America's first theme park, Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, is one of the largest family-owned and -operated independent parks in the United States, and its success is no accident. From moving Interstate 64 closer to the small town to introducing free unlimited soft drinks, four generations of the Koch family have amplified the legacy of this iconic Indiana attraction. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari celebrates the history of the Koch family and Santa Jim Yellig; the origins of Santa Claus, Indiana; and the early years of Santa Claus Land. The story continues with the expansion from Santa Claus Land to Holiday World, the addition of the park's famous trio of top-ranked wooden roller coasters, and the development of Splashin' Safari Water Park, ranked one of the top water parks in the country. For three-quarters of a century, the Koch family has launched the park into worldwide renown and national recognition. Featuring over 100 color illustrations, Holiday World & Splashin' Safari relives this joyous past while looking forward to the thrills fans can expect in the next 75 years.

America's first theme park, Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, is one of the largest family-owned and -operated independent parks in the United States, and its success is no accident. From moving Interstate 64 closer to the small town to introducing free unlimited soft drinks, four generations of the Koch family have amplified the legacy of this iconic Indiana attraction. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari celebrates the history of the Koch family and Santa Jim Yellig; the origins of Santa Claus, Indiana; and the early years of Santa Claus Land. The story continues with the expansion from Santa Claus Land to Holiday World, the addition of the park's famous trio of top-ranked wooden roller coasters, and the development of Splashin' Safari Water Park, ranked one of the top water parks in the country. For three-quarters of a century, the Koch family has launched the park into worldwide renown and national recognition. Featuring over 100 color illustrations, Holiday World & Splashin' Safari relives this joyous past while looking forward to the thrills fans can expect in the next 75 years.

Louis J. Koch had a dream--one of family, fun, and Christmastime year-round. And so he created Santa Claus Land, the nation's first theme park, in Santa Claus, located in the gentle rolling hills of southern Indiana. Now, six decades later, Koch's legacy lives on at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari. Still owned and operated by the Koch family, Holiday World and Splashin' Safari are consistently voted the friendliest and cleanest parks in the country, and their wooden roller coasters are rated in the top ten list among coaster enthusiasts. The Koch family members treat visitors to the park as family and welcome everyone into what has become a true extension of their home.

If you mention Cedar Point today to someone, their first thought is probably of the roller coasters. Cedar Point is called the Roller Coaster Capital of the World for a reason. The park has set more world records, holds more world records, and has set the standard for amusement parks across the world.But it hasn't always been like that.If you go back in time a hundred years ago, the roller coasters were an afterthought. Cedar Point in the early days was all about getting away to the beach, catching a live show in the Ballroom, socializing on the Hotel Breakers porch, or having a fine picnic with your co-workers. Sure, the resort had roller coasters. And Ferris wheels. And haunted houses. And carousels. But these weren't the focus. Rolling Through The Years is a look back across time at the development and changes at the Worlds' Greatest Amusement Park. Author Ken Miller has spent the last seven years exploring the history of the resort. Magazine articles, museum archives, and over 100,000 newspaper articles spanning 200 years were examined for this detailed history of Cedar Point. Over 75 historical maps of the peninsula and over 1200 images are included in this coffee table book.

A beautifully illustrated storybook showcasing the lyrics to A Kiss Goodnight, written by Richard Sherman and heard every night at Walt Disney World and Disneyland during the fireworks shows.

