A History of Haunt: Part 1 Boo! Blast

 Twenty years ago, Worlds of Fun was in a massive state of flux. Orient Express was operating for its last season, and the park looked exceptionally different than it had only ten years prior. Another change was about to occur to a festival that had been a relatively minor part of Worlds of Fun up to that point, Halloweekends. In 2003 it would begin to expand massively, and that expansion began with two new haunts. Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns and Magical House on Boo Hill.

Boo! Bash pin a rarity for an event that only lasted under that name for one season.

The more recognizable Boo! Blast logo pin

Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns and Magical House on Boo Hill might have been the beginning of the Haunt we know today, but they weren't the beginning of the story of Halloweekends. No, the beginning of Haunt today started far earlier than 2003, and instead started 11 years earlier, in 1992, when the first seeds of the event were planted, not by Cedar Fair but by Hunt Midwest Entertainment (HME). In the early 1990s, HME was looking for ways to attract guests to the park during typically slow times of the year, and they did so by introducing several new park festivals; of primary interest to this blog was Boo! Bash. Primarily targetted at the younger, under-12 audience, the attractions were minor and included a Rockin' Trolls show at Tivoli Music Hall, a Dracula magic show (not to be confused with the John Bundy Spooktacular that would come a few years later), witch storytelling, trick or treating through the park, and the opportunity for kids to paint their own pumpkin. Unlike today's Haunt, the very first Boo! Bash would only run for two weekends in 1992, Oct 23-24 and Oct 31-Nov 1, bookending the far more popular Oktoberfest festival, which had existed since 1973. 

In 1993 the festival would return but with a slight name modification from Boo! Bash to the name more recall, Boo! Blast. Like the prior year, many activity offerings would remain the same, but it would expand to three weekends, Oct 16-31. Obviously, the event was determined to be something worth repeating!

The 1993 version of Boo! Blast repeated much of the same activities as 1992, including a pumpkin patch, magic show, trick or treating, and treasure trolls show. The event also included a Halloween Fun Walk inside the Incred-O-Dome, and children could also receive treats at gift shops throughout the park and a free bag to carry them in.

1994 would introduce a new major addition to Boo! Blast the Swope Parkway Health Center's Trick or Treat Village. The first thought on Trick or Treat Village is that this was the same as the Trick or Treat Town in the Tivoli Lobby. It is not, as it existed as a separate event from Worlds of Fun before and after 1994-1995. The 1994 Trick or Treat Village is described by an article in the Kansas City Star on October 7, 1994, as "featuring costumed ghouls greeting children at 20 house fronts and a pumpkin patch". It then goes on to mention that a donation of $2 is required for admission to Trick or Treat Village, and includes a decorated pumpkin to take home. Another unique twist to the event is that in 1995, Trick or Treat Village would open on October 30 as a "safe" Trick or Treat option when the park was otherwise closed, for a suggested donation of $5 per person. 

Another change to Boo! Blast in 1994 was the expansion of the event from three weekends to four from October 8 to the 30th in 1994 and October 7 to the 29th in 1995. As part of the extension, Boo! Blast saw the addition of a classic attraction that would last for nearly the next 20 seasons—John Bundy's magic and illusionist show, Spooktacular, featuring his assistant, Morgan. The show would change themes, titles, and primary audiences over the years but would become integral to many memories of the early event. 

1996 would see the first changes by the new park owners, Cedar Fair, which had purchased the park from HME in June of 1995. Before 1996, the park's season would run until the end of October, as it does today. Cedar Fair, for unknown reasons, changed that. The park season would now end in the middle of October and would remain that way for the next six seasons. 

Photo from Side Show of Horrors.  Photo thanks to John Bundy

Boo! Blast ad from 1996

Boo! Blast would continue, but for only three weekends again, with the event being re-scheduled to the time slot traditionally allotted to Oktoberfest, in 1996 that would mean September 28 until October 13. In addition to the schedule change, Cedar Fair would introduce a new attraction, Trick-or-Treat Town, in the Tivoli Music Hall Lobby; it would offer a tiny town where kids could trick or treat for goodies. Other activities also included mask-making and the storytelling K.K. the Witch. Tivoli Music Hall would also continue its tradition of Halloween entertainment provided by John Bundy and Morgan with Side Show of Horrors. Bundy describes the show as a "Tales from the Crypt format in which audiences saw the bizarre and unusual illusions in the crypt of curiosities." Unlike the later Spooktacular, it was not a show targeted at younger audiences. Bundy continues and describes that, like so many other Worlds of Fun traditions, this one was last minute, being put together in two to three weeks.

