The first thing that comes to mind when people think of Worlds of Fun isn’t usually the kiddie rides, but for many it’s the first thing many remember about Worlds of Fun from their childhood. I distinctly remember riding Tot’s Yachts when it was in Scandinavia, and it’s one of my earliest WOF memories.
The 1975 map, where you can see the three original kid's rides (Funicular, Kopter, Crashem Bashem and near-original, 1974 addition of Red Baron.
The original Alpine Petting Zoo.
Like any good story this one will start from the very beginning. And in the beginning, Worlds of Fun had no defined children’s area or kiddieland as they are commonly known. Instead, the plan was to have a mixture of rides throughout, and the three original children’s rides were located in different areas of the park. Crashem Bashem (Krazy Kars), the kiddie bumper cars was in Americana, Europa was home to the kiddie coaster, Funicular (Silly Serpent), and Kopter, the ride that would become Bounce a Roos in 1977, was located in Scandinavia. Adjacent to Kopter was the Alpine Petting Zoo.
Red Baron in Scandinavia, this is about where Fjord Fjarlane is today.
And here is the same ride, where it is located today.
The first glimmer that Scandinavia would become the kiddie focal point came the very next season, 1974 with the addition of Red Baron, today the park’s oldest operating kiddie ride. (today located in Planet Snoopy). But if Red Baron was a glimmer the 1977 and 1978 seasons really would define the northeast corner of Scandinavia as the place to be for kids from the late 1970s until 1986.
Kopter in 1973
And it's greatly altered self as Bounce a Roos.
The 1977 season was a large expansion season and included several new additions to the park including Wobble Wheel and Singapore Sling (Bamboozler), but also included several new additions to Scandinavia too, namely Half Pint’s Peak, Kinder Garden play area and Micro Moto Bahn car ride. Half Pint’s Peak would be built right next to the Alpine Petting Zoo, and would feature a large yellow foam climbing mountain, suspended hang glider (zip line), squirrel cage (spinning barrel) and a multi-level commando climbing net area. A few steps below it, and right behind Baltic Bazaar would be Micro Moto Bahn, replacing Kopter which would be heavily altered into Bounce a Roos in Europa. Micro Moto Bahn would outlive any other Scandinavian kiddie attraction lasting in the same very spot, with the same small kiddie play area until 1996. In 1997 Micro Moto Bahn would be one of the last kiddie rides to be moved up to Pandamonium.
Kinder Garden as it appeared in the late 1970s. This would have been located right behind the old Baltic Bazaar shopping area.
Micro Moto Bahn in Scandinavia, you can see it in the above photo too, just look for the yellow and white awning in the background.
1978 would continue the Scandinavian expansion, replacing the petting zoo with Humpty’s Haven, a second children’s play area. Humpty’s Haven would feature a 21-foot tall Humpty Dumpty statue bought from a charity auction and previously used in a Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. The play area itself would include a slide, ball crawl and punching bag area, and in 1979 a small puppet theater, Humpty’s Show Chateau with shows and puppets created by DoLores Hadley herself.
Humpty sitting on his wall.
Half Pint's Peak with Humpty's Haven behind it.
Humpty's Show Chateau, puppet theater.
The often mentioned 1978 expansion which was highlighted by Barnstormer and the Aerodrome affected the Scandinavian kiddie area too. Red Baron, originally added to Scandinavia in 1974 was moved to the Aerodrome and opened up a prime spot for a new children’s ride, one that strikes terror in ride operators everywhere… Tot’s Yachts.
Tot's Yachts in Scandinavia, which replaced Red Baron. This is again about where Fjord Fjarlane is today.
Today's It's the Peanut's Yacht Club, but still the same ride.
In 1979 Humpty’s Haven and Half Pint’s Peak would be fully formed as the children of Generation X would know it throughout the early 1980s. One more ride would come to the Scandinavian children’s area over the next seven years, Viking Vheel (Head over Wheels), a small kiddie ferris wheel added in 1982.
Viking Vheel when it was originally added to Scandinavia in 1982. You can even see the 1974 Scandinavian gate in the background.
Commando Climbing Nets in Half Pint's Peak (you can even see the sign in the lower left corner)
Scandinavia’s Humpty’s Haven/Half Pint’s Peak were in many ways proto-kiddie areas. It’s important to note that neither were intended to be an all encompassing “kiddieland”, as the park would continue to add kiddie rides and attractions outside of Scandinavia during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Red Baron which was located in the Aerodrome starting in 1978, Funicular was moved to Africa and became Silly Serpent in 1979. In the Orient, Beetle Bumps was added in 1979 and Pony Promenade was added to Americana in 1982. As a comparison, at it’s peak in 1982 Scandinavia was home to three total kiddie rides.
Zipline at Half Pint's Peak
And the 1986 map, which was the last to show both Half Pint's Peak and Humpty's Haven.
The 1986 season would be the last for Humpty’s Haven and Half Pint’s Peak. In 1987 Pandamonium would open in Americana replacing the Aerodrome and would be the first “centrally located” kiddie area in the park. In our next blog we will look at how the park’s focus on children’s ares and rides changed yet still in many ways remained the same for the next decade. However, there is no doubt that Scandinavia’s legacy as hosting the first centralized kiddie area in the park continues to this day.
