From Voyager to Express to Mamba the Legacy of Arrow at Worlds of Fun

A few months ago I wrote a blog following the brief but important history of Schwarzkopf at Worlds of Fun. As my friends can attest I love to look at how things are interconnected, and no company is more interconnected at Worlds of Fun, or any theme park or amusement park than Arrow Development/Arrow Dynamics. The Arrow heritage has, at least in some small way, touched almost every ride at the park. And it wasn’t started with that intent at all.

Karl Bacon and Ed Morgan.  Photo from Roller Coasters, Flumes and Flying Saucers by Robert Reynolds.

A very brief history of Arrow starts in 1946 when Karl Bacon, Ed Morgan, Angus “Andy” Anderson and Bill Hardiman opened a fabrication shop in Los Angeles, California. There wasn’t any original intent to build amusement park rides, and they almost became a footnote in history if it wasn’t for Walt Disney who happened to like one of the antique cars being built by Arrow at the time. Similar cars were later used as the original twelve cars for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Walt Disney would go on to hire Arrow to built almost all of Disneyland’s original attractions. In addition to Mr. Toad, Arrow would also build: Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Snow White’s Adventure, Mad Tea Party, and the Matterhorn Bobsleds just to name a few.  Karl and Ed went from two small time steel fabricators to becoming the one-stop shop for the amusement-park world by simply having new ideas and the fortitude (and financial backing) to see them through.

A postcard of Shoot-the-Chutes at Electric Park in Kansas City.  Postcard from author's private collection.

Another view of Shoot-the-Chutes at Electric Park Kansas City.  Both postcards are from our private collection.

Many of the Arrow concepts weren’t new, but instead updates on very old amusement park attractions.  Case in point, the Shoot-the-Chutes ride, a ride that was popular at the turn of the 20th century for taking guests, seated in a flat bottom boat, plunging down a drop and into a large lake of water below. Arrow would update this clunky classic and create something new: the log flume. Arrow’s first log-flume foray was in 1963 at Six Flags Over Texas with El Aserradero. They also used a similar concept on the Disneyland originals It’s a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean.  When Viking Voyager opened with Worlds of Fun in 1973 there was virtually nothing original about it, except for its unique Viking Dragon head boats.  

An original Arrow advertisement for it's various flume ride vehicles, one of which is the unique Viking Boat design from Viking Voyager.  Thanks to Adam Yerdon for allowing us to use this.

El Aserradero at Six Flags over Texas.  Photo by Jeff Mast.

Viking Voyager at Worlds of Fun, photo by Jeff Mast.

In 1957 Arrow built the Midget Autopia ride for Disneyland, and again it wasn’t the first drive-yourself ride in the country; the first was almost as old as the car itself, dating back to the 1920’s.  Arrow would once again take an old concept and make it new, and introduce its own version of this classic car ride, but this time with a center rail.  Arrow called this simple new revolution the “guide-limited automobile”. Whatever you call it though this small change would make the ride safer, and easier to operate and the concept spread like wildfire. Arrow would go on to introduce its French-styled taxi cars, at Astroworld in 1968 called Le Taxi, Kings Island would follow in 1972 with Les Taxis;  Worlds of Fun was already late to the party when it opened Le Taxi Tour in 1973.  

It looks a lot like Le Taxi Tour, but not only is this ride no longer in operation but neither is it's entire park.  This was Le Taxi at Astroworld in Houston, Tx.  The entire park closed in 2005. Photo by Jeff Mast.

This one IS Le Taxi Tour.  Photo by Jeff Mast.

There really was nothing original about Worlds of Fun’s old Arrow rides. However, what hasn’t been mentioned is that while at the time Voyager and Taxis were one of many in operation, today this is no longer the case. Astroworld no longer exists, and the Arrow French Taxi cars, while common in the 1970’s, are rare today.  The same could be said for Arrow flumes which are falling victim to newer and flasher land-tenants as the years progress by.  Voyager and Le Taxi Tour have become important not because they were landmarks at the time they opened, but instead because they continue to operate when so many of their brothers no longer do.  The survivors are the legacy. 

Concept art for Screamroller,  which is artist's rendition of the original Corkscrew.  Photo from Worlds of Fun's collection.

Screamroller when it first opened with it's all white color scheme.  Pay attention to the supports over the actual corkscrew elements, they were changed between the original corkscrew and the copies.  Postcard from the author's private collection.

