originally posted on 8/19/2022
Photo: Courtesy of Worlds of Fun. View full-sized image.
The rumor mill had been churning. How all the speculation would turn out was finally put to rest when Worlds of Fun (Kansas City, Missouri) announced Zambezi Zinger on August 11.
A former coaster by that name at the park was a Schwarzkopf Speed Racer that operated from 1973 to 1997. It was one of four such rides that were built in the 1970s. As theme parks continued to flourish in this decade, new parks needed major attractions. Schwarzkopf was a solid provider of major rides for parks in development. Of those original four, only one remains today, the ACE Roller Coaster Landmark Whizzer at Six Flags Great America (Gurnee, Illinois). When Zambezi Zinger was dismantled, it was purchased by Parque Del Café (Montenegro, Colombia), where it has operated since 1999. Considering the Schwarzkopf coaster was built specifically for Worlds of Fun’s terrain, that was an interesting feat.
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Twenty-five years after the original’s closure, Worlds of Fun has announced a new version. Some of the imagery shows two claw marks behind the logo indicating it might be considered Zambezi Zinger II, but the press materials indicate that it is simply being called Zambezi Zinger.
The 1973 Zambezi Zinger (left) will have its spiral lift recreated on the new wooden version.
Photos: Jeff Mast. View full-sized image.
Rendering: Courtesy of Worlds of Fun. View full-sized image.
The homage to the steel coaster doesn’t just stop at the name — and the reuse of the original queue — as other attributes from the 1970s installation have a reimagining. Most notably, the iconic spiral lift will make it the first wooden coaster with such an atypical feature. The lift is the biggest tribute to the 1973 ride. A section of the track also wraps around the lift just as the original did. While not shown in the animation, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibg5LMpEbbw, reports are that a tunnel is to be added as one more throwback. Where on the course that happens has yet to be confirmed. It is unlikely to be an underground tunnel as it was on the first Zambezi Zinger.
Rendering: Courtesy of Worlds of Fun. View full-sized image.
The original version had an underground tunnel. While not disclosed at this time, a tunnel is to be added to the new layout.
Photo: Jeff Mast. View full-sized image.
Comparisons between the two might be the park’s biggest frustration. Generations who loved the original might be perplexed that this new wooden coaster by Great Coasters International, Inc. (GCII) is vastly different. Perhaps a variation on the name instead of using the same name might have been more practical here. And for the most part, the layout is completely different. While the new version is a hundred feet shorter, it is significantly taller and faster.
This ride would be a fantastic addition to any park. Its biggest challenge, however, is that it will be located near another GCII wooden coaster, one that is taller, longer and faster — Prowler. How that might affect the opinions of the many guests who come to ride will be something to be observed in 2023. Enthusiasts, on the other hand, will love it, but they will have a perplexing quirk of their own. This is a wooden coaster … but is it? Parts of it will be using GCII’s Titan Track. However, if the animation is any indication, the track will still be primarily wood. The lift and turn around the lift will be steel track. It adds a new wrinkle to the term “hybrid.”
“The Titan Track allows us to control the placement of the drive tire systems to the millimeter,” said Chris Gray of Skyline Design, the company that provided the layout for GCII. “We wanted to keep the look of open structure on the lift like the original and the Titan Track allows us to have larger gaps between the vertical structure. That’s also the case with the turn around the outside of the structure.”
Rendering: Courtesy of Worlds of Fun. View full-sized image.
It will also be an opportunity to experience GCII’s Infinity Flyer trains. The two trains feature eight cars, making for 16 passengers on each dispatch. Zambezi Zinger will be the debut of these new coaches.
Perhaps the biggest thrill on the ride is the run through the trees. While the original steel version tended to lose its momentum and lumbered during the second half, this new incarnation looks to have several moments of snappy maneuvers while staying close to the ground. This is something very unusual for a wooden coaster, which could make Zambezi Zinger quite the sleeper hit of 2023.
Rendering: Courtesy of Worlds of Fun. View full-sized image.
“What’s not to like about this coaster?” said Gray. “It will be fun, fast, twisted and low to the ground. The track is twisting and turning everywhere but the brakes and the station. I loved the design the first time I saw it. I remember seeing the first video of the layout and messaging the team, ‘This is an amazing layout!’ It really gives you a sense of what the original ride did with new modern, technical twists. We are very excited to see this vision come to life.”
ACE members will also be the first to appreciate the construction of a brand new wooden coaster in the United States following a two-year absence of any such rides. Many eyes are going to be on Worlds of Fun in 2023.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News Editor
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