What's Old is New Again

Zambezi Zinger at Worlds of Fun

Back in 2017 I wrote a blog on how the park could bring back Zinger as a Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) Raptor track coaster, I never really expected it to happen, but that’s not the point. It’s fun to think about and maybe if we do more “let’s imagine if” we might someday have a “wow they did it!” Maybe.  

the RMC Raptor "Golden Lasso" Coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas

One thing that is 100% true with amusement park rides, with a lot of things actually, is what is old will at some point become new again. Case in point, wooden coasters have been built, relatively speaking, pretty much exactly how they were built almost 100 years ago. During the1980’s few wooden coasters were built as the new hotness in the coaster world was the STEEL coaster (hence Worlds of Fun added Orient Express). By the 1990s that trend was changing and hundreds of wooden coasters burst on the scene over the next decade. Case in point… Timber Wolf. Another good example, in the 1970’s Chance Rides introduced the Trabant Ride (Wobble Wheel) in the ’90’s they introduced an updated version, The Wipeout (Cyclone Sams), almost the same. I could go on and on and on on this, even just at Worlds of Fun but I think we can all agree on the concept. 

Sky Hi at Worlds of Fun going over Viking Voyager.

SO we have our dream of a Zinger Raptor coaster what’s next to dream up? And for all us WOF fangirls and boys this is when it finally pays to have a laundry list of awesome defunct rides.

The Bambusario Cable Car ride at Parque del Cafe.

Another look, the cars are very similar to the Skyliner cars at Walt Disney World.  Both attractions are manufactured by Doppelmayr.

Let’s Start with Sky Hi, or Ski Heis in Scandinavia, the aerial gondola ride that connected Scandinavia with Americana and gave guests a bird's eye view of the park (and some awesome photos that just can’t be replicated). Sky Hi was a Von Roll Sky Ride 101, and EVERY park had one at one time or another even Walt Disney World and Disneyland! As the story goes back in the summer of 1987 insurance adjustors came to Worlds of Fun and ended up condemning all but 6 cars on Sky Hi for surface rust. Many, if not most Von Roll Sky Rides share similar fates, and today there are only 11 left in the country, and Von Roll the parent company is gone right? RIGHT?! Nope. Von Roll was bought by Doppelmayr. If you are confused a bit by all the weird sounding names, yes that was a Swiss company (Von Roll) bought by an Austrian company (Doppelmayr). Doppelmayr went right on producing the ski lifts and cable cars that Von Roll was famous for but no one really thought about it as an amusement park ride anymore… Then what was old became new again. Disney World hired Doppelmayr to build a transportation system for them called Skyliner, and the moment it was announced the comparisons between it and its predecessor the Von Roll Sky Ride began. The summer before Skyliner’s introduction, Jeff and I had been down in South America to visit the REAL Zinger, and noticed that that park, Parque del Cafe operated not only a traditional Von Roll Sky Ride 101 but also had a new ride, a Doppelmayr Sky Ride waiting in the wings to open too. These two details made me think that if a park in South America can do it and Disney can do it, then sure Cedar Fair and Worlds of Fun could do it too. Let’s say Worlds of Fun for real would consider it (not likely), they would get A) A new ride B) A new family ride C) A throwback retro ride. All In One. A poster on Facebook, Chris Knight, also added to the perfect storm saying that the park would then have one-way FAMILY transportation from the International Plaza to Planet Snoopy, assuming they use the two original locations, or nearby.

The famous Kamikaze Kurve, or Boomerang element on Orient Express.  Orient Express was the first time this element was ever used on a roller coaster. 

So what’s next? Well, if we can re-build Zinger let’s re-build another coaster… Orient Express. Now while I am a proponent of building Zinger exactly or almost exactly how Zinger was, because let’s be honest that was (is) one frickin’ awesome little ride, Orient Express had its problems, twenty-eight of them exactly. Big black harnesses. That liked to hit rider's heads a lot. Plus, the manufacturer of Orient Express, Arrow Development is gone, and the company that bought it, S&S isn’t likely to re-build a coaster anywhere similar to Orient Express. But there is a direct descendant of Arrow Development/Dynamics that does, and its name has been 100% guaranteed to put a cringe on any coaster enthusiasts’ face for the last few decades, Vekoma. Vekoma International is a Dutch firm that started as the European distributor for Arrow. This is why, until recently that is, their coasters looked just like old Arrows. Boomerang at Worlds of Fun is a Vekoma for example. And for anyone who has ridden Boomerang, or one of the dreaded Vekoma SLC’s can attest, they are rough just like the old Arrows. They were rough that is until the last few years.  Recently, a new breed of Vekoma has begun appearing. Not in the United States, but Poland of all places. They are crazy, loopy monstrosities, just like the old Arrows. But with one very important difference. They are smooth. Imagine a new Orient Express, one that doesn’t give you a headache after a ride, maybe one that has a few new elements, a launch, but still incorporates all the classic elements of Orient Express. That first drop, the interlocking loops, the boomerang or Kamikaze Kurve, and it would be the first of the new breed of Vekoma’s in the United States too. To top it off they aren’t near as expensive as say a B&M or Intamin, at least not yet.  