Worlds of Fun wouldn’t stay in the background of Arrow history.  Arrow would take its revolutionary tubular steel track it created for Matterhorn Bobsleds and build the world’s first modern coaster to take riders upside down, Corkscrew.  The first corkscrew-model opened at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1975, and less than a year later Worlds of Fun would open the fifth copy of the corkscrew-model, on April 10, 1976.  Dubbing their version as Screamroller, it was the first coaster in Missouri, to take riders upside down.  The second inverting coaster in Missouri was Worlds of Fun’s own Orient Express and Six Flags Over Mid-America opened the third in 1981. 

Loch Ness Monster under construction at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.  Photo from Worlds of Fun's collection.

A few years later the second and last coaster actually built with interlocking loops was under construction at Worlds of Fun.  Photo from the Worlds of Fun Collection.

Worlds of Fun opted for a custom-designed thriller a few years later when it unleashed Arrow’s tour de force at the time, the Orient Express on April 4, 1980.  Orient Express was never the biggest, or the fastest, or the loopiest, but it would follow tried-and-true park tradition and certainly be the best. Loch Ness Monster which had opened at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in 1978 introduced the world to the interlocking loops, and Express would continue on that same legacy. Express would also build on the Arrow legacy though by introducing the first coaster element outside of the corkscrew and vertical loop, with the Kamikaze Kurve; or as it is better known the boomerang-element.  Express would operate for 23 years at the park, and would accomplish a true amusement park feat of going out just as popular as it went in. The ride never had to languish and slowly fade away, and that in itself made it memorable.

Shockwave, at Six Flags Great America (now defunct) had seven inversions one of which was a boomerang very similar to that on Orient Express. Photo by Jeff Mast.

A near identical view of the original boomerang (Kamikaze Kurve) on Orient Express.  From the Worlds of Fun Collection.

Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain which opened in 1990 also has seven inversions but is still in operation. Photo by Jeff Mast.

Orient Express wouldn’t be the end to Arrow entanglements at Worlds of Fun, and only a few years later, most likely building on the success of Express, Arrow would again partner with Worlds of Fun on a new project.  This time a concept was conceived during the short-lived merger of Arrow with German ride manufacturer Huss Rides. Arrow Huss together in 1983 came up with the idea to modify an existing Arrow coaster into something that had only been accomplished in Japan at this point, a coaster ridden not sitting, but standing up instead.  They began the transition process for two Arrow coasters, Screamroller at Worlds of Fun, and River King Mine Train at Six Flags Over Mid-America near St. Louis.  Sceamroller would open first, May 31, 1983, this time re-named to Extremeroller or E.X.T. for short.  Railblazer, the re-named stand up version of River King Mine Train would open in 1984.

Railblazer would open at Six Flags Mid-America in 1984.  Railblazer was the second track for the existing River King Mine Train that still operates at Six Flags St. Louis to this day.  Postcard from the author's private collection.

Extremroller was first though, and opened May 31, 1983 as the country's first stand-up coaster.  Postcard from the author's private collection.

Probably one of the most commonly repeated urban legends with Worlds of Fun comes from this very coaster.  First the true story: Extremeroller was re-converted to a sit down in June 1984 due to stress on the lift chain, as with the significant change in the center of gravity it applied a significant increase in stress on the ride-structure.  In July of 1984, a Railblazer rider was thrown from the car and died from her injuries.  The accident occurred one month after Extremeroller had been re-converted to a sit-down experience. Railblazer also lacked one of the seatbelts that crossed the body that Extremeroller had, which means this type of accident may not have even been possible on Extremeroller.  The fact is though that no life-threatening accident ever was to occur on the short lived stand-up Extremeroller. But the pervasive urban legend incorrectly attributes the Six Flags accident to Worlds of Fun.  Extremeroller would operate as a sit down coaster until the 1988 season when it was removed and sold, and then shortly thereafter replaced by Timber Wolf.  In its brief 12 year run at Worlds of Fun no one was ever killed in the operation of Screamroller or Extremeroller.

Python at Busch Gardens Tampa (now defunct), from around 1990. Photo by Jeff Mast.

Extremeroller from 1988, they look so similar because they were identical, both were Arrow Corkscrews. Photo by Jeff Mast.

So with Screamroller back to a sit down in 1984 that was the end of Arrow at Worlds of Fun correct?  Yes and No.  Arrow itself would go through a series of mergers, bankruptcies and re-organization which would see it re-introduced in the mid-1980’s not as Arrow Development, or Arrow Huss, but Arrow Dynamics. 

Vortex opened at Kings Island in 1987, it was removed after the 2019 season.  Photo by Jeff Mast.

And the original, Orient Express.  From the Worlds of Fun collection.

Arrow Dynamics would go on to continue building its progressively loopier, and taller coasters, Vortex at Kings Island (actually based off Orient Express in design), Shockwave at Six Flags Great America, Great American Scream Magic at Six Flags Great Adventure, and Viper at Six Flags Magic Mountain just to name a few.  In 1989 there was something new on the horizon for Arrow.  Arrow designer Ron Toomer’s newest inspiration came to a park in Ohio called Cedar Point and would launch its climb to be the “roller coaster capital of the world”.  Magnum-XL 200, a coaster with no loops, but instead built for speed and for height became the first coaster to drop riders 200 feet down.  It was even given a new definition: the hyper coaster.  Magnum was a hit out of the box.

Park World August 1990 Advertisement

At-The-Park January/February 1990 advertisement

Arrow would continue to produce coasters and rides following Magnum, some in the “breaking the mold” style of the great Arrow rides that came before it, the first 4th-dimension coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain comes to mind. There would be still others that would be truly unique, requiring time and tweaking to make into a masterpiece, the 1991 Steel Phantom which became Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood. In 2001 is a great example.  Many though would be just following the same rutted road that Arrow had already tread for decades.  And that was the problem.  Arrow didn’t innovate as it should have, and when another company did, and produced smooth coasters that lacked the abrupt, head-pounding transitions that were the Achilles-heel of all Arrow coasters, that was the death knell of Arrow. 

X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain was a nightmare for both the park and Arrow.  It is still in operation at Six Flags Magic Mountain.  Photo by Jeff Mast.

A view of X2 from the parking lot at Magic Mountain.  Photo by Jeff Mast.

Arrow would declare a final bankruptcy in 2001, and its assets would be bought by another amusement park company, S&S Power.  S&S is famous for its own unique thrill rides, shot towers, and air launch coasters, like Detonator at Worlds of Fun and Powder Keg at Silver Dollar City. Today, S&S continues on the tradition of Arrow with its 4th-dimension coaster and their popular newer, yet more compact version, the 4D Free Spin. Nearby Adventureland in Des Moines, IA. is opening Dragon Slayer for 2021 which is the most recent 4D Free Spin model installed in the United States. 

From Media Preview of Mamba, Paula and Dana Morgan in the front row with Laura Keller (wife of General Manager Dan Keller) and Steve Okomoto in the second row.  Photo from Roller Coasters, Flumes and Flying Saucers. Also notice the lack of gates on the queue lines behind them. 

Another photo from the same day, of the exact same train, coming in for the final turn over the station plaza.  You can see Dana and Paula Morgan in the front of the 2nd car, with Daniel Keller in the front row of the 1st car.  Photo by Jeff Mast.

There is also a great deal of Arrow legacy left in two coasters at Worlds of Fun.  If you will recall one of the founders of Arrow Development was Ed Morgan.  Ed had a son named Dana, who served as President of Arrow Huss for a short period in the 1980’s before he went on to form his own company Morgan Manufacturing.  Cedar Fair, wanting to clone the success of Magnum at their other parks across the country turned to Morgan instead of Arrow to build hyper coasters inspired by Magnum.  With help from former-Arrow Dynamics designer Steve Okamato, Morgan created Wild Thing at Valleyfair, Steel Force at Dorney Park, and Mamba at Worlds of Fun. Although Mamba is not an Arrow by name, it is a worthy successor of the great Arrow legacy.

Mamba is on the left, Magnum is on the right.  The familiar traits are undeniable.  

The backside of the same collectible cards.  

The other coaster is Boomerang.  If Mamba keeps alive everything that was great about Arrow, Boomerang… well it tries.  Vekoma, which started its relationship with Arrow as their international distributor in the late-1970’s started producing several varieties of “off the shelf” Arrow-like coasters.  These coasters were intended for smaller parks, ones that could not afford a custom Arrow.  Vekoma would also be used prolifically by larger parks to help beef up their coaster line up during the coaster-wars of 1990’s and early-2000’s.  There was their Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC), the less-common Invertigo model, and then there was the original, the Boomerang.  By itself, Boomerang offers a decent thrill, but has tainted its reputation simply by being repeated, over, and over, and over again, 55 times to date.  That’s 55 different installations of the EXACT SAME ride, at different parks across the world.  And they operate and ride just like the old Arrows.  In fact, the ride is so similar to the old Arrows that a boomerang train, and say a train from Orient Express could swap places, and still operate on the opposite coaster with very little modification being required. 

Boomerang at Worlds of Fun opened in 2000.  Photo by Jeff Mast.

What is fascinating about Vekoma though is that through all the years that Vekoma was spinning out Boomerangs and SLC’s they never changed the formula.  They in all honesty got a little bit of a bad rep among coaster enthusiasts for trudging the same old road and producing the same old rough coasters, that is until recently.  Recently, Vekoma has changed, drastically.  Their new coasters seem far removed from the old Arrows, smooth, but yet still Arrow-like.  In the past handful of years Vekoma has changed its image, and may yet be the new upcoming coaster manufacturer for the future.  I’ve often wondered what would have happened if Arrow had figured out how to make their ride experiences smooth, but still create coasters with that unique, intense Arrow identity. Maybe they have.  Maybe the legacy of Arrow will continue, and who knows maybe its not done at Worlds of Fun either.  Only time will tell.  

Abyssus at Energylandia in Poland testing in early 2021.  Pay attention to the boomerang element!  The legacy of Orient Express continues to live on!

The idea for this blog originated after watching the ACE Legacy of Arrow documentary.  It is absolutely worth a watch and covers Arrow history very succinctly.  It just doesn't mention Orient Express.  :)

Special Thanks to Todd Swetnam, Nicholas Laschkewitsch and Adam Yerdon for Proofreading this story.  

Aerodrome: Then and Today

Twenty years ago, when I was much younger, and had no gray hair, I started an organization for folks that had met on www.worldsoffun.org called WOFFA.  Among the several people I met and made friends with was a guy named Michael Parsons.  A few years younger than me he seemed to remember a lot of aspects of Worlds of Fun that quite frankly, I just couldn't remember, one of those was the Aerodrome.  Now before I get into the Aerodrome, and what it was, and where it was, one other point remains.  Michael had an idea for several years to re-create photos of the Aerodrome and Barnstormer, or more a "before and after" of what the areas look like today.

Last year (2018) Mike did an awesome job shooting before and after photos of the Aerodrome during Haunt.  Funny enough Mike is "the friend" in the Haunt Review if you have read that.  I thought the photos were fabulous and I thought we should do more than just share them on Facebook, so I decided to write a blog about it which you are now reading.  (and man the guy that said I was too wordy was right...)

Aerodrome, which was Worlds of Fun's fourth large land expansion (following The Forum, Screamroller, and the 1977 "A new attraction in every world" expansions), was a 3.5 acres expansion that we today know as Planet Snoopy.  It was introduced for the 1978 season, and unlike today where it is known as a kid's section, Aerodrome was decidedly not just for kids, and included one of Worlds of Fun's probably most thrilling rides up to that point, The Barnstormer.  At a little over a 100 feet tall, it was not only the tallest ride in the park up to that point, but probably offered the biggest thrill in the park too as once aboard the planes would dive up to 45 feet down which circling the central hub, or at least they did when it first opened.  Barnstormer was quite ahead of its time, powered entirely by hydraulics, it was infamous for its July 1978 crash that literally sprayed hydraulic fluid halfway across the park, and put a stop to its more thrilling aerial aerobatics.  The problems with Barnstormer were many, it wouldn't operate in high winds either (which might sound familiar to other CURRENT Worlds of Fun ride).  To make to fine a point Barnstormer was one of only three "Barnstormer" rides produced by Bradley & Kaye, the first being at Old Chicago, the third and by in large most successful installation was at the also defunct Opryland which operated until the park closed for good in 1997.  Barnstormer at Worlds of Fun wouldn't last near as long, and was finally removed from the park in June 1983, to be replaced the next year by Octopus which had been not only moved and re-painted, but also renamed to Tailspinner.

