I grew up with Worlds of Fun being a part of life. Every summer we’d go, our family of six piled into the family truckster.

We’d see the sky-high tracks of roller coasters miles away. And it never failed, every year, as the park came into view, the volume of our voices instantly increased and grew more animated.

I never forgot how exciting it was to get the first glimpse of Worlds of Fun each summer. I relived it recently watching my two children experience it for the first time. Read about the trip here.

Disclosure: I was invited by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company and Blog Meets Brand to visit the park with my family, and while I was compensated for writing about it, I can honestly tell you I have long wanted to visit. What I’m writing is my own thoughts and opinions about Worlds of Fun. 

6 Truths About Worlds of Fun With Kids

1. Your kids are going to want to be at Planet Snoopy more than they will want to be in line for the Timberwolf. And now that you’re older, you’re relieved.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: We can’t handle coasters like we used to. Oh, I still try to go on them, but my mind and body don’t cooperate. I worry. My stomach churns. I yearn for tamer fun. 16-year-old Kim shakes her head at me.

But let’s talk about Planet Snoopy. Have you been?

There’s an entire area dedicated to the 42-inch and shorter crowd and it’s a hit.

We went there first thing in the morning, and for the rest of the day, my 4-year-old kept suggesting we go back. She’s too short for many tempting Worlds of Fun rides, but at Planet Snoopy, she was queen.

There are 21 attractions in the area, including five news rides in 2016.

New rides like Woodstock’s Gliders and Linus’ Launcher are a level 3, giving littles a chance to experience a daring thrill I don’t typically associate with kids rides.

Woodstock’s Gliders was a whole new level of kids ride with my daughter controlling our flight. Eep!

The other three new rides are Beagle Brigade Airfield, Snoopy’s Space Buggies and Snoopy’s Junction.

My preschooler critic ranked Snoopy’s Junction as the best.

2. Water rides aren’t so ha-ha funny anymore.

Kids love getting soaked. Remember being that way? Now, you’re not laughing.

I was dying to go back on the Fury of the Nile after a two-decade hiatus. So me and my 6-year-old made way to the water ride. The line moved way faster than I remembered! Woot, right?

We got on the raft and before I know it, water cannons nailed me. They aimed at me. And then wave after wave hit. Was it a cruel trick being played on the old lady in the boat?

Final straw was our raft getting stuck out on the Nile for hours minutes. We drew a crowd. They clapped when we finally were freed. Seriously.

And soaking mama had to walk throughout the park because she had the brilliant idea to make Fury of the Nile her third ride of the day. My son dealt with the soaked clothes a little better.

He was game to go on the Viking Voyage after that.

I offered to take pictures of the trio instead.

They barely got wet.

Tip: A visit to Oceans of Fun is included with your paid admission to Worlds of Fun. Read all about taking young kids to Oceans of Fun in this post.

3. You’ll be a good sport and ride a lot of rides with your children that are just not made to hold your body. 

Worlds of Fun has several rides for the whole family to enjoy, like the Viking Voyage and Sea Dragon (I shared my favorite video of the family on the Sea Dragon here).

Then, there are the rides that are made for children. And your children are going to want you go ride them. All of them.

It’s a passage in parenthood that you squeeze your body into them.

If you get to pick, I recommend a ride like Woodstock’s Gliders to at least make the cramming worth it. I had as much fun on the ride as my daughter.

4. Just let your kid play the games already and win a stuffed animal.

The first thing Mooch asked when we entered the park was “Can I get that?” We were barely passed the photographers at the entrance when she spotted the “Guess Your Weight” guy. So, I put her off saying we didn’t want to carry a big ol’ bear all day.

Five minutes later, she asked for another stuffed animal.

Repeat.

And repeat.

And why didn’t we just start playing try-your-luck game right away? Look how happy she is now?

Just get the stuffed animal already.

You know it’s going to happen.

5. That Fast Lane Pass is the boss.

Life is short, and I’ve decided that waiting in line is not how I want to spend my vacation.

As I waited for the Spinning Dragons line to creep forward, I watched those with Fast Lane tickets enter using their own special entrance.

I grew increasingly jealous the more we waited. Why didn’t I get Farley and me into the Fast Lane?

How much is your time worth? Or to put it into parent speak: How much is it worth not having to stand in line with your children for very long?

If you’re visiting the park for just one day, it might just be worth the splurge to skip the lines with a Fast Lane ticket so you can ride more rides.

6. You’re going to want to make a season of it. Or at least, your kids will convince you to.

Worlds of Fun knows its core audience. They visit more than once a summer. If you’re going to be visiting more than three times, you can save some serious dough by getting a season pass. The base season package includes admission to Oceans of Fun, in addition to unlimited admission to Worlds of Fun. Comparing the packages, the Gold one looks the best to me – among the perks is free parking and admission to Dinosaurs Alive.

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