Lech Coaster at Energylandia, by Vekoma.

Abyssus At Energylandia also by Vekoma.  Take a look at this one as it has a Boomerang element just like Express!  It has recently just tested: https://youtu.be/HXjMQ-_Amag

Like I mentioned above the timeline of Worlds of Fun’s history is LITTERED with rides and attractions that would be relatively easy to bring back but I think only a few that would have a big enough “bang for your buck” as both a nod to history and as an attraction that would be marketable to current audiences. For example, Safari would be easy but there aren’t that many people that remember it, it was only in the park for five years, and a coaster is sitting on part of its location too. There there are those that would be extremely difficult to bring back simply because so extremely few remain, and are no longer manufactured, Octopus and Finnish Fling fall into this category, same thing with Wing Ding and Omegatron.

Cotton Blossom from 1995.

One attraction Jeff and I disagree on, but he makes a good enough point that it's worthy of consideration is Cotton Blossom. Yeah, that big old model boat that was used in several MGM movies and commercials including “Show Boat”. My primary argument is that there is no way to bring the historical aspect of Cotton Blossom back, but I also have to wonder how many ever cared about its history, and just remember the big white boat that was such an icon you could almost see it anywhere in the park. How do you rebuild THAT?! Easy actually. If you look at Paddlefish at Disney Springs, it's a square building fancied up to look like an old paddlewheel boat, just like Cotton Blossom. The visual similarity to Cotton Blossom is undeniable, and before anyone goes… but that’s Disney…. It’s a building. And if the amusement industry had said that about Arrow, which did get its jump start with Disney, where would the amusement industry be? After all, Arrow built Matterhorn, and many other great Disney attractions before they built Orient Express and Screamroller.  

Paddlefish at Disney Springs, looks a little bit like Cotton Blossom, yes?

I am fairly sure everyone who has ever held a job has been told “think outside the box” but as I am sure most have also experienced… it never seems to be appreciated in reality. Still, I respect the honest desire behind the overused catchphrase, that to be successful you have to do something that is both unexpected but also the unspoken and sometimes unverbalized desire of the audience the company is trying to attract. While not every answer is in the past, I believe with the park’s history re-living a bit of the past, instead of destroying it, would be only a benefit to the park.  

A Haunted World

Editor's note: I wrote this about a year and a half ago in March 2019, and for some unknown reason I never published it.  I thought it would be a good time to do so now.   Please be aware I have made a few corrections but have mostly left the story as it was originally written.

An attraction I get asked quite a bit about is Haunted Theatre, which was located at the Tivoli Music Hall from 1985 until 1986.  It never fails to surprise me that for an attraction that lasted only two seasons, it hasn’t been so easily forgotten, and in fact in many ways has its own small cult following.  For me, I have never held any attachment to it, other than the fact that it is part of Worlds of Fun history. I don’t personally remember it in the slightest, and that is probably why I have not made any significant attempt to cover its history over the last 23 years.  I have only just recently started to realize how massive a slight I have given it.  A fascinating side note is that the first time I ever heard the name Haunted Theatre was in an old Rand McNally Kansas City atlas from 1994 that still mentioned Haunted Theatre as a current attraction!  I have a very good friend who remembers it, and my husband also does and since multitudes have asked for more information on it I figured I would give it my best shot.  I am hoping this blog will open up the memories of those that remember it well and who can share their own experiences with this short-lived, but no less memorable Worlds of Fun attraction.

“With a thundering last note from the organ, the house lights in the already gloomy theater fade to black.  In the half-light of the stage, two hunchbacked figures in filthy rags carry a pallet on which lies a skeleton with a stake protruding from its rib cage.  Approaching the bright red coffin that sits isolated in a pool of brightness they place the corpse inside. The two hulking gnomes pause a moment then reopen the casket, yank out the stake and stand back as the music swells and a Byronic figure in long sideburns, black riding boots, and short jacket emerges and surveys the audience with a disdainful smile.” (Robert, 1985).

