Worlds of FunKansas City, United States

Worlds of Fun is a 235-acre Kansas City theme park featuring major coasters, water rides, and eight themed areas around a global loop.

OpenedMay 26, 1973 OperatorEnchanted Parks OwnerEPR Properties Size235 acres (95 ha) Attractions43 attractions
© formulanone / CC BY-SA 2.0

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, within Clay County on the northern edge of SubTropolis above the Missouri River, Worlds of Fun is a 235-acre theme park. Conceptualized by Lamar Hunt, Jack Steadman, and Randall Duell, it opened on May 26, 1973. Today, the park is owned by EPR Properties and operated by Enchanted Parks, offering 43 total attractions.

The park's layout follows a Duell loop inspired by Jules Verne's 'Around the World in Eighty Days.' Visitors enter through Gateway Gardens and can travel clockwise through themed lands: Scandinavia, Africa (including Serengeti, Morocco, and Egypt), Wild West, Americana, and East Asia, with Europa cutting across the center and Planet Snoopy set behind Wild West.

Worlds of Fun is renowned for its lineup of thrill rides, signature roller coasters, and the adjacent Oceans of Fun water park, which opened in 1982 and offers integrated access with park admission. The destination caters to thrill-seekers, families, and multi-day travelers, supported by on-site accommodations right next to the park.

01 Signature rides & attractions

The park’s headline rides across its themed areas. Confirm heights and any single-rider lines on the day.

Coaster
Americana
Timber Wolf
A wooden roller coaster added in 1989 that features a seventy-degree banked turn constructed by Great Coasters International.
Coaster
Mamba
A D.H. Morgan Manufacturing steel hypercoaster introduced to the park's lineup in 1998.
Coaster
Patriot
A full-circuit inverted roller coaster that debuted in 2006 as the longest, tallest, and fastest of its kind in the region.
2006
Coaster
Africa
Prowler
A wooden coaster set in the Africa land that won the Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride of 2009.
2009
Coaster
SteelHawk
A 301-foot Mondial swing ride relocated from Knott's Berry Farm for the 2014 season.
301-foot
Thrill
Americana
Mustang Runner
A HUSS Troika flat ride introduced to the Americana area in 2017.
2017
Family
Scandinavia
Nordic Chaser
A Mack SeaStorm ride added to the Scandinavia section of the park in 2018.
2018
Water
Riptide Raceway
The world's longest mat racing slide, located at Oceans of Fun.
Coaster
Africa
Zambezi Zinger
The world's first ground-up GCI Titan Track wooden coaster, added in 2023 for the park's 50th anniversary.
2023

Compiled from Wikipedia · a full ride-by-ride list per themed area is on the way.

Park map

The free OpenStreetMap layer below shows the park and its surroundings — entrances, themed areas, car parks and access roads. Zoom in for detail; the official ride-by-ride park plan is linked below.

39.1773 · -94.489

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL, free). Official park maps are copyrighted — we link to them.

02 Tickets & prices

Ticket prices for Worlds of Fun change by date and season, and the park sells single-day, multi-day and annual passes — buying online in advance is almost always cheaper than at the gate, and popular dates can sell out. Check the official site for live pricing before you travel.

We deliberately don’t list prices that change daily — the ticket button leads to live, up-to-date pricing.

03 Where to stay

On-site and resort hotels put you right at the gates — often with early park access — turning the visit into an easy two- or three-day trip.

Worlds of Fun Village

An on-site resort campground located adjacent to the park south of Mamba, featuring 22 cabins, 20 cottages, and 82 RV sites.

04 Best time to visit & opening times

SeasonWhenGood to know
Regular SeasonIncludes admission to both Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun water park on a single ticket.
Halloween HauntFallFeatures haunted mazes, themed attractions, and paid line-bypass options like Fright Lane.
WinterfestNovemberIntroduced to the park in November 2017.

Opening times vary by day · Last updated: 2026-09-12 · check before you travel

05 Themed areas

Each area has its own theming — architecture, food and rides. Half the fun is simply walking through.

Gateway GardensEast AsiaAmericanaWild WestEuropaAfricaScandinaviaPlanet Snoopy

Good to know

  • Admission to the adjacent Oceans of Fun water park is included with standard admission to Worlds of Fun.
  • Fast Lane wristbands are available for purchase to bypass regular standby lines on select popular attractions.
  • Planet Snoopy offers a dedicated children's area with over 20 rides and attractions.
  • On-site accommodations at Worlds of Fun Village provide cabins and cottages that each sleep 6 to 8 people.