Barnstormer wasn't all that when it came to the Aerodrome either though, Aerodrome boasted a new theater, the Flying Circus Theater (which became the Bear County Museum, and is now roughly where the Snoopy Boutique is today), which was home to Dolores Hadley's Marionette show in the daytime and a 1970's style disco at night.  Lunch could be found at the tall flight tower up the hill, known as Lucky Lindy's Lunch Counter which would live on into Pandamonium, and then become an employee break area, and the finally serve as the location for House on Boo Hill before it was finally demolished.  (after the 2015 season).  In fact, what made Mike's before and after shots so hard was the very lack of structures that have remained the same over the last forty years.  So few that there are only a handful.  First, Red Baron is not only the same location but the same ride that it was forty years ago and second, the Barnstormer's old pump house still remains and is most likely now only used for storage, but is painted to appear as a Peanut's Schoolhouse. The last two are really of almost no use when it comes to recreation shots, are the Planet Snoopy Bathroom (which to this day retains its original "airplane hanger" appearance) and the Family Care Center, which opened originally as Great Waldo's Crankshaft Prop Shop. So let's take a look at the before and after and of course, it will be far more fun to have something to look at right?

As mentioned previously, Red Baron, with all the variety of name changes its been through hasn't moved since it was relocated to the Aerodrome in 1978 (it was added to Scandinavia in 1974), it is excepting for mechanical and structural updates, exactly the same ride.  This is shot looking roughly the same direction, and its amazing that if you look its the same trees in the background, only much larger!

Here is the Barnstormer pump house I was referring to.  It was built for Barnstormer and except for very minor theming detail has changed very little.  It allows for an almost exact location marker for where Barnstormer was.

House on Boo Hill was the final use for the basic structure that was Lucky Lindy's Lunch Counter, it originally had a large tower on top which you can see in the photo below.

If you look in the background, Lucky Lindy's is the white tower in the background (left) with yellow trim.  

Funny enough, a plane themed attraction (Beagle Brigade Airfield) sits in its place today.

 These two are actually shot in opposite directions, but shows that Woodstock Gliders today is in roughly the same location as Barnstormer was.  It is the first aeronautical-themed ride to share the same space in almost thirty-five years. After the removal of Barnstormer mid-season 1983, as I previously mentioned Octopus was moved to this location in 1984.  Octopus was kicked out by the arrival of the Bearenstein Bear Family Tree in 1997, which was displaced in 2001 by Snoopy Bounce.  Woodstock Gliders is currently in this location today and was added in 2016.

This is the view today looking in the same direction.  I believe the same "stick" trees that are apparent in the first photo also appear in the second photo but in a much more mature state.  

Last one and this is my favorite, since it features Sky Hi, the ride with the key to my heart.  It appears that Detonator and Barnstormer appear to line up, but just an FYI Detonator was built at a much lower elevation than Barnstormer.  (which is why it always appears so much shorter than Mamba, though it really is very close in overall height).  The red barn in Americana is the exact same building that once housed the Ski Hi and its queue line.  You can even see that at least one of the Ponderosa Pines have survived from the original photo forty years prior.  

A look forward at the 2021 Park Anniversaries!

 2020 is finally coming to an end, and while it feels like 2019 ended decades ago, and there is no guarantee that 2021 will be an improvement, I like to keep positive and hope that it will be. We can also hope that Worlds of Fun will have a slightly longer season than it did last year. I believe the 2020 season was maybe just a slight bit over two months long? So let’s look forward to 2021 and with 2021 we have several anniversaries!  Just a quite note, we are celebrating the anniversaries of those attractions on the “every five year anniversary” mark.

Cyclone Sam's Cloudpoofer 2000 turned 25 years old in 2020, but as it never operated in 2020 it gets an honorable mention here.

Before we go any further I would like to recognize the two rides that should have had their 20th and 25th anniversary in 2020… but because neither of them operated at all in 2020, and hopefully will in 2021, they deserve mention. That honor belongs to both Boomerang (20th anniversary) and to Cyclone Sams: Cloudpoofer 2000 (25th anniversary).  Boomerang, I think we can suffice to say is a Vekoma Boomerang. However Cyclone Sam’s  is unique, the ride itself was built by Chance Rides of Wichita. Ks. with its enclosed building designed and built by Burns and McDonnell. It can never be said enough, Cyclone Sams was NEW when it was added in 1995. Many confuse it for being Wobble Wheel, its very similar predecessor. Sam’s is a Chance Wipeout, a updated version of the Chance Trabant, which is what Wobble Wheel was. Similar but not the same.  Say it with me… Similar but NOT the same.  But hopefully we will see both Boomerang and Sam’s in operation this year.  

