Sunday, February 21, 2010

Where Am I?

For the last 48 hours I have been scanning, scanning, scanning... for the next probably year of blog updates. It should be good, and I am pretty excited. While I have been working I stumbled along a photo that took me probably 24 hours, and about three different attempts to finally identify. Instead of just throwing the photo out there, and saying well here is "blank", I thought it would be much more fun to play a little "what am I". I am sorry to say I have nothing to give the 9th caller with the right answer.

So here we are... one hint, pay attention to what is in the background.

If you think you know... leave a comment below.

Jennifer

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Club Blood

Schedule? What Schedule? Exactly.

So to hold everyone over once more for the next 60 days we thought we might keep everyone entertained by some photos of a vampire lair, shot in the middle of the day. On closing day for last season, Jeff got a chance to voyage in to the Lore of the Vampire's new lounge in the Orient Expr... oops Club Blood, found amazingly, in an abandoned Subway Station. Even more amazing, this subway station seems to bear an amazingly resemblance to a roller coaster tunnel.

Okay, okay all sarcasm aside. Truly, we were pretty impressed with the theming in this re-vamped area of Lore of the Vampire (no pun intented).

For more photos visit our Facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/y9nhmwt

So here's a look inside, in the daylight.

Starting the drop into the tunnel, looks like a normal New York City subway station to me!


At the bottom of the steps we begin our walk through the underworld...


I really like the sign on the wall to the right, UBB, United Blood Bank of Kansas City. Nice. Does it seem to be similar to another bank in Kansas City?


I am a fan of the details, so I love this sign too.


Sometimes Graffitti can be cool all by itself. Some talented work here.


Uh oh, we have reached the entrance to Club Blood. Should I be worried?

Not terribly scary, but I like the detail of the archway.

Who knew that a Vampire Nightclub would have an actual bar? I never realized it, but I guess you could really buy drinks here. What's on the menu? Type A, AB and O. Ohhhhhh.


The err... Lounge area. While we went through Vampire characters were doing a little pole dancing. I still don't know how I feel about that...


A reverse look


Not really sure whats supposed to be going on here. It looks like a barber's chair, and that doesn't sound fun when dealing with vampires.

Here is another look, maybe looks like some kind of blood donation room? Yikes I hope the donors are paid well.

Panoramic Photos

Wow an update! I would never leave everyone hanging on forever with nothing to show for it. It's been a fun off season, lots of snow. :) So to keep you all warm I figured I would post a few photos from the end of last season. Remember... temperatures in the 60's? Sunny, no snow... Yes folks we will see that once again. Here is living proof.

To start us off I wanted to post a few of Jeff's panorama photos. The photos themselves were taken on the last day of the season last year, and then stitched together to form a long 180 degree panoramic look. Be sure to click on each photo for the full size version!

First, here is The Orient section.

This is my favorite, it shows the Americana section and entrance into the Orient. I love it for its fall colors.


Last, the Scandinavia section. As a stitched together photo it doesn't entirely show the curve that the group of shops actually have, but still an interesting photo.


Hope you enjoyed! See you all in 61 days! As always I am always open to ideas you would like to see here or on the website. Please feel free to leave comments.

Jennifer

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Worlds of Fun Scavenger Hunt

For all those that consider themselves Worlds of Fun experts... I give you the 2009 ACE Coaster Con Worlds of Fun Scavenger Hunt! Every photo below was taken at the park (this June 2009) and is in visible sight in a non-restricted area. They range from easy, to down right impossible (there are two that no one figured out!) I will post the answers in one week.

You will have to click on the images below to see them full size.

Page 1: Download for printing as a PDF http://www.worldsoffun.org/huntpage1.pdf

Page 2: Download for printing as a PDF http://www.worldsoffun.org/huntpage2.pdf

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Worlds of Fun History Exhibit

Wow, its been forever since I have posted a blog entry! I promise I will be better next time. It took quite a while to prepare for Coaster Con and I think I am just now recovering from it. I needed a vacation from my "vacation". It was lots of fun, probably even better then I thought it was going to even be (despite the 100 degree temps!) I have been wanting for sometime to review in this blog two major parts of the Worlds of Fun portion of Con that I personally was involved with. One, will be the Worlds of Fun history museum and the second will be the Worlds of Fun scavenger hunt.

First though I will start with the Worlds of Fun History museum, gallery, whatever we called it. I knew about three or four years ago when we first started planning for coaster con that I wanted to do some kind of WOF history gallery, it was a dream of mine. Truthfully my ultimate goal was not realized, I had wanted to pull out the cars from the EXT stand-up. With time running out, my sanity running out, and Jeff's rebelling against my ever growing agenda, Well truthfully it would have taken an act of god for those miserable, heavy cars to be moved anywhere.

