Great Times, Greater Thrills: Zulu turns 46!

 

The quintessential Zulu from 1999, it was still a youngster than at 20 years old!

  

In 2025, Zulu is due to turn 46 years old, making it the 9th-oldest operating ride at the park*.  For the last few years, there have been concerns over its removal, as many parks across the country remove their aged Huss and Schwarkzkopf Enterprise rides, to note Zulu is a Huss Enterprise model. Huss, the ride’s manufacturer, no longer makes its Enterprise model (and Schwarzkopf doesn’t even exist) so costs to maintain these types of rides have skyrocketed as parts can either only come from another scrapped ride, or machined. In a way, that's how Worlds of Fun lost Octopus (an Eyerly Monster ride) a decade ago, in a “switcharoo” with another Cedar Fair park that had a Eyerly Monster ride, and also a Huss Enterprise. They removed their Enterprise, Worlds of Fun got the parts, and the other park got Octopus to use for its parts. Thankfully, it appears Zulu has not only received a reprieve, but has in recent years been updated, and for the 2025 season will receive its first major color change in its 46 years of operation. 

Concept art showing the African section of the park, but with an Arrow corkscrew and train station!

So, time for a trip back to the 1970’s. Prior to Zulu’s addition in 1979, Worlds of Fun had been looking for ways to “plus” that section of Africa for a few years. The Safari, one of the park’s original rides, was located in that section of Africa, about where Prowler Plaza is today. But Zulu wasn’t Worlds of Fun’s first plan. No, according to Randall Duell’s concept art (shown at the 50th anniversary history exhibit), Worlds of Fun actually looked first to adding an Arrow Development Corkscrew, a second train depot, along with possibly a Schwarzkopf Bayern Kurve ride-  all located behind Safari (where Prowler’s lift hill and drop are now). For unknown reasons that plan was dropped and the Corkscrew would become Screamroller in Americana in 1976. In 1979, after the removal of the short-lived Safari ride, the stage would be set for Zulu… 

At that time, I was only 2 years old; many reading this were not even born, while some were old enough to actually be working at the park at the time. Generation X was still being born, and in most cases were experiencing childhood- instead of today’s iphones and ipads for Christmas, we had Atari's and Speak and Spells- the epitome of technology at the time. Living rooms were covered in shag carpet, with orange, avocado green and brown furniture, and in many cases, fake wooden paneling. Lots of wooden paneling. In world news, 1979 is most often recalled for the Iranian revolution, (which led to the Islamic Republic that it is today), oil shortages, and the Iranian hostage situation. 

You can see the W. Germany (or West Germany) designation of its manufacturer plate here. This was only taken a few years ago.  Taken by Jennifer Lovesee-Mast

World history leaked into Worlds of Fun history too, with Zulu. If you take a good look at the lift arm of Zulu, you can see the Huss Manufacturing logo, which still lists its manufacturing country as West Germany. For those youngsters who may not know, that's not referring to a geographical location but a literal, real country name, with countries East Germany and West Germany being separated by the “iron curtain” until 1991.  

The 1978 souvenir map, no Zulu

The 1979 souvenir map, WITH Zulu. 

1979 came on the heels of a successful 1978 season, with a reported 1.26 million visitors (4,000 less than 1977), with over 60% being attributed to visitors from out of town. Following the blueprint of the prior seasons, the park looked at expansions for a wide variety of guests, and included the Beetle Bumps kiddie ride in the Orient (removed in 2022), Le Carrousel in Europa (removed after 2016), Wing Ding, relocated from Fairyland and the park’s shortest lived ride (removed only two seasons later), and finally, the last survivor from the 1979 expansion, Zulu. 

Newspaper article from the KC Star announcing the 1979 ride addition line-up including Zulu

Zulu, along with the relocated Silly Serpent (Funicular), would bring a revitalization to the African section, replacing-  as previously mentioned-  The Safari ride, with Zulu going so far as to re-use the Safari’s queue house. And for 46  years… that’s where Zulu would stay. Unlike its other 1970’s still-existing expansion flat ride, Bamboozler, (which has moved twice and had three different names), Zulu still sits in exactly the same spot, with exactly the same name, and pretty much the same appearance for nearly five decades. A plethora of rides have come and gone around it — the original Zambezi Zinger, Silly Serpent, Python Plunge, and now Prowler — but Zulu hasn’t changed. And that I think is why many Worlds of Fun fans, and even those who are not even fans of the park, love Zulu. 

Looking at Zulu from most likely the Zinger lift hill. You can see Silly Serpent in front of Zulu. This was taken probably around 1987. Taken by Jeff Mast. 

But really, its history is only the beginning of its story, because with 46 years of existence Zulu has so many stories to tell. A while ago, I put out a request for personal remembrances of Zulu and was shocked by the response- over a hundred replies and counting.

Early 1979-1980 photo of Zulu where you can still see the black painted shields on the roofs of each car. That was about the only cosmetic change Zulu has had until this season. Taken by Jeff Mast

Most responses revolved around a central theme, their love for Zulu: “I love the Zulu”, “This was one of my favorite rides”, “I liked Zulu”, “I absolutely love this thing!”.  An anecdotal story that backs up this detail is that Zulu appeared quite popular with attendees during last year’s ACE Preservation Con; I never saw it sitting still waiting for riders. The best comment that sums this all up neatly was made by Murthy Mathiprakasam: “The Zulu is the epitome of the Worlds of Fun ride experience.”

Zulu 1980's most likely (from a postcard)

This one might look very similar but it was taken nearly 40 years after the photo above it. Taken by Jeff Mast/Jennifer Lovesee-Mast (meaning we don't know which one took it!). 

Probably one of my favorite features of Zulu though, showed up in a number of comments which is not the ride experience, but the ride’s appearance. From the very beginning, Zulu has lit up its section of Africa like the jewel it is. Ian Brisco commented:  “Zulu makes that section of the park gorgeous, Hope it stays” and Greg Nuse commented that:  “The ride is a staple of the park and absolutely beautiful at night. I love these rides in general but this one feels special somehow..”  I think Greg's comment hits the nail on the head.  Zulu, I think, IS special because it's a reminder, a holdover, if you will, from a different time. Like that beloved antique Christmas ornament, still sparkling and beautiful today, but even more beautiful because of all the memories associated with it. 

Then there are the ride experiences— and man are there a lot of stories there, too. One aspect of Zulu, which it shared with the original Zambezi Zinger, to which John Talbot commented:

Hanging out in the cabin together on Zulu taken by Jeff Mast/Jennifer Lovesee-Mast 

 “It’s interesting that nobody mentioned the social aspect of the ride - the Zulu  and the Zinger were the two rides at the park that encouraged teens on dates to snuggle up as a matter of necessity. It was a great ice-breaker for shy kids. As with the Zinger, I'll bet there are a few old married couples around the KC area who had their first real physical contact while riding the Zulu”. 

Zulu 1999, loading, taken by Jennifer Lovesee-Mast

Many came back to respond to John's comments including one from Kathleen Jones, where she comments: “so fun sitting in front of your sweetie acting scared so he’d hold you extra tight”. It's an aspect that was lost with the original Zinger, so the fact that it still exists on Zulu should encourage its continued operation.

Taken in 1979/1980 by Jeff Mast

An on-ride photo when they were allowed, taken 1979/1980 by Jeff Mast

Of course there is the flip side to Zulu, no mistaking it's a thrilling ride and there is a reason there is a bathroom across the midway from it. Jenn Marie commented that:  “The Zulu is the first and only ride I've ever gotten sick on.” And then there are the Ambassador memories of cleaning up afterwards — on Zulu it was a real mess — as guests would frequently stick their heads out, creating a “path of breadcrumbs” to be cleaned up after the fact. But that doesn’t make it a bad ride; that just means it's still a truly great ride, in my opinion.

Taken by Jennifer Lovesee-Mast

Other Zulu riders agree. Susan Tayor commented:  “Oh no, my 11 and 15 year olds just got the courage to ride it this year and loved it!”  Stefanie Moser Throm commented that:  “The Zulu was my first ‘big kid' ride and I rode it with my sister and brother-in-law. My brother-in-law made jokes and commentary the whole ride to keep me from freaking out. I always think of that everytime I ride it now.”  It’s a right of passage, like many other thrillers that have come and gone over the years. 

Zulu's ride cabins being painted, photo by Worlds of Fun

For the first time in 46 years Zulu will have a new color scheme! Photo by Worlds of Fun

As we stand on the precipice of the park’s 53rd season (52nd year), thanks to Worlds of Fun we now have a little insight into what the season will hold- but opening day is always a bit of a surprise like Christmas day, for me at least. Many long time fans are breathing a sigh of relief, Zulu is safe, for now, as are its 46 years of past and future memorie. Parents can still bring their kids, and now grandkids, to ride this thriller they first rode themselves as teenagers. And that- for anyone paying attention- is priceless. Back in 2019, I wrote a blog where I jokingly stated that no ride was immortal except for Zulu, which actually now is. Maybe I was on to something there.

*The top ten oldest rides at Worlds of Fun

1-6: Worlds of Fun Railroad, Scandi Scrambler, Flying Dutchman, Le Taxitour, Autobahn (Der Fender Bender), Viking Voyager - all introduced in 1973

7: Red Baron (1974)

8: Bamboozler (1977)

9. Zulu (1979)

10. Fjord Fjarlane (1982)