For the 2025 Opening Day I completed a 25 day countdown using the first 25 seasons of the 21st century. It turned out to be far more popular than I expected it to be. For that reason I asked if anyone wanted it converted to a blog.The response was in the affirmative, so I immediately moved forward with the task. It took me far longer than I expected, and was way more work than I expected but it's now completed. Due to its extreme length I have broken it into two separate posts. The first post will be today, the second will be one week from today.

A couple of comments. First, I have copied all the text directly from Facebook, where the countdown occurred into the blog, that means any grammar errors, are retained. Second, every single photo was taken by either Jeff Mast or myself (Jennifer Lovesee-Mast), and was taken the year it is posted under. For example any photos under 2004, were taken in the 2004 season, this is true for every year in this blog. Having the dates and years photos were taken is simply because worldsoffun.org has been in existence since 1997, and thanks to that we have photographic records with dates, going back to that point.

2000: (April 8th)

Today we start our 25 day countdown for the 2025 season. For this season we are counting down using the 25 seasons from 2000-2024. For day one we look at 2000! Appropriately enough today, April 8th is also the 25th anniversary of the 2000 addition, Boomerang.

Manufactured by Venom International, Boomerang is one of over 50 nearly identical Boomerang clones. Today, WoF's Boomerang is the second oldest, full size steel coaster in the park, and only the second steel coaster to reach its 25th anniversary.

All photos are from the 2000 season and were taken by either Jeff Mast or Jennifer Lovesee-Mast

I should explain this. This was taken April 2000, they had disassembled Zulu for the off season but it didn't get reassembled and running until sometime in the summer.

2001: (April 9th)

Today we continue our countdown to opening day with a look at the 2001 season! The 2001 season opened on April 7th and featured the Camp Snoopy "expansion" or modification of the prior Berenstain Bear County. Photos below are all from the 2001 season and are a general overall look at the park from that year. Photos by Jeff Mast and Jennifer Lovesee-Mast

Camp Snoopy would be the lead new addition for the 2001 season.

Camp Bus

Like Zulu the prior year, Octopus would be in pieces on opening day this year, along with Bamboozler.

This was one of my favorite stand signs, it was located next to Country Junction.

Python Plunge would have last operated in 1999, but would still be standing at the beginning of the 2001 season.

Taxi's with the water tanker.

The "new" Campground Theater otherwise known as the Bear Country Museum or originally Flying Circus Theater.

Beagle Bay Outfitters in Camp Snoopy.

Moroccan Merchant

Norseman's Niceties in Scandinavia.

Calamity Games or Timber Wolf Games (today it's used for Haunt)

2001 would be the last season for Omegatron

Mamba with its logo-less 3rd train

The Orient with those strange ancient devices known as payphone

A look back down the Orient Express queue line. The same light poles you can see in this photo were re-used in the Spinning Dragons queue line.

Europa with all its trees, most of these are gone today.

2002: (April 10th)

We are 23 days out from opening day! Today for our countdown we take a look at the 2002 season! Headlining the season was the new ride replacing Omegatron, Thunderhawk!

The old dolphin pool/Aquatic arena would be fenced in for the next two seasons.

Python Plunge is removed but its old supports, queue line and splash down area remained. This would become the site for Camp Gonna Gotcha in 2004.

This would be the last season for Big Time Studios on Beat Street, in 2003 this would become home to WoF's first haunt, Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns.

New Funtier and Bicentennial Square would receive new brighter colors this year.

The Topiary liberty bell would have only one more season out in the park before it was abandoned for nearly 15 years.

Outa Sync was a new street band that performed throughout the park.

Rockin' the House at Tivoli

2003: (April 11th)

Welcome back to to our WOF Opening Day Countdown. We interrupt these WOF photos with the new for 2003 attraction, Paradise Falls at Oceans of Fun! The rest of the photos are also from 2003, and were taken at night in July (back when the park used to be open until midnight on Saturdays). The last photo is from the Orient Express entrance, as 2003 would be the last season that Express would operate, sort of. It spent more time down than operational as the photo can attest.

Paradise Falls under construction

Baltic Bazaar was original to the park but would be removed after the 2016 season to make way for the new park gate.

If you notice Sea Dragon still has its crows nest.

2004: (April 12th)

We continue our opening day countdown with 21 days until opening day! Today we look at the 2004 season which introduced the Gerstlauer Spinning coaster known as Spinning Dragons. Only the second of such coasters to open it would reside on the land previously occupied by the dolphin pool/aquatic arena and would use portions of that structure as part of its queue line (even today!). 2004 was also the last season of the Obarka's Fowl Play show at Country Junction. They would return to the park in 2023. All photos are taken from the 2004 season.

Many then and today believe that Spinning Dragons replaced Orient Express and it did not, the two rides in no way would have overlapped each other and it is believed the plan was to allow them to overlap for atleast a season or two originally.

Spinning Dragons did not open on Opening Day of Worlds of Fun and was the first coaster in park history to NOT open on Opening Day. It would open two weeks later on April 17th.

2005: (April 13th)

Countdown continues with 20 days out, and look at 2005! 2005 is an odd year for us atleast, as unlike all the other years where we have tons and tons of photos, for 2005 we don't, or atleast not anymore. Back about 15 years ago we had a server crash that caused us to lose almost all our 2005 photos, leaving us with only those that were on the website server (not good quality as you will see). The "big" new addition for 2005 was in Camp Snoopy with the addition of Peanut's Playhouse.

Peanut's Playhouse didn't open on opening day, this is what it looked like then.

And this...

I'm throwing this one in here to prove that some things have gotten better. The floral clock was removed around 1997, and in 2005 the previous area occupied by the floral clock looked like this...and doesn't anymore. Or atleast I hope it doesn't.