Same thing with Boomerang.

So drum roll please the rides celebrating five year anniversaries this year are (or were):

1971: 50th Anniversary Worlds of Fun Announcement and Park Ground Breaking

1976: 45th Anniversary Screamroller

1981: 40th Anniversary: Incred-O-Dome

1986: 35th Anniversary: Omegatron

1991: 30th Anniversary: Beat Street, Skyliner and Rockin’ Reeler

1996: 25th Anniversary Detonator & Ripcord

2001: 20th Anniversary: Camp Snoopy, Snoopy Bounce, Woodstock’s Airmail and Camp Bus

2006: 15th Anniversary: Patriot

2011: 10th Anniversary: Planet Snoopy, Woodstock Whirlybirds, Lucy’s Tugboat, Sally’s Swing Set, Peanut’s Road Rally, Flying Ace Balloon Race, Peanuts 500, and Snoopy’s Rocket Express.  Grand Carrousel.

2016: 5th Anniversary: Planet Snoopy Expansion: Woodstock Gliders, Beagle Brigade Airfield, Snoopy Space Buggies, Linus Launcher, Snoopy Junction.

Worlds of Fun Ground Breaking occurred in November 1971, this November will be 50 years.

1971: 50th Anniversary Worlds of Fun Announcement & Ground Breaking

Yes, we have made it to the very beginning of the official 50th anniversary activities when it comes to Worlds of Fun. We have awhile yet until the park’s actual 50th anniversary which will be May 26, 2023, (or the 50th season which will be 2022). The original idea for what would become Worlds of Fun was announced in 1969 when the original plans had the park located next to the Truman Sports Complex. However by 1971 that original idea had been abandoned, and the current site had been chosen. The park would be announced, named, and celebrate its ground breaking ceremony in late 1971. Since both the official announcement and ground breaking are such major benchmarks in park history there will be separate, individual blogs written on both events later this year.

We’ll have to skip twenty years in the future to find an existing attraction celebrating an anniversary with the three attractions 1976, 1981 and 1986 all being defunct.

Beat Street Concept Art from the Kansas City Star, March 1991.

A brand new Skyliner peaks out from behind Cotton Blossom.

1991: 30th Anniversary Beat Street

Of all the anniversaries this one boggles my mind as as I can personally remember its announcement and opening as a teenager which for me doesn't seem all that long ago.  Beat Street wasn’t actually “new” more so it followed the long outstanding Worlds of Fun tradition of “reuse, re-theme and call it new”.  Beat Street was the re-themed River City which was introduced in 1982 next to Cotton Blossom. The rides themselves while also “new” to the park were actually bought used, Rockin’ Reeler a Reverchon Himalaya, and Skyliner an ELI Bridge BIG ELI Wheel.  Reeler was removed following the 2005 season, Skyliner though continues to operate and win the award for being quite possibly the most pain in the butt ride to operate in the park.  Those who have operated it know exactly what I mean. 

Detonator in 1997, you can also see Orient Express and Ripcord in the background.

I always found the concept art of Detonator rather funny, no one really knew exactly what it was going to look like.

1996: 25th Anniversary Detonator & Ripcord

It’s hard to imagine a world of amusement parks without S&S drop or launch towers, especially 15-20 years ago when they were being added seemingly by the dozens at parks across the country. Back in 1996 though, no one had ever seen anything quite like Detonator. Leslie Kuske Worlds of Fun’s director of PR at the time described it to the Kansas City Star as “sitting on the outside of a rocket at liftoff” (Campbell, 1996) and it’s telling how unique Detonator was when you realize there was only a concept drawing to use for its announcement in the paper.  Detonator would open on April 13th with the park for it’s 24th season, and would be the world’s first twin-tower Space Shot, and the first permanent installation of a Space Shot at any amusement park anywhere.  

That funny 1996 map with the three-tower Detonator.

Detonator then as now takes 12 riders per tower straight up at speeds of 45 MPH with a force of 4.5 G’s, and then drops passenger, faster than a free fall at negative 1 G. Probably one of my favorite stories about Detonator revolve around the park map, which if you were to pay attention to the 1996 map you would notice Detonator had THREE towers not two as it was built.  It was drawn that way as it was originally planned to have three towers.

Ripcord under construction in April 1996, you can see the grid pattern left over from Cotton Blossom.

Ripcord right after it opened in 1996.

