The 7 Wonders of Worlds (of Fun)

 A month or so ago discussion popped up on our Facebook group regarding the famous Worlds of Fun water tower, how it’s always been one of the iconic Worlds of Fun structures, and I thought it would be fun to create a “7 Wonders of the Worlds of Fun World”. So began the art of creating the list, defining the attractions that were historical AND iconic. Attractions that might not be the biggest or shiniest but we couldn’t imagine Worlds of Fun without, and that we look forward to seeing, and in one case only realize how important it is to our experience when it goes missing. You the reader may or may not agree with our list, and that’s fine,  disagreement here is all part of the fun.

And in no particular order:

THE Gorilla. 

African Animals: I’m not talking about real animals here, I am not even talking about my husband or those coasters that are named after wild animals either. No, I am talking about those fiberglass and topiary animals scattered throughout the African section.  

Hippo that was over by Zinger's station, circa 1999.

The oldest of these is the most easily identifiable, the black gorilla located by Gorilla Grill, which also shares its family tree with the crane over by the Fury of the Nile turntable. Both creatures “originated” with The Safari, a drive-yourself car ride, very similar to Le Taxi Tour, which only lasted until the 1978 season. The animals preceded even Worlds of Fun and were bought used from a miniature golf course! Originally, there was also a Hippo and Tiger but those both vanished following the 1999 season.

Fury of the Nile crane

The other animals are much more recent and those are the topiary Rhino, Giraffe, and Elephant also near Gorilla Grill that was added to the park by the park’s landscaping team in 2017.

Elephant Topiary circa 2020.

Due to the numerous photos and posts related to the gorilla at Worlds of Fun over the years, it should require no explanation as to why this virtual zoo belongs on this list, but you have to wonder… after all these years shouldn’t the gorilla finally get a name?!

Gertrude?

ELI/Worlds of Fun Railroad:

ELI out in Yumma Yucca Mesa.

This was a tough one. Not tough so much choosing ELI or the Worlds of Fun Railroad as a wonder of Worlds of Fun, or recognizing its value to the park, but difficult because it hasn’t been there for two full seasons. We all listen for the sound of the whistle, or its “chug chug chug” as it makes its way past Prowler, or up Taxi’s hill. But those sounds have been missing for a while and we all miss it.  

Jeff took this back when the "miniature" photo style was popular, I can't remember the exact year.

ELI and its supposed brother, LEVI are both Crown Metal engines, built to look like their 1800’s counterparts, but built in the early 1970s. Many see the propane tanks on the tender and think ELI isn’t a real steam engine, but appearances can be deceiving. Most Crown Metal engines DO burn propane but do so only to heat the water, to create steam, and it’s the steam that gives the engine its power. In essence, the propane has replaced the more traditional wood or coal. The fact that ELI is a steam engine has made it iconic to the park, and that’s pretty standard for the few parks that still operate steam engines. Cedar Point and its CP & LE Railway (Lake Erie), Kings Island’s KI and MV (Miami Valley), Railway, and then of course there are the two domestic Magic Kingdom Disney park’s which require zero explanation. The funny thing is… the Florida version of the Magic Kingdom railroad has been down and out about as long as Worlds of Fun’s has been. I still have faith that ELI will be back, with Worlds of Fun hope is and always will be strong.

ELI fresh with a re-paint in 2018.

Floral Clock:

Floral Clock from 1991, notice no date, that will be an important detail on the next photo.

There are two attractions on this list that while technically new, could also be argued to be “original”. Both the old and new versions of the floral clock are in the same location (Africa, but on the hillside by Moulin Rouge) and incredibly similar except that the new version is slightly larger. The original has many photos associated with it, and one of the earliest photos I remember ever finding of it online had a family complete with striped bell-bottom pants and other ’70’s attire! It also has many great stories, one of my favorites is that of a young Worlds of Fun landscaper that would go onto bigger and better places who strived to improve the park, and recalled that at one time the floral clock had a month and date in topiary letters and numbers too. By the time the young man worked at the park the daily changing of the date had been discontinued as part of budgetary cuts. He not only found the old number and letter molds but personally restarted the daily date changes himself and continued the tradition until he too left the park. The entire floral clock would vanish after the 1996 season. The small plot would go on to be remembered for its “You’re the King of the World!” High-Striker game, and a few picnic tables, though for many years the basic shape of the floral clock was still visible in the grass on the hillside.

Floral Clock from 1996, notice though it has the day's date on it (July 30), that's different than the 1991 posted above.

Everything changed in late 2017 when I received a Facebook message from a friend who told me the floral clock was coming back, at first I didn’t believe him, I had heard that line just a few times already. Then he sent me a photo of the actual construction work being done and I wanted to meltdown and cry. I think I did shed a few tears of happiness in the IKEA return lane, and yes it was such a memory I still remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I found out. Today, the floral clock is back at Worlds of Fun, right where it belongs, and hopefully, it will stay that way for many years to come. 

New Floral Clock, circa 2018

Front Street Fountains:

Old Front Street Fountain, not entirely sure on the year taken.