Overall though we were able to include a lot of memorabilia, parts, maps and items that most visitors had never seen, or hadn't seen for many years previous. It was a great success, but before I continue with the photos I need to thank those that took time from their work schedule, school schedule and fun schedule and helped Jeff and I set up the entire exhibit.

I especially want to thank Bill and Anita Valliant, Rayne and Mike Etherton, Todd Swetnam and John Allen, all ACE Members who spent several hours dealing with gigantic pieces of scrap steel, digital movie files that wouldn't play, easel kits that didn't come with all pieces included, and 100 degree temperatures, sprinkled lightly with heavy thunderstorms. Without your help none of what comes next come have been accomplished.

I also want to thank Brandon Stanley of Worlds of Fun for helping finding a place in the park for such exhibit, and providing quite possibly the largest collection of park historical photos in existence.

Now I am going to really start sounding like the Academy Awards, but I also want to thank a few park staff members for their help and/or loan of specific items. I want to thank Matt Steere of park merchandising, Sal Tarentino of Park Operations and Phil Plack for their assistance as well.

For those that missed it our little "exhibit" was hosted during ACE Coaster Con XXXII on Wednesday and Thursday, June 23rd and June 24th. at the All Stars Grill, it was open for all park guests.

So on with the photos!

I wanted to start things off for the exhibit with a time line of park history. I lifted this directly from Epcot's 25th Anniversary exhibit timeline. However, it did turn our very nice, and exceeded even my expectations.

Behind this photo you will see our video screen that we projected old video from the park including rare footage of the EXT as a stand up and the Timber Wolf promo video. It also included various footage of the Zambezi Zinger and Orient Express.

Here is a little bit of an alternate view.


When we showed up early Wednesday afternoon for set up I had previously made some plans for set up, but not knowing (or more or less not realizing) the implications of the projector and its path, I had to come up with a new layout. Moving twenty or so tables wasn't in my plan either. Again thanks to all my volunteers! I ended up with a u-shape layout following park history. Here is at the beginning, From left to right, A Fairyland map, my postcard collection (in the binder), Schussboomer wheel (with fact card behind it), 1973 souvenir map, and Zinger footer. Click on the photo for a larger version.

This is the rarest item in the exhibit, the Zinger frontal profile (or blueprint). It was hard to photograph as the window shade had to be drawn for details to be viewable to guests, but caused so much glare that well you can see what I mean. The original blueprint was not originally laminated. I had it laminated when I was in college to protect the paper which was starting to fall apart at that time.

The Cotton Blossom Collection. My goal with this exhibit was to showcase the major attractions at the park that are no longer there.

Moving along is the "1976" portion of the exhibit, first though from left to right is my "KC Star" binder, for the last 12-13 years I have been collecting newspaper articles on Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun from 1971 to today. Above that is the 1976 map, the EXT uniform, Screamroller/EXT foot pedal (for unlocking shoulder harnesses). I have no idea how Jeff got that one!

Next to that is the data card (with photos) and a construction photo laying on the table. I love that you can see the bottom of the drop from Voyager in this photo!

Same thing as above, different view.

Lots of stuff to see! Moving from left to right, 1977 map, binder of brochures through the years, then we move on to the ode to Orient Express :) The large photo is one of the few items that was on loan from Sal Tarentino of the Operations Dept. If you blow up this photo (by clicking on it) you will notice just how rare this photo is as it shows the Express with the earlier Silver stripe, the BETTER color from Jeff's point of view. I still don't get it (gold, silver, does it really matter?)

Next to that is about a two foot length of Express track, this was one of the side rails, and we are betting that it is from the helix as the track tie (on the very far end of the track piece) is a newer addition. You can still see on the right side of the track the black stripe caused from the wheels rubbing the paint off the track. Directly to the right is a piece of chain link, from the chain lift, and properly enough next to the chain link is a piece of the anti-rollback trough.

Let me explain what a anti-rollback trough is for those that are not familiar. When most coaster trains make their journey up the lift hill they are pulled up by a large steel chain (hence the chain link). In case the chain should break, there is a safety back-up to keep the train from rolling back down the lift. Each train has a "tooth" on the bottom of the train itself, (in the case of Express it had two) that click clack's up the hill, as it engages with the anti-rollback trough right below it. Should the train stop the "tooth" or chain dog engages with the trough, stopped it exactly where it is.

Boring? Most people already know that, but hey maybe, just maybe there was someone who didn't so I had to explain. That's just me! Moving on. We have several Express photos behind the steel pieces. Just behind that are a few late additions to the collection, a few recent park case maps that Jeff and I won in an auction held earlier the day previous.