Frankenstein during Halloweekends, possibly taken in 1997 (Icicle in the background would be removed after that season).

Trick of Treat Town in Tivoli Lobby

1997 would be more of the same, with the event running from September 27 through October 12 (with October 12 being the closing day for the season). For the first time, Scandinavia would be officially listed as the official home for the event, and attractions would be updated, too. A new John Bundy show, Nightmare Castle, premiered, and it would be the first of his productions to feature "Wacky Dracky." Unlike the later Spooktacular, this was not geared towards children and families and featured a smaller cast than the later Spooktacular. In addition to the Tivoli offerings, various roaming characters, including Dracula, Frankenstein, and "other frightful favorites." 

Photo from Nightmare Castle, photo thanks to John Bundy

The following season is when things would "start" to get interesting and would start establishing the event we would all know at the turn of the millennia. The first significant change was the re-addition of a 4th week, with the event running from September 26 until October 18 (adding a week back to the operating season). 1998 would also be the first time for two separate Halloween events. Boo! Blast would continue in Scandinavia for the under 12 children, and Halloween Haunt would debut in Africa. In 1998, that meant several new activities. The first two would be creations by John Bundy: Digger's Used Coffin Lot, a comedy horror-style skit based around a fictional used coffin lot (think like a used car lot), and Witch Doctor's Revenge, where a talking head would taunt and tease its audience. The last attraction was Voo Doo Tunes, a DJ in Mamba Plaza with dancing Alien characters.

John Bundy's Spooktacular

Voo Doo Tunes at Mamba Plaza.

The Scandinavian section would continue as Boo! Blast and the Tivoli show would take on the form and theme it would carry through the next decade, the John Bundy production Spooktacular. Spooktacular took on its more family-oriented show format but continued to offer a full professional-scale magic and illusion presentation, providing spectacular entertainment value for all ages. Bundy would mention that it would carry on several props from the long-gone and short-lived Mark Wilson Haunted Theatre production that played at Tivoli in 1985 and 1986. In addition to Spooktacular, Tivoli would continue to be home to Trick-or-Treat Town and not far away still in Scandinavia. Broomzelda's Bewitching Tales would be a continuation of Witch-led storytelling. At Tivoli East would be located Maskerade, where kids could make their own mask, and also in Scandinavia, Groovy Tunes, featuring dancing Halloween characters.

Broomzelda's Bewitching Tales in Scandinavia. 

Though there is no official mention of it, it is also believed that the attraction of Fury of the Bloody Nile would begin in 1998 as well, it was memorable for its dyed red water and haunted skeleton raft.

Fury of the Bloody Nile 

Boo! Blast ad from 1998

The final change would occur in 1999 when the event title was officially changed to Halloweekends while still using the tags Boo! Blast and Halloween Haunt for the individual sections of the event (Scandinavia and Africa, respectively). Halloweekends would remain the name of the event for the next eight seasons, with the event changing drastically around the title, becoming more recognizable as the modern version of Haunt with each passing season.

Halloween Haunt signage headed into Africa

Digger's Used Coffin Lot photo by John Bundy

2000 would see the return of Halloweekends and a similar line-up, but the event would expand to FIVE weeks, from September 23 through October 22. Boo! Blast in Scandinavia would remain unchanged except for its witch's storytelling, which would have a new name, Winifred's Wise Whimsies Bewitching Tales.

Signage at the gate that the event has been modified due to 9/11

On September 11, 2001, the world changed when hijackers flew two jetliners into World Trade Center Tower One and Tower Two. Halloweekends would go forward but with little of its Africa Halloween Haunt attractions. The Scandinavian kid-friendly attractions would continue, as would Spooktacular. There were a few minor additions to the event in 2001 with the new themed modification of Camp Snoopy into "Camp Spooky," which came with a Peanut's Coloring activity in Campground Theater, and children could meet the Peanut's characters in Halloween garb. 