Opening the same season, but not at the same time was Ripcord, the 180-foot SkyCoaster.  Ripcord is remembered well for replacing Cotton Blossom.  Unlike Detonator, Ripcord opened in May 1996, and was then as today a pay extra attraction $24.95 for a solo flight, $19.95 for two and $14.95 for three. The concept of the ride over the last twenty-five years is unchanged, with a basic principle of free flight, or as I call it free falling.

Camp Snoopy opened with the park in April 2001.

Today it's the Kite Eating Tree, but back in 2001 it was Woodstock's Airmail.  I loved the little topper on this ride.

2001: 20th Anniversary Camp Snoopy

It’s easy for those old enough to remember how drastically the park changed in a short span of time, and another one of those changes occurred in 2001.  While Worlds of Fun had introduced Bearenstain Bear Country in 1997, replacing a portion of Pandamonium, Camp Snoopy would be the first expansion that would revitalize the ENTIRE area and not only replace the short-lived Bear Country but also the rest of Pandamonium.  Out went the colored block lights and Bear Country Tree and in came red-wood queue lines and benches and lantern lights.  Camp Snoopy would also introduce two new rides, Woodstock’s Airmail, built by S&S (same as Detonator), and the Camp Bus, along with the inflatable Snoopy Bounce play area.  Interesting enough there was a twist with Camp Snoopy too, since while it did introduce the whole Peanut’s gang to Worlds of Fun, it would RE-INTRODUCE Snoopy, since Snoopy had made his original introduction at Worlds of Fun way back in 1978.  

Ribbon Cutting for Patriot on April 8, 2006, the red tulle ribbon is still preserved in our living room. 

2006: 15th Anniversary Patriot

Quite possibly the most major attraction celebrating an anniversary in 2021 is Patriot, which turns 15 years old this year!  Remembering back to when Patriot was announced it wasn’t really a surprise to anyone, track had already been spotted in Ohio with the “W.O.F” letters attached firmly to it. Then there was the multitude of teaser eagle statues, the entire shut down of Beat Street, and of course the need for a replacement for Orient Express all pretty much pointed to a B&M inverted coaster coming to Worlds of Fun. Announced on September 8th, 2005, construction had already begun in earnest, with the lift hill and first loop completed before the close out of the 2005 season in October.  

Patriot in 2007, you can see tram road in the foreground, Orient Express's lift would have been just out of the photo on the right. 

When researching this blog I ran into the article published by The Kansas City Star at the time of Patriot’s announcement and Jeff always laughs that the one quote they used from him was “This is a biggie” (Alm, 2005) and for Worlds of Fun at the time it was.  Of course, Patriot wasn’t alone either, as it was joined by four other new coasters in nearly the same decade.  (Mamba, Boomerang, Spinning Dragons, Prowler). Still, then and even today Patriot is still thought of in the same breath as Orient Express. Funny enough it doesn’t overlap any of the territory occupied by Express, being firmly on the opposite side of the old tram road.

Patriot under construction, this is how it appeared in late October 2005.

Patriot for Patriot’s sake was then and still is today a great coaster, offering a great thrill, and is a fantastic addition to a truly great coaster collection. It also, especially thanks to its very recent new paint job, is just as striking today as it was the day it opened. One of my favorite stories about Patriot since we are in the story telling arc is from an interview with Rob Decker, then senior director of planning and design for Cedar Fair. Originally, when Patriot was designed it was designed not just with the white stripe on red track but with white stars that covered the lower blue supports of the coaster too. Though its easy to say that it was yet another budget cut, I don’t think this one was, it was cut because it made the coaster design feel too cluttered, and I rather have to agree with that opinion. Plus, can you imagine having to re-paint the stripe AND the stars?!

Ribbon Cutting for the opening of Planet Snoopy on May 28, 2011.

Looks a little different than it does today.

2011:  10th Anniversary Planet Snoopy and Grand Carrousel

If you haven’t already noticed many benchmark changes to the park are being celebrated in 2021, and yet another one, actually another two are celebrating their 10th anniversary. Planet Snoopy would replace Camp Snoopy in 2011, and completely, once again, revitalize the area, replacing the woodsy theme with a bright and colorful new take on Snoopy. With Camp Snoopy’s retirement so went three of the park’s children’s rides.  Seven more though were added brand new, so much so that it makes both 2011 and 2016 feel like a Zamperla Rides free for all (I sure hope Cedar Fair got a bulk discount!). Woodstock Whirlybirds, Lucy’s Tugboat, Sally’s Swing Set, Peanut’s Road Rally, Flying ACE Balloon Race, Peanuts 500, and Snoopy’s Rocket Express were all added, with Road Rally (Micro Moto Bahn), Head over Wheels (Viking Vheel) and Bouce-A-Roos removed after the 2010 season. 

