Funworld September 2008
Quick Hits
By Marion Hixon
Five Things You Don’t Know About…
STORYBOOK LAND
1. It really was built from scratch! In 1955, John Fricano Sr. built the park with hand tools and his wife, Esther, helped with the furnishings and meticulous details—like making sure the “Baa Baa Black Sheep” attraction was always stocked with three bags of wool. 2. While the park doesn’t allow fast food, operators encourage families to bring homemade meals into picnic area. “I think this demonstrates real integrity,” says Skinner. 3. Each July, the park hosts an antique car show, and employees celebrate by dressing in attire from the 1950s. John Fricano Jr., co-operator at the park, collects vintage automobiles. 4. Antiques like miniature fairy-tale figurines and midcentury collectible dolls are housed inside the park, often displaying favorite stories like Little Red Riding Hood. Esther Fricano still adds annual fresh coats of paint and washes the curtains and linens for the fairy-tale homes herself! 5. Over the years the park has been updated with rides like the “Whirly Bug” Ferris wheel and “Jumping Jumbos;” still, the storybook theme is always present, largely marked by a 25-foot-tall statue of Mother Goose, standing since 1975. |
ON THE SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY SHORE sits Storybook Land, a family-owned park for children 10 and younger. Author Tina Skinner tells of the park’s charm and history in her new book, “The Story of Storybook Land.” Here she shares five things that make the park a unique vacation spot: A GRITTY SITUATION:Holiday World Summer Staffer Helps Find Lost Tooth NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD HOLIDAY WORLD EMPLOYEE Lauren Wahl proved the park’s employees will do anything to help a guest in need when she found the first lost baby tooth of Bryce, a young visitor from Tennesee. She was working at the Funnel Cake Factory when Bryce’s mom asked for help finding the tooth, which was lost while indulging in a chocolate apple from Mrs. Klaus’ kitchen. Bryce’s mom, Wahl, and another employee sifted through trash and drained the bottom of the barrel to find the prized tooth.
Not as outgoing in her childhood, Wahl credits her job at Holiday World with making her more engaging. “I can now interact with guests and other employees easily,” she says. “It’s also helped me be more responsible and manage time wisely.” She was honored for her hard work with a Hoosier Hospitality Award, presented by Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, who complimented Lauren on her “positive contribution to Indiana’s tourism industry.” www.holidayworld.com |
Close Encounters of the Coral Kind
The Swim with the Sea Lions program is among the most popular features of the facility. “It’s an amazing experience that should not be missed,” says Valerie Peters, CWOP’s director of marketing. After an orientation, guests are encouraged to pet and play games with the sea lions, often receiving a big wet kiss at the end of their encounters. Other activities include shark and sea turtle encounters, where guests enter the water with juvenile sharks or scrub down turtle shells. Active guests engage in scuba diving alternatives like snorkeling and “snuba” (a shallow-water diving system), neither of which requires lengthy training. And visitors who wish to stay dry board the Nautilus, an air-conditioned glass-bottom boat that displays the coral gardens through passenger portholes. While certain activities are offered for adults and children over 8 years old, all guests are welcome to feed stingrays, lorikeets, and iguanas, and to interact at the touch pool. With admission, guests have access to both Coral World and Coki Beach for the day. |
The University of Evansville sophomore, who favors “The Legend” roller coaster, continually gets to enrich visitors’ experiences by delivering sweets. She especially loves hearing thanks from small children. “Sometimes it’s something they’ve looked forward to all day,” she says.
ON THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLAND OF ST. THOMAS is Coral World Ocean Park, which combines exhibits, animal encounters and water sports.