Worlds of Fun

Theme park in Kansas City, Missouri

Worlds of Fun

Aerial view of the Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun parks (Worlds of Fun is the upper one)

Location| Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Coordinates| 39°10′38.4″N 94°29′20.5″W﻿ / ﻿39.177333°N 94.489028°W﻿ / 39.177333; -94.489028
Status| Operating
Owner| Six Flags
General manager| Rick Fiedler
Theme| Jules Verne's novel "Around the World in Eighty Days"
Slogan| It's Amazing in Here
Operating season| May through November
Area| More than 235 acres (0.95 km2) (~0.90 km²)
Attractions
Total| 43
Roller coasters| 8
Water rides| 11
Website| www.worldsoffun.com
Opened| May 26, 1973 (1973-05-26)

Worlds of Fun is a 235-acre (95 ha) theme park located in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Owned and operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation, it was founded by American businessmen Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman under the ownership of Hunt's company, Mid-America Enterprises in 1973. Oceans of Fun is a water park that opened in 1982 and is next to the amusement park. Admission to Oceans of Fun is included with the price of admission to Worlds of Fun. MId-America Enterprises sold both parks to Cedar Fair (now Six Flags) in 1995 for $40 million.

## History

[edit]

Texas and Arkansas native Lamar Hunt brought the Dallas Texans NFL team, which he owned, to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1963, renaming the franchise the Kansas City Chiefs.[1] He founded an operating company in the region called MId-America Enterprises, which focused on real estate, mining, and entertainment.[2] Worlds of Fun was conceptualized and developed by Hunt, his business partner Jack Steadman, and theme park designer Randall Duell. Construction on the park began in November 1971 and was completed over 17 months at an estimated cost of $20 million. The park opened on May 26, 1973.[3][4] It is located at the northern edge of a vast industrial complex in the bluffs above the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri. At the time it opened, numerous projects across Kansas City were being built, including Kansas City International Airport, Kemper Arena (now called Hy-Vee Arena), and the Truman Sports Complex. The park was originally planned to complement a 500-acre (2.0 km2) hotel and entertainment complex, but a lagging economy during the park's early years derailed the idea.

In 1974, the first addition to Worlds of Fun was the 4,000-seat Forum Amphitheater, which opened in the Europa section of the park. In 1976, a new section opened in honor of the United States Bicentennial – the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence–and was named Bicentennial Square. The new section included the debut of Screamroller from Arrow Dynamics, which was a replica of the first modern looping roller coaster, Corkscrew, that opened a year earlier at Knott's Berry Farm.

In 1982, Oceans of Fun opened next door as the largest water park in the world. In the same year, a sub-world named "River City" was opened in Americana, adjacent to the East Asia section (then referred to as the Orient section). Screamroller was transformed into Extremeroller the following year, which featured stand-up trains instead of the original sit-down models, making it the first looping, stand-up roller coaster in North America.[5] Several years later, in 1989, Worlds of Fun ended the decade with the addition of Timber Wolf, a wooden roller coaster that initially ranked high in several national polls.[6][7]

Cedar Fair LP purchased Worlds of Fun in 1995 for $40 million.[8] The new owners invested $10 million with the addition of Mamba, a D.H. Morgan Manufacturing steel hypercoaster, to the park's attraction lineup in 1998.[9]

On July 1, 2024, a merger of equals between Cedar Fair and Six Flags was completed, creating Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.[10]

### Other notable additions

[edit]

