John Arie, Jr.: CEO of Fun Spot America

We are a family-owned business with a long history in our industry. Our Founder John Arie, Sr has been a part of the entertainment park industry for many years and first got the passion for our industry in 1969. John operated and ran several small tracks from 1969 through 1978. In 1979 John opened Fun N Wheels on International drive, the heart of the tourist corridor in Orlando Florida. Fun N Wheels in Orlando was truly the first themed action park with multiple tracks, family rides and an open air arcade. It featured the world’s second slick track and central Florida’s first figure 8 bridge tracks. The concept was very well received by locals and tourists alike and in 1988 John opened his second Fun N Wheels in Kissimmee Florida, just minutes from Disney World. Both locations became a staple in the community and proved to be very successful. John sold the Fun N Wheels properties in 1988 and continued to manage the parks until 1991. In 1990 John opened up our first Fun Spot in Myrtle Beach South Carolina and followed shortly thereafter by our Virginia Beach Virginia location. In 1994, John created the world’s first sprint track delivering the best side‐by‐ side racing excitement in a concession kart environment. John also developed “aviation inspired” guardrails that provide the safest, most efficient, visually pleasing guardrail system in the industry. In 1997 John moved the Fun Spot brand to Orlando with the construction of the Orlando park on the North end of International drive, close to his original Fun N Wheels location. The Orlando park opened on December 24th 1997 and introduced our patented design multi-level tracks that became our signature.
In 2004 we purchased the world’s tallest Skycoaster and in 2007 we expanded that attraction to the 9 acres of tracks, family/thrill rides and an arcade at the Kissimmee location. In June 2013, Fun Spot Action Park underwent a 15‐acre renovation and expansion including a name change to Fun Spot America! The Orlando location now boasts Orlando’s first wooden roller coaster along with the second tallest SkyCoaster in the world, the tallest being at our Kissimmee location. In 2017 the Mine Blower wooden roller coaster opened at the Kissimmee Park and features the only wooden roller coaster that goes upside down in the Southeast United States.
2017 also brought expansion outside of Florida for the first time, Fun Spot America acquired an existing park in Fayetteville, Georgia and renamed it Fun Spot America Atlanta. The Atlanta location boosts our largest four-story go-kart track, Samson Track, we have ever built and is Georgia’s first multi-level go-kart track. Besides the Samson Track, the Atlanta location is also home to a new concept in partnership with Topgolf called Topgolf Swing Suite. This state of the art golf simulator is located inside the brand new Drive-In Diner that is a full service sit down casual diner with the ambiance of a 1950’s setting.
With the continued support of our local community and a strong belief in the practicing of “The Golden Rule”, we hope to continue to grow and provide Safe-Clean-Fun for all.