Kennywood Park

[Parkscope Joe]

I'm... concerned but hopeful. Herschend's messing with Kentucky Kingdom isn't very reassuring.

 

[Mad Dog]

I'm... concerned but hopeful. Herschend's messing with Kentucky Kingdom isn't very reassuring.

Ky Kingdom is just a small state fair type of park. Kennywood is just about in the same attraction class as their two crown jewel parks, sans the live entertainment. They can do lots with Kennywood, and with the highway interchange that will be passing right next to the park progressing well, Kennywood will be much easier to get to once that's operative in the future. PR made a lot of really bad decisions replacing loved attractions with coasters and new lesser attractions that rarely worked. And they turned off the older customers that had always been a strong backbone of the park. Ethnic festivals/picnics and families have always been the strength of the park. Kennywood may have the best attraction mixture of any non Disney/Universal park. There's a lot to work with. Kennywood doesn't need to depend on new coasters since they're so well balanced and the old classic wooden coasters are the best in the nation. The park cries out for some live entertainment, which PR basically shut down. Clean stuff up, Get all the attractions running well, welcome and make the families cornerstones of the park again, get back to the great landscaping of the past, and keep the troublemakers out of the park. Easy and inexpensive solutions. The community will embrace the park like they did before PR bought it.

 

[Mad Dog]

Phantom's Revenge was just voted/named the best USA coaster by US News (Readers Choice). Though I'd guess most IU coaster fans don't agree, it's significant that its up and down hills and ravines like the new USH F&F coaster will traverse. That's a special thrill of coasters that aren't in flat parking lots. The fans at USH have a lot to look forward as their new coaster traverses the Hollywood hills and valleys.

 

[Rideguy70]

I don't know about best in the US, but it is pretty dang good.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I don't know about best in the US, but it is pretty dang good.

USA Today polls are notoriously... weird. It's not even the best ride in the state or the park, let alone the country.

 

[Jake S]

USA Today polls are notoriously... weird. It's not even the best ride in the state or the park, let alone the country.

Yeah, if one of these polls voted breathing oxygen as the best way to stay alive, I’d want to consult a second source.

 

[Galactus]

Mad Dog or any other locals: any recommendations for more under the radar rides or experiences at Kennywood? I'm headed out for the first time this year later this summer and I'm so excited! Obviously I'll try all the coasters but I'm wondering if there's anything else at the park or in the nearby area that are a must do! So far I've heard about Potato Patch fries (is that KW?)

 

[Mad Dog]

Mad Dog or any other locals: any recommendations for more under the radar rides or experiences at Kennywood? I'm headed out for the first time this year later this summer and I'm so excited! Obviously I'll try all the coasters but I'm wondering if there's anything else at the park or in the nearby area that are a must do! So far I've heard about Potato Patch fries (is that KW?)

Potato Patch fries are so good they've been copied throughout the country...... Though Noah's Ark is just a family walk through dark attraction, its still old time fun. Its the only one that still exists. Rated highly by various Amusement sites...... One of the best, and largest, carousels in the country. Classic carved animals. ....The Old Mill has been returned to it's former theme and glory. It's around a hundred years old.....The Turtle flat ride , next to the Thunderbolt Coaster, is lots of fun. Only remaining Turtle ride......... The Kangaroo, a fun flat ride.....Ghost wood Estates dark ride is a fun shooter. Nowhere near MIB status, but amusement park fun nonetheless.....The Raft ride will get you real wet.....Shoot the Rapids, in Lost Kennywood, is a faithful recreation of the turn of the nineteenth century attraction.That entire area of the park is a very good copy of the Luna Park in Pittsburgh at the turn of the 19th century)....Lots of flat rides, and they're all good. Some are old time classics.......The three wooden coasters, two that are 100 years old, are more thrilling than many of today's coasters.....The Exterminator indoor coaster is kind of a mini Space Mountain. It's a jarring indoor wild mouse, themed to rats......Phantoms Revenge is very thrilling, especially when it descends down the ravine and through the Thunderbolt coaster tracks....The two new coasters, that break down often, aren't as good as the classics.....The park is about the same size as DCA before the Cars expansion. It has lots of attractions, but unfortunately very little live entertainment. The live entertainment got mostly cut when Parques Reundio(Palace Entertainment) bought the park. ....and a couple miles down the road is the Sandcastle Water Park (owned by Kennywood) that has lots of fun slides, and is located on the banks of the Monongahela River....Across the river from Kennywood is where Gen. Braddock's British army was massacred by the French and Indians (French & Indian War/Seven Years War in Europe). A very young George Washington retreated with the remainder of the British/some colonials army. The army crossed the river where the Thunderbolt coaster descends into the ravine.....In the Oakland area of Pittsburgh is Phipps Conservatory. And on the northside Pgh. is the National Aviary, the Science Center, a large Casino, and the Pirates and Steeler stadiums.

