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Disappointed with Holiday World


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For the first time ever, I came away from yesterdays visit to Holiday World feeling disappointed. Not with the park, but with their 2012 season pass changes. After another wonderful day at the park I was handed a season pass flyer as we were exiting the park.

In 2012 the Holiday World season pass will only be good through September 30th, not the entire season. While they have extended the season two additional weekends in October, in reality they have removed 2 weekends from the value of the regular season pass. They are also offering the 4 weekends they will be open in October as an "up-grade" for an additional $30. I see up-grades as nothing more than a cash grab and is something I would have NEVER expected Holiday World to do.

Holiday World passes are among the most expensive in the industry and with the addition of the “up-grade” are the highest that I have been able to find for a seasonal park. They are even higher than a Cedar Fair Platinum pass which is good for all of their wet and dry parks. I have purchased Holiday World passes for the past few years because I have always found the value in Holiday World’s experience. I don’t feel that way about 2012.

What's next? Will there be Dinosaurs wandering around southern Indiana?

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I agree with you, it is not like Holiday World to have an "upgrade" for something. These are the people that let you pay half the price of a normal ticket to stay an extra day. These are the people that let you have free soft drinks and sun screen.

I was also just checking out the season pass pricing, and WOW! Those are expensive! I'd honestly much rather get platinum passes for Cedar Fair than get those - even though I love HW!

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I also saw that on the park map I got from my visit yesterday as well (I was there too!). It is kind of a bummer, especially when you consider Kings Island includes Halloween Haunt with its season passes for free. But Holiday World's season passes are already too expensive: $150? Seriously? I'm guessing it's because of the "free" soft drinks.

Doesn't affect me too much though, since we usually only go to 1 or 2 amusement parks per year and can't afford season passes anyway, let alone Holiday World's $150 passes...

PS: Did you also get an unusual lack of strong airtime on Raven & Voyage?

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But if you're thirsty, will a Cedar Fair Platinum Pass get you unlimited soft drink beverages on tap all summer long? Or all the sunscreen your skin can absorb? With a Holiday World season pass, a drive to the park for refreshments may be cheaper for some than a drive to the grocery store for the same beverages in a can!

Oh, but wait, those drinks are free anyway, right?

A Cedar Fair Platinum Pass pays for itself in about three visits to parks. Holiday World's pass is about the same, right? Three visits and its paid for? And while I've never been, I know a number of people who'd prefer to ride those three roller coasters than all thirty of Kings Island's & Cedar Point's combined... Not sure if I'd necessarily agree with them, but that's the quality people perceive of Holiday World! And that speaks volumes to me!

Also, are those two October weekends the dates of their new Halloween celebration? And hasn't Six Flags / Cedar Fair occasionally said they'd make their Halloween events a hard ticket event? They just haven't yet had the intestinal fortitude... Instead of making it free, then trying to back track, Holiday World appears to be making it an up-charge from the beginning. I could be wrong!

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Say it ain't so! Not Holiday World! Something like this out of Six or Cedar sure, but not Holiday World. With all due respect to Dan, he's just not Will. Golly, i sure miss Will. The name of the "Pass" is a lie now. It is no longer a season pass. Holiday World is Slowly becoming more and more greedy. And were's that steel coaster? Since you guys don't look like you don't want to be a family park anymore. I think when Pat passes away, ( god bless her soul) which i hope isn't for decade's to come, the place goes down hill like the Voyage.

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$30 / 8 (additional days to visit - assuming that one will actually attend all 8 extra days) = $3.75 per day per pass

Really people?

You're complaining about the park that everyone has been raving about for years and raving about the perks that it offers it's visitors because they are offering 8 extra days to visit for an additional $30?

From what I can tell, the park closes on October 9 this year. So if they are offering all 4 weekends in October in 2012, that means they have 4-6 extra days of operation that they need to pay wages, utilities, not to mention paying for the new Halloween event and the "complimentary" soft drink and sun screen.

As has been mentioned before countless times on this site, these parks are businesses. Their revenues must exceed their expenses or they won't be in business for very long.

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Remember this is just experimentation too. Holiday World is trying something new, so I'm sure they will be tinkering with the prices, etc. Personally, I think the CF passes and tickets are much too low. It's all about perceived value, and I would much rather pay more to get in the park and have all the food prices drop by $2-3. Seeing a sign for $6 fries ticks me off.

