Worlds of Fun
Worlds of Fun Stats | |
| Location | 4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue • Kansas City, Missouri 64161 |
|---|---|
| Opened | May 26 1973 |
| Owner | Cedar Fair, L.P. |
| Operating season | April through October |
| Area | 235 acres (~0.90 km²) |
| Attractions | |
| Total | 43 |
| Roller coasters | 6 |
| Water rides | 3 |
| Website | http://www.worldsoffun.com |
Worlds of Fun (WOF) is an amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri. Worlds of Fun opened on May 26, 1973 and was originally built by Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman. In 1995 Hunt-Midwest sold Worlds of Fun to Cedar Fair, L.P., who currently owns the park.Worlds of Fun has an attached water park called Oceans of Fun, which opened in 1982.
History
The park opened on the northeast side of Kansas City May 26, 1973 at a cost of 25 million dollars. It was at the time numerous modernization projects were transforming Kansas City. In 1976, a new section opened for America's Bicentennal called Bicentennial Square. Three mascots also accompanied Worlds of Fun in the early days. Sam Panda, Grrrtrude the Lovable Gorilla, and Dan'l Coon.
Park layout
The park is themed around the Jules Verne book, Around the World in Eighty Days. Worlds of Fun is divided into five major sections (Scandinavia, Africa, Europa, the Orient, and Americana). Rides, attractions, shops, shows, and restaurants are named according to the area theme. Within Americana, Camp Snoopy (the area of the park specifically for young children), could be considered the sixth major section. Originally added as an expansion of Americana, over the years the ground currently occupied by Camp Snoopy has changed its identity several times. Initially it was called "Aerodrome" (1978-86) with futuristic rides for adults, it then became a children's area called "Pandamonium!" (1987-97), then "Berenstain Bear Country" (1997-2000), and currently "Camp Snoopy" (2001-present)).
Worlds of Fun Village
In 2005 Worlds of Fun opened the first on site resort. The camp ground is adjacent to the park, and is located "behind" the Mamba. The Village has 22 cabins and 20 cottages and 82 sites for RVs. (Complete with electric and TV Cable hook ups.) Each Cabin or Cottage can fit from 6-8 people. The Village is open from April 7 - October 29, 2006. The Village Store and Clubhouse offer all the amenities that most hotels have, and sometimes even more. The Clubhouse offers a pool, laundry, arcade, toiletries, and souvenirs. The Village doesn't stack up well against other major resorts theme parks have to offer, but it is quaint, and very family oriented. The need for a large resort is unnecessary because there are already hotels very close to the park. The Village offers a camping, vacation style feel that is different than what a traditional hotel resort has to offer. Pricing and availability can be found on the WOF website.
Rides
List of rides as of 2006.[1]
| Ride | Height Requirement | Location | Thrill level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autobahn | Over 48" | Europa | High |
| Bamboozler | Over 46" | Orient | Moderate |
| Boomerang | Over 48" | Africa | Aggressive |
| Bounce-A-Roos | Under 54" | Europa | Mild |
| Camp Bus | Under 42" | Camp Snoopy | Moderate |
| Charlie Brown's Windup | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Mild |
| Cyclone Sam's | Over 48" | Americana | Aggressive |
| Detonator | Over 52" | Americana | Aggressive |
| Finnish Fling | Over 46" | Scandinavia | High |
| Fjörd Fjärlane | Over 48" | Scandinavia | Moderate |
| Flying Dutchman | Over 46" | Europa | Mild |
| Fury of the Nile™ | Over 46" | Africa | Aggressive |
| Grand Prix Raceway* | Over 58" | Americana | High |
| Head Over Wheels | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Mild |
| Krazy Kars | Under 54" | Americana | Mild |
| Le Carrousel | Over 46" | Europa | Mild |
| Le TaxiTour | Over 48" | Europa | Moderate |
| Linus' Beetle Bugs | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Mild |
| Mamba™ | Over 48" | Africa | Aggressive |
| Monsoon™ | Over 48" | Africa | High |
| Octopus | Over 48" | Scandinavia | Moderate |
