WORLDS OF FUN/OCEANS OF FUN

DESCRIPTION: Kansas City’s hometown amusement park, Worlds of Fun offers an unbeatable value of 235-acres of family rides, thrill rides, shows and attractions, including admission to Oceans of Fun’s with water slides, soaking attractions, and activity pools. Each fall, Worlds of Fun transforms to the Midwest’s largest Halloween event, including costumed characters, themed attractions and shows with Halloween Haunt and the Great Pumpkin Fest.

ADDRESS: 4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue, Kansas City, Mo. 64161

LOCATION: 10 minutes northeast of downtown Kansas City on I-435

PHONE: 816-454-4545

WEB SITE: worldsoffun.com

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, now one park and all for one price. Enjoy all the rides, slides, attractions and pools at both parks in the same day.
• Worlds of Fun is themed for the Jules Verne novel, Around the World in 80 Days, with five themed sections of the park: Americana, Africa, Europa, the Orient and Scandinavia.
• For thrill seekers, the theme park offers seven world-class roller coasters and dozens of thrill rides. The huge Patriot is the longest and tallest full-circuit inverted roller coaster in the region. The 200-foot Mamba is one of the tallest, longest and fastest coasters ever built. The wooden Prowler was voted “World’s Best New Ride” by Amusement Today when it opened in 2009.
• Get ready to take flight as SteelHawk soars 300 feet in the air, which is 100 feet taller than any other ride in the park. Riders experience stunning views of Worlds of Fun and Kansas City.
• Planet Snoopy is home to the world-famous PEANUTS characters and more than an acre of children’s attractions that families can ride together.
• Dinosaurs Alive! A multi-sensory interactive dinosaur park featuring 38 life-size dinosaurs in a spectacular outdoor setting. Learn where, when and how these prehistoric creatures lived.  Dinos After Dark debuted in 2014 with a new nighttime adventure. Listen to old tales of creatures far before our time around the campfire and arm yourself with a flashlight and stick close together with your tour guide, because you never know what kind of creative could be lurking in the shadows.  Dinosaurs Alive! And Dinos After Dark are extra charge attractions.
• In 2013, Oceans of Fun added a new slide complex including Predators’ Plunge and Sharks’ Revenge. Predators’ Plunge features Aqua-Launch, a chamber with a floor that suddenly drops out. Sharks’ Revenge features enclosed tube slides with high speed drops and turns.
• The waterpark’s attractions include a Surf City Wave Pool, an 800-foot lazy river, and Hurricane Falls, a family raft ride.
• Visitors 21 years and older can relax in Castaway Cove. The adult-only pool features a swim-up refreshment cabana, jets and a sun deck.

HOURS: Worlds of Fun is open seasonally from April through October. Oceans of Fun is open seasonally from late May through September. Daily operating hours for both parks vary; visit worldsoffun.com or call 816-454-4545 for details.

ADMISSION: Admission includes 235 acres of rides and slides at Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun. Visit worldsoffun.com or contact the theme park at 816-454-4545 for more information.

WHERE TO GET LUNCH: Park visitors can choose from more than 40 different food locations including dine-in restaurants, concession locations, and specialty shops. Options range from light snacks to meal-sized entrees. Leading the culinary team at Worlds of Fun is Executive Chef Kevin Williams.  Chef Kevin joined the Worlds of Fun Team in 2013 from Levy Restaurants, where he oversaw such venues as Arrowhead Stadium and The Sprint Center, in Kansas City and The America’s Center Convention Complex and Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. Chef Kevin is from Chicago, and has had the privilege of supervising such high profile events honoring Pope John Paul II and President William Jefferson Clinton. He has also worked on projects and events including NBA and NHL All-Star Games, BNP Paribas tennis tournament in Palm Springs, the Super Bowl, NASCAR Races, The Grammy’s, the Oscar’s and the Masters Golf Tournament.

ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENTS:

The Great Pumpkin Fest with dozens of scare free Halloween family activities

• Petting Zoo
• Trick-Or-Treat Tales, where little ghosts and goblins trick-or-treat with the entire Peanuts gang who are dressed as their favorite story book character.
• New in 2015!  During Halloween, the Vamp family gathers together for their annual Halloween Party. Activities include Costume Contest, Mummy Monster Mash Dance Party, Meet the Vamps story time and games, pumpkin decorating and mask making crafts, Hay Bale Trail and kiddy cars.

As darkness falls, fear rises when the Overlord calls his army to transform Worlds of Fun into Halloween Haunt

• Over 500 monsters in Hollywood-movie caliber make-up and costumes
• Lurking fog-filled midways
• 13 Extreme Haunts including the all new Blood on the Bayou
• Ed Alonzo’s Psycho Circus, the self-proclaimed “Misfit of Magic” is best known for his role on the hit television sitcom “Saved By the Bell.” Shows before 7 p.m. are family friendly, shows after 7 p.m. should be considered for mature audiences.

Throughout the season, Worlds of Fun also annually hosts several special events including World Food & Wine Festival, The All American Barbeque & Brew Festival, Festival of Music and Thrill U.

WHAT’S NEW: In 2015, Splash Island debuted at Oceans of Fun. Splash Island is a 4,200 square-foot interactive splash pad. Paddle around Buccaneer Bay in new swan paddle boats great for families and all ages.

DID YOU KNOW: Operating under the symbol “FUN” inside the New York Stock Exchange, Cedar Fair owns and operates 11 other amusement parks, four other waterparks, one indoor waterpark resort and four hotels.

ON PARK LODGING: Stay where you play! Worlds of Fun Village offers cozy cottages, charming cabins, and RV spots for the big rigs. Located on park property for walking distance to the park, guests staying at the Village also receive great ticket discounts.

GROUP EVENTS: Worlds of Fun hosts over 100,000 guests annually in our four covered picnic pavilions primarily used for corporate events and youth events. Executive Chef Kevin Williams can design menus for events big and small with a wide variety entrées and appetizers, including Kansas City-style barbeque, his secret recipe for lamb chops, bruschetta and bread pudding with a caramel bourbon sauce. Beer, wine and alcoholic beverages are for sale on park. Worlds of Fun is able to provide bar services for group events. For more information, contact groupsales@worldsoffun.com or 816-303-5135. 

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: 

From the north: Travel south on I-29 to I-435 East. Exit at Parvin Road (exit 54). Stay straight to go onto NE Randolph Road. Cross under I-435 and then go straight. Turn right into the Worlds of Fun entrance.

From the south: Travel north on US-71 to I-435 North. Exit at Parvin Road (exit 54). Go straight and then turn right into the Worlds of Fun entrance.

From the east: Travel west on I-70 to I-435 North. Exit at Parvin Road (exit 54). Go straight and then turn right into the Worlds of Fun entrance.

From the west: Travel east on I-70 to I-670 East. Then merge onto I-70 West via exit 2N on the left. Then merge onto I-435 North via the ramp on the left. Exit at Parvin Road (exit 54). Go straight and then turn right into the Worlds of Fun entrance.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Eric Burke, manager of public relations, 816-303-5125, wofpr@worldsoffun.com