Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is already building toward one of its biggest reasons to visit in 2027, but travelers don’t need to wait until next summer to plan a trip to Santa Claus, Indiana.

The first pieces of track have been installed for Cannonball!, the park’s new water roller coaster, just as Holiday World heads into a fall calendar filled with nighttime coaster rides, seasonal food and one of the nation’s top-ranked theme park Halloween events.

Cannonball! is beginning to take shape

The first installed pieces of Cannonball! are part of the station, an early construction milestone that will allow the station building to begin going vertical.

“Cannonball! construction has been moving quickly,” Holiday World President and CEO Matt Eckert said. “We like to work ahead of schedule and Cannonball! is no exception.”

Crews are continuing to pour footers and prepare for most of the attraction’s track to arrive in October.

That timing creates an interesting bonus for theme park fans visiting this fall. Along with experiencing Holiday World’s seasonal events, guests may be able to catch glimpses of construction on the park’s next major attraction.

Cannonball! is scheduled to open at Splashin’ Safari in 2027, adding another reason to put Santa Claus, Indiana, on next summer’s theme park road-trip list.

Friday nights are made for coaster rides

There’s something different about riding a roller coaster after the sun goes down, and Friday Night Live! gives visitors a chance to experience that side of Holiday World.

The Fridays-only event runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Central Time, combining live entertainment and drink specials with night rides on the park’s roller coasters.

For coaster enthusiasts, those nighttime rides alone can make a Friday visit worthwhile. Darkness can transform a familiar coaster experience, particularly on rides that race through wooded sections of the park.

It also makes Friday Night Live! an appealing option for travelers who might not have an entire day available but still want to work some Holiday World thrills into a weekend getaway.

Happy Halloween Weekends brings family-friendly fall fun

Holiday World shifts into Halloween mode beginning Sept. 19 with the return of Happy Halloween Weekends. 

Unlike Halloween events built around haunted houses and intense scares, Holiday World takes a decidedly family-friendly approach with trick-or-treating, hayrides, corn mazes and other seasonal activities.

The formula has earned national attention. Happy Halloween Weekends finished No. 2 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Theme Park Halloween Event last year and is nominated again in 2026.

“We’re so proud of building a fun family experience with trick-or-treating for kids, hayrides, and corn mazes that keeps growing in popularity,” Eckert said. “Halloween doesn’t have to be scary to be fun.”

One of the biggest attractions this fall will be the return of the 12-acre Dino Corn Maze Adventure, where lifelike dinosaurs turn a traditional fall corn maze into something considerably more prehistoric.

On Saturday nights, the dinosaurs take to the sky with Dinos Soar in the Sky, a dinosaur-themed drone show. Holiday World also plans extended hours on select Saturdays in October.

There’s an added incentive for families planning a Sunday visit. Guests who purchase a Sunday ticket during Happy Halloween Weekends can enter the park after 5 p.m. Central Time on Saturday evening at no additional charge through Holiday World’s Twilight Ticket offer, providing an opportunity to catch the drone show and enjoy some night rides before returning the following day.

There’s still time for a late-summer food trip

Travelers who arrive before Halloween season can also catch the final weeks of Holiday World’s Summer Wine’d Down Culinary Festival.

Running through Sept. 13, the festival features more than 40 new menu items spread across restaurants throughout the park.

It gives visitors another reason to make a late-summer trip before pumpkins, corn mazes and dinosaurs take over for Happy Halloween Weekends.

Why Holiday World works as a fall road trip

Holiday World’s location in Santa Claus makes it especially convenient for a regional road trip.

The park is just a few hours from Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Nashville and Columbus, while travelers from Chicago, Atlanta and Kansas City can turn a visit into a longer multi-day getaway.

This fall also offers visitors a unique glimpse at Holiday World’s future. While Cannonball! construction continues nearby, the park is filling its final months of 2026 with Friday Night Live!, seasonal food and the family-friendly traditions of Happy Halloween Weekends.

Cannonball! will give travelers a new reason to return in 2027. For now, fall offers plenty of reasons to make the trip to Santa Claus.

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(Photos courtesy of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari)