Worlds Of Fun Theme Park "One Year Old" in Kansas City, Missouri 9-8-1974

These are some vintage 35 mm Kodak Kodachrome color slides my father took in the second year of operation of the Worlds of Fun amusement park off of Interstate 435 in Kansas City, MO. As you can see in these high-resolution slides, there weren't many rides and attractions yet. It starts with the sign at the entrance and my mom (Lenora) riding the tram to the entry gate. There are several aerial views including the Flying Dutchman, kiddie skyrocket, narrow gauge train, octopus, Scandinavian boat slide, Victrix, Flying Circus, Sky Cars, steamship Cotton Blossum, Moulin Rouge, Zambezi Zinger, and the dolphin show.

[@kcfreeloader]

Wow! Thank you for posting this! I think the first time i went was probably 78 or so, but it's so awesome seeing our park before its personality was thrown away.

[@johnpierce8276]

+kcfreeloader I'm glad you enjoyed it! It's hard to imagine that was over 40 years ago!

[@PPruittToo]

Great pics! The Zambezi Zinger was my favorite!

[@disoriented1]

I loved the Zinger!..and I hated roller coasters!..I still remember my sister in law telling my older brother.."I'll ride it if he does"...and then I did..she has never forgiven me!!

[@williams-wr5lg]

I found out the the Zambezi Zinger is still in operation at an amusement park in Colombia.

[@bdbeatle1]

Have looked at these again. Things have really changed since then! Nice pics!

[@ScottBeardLS]

I was 11 years old and Worlds of Fun was the place to be!

[@chrisbyrd6715]

Holy crap I remember riding and seeing a lot of this as a kid...early80's but have been back throughout my life. Thanks for poasting

[@midos6767]

This video brings back very old early childhood memories.. My parents took me to worlds of fun when I was about 5 or 6 years old back in the early 1970's

[@megiloth3634]

Great pictures! My first trip to Worlds of Fun as a kid was 1978. I remember the Barnstormer, Zambezi Zinger, Schussboomer, Screamroller, Octopus (when it was located where the Bamboozler is now), Viking Voyage and others you have here. Of course to chillout, the ones to go to were the taxis and the train ride. And I loved the Skipper and Dolly dolphin show, where Spinning Dragons is today.

[@bdbeatle1]

Really enjoyed looking at these! I worked there 78-80. This was a nice flash back!

[@johnpierce8276]

+bdbeatle1 Thanks!

[@fool4singing]

Worlds Of Fun was at it's best in the 1970's,..Zambezi Zinger, the Skipper and Dolly dolphin show, the Le Famille puppet show, all the MGM ships scattered about and the Cotton Blossom, the African shooting gallery, and Safari Car ride etc,..it just doesn't have the same charm now.

[@liontat]

I think the kid running the Red Baron just might be me at 17 years old

[@johnpierce8276]

+Rick Mc If you want a copy of my original, I can email it to you. Then you can enlarge it with Windows Photo Viewer or similar to see if it is.

[@johnpierce8276]

+Rick Mc - Done...enjoy

[@darrinhartford5268]

Just out of random curiosity, did it happen to be you in the picture?

[@hannahmiller5619]

Was is you ?!

[@TXBHenleyFan]

I totally forgot they had dolphins!

[@davidc.pierce9631]

I wonder if we are related... The fondness of Worlds of Fun, then, and now(in 1974, a magical experience, for a 7 year-old), We certainly share!! 👍

[@erickwarner3309]

Looking back the Fins and Flippers show was pretty sadistic - I think I always imagined the dolphins had living quarters that were really big that they stayed in at night.

[@jestucker2268]

REAL Worlds of Fun... when it had personality, not just corporate dollar signs.

[@disoriented1]

a novel idea..a "theme park"...I can only surmise things change too rapidly now..I loved my African safari "costume"..

[@TekMan05]

Even though WoF is a fun park still for sure. It's a skeleton of it's former self when it comes to atmospheric theming.

[@MA-vd3ln]

This was around the time when the park first opened there wasn’t hardly any rides there

[@bradhig]

They had a Vonroll 101 skyride like SFSTL??!! and they were stupid for taking it down.

[@WorldsOfFunKC]

Hi John, would you mind if we shared some of these on our Facebook page?

[@DogTeirJade]

unfortunately he passed sometime in 2016

[@ZacBrzuchalski]

is there anyway you can send me copy of these pictures?

[@Colt-ii4qn]

We know why it when downhill, just like the shopping malls 😏

[@jorgedominguez4124]

wow! white only!

[@malisac3869]

Not as fun anymore. Closes too early. No food places are ever open. Poor kids I cool shows or theater.

[@cranjis.mcbasketball1855]

Back before it became a place to drop your kid off and let Worlds of Fun watch them. Now you might get shot or end up in a gang brawl. 1100$ for 3 month summer camp for your kid or 150$ season passport and drop them off. World of fun has become a ghetto.