Fun Spot America is a family-owned amusement park chain built on go-karts, wooden coasters, and no-nonsense fun near Orlando’s tourist corridor. The flagship Orlando location opened on December 24, 1997, founded by John Arie Sr., whose roots in the amusement business trace back to the Fun ‘n Wheels parks he ran starting in 1979.
Tucked near International Drive within sight of Universal Orlando, the 14-acre park has grown from a simple go-kart stop into a legitimate coaster destination. A $25 million expansion in 2013 added its signature ride, White Lightning, giving Orlando its only wooden roller coaster. Sister parks later opened in Kissimmee (2007) and, briefly, Fayetteville, Georgia (2017), though the Georgia park is slated to close in August 2026.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Orlando, Florida (near International Drive)
- Opened: December 24, 1997
- Size: About 14 acres
- Coasters: 3 – White Lightning, Freedom Flyer, Sea Serpent
- Go-kart tracks: 4 multi-level tracks
- Signature ride: White Lightning, a wooden coaster by Great Coasters International (2013)
- Notable fact: Home to the only wooden roller coaster in Orlando
The Ride Experience
White Lightning anchors the park as an out-and-back wooden coaster standing about 70 feet tall, reaching speeds of roughly 44 mph over a 2,032-foot track. Built on a steel support structure to cut down on maintenance, it was the first Great Coasters International design to use that hybrid approach. Riders also have Freedom Flyer, a Vekoma suspended family coaster, and Sea Serpent, a gentler E&F Miler Industries family coaster, giving the park a spread of intensities for mixed-age groups.
Beyond the coasters, Fun Spot America’s identity is really its go-karts: four multi-level tracks wind above and around the park, a layout that’s become something of a signature for the chain across its locations.
A Family Business With Deep Roots
Fun Spot America’s story starts well before the Orlando gates opened. John Arie Sr. ran Fun ‘n Wheels locations beginning in 1979 and, after selling that franchise in 1988, launched the first Fun Spot parks in 1990. Early locations in Myrtle Beach and Virginia Beach didn’t last, closing by 1998, but the Orlando park that opened at the end of 1997 became the foundation for the modern chain, which later expanded to Kissimmee and, for a time, the Atlanta area.
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Fun Spot America FAQs
Is Fun Spot America in Orlando a wooden coaster park?
It has one wooden coaster, White Lightning, which opened in 2013 as the only wooden roller coaster in Orlando. The park also has two steel family coasters, Freedom Flyer and Sea Serpent.
When did Fun Spot America Orlando open?
The Orlando park opened on December 24, 1997, founded by John Arie Sr., building on his earlier Fun ‘n Wheels amusement parks.
How big is Fun Spot America Orlando?
The park covers about 14 acres near International Drive, close to Universal Orlando, and is centered around four multi-level go-kart tracks plus its coasters.
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