Worlds of Fun is a theme park in Kansas City, Missouri, that opened on May 26, 1973, on land developed by Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman. The park originally drew its theming from Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days, dividing its grounds into international lands that still echo through its layout today.
Spanning more than 235 acres, Worlds of Fun has grown into one of the Midwest’s premier thrill destinations, anchored by its signature hypercoaster Mamba. The park sits beside its longtime companion, Oceans of Fun water park, which opened in 1982. After passing through Cedar Fair and then Six Flags Entertainment Corporation ownership, Worlds of Fun was sold to Kansas City-based EPR Properties in an April 2026 multi-park deal and is now operated by Enchanted Parks.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Kansas City, Missouri
- Opened: May 26, 1973
- Size: About 235 acres
- Operator: Enchanted Parks (owned by EPR Properties)
- Roller Coasters: 7 operating
- Signature Coaster: Mamba (hypercoaster, 205-ft drop, 75 mph)
- Sister Park: Oceans of Fun (opened 1982)
The Ride Experience
Mamba is the park’s headline attraction, a Morgan-built hypercoaster that opened in 1998 with a 205-foot first drop, a top speed of about 75 mph, and roughly 5,600 feet of track. Alongside it, Patriot delivers an inverted, four-inversion layout from Bolliger & Mabillard, while the wooden Timber Wolf has run since 1989.
More recent additions include Prowler, a Great Coasters International wooden coaster from 2009, and Zambezi Zinger, which was rebuilt as a wooden GCI Titan Track coaster in 2023 after starting life as a steel ride. The Vekoma Boomerang and the family-friendly Spinning Dragons round out the park’s seven-coaster lineup.
History and Ownership
Worlds of Fun opened under founders Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman with an around-the-world theme, later expanding with the adjacent Oceans of Fun water park in 1982. The park changed hands several times over the decades, eventually becoming part of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company.
Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags in 2024 to form Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. In March 2026, Six Flags announced it would divest seven parks, including Worlds of Fun, to Kansas City-based EPR Properties in a $342 million deal that closed on April 6, 2026. The park is now run by Enchanted Parks, with the Six Flags branding phased out through the end of 2026.
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Worlds of Fun FAQs
When did Worlds of Fun open?
Worlds of Fun officially opened on May 26, 1973, in Kansas City, Missouri.
What is the tallest roller coaster at Worlds of Fun?
Mamba is the park’s tallest and fastest coaster, featuring a 205-foot first drop and a top speed of about 75 mph.
Who owns Worlds of Fun now?
Worlds of Fun is owned by EPR Properties and operated by Enchanted Parks, following a sale completed in April 2026 as part of a multi-park deal with Six Flags Entertainment Corporation.
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Photo: Jeremy Thompson / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.