Earning the Arrow of Light “Engineering” adventure loop has the potential to be one of the most fun and exciting activities in scouting, especially with the increased interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). What’s even more exciting is that one of the recommended adventure activities in the cub scout handbook is to have scouts build their own roller coaster! A theme park is a great place for the scouts to explore and learn about engineering and Fun Spot America Kissimmee is perfectly suited for this adventure. Earning the “Engineering” Adventure Loop at Fun Spot Kissimmee can be as simple as watching a few YouTube videos, having a discussion, riding a roller coaster and participating in the park’s “build your own roller coaster” activity or doing your own at your next den or pack meeting.

Fun Spot America Kissimmee is a great family theme park in Kissimmee, Florida, just minutes east of Disney World. It has thrill rides, family rides, go-karts, food and other fun attractions. It is also home to one of the world”s only inverting wooden roller coasters, Mine Blower. For the “Engineering” adventure Mine Blower provides a prime specimen for scouts to study and learn several basic engineering principles. The coaster was also renovated a couple of years ago to include sections of new “I-Box” track. I-Box track is a unique engineering design that lets the ride be assembled like a giant Erector set. Mine Blower’s station also has some great theming from the mining related signs to the unique trains to the case of broken electronics at the entrance showing the importance of safety and the tremendous forces experienced on the ride. 

The “Engineering” adventure asks the scouts to investigate several different types of engineering such as civil, mechanical and electrical and all these are present at a theme park. Scouts also must examine blueprints which are provided for Mine Blower in the form of the patent for the I-box track (included in the guide below). The final part of the adventure asks the scouts to plan and build their own engineering project. The handbook suggests a model paper roller coaster as a potential activity, however Fun Spot America Kissimmee offers a “build your own roller coaster” activity that also satisfies the requirement.  The activity includes a planning worksheet and a build using foam pool noodle “u-shaped” track with marbles. Plans for this activity are also in the guide below so you can also easily do it yourself at a future pack meeting.

The guide below primarily utilizes the “Mine Blower” roller coaster. The Mine Blower is an intense ride and perhaps intimidating to some, but the adventure can be completed without riding Mine Blower (or any coaster). Mine Blower is the tallest, fastest and longest wooden roller coaster in Florida with fast turns, an inversion, an 115° over-banked turn and airtime hills. If you’re not used to wooden coaster part of the “character and charm” of them is that they can be a bit more bumpy than a similar steel coaster, so be prepared if you’re not used to riding them.

The park’s 3 other coasters include Hurricane, Galaxy Spin and even the kiddie coaster Sea Serpent could be easily substituted to allow the kids to personally feel and experience some of the forces mentioned in the guide. There are two versions of the guide below, the simple version is only 5 pages and contains a couple of patent images and the pool noodle activity while the complete version has two roller coaster patents in their entirety. Fun Spot also hosts periodic “Scout Days” which would be an excellent opportunity to complete this adventure. Scout Days include unlimited rides, pizza, the build your own roller coaster activity, an egg drop challenge and a patch for the great price of $36. Please contact the park’s group sales department for more information about Scout Days, the roller coaster STEM activity, group packages or group rate tickets.

This plan is “unofficial”, but Fun Spot has reviewed it and has given permission for use of their logos and information. This guide has not been reviewed by Scouting America, but has been made by a fellow scout leader who is also an engineer with the best intentions to meet the Arrow of Light Engineering Adventure requirements. Please feel free to adapt this guide for your group of cub scouts or your unique situation, but most importantly have fun!

Engineering Adventure at Fun Spot Kissimmee Complete (optional)