* 2006: Patriot opens as the longest, tallest, and fastest full-circuit inverted roller coaster in the region. It was the park's largest capital investment on a single attraction at $14 million.
* 2008: For their 35th anniversary, Worlds of Fun added a festival called Oktoberfest.
* 2009: A new wooden coaster, Prowler, is added to the Africa section of the park. It receives the Golden Ticket Award for "Best New Ride of 2009" by Amusement Today magazine.
* 2010: Snoopy's Hot Summer Lights, a $1 million immersive light and sound experience, opens in the Europa and Africa sections of the park. Subway opens at Oceans of Fun.
* 2011: Planet Snoopy, an $8-million children's themed area, is added to Worlds of Fun, featuring over 20 rides and attractions. An Illions carousel called The Grand Carrousel was added to the Scandinavia section of the park.
* 2012: A premium line queue system called "Fast Lane" is introduced.
* 2013: Oceans of Fun receives full integration with Worlds of Fun, allowing visitors to access both parks with a single admission ticket.
* 2014: WindSeeker – a 301-foot (92 m) Mondial swing ride at Knott's Berry Farm – was renamed SteelHawk and relocated to Worlds of Fun for the 2014 season.
* 2016: Planet Snoopy receives upgrades, including five new rides added to the children's area, with the removal of two former attractions.
* 2017: Mustang Runner (HUSS Troika), Falcon's Flight (HUSS Condor) is added to the Americana section of the park. A newly remodeled entrance is introduced, and Winterfest is introduced in November.
* 2018: Nordic Chaser (Mack SeaStorm) is added to the Scandinavia section of the park. Timber Wolf replaced their helix with a new seventy-degree back turn. Great Coasters International constructed the new element.
* 2019: Worlds of Fun added a new flagship restaurant, Cotton Blossom BBQ. It is 9,000 square feet and seats more than 300 guests.
* 2020: Riptide Raceway, the world's longest mat racing slide,[11] was to have opened to the public, but deferred to 2021 on grounds of COVID-19 pandemic.
* 2023: Zambezi Zinger, located in the African section of the park, is added as the world's first ground-up GCI Titan Track wooden coaster. It is named after a former coaster that once operated there.

## Areas and attractions

[edit]

The park takes its theme from the Jules Verne book, Around the World in Eighty Days. Worlds of Fun is divided into eight major sections (Gateway Gardens, East Asia, Americana, Wild West, Europa, Africa, Scandinavia, and Planet Snoopy). Rides, attractions, shops, shows, and restaurants are named according to the area theme. Guests enter the park at International Plaza. In 1997, the Americana "main entrance" was closed for the creation of Grand Prix, so the "back gate" has been the "main gate" ever since. The next world to the left is Scandinavia, then Africa, continuing in a clockwise rotation, guests would then enter the Wild West section, then the Americana section, followed by East Asia. The Europa section is located in the approximate center of the circle.

Behind the Wild West section lies the section of Planet Snoopy (the area of the park specifically for young children). Originally added in 1978 as an expansion of Americana, over the years the grounds have 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 "Camp Snoopy" (2001–2010), and is currently "Planet Snoopy", new to the 2011 season. Past sub-sections have also included Bicentennial Square, River City, and Beat Street, which have all been absorbed back into Americana.

Although there is no Australian/Oceanic section in the park, there is an Australian-themed Boomerang roller coaster in the Africa section.

### Roller coasters

[edit]

Ride name  | Picture  | Year opened  | Manufacturer  | Current location  | Description

|
|
|
|
|

Boomerang |  | 2000  | Vekoma | Africa  | It opened in the vacancy left by the original Zambezi Zinger's departure in 1997 and used Zambezi's line queue. Since 2005, the line queue and signage has moved.
Cosmic Coaster |  | 1993  | Preston & Barbieri | Planet Snoopy  | A junior roller coaster that is Snoopy-themed.
Mamba |  | 1998  | Morgan | Africa  | The tallest coaster in the park. It is classified as a hypercoaster, which is any coaster that exceeds 200 feet (61 m) in height or drop length.
Patriot |  | 2006  | Bolliger & Mabillard | Americana  | An inverted roller coaster that features four inversions, a height of 149 feet (45 m), and a track length of 3,081 feet (939 m).
Prowler |  | 2009  | Great Coasters International | Africa  | Prowler was voted Best New Ride of 2009 - Amusement Park in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.
Spinning Dragons |  | 2004  | Gerstlauer | East Asia  | A spinning roller coaster, it was the second ride of its kind in the world after the Fairly Odd Coaster. The ride was built in the East Asia area of the park in 2004 following the retirement of the Orient Express
Timber Wolf |  | 1989  | Dinn Corporation | Wild West  | Timber Wolf was voted the world's top roller coaster in the 1991 Inside Track readers survey, and was rated the number one favorite wooden coaster in the 1992 NAPHA survey.
Zambezi Zinger |  | 2023  | Great Coasters International  | Africa  | Named after a former coaster that operated at Worlds of Fun under the same name, the first ground-up GCI Titan Track wooden coaster.

