Windstorm was a steel Zamperla twister coaster that operated at Old Town, the retro-themed entertainment complex in Kissimmee, Florida, just minutes from the Walt Disney World area. The ride opened on February 15, 1997, and quickly became one of the small park’s signature attractions, offering a compact but forceful ride experience aimed at the steady stream of Central Florida tourists passing through Old Town’s shops and midway.
For roughly 17 years, Windstorm delivered tight twists and banked turns on a modest footprint, making it a memorable stop for families looking for a quicker thrill than the mega-coasters found at nearby major theme parks. The ride closed in 2014 and was later sold and relocated to Adventure Park USA in New Market, Maryland, where it reopened in 2015 under the name Wild West Express.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Old Town (Kissimmee, Florida)
- Manufacturer: Zamperla
- Opened: February 15, 1997
- Closed: 2014
- Height: about 53 feet
- Top speed: about 40 mph
- Length: about 1,430 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Windstorm was a classic Zamperla twister-style coaster, hauling riders up a chain lift hill to a modest 53-foot peak before sending them through a compact but aggressive sequence of banked turns and twists across roughly 1,430 feet of steel track. Trains held just 12 riders across three cars, arranged two abreast in two rows, giving the ride an intimate, family-friendly feel despite its punchy pacing.
Because Old Town sat along a busy tourist strip rather than inside a sprawling theme park, Windstorm was designed to deliver a satisfying jolt of speed and G-forces in a short footprint and quick cycle time, making it easy for visitors to squeeze in a ride between browsing the shops and catching the weekly car shows Old Town was known for.
Closure and Relocation
Windstorm operated at Old Town for about 17 years before it was removed from the park in 2014. Rather than being scrapped, the coaster was sold and shipped to Adventure Park USA in New Market, Maryland, where it was reassembled and reopened on May 15, 2015, under a new name, Wild West Express, giving the ride a second life far from its original Florida home.
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Windstorm FAQs
What kind of roller coaster was Windstorm?
Windstorm was a steel sit-down twister coaster built by Zamperla, featuring tight turns and banked twists rather than inversions.
When did Windstorm close at Old Town?
Windstorm closed at Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida in 2014 after about 17 years of operation.
What happened to the Windstorm coaster after it left Old Town?
It was sold and relocated to Adventure Park USA in New Market, Maryland, reopening there in 2015 as Wild West Express.
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Photo: Steven Pignataro / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.