Kennywood (KW) Discussion Thread

[Canobie Coaster]

With Kennywood and Idlewild announcing removals, I'm just waiting for Lake Compounce to follow considering that park removed their best water slide and unique sky ride in the past few years.

Kangaroo is the one I'm saddest to see go because it was the last of its kind.  Unfortunately, it was closed for my visits this year and I'd love to see a park pick that ride up.

[CenturyFlyer]

I wonder if Palace would be willing for someone (you know....) to take the Kurve and Kangaroo off their hands for cheap.

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[JT325]

I signed the petition, can't hurt.  It helped with Whizzer (despite what some nasties still say, that SFGAmerica had that set up, they didn't).  Kangaroo rocks.  Take it down, spend a couple years refurbishing (or completely rebuilding it) and re-introduce it.  It'd be the hugest thing since... I dunno.  It'd be popular out there.

Back when I worked at CP (90s!) if we could get a day off (is that still legal in Sandusky?) we'd zap out to Kennywood.  4 of us could squeeze in those seats, good times.

[palmerleeberry]

Kennywood is doing WHAT!?!  I read the news from Screamscape and I couldn't believe what I was reading.  I can understand with three of those flat rides, but the Kangaroo is going as well?

I visited Kennywood in August of this year and was disappointed that the Kangaroo wasn't in operation.  In fact, that visit didn't feel like a Kennywood visit because I couldn't ride the Kangaroo (  Noah's Ark was closed due to COVID-19 concerns, Black Widow was still down, and I skipped the Tumble Bug).  At least I finally got to ride The Exterminator and the new Old Mill ride.

I wonder if someone would step in, take those four rides off Kennywood's hands, and put them inside their own park?  I'm hoping that park is Knoebels.

[KPfan]

There's not been confirmation on what will become of those rides. I would think that the park will retain Kangaroo and Bayern Kurve due to their uniqueness. Maybe refurb them over time and unretire them at a later date.

Paratrooper and Volcano were both fairly old and have had some reliability issues. I can understand wanting more reliable operations and not being nickel and dimed for non-warranty repairs. But you can still buy brand new versions from Huss and Beston if they really wanted to.



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[JT325]

The petition has over 18,000 votes.  Do these ever get this high?  Oh well, can't hurt.  https://www.change.org/p/palace-entertainment-save-the-kangaroo-and-paratrooper-at-kennywood-park

[bert425]

^ hate to tell you, but 18K is not much.  (certainly not enough that a Corporate Park will care about in the least).

Case in point that 18K is not much?  -  yet. . she's STILL dead.

[JT325]

Don't hurt though.  I know, my opinion is very unpopular, but for the folks that say "couldn't hurt" hear me.

[thrillseeker4552]

I am currently in the early stages of planning a trip this June that would start in NJ and end in OH. Of course, I am looking to visit Kennywood along the way. But I will admit it is discouraging to hear the park going downhill. If it weren't for Phantom and Steel Curtain I would probably skip the park entirely.

Fingers crossed Steel Curtain will actually be open next summer...

[bert425]

3 hours ago, JT325 said:

Don't hurt though.  I know, my opinion is very