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Kennywood (KW) Discussion Thread


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Hi TPR,

 

This is a bit of an off-topic post because of all the 2019 hype, but in just over a week, I'll be kicking off my summer trip at Kennywood on Sunday the 15th. How should crowds be? Is there a good itinerary for how to get each credit, and are there any notable non-coaster rides that I should check out?

 

Thanks!

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I haven't been but I can tell you that Kennywood definitely has some non-coasters worth riding. The flats that come to mind are Kangaroo and Turtle, but people who know the park better can definitely tell you some more, including dark rides and probably some more flats that slipped my mind.

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Definitely hit up Logjamm- er, never mind.

 

The Whip is fun, Noah's Ark is unique. Garfield's Nightmare is strange but the ride itself has history to it. The Tumble Bug (Turtle) is ok but not as good as the one at Conneaut. Bayern Kurve is a lot of fun too. If it's hot Pittsburgh Plunge is a good way to cool off.

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Kangaroo, Ghostwood Estates, Bayurn Kurve, Noah's Ark, Paratrooper, Whip, are must do.

 

Garfield's nightmare, is historic, and is awful, but I'd also say it's must do, as is Turtle. . just because it's among the last operating in the States (even tho it's kind of boring). . . be prepared to be randomly shouting out "TURRRRTLE" the rest of the day tho, as that is sent over the speakers while you're riding, and it gets in your head, man.

 

also don't skip Black Widow, and I've heard the Screaming Swing there is good (we didn't ride it).

 

in terms of attacking the coasters themselves? upon entry, go to the left, past Phantom and hit Exterminator FIRST.

Indoor spinning mouse, with some good theming, that will stack a huge line quickly. seriously.. head there first.

 

have fun, it's a great park.

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Hi TPR,

 

This is a bit of an off-topic post because of all the 2019 hype, but in just over a week, I'll be kicking off my summer trip at Kennywood on Sunday the 15th. How should crowds be? Is there a good itinerary for how to get each credit, and are there any notable non-coaster rides that I should check out?

 

Thanks!

Sundays are usually a good day to go. The crowd shouldn't be too bad. Lines are generally less then 30min but may hit 45 for certain coasters.
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Hi TPR,

 

This is a bit of an off-topic post because of all the 2019 hype, but in just over a week, I'll be kicking off my summer trip at Kennywood on Sunday the 15th. How should crowds be?

We'll also be at Kennywood on the 15th. It's our first visit. We're going to go the safe route and get the VIP passes.

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Don't forget that Kennywood still allows food to be bought into the park. So if you want to load up a cooler you can get a spot in one of the pavilions or rent a kabana if you want.

 

I always recommend getting there at opening and work your way around the park. As mentioned above, Exterminator, Black Widow and Phantom's Revenge are a good starting point. Even if the park is busy you shouldn't have a problem getting on everything at least once.

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Thank you to everyone for the help! Kennywood is one of the parks I was feeling less confident about, so it's good to get some help. Right now, weather is looking 87 and cloudy so I probably won't have to worry about rain, thankfully.

 

Cool to hear that prozoach626 - we might not cross paths if you're using VIP passes, however.

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Hi TPR,

 

This is a bit of an off-topic post because of all the 2019 hype, but in just over a week, I'll be kicking off my summer trip at Kennywood on Sunday the 15th. How should crowds be? Is there a good itinerary for how to get each credit, and are there any notable non-coaster rides that I should check out?

 

Thanks!

 

Last weekend I was finally able to get my kids to Kennywood. Growing up in SW Pennsylvania, it has always been on my bucket list to visit with the family. The way I explained it to my kids is that its more than just rollercoaster like the Six Flags parks we visit, They have a great collection of flat rides to catch...

1. Turtle - the only operating one right now. Dont ride in the afternoon cause the metal seat will burn.

2. Bayurn Kurve - a great flat ride designed by Schwarzkoph. I think its the only operating one in the states. Its more intense than it looks.

3. Noah's Ark - fun walkthrough.

4. Kangaroo- my personal favorite. Fun airtime.

 

From what I've read, Skyrocket had a fire in the control room and is pretty much done for the Summer. That a bummer because thats the only cred I needed from that park.

 

Ok... on the topic of the new coaster. I found this concept video of a T-Rex that supposedly RMC debuted at IAPPA a few years back. (can't confirm that). But the video is very similar to what the layout drawing that was leaked looks like.

 

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Last weekend I was finally able to get my kids to Kennywood. Growing up in SW Pennsylvania, it has always been on my bucket list to visit with the family. The way I explained it to my kids is that its more than just rollercoaster like the Six Flags parks we visit, They have a great collection of flat rides to catch...

1. Turtle - the only operating one right now. Dont ride in the afternoon cause the metal seat will burn.

2. Bayurn Kurve - a great flat ride designed by Schwarzkoph. I think its the only operating one in the states. Its more intense than it looks.

3. Noah's Ark - fun walkthrough.

4. Kangaroo- my personal favorite. Fun airtime.

 

From what I've read, Skyrocket had a fire in the control room and is pretty much done for the Summer. That a bummer because thats the only cred I needed from that park.