Turning the "U" we move into the 90's, we have a 1989 souvenir map (remember that "wardrobe malfunction" with the easel?). Just beyond that is a large stack of wood, it actually is from the Ravine at Holiday World. I used it here as an example of wood coaster track construction, which I explain in the sign sitting on top of the wood stack. Again to read click on the photo for a larger version.

Finally we have the latest Worlds of Fun history, Mamba. Here with our Mamba construction photo binders (both of them are construction photos of Mamba) and a Mamba nut. Also you can see a few more of those previously mentioned case maps.

So that's it. Obviously quite a bit has changed since Mamba, and while technically speaking Patriot's addition is "history" as is Prowler, the Halloween Haunt, etc. I was limited by time. What you see was put together from a mish mash in about a two to three week period. I hope everyone enjoyed the presentation who visited during Coaster Con. For those that didn't have that option I hope you have enjoyed the photos.

I will be updating soon with the scavenger hunt, look for it soon!

See you all in the park.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Yumma Yucca Mesa No More

A few days ago we broke the sad news that Yumma Yucca Mesa, the old Wild West town located near Prowler was completely demolished by the park. While it is true that one of the buildings had practically self-demolished thanks to a bad wind storm the previous season, the rest of the buildings were still standing and we believe could have been restored. As Worlds of Fun is now open weekdays, Jeff had a chance to head out to Yumma Yucca Mesa on Monday to take some photos of the deserted area. For those that would like to read more about Yumma Yucca Mesa I have also wrote a tribute to it here: http://www.worldsoffun.org/community/edit.asp?ID=23

Here is the new look going into the train turn around, directly to the right would have been the water tower, and in the center are some patches of dirt where buildings once stood.

Here are the supports from the water tower.

And for a blast from the past, the water tower that once stood in the locations we just saw above. This was an actual water tower used to fill the train with water during stops in the turn around.

We all remember this view, the one building that was blown over late in the 2008 season.


Here is the spot cleared of the remains of the building. Amazingly when we took a look at the building when we were out there earlier this year shooting Prowler construction photos it was much more structurally sound then we originally assumed. It could not be pushed over by just simple human force, though Brandon tried! :)

A look at the once more structurally sound buildings.

And another look. The graveyard was added a few years back during Halloween Haunt/Halloweekends.


Here is the area now, completely devoid of any buildings.

Here is a look at where the "train platform" was located. This was seen on the way into the train turn around.

If you look closely you can still see the one remaining building from Yumma Yucca Mesa. Its the dug out and is built into the side of the hill.

No this is not a photo of Yumma Yucca Mesa, its from Bone town at Cedar Point. I am showing a few photos from Cedar Point as it makes two points. Number one, if these type of scenes arn't important when there are coasters to look at why would Cedar Point, the park with the MOST coasters in the country still keep their old west town up to date, maintained, and more important standing? Number two, its all in the simple things, I don't think any park should lose sight of that.

Here is a look at a few skeletons from the set up at Cedar Point, it doesn't cost much to do this, and it gives riders something to look at!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Orient Express and Extremeroller Videos!

Well it's been awhile and since I have been away, Worlds of Fun has opened for the season and so has Prowler. What an amazing ride! Tune in soon for an official review with photos provided by our world-class photographer, Jeffrey Mast.

On a sad note with Prowler coming in, one attraction has come to a end, one that has been with us for many years. Yumma Yucca Mesa. As it is park policy to not allow photos from the train I don't have any photos to share with you at this moment. However, again that will be changing so check back soon.

What I do have though is something I have been waiting many years to share with you. For almost the past 7-8 years Jeff and I have had in our possession two rare videos. One featuring the EXT or Extremeroller as a stand-up coaster, and the other being the VHS from Coaster Con XVI, hosted right here at Worlds of Fun in 1993. The video features views of the two classic Worlds of Fun coasters of Zambezi Zinger and Orient Express.

Before we get to them though bringing these videos to you has not been a one man or one man and one woman show. Most important credit goes to Robert Reagan, a fellow ACE member, who back in 1984 took a brick of a video camera with him on the country's first stand up coaster. Without his foresight I believe we would not have to look back at Worlds of Fun's staring role in Amusement Park history.

Second, credit should also be give to Ben Matson who helped us tremendously by digitizing all the VHS copies so we could bring them to you.

Last, please before watching be aware that these videos are in atleast Extremeroller's case twenty five years old! The quality is not the world's greatest, but as these coaster don't exist, and certainly in the case of EXT no other video that I am aware of exists, the uniqueness should be taken into consideration.

So with all parties properly thanked please pull down on your harness, ensure that it is locked and away we go!

1984 Extremeroller






Orient Express Station and On-Ride from 1993