Restoration of a carousel horse by Carousel Works.

The Grand Carrousel on Grand Re-Opening Day, May 28, 2011.

Grand Carrousel was the other major addition for 2011, and unlike all the brand new Zamperla Rides, Grand Carrousel wasn’t what anyone would consider “new” and was in fact actually by far the oldest attraction ever added to the park, originally built in either 1918 (according to Painted Ponies) or 1926 (according to the National Carousel Association). 

The workshop of M.C. Illions in 1912, this is where the horses and decorations for Grand Carrousel were originally created.  Photo from The Art of the Carousel, by Charlotte Dinger. 

According to the National Carousel Association it was built by M.C. Illions of Coney Island for the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial in 1926. It would go on to operate in Birmingham Al. from 1926 until 1937 and finally at its long time home of Geauga Lake from 1937 until 2007 when the park was permanently closed. With the park’s closure the carousel was put in storage, and then sent in 2010 to Carousel Works for a full restoration, and installed at Worlds of Fun in spring of 2011. Though the carousel and its band organ were meticulously and beautifully restored by Cedar Fair one faucet of the ride was altered, originally the horses were mounted so they would rock while the carousel turned. With a new installation it was determined that in order to keep that slight thrill a seat belt would have had to be have been added to each horse. The decision was made to remove the rocking mechanism and instead make each horse a more traditional jumper in order to keep the attraction seatbelt free.  

2016: 5th Anniversary Planet Snoopy Expansion

Five years ago doesn’t seem all that long ago, but let me be the first to say that I can recall when we were celebrating the 5th anniversary of Mamba, and now its 23 years old. Time passes in a blink of an eye. In 2016, five new rides were added to Planet Snoopy, and as mentioned prior it really did extend the Zamperla ride free for all with four MORE new rides from Zamperla Rides, Beagle Bay Airfield, Snoopy Space Buggies, Linus Launcher and Snoopy Junction were all added to Planet Snoopy along with the Larson Flying Scooters ride, Woodstock Gliders. Fascinatingly enough the Gliders was the first ride at that specific location in 20 years, since Octopus had been removed in 1996. Woodstock Gilder’s also occupies the same land once home to the Barnstormer, a unique and thrilling, yet short lived bi-plane ride. So it seems only appropriate that another airplane-like ride would occupy its land.  

Screamroller would be 45 years old this year if it was still in operation.

Incred-O-Dome would have been 40 years old.

And Omegatron would have been 35, fairly old but still seven years younger than Zulu is today.

The first time I ever wrote a blog on park ride anniversaries was two seasons ago when we celebrated the anniversary of rides like Timber Wolf, Spinning Dragons, Prowler, and Steelhawk. It is necessary in my mind to thank the writer that I originally borrowed the idea from too, which was CP Food Blog (http://www.cpfoodblog.com). It’s also interesting to think back on last year, before the pandemic, and that there were only two existing rides that had anniversaries, Cyclone Sam's and Boomerang.  All the other rides that had anniversaries, especially the big one, Orient Express, were gone. It gives me time to be thankful that I have more than just a handful of existing rides with anniversaries this year. Still, there are many rides that could have had anniversaries this year, Screamroller would have been 45 years old, Omegatron would have been 35, and Incred-O-Dome would have been 40, making that twist from old relic to cool old retro, but it was not to be. I’m also 100% sure I made at least one person feel really old with that Screamroller comment, you’re welcome. So here’s to a new year, may 2021 be far more worth remembering than 2020, and hopefully we can all get out and ride both the rides mentioned here and all of them a lot more than we did in 2020!

Alm, R. (2005, Sept. 8).  A New Spin on Fun. The Kansas City Star. p. C1.

Campbell, M. (1996, Apr. 9). A Frenzy of Speed, Gravity. The Kansas City Star. . A1.

Dinger, C. (1983). Art of the Carousel. Carousel Art, Inc. 

Triplett, W. (1991, Mar. 21).  The Beat Goes On.  The Kansas City Star. p. 45.