Coloring at Camp Spooky's Campground Theater.

Peanut's characters dressed in Halloween costume.

One change that stands out for 2001 is the event's expansion to six weekends, from September 27 until October 28; this is important as the six-weekend template would last through the 2009 season. With the event schedule expansion, this would also be the first time in six seasons that the park would again open until the end of October. 

2002 would return to the full roster of activities and was seen by many as the same old Boo! Blast. Little did anyone know that it would never be the same old again. 

A special thanks to John Bundy for answering our questions regarding his several Worlds of Fun shows and providing photos for many of the early shows as well!

Zinging at Worlds of Fun Once Again!

 Over the last year on this blog, we have delved into the announcement, followed by the design of the newly re-imagined Zambezi Zinger at Worlds of Fun. We considered the similar details from the original vs. the new, on paper at least, and interviewed its designers and builders. Finally, the day arrived; Zambezi Zinger would give its first public rides. 

Worlds of Fun invited us to attend the Big Slick event on June 16th, when the 32 winners of the first rider expedition would experience the first public ride. The new Zinger would open to pass holders the following Saturday and Sunday and finally to the general public on Monday, June 19th.

Before the first rides, speeches were given by Worlds of Fun General Manager Rick Fiedler, and Public Relations Manager Brian McGannon, as well as Andrew Garton Assistant Director of Philanthropic Giving at Children's Mercy Hospital (CMH) and Mauria Stonestreet of Big Slick (Pediatric cancer foundation of CMH). The podium itself was an attraction itself, designed and built by the park to look like the ride's iconic spiral lift hill. The presentation of an oversized check to Big Slick and the ceremonial ribbon cutting followed. 

After the first riders had ridden, we immediately headed into the queue we had heard so much about. Probably one of the best-themed queues in park history, the new Zinger reuses the original Zambezi Zinger's original queue house. Riders enter through a side entrance instead of entering through the original entrance. At first, this was a bit confusing, but it follows the back story laid out for the new Zinger when it was announced last August. The story goes that many years ago, a small-time safari company, Zambezi Adventure Safaris went out of business when its star attraction, the Zinger, was believed to have gone extinct. The safari company has now re-opened its doors after new evidence that the Zinger had been re-discovered. Signage on the original main entrance reads, "please use side entrance, as office closed due to snake infestation" This is a small detail that not only fits the new story but is a nod to the old urban legend that snakes once lived in the original Zinger tunnel.

The details continue throughout the queue line, both planned and unplanned. One of the most unnoticeable details is that if you look down, you can still see where the original queue rails were located; tight and narrow, the park removed them many years ago. Then there is a large corkboard in the queue that is so detailed it could have its own blog! A few standouts include a small letter telling riders to "watch out; there are snakes in the tunnel!" A reproduction of the Schwarzkopf badge (Schwarzkopf built the original Zinger), a copy of a 1973 souvenir map, and a small nod to Phileas Fogg, the original explorer from "Around the World in 80 Days". 

Photo by Kim Slater

The various, seemingly generic travel posters are not generic at all. They were designed by Cedar Fair Senior Environmental Graphic Designer Brittani Rosier, specifically for the ride, with each one including a nod to both current and defunct African attractions in each section. For example, the Egypt one features the Sphinx (Fury of the Nile) and a Mamba snake (Mamba), and The Serengeti features a nod to the original Safari ride. Brittani added an interesting detail: the Safari Vehicle on the Serengeti poster was initially designed to look identical to the vehicles on The Safari ride (1973-1978)  but was modified to the more "Range Rover" appearance in final production. 

Out of the queue building and towards the station, the landscaping is lush and unparalleled in any queue line at Worlds of Fun. Music is piped in to make you feel as if you are on your way toward a real Safari adventure. Because, of course, you are!

As discussed in a previous blog, the two trains on the new Zambezi Zinger are the first-ever Great Coaster International (GCI) Infinity Flyer trains. Riders only have a lap bar for restraint, no seatbelts! The significant change here is the height requirement, which the park had initially posted as 40" but was increased to a minimum of 48" just before the ride opening; the "why" to the question regarding the height requirement change is pretty straightforward once you experience the ride. It's fairly intense and makes several rapid, directional changes. The overall intensity doesn't detract from the ride experience but pushes it above what most consider a family ride.