### Africa

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

Boomerang | 2000  | Vekoma | Boomerang roller coaster | Over 48"  | 5
Fury of the Nile  | 1984  | Intamin | River rafting ride | Over 46"  | 4
Mamba | 1998  | Morgan | Steel hypercoaster | Over 48"  | 5
Prowler | 2009  | Great Coasters International | Wooden coaster | Over 48"  | 4
Zambezi Zinger | 2023  | Great Coasters International and Skyline Attractions | Steel and Wooden coaster Hybrid  | Over 48"  | 5
Zulu  | 1979  | HUSS | Enterprise | Over 54"  | 4

### Americana

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

Patriot | 2006  | Bolliger & Mabillard | Inverted roller coaster | Over 54"  | 5
RipCord  | 1996  | Sky Fun 1  | Skycoaster | Over 42"  | 5
Skyliner  | 1991  | Eli Bridge  | Ferris wheel | Over 48" or 36" with adult  | 2
SteelHawk | 2014  | Mondial | Windseeker | Over 52"  | 4

### Europa

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

Autobahn  | 1973  | Reverchon | Bumper Cars ride  | Over 48"  | 4
Flying Dutchman  | 1973  | Intamin | Flying Dutchman  | Over 46" or with adult  | 2
Le Taxi Tour  | 1973  | Arrow Dynamics | Track car ride  | Over 48" or with adult  | 2

### Gateway Gardens

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

The Grand Carrousel  | 2011  | 1926 M.C. Illions  | Carousel | Over 42" or with adult  | 2

### East Asia

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

Bamboozler  | 1977  | Hrubetz  | Round Up | Over 46"  | 3
Spinning Dragons | 2004  | Gerstlauer | Spinning roller coaster | Over 48" or 42" with adult  | 5

### Planet Snoopy

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

Beagle Brigade Airfield  | 2016  | Zamperla  | Flying Tigers  | Over 36" or with adult  | 2
Camp Bus  | 2001  | Zamperla | Crazy Bus  | Over 36" or with adult  | 2
Charlie Brown's Windup  | 1987  | Zamperla | Lolly Swing  | Between 36" and 54"  | 1
Cosmic Coaster | 1993  | Preston and Barbieri | Wacky Worm  | Over 42" or with adult  | 3
Flying Ace Balloon Race  | 2011  | Zamperla | Balloon Race | Over 42" or with adult  | 2
Kite Eating Tree  | 2001  | S&S Worldwide | Kite Flyer  | Over 36"  | 2
Linus' Launcher  | 2016  | Zamperla | Kite Flyer  | Over 42" or 36" with adult  | 3
Lucy's Tugboat  | 2011  | Zamperla | Tugboat  | Over 42" or with adult  | 2
Peanuts 500  | 2011  | Zamperla | Speedway  | Over 36" or with adult  | 2
Peanuts Road Rally  | 2011  | Zamperla |  | Over 36" or with adult  | 1
Sally's Swing Set  | 2011  | Zamperla | Happy Swing  | Between 36" and 73"  | 2
Snoopy Junction  | 2016  | Zamperla |  | Over 36" or with adult  | 1
Snoopy vs. Red Baron  | 1974  | Herschell  |  | Between 36" and 54"  | 2
Snoopy's Rocket Express  | 2011  | Zamperla |  | Over 42" or with adult  | 2
Snoopy's Space Buggies  | 2016  | Zamperla |  | Over 36" or with adult  | 2
Woodstock Gliders  | 2016  | Larson  | Flying Scooter  | Over 44" or 36" with adult  | 3
Woodstock Whirlybirds  | 2011  | Zamperla |  | Over 36" or with adult  | 2

