Worlds of Fun announces new Zambezi Zinger opening date

By Zoë Shriner

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — The Zambezi Zinger’s return to Worlds of Fun has caused multiple stirs throughout the past month, but things are beginning to look up.

Originally, the ride was set to open to the public on Thursday, May 26 with an exclusive First Rider Expedition scheduled the day before. In order to be a part of the First Rider Expedition, applicants donated money to Big Slick, a nonprofit that supports pediatric cancer research at Children’s Mercy. Out of the 1,000 people who entered the competition, just 32 First Riders were selected for the exclusive experience.

However, on May 24, just one day before the First Rider Expedition, Worlds of Fun announced that the opening date would be pushed back.

Zambezi Zinger is almost ready to go, we just need some more time to get everything ready. Our teams are working through final testing on the new steel-wood hybrid coaster. We look forward to announcing the new opening date soon, along with the rescheduled Season Passholder experience on Zambezi Zinger. We promise it will be worth the wait!

Worlds of Fun

No new opening date was provided at the time. So, despite being disappointed, the public and 32 First Riders waited patiently for an update.

Then, on June 10, Facebook posts from happy first-time riders of the Zambezi Zinger began to appear online.

The problem? None of the 32 winners of the First Rider Expedition were a part of those inaugural rides. No explanation has been offered as to why the First Riders lost their opportunity and many feel heartbroken over the situation. Fortunately, 100% of their donations went towards pediatric cancer research, so it wasn’t all for naught.

On June 14, Worlds of Fun issued a press release stating that the First Rider Expedition is officially rescheduled for Friday, June 16. The Zambezi Zinger will then be open to the public the following Monday, June 19.

Although roller coaster fans may be feeling some emotional whiplash from these twists and turns, they have less than one week to wait for the re-opening of one of Worlds of Fun’s most iconic rides.

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