Need some insight to Indiana Beach (Monticello, Santa Claus: appointed, amusement park, hairstyles)

[MrBiggz]

Hi!

Taking a day trip up to Indiana Beach. We have no kids and figured that this trip would be better then Holiday World.

Big questions is food. Are the prices fair there or should I go and pack a cooler with stuff?? I don't mess with six flags anymore .. they've gotten out of control. I'd rather spend my little bit of money by something that is owned locally, run by (almost) local people instead of giving it to some big corp.

Looks like a really nice place from their web site.

Thx!

[MikiJayne]

I asked a ton of people if I should go to Indiana Beach or Holiday World, and everyone told me that hands down, Holiday World is better. The one thing lots of people said is that it is CLEAN, and they were right. I also liked that you just pay for both the water and rides in one ticket, the free drinks and sunblock, and the next day pass is only $20. We loved it.

The last time I went to IN Beach, I was just a little kid, but we always packed a cooler. We might get like 1 or 2 things from the refreshment stand but mostly just ate what we brought.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by MikiJayne

I asked a ton of people if I should go to Indiana Beach or Holiday World, and everyone told me that hands down, Holiday World is better. The one thing lots of people said is that it is CLEAN, and they were right. I also liked that you just pay for both the water and rides in one ticket, the free drinks and sunblock, and the next day pass is only $20. We loved it.

The last time I went to IN Beach, I was just a little kid, but we always packed a cooler. We might get like 1 or 2 things from the refreshment stand but mostly just ate what we brought.

I second this. Holiday World is better by a mile. The only knock I have on Holiday World is that it's a pretty remote area -- yes, even more remote than Monticello. Still, the park is cleaner, cheaper and the rides are way, way better. Plus, and I may get flamed for saying this, Indiana Beach seems to attract a lot of south Chicago trash.

[Toxic Toast]

I have never been to Indiana Beach, but I can say without hesitation Holiday World is my favorite amusement park. Last time I went, I spent all day in Splashin' Safari. Free soda, free sunscreen, reasonable food, super friendly staff; Holiday World is great!

Sorry, I guess this is not really helpful in your quest to gain info on Indiana Beach.

[PixiStix]

Eh, Indiana Beach is OK but it isn't as nice as Holiday World. Even without kids, you'll have more fun at HW.

Went to Indiana Beach last summer.. it's like a big roadside carnival. We had a pretty good time but it was rather dirty & the water really yucky. Plus I never knew mullet hairstyles & cut off flannel shirts were so alive & well

I grew up down by Holiday World & have been there many, many times (even when it was Santa Claus Land)..

[no8fann]

Having been in Indiana for the last 15 years, and making several trips to IB before the new ownership and after (IB is now owned by a company out of NY state - they are no longer local)...I would say if you were choosing, and both options were open, go to Holiday World (and I have never been there!). IB changed their pricing this year - you are going to pay roughly the same amount ($36.95 for IB, $39.95 for HW), but you will get way more park for your money at HW. Not to mention the perks that others have talked about. The other thing I will mention is accomodations. I don't know what your intentions are, but the campgrounds are not the greatest - cramped, noisy and dirty. The one perk is that if you use IB Campground, there is a ferry that runs from the park to the campground, so you never have to move your car.

Our last trip to IB was June 15 - it wasn't that bad as far as crowds go. Saturdays are generally worse. There do tend to be days that are better than others - I would go mid-week, if you are still planning a visit. To me, it's okay as a day trip, but I would honestly not plan a vacation around it!

[mkat321]

I agree with the pps above. At Holiday World, you can swim in clean filtered water. At IB, it's unfiltered lake water that contains whatever the 'tide' brings in. Often it includes cigarette butts, broken glass, paper products, etc. There is also alot more room to move around/breathe most of the time {except weekends of course, even HW gets crowded on the weekends}

I will say that my husband and I go to IB once every other year or so, mostly because we're coaster freaks and IB is a closer place to get our fix. We don't use the water park much at IB. If it gets super hot, we do the lazy river for a bit but other than that we go, do the roller coasters and the SeaDragon for the weightlessness thrill, hit the riverboat for the relaxation, picture taking opportunity and the ecology lesson, then either head to the river or down to Indy for the evening.

