Holiday World- A Top Park?

I am very curious as to why Holiday World is never ranked in the Top 10 in the top parks in the US? Holiday World has everything that a top park needs and more. Great coasters, great rides, many family rides, awesome staff, very clean park, top notch water park, and much more. Just because they dont have a 400 foot tall coaster, doesnt mean they arent one of the best. If anyone has an explanation, please tell why.

Personally, I just dont think they get the deserved credit.

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The future is in the hands of Cedar Point!

IMO, MK, Disney Studios, Disneyland, DCA, SWO, USF, IOA, BGW, BGT, Hershey, SDC, PKI, and CP have those things as well. I would put it in line with Wild Adventures, Kennywood, and Knoebels. If anything, popularity, size, and location might put them lower than the top parks.

-Danny
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Coaster Insomniacs

Personally, I am happy to see it continue to fly below radar. HW does well, and will continue to do so, and so long as HW is below the national radar, it will still remain a great, small park, which is what I like.

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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone

While Holiday World is amazing, IMO there is just not enough there to put it in the top tier.

I don't normally do water parks and after 3 hours at HW I tend to get quite bored. This is in stark contrast to a park such as Knoebel's which is of similar size but I could spend 2 days easily at and not get bored.

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UnfrigginbelievablyIncredible

If you're referring to the CNN list, that list is based on attendance. Seems to me Holiday World does very well on any list or poll *not* based on attendance.

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A random Mooshter's Dawntionary listing: Oyster [n.] a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddish expressions.

Well I would consider Canobie Lake Park top tier and if you think about it both parks are very alike in many ways...for example in the past 2 years Canobie got a S&S tower and a wave swinger...as did HW...

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#1 Canobie Lake Park Fan!!! My top 7 coasters:
1. S:RoS @ SFNE 2. Montu 3. Yankee Cannonball 4. Kumba 5. Gwazi 6. Cyclone (SFNE) 7. B:DK

Holiday world does very well among enthusiast polls. One of the most unbiased is the Amusement today poll that chooses its pollsters randomly.

HW #1 most friendly park

HW #1 most beautiful park.

HW #3 Waterpark

HW Raven #1 wooden coaster

HW Legend #4 wooden coaster

Thats Amusement Todays Golden tickets and if your like me and discount the polls only listing mega parks and biggest coasters. I think they are pretty close in their findings.

Chuck
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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

The difference between Holiday World and Canobie Lake is a) the coasters and b) the customer service.

I haven't been to either, but this is what I've heard.

The real "problem" with parks like HW and Knoebel's is that they're out in the middle of nowhere with little advertising and pretty small cash flow. Thus, they focus on a great experience and great atmosphere instead of huge rides. Anyone who goes knows they're great parks, but they just don't attract millions of people a year.

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff

HW's attendance was over 700,000 last year, I think. They're closing in on the million mark.

mOOSH [Paula, please correct me if I'm wrong]

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A random Mooshter's Dawntionary listing: Oyster [n.] a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddish expressions.

Now that you all have brought this to me, I do agree. Holiday World is an awesome park, and as long as Holiday World guests know that, I think the park is satisfied.

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The future is in the hands of Cedar Point!

Millions (plural) :P

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Be polite and ignore the idiots. - rollergator
"It's not a Toomer" - Arnold Schwartzenkoph
"Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know." -Jeff

Top thrill dragster dude, You got it all wrong, The guest leaving satisfied not only come back, THEY TELL FRIENDS about it who then tell their friends and so on and so on and so on.

It's no mistake that HW is getting busy, It's word of mouth more than any advertising money they spend. Great value, Great atmosphere and some better rides than most corprate parks keep people comming back for more.

Chuck, who will accept his payment in Legend Rides :)

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

Sad to say, but HW is missing that essential (to me anyway) item called the steel coaster. A lot of people don't like wood coasters because they fear that they'll break apart during the ride. I agree that the waterpark is great, but it was way too congested back in July of last year. That did free up the lines on Raven and Legend though:)
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If you have a problem with clones, the solution is real simple—Stop traveling.

Sad to say but of 16 coasters at a couple parks only two match the (Quality of ride) of the only two adult coasters at HW.

Hows that for a record?

Chuck, who actually thinks the Kochs could build a small steel with as many thrills as the big boys.
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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

Mamoosh said:
HW's attendance was over 700,000 last year, I think.

Last year, we topped 750,000.

And yes, most of the "Top Parks" lists are based on attendance. The recent Consumer Reports article was based on attendance.

Thanks, Paula
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Paula Werne
Holiday World PR
www.holidayworld.com

Thanks, Paula. My prediction: you'll see another 20% increase this year and top 900,000!

mOOSH

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A random Mooshter's Dawntionary listing: Pokemon [n.] A Jamaican proctologist.

Paula -

This is a bit off topic but I'd like to thank you and everyone at Holiday World for the hospitality you showed to us during the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain's visit last month. Best park on the trip and a great day (despite the rain).

PS Loved the boss's house!!!!!

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282 coasters ridden (but it's still only early)

Charles Nungester said:
The guest leaving satisfied not only come back, THEY TELL FRIENDS about it who then tell their friends and so on and so on and so on.

Hey, I go back to HW every year, I encourage others (enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike) to go, and offer NOTHING but heaps of praise for them on the boards. And I don't even require payment in Legend rides, although....;)

ApolloAndy said:

The real "problem" with parks like HW and Knoebel's is that they're out in the middle of nowhere with little advertising and pretty small cash flow.

I'm going to disagree with you about the advertising. I have heard numerous Holiday World comercials over the radio at work today, and I live 3-4 hours away. On my trip to Ohio in May I saw billboards everywhere promoting Zinga. I think that the park is spending their money wisely.

Charles Nungester said:

It's no mistake that HW is getting busy, It's word of mouth more than any advertising money they spend. Great value, Great atmosphere and some better rides than most corprate parks keep people comming back for more.

Well, that and they put up billboards right across the street from the SFKK entrances :) You would think that would kick that management team into gear.

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"If you make it too smooth, it'll be like sitting in your living room."
-Bill Cobb - Designer, Texas Cyclone