 

Ok... on the topic of the new coaster. I found this concept video of a T-Rex that supposedly RMC debuted at IAPPA a few years back. (can't confirm that). But the video is very similar to what the layout drawing that was leaked looks like.

 

Glad you guys had a great time! Always great to hear positive reviews not just of the roller coasters.

 

Also, you are totally right about the video looking similar to the leaked layout! The first time I looked at the layout, I scratched my head and gave up trying to figure out what was going on. This video could potentially explain what is going on in the layout.

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^ Ghostwood Estates is a pretty good shooting dark ride that shouldn't be missed either. It reuses some physical set pieces from a former attraction, so it looks a whole lot better than the cardboard cutouts you find on something like Boo Blasters.

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Bummed about Sky Rocket, our first visit is in two weeks. I feel like I will have a great park experience, coaster credit notwithstanding.

I'd prefer it to be open, but I don't think we're missing much. There are plenty of similar launched coasters out there. I'm more focused on Pantom's Revenge, the classic wooden coasters, and Exterminator. Those rides seem to be a bit more unique. I know Exterminator seems somewhat typical, but apparently the themeing is great.

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^ First off, I hope you and your wife have a wonderful visit to Kennywood!! As a "Kennywood local" who's been going there my entire life, I always enjoy seeing someone's first impressions of our cool mid-sized park. I will always rank Kennywood pretty highly, but I totally realize that's probably a bit biased. I will say though that, in my opinion, Phantom's Revenge is absolutely legit!! If anything, I feel it is often forgotten in the discussion of top steel coasters. I will be curious to hear your take on it, as the second half is overflowing with loads of ejector airtime, which may or may not be your cup o' joe. That 2nd big drop through the Thunderbolt though?? Sensational!

 

The classic woodies are all pretty great in their own right, and it is amazing how well the park maintains them. I'm always impressed that you are in some cases riding an 80-90 year old coaster that is smoother than some that are only 5-10 years old. Exterminator is quirky fun for a spinning coaster, and you won't have the typical line concerns since you did it up right with the VIP Unlimited passes! I will add that (although it's closed) Sky Rocket is actually a pretty impressive offering for a smaller launched coaster, in particular the first half. But with that being down for repairs and the new coaster coming in 2019, you'll just have a reason to return!

 

Patch fries are certainly worth a try, and your mileage may vary on how much you enjoy them. I happen to love them, but I admit occasionally some batches aren't "as good" as others. It makes me chuckle when I see some people say things like "you don't know good fries if you like them" or whatever. To me that's the equivalent of saying someone "doesn't know good coasters" because they enjoy ride X. Different strokes and whatnot. I did actually notice today that they've introduced (via their Facebook page) 5 new flavor offerings for them at one of their stands. I go Bacon & Cheddar myself when I splurge on some.

 

Besides the coasters, there are some definite unique flats to check out while you're there (depending on what you like in flats of course). With having the passes, you should be able to enjoy a leisurely pace and check out some of the more unique offerings: Noah's Ark (only walkthrough of its type in the US), Kangaroo (a must, as it's the only one left in existence), Turtle (one of only 2 in the world I believe), Ghostwood Estate, Bayern Kurve, and Black Widow (outstanding ride that typically takes forever to load, but I believe it's also on your passes) to name several.

 

Looking forward to hearing about the visit, as your trip reports are favorites of mine to check out! Your tastes in rides.....and sarcastic humor.....are incredibly entertaining!!

 

Speaking of that new Project 412 coaster that's starting to materialize (I'm pretty pumped about this one, not gonna lie!), it looks like the fun is ramping up, as construction is kicking into gear on the old Log Jammer site!! Footers have popped up there now, with lots of rebar stacked by Racer for more to come! (Photos courtesy of Kennywood Connection)

 

KW_Project412_Footers071318.jpg.5455cdf41f7197ed0224cf77906dfdc6.jpg

More coaster footers popping up!

KW_Project412_Drill071318.jpg.664b60dc2ab3666173b8398240387271.jpg

Ready to ramp up construction it appears!

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Think Skyrocket may be open by late August. Yeah, not that I super care, but ya know 1st time to KW and what not would be nice to ride it.

 

The bringing in food thing is awesome! Are there any sheetz nearby? I haven't been in PA since the college years (feels long ago now) I would love some nostalgia of eating sheetz, too much, and regretting my life choices

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re: Sheetz - Looks like there are a few within 5 miles of the park.

https://orderz.sheetz.com/#/main/location/search

 

#teamwawa

 

Its funny, being from NJ (and there being many fellow Jerseyians at Penn State) there was the heated Wawa-Sheetz debate and I broke sheetz, even though none exist in NJ and wawa was like THE convenience store of our childhood.

What can I say? Call me a traitor I guess.

Also thanks!

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The only time I've seen people more passionate about a gas station/convenience store is Buc-ee's down in Texas. People but shirts for that place and proudly wear them! At least people don't do that with Wawa or Sheetz.

 

Team Wawa for the record

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