Want to know the best roller coasters and other rides at Kansas City’s Worlds of Fun amusement park?
Just take a 10-year-old-kid who loves roller coasters to Worlds of Fun. Take notes and photos as they sample most of the rides during a three hour window.
I completed this exercise last week with my niece, Justina, who’s on her way to becoming a roller coaster connoisseur.
On a Monday afternoon with light crowds at Worlds of Fun, Justina was on a mission to sample as many rides as possible. Immediately after she completed each ride, she gave rated it on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the highest rating. In addition, Justina provided commentary on what she liked and didn’t like about each ride.
The 10-Year-Old’s Rating Guide for Worlds of Fun Roller Coasters & Rides
The Mamba (10 out of 10)
Justina says this roller coaster is “really fast.” She recommends that you sit in the middle or back section, so that you can’t see when you are reaching the top of the peak. This provides a “nice surprise at the huge drop”, she says.
Justina’s only criticism of the Mamba: “after the first big drop, it’s not as exciting.”
The Patriot (10 out of 10)
Justina likes how the “cars hang from the bottom of the rail” on this roller coaster, meaning that “you hang from the seats” and “your feet dangle to toward the ground”.
She likes the Patriot’s “twists and turns at super-fast speeds,” but wishes that it didn’t jerk the rider so much when coming to a stop.
The Detonator (9 out of 10)
Justina likes the element of surprise in this ride. “I like how it goes up just a tiny bit and stops,” she says. Then, when you aren’t expecting any movement, “it jerks you straight up quickly.”
Justina appreciates the Detonator’s unpredictability: “you don’t know how far it will go up and down each time.” She wishes, however, that the cars went all of the way to the top of the ride, and that ride was longer.
The Fury of the Nile (8 out of 10)
Justina likes how this ride gets you wet “when you aren’t expecting it.” She also appreciates how the six-person rafts “bounce” when they hit the side of the river, and the cooling “rainfall” at the end of the tunnel.
The only disadvantage of this ride is that “you have to wait a long time to exit the ride” after the excitement of the tunnel.
The Monsoon (7 out of 10)
This is an Oceans of Fun ride that is also open to Worlds of Fun guests. Justina likes the “fast turn at the top”, followed by the “hump in the downward slope, just before the big splash” and finally, the “big splash when you hit the water.” She also likes that you can stand on the bridge to and from the ride and get “totally drenched.”
The only negative: “it’s a long ride to the splash,” says Justina.
The Boomerang (7 out of 10)
Justina appreciates the “loop-de-loop” of this rollercoaster and how you complete the entire ride in both “backwards and forwards motion.” She also likes how you start this ride with your car going up backwards and then dropping “straight down: the element of surprise in a ride. “I like how it goes up just a tiny bit and stops,” she says. Then, when you aren’t expecting any movement, “it jerks you straight up quickly.”
Justina’s only dislike for this ride: “it’s really LOUD when you are waiting your turn.”
The Finnish Fling (5 out of 10)
A seemingly ancient ride to her aunt, who remembers it on her first child-hood visit to Worlds of Fun, Justina likes the Finnish Fling. “It’s cool that you feel stitched to the wall when the floor drops from beneath your feet,” she explains.
However, she does not like how you can’t “keep your head straight as your body is suction-cupped to the wall and your face is stretched out.”
Cyclone Sam’s (1 out of 10)
Justina grades rides on a fairly high curve, but she does not like this tornado-like ride. “Don’t go!” she says. “It looks so pleasant from the outside, but when you get inside, you are in the dark and the movements and surrounding lights make your very queasy feeling.”
Of course, if you want to feel like you’ve experienced a cyclone, go ahead. Just be warned by the 10-year-old roller coaster aficionado.
Are you a roller coaster connoisseur? What’s your favorite”loop-de-loop?