That is how the world was introduced to an entirely new macabre experience.  A friend of mine who quite vividly remembers both seeing and being terrified of Haunted Theatre attests to the show starting by everything going dark.  My husband who also saw the show in his late teens, recalls two show openings, which initially involved two bantering skeletons, but was later changed to a large, back-lit floating skull that hovered over the audience just prior to the show start.

Designed by legendary illusionist Mark Wilson, the Haunted Theatre was the headline attraction for the 1985 season and part of the season’s 2.1 million expansion investment.  A component of Haunted Theatre included major renovations to the Tivoli Music Hall itself which involved painting the theater walls black along with several massive installations,  a  “long-abandoned Victorian-era theater”  stage proscenium* that measured 20 feet by 70 feet,  four major sets, mechanical gargoyles, and audio-animatronic characters.  Very little work was actually done in house, with settings designed by Hollywood designer Brian Bartholomew (responsible for sets on the 1984 Summer Olympics), and costuming by Pete Menefee (from the Shirley MacLaine TV specials), which rounded out the efforts of a total of 155 designers, painters, electricians and builders used to complete the project.

Overall the show attempted to capture the 1980’s version of terror, seen and heard today in the cult classics such as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Nightmare on Elm Street, but also walking the careful balance between entertainment and terror.  No one wanted screaming kids running out of the theater (though from second-hand experience that definitely did happen).

Haunted Theatre was hosted by a “monster of ceremonies” portrayed in1985 by Hollywood performer Vernon Willett.  The park hoping the character would be a memorable, slightly tantalizing, vampire host. Instead of the host though, most remember the elaborate magical routines.  Jeff describes it best as a magic show gone wrong, but one that was elaborately dressed up and suited for Hollywood. Ballroom dancing skeletons, a trip to a torture chamber where the host precariously balances on a floating sword and is then impaled,  a women passes through a glass mirror to exit as a walking skeleton instead, even a gigantic spider played a role at some point in Haunted Theatre’s run.  All the effects were relatively mild-mannered, and the show even had a few moments geared towards kids with a delightful dancing glowing skeletons set to “We’re gonna Getcha”.  Overall, Haunted Theatre was a massive undertaking on the park, and on its premiere, the park was already in early planning stages to lease the concept to parks across the country.

Mark Wilson stated to the Kansas City Star at its premiere that “right now the show is about 50 percent of what I want it to be” (Robert, 1985).  One has to wonder if it ever even came closer than the 100% that Mark had originally intended.  This is reflected in the other story I often hear when it comes to Haunted Theatre, in that it never quite worked exactly the way it seems to have been intended to, so much so that in 1986 the show was heavily modified, and then discontinued after the 1986 season returning the theater to its “singing and dancing extravaganza” a tradition that would continue until even those shows were discontinued after 2011.  Like so many aspects of Worlds of Fun in the 1980s, Haunted Theatre probably is most remembered for being both amazing and spectacular, but also a failure.  Amazing and Spectacular in the pure show quality realm, a failure in that it never seemed to reach the pinnacle the park had planned for it.

Robert, B. (1985, April 9). Ghoulish Pleasures: Haunted Theatre conjures up a blend of thrill and chill. Kansas City Star, p. 1B. 

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.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish!

Dolphin Arena under construction in 1972/73

When writing about Worlds of Fun history my focus over the years has been almost exclusively the rides, and there is still a mountain of information that has yet to be included in a blog entry.  However, I was recently asked about the park’s old dolphin show, known as Fins & Flippers and I have found recently that for many who experienced it it’s a show they have never forgotten, but for a whole new generation it’s a show that they never even experienced. So, let’s start with a bit of background.  Fins & Flippers was the park’s dolphin show and opened as one of the Orient section’s two original main attractions (the other being Oriental Octopus), and lasted until it was discontinued after the 1996 season. The duo of dolphins that performed changed frequently as did their human co-stars, but the basic premise never did. The dolphin stars would jump through hoops, launch straight up out of the water for targets, soak guests seated in the first few rows with their flips and aerial antics, and in the end also provide a unique educational experience for a completely midwestern landlocked region. The show wasn’t just about watching though either, in many cases the trainers would call young children out from the audience to directly interact with the playful dolphins too. From a personal stand point I can recall vividly not only hoping to sit in the “get soaked” seats, but also watching from just outside the stadium, because if you were late, you were stuck outside. 

