The Return of the Zinger: Worlds of Fun to unveil new-look roller coaster

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - After it was discontinued more than 20 years ago, a popular Worlds of Fun coaster is returning.

The theme park announced Thursday morning a reimagined Zambezi Zinger will open in 2023. The ride had been one of the original roller coasters at Worlds of Fun when the park opened in 1973.

The ride’s new features include:

• Length: 2,428 feet
• Speed: 45 mph
• Duration: 2 minutes
• Track Style: Hybrid Titan Track
• Trains: New Infinity Flyer Trains, capable of taking on the most extreme coaster elements
• # of Trains: 2
• Riders/Train: 16

The ride will have side-by-side seating instead of the original toboggan-style seating. It will also be built on a new Titan Track, which sits on top of a galvanized steel and wood hybrid frame, Worlds of Fun detailed. It will reach 74 feet high, compared with the initial design of 57 feet.

Worlds of Fun will host a “season-long celebration of fun, memories and adventure” to mark the park’s 50 years of existence since it opened in 1973.

“The hallmark event will be ‘50 Nights of Fire,’ an amazing spectacle that will make you want to party non-stop,” the theme park stated in a release.

To watch a virtual ride of the new Zambezi Zinger ride, see the video below.

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