Westbound to Worlds of Fun

After my visit to Six Flags St. Louis, I continued west toward Kansas City. About halfway there, I stopped for the night in Columbia, Missouri, where I stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Columbia.

There was not much left to do that evening besides grab something to eat, get some rest, and call it a day. The next morning, I continued on to Worlds of Fun and arrived shortly before opening.

Worlds of Fun was the first former Cedar Fair park on my trip. At the time, there still was no combined pass with Six Flags, so I had to buy a separate Cedar Fair season pass for the parks later on my route.

The process at the entrance turned out to be a little unusual. They first took my photo, but no physical pass was issued. I had to pick that up at the service center next door, where, rather oddly, they seemed ready to hand me several cards at once.

 

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Carowinds



Theme Park:Carowinds (since 2007)
Paramount Carowinds (1993 - 2006)
Carowinds (1973 - 1992)
Address:14523 Carowinds Blvd
28273 Charlotte
https://www.carowinds.com/
Operated by:Six Flags


Carowinds, located on the border between North and South Carolina just outside Charlotte, is one of the largest amusement parks in the southeastern United States. Since opening in 1973, the park has steadily expanded into one of the country’s premier destinations for roller coaster enthusiasts while continuing to offer a wide range of family attractions, live entertainment and the Carolina Harbor water park.

Spread across more than 400 acres, Carowinds is home to an outstanding collection of roller coasters, thrill rides and family attractions. Signature attractions include Fury 325, one of the world’s tallest and fastest giga coasters, the launched coaster Copperhead Strike, the inverted coaster Afterburn and Vortex, one of the few remaining stand-up roller coasters still in operation. Together, they form one of the strongest coaster collections in North America.

Whether you are visiting for record-breaking roller coasters, a family day out or simply to enjoy one of the country’s finest amusement parks, Carowinds offers a well-rounded experience that appeals to visitors of all ages.

 
Reviews

Stumbling into Carowinds


 
 
 

Highlights of the Theme Park

 




 

Afterburn

The great Inverted Coaster

 


 

Copperhead Strike

A surprisingly good launch coaster

 


 

Fury 325

The great B&M Hyper

 


 

Thunder Striker

The airtime coaster

 


 

Vortex

The awesome Stand-Up Coaster

 


 

Woodstock Express

A fun family coaster

 


Kings Dominion



Theme Park:Kings Dominion (since 1975)
Address:16000 Theme Park Way
23047 Doswell
https://www.kingsdominion.com/
Operated by:Six Flags


Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, has been a major East Coast amusement park since opening in 1975. Developed by the same team behind Kings Island in Ohio, the two parks still share some unmistakable similarities. International Street welcomes guests at the entrance, while the park’s Eiffel Tower has remained one of its most recognizable landmarks for decades.

The coaster lineup ranges from the classic wooden Grizzly to the towering giga coaster Pantherian and the modern wing coaster Rapterra. Beyond the roller coasters, Kings Dominion offers a wide selection of thrill rides and family attractions, along with the included Soak City water park during the summer season.

Away from the major attractions, tree-lined pathways and spacious park areas give Kings Dominion a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere. Even on a busy day, there are plenty of quieter corners to explore between rides.

 
Reviews

Having a great time at Kings Dominion


 
 
 

Highlights of the Theme Park

 




 

Backlot Stunt Coaster

A very fun launched coaster

 


 

Dominator

A very intense ride

 


 

Drop Tower

Going down

 


 

Flight of Fear

An awesome indoor coaster

 


 

Grizzly

The out-of-control wooden coaster

 


 

Pantherian

The intimidating ride

 


 

Racer 75

A rebel yell of a ride

 


 

Twisted Timbers

The best RMC coaster

 



 
 

Past Highlights of the Theme Park

 





 

Anaconda

A large-scale looping coaster