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Do we yet know what is in store next year at HW?

Do they plan to operate with similar dailey operating offerings or are they bringing special activities that would cost them more to do. Kind of like a Disney special ticket Halloween or Christmas party.

Secondly, when I was single a higher price season pass would not bother me but as a family it does give me pause and consideration when the increase is x3. So when they cosider their price point for season pass I am sure they know how this will affect the target market they are trying to attract.

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I understand what you are saying Dave but for me it is way to early for me to get upset about or to consider their up-charge with no info on what they will offer. If they are adding a lot of activities then I may like the offerings versus going to a local farm and spending about the same for less. I just need more information but appreciate the heads up.

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I have seen people get mad over a 1.00 to 2.00 rise in parking fees. When i have went to a themepark in the past and had to pay for parking and didn't have a pass, i would split the fee with the others i go with in the car so one person doesn't need to pay the full amount.

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Jesse, I am in no way upset about this. My feeling is as I stated, disappointed, it is almost like someone told me that Santa Claus isn't real.

I have been going to Holiday World since before I became an enthusiast. Everything that they have ever done is just the way I would do it if I were running my own park. So when they decided to add an up-charge it goes against the way I would do it and thus my illusion of the perfect park has been shattered.

I have emailed Dan my feelings, but have not gotten a response yet.

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And while I've never been, I know a number of people who'd prefer to ride those three roller coasters than all thirty of Kings Island's & Cedar Point's combined...

Wow...not even close. They are decent, but pale in comparison to Beast, Diamonback, MF, TTD, Magnum....the list goes on.

I personally think the coaster collection at HW is the most overrated in the industry.

A very fun park for what it is, but I would put it on par with Dollywood and other smaller parks. I don't even consider it to be in the same league with the "big boys" of the industry. Now, do I adore those parks? Yes...give me some Dollywood and HW any day, but certainly not for the coasters.

All that said, I wish (and hope) that Cedar Fair exercised about 10% of the care and creativity that parks like HW do. A smaller park like that has so much going for it outside a world-class coaster collection.

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Holiday World is a minor league park which charges major league prices. All of the "free" stuff is built into your ticket price.

I know several of you have alluded to that, but I just thought I'd say...

I must respectfully disagree. I would say that our visit to Holiday World this year cost us about $200 less than a comparable visit to KI or CP would cost a family of 4 without passes. (Unless that family did Fast Lane and the Dinosaurs, which would bring the difference to $428).

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I have to disagree, Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus! I worked with him at the Eastgate Mall for 12 years! Big jolly guy, and full white beard. But, that's another story.

In all seriousness, HW I do feel gives you the best value for your buck, with free parking and drinks. I won't say suntan lotion, because I don't use the stuff. Still the free drinks alone is worth the value to me. The Koch family goes out of their way to make your day as wonderful as possible, unlike the CF parks that are run like The Krusty Krab. Last time I was at HW, I had one disappointing incident, I didnt get my Voyage night ride, because they closed it early in preparation of the July 4 fireworks, but I've had many of those so it wasn't a big deal to me. I've never had a bad experience at HW. I hope it will always be run by the Koch family and always deliver that quality they have for the last 65 years!

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I have to disagree, Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus! I worked with him at the Eastgate Mall for 12 years! Big jolly guy, and full white beard. But, that's another story.

In all seriousness, HW I do feel gives you the best value for your buck, with free parking and drinks. I won't say suntan lotion, because I don't use the stuff. Still the free drinks alone is worth the value to me. The Koch family goes out of their way to make your day as wonderful as possible, unlike the CF parks that are run like The Krusty Krab. Last time I was at HW, I had one disappointing incident, I didnt get my Voyage night ride, because they closed it early in preparation of the July 4 fireworks, but I've had many of those so it wasn't a big deal to me. I've never had a bad experience at HW. I hope it will always be run by the Koch family and always deliver that quality they have for the last 65 years!

Agreed.

On a side note: Nice to see you raven about something for a change.

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Dr Humor, some good points and I hope to never put HW in the same league as CF. Just as I would never want any charming local restaurant in the same league as Applebees or Olive Garden.

But you lost me putting The Beast over any of HW's woodies. Sorry folks, beast isn't doin it for me unless it's dark...

I love both parks but haven't even bothered taking my fam to CP. 2 trips to HW and 3 to KI and all my daughter ever talks about is HW and talks about a lot of their rides and parts of the water park

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