As the City of Fountains, it's unimaginable for a park to be located in Kansas City and NOT have a fountain, but that was the case until 1979. Before 1979 it wasn’t a sunken fountain it was the sunken garden… complete with a compass at the center. For the 1979 season, the fountain was introduced and remained there for almost 40 years, until it was replaced by today’s star fountain in 2018. Truth be told, if your family didn’t have a photo in front of the Floral Clock or African Gorilla you probably had one in front of the Americana fountain, like everything mentioned prior its iconic status is undeniable.

Close up on the old Front Street Fountain, from a Worlds of Fun postcard no exact date (1980's)

Of course, a big part of that is that it was originally part of the park’s main entrance, and the sunken fountain, for twenty years was the first and last thing most people saw when they entered and exited the park. Then there was of course the ‘if you or a member of your party have become lost or separated we recommend at this time that you meet at the sunken fountain located next to the main entrance to the park” (or in later years… next to the Grand Prix Raceway). An interesting aspect of all history is that sometimes though an object’s original purpose is long gone, its status created by that original purpose is retained. So true is the main gate long gone… but the Americana fountain still retains its original iconic status.  

New Front Street Fountain, Circa 2018.

Mamba:

Mamba at Sunset circa 1998.

In the HBO Mini-Series “John Adams” Benjamin Franklin commented that Col. George Washington was so tall he was bound to lead something at some point. So too with Mamba, which literally lords over the entire park and is almost destined by its sure size to be iconic. However, that’s not the whole story as there are far more coasters these days that are taller and faster and longer that DON’T carry the same status at their home parks that Mamba does at Worlds of Fun, and we may wonder why.

Mamba Plaza, notice the flags still hanging in the station!  Circa 1999.

I like to think that it all resides on the time for which Mamba debuted, which was during a period of drastic change for the park. Zinger and Express were both removed within five years of its introduction. Simply put, it not only had to be the biggest flashiest new attraction at the park, but it also had to fill the shoes of the many legacy attractions that were removed at the same time. Mamba amazingly accomplished that feat and has become beloved because it has for many, always been there.  

Mamba goes through its final camelback's, not entirely sure what year this was taken.

Today, those of us who were there when Mamba opened for the first time still love Mamba, but there is now also a whole new generation, and possibly now even two that don’t remember a Worlds of Fun without it. To further cement its iconic status Mamba is due in 2021 to tie with its cousin Orient Express in its number of years of operation (22 years) and the following year in 2022 match the operational years of Zinger.  

Mamba roars into the final brake run.  Circa 2020.

Torii Gate:

The old Torii Gate circa 1998.

The Torii Gate is unique in that like the Floral Clock there is the old version and the new version, but unlike the floral clock, they are located in two different spots. However, LIKE the floral clock fans have unanimously adopted the new version to be the equivalent or better than its predecessor. The original once stood at the division of Americana and Orient, about where the Coca-Cola Refresh is today. The official/unofficial explanation for its removal is that it blocked vehicle traffic in the park during non-operational hours. In 2019, the Torii Gate returned, on the opposite side of the Orient, on the S/O Bridge (Scandi/Orient), looking a great deal like the original though this one was designed so as not to impede traffic.  

The new Torii gate on the S/O Bridge circa 2019.

One of my favorite stories about the Torii Gate (and I am by far NOT the only one!) is the urban legend that tells ambassadors for all generations that it is bad luck to walk under the Torii Gate, Take it for what you want, but many past ambassadors even today refuse to walk under the new Torii gate for this very reason.

Water Tower/The Hot Air Balloons:

The Original Worlds of Fun Hot Air Balloon circa 1979

Yes, here it is. The ultimate wonder and icon of Worlds of Fun isn’t a ride, or even an attraction in the park at all, but is still absolutely, indisputably deserving of the title. That dang hot air balloon. Jack Steadman’s quote from 1971 pretty much says everything: “We chose the large, multicolored ascension balloon for our symbol because it represents fun, adventure and travel reminiscent of the movie “Around the World in 80 Days” These are the things we want Worlds of Fun to represent” Roberts, Joe (1971, Nov 11), “Gala Start to Fun World” Kansas City Times, p. 1a

The not-so-owned-by-Worlds of Fun, but still Worlds of Fun water tower.

I remember when I was a kid, back in the’80’s, and I lived in the Northland, every time I saw the water tower I knew I was near Worlds of Fun. I was surprised recently (and I guess I really shouldn’t have been) that I wasn’t the only one that thought that way. Back in 2007 Worlds of Fun did the unthinkable, they changed the official park logo from that iconic hot air balloon with partridge font for the first time in their 35+ year history at the time. Funny enough… it came back not long afterward, and the park even included a new version of the hot air balloon in the park’s new entrance in 2017. A fascinating detail about the balloon that a friend helped me realize is that of all the variations of the balloon out there, the water tower, the one at the park toll plaza, at the park gate, even the logo all share the same color pattern, yellow/blue, purple/pink and green/orange, every single one was designed and intended to look like the original park logo introduced now almost fifty years ago. One thing is true through it all, the hot air balloon and Worlds of Fun are unquestionably synonymous with each other. Thanks, Jack.  

And the new Worlds of Fun Balloon at the main gate circa 2017.