SANTA CLAUS — Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari achieved major global recognition this weekend, taking home three top titles at the 2026 Golden Ticket Awards presented by Amusement Today in Austin, Texas.
Selected by a worldwide panel of experienced theme park enthusiasts and industry voters who travel the globe visiting parks, the prestigious awards positioned the Southern Indiana attraction at the pinnacle of the global amusement industry.
A Milestone Victory for Splashin’ Safari
For the first time in its history, Splashin’ Safari was officially named the #1 Water Park in the World. The nearly 40-acre water park—known for its two wave pools, lazy river, slide complexes, and landmark lineup of water coasters—claimed the top spot after years as a premier finalist.
“This is a dream come true,” said Leah Koch-Blumhardt, Director of Communications and fourth-generation owner. “When our dad, Will Koch, first opened Splashin’ Safari in 1993, he had big dreams of building the best water park in the world. We’ve been ranked #1 on plenty of lists, but now that we hold the Golden Ticket Award, we can truly say he did it.”
Sweeping the Water Coaster Categories
In another historical first for the awards, Splashin’ Safari claimed all three top spots in the Best Water Park Ride category:
- Mammoth (#1)
- Wildebeest (#2)
- Cheetah Chase (#3)
This marks the 16th consecutive year a Splashin’ Safari water coaster has taken the top honor in the category.
The Voyage Returns to the Top Spot
Holiday World’s legendary wooden coaster, The Voyage, reclaimed the title of #1 Wooden Roller Coaster in the World for the first time in 15 years. The park attributed the comeback to a multi-year effort that invested roughly $2.5 million into replacing over 3,000 feet of track on the 20-year-old ride.
“We’ve had our sights set on bringing this award home for the last decade,” said Lauren Crosby, Director of Entertainment and Events and fourth-generation owner. “We couldn’t have done it without our roller coaster maintenance teams and outstanding ride operators.”
Looking Ahead
The celebration will continue locally as Holiday World prepares for its annual Happy Halloween Weekends, running through October. Additionally, industry leaders announced during the ceremony that Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari will serve as the official host park for the 2027 Golden Ticket Awards.
The park previously announced that it will open its newest record-breaking attraction, the Cannonball! Water Roller Coaster, in the spring of 2027.
