1st trip to Holiday World need suggestions please

I will be traveling to Holiday World with my 7 year old, plus a friend and her 4 year old.  This is our first trip and we are excited about an all girl adventure.  We arrive on Tuesday (17th) and leave on Friday (20th).   What do you recommend for 1st time vistors?  What is your weather looking like for next week?   We have rooms at Santa Lodge and I also received a pamphlet about a beautiful Abbey and Santa's Castle that we want to check out.   I'm leary of being in a bathing suit anywhere but going to bite the bullet and hope to avoid any rude comments.  What should we plan on to make the most of our mini-vacation?? Thanks for your help, I just saw where you are planning an OH gathering on 06/27 - wish I had waited to meet with you, maybe next time!

Hi!  We live 5 minutes from Holiday World...the kids will have a great time!  Don't stress over the swim suit--there are so many people there that I don't think anyone notices much of anything!  Be sure the kidsget to see Santa while you are there.  My kids could spend half of the day in Holidog Funtown (special area for kids in Hol. World).  Santa's Lodge is a nice place to stay.  As for the Candy Castle--it is small and won't take long to check that out, but it is kinda neat.  The Abbey is really a neat place and sometimes they have tours.  This is all in a pretty rural area so there's not a whole lot to do here...we do have Lincoln State Park--there is playgrounds, swimming, shelters, trails to walk, the farm where Abe Lincoln grew up, and the Memorial building is really something to see.  There is also Buffalo Run--it is a small restaurant who serves buffalo meat and ostrich eggs, but they also have live buffalo behind the restaurant (these are pets) and a tee pee set up, at times they do cool demonstrations about native americans there.  Have a great time! Sherie

Sherie, We'll be staying at Santa's Lodge for the June 27th adventure. Where is Buffalo Run in comparison to there? Bill & I..and FLoyd & Brenda..and probably others too!...enjoy trying out new foods. Buffalo & ostrich eggs would rank up there with the not commonly eaten foods for us. We'd love to check them out while we're down there. Hmmm...maybe Thursday night for dinner. Do they also serve 'normal' fare? Gail will be with us and I don't know how adventurous she is with her eating. Thanks for letting us know about this place! Sherri

Sherri- Buffalo Run is on the same highway as Santa's Lodge about a mile away.  I think they serve other things as well..I know they have pizza and soft serve ice cream.  Buffalo is good and really lean, but if  cooked too long can be dry, so be careful.  We're gonna be at Holiday World on the 27th for my sister's work party, so I may see ya there. Sherie

Thanks for the information Sherie - I'll be on my way tomorrow.  Hope the weather forecast is good this week.

Slight chance of rain on Friday only.  Highs in the 80s.

The weather down here is going to be 80's in the day..60's in the evening! Beautiful!!!!!!!! They have free sunblock at the water park so that's one less thing to worry about! Not sure how you are coming down...but if you are able to, there is a beautiful Inn in Leavenworth that you should try to stop at for lunch! Its been featured on Food Network...very nice and wide range menu