HW is far cheaper overall, the parking is easier to get in and out of, they have more spaces {and all of them are free, unlike some of the lots near IB that were charging $5 a day last time we went} the food is cheaper, better quality and comes faster than at IB, drinks are free which is a savings of $5 or more per person each time you need sustinance. The staff is friendlier, the wait times for rides are shorter, the park is far cleaner. Dollar for dollar HW is a better option. If you go mid week during the summer or during the third weekend of August or so when most people are busy settling back into the school routine and older kids are swamped with initial homework.

[WickedRed]

Wow, a lot of Indiana Beach bashing going on here. As a bit of a coasterholic, I tend to go to a few different parks a year.

Indiana Beach and Holiday World are both great parks. They're both small parks, so if you go expecting a Six Flags or Cedar Fair sized park, you WILL be disappointed. Each park has it's stronger and weaker points.

Ownership. Nobody, anywhere, anyplace beats Holiday World's ownership. The people who own it, are there nearly every day, they're out in the park, and they're accessible to the guests. Indiana beach has changed ownership in the last couple of years. I haven't been yet this year, but overall, I think the ownership was better before the change.

Water park. Some people love them, some people don't. Holiday World's is absolutely outstanding. Consistently rated #2 in the USA. If a water park is a big part of the draw for you- go South.

Concessions. Free soft drinks and reasonable food prices at Holiday World. A bit below industry standard at Indiana Beach, and way below Six Flags, who are the worst out there.

Coasters. Hm, nearly a draw, but I give the edge to Holiday World. They only have three, but they are one good coaster, and two outstanding coasters, including my favorite coaster anywhere- Voyage. Indiana beach has six coasters. I'd describe them as a few decent ones, two good ones, and one outstanding coaster (Cornball Express)

Flat rides. An EASY win for Indiana Beach. Most of the flat rides at Holiday World are toned down for youngsters. At Indiana Beach, the flat rides are greater in number and intensity. In addition, many of them are positioned at the water's edge, which adds to the thrill.

Cleanliness. Nobody beats Holiday World for cleanliness. Anywhere. Period. Mrs Koch is so insistent on her park being super clean that I think she even has the birds potty trained.

Atmosphere. Very different between the two. HW is out in the middle of the cornfields. IB is on the water's edge, with a boardwalk feel to the main drag. In addition, IB has a very retro feel to it, as though you're stepping into a park 30-40 years ago. Some may not like that. I love it.

What I'm saying is: try them both if you can. I love both parks very much. If you can only do one, hopefully my honest opinions of the strengths and weaknesses of each will help you decide which is the better fit for you. Have fun!

[MrBiggz]

Ok I went and I saw and did. This is what I think!

It was Ok, it wasn't the worst and it wasn't the best. I like the fact there is not general admission. Which I think is great for people that want to go to the park with their children but not ride the rides. Why pay $60 if you do nothing?

Being from NY I'm very very comfortable with lake water, both natural and man made lakes as lake Shafer is a man made lake. I didn't see any debris in the water. Matter of fact .. I didn't see any algae either. I thought the park was clean and they effort to keep it clean was there too. The only complaint I had was a bit more attention to the tables around eating areas. I found were some piggy people either left their trash, they must be to lazy to walk the 10 feet to the trash can or somebody or a kid spilled some sugar from an elephant ear on the table.

I think the staff was very very friendly and helpful. There wasn't one time that I asked somebody where something was they they didn't know. And the ride operators even had fans.

We didn't eat dinner there as we planned. The skyroom .. my poor wife would have been a popsicle in the first two mintues. It was nice and cool in there .. I like it like that but her, that's another story.

The place could use a pressure wash here and there and a little fresh paint but over all I didn't think it was that bad! Next year we'll try Holiday World. Just wanted to get a feeling from other people.

** sorry for any grammatical error, misplaced words and stuff that just didn't make sense. i'm still beat from yesterday!

[mkat321]

Very good TR Thank you. From the sound of it the new ownership has made alot of improvements. The husband has to work pretty much 7 days a week until he goes back to school in August so we won't be able to go this year but I'll put it on our list for next summer for sure. I remember it being just as you describe when I was in junior high and high school actually {no age jokes from the audience, I'm 31, just act closer to 40 most of the time}