This isn't the first time in amusement history that a ride that was intended to be a family ride ended up being something completely different. Personal recollection: PowderKeg at Silver Dollar City was also intended to be a family ride. No one will discount that PowderKeg is a great ride, and, in my opinion, people will see Zinger as a similar situation; a good ride is a good ride, after all.

This footer is visible from both the new Zinger queue line and when heading towards the lift.

A view of the high-speed turn on the original Zinger, and you can see what I believe is the same footer (different angle) below the track. Photo by Tammy Queen.

A ride on Zinger itself starts as you head out of the station. Immediately on exiting the station, riders should look to the right. In the stream below, they will see several concrete footers for the original Zambezi Zinger, specifically for its "high-speed turn" or its fourth drop that followed the curve around the lift.

Once on the lift, The Zambezi Zinger is anything but quiet, thanks to the anti-rollbacks (a feature the original Zinger never had). Besides that auditory detail, the lift is reminiscent of the original Zinger, and unlike your typical lift hill is quite fun. The drop itself is quick and relatively steep compared to the original, which was 56 feet tall; the new version is about twenty feet taller at 74 feet. The ride starts out relatively tame, making a quick turn over by Nile's queue line before heading back towards the lift hill. The turn around the lift is nearly identical to the original, while still being a bit speedier on this new version. What probably amplifies the similarity is that the new lift hill is located within 20 feet of the original, making this one detail, and the lift it surrounds, probably as close as anyone could get to the original without actually re-building the original.

From this point, the new Zinger becomes a tale of two different rides. While the original would take a curving drop into the high-speed turn, the new Zinger rips off towards undiscovered land. The train dives, crests over the train tracks, and begins its action-packed second half. 

Going back to Zinger's original announcement, fans have been discussing one vital feature, the tunnel. Some go so far as to say it's not really a tunnel as it doesn't go underground. While I disagree with that assessment, I was surprised that the tunnel was a last-minute addition to the design. Today, the new tunnel is enclosed, and while not pitch black, it is quite fun and at a great location about midway through the ride. After shooting out of the tunnel, the ride continues its quick and ferocious campaign. Flipping riders side to side, so close to the ground in some cases you feel you could reach out and touch it. Several fiberglass African animals populate the second half of Zinger, a zebra, lion, and rhino, all relocated from Kings Dominion. Still, most riders would never realize it as you are being zinged right past them. Before anyone can catch their breath, we have made it back to the station and our safari expedition has come to an end.

The lion hiding out in the corner.

I would end up riding the coaster three more times (for four total) in that first hour of ride operation. It was fun; I rode it multiple times and would do so again. One detail I mentioned is that unlike the original, which was mostly mild-mannered, this new Zambezi Zinger, totally lives up to its name, Zinging guests through the wilds of Worlds of Fun's Africa section. Like the original, though, the trees play a big part, and I imagine they will grow much like they did on the original as the years go by. That really will be one Zinger of a ride!

Kansas City Can You STAND to Be First?

 We celebrated Worlds of Fun's 50th Anniversary only a few days ago, and today we have another significant anniversary to recall. On today's date: May 31st, 40 years ago, Screamroller was converted into the country's first stand-up coaster and became Extremeroller or E.X.T. In researching E.X.T. over the years, I have found very little about it before May 1983, and the 1983 map lists the ride as a sit-down and still named Screamroller. Extremeroller as a stand-up only appears on the 1984 map. My theory is that converting the coaster was not a multi-year planned one like most attractions but was instead a fly-by-night, "how about we try this? Sure, that sounds good" kind of thing. Like many historical details, this is just a theory based on the facts that I have. Worlds of Fun spent about $250,000 to convert Screamroller to Extremeroller. The conversion was completed by Arrow-Huss, the short-lived attempted merger of two great amusement manufacturing companies. Arrow Dynamics and Huss Manufacturing would eventually go separate ways only a few years later. 