The Orient in 1973

The story of Fins and Flippers begins in 1973 with the park’s inaugural season. The original dolphins were named Skipper and Dolly, and were owned and trained by Quinlan Marine Attractions of Lincolnton, NC. The original trainers (performers) were Teresa Farmer and Kaye Sink in 1973, and Sherry Passow and Bill Brown in 1974, they would train the dolphins through the winter in the warm weather of North Carolina, and fly out with the dolphins in the spring and back again in the Fall. The dolphins only lived at Worlds of Fun during the park’s operating season itself.  

Training in 1974

Even 47 years ago, there was no doubt by any of the trainers of the intelligence of either animal or the whole entire species. In an article from 1974, Sherry and Bill frequently commented on the animals ability to communicate with each other, as well as having quite sly ways in making know their feelings on any particular matter.  It’s a fact that many animals are often just as interested in the humans as the humans are of them. This fact was never more noticeable then when Sea World Orlando re-opened after its three-month closure recently and what is true today was also true in 1974! As the trainers would attest, Skipper and Dolly would often “choose” to “show off doing a belly buster to mischievously splash anyone within reach” when they should have easily landed in the water without a splash. They literally enjoyed making a splash and seeing the audience reaction!  Bill and Sherry would continue by saying that though both dolphins were incredibly smart, Dolly’s intelligence far overshadowed Skipper’s saying about Dolly that  “if you treat her like a dolphin she gets insulted” (Lapham, KC Star Magazine).

1976

For 23 years dolphins would go on performing at the same 1,500 seat auditorium in the park, the pool which while larger than some at the time would today be considered comically small, nine-feet deep and 35-feet in diameter. When one considers each dolphin was nine-feet long, and 400 pounds each, it doesn’t leave a whole lot of wiggle room. 

1977

Throughout the ’70’s the park would play with a variety of themes with the show, in 1976 in honor of the country’s bicentennial they introduced the “Salute from the Sea ’76” where Skipper began the show by ringing a liberty bell, in 1978 a new show, “The South Seas Spectacular” introduced a new opening act the “Kahula Wahines” which offered a ten-minute traditional Polynesian dance show.  

Linda Hutchings (1979-1981)

From 1975 until 1978 the training team was David and Donna Price, in 1979, Linda and Tamara Mulikin, and then in 1981 Linda and Steve Hutchings. By the early ’80’s a change was about to occur, one that would go virtually unnoticed by the average park guest. In late 1980, the Ralph Quinlan, owner of Quinlan Marine Attractions was quoted stating that it was too expensive to continue to operate his facilities any longer and for this reason I believe that by 1982 the dolphins were no longer provided by Quinlan but by Marine Animal Productions of Mississippi (MAP). 1981 would also be the last year that Skipper and Dolly would perform at the park, and 1982 they were replaced by Jimbo and Pepper, and In 1983 a new duel Cosmos and Leana.  After 1983, there is no coverage regarding the actual dolphin names but MAP trainer Jeffrey Siegel advised me personally that the dolphins Clovis and Sandy were the only MAP dolphins the perform at the park.  Jeffrey would be MAP trainer at Worlds of Fun from 1991 until 1995.

Fins & Flippers video from 1983

Another Jeff, Jeff Mast, recalls an experience hauling the dolphins back to the airport to be flown home for the winter, it wasn’t an easy task as the dolphins were each over 400 pounds in weight and had to be constantly kept wet, and like humans didn’t like dealing much with strangers, especially in what must have been a cramped, uncomfortable position.  

Amber and Pepper, most likely in the mid to late '80s.

Probably one of the most interesting questions about Fins and Flippers is how it ended, and I think it no surprise to anyone as to the why today, but what is always more interesting is the why back in 1996.  

An audience member has a close encounter with a dolphin (1990's)

The Kansas City Star began coverage of the protestors at the Fins & Flippers show starting in 1993, John Hudacek General Manager of Worlds of Fun argued that the dolphins provided not only entertainment but education for guests that live thousands of miles from the ocean.   Protestors on the other hand saw it as an abuse of the living animals to make a profit.  In a Star-Touch survey conducted by the Star most local readers wanted the show to stay by nearly a 2-to-1 ratio.  

Protestors and discussion on the issue continued over the next two years, with a few protestors being arrested in 1994.  JcPenney also removed its short-lived sponsorship of the show (it was previously sponsored by Commerce Bank for many years) to switch to a more visible advertisement at the main gate instead, but many opponents of the show saw this as JcPenney removing themselves from a contested issue. The show would continue into the 1996 when one of the dolphins, Nikki died of unknown reasons at the park in April 1996. 