### Scandinavia

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

Fjörd Fjärlane  | 1981  | Meisho Rides | Swing Around | Over 46" or with adult  | 3
Nordic Chaser  | 2018  | Mack | Seastorm  | Over 48" or 40" with adult  | 3
Scrambler  | 2015 (originally 1973)  | Eli Bridge  | Scrambler | Over 48" or 36" with adult  | 3
Sea Dragon  | 1994  | Chance Morgan | Pirate ship | Over 48" or with adult  | 3
Viking Voyager | 1973  | Arrow Dynamics | Log flume | Over 46" or 36" with adult  | 4

### Wild West

[edit]

Ride  | Year Opened  | Ride Manufacturer  | Type  | Height Requirement  | Rating[12]

|
|
|
|
|

Cyclone Sam's | 1995  | Chance Rides | Wipeout | Over 48"  | 5
Detonator | 1996  | S&S Worldwide | Space shot | Over 48"  | 5
Mustang Runner  | 2017  | HUSS | Troika | Over 54" or 42" with adult  | 3
Timber Wolf | 1989  | Dinn Corporation | Wooden roller coaster | Over 48"  | 5
Worlds of Fun Railroad  | 1973  | Crown Metal Products[13] | 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railroad  | Over 42" or with adult  | 2

* \+ Denotes an extra cost for the ride or attraction.

## Former rides and attractions

[edit]

See also: Closed rides and attractions § Worlds of Fun

### Roller coasters

[edit]

* Schussboomer, (1973–1984), a ski-themed steel roller coaster with ten separate 4-passenger cars.
* Screamroller/Extremeroller, (1976–1988), the first stand-up roller coaster in the Western Hemisphere. Its only season as a stand-up coaster was in 1983, after which it was reverted to the original sit-down style.
* Zambezi Zinger, (1973–1997), a steel Speedracer model roller coaster (one of only two in existence) with an electric spiral lift and a fast-paced ride through the woods. Moved to Parque del Café in Colombia, reopening as Montaña Rusa in 1999.[14]
* Orient Express, (1980–2003), the first roller coaster in the world to feature a batwing (then known as a "Kamikaze Curve"), now a common element in thrill rides. Also, it was the second roller coaster in the world to have two interlocking loops.
* Silly Serpent/Funicular, (1973–1987) An Allan Herschell Company Little Dipper. The children's coaster was originally located in the Europa section of the park as "Funicular" and moved to the Africa section where it operated as "Silly Serpent" until it was removed in 1987.

### Flat rides/attractions

[edit]

* Barnstormer, (1978–1983), a 100-foot tall spinning airplane ride manufactured by Bradley & Kaye. Added with the opening of the Aerodrome area. Retired in part due to frequent shutdowns due to high winds.[15][16][17]
* Incred-O-Dome, (1981–1997), an OMNIMAX-style theater where viewers could go on a virtual ride of, among other things, the Orient Express coaster. 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. The show was presented less than 200 yards (180 m) away from the actual ride.
* Omegatron, (1986–2001), a six-story Vekoma Sky Flyer ride, replaced by Thunderhawk.
* Python Plunge, (1988–1999) a water-slide type ride where the riders would carry the raft up to the top themselves. There were two types of slides. One slide was open aired and went straight down, the other was a twisting tube.
* Grand Prix Raceway, (1997–2014), go-kart racing, replaced by the SteelHawk.
* Octopus, (1973–2014) an Eyerly Monster octopus, replaced by the Scandi Scrambler.
* Thunderhawk, (2002–2015) a HUSS Top Spin ride that flipped riders several times and took riders to a height of 60 feet.
* Krazy Kars, (1973–2015) a children's bumper car ride removed for Mustang Runner.
* Le Carousel, (1979–2016) 3 across horse merry-go-round replaced by Falcons Flight
* Finnish Fling, (1973–2017) a Chance Rides Rotor, believed to have been one of fewer than six operating Rotors in North America.[18][15] It was replaced by Nordic Chaser.
* Diamond Head, (1982–2019) a water slide complex at Oceans of Fun consisting of three body slides (Honolulu Lulu, Maui Wowie, and Waikiki Wipeout). Replaced by Riptide Raceway.
* Ski Heis/Sky Hi, (1973–1987) a Von Roll Skyride
* Wobble Wheel, (1977–1993) a Chance Rides Trabant. The Wobble Wheel, an outdoor ride, was replaced by the indoor Cyclone Sam's in 1995.
* Falcon's Flight, (2017–2022) a HUSS Condor.
* Monsoon, (1992-2022) a 55ft Shoot-the-Chute water ride.

