Kansas City, Missouri, USA – Skyline Attractions is thrilled to share its collaboration with Great Coasters International, Inc. on the design and engineering of the new Zambezi Zinger roller coaster coming to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. The new family thrill ride was announced today by Worlds of Fun and will open in 2023.
Zambezi Zinger is a one-of-a-kind hybrid roller coaster attraction with a combined 2,428 feet [740 m] of classic wooden roller coaster track and Titan Track. Titan Track is a weld-free roller coaster track designed by Skyline and manufactured by GCII. Likewise, the ride’s structure combines wooden and steel supports, including an iconic spiral lift structure that stands 74 feet [22.6 m] tall.
The new Zambezi Zinger roller coaster was designed as an homage to the former Worlds of Fun roller coaster bearing the same name. The original Zambezi Zinger operated from 1973 through 1997 and entertained generations of Worlds of Fun visitors. The ride combined low-to-the-ground curves, thrilling drops, and an unexpected tunnel – all elements retained with the new incarnation of the popular ride. The new ride is partially located on land where the previous iteration operated while also expanding onto the other side of the park’s railroad attraction and utilizing terrain that is currently undeveloped.
“We took advantage of Worlds of Fun’s hilly terrain to create a really exciting ride with ground-hugging twists and turns, zippy transitions, and thrilling airtime moments,” said Skyline Design Engineer Tyler Mullins. “It was custom-built for this location and was designed to enhance Worlds of Fun’s existing roller coaster lineup. It will be a thrilling roller coaster ride that will be accessible to riders of all ages.”
Zambezi Zinger features a pair of Infinity Flyer trains which Skyline designed and engineered for GCII. These trains are incredibly versatile and can run on both steel and wooden track, navigate tight turns, have a modular design which can accommodate limitless drive system configurations, and have limited welds for reduced maintenance. The trains are also incredibly inclusive, allowing for a low height requirement and a wide range of riders.
“The Zambezi Zinger is a project where the modularity of the Infinity Flyer trains really shines,” said Skyline Mechanical Design Director Matt Calabrese. “The spiral drive tire lift is an incredibly unique element, and we were able to match it to the Infinity Flyer trains by swapping out just one assembly and keeping the rest of the chassis and cabin identical. It gives us a blank slate to work with any configuration, and the potential to try things we haven’t even dreamed of yet.”
Zambezi Zinger is among the latest projects that Skyline has had the opportunity to partner with GCII on. Other recent projects include the installation of Titan Track on Predator at Six Flags Darien Lake, Roaring Timbers at Sun World Hon Thom Nature Park, and Texas Stingray at SeaWorld San Antonio, among others.
Zambezi Zinger is the first GCII project where the roller coaster’s structure and foundation have been fully designed and analyzed in-house at Skyline. This allowed for a streamlined workflow and opens up new opportunities for Skyline and GCII on future projects.
About Skyline Attractions
Skyline Attractions, LLC is based in Orlando, Florida, USA and strives to be the best manufacturer of quality American-built rides that the most demanding buyers require. The company was founded in 2014 and has since worked on the design and manufacturing of amusement rides across the globe, including world-record wooden roller coasters for Great Coasters International, Inc.