Planning a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort? The Wonders of Walt Disney World is the essential read before your visit with Mickey. It's part guidebook, part secret stories, part informative history, and part of your plan for a magical trip!The Wonders of Walt Disney World will guide you from park to park and attraction to attraction, across all of the Disney property. It will open your eyes to the stories behind the stories of each attraction and bring forth hundreds of secrets that Disney weaves and hides just below the surface.Wherever you are on the Disney continuum, from your first trip to your hundred and first trip, this book will make your Disney experience all the richer. Even for the self-proclaimed Disney expert, there are numerous insider stories and details to entertain and inform you:What lasting legacy did Justin Timberlake and *NSYNC leave at Epcot?Which attraction at the Magic Kingdom has been scientifically proven to greatly aid in passing a kidney stone?What does actor Tom Selleck have to do with Epcot's lovable Figment character?Unbeknownst to Disney at the time, which country announced they were going to be the first to sponsor a pavilion at Epcot, only to have the deal fall apart?In addition to discovering the secrets, stories, and magic, The Wonders of Walt Disney World elaborates on many subjects a traditional guidebook touches on, as featured throughout are ratings for rides, restaurants, and resorts from the world's largest travel website. Already have one of those popular yet dense guidebooks? This book is the perfect complement.Updated annually, it's the perfect companion for your next trip or a nostalgic look back on what you have experienced or may have missed during your last visit. If you've never been to Walt Disney World, or even if you visit several times a year, by the time you finish the book, you will have not only a better sense of where things are throughout the parks but a greater appreciation for the attractions themselves.As the un-guidebook, The Wonders of Walt Disney World is a comprehensive and entertaining tour designed for both easy reading and reference.Come discover the wonders that are hiding in plain sight!

A comprehensive guide to 13 parks in the state, complete with information on rides and attractions. Packed with vintage postcard images and photos.

A Book of The Month Club pick In this beautiful dive into the world of J. M. Barrie’s classic, one woman must take on the infamous Peter Pan—who is not the innocent adventurer the fairy tales make him out to be—to save her daughter’s life. . . . Life is looking up for Holly Darling, granddaughter of Wendy—yes, that Wendy. That is, until she gets a call that her daughter, Eden, who has been in a coma for nearly a decade, has gone missing from the estate where she’s been long tucked away. And, worst of all, Holly knows who must be responsible: Peter Pan, who is not only very real, but very dangerous. Holly is desperate to find Eden and protect her son, Jack, from a terrible web of family secrets before she loses both her children. And yet she has no one to turn to—her mother, Jane, is the only other person in the world who knows that Peter is more than a story, but she refuses to accept that he is not the hero she’s always imagined. Darling Girl brings all the magic of the classic Peter Pan story to the present, while also exploring the dark underpinnings of fairy tales, grief, aging, sacrifice, motherhood, and just how far we will go to protect those we love.

In 1972, one of America's most beloved theme parks swung open its gates for the first time. Kings Island was the latest in the post-Disneyland boom, and it was big, beautiful, and instantly successful. Who could forget their first sight of the magnificent Eiffel Tower after passing through the turnstiles? Or the colorful flags flying proudly over the Royal Fountain? Now nearly fifty years later, the park is as amazing and grand as ever. Read the story behind this magical playground and how it has changed over time. Filled with personal recollections of park officials who were there, Kings Island: A Ride Through Time offers a first-hand account that is as fascinating as the attractions we've loved all our lives.

A “poignant” collection of real letters sent to Santa Claus—a town in Indiana—from the 1930s to the twenty-first century, from both children and adults (The New York Times). For countless Christmases, children—and sometimes adults—have stuffed their dreams, wishes, and promises into envelopes. Over many decades, millions of these letters have poured into Santa Claus, Indiana. Arriving from all corners of the globe, the letters ask for toys, family reunions, snow, and help for the needy—sometimes the needy being the writers themselves. They are candid, heartfelt, and often blunt. Many children wonder how Santa gets into their chimneyless homes. One child reminds Santa that she has not hit her brothers over 1,350 times that year, and another respectfully requests two million dollars in “cold cash.” One child hopes to make his life better with a time machine, an adult woman asks for a man, and one miscreant actually threatens Santa’s reindeer! Containing more than 250 actual letters and envelopes from the naughty and nice reaching back to the 1930s, this moving book will touch hearts and bring back memories of a time in our lives when the man with a white beard and a red suit held out the hope that our wishes might come true. “Often very affecting . . . also offers an unusual window into American history.” —Library Journal “The letters . . . are alternately silly and somber, hilarious and heartfelt.” —The Weekly Standard