## Oceans of Fun

[edit]

Main article: Oceans of Fun

Oceans of Fun is Worlds of Fun's water park. It opened in 1982 as the world's largest water park. It is included with admission to Worlds of Fun, beginning in the 2013 season.

## Fast Lane

[edit]

Further information: List of Fast Lane attractions § Worlds of Fun

Fast Lane is Worlds of Fun's "two line" system introduced in 2012. For an increased cost (in addition to normal admission charges), visitors receive a wrist band that enables them to bypass the standby line and enter the "Fast Lane" line to significantly reduce their wait time. Fast Lane Plus gets access to select rides not included in basic Fast Lane.

During Halloween Haunt, a similar system named "Fright Lane" is sold. Serving the same purpose as Fast Lane, it significantly reduces the wait times at select haunted attractions. "Fright Lane+" includes a "Skeleton Key", a key that grants holders special access to secret, intense rooms in six of the eight haunted houses. In addition, holders receive special seating for Ed Alonzo's Psycho Circus of Magic and Mayhem. "Fright Lane Max" is a VIP system that allows holders seating at Overlord's Awakening, a meal, and limited edition Haunt T-shirts, in addition to all the perks listed above.

## Worlds of Fun Village

[edit]

In 2005, Worlds of Fun opened the first on-site resort. The campground is adjacent to the park, and is located "behind" Mamba. The Village has 22 cabins, 20 cottages, and 82 RV sites, complete with electric and TV cable hookups. Each cabin or cottage can fit 6–8 people.

## Snoopy's Hot Summer Lights

[edit]

"Snoopy's Hot Summer Lights", which debuted in 2010, was an immersive light and sound experience starring the Peanuts characters. Snoopy's Hot Summer Lights features over 2 million LED lights and a variety of audio soundtracks through the Africa and Europa sections of the park. Along the walkway there were replicas of Snoopy and other characters for guests to view. Snoopy's Hot Summer Lights was a one million dollar investment that used special effects and sound design, custom designed for Worlds of Fun by Emmy Award-Winning RWS and Associates. Snoopy's Hot Summer Lights opened for its original run on June 4 and ran through September 5, 2010.[19]

## Halloween Haunt

[edit]

Halloween Haunt is a Halloween event that takes place during the Halloween season. It is included in the price of admission.

### Current attractions

[edit]

As of 2024[update], it features 12 Extreme Haunts, including seven mazes and five scare zones, along with five live shows.[20]