To understand why E.X.T. happened, though, one only has to look at what was happening in the coaster world. From the mid-1970s until around 2000, the amusement industry was fully engaged in a "coaster war." Whoever could build the loopiest, fastest, tallest, longest coaster had a claim to "coaster capital," and Arrow was right at the forefront for much of it. Most reactions to the concept of E.X.T. were ones of disbelief, and according to Lee Derrough, that was exactly what they were looking for. 

The stand-up pods and fiberglass body.

Extremeroller would use the original structure of the Screamroller coaster, an Arrow Corkscrew, with only a slight modification to the rollover on the first drop to accommodate the larger and heavier trains. The trains themselves would be gutted, with new fiberglass cars and restraints added to the Screamroller trains' original undercarriage. Out went the seats, and in came tall, six-foot-pods with a shoulder harness, a thigh harness, and a seatbelt around the waist. Also, unlike modern stand-up coasters, there was no seat; it was a literal stand-up ride. 

Concept art by Byron Gash

In the true meaning of "coaster wars," Worlds of Fun wasn't alone in this attempted venture. Six Flags Mid America (St. Louis) was doing its own stand-up conversion to its aging Arrow, River King Mine Train. Many are familiar with this classic family coaster but unaware that it originally had two tracks. One track on the Mine Train received a similar conversion and was dubbed Railblazer. Railblazer, unlike E.X.T., wouldn't open until 1984. 

Extremeroller at Worlds of Fun

Railblazer at Six Flags Mid-America

Tragedy would strike at Six Flags on July 9th, 1984, when Stella Holcomb, aged 45, was thrown from the ride and died from her head and chest injuries. For many years urban legend would twist this story so that the actual culprit was E.X.T. which had already ceased operation by the time of the accident at Six Flags. An investigation after the death found that Railblazer lacked the waist belts that E.X.T. had, which may have contributed to the accident.

The deconstructed Extremeroller with Timber Wolf going up in the background.

So why did Extremeroller return to being a sit-down if it wasn't for an accident? The simple answer is that Screamroller was never designed to be a stand-up coaster. The stand-up trains were far heavier and had a completely different center of gravity, causing technical difficulties with the lift hill and breaking the lift hill chain on more than one occasion. The ride itself wasn't any less safe, but the problems did cause it to be a mechanical nightmare. Extremeroller would return to being a standard sit-down model in June 1984 and live out the rest of its short life at Worlds of Fun until its removal in 1988. Extremeroller would be sold to a park in Taiwan and live on until 2003-2004, known as the Spiral. 

Forty years have passed since Worlds of Fun's made its splash into the great coaster wars. To many, Extremeroller was a blip in amusement park history but a monumental part of Worlds of Fun history. When it played on T.V., the E.X.T. commercial is my earliest memory of Worlds of Fun, commercial, park, or otherwise; it's probably why I ended up going to Worlds of Fun for the first time in 1983. So for me, at least, I may not have been able to "Stand Being First," but E.X.T. is anything but inconsequential.

Celebrating 50 Years of Magic and Adventure!

There are many important dates in Worlds of Fun history, and we’ve celebrated many of them, literal cornerstones to memories for many years. Today, though, is the most important date of all. May 26, 1973, the first day that Worlds of Fun opened to the public. The day the magic started. Today’s date started not just the story of Worlds of Fun, it started all of OUR stories with Worlds of Fun. 

50 years ago today, one has to wonder what was going through the heads of everyone who attended opening day. We know the thoughts of Jack Steadman, President of Worlds of Fun, because his words about opening day in 1973 are in print: he states that the opening of Worlds of Fun in 1973 was “an event only slightly less spectacular than the Super Bowl” (Ramstack p. 52). Which says a lot. What about Lamar Hunt and his family? Was he elated that the years of planning had come to fruition? Or did he look forward to the future? How about all the others, the guests, I am not talking about the dignitaries, but the regular park guests themselves. The only park that many of them had ever been to was Fairyland, and here was a new park. Here is how the park was described in an advertisement from the Kansas City Times on May 26, 1973: 

 

“Worlds of Fun is over sixty brand new and exciting things to do. It’s the sternwheeler Cotton Blossom and a train ride right out of the Old West. It’s good eats from around the globe and a trip across five worlds in the Sky Hi. 