2006: (April 14th)

19 Days to Opening Day! Today we look at 2006, which saw the opening of Patriot on April 8, 2006. All the top brass showed up for the opening including Cedar Fair CEO Dick Kinzel, and CFO Jack Falfas. Man of us fans gathered for breakfast at the Falcon's Diner at Ameristar Casino prior to the opening, and Dick Kinzel would end up buying us all breakfast!

Patriot as seen from the parking lot on opening day

Ribbon Cutting for Patriot, featuring from left to right: Dick Kinzel, Phil Bender, Chris Ozimek and Nick Guevel. We still have a portion of this ribbon in our collection.

The back walkway (otherwise known as the old Victrix entrance) was still open for those avoiding the crowds.

Back in 2006 there was still a spring (opening day) show at Moulin Rouge, for this season it was I Love Rockin' Roll.

2007: (April 15th)

18 Days until Opening Day and today we have 2007! There were no major additions to either Worlds of Fun or Oceans of Fun for 2007 but one major change did happen and that was the switch from the traditional Partridge font logo to the Cedar Fair-generic impact font that is still used today. Another change that occurred to Worlds of Fun in 2007 was the switch from Rangoon Refresher to Panda Express in the Orient. Tivoli would still be home to a summer show for five more seasons, and in 2007 it was known as "Gotta Dance".

2008: (April 16th)

17 Days to Opening Day! Today we look at 2008, like 2007 not the most exciting season, there were once again no major capital improvements. There were lots of minor changes, and 2008 saw the brief reintroduction of the Concert Series at Heart of America Theater and Oktoberfest!

Many of us remember the Prowler teasers from summer/fall 2008

There used to be an old platform at the entrance to the Yumma Yucca Mesa turn around. It was used back when they originally performed train robbery skits. It was removed after the 2008 season.

Cinnabon, and I learned something new about Cinnabon. The creator of Cinnabon originally wanted to franchise TJ Cinammons (based in KC, MO), but the owners didn't agree with the terms so Cinnabon was created as a competitor.

Boomerang's entrance would be re-located to its current location in 2008

2008 saw the modification of Big Game Hunt to Shooting Gallery.

The old look of Fjord Fjarlane, it would be updated with the new gate in 2017.

The old Scandi Skees arcade, it would be modified into Plaza Gifts in 2012

2009: (April 17th)

16 Days to Opening Day! Today in our countdown we look at 2009, which saw the introduction of Prowler, the last of what I call the "Coaster Decade" during which five new coasters premiered between 1998-2009. Also in 2009 Worlds of Fun would host the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) Coaster Con along with Silver Dollar City. It was also one of the hottest events I have ever attended!

This photo is impossible to take anymore due to the tree growth, it was taken from the exit of Prowler.

Worlds of Fun experimented with antique cars from other parks from a few seasons, but these (I thin from Geauga Lake) would often stall out on the hills.

This is an interesting photo taken by Jeff, it's the old train mule, a diesel "Tug boat" for Eli. You can also see one of the abandoned coaches just behind it. We believe this was all scrapped when they re-did the entire main gate back in 2016-2017.

The very first WoF history exhibit premiered during Coaster Con in 2009!

You can see the Orient Express track piece pre-chop (it was chopped in two because it was just super long), this is the same track that was on display in the 50th history exhibit.

2010: (April 18th)

15 Days to Opening Day! Today we look at the 2010 season, which was now 15 years ago! The big capital expenditure for the season was Snoopy's Hot Summer lights which ran from Europa to Africa. It was an awesome light display with music and glow characters that would only run for 3-4 seasons.

The old Scandinavian entrance, like it or love it, or hate it.

Added in 1979 the sunken fountain was a fixture of Americana until it was updated in 2018.

Lumberjack Snack's next to Timber Wolf's old exit.

I wish I could just scrub this moment from existence but in 2010 someone had the brilliant idea to re-name Congo Clearing to Junkyard Burgers.

Someone went all out shining Eli's brass for this opening day...

British Invasion was the spring show at Moulin Rouge.

2011: (April 19th)

2 weeks or 14 days until Opening Day! Today on our countdown we look at 2011. The major update for 2011 was the conversion of Camp Snoopy to Planet Snoopy, and on opening day Planet Snoopy was still very much under construction. Also added in 2011 was Grand Carrousel relocated from the recently defunct Geauga Lake.

Opening Day April 16, 2011

Construction of Planet Snoopy as seen on opening day April 16, 2011

One of the last, if not the last view from this stage from April 16, 2011

The stage of the Heart of America Theater/Forum would be demolished within a few days of this being taken.

The carousel building for Grand Carrousel on opening day April 16, 2011

The foundation for the Grand Carrousel 5/01/2011

A footer for the Kamikaze Kurve on Orient Express taken from the carousel building.

I loved this bench I have no idea what happened to it?

On May 1st the Heart of America Theater would look like this...

Grand Carrousel Grand Opening on May 28, 2011

Planet Snoopy Grand Opening May 28, 2011.

2012: (April 20th)

Continuing our countdown to Opening Day we have 13 days left! Today we look at 2012, and like a few of the prior seasons there was no major investment but several smaller changes. 2012 saw the change of Scandi Skies to Plaza Gifts in Scandinavia, Wacky Worm would become Cosmic Coaster and Junkyard Burgers (previously Congo Clearing) would become what it is known as today G'rlla Grill. 2012 also saw the introduction of a popular duo of roaming characters, Phileas Fogg and Nellie Bly (played by Adam Hoffmann and Cassie Reader). In a bit of sad news, 2012 was also the very first season that did not host a Tivoli Music Hall summer show.