Attraction  | Type  | Opened  | Location  | Theme

|
|
|
|

BloodShed  | Maze  | 2007  | Americana  | Slaughterhouse
CornStalkers  | Maze  | 2010  | Africa  | Cornfield
Ripper Alley  | Maze  | 2017  | Americana  | Victorian London
Lore of the Vampire  | Maze  | 2004  | East Asia  | Vampires
Blood on the Bayou  | Maze  | 2015  | Americana  | Voodoo Spirits
Zombie High  | Maze  | 2012  | Africa  | Zombies
Pumpkin Eater: Dead Harvest  | Maze  | 2023  | Africa  | Pumpkin Patch
Outlaw's Revenge  | Zone  | 2008  | Wild West  | Cowboys
Mad Hatter's Tea Party  | Zone  | 2024  | Europa  | Alice in Wonderland
Abyss  | Zone  | 2024  | Africa  | Jungle
Ghost Train  | Zone  | 2024  | Heart of America BLVD  | Railroad Train
Shadowmoor Cemetery  | Zone  | 2024  | East Asia  | Vampires
Show  | Type  | Location

|
|

Overlord's Awakening  | Monologue/Parade  | International Plaza
Haunted Homecoming  | Music Performance  | Moulin Rouge Hall
Hexed  | Music Performance  | International Plaza
Conjure The Night  | Music Performance  | International Plaza
Ringmasters Last Laff  | Dance Performance  | Near Tivoli Music Hall

### Former Haunt attractions

[edit]

Attraction Name  | Replaced By  | Year closed

|
|

Camp Gonnagitcha Wichahatchet  | CornStalkers  | 2009
Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns  | CarnEvil  | 2006
Dominion of Doom  | London Terror  | 2010
Master McCarthy's Doll Factory  | Miss Lizzie's Chamber of Horrors  | 2012
Fright Zone  | The Boneyard  | 2014
Club Blood  | Lore of the Vampire expansion  | 2015
Asylum Island  | Urgent Scare  | 2017
London Terror  | Ripper Alley  | 2017
CarnEvil  | Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater  | 2019
Urgent Scare  | Khaos Unleashed  | 2018
Miss Lizzie's Chamber of Horrors  | Chamber of Horrors: Condemned  | 2018
Khaos Unleashed  | N/A  | 2021
The Boneyard  | Fright Zone (Reimagined)  | 2021
Feargrounds  | N/A  | 2023
Chamber of Horrors: Condemned  | N/A  | 2022
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater  | Pumpkin Eater: Dead Harvest  | 2023
Fright Zone (Reimagined)  | Abyss  | 2023
Malice in Wonderland  | Mad Hatter's Tea Party  | 2024

## Games

[edit]

Cole Lindbergh, former manager of the park's games department, was featured in a 2011 episode of Public Radio International's This American Life, "Amusement Park."[21] In the nine-minute prologue,[22] host Ira Glass interviews Lindbergh about his management philosophy and plays segments from several YouTube videos he made to promote the park's games.[21]

## Gallery

[edit]

* Finnish Fling and Octopus rides.

* Le Taxi Tour's line queue in Europa.

* Le Taxi Tour in action.

* The Sea Dragon in Scandinavia

* The Flying Dutchman is reported to be founder Lamar Hunt's favorite ride.

* Zulu at night

* Thunderhawk

* The Skyliner Ferris wheel at Worlds of Fun.

* Nighttime at Worlds of Fun.

* Boomerang's full profile

* Prowler's main drop.

* Prowler's queue line.

* Mamba and Timber Wolf.

* Coaster's Diner near Mamba.

* Prowler's train ascending the lift hill.

* Fury of the Nile in action.

* Fury of the Nile's signature turnstile dock.

## Incidents

[edit]

### Barnstormer

[edit]

* In July 1978, during the ride's first season of operation, a malfunction of the 100-foot-tall Barnstormer caused the spinning planes carrying riders to descend rapidly, hitting each other on the way down. Some riders were also sprayed with hydraulic fluid. In total, 20 riders suffered minor injuries.[17]

### Oceans of Fun

[edit]

* On August 24, 2019, Trey Wallace, a 14-year-old boy, drowned in the wave pool.[23] The boy died in the hospital after being taken off life support due to loss of brain function.[24]

### Orient Express

[edit]

Main article: Orient Express (Worlds of Fun)