 

Worlds of Fun is Europa and watching the Can-Can at the Moulin Rouge. It’s a Flying Dutchman windmill ride and a bumpy-crunching journey on the Autobahn in Der Fender Bender. 

 

Worlds of Fun is a Safari through the African veldt, a big game hunt, and finding wealth at the Diamond Mine. It’s a breathtaking ride on the Zambezi Zinger, and shopping for souvenirs at Bwana’s Bargains. 

 

Worlds of Fun is fighting off the Royal Navy in the pirate ship Victrix, and enjoying a musical revue at the giant Tivoli Playhouse. It’s taking a diving, dipping ride in the Schussboomer, and watching wood carvers at the Baltic Bazaar. 

 

Worlds of Fun is exploring the Far East and its alluring gardens and mysterious waterways. It’s challenging the Oriental Octopus ride and laughing at the antics of the dolphins. It’s a world of fun at Worlds of Fun, for the young, the old, for everyone!” 

 

 

The weather was gray that morning when at 10:00 AM Worlds of Fun opened. But that didn’t deter the festivities and in fact, probably made the day that much more memorable. The park opened with a gala parade that featured cars from Le Taxitour and The Safari carrying dignitaries, which was led by Worlds of Fun Ambassadors and several local High School marching bands. It was followed by a christening of S.S. Henrietta, balloon ascension, and antique plane flyover. The opening ceremonies themselves were held at Cotton Blossom and included about 3,000 total in attendance, which included everyone from Lamar Hunt to Dutton Brookfield president of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, to the governor of Missouri, Christopher Bond. Bond even commented on the less-than-ideal weather conditions in the Jefferson City News Tribune stating “I heard there was a chance it was going to rain this morning in the middle of the ceremonies, but knowing how Lamar Hunt plans things, I wasn’t too worried” (amusement park opens p. 5). 

Lamar, Norma and Clark Hunt

 

Cliff Trainer of Kansas City added his two cents in an article published the next day May 27th, “you spend four years on a park like this and opening day it rains, don’t you know Lamar Hunt is just sick?” (Speck, p. 1). Trainer, who with his family visited the park on opening day had their story told by the Kansas City Star and it’s like a veritable time capsule. Mom doesn’t want to ride the coaster with the unpronounceable name (Schussboomer), but the kids do so she rides anyway and there will be no more coasters after that! After the ride, the kids jump out looking for the next adventure, and Dad has to rein them in saying they have all day! The recently defunct Finnish Fling even makes an appearance, though it’s misnamed in the article as Finnish Flum. The park wasn’t just about the rides though, Mom wanted to visit the shops and the “authentic riverboat” Cotton Blossom, the point being there was something for everyone.  

 

 A lot would change over the next fifty years, Schussboomer, Finnish Fling, and Cotton Blossom are gone, but Flying Dutchman, Le Taxitour, Viking Voyager, Autobahn (Der Fender Bender), Scrambler, and Worlds of Fun Railroad, even ELI the steam engine are still there, and still providing similar fun experiences as they did fifty years before when the Trainers and other 11,072 first day visitors first experienced them. Stop for a moment and appreciate that, fifty years of rides being given is a testament to the longevity of those six original rides and to the many mechanics who have kept and continue to keep them running! So, for me at least as long as Worlds of Fun continues to open its gates it will always ALWAYS be Worlds of Fun.  

 

 

 

 

The six original rides from 1973 that operate today: Scandi Scrambler, Viking Voyager, Le Taxitour, Flying Dutchman, Autobahn (Der Fender Bender), and the Worlds of Fun Railroad.

In the end, it's not about just the rides, or attractions, it's about the people, the people you visit with, the people you make memories with, and what a WONDERFUL adventure it has been over the past 50 years! Today Worlds of Fun celebrates 50 years of adventures, 50 years of makin’ magical memories, and hopefully will for many more years to come. 

 

 

 

(1973, May 27). Amusement Park Opens. The Sunday News and Tribune, p. 5. 

 

Ramstack, T. (1983, June 1). Who is Jack Steadman? Kansas City Business Journal, 49–57. 

 

Speck, E. (1973, May 27). “Rain, Thrills at Fun World” The Kansas City Star, p. 1 

 

 

 

 Special thanks to Elora Maxwell for proofreading!