Orient Express gone

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 3:53 pm

very sad news:

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansa ... st=b_ln_hl

Orient express will be tore down this winter and replaced....maintence cost is the key reason....

Feel free to share memories of this great roller coaster.

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 4:13 pm

my memories:

But really I'm going to miss this ride. It died years ago when it became too unbearable to ride, but there were times where they had it fixed up good enough to get a ride or two on it.

Here's to the Orient

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 4:30 pm

yeah it was getting rough...

that was the first coaster I ever rode...rode it with my pops and to this day when I walk into that station I see the eyes glowing where the train goes in and see that mural on the back wall and I'm transformed to that first ride.

I'm getting old I guess.....

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 5:14 pm

The rumors I am hearing point to a new rollercoaster for 2005. A big one, most likely an inverted or other type of coaster that WOF doesn't have. Spinning Dragon, the family coaster taking its place, will only cost as much as Thunderhawk, so I don't doubt that they could put in 2 coasters in 2 years. The removal of the Orient leaves Boomerang as the only looping rollercoaster. Maybe they can keep the original que house as they did for the Zambezi Zinger when Boomerang took its place (another classic gone).

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 6:58 pm

yeah if in 05 they put in an inverted and use the same house, that would be cool....call it Orient's revenge.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:49 pm

I don't like what these guys are doin' with WOF. You can go to any Six Flags Theme Park and they still have their original fan favorite steel roller coasters. These idiots have torn down every fan favorite whenever they even think about puttin' up a new coaster. Hell, I think WOF has less coasters than any major amusement park in the United States...except maybe Adventureland in Des Moines. I definitely wouldn't take a tourist from Ohio, California or Texas there.

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:14 am

Well, it's not like they're just ripping 'em down for the hell of it. Both the Zambezi Zinger and Orient Express were falling apart to the point they cost too much to operate and maintain. The ZZ parts weren't even made anymore and getting replacements cost way too much. The Orient Express was closed more often than it was operating this past season. The only ones to blame are the designers who built roller coasters that couldn't last longer than 20-25 years (which isn't bad). If they build a major coaster next year, they'll have six coasters, which is about average for a park.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 12:59 am

4 major coasters is a little small...need at least 5....I still like WoF though.

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:26 am

But with the exception of Boomerang, all of WOF's coasters have always been quality and custom built for the park and terrain. Apparently the one being built next year will be no different. Contrast that with a Six Flags park. All you need to do is go to the one in California and you've been to all of them. I'm sure I'll be riding Spinning Dragons more than I did OE anyway.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:31 am

This is sad news. So many memories, so many season passes.

But we all knew this was coming.

I have to agree with Que, WOF, (like so much of KC) is falling behind most major amusement parks. WOF used to blow away six flags StL.

Now we have the Mamba and Timber Wolf. The family coaster sounds ok, but they better get a new major coaster in there next year or the park will start to drain people to other midwestern parks if it hasn't already.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:37 am

Blame Cedar Fair...cheap SOBs

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:50 am

Worlds of Fun has been without a family coaster since 1998 when the Zambezi Zinger was ripped out. They need this one before a big one is built. This will attract more family crowds and hopefully give WOF more money for a bigger attraction next year.

I'm not sure why people keep blaming CF for things that go wrong at that park. They added rollercoasters once every 9 years when Hunt MW owned it (Orient in 1980, TW in 1989 and after CF bought the park, Mamba in 1998). They, too, took out coasters, as the Timber Wolf was built in the old EXT spot. If they do in fact build a coaster next year, that will make 4 coasters that Cedar Fair has built since taking over in 1996.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:52 am

northlander...a lot of it comes from them de-theming WoF.

kcmajik · Post by **kcmajik** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 1:31 pm

GRID wrote: The family coaster sounds ok, but they better get a new major coaster in there next year or the park will start to drain people to other midwestern parks if it hasn't already.

i was going to say - it wouldn't surprise me for omaha to build a new park just to compete with WOF.

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 2:50 pm

kcmajik wrote:i was going to say - it wouldn't surprise me for omaha to build a new park just to compete with WOF.

They are building a new theme park. The name isn't official (Wild Escape) and it will be designed by Papa's Park LLC. They hope to have phase 1 open by next year. This park will feature three coasters as well as other thrill rides in it's first year. The park will have an outdoor portion and a domed indoor portion so they can attract visitors year round. I can't remember the exact acreage, but the domed portion will be 9 stories high. They already stated that it will be larger than Adventureland in Des Moines.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 2:55 pm

oh no, not bigger than Advertureland (never heard of it)

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 3:10 pm

KC wrote:oh no, not bigger than Advertureland (never heard of it)

http://www.adventureland-usa.com/

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:02 pm

KC wrote:northlander...a lot of it comes from them de-theming WoF.

I'll agree with you there. The absolute worst is that 50's restaurant in the African section. They have done at least a satisfactory job though of making sure most new rides fit the theming of the area.

The Summit · Post by **The Summit** » Thu Nov 06, 2003 10:02 pm

Six flags keeps building new major coasters and WOF keeps tearing them down and puting in carnival rides. Too bad for KC.

Slappy the Wang · Post by **Slappy the Wang** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 5:50 pm

WHOA! This is devistating news to me. I proposed to my first wife as we were climbing the first hill on the Orient in 1989. With a small diamond in one hand and a Panda-shaped drink box in the other she accepted my offer.

Sadly, she ran off with a lifeguard from Lake Jacomo.............my second wife was a lot better, but ,my third is the best!