12/1/1998 The importance of the Ski Heis/Sky Hi (and other horror stories)

On May 26th of 1973, Hunt-Midwest opened a family themed amusement park, they named it Worlds Of Fun. It's main attractions consisted of the Zambezi Zinger, the Viking Voyager, the Tivoli Music Hall, The Schussboomer, the Sky-Hi/Ski-Heis, the Flying Dutchman, and other Family themed attractions.

Over the years, Worlds Of Fun has added other attractions, and sometimes removed ones that weren't up to expectations. But no matter of the circumstances, they always replaced them with other rides, well, they usually replaced them. Around the year of 1983, Worlds Of Fun decided to become lazy. With the removal of the Barnstormer Biplanes, they didn't bother to replace it. Instead, they decided to move the Oriental Octopus to the vacant lot, repainted it, and renamed it the Tailspinner. That was the first situation that WOF was in where they basically had to re-shape the place.

In 1984, an original attraction to the park, the Schussboomer, was removed. Unlike the Barnstormer, the Schussboomer stayed to the end of the season before it's removal. But after the removal, a problem occurred (which still exists to this day), it was never replaced! The next ride that they put in was the Omegatron, but it was replacing the vacant spot left by the Whirligig (the Bamboozler) when it moved back to the Orient section after the move of the Octopus. Nevertheless, even though they put in new rides after it, it was never officially replaced.

But to get down to the point, an even more grave mistake was grinded into the pavement of Worlds Of Fun. At the end of the 1987 season, an attraction known as the Sky-Hi ( which was a pretty vital attraction to the family theme) was taken out, leaving a wide gaping space in the current alignment in the variety of rides, and attractions. As in the Schussboomer, it was never bothered to be replaced, but this time, it affected more than the ride variety, but the reason Worlds Of Fun is Worlds Of Fun.

When the Sky-Hi (Ski-Heis) were still an attraction at WOF, it provided a sort of ""flight"" over the many worlds of the park. It basically took you ""Around the World"" in 5 minutes or so. Worlds Of Fun still has a train that tales you around the place, but it doesn't have the same feeling that the Sky-Hi had. For some people (like my family), the Sky-Hi served as a ""surveying"" ride that people could go on and decide which rides to go on first, basically to plan the day, up in the air.

The Sky-Hi's appearance also had an effect on the fantasy element at Worlds Of Fun. For little kids (first hand experience), the Sky-Hi's cars had almost a resemblance to the WOF balloon by the entrance. They kind of reminded people of the hot air balloon In Around The World In 80 Days that took the cast over and to the many cultures of the earth. That was one of the sole purposes that the Sky-Hi was even placed there. It took you on a magical journey through the many cultures and sites of each area of the park.

Now in 1998, a lot of rides have come and gone, but the Sky-Hi/Ski-Heis has left the biggest impact in the impression of the children of Worlds Of Fun (70's and 80's) Since the Sky-Hi was removed, Worlds Of Fun has not been the same. Yes, they have a train, but I don't think a train could take a person around the world like the Sky-Hi did. The removal of the Sky-Hi left a great big gash in the EX-family themed amusement park. This ride is and always will be missed by many, I just wish the WOF children if the 90's can have the same memories we have, even if it practically is a completely different park. ------