 

[Galactus]

Thank you, that is perfect! I will definitely post some favorite pics when I hit the park and area!

 

[Rideguy70]

In terms of rides that are unique to Kennywood:

• Noah's Ark is a must do classic fun house with a very unique rocking boat.
• Old Mill, classic dark boat ride
• Turtle... last of it's kind in the world. Not the most thrilling, but really needs to be experienced at least once... it dates from 1927!
• Kangaroo, another classic ride that dates back to 1962. The original Mega Jump
• Spinvasion, the only Zamperla Gryphon flat ride in the States
• Jack Rabbit, from 1920... that double dip is really something, especially in the back (if I'm not mistaken)
• Phantom's Revenge and Steel Curtain (if it's open, fingers crossed)
• Whip, which are bit more common back East, but pretty rare on the West Coast
• Thunderbolt, classic wooden coaster, and Racer, a rare wooden mobius coaster

In short, they have a lot of rides you really won't find anywhere else. Exterminator is worth a ride as well... although it's a standard Reverchon spinning mouse, but it's placement underground with some effects (and a wild queue!) makes it memorable.

For me, Ghostwood Estate is a pretty standard Sally Dark ride, aside from being located on a second floor... so if you've done them before, I think that's something you could skip.

Last time I was at Kennywood, it was when Steel Curtain opened. Hoping to stop by there again briefly this summer, just in time (hopefully) to catch it open again, haha. And really looking forward to riding Spinvasion

 

[Mad Dog]

In terms of rides that are unique to Kennywood:

• Noah's Ark is a must do classic fun house with a very unique rocking boat.
• Old Mill, classic dark boat ride
• Turtle... last of it's kind in the world. Not the most thrilling, but really needs to be experienced at least once... it dates from 1927!
• Kangaroo, another classic ride that dates back to 1962. The original Mega Jump
• Spinvasion, the only Zamperla Gryphon flat ride in the States
• Jack Rabbit, from 1920... that double dip is really something, especially in the back (if I'm not mistaken)
• Phantom's Revenge and Steel Curtain (if it's open, fingers crossed)
• Whip, which are bit more common back East, but pretty rare on the West Coast
• Thunderbolt, classic wooden coaster, and Racer, a rare wooden mobius coaster

In short, they have a lot of rides you really won't find anywhere else. Exterminator is worth a ride as well... although it's a standard Reverchon spinning mouse, but it's placement underground with some effects (and a wild queue!) makes it memorable.

For me, Ghostwood Estate is a pretty standard Sally Dark ride, aside from being located on a second floor... so if you've done them before, I think that's something you could skip.

Last time I was at Kennywood, it was when Steel Curtain opened. Hoping to stop by there again briefly this summer, just in time (hopefully) to catch it open again, haha. And really looking forward to riding Spinvasion

Yes, Kennywood, unlike most parks, has maintained and cherished their classic attractions. Kennywood is kind of like a Amusement Park museum, in a good way. And, Steel Curtain has been inoperative for most of it's short life. They actually added to it's very ugly support structure this spring to stabilize the coaster, so hopefully it'll be more reliable. The park packs a big punch in a small area. There's lots of attractions, and those three woodie coasters are worth the price of admission. Kennywood is testament to that, even though the original ride manufacturers no longer exist, they keep the ride mechanics working by manufacturing, fixing, or finding, their own replacement parts. Example: They had a nice piece on TV of the inside workings of the nearly 100 year old Noah's Ark. The original gear system that creates the Ark's movements (about 15 feet high) inside the Ark, basically exists just as it did when it was built, with timely repairs of course....While the park is located in a rundown depressed community, it's an immersive garden like oasis there. And the future is good, since they're being purchased by one of the best Theme Park companies. And a new high volume expected major highway system is being built that will go near the park, with an exit very close to the Kennywood site. That will make it easier to access the park, which is currently not easy to get to, unless you know the area well.