it in mind. Also, I drove down a stretch of 65 south of Louisville last summer and it was a f-d up mess due to miles of construction. Maybe it's done now, so check that out too.
The park itself is rather rag-tag. There's a beautiful setting for the campgrounds and a not-so-nice one for the rides. The flats and the log ride are all strictly portable, so there's a sense of a carnival midway. There's a permanent dark ride that isn't much. The day I was there one of the cars didn't work so rather than remove it the boy would leave his post and push that one through himself. I cracked up but it caused a delay in an already long line.

Rumbler was fun, I'm not sure how it's aged, though, and mid day the line was long. What I remember most was a really strong stench of cat pee when we pulled out of the station, so lord knows. There was a portable looping coaster that I believe is gone now, and they had a decent spinning mouse. Flats include a Moby Dick, Power Surge, a rare Scat, a small but good drop tower, and the fastest Sizzler I've ever ridden. Those are the biggies.

It's a small, family run place and people there were nice, so there's a reason to go. There wasn't much for lunch, but I had a really good corn dog there.
I'd say if you like credits (and if you want to appreciate your home park more) then you should go. If it's not that important to you then maybe not. It's one and done for me, I don't think I'd rush back there any time soon.

Does Beech Bend still have the bizarre Yoyo where the seats face outside instead of the normal "forward-facing" seats?

I remember that as being particularly disorienting, but it's been close to a decade since I visited...

As far as hotels, I love having a place to stay close enough to the park where I can take a midday break if needed...in Louisville and in Santa Claus, the options if doing that are pretty clear even if limited in number.

Mac, I remember that same smell around Rumbler's station when I visited BB eleven years ago. I'm pretty sure they have among their (rather limited) landscaping some type of plant or other that smells like cat urine. I know boxwood stinks like this, among others. If so, it's a bad choice.

I'm going with a whole buncha feral cats who made a lovely home for themselves in the safe confines of a roller coaster infield.

rollergator said:
Does Beech Bend still have the bizarre Yoyo where the seats face outside instead of the normal "forward-facing" seats?

I'm pretty sure it was removed after this incident.

Thank you all. Sorry for the late response. We've been traveling for work but are once again ready to kick off this Amusement Park tour across America. We've been doing a review of every park as well as lodging and the area surrounding them. I'm heading out there next week. I'll update the lodging situation after our trip for those in the same situation as us Again, thanks for all the responses!

We had an amazing trip. Holiday World is beautiful. We plan on posting a full review soon on facebook and our website. But in the mean time for anyone taking this journey and staying near Holiday World may I highly suggest the Quality Inn in Huntingburg IN. It was very affordable, extremely clean and 20min drive. Highly recommended! Plus the guy at the front desk was awesome..

I'll second the endorsement of the Quality Inn. That long ago became our go to place to stay on Holiday World trips.