I first visited Holiday World (or Santa Claus Land as it was then known) with my family and grandparents back in the '70s and loved it then. Now that I have kids of my own, I have been privileged to visit three times again. And it's bigger and better than ever!
From the time you enter the park, you notice how clean and well-maintained it is. From the beautifully-tended flower gardens everywhere to the omnipresent neatly-dressed employees sweeping the walkways, you'll find no litter or trash in this place.
There are many rides, beginning with a special area for little kids (my 18 month old had several rides appropriate for her), with a small merry-go-round, ball pit, flying airplanes, etc. There are also intermediate-type rides, and then of course for the adults the Raven and the Legend roller coasters - both of which have been recognized as some of the best wooden roller coasters in the nation.
Holiday World is much smaller than Disney World, or even a Six Flags/King's Island park. And with young children, I saw this as a plus. The park can easily be "done" in one day and we were able to stroll at a leisurely pace. In my opinion, it's just the right size for a family with children in the 2-7 age range.
A neat perk is the free soft drink huts located throughout the park. It's wonderful to stop in for a cool drink whenever you need one, without worrying about shelling out yet more hard-earned vacation cash.
more