Put Your Hands Together for Holiday World

It's (almost) the holiday season, but the one who got the big gift was Santa--the Santa Claus, Indiana park, Holiday World, that is. The industry gave its highest honors, the Applause Award, to the theme park at the annual convention of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) in Orlando yesterday. The folks at the trade publication, "Amusement Business" and Sweden’s Liseberg Park present the international award, the theme park industry's equivalent of the Oscars, every two years. After making a list and checking it twice, the committee chose Holiday World for the Applause Award based on criteria including foresight, originality, and creativity. Will Koch, the family-owned park's president and general manager says that innovations such as complimentary soft drinks and free sunscreen for water park guests may have helped sway the award committee. Mostly though, he credits the park's employees and the way they treat their guests for pushing Holiday World to the fore. The relatively tiny park joins some heady past Applause Award winners such as Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios Florida. "The company that we're in is pretty incredible," Koch says. "We're humbled, but proud." Holiday World has plans to expand its Splashin' Safari water park and will be debuting new slides and attractions next season. Pictured is (L to R) Liseberg Park's Mats Weiden, and Holiday World's Will Koch, Pat Koch and Dan Koch.
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