Worlds of Fun (WOF) Discussion Thread

(Add on for the last post)

I consider WOF a family park because of the amount of flat rides there. (Compare WOF to SFSTL)

While your labeling system is your prerogative - having a bunch of flat rides does equate a family park. The park really only has one family roller coaster (Spinning Dragons). Fans of the park have stated for a long time now that there is little for families to do together. There is a lot of younger kid stuff. There is a lot of stuff for thrill seekers. Not much middle of the road.

If the rumors are true about Silver Dollar City let's hope it will spur WOF to get off their haunches and start making some bigger investments. If WOF wasn't already, it may be set to become the 3rd best park in Missouri after SDC and SFSL...

I still feel WOF is more of a complete park than SFSTL, but that's probably more in the eye of the beholder.

IF you go off the rumors and veiled responses from the management team at WOF during their last Q&A session at Coaster Mayhem - it sounds like the plans for the park the next few years are as follows:

2017: Triotech Dark Ride to be located in BiCentennial Square area

2018: Clone of Tempetso/Superman Ultimate Flight

 

2017: Triotech Dark Ride to be located in BiCentennial Square area

2018: Clone of Tempetso/Superman Ultimate Flight

I agree with the Dark Ride, but I remember Frank Wilburn specifically saying they want to see a family launch coaster, however things could have changed since then. I know this is a past topic on this forum, but I'd love to see a custom family/thrill coaster by premier sort of like Premier's version of Manta at Sea World San Diego or something like Verbolten. I guess with what Premier has already developed, I could see something similar to the Backlot Stunt Coaster design.

Family coaster could come if that is what he said. If the park likes feedback from the guests, they would be installing a thrilling coaster instead. I read comments on their Facebook page, and the majority of wants for new rides involve high thrill. There is one or two people wanting new family rides each post, but that's like a ratio of 1 to 10 thrill wanting people. It has been discussed before, but I do see a larger thrill coaster coming.

 

2017: Triotech Dark Ride to be located in BiCentennial Square area

2018: Clone of Tempetso/Superman Ultimate Flight

 

 

I agree with the Dark Ride, but I remember Frank Wilburn specifically saying they want to see a family launch coaster, however things could have changed since then. I know this is a past topic on this forum, but I'd love to see a custom family/thrill coaster by premier sort of like Premier's version of Manta at Sea World San Diego or something like Verbolten. I guess with what Premier has already developed, I could see something similar to the Backlot Stunt Coaster design.

He has said openly that he wants a "family launch coaster like Tempesto". Must have missed where a family launch coaster has to be mild.

The Flyers have finally arrived. That means all 5 of the rides have arrived at the park.

Source: Worlds of Fun Social Media

Source: Worlds of Fun Social Media

Call me wierd but I'm actually looking forward to the flyers!

^ the flyers are actually a great ride. It's made by Larson right?

Yes. The same model they've been putting in the other parks.

 

2017: Triotech Dark Ride to be located in BiCentennial Square area

2018: Clone of Tempetso/Superman Ultimate Flight

 

 

I agree with the Dark Ride, but I remember Frank Wilburn specifically saying they want to see a family launch coaster, however things could have changed since then. I know this is a past topic on this forum, but I'd love to see a custom family/thrill coaster by premier sort of like Premier's version of Manta at Sea World San Diego or something like Verbolten. I guess with what Premier has already developed, I could see something similar to the Backlot Stunt Coaster design.

 

He has said openly that he wants a "family launch coaster like Tempesto". Must have missed where a family launch coaster has to be mild.

So did the Herschends when they built Powder Keg. Tempesto looks like a lot of fun, and would work really well at WoF.

Looks like WOF will be adding a Huss Troika and Condor are headed to the park this summer. What a nice surprise

http://www.latimes.com/travel/themeparks/la-trb-cedar-fair-flat-rides-20160206-story.html

A team of scavengers scouring the globe for vintage thrill rides to bring back to Cedar Fair amusement parks in the United States hit the mother lode in Europe and plans to continue the search in Japan.

 

The transcontinental trek took Monty Jasper and a small crew of Cedar Fair maintenance coordinators to Scotland, Holland, Italy, Switzerland and Germany where they collected seven classic flat rides — industry-speak for spinning thrill rides that travel near the ground and/or rise up into the air.

 

“To be honest, I was surprised at all we found,” said Jasper, a 42-year industry veteran and chief ride curator for Cedar Fair’s chain of 11 amusement parks.

 

Let's take a detailed look at the inventory of vintage flat rides — past and present — at Cedar Fair's amusement parks. (Brady MacDonald)

 

In all, Jasper spent $7 million — about $1 million per ride — on a Mondial Top Scan, Mack Music Express, Zierer Wave Swinger, Huss Condor, Huss Breakdance and a pair of Huss Troikas.

 

After extensive rehabs, five of the rides are heading to Carowinds outside Charlotte, N.C., and the other two are on their way to Missouri’s Worlds of Fun in time for the summer season.

 

Jasper likes the rides from the 1950s, '60s and '70s because they tend to be more robust and mechanically sound than their modern brethren.

 

“If you take care of them, they will last a long time,” Jasper said.

 

Inspired by the “American Pickers” reality television show, Jasper’s team of collectors departed for Europe with the goal of filling out Cedar Fair’s portfolio of mid-range rides — those unheralded but essential workhorses that fall somewhere between the mega coasters and the kiddie rides. Jasper hoped to even pick up a sturdy old coaster if found one he liked.

