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 Coaster enthusiasts in Kansas City and beyond have a new “beast of a coaster” to look forward to as Worlds of Fun plans to unveil Prowler in 2009.
This custom-made Great Coasters International wooden roller coaster is 3,074 feet long and will reach a top speed in the neighborhood of 51 miles per hour. Perhaps more exciting, the ride takes advantage of Worlds of Fun’s hilly terrain and dense forests to offer what surely will be one of the best new rides around.
GCI has been known for its compact, smooth and twisted layouts since its inception in 1994. Prowler will be the second GCI added to a Cedar Fair park, coming on the heels of Valleyfair’s Renegade, which opened to rave reviews in 2007. However, this coaster promises to be a bit different from most of GCI’s former installations; Instead of being a relatively compact, convoluted ride, Prowler will be a sprawling twister through trees and hills.
Not only are GCI’s designs thrilling, but their famous Millennium Flyer trains navigate the track unlike no other wooden roller coaster train before. The Flyers are  open and comfortable, and only enhance the ride experience. Prowler’s metallic blue trains feature green and copper accents with black cushioned seats. They look as good as they ride.
The journey begins in the Africa section of the park, just beyond the Zulu flat ride and under the train tracks. The lift hill heads north toward the Scandinavia section of the park before an 85-foot fall twists riders down and to the left. The train then continues left and rises through the lift structure before diving back down and into the woods.
This is where the fun really begins. The ride pounces through the woods and along the edge of a small ravine. It dives, rises, twists to the left and the right. It screams through the trees and then bounces up and down some more, hugging the terrain the entire time. Up next is a quick turnaround and crossover before the “return” run begins.
 More hills and twists ensue. The ride also has a nifty little element coming off a raised section of track: a double-down into the lowest point of the ride, buried in the bottom of the ravine 102 feet below the top of the lift. The ride hops up and to the right a couple more times (through the lift structure and the second drop as well, which should have some pretty nice headchoppers) before a sharp 180-degree left turn leads to the brakes.
Prowler is Worlds of Fun’s seventh roller coaster, and this $8 million machine is a one-of-a-kind ride that is certainly a welcome addition to Worlds of Fun’s thrill ride arsenal. It will be fast and exciting with loads of airtime and countless surprises. It should quickly become a favorite of both enthusiasts and coaster novices alike.
The Public Relations staff of Worlds of Fun has done an exceptional job keeping track of Prowler’s construction through the offseason, and many people already know every twist and turn of Prowler’s unique layout. Still, nothing compares to actually riding the coaster. May 2 can’t get here soon enough for area enthusiasts, as Prowler promises to deliver an outstanding ride.
Prowler Construction Gallery
Prowler Discussion
Official Prowler Page
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