| Patriot | Over 48" | Americana | Aggressive |
| Peanunts™ Playhouse | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Low |
| Peanunts™ Yacht Club | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Low |
| Pony Promenade | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Low |
| Red Baron | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Mild |
| RipCord™* | Over 48" | Orient | Aggressive |
| Road Rally | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Low |
| Scrambler | Over 48" | Americana | Moderate |
| Sea Dragon | Over 48" | Scandinavia | Moderate |
| Skyliner | Over 36" | Americana | Mild |
| Snoopy Bounce | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Mild |
| Spinning Dragons | At least 43" | Orient | High |
| The Rock* | Over 36" | Orient | High |
| Thunderhawk™ | Between 56" and 77" | Americana | Aggressive |
| Timber Wolf™ | Over 48" | Americana | Aggressive |
| Turntyke | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Low |
| Viking Voyager | Over 46" | Scandinavia | Aggressive |
| Wacky Worm | Over 42" | Camp Snoopy | Moderate |
| Woodstock's Airmail | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Mild |
| Woodstock Express | Under 54" | Camp Snoopy | Low |
| World's of Fun Railroad | Over 46" | Americana | Mild |
| Zulu | Over 54" | Africa | Aggressive |
- Denotes an extra cost for the ride or attraction.
Roller coasters
- Mamba, a 205-foot-tall hypercoaster, which is currently tied for the position as tenth longest roller coaster in the world, according to the Roller Coaster Database.
- Spinning Dragons, a dragon-themed spinning coaster.
- Timber Wolf, a classic wooden coaster with a 95-foot drop and a 560°-helix.
- Boomerang, a Vekoma-designed shuttle roller coaster.
- Patriot, an inverted roller coaster; opened in 2006
Other notable rides
- Viking Voyager, a classic log-flume ride, but themed with Viking-style boats.
- Thunderhawk, an inverting, flipping ground ride, similar to RipTide at the Valleyfair! park.
- RipCord, a 190-foot-tall Skycoaster.
Retired rides
- Schussboomer, (1973-1984), roller coaster.
- Screamroller/Extremeroller(EXT), (1976-1988), roller coaster.
- Omegatron, (1986-2001), thrill ride.
- Orient Express, (1980-2003), roller coaster.
- Zambezi Zinger, (1973-1997), roller coaster. Currently in operation at the National Theme Park of Colombia, South America.
See more of Worlds of Fun retired rides here.
Trivia
•As of 2006, only 12 rides have weathered each season since opening in 1973. Most notably among them are the Viking Voyager, Finnish Fling, and Le TaxiTour.
•Ten years after opening, Oceans of Fun was opened next door in 1982. At the time it was the largest water park in the world. However, it would take another ten years before the two parks were linked.
•The Fury of the Nile water raft ride is the first, and only ride of its type that doesn't drain the "river" every night. It also was the first to have a turnstile-type loading dock.
*Also, for Fright Fest, in October, the FOTN raft ride is dyed blood red.
•Screamroller/EXT was the first stand up roller coaster in the Western Hemisphere. Although it only lasted a season, it was then reverted back into the orginal sit down style.
•The Orient Express was the second ride to have 2 interlocking loops. It was also the first ride to feature a kamikaze curve, now a common element in thrill rides.
•At the Incredi-Dome, viewers could go on a virtual ride of the Orient Express. This appealed to visitors who did not want to wait in line or experience the real ride (as well as those with physical conditions which would prevent them from riding at all). Interestingly, the show was presented less than 200 yards away from the actual ride.
•There is no part of the park themed for Oceania, or Australia. But two rides that should be in that section are fit in anyway. They are Boomerang in Africa, and Bounce-A-Roos in Europa.
• Lamar Hunt stated in a newspaper article back in the 70s, that his favorite ride was "a little spinning ride in Europa called the Flying Dutchman "
•The Detonator was the first twin tower space shot in the world when it was constructed.