Holiday World, Baby!!!

Remember last week when I told you about our vacation to southern Indiana? The whole reason for the trip was to go to Holiday World and Splashin' Safari...and just a quick reminder...I'm petrified of rides. Got it?

We got there early - because Ryan didn't want to miss a moment!! Pretty cool...they have free parking. If you could see the amount of cars in those parking lots, you could understand a little better how truly remarkable that is. Here we are with the official Holiday World water tower. 

 Had to get through security to get inside. Oh sweet goodness. You know how I feel about getting through security. But this time it actually went well!

 When the park opened, we walked around for a while, kind of getting our bearings and making a plan for the day. The roller coaster side of the park opened before the water park side, so the crowds thinned out once that began. Do not even think for one MINUTE I was going to get on one of those coasters.

I mean seriously:

We made our way near the entrance of the water park and rented a locker to stash our stuff for the day. We took this picture right next to our locker...and do you see that little ride in the background? Not the giant roller coaster climbing up and out of sight. The little one next to it...

 It's the "little log ride." The one Ryan wanted me to try...as an entry level ride. I stared at it for a while...watched the little cars float through the water and climb the belt before disappearing down the other side. He convinced me it was harmless and I could do this. So I gathered my courage and made my way back toward the entrance to the ride. THAT'S when I learned this was the name of the ride:

 ARE YOU STINKING KIDDING ME?????

We got in the line, which was mercifully short, and when our turn came for the ride, we climbed in the car. It seats four in a row, and Ryan told me I could sit wherever I wanted. I told him to sit in the very front {as if I remotely wanted to be the first one down this harrowing ride} and I sat directly behind him and wrapped myself around him much like a girl on the back of a motorcycle. I wrapped my arms around him so tightly, he said I nearly broke a rib.

I secured my legs against either side of the car, and screamed my fool head off as the car began to float through the water. The car had metal bars on each side, so I have some lovely bruises to show for my bracing adventures. We climbed that hill, I buried my face in his neck and screamed {read: BLOOD CURDLING SCREAMS} all the way down until we got to the end.

For the record. Two kids were in the car behind us. Not a peep. This should bother me, but it does not.

Back into the water park we went, where Ryan rode this bad boy. He said it was best that I did not. I concur. And if I had KNOWN that the little deck there was an observation deck, you can better know I would have been on it taking pictures. Next time, I will know this.

 Ryan's next ride of choice was the Mammoth. It had a HUGE line, but it also had a line for single riders, and since I was out of the picture for the day, he was able to stand in that line. The singles filled the empty seats in the six-person rafts, so he got through pretty quickly and rode with these brave folks. I DID find an observation deck for this ride. {By the way: thanks, Holiday World, for making those. It makes a great thing for those of us who find more pleasure in photographing our family than riding with them!!}

 He did a water slide. If it had been perfectly horizontal the whole way, I would have ridden it too. Maybe.

 And then...this one. NO HANDS. I couldn't even look.

 About this ride {pictures above and below are from the same ride}...there was a long line, and when he finally got to the top and was ready to come down, they halted all rides, because some guy lost his sunglasses, and two life guards spent about five minutes diving to search for them. They were successful and the line reopened...and Ryan came down. In between the time I took this picture and he got out of the water, a kid tossed his cookies over to the right. Ryan came up to me and said, "I think you could handle this ride if you did one of the smaller slides." My response? "There's puke. We're out." I'm such a chicken.

 In addition to the free parking and the fabulous observation deck, two other things I REALLY appreciated about this place were the free drinks and the free sunscreen. They had these sunscreen stations all over the park with big gallon jugs of sunscreen and huge pumps sticking out from the top. We stopped several times to add more...it was a super sunny day! And it was SO HOT. They had oasis stations all over the park, and any time we wanted we could stop in and fill up a cup with ice and water - or Gatorade - or pop. Unlimited. For as hot and humid as this day was, THAT was a blessing. Cold, unlimited hydration.

 For the record, I did ride the lazy river and the wave pool, and we did take pictures, but they're on the waterproof camera, and we've not gotten them yet.

Mid-afternoon, we took an ice cream break and stopped to watch the diving show. It was about a half hour long and included a diver who set himself on fire before putting OUT the fire in the pool:

 And the five member dive. They told us the lowest diver on this tower is diving from the height of the high dive at the Olympics. I shivered.

 Diving from the top.

 We stayed until late afternoon when our feet were killing us, we were hot and sweaty, and much in need of showers and dinner. This picture was actually taken at the start of the day, not the end, but I thought it would be a good ending photo.

Would I go back? Absolutely. Would I ride more rides? Unlikely. But there's still plenty of fun to be had without the rides. Maybe next time, Ryan can take a brave buddy, and I can photograph them both!