* On June 14, 1987, a train that was pulling into the loading station malfunctioned and slammed into the rear of the other train inside of the roller coaster station. A total of 56 passengers were involved in the accident, but only 8 were taken to the hospital for injuries.[25]
* On July 17, 1999, two cars of a seven-car train derailed due to severe internal metal fatigue in a support post, stranding 18 people. Two were immediately taken to a hospital, and six went later. None of the injuries were life-threatening.[26]

### Screamroller

[edit]

* On May 18, 1976, Robbie M. Meyers, an 8-year-old boy, was struck and seriously injured by the Screamroller after entering a restricted area.[27] In 1977, Meyers was awarded $1.39 million (equivalent to $7.21 million in 2024[28]) in a lawsuit finding Mid-America Enterprises responsible for his injuries.[29][30] Worlds of Fun did not appeal the decision.[30]

### Timber Wolf

[edit]

Main article: Timber Wolf (roller coaster)

* On March 31, 1990, two trains collided just short of the loading platform, injuring 35 people.[31] The control system had malfunctioned and was unable to control two trains at once. The ride reopened with a single train until the control system was fixed to handle two.[32]
* On June 30, 1995, Ryan Bielby, a 14-year-old girl, fell from her seat on the roller coaster and died.[33] The park owner at the time, Hunt-Midwest Entertainment Inc., and the ride manufacturer, Dinn Corporation, claimed that she was switching seats when the accident occurred. A riding companion and Biebly's family claimed that safety restraints (a lap bar and seat belt) had come undone on a sharp turn at the top of one of the ride's hills. In contrast, officials from Worlds of Fun claimed that witnesses had seen her removing her restraints and attempting to switch seats, and that there had been no malfunction. The ride was temporarily closed for an investigation of its safety features, which led to the installation of new lap bars. Hunt-Midwest Entertainment Inc. and Dinn Corporation settled with the family for $200,000.[34] This makes the Timber Wolf the only ride so far at Worlds of Fun with a fatality.

## In popular culture

[edit]

Worlds of Fun was used as the setting for a skit in a 2021 episode of Saturday Night Live. The skit opens with a still photo of the park's iconic hot-air balloon sign and then cuts to the cast getting ready to ride Viking Voyager. The park's logo can be seen in the sketch and other rides such as Mamba and Zulu are referenced as well.[35]

It also appears in the HBO series The Last of Us.[36]

## See also

[edit]

