DonHelbig

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari has announced new perks for 2026 Platinum Season Passholders, including early entry to Splashin’ Safari throughout June and July. Platinum passholders will be able to enter the water park daily from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m., with exclusive access to Mammoth, Cheetah Chase, Kima Bay, Tembo Falls, and Tembo Tides. Guests staying at Santa’s Cottages during those months will also qualify for early entry and receive discounted Holiday World tickets. New for 2026, teachers will be eligible for discounts on season passes and tickets, joining existing offers for military members, first responders, and nurses. The park will continue to use ID.me for online verification to authorize all discounts. The Free Pre-K Pass returns in 2026 for children born between July 1, 2020, and November 1, 2022. Registration must be completed online, and a government-issued document showing the child’s date of birth is required when processing the pass onsite. Children age three and under receive free admission. Season passes for 2026 are on sale now at the lowest available price through September 30. Passes can be purchased in full or with monthly payments through the parks’ Easy Pay program, available until February 4, 2026. Guests who purchase and pay in full for a 2026 Platinum Season Pass now will also receive access to Sundays during Happy Halloween Weekends this year. Holiday World’s Summer Wine’d Down Culinary Festival continues Fridays through Sundays until September 13. Splashin’ Safari’s final operating day for the season is September 13, and both parks will be closed to the public on Sunday, September 14. Happy Halloween Weekends begin September 20, featuring a new Dino Corn Maze Adventure and an all-new drone show, “Dinos Soar in the Sky.” For more information and to purchase season passes, visit www.HolidayWorld.com.

This movie plays every year with Memorial Day and Labor Day deadlines. There was always going to be an extension. The Sept. 1 deadline was pushed out there to drive urgency. The extension normally is for 3-4 days. Extending by two weeks tells a story.

For fans who fondly remember the original Phantom Theater (1992–2002), this is more than a nostalgic nod — it’s a rebirth. For newcomers, it’s an introduction to a world where music meets mayhem, where ghosts take center stage, and where every twist of the track invites you deeper into the story.

They got my money on some shirts with that logo. Love it!

Nothing is as good as it used to be, and it never was.

When the numbers miss the park, they blame it on weather. When the numbers are good, they say it’s attributed to their strategy.

Holiday World’s Happy Halloween Weekends return Sept. 20 with life-sized dinosaurs, a Dino Corn Maze, dazzling drone show, and family-friendly fun. https://themeparksbydon.com/holiday-world-happy-halloween-weekends-2025/

The perfect spot for a Tilt-A-Whirl.

They dropped from second to third in the GTA for Best Kids’ Area. Not panning out is putting it mildly.

That would be a CP thing to do.

If you think they’re selling a lot of these, I’ve got a friend that sells swamp land in Florida you might be interested in.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s award-winning Howl-O-Scream event returns Sept. 5. https://themeparksbydon.com/east-coasts-premier-halloween-event-returns-this-september/

This episode is what Tower Topics was meant to be.

Good to see the interest in Haunt remains strong with guests quick to purchase the product.

Some do but not the majority of Passholders. It doesn’t make the money you think it does.

A lot of locals who have a season pass, drink plan, dining plan that aren’t spending any additional money to visit the park during WinterFest.

Six Flags likes winter events but they have to cut expenses and that’s why you’re seeing events cancelled. It’s not what they want to do. It’s what they have to do right now.

Enjoy WinterFest this year.

Carowinds cut some Fridays, too. The 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. hours can work if they market it and promote it right.

On the latest episode of Tower Topics, Ryan Suhr and I sit down with Barry Hutzel, one of the original crew members on The Beast. Watch here:

Swoop was going to be the name. It would have been a good name, better logo.

It’s always a rough ride after a merger. In 3-4 years, I believe things will be heading north for the company and we’ll be excited about the things they’re doing.

“It’s going to be fine, Cedar Fair will be running it” said many when the merger was announced.

They’d have to have a bunch of scareactors in the mazes for them to have nothing to do.

When did Tricks and Treats become a night event?