 

At Scotland’s Loudoun Castle theme park, which closed in 2010, the Cedar Fair ride pickers passed on a portable Schwarzkopf looping coaster but picked up a Troika, which is similar to the familiar Scrambler except it's suspended from overhead arms that tilt during the ride.

 

“They stuck the key in the ignition and it started right up,” Jasper said. “Troikas are stout rides. They’re built like tanks.”

 

In Germany, the pickers decided against a Funtime Star Flyer tower swing at Holiday Park but grabbed a Breakdance, which features a sloped spinning platform with hubs of cars that spin in the opposite direction. California’s Great America, a Cedar Fair park in Santa Clara, has a Breakdance ride called Peanuts Pirates in its Planet Snoopy kiddie land.

 

Switzerland and Italy proved scenic but fruitless, with the pickers deciding against a Huss Top Scan and a Mack bobsled roller coaster.

 

“Anything can run again if you throw enough money at it, but it might not be worth it,” Jasper said. “You don’t want to put some troublemaker into a park.”

 

Corroy Consulting, a ride-refurbishment factory in Holland that finds and resells classic flat rides, turned out to be a goldmine — with Jasper and the pickers snapping up five rides that will be stripped, repainted, repaired and updated with new electrical and lighting before being shipped to the United States.

 

Carowinds is expected to get the Scottish Troika, Breakdance, Music Express, Top Scan and Wave Swinger. The Music Express features a snake-like train traversing an undulating track, and the Top Scan spins riders in free-rotating gondolas. The Wave Swinger may replace the park’s Chance Yo Yo, a similar spinning ride with seats suspended from chains.

 

Worlds of Fun is expected to become home to the Dutch Troika as well as the Condor, a spinning tower ride with counter-spinning swinging gondola seats.

 

This month, Jasper plans to visit Japan on another scavenger hunt in hopes of discovering more rides like the ones he found in Europe while also looking for other classics like the Chance Trabant, Schwarzkopf Enterprise and Eli Bridge Scrambler.

 

“It may not be as good as that first trip,” Jasper said. “We will see.”

So according to LA Times we should see a Condor and a Troika heading to the park soon. Seems like the news came out of nowhere, but I'm super excited. That's brings the total up to 7 new rides! Not bad at all!

I wonder when the park will announce it if they do. This is quite exciting news!

Well, this was unexpected, and awesome. Condors are great, and it'll provide the park with a kind of mini-Windseeker for the guests who may be intimidated by Steelhawk's height. Troikas are also solidly popular rides, and different from anything the park has currently. Worlds of Fun always had great flats, and this addition definitely solidifies that.

So...placement? They have an empty pad where Scrambler used to be. Troika would fit well there. Condor is a fairly visible ride, so near the highway would be good. I could see it going by the petting zoo between Americana and Planet Snoopy.

I could see it going by the petting zoo between Americana and Planet Snoopy.

WAIT! When did we get a petting zoo?

Looking at an aerial map of the park - my guess would be the Troika would go over by SteelHawk in the grassy area between it and Patriot. That would be a good high traffic area. As for the Condor - I would think it would go into the Europa area. That area could use a "new" ride. Perhaps where Bounce-a-roos was? Not sure how big of a ride pad a Condor would take, but I don't remember the ride pad for the one at SFGAm being overly large.

The other option would be to move Le Carrousel to Planet Snoopy and then put one of the two new rides there.

I could see it going by the petting zoo between Americana and Planet Snoopy.

 

WAIT! When did we get a petting zoo?

I don't know when it was built, but it was there in October. The rerouted exit of Timber Wolf went right past it.

I could see it going by the petting zoo between Americana and Planet Snoopy.

 

WAIT! When did we get a petting zoo?

I don't know when it was built, but it was there in October. The rerouted exit of Timber Wolf went right past it.

Oh. No that's just there for the Scare Free Halloween event for kids. It's not permanent.

The petting zoo is where the cosmic coaster used to be. 3 out of the 5 or I guess 7 rides are going down there this year. My guess the animals might return, just somewhere else. I'm pretty sure it was just in Halloween time anyway. I was thinking the exact same thing on ride placement. The Troika would do very well there and the Condor would invite more people to Europa with a taller ride there. It would look cool on the skyline too. I hope the park officially announces it soon.

Well, if thunderhawk did get removed like rumors last said, the condor could go there.

Well, if thunderhawk did get removed like rumors last said, the condor could go there.

Would you want it that close to SteelHawk though? Also, last time I drove past the park -- earlier last month -- it (Thunderhawk) was still standing. Makes me think it will be back this season. (SURPRISE!)

Well, if thunderhawk did get removed like rumors last said, the condor could go there.

That's what I was thinking also. It doesn't make sense that they would get a rid of Thunderhawk at this point. With 2 Huss Rides coming it would seem like the park would want to keep Thunderhawk. Unless they do a good job of restoring these rides, maintenance is going to be interesting.

Well, if thunderhawk did get removed like rumors last said, the condor could go there.

 

Would you want it that close to SteelHawk though? Also, last time I drove past the park -- earlier last month -- it (Thunderhawk) was still standing. Makes me think it will be back this season. (SURPRISE!)

Well, interestingly enough, Thunderhawk is no longer listed on Worlds of Fun's website. Here's the list of thrill rides and coasters. Also, Dorney Park had removed their Top Spin, Hang Time this time last year. I was slightly disappointed by that because I was looking forward to riding my first Huss Top Spin during my first visit to Dorney Park last June. It's a shame to see these Top Spins disappear but, they have quite a few maintenance issues.

https://panjiva.com/Corroy-Consulting-Co-GmbH/37517526

Found some information on the ride refurbishment company.