* Trains portal
* United States portal

* Closed rides and attractions at Worlds of Fun
* Incidents at Worlds of Fun

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Alm, Rick (December 17, 2006). "KC embraced big-league businessman". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
2. ^ "Hunt Midwest - About Us". Hunt Midwest. August 6, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
3. ^ Foshee, Chris (May 25, 2018). "Worlds of Fun Grand Opening 1973: 10 Fun Facts". Worlds of Fun. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
4. ^ Foshee, Chris (January 15, 2021). "Breaking Ground on Worlds of Fun 50 Years Ago". Worlds of Fun. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
5. ^ Marden, Duane. "Extremeroller (Worlds of Fun)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
6. ^ "Inside Track "Top Coasters" Readers Survey". Roller Coaster FAQ. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
7. ^ "8th Annual NAPHA Amusement Park and Attractions Survey". National Amusement Park Historical Association. `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
8. ^ Alm, Rick (March 10, 2009). "Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun up for sale". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
9. ^ "Timeline section".
10. ^ "Cedar Fair and Six Flags Merger of Equals Successfully Completed, Creating a Leading Amusement Park Operator". Yahoo Finance. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
11. ^ "New Oceans of Fun Slide to Set World Record - Worlds of Fun". www.worldsoffun.com.
12. ^ a b c d e f g h Ratings assigned per Worlds of Fun's own system, where "1" is the least intense and "5" is the most. See their "Guest Assistance Guide" (PDF). Worlds of Fun. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2012. for more specific details.
13. ^ "Worlds of Fun Railroad - Worlds of Fun".
14. ^ "Zambezi Zinger - Worlds of Fun (Kansas City, Missouri, USA)".
15. ^ a b "Worlds of Fun Gone but Not Forgotten". www.worldsoffun.org. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
16. ^ Lovsee-Mast, Jennifer (January 10, 2011). "A is for Aerodrome". Worlds of Fun.Org. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
17. ^ a b "20 injured when ride goes haywire at Worlds of Fun". Salina (Kansas) Journal. UPI. July 2, 1978. p. 2. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
18. ^ Sloan, Nick (October 18, 2017). "Worlds of Fun announces closing of Finnish Fling". KCTV 5 News. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
19. ^ "Kansas City Amusement Park - Ride On & Slide On! - Worlds of Fun". Archived from the original on May 3, 2010.
20. ^ "Halloween Haunt rides and attractions". Worlds of Fun. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
21. ^ a b ""Amusement Park," This American Life, Aug. 12, 2011". August 12, 2011.
22. ^ "Prologue". August 12, 2011.
23. ^ Porter, Regan (August 26, 2019). "'I Just Reacted': Strangers' Quick Actions Save Boy Who Nearly Drown at Oceans of Fun Wave Pool". FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
24. ^ Ford, Ashonti (August 31, 2019). "Boy who nearly drowned at Oceans of Fun taken off of life support; family planning to donate organs". FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
25. ^ "Investigation of roller coaster mishap begins" Archived from UPI.com, June 15, 1987
26. ^ "Officials find cause of July derailment of roller coaster", Archived from MorningSun.net, November 17, 1999
27. ^ Nolan, Mary Lou (June 26, 1976). "Added safety for ride". The Kansas City Times. p. 4. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
28. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
29. ^ "Youth wins suit against KC amusement park". Salina (Kansas) Journal. UPI. December 30, 1977. p. 11. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
30. ^ a b "Worlds of Fun Won't Appeal". Kansas City Times. January 14, 1978. p. 24.
31. ^ "35 Injured at Worlds of Fun". The Wichita Eagle. April 1, 1990.
32. ^ "Coaster To Run Again", The Wichita Eagle, April 25, 1990
33. ^ O'Brien, Shannon (August 10, 2016). "Mom of girl who died at Worlds of Fun in 1995 empathizes with family of boy killed at Schlitterbahn". FOX 4 Kansas City. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
34. ^ Scott Bekker (July 1, 1995). "Girl Dies in Fall from Roller Coaster". Associated Press News. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
35. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Amusement Park - SNL". YouTube. February 27, 2021.
36. ^ Brown, Zoe; Hurrelbrink, Bill (October 4, 2022). "Delays on I-435 due to filming for HBO's 'The Last of Us'". KCTV. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Worlds of Fun.

* Worlds of Fun official website
* Worlds of Fun at the Roller Coaster DataBase
* Worlds of Fun.org Historical Fan Site

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Six Flags

Company
officials|

| Key|

* Angus G. Wynne
* Founder
* Selim Bassoul
* Executive Chairman
* Richard Zimmerman
* President and CEO

|

Board of
directors|

* Selim Bassoul
* Daniel J. Hanrahan
* Richard A. Zimmerman
* Arik Ruchim
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Theme Park locations|

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* Six Flags Qiddiya

Cancelled locations|

* Old Indiana Fun Park
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Other|

* Great Southwest Corporation
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Events|

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Themed Areas|

* Camp Snoopy
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* t
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Worlds of Fun

Roller coasters|

* Boomerang
* Cosmic Coaster
* Mamba
* Patriot
* Prowler
* Spinning Dragons
* Timber Wolf
* Zambezi Zinger

Attractions|

* Cyclone Sam's
* Detonator
* Fury of the Nile
* Halloween Haunt
* Planet Snoopy
* Viking Voyager
* SteelHawk
* Winterfest

Defunct|

* Camp Snoopy
* Dinosaurs Alive!
* Extremeroller
* Orient Express
* Schussboomer
* Silly Serpent
* Zambezi Zinger (1973)

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Kansas City area

* Kansas City, Missouri
* Metro area
* History
* timeline
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* VIAF
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