2001, Mermaid's and Mariner's High Dive Show

Worlds of Fun decided to continue to use their dolphin stadium and re-named it the Aquatic Arena and added a new show, The All-American High Dive Team for the 1997 season. In 1998 it was switched to the Acapulco Fiesta Dive Show, and in 2000 it was once again switched to Mermaids and Mariners High Dive show. In 2001, the Mermaids gave their last show. The Aquatic Arena was left empty for the 2002 and 2003 seasons and was “removed” following the 2003 season with Orient Express. However, as many know part of the stadium lives on, the original tank is now the Spinning Dragons fountain, and the elevated queue line for Spinning Dragons is held up by the curved original retaining wall of the  original dolphin arena.  

The Aquatic Arena in 2003.

Virtually the same vantage point only months later in 2004, you can see that the dolphin pool and retaining wall remain from the old stadium.

This isn’t the place to argue why the park decided to remove Fins & Flippers, history does however shows us the writing was on the wall for the show, in the same few years that Fins & Flippers was discontinued, similar shows at parks across the country were doing the same.  Today, the only aquatic shows that continue are located at marine-specific parks which can host and provide better support for their various marine life. Some may want to judge Worlds of Fun and other parks on their choices to have such shows that used wildlife in such a manner, but while it’s easy to judge the past, let us not forget the last Fins & Flippers show was performed now over 25 years ago. The world and the people in it have changed over those years, possibly changing not in spite on Fins & Flippers but partially because of it. In retrospect I would like to think Fins & Flippers did exactly what the park intended all those years ago, to entertain and educate.  It without a doubt did both. 

 

Lapham, Jim. “Making Friends with the Dolphins at Worlds of Fun.” Kansas City Star Magazine. 2 June 1974. 

Calllahan, Hortense. "Theme Park to Open Season Tomorrow." Kansas City Star. 9 Apr. 1976. p. 20a.

"It's Show Time." Great Times. 1978. 

“Inflation takes toll on dolphin trainer’s business”. The Index-Journal. (Greenwood, SC.) 23 Dec. 1980. p. 16.

Ball, Nancy. “Worlds of Fun Shows take you on a Razzle-Dazzle Ride.”  Kansas City Star. 19 June 1980. p. 1B

"In the Spotlight." Great Times. 1982. p. 16

Kennedy, Mike. “New Arena for debate on dolphins.” Kansas City Star. 20 June 1993. p. A1:2

Kennedy, Mike. “Continue dolphin show most StarTouch callers say.”  Kansas City Star. 25 June 1993. p. C3:2

Barr, Paula. “Protestors at Worlds of Fun call for freedom for dolphins.” Kansas City Star. 30 May 1993. p. B3:2

Kennedy, Mike. “J.C. Penney ends sponsorship of dolphin show.” Kansas City Star. 17 May 1994. p. B1:2

Barr, Paula. “Dolphin’s death is a puzzle.” Kansas City Star. 26 Apr. 1996. p. C3:1.

Garbus, Kelly. “Dolphins’ act is over in KC.” Kansas City Star. 15 Dec. 1996. p. B1:6.

15 Years Ago: Patriot Construction August 7, 2005.

 15 years ago construction for a yet unannounced attraction began behind the old Beat Street shops, turned Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns. The year was 2005, Mamba was still relatively new at only seven years old, Spinning Dragons was only on it’s second season, and Orient Express had operated just two short years prior as well.  

The attraction had been teased by concrete eagle statues around the area for awhile that season, and wouldn’t actually be announced, as seems to be park tradition, until September of 2005.  It would be the park’s newest thrilling, looping coaster, or as the park states the longest, tallest, full circuit inverted coaster in the region. It would be Patriot.

Over the next few months we will be taking a look back at the construction of Patriot as it occurred exactly 15 years previous. Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, due to a server crash the only photos we have are the smaller files that were used in the photo gallery back at the time construction occurred.

A footer with rebar, you can see many of the old pines that once lined tram road in the background.

An opposite view to give viewers a better idea of positioning.  You can see Beat Street in the background.  An interesting tidbit, the original plan that we were advised of was to keep the opposite half of the shopping strip mall that was actually kept.  So if you are looking at it from this point of view the section that was kept was on the far right, where the original plan was to keep the far left section.

Looking towards Skyliner.

We actually went out once right after it had rained and many of these  holes were filled with rain water.  We jokingly called them Worlds of Fun's hot tubs.  

Looking up what would be the lift hill for Patriot.

That's one significant elevation change, which is why the lift hill is 149 feet in elevation change, but the first drop is only 123-feet.  

Looking down tram road, Patriot is built directly over it.  In this view, the basic details really haven't yet changed all that much from when it was last had trams riding down it.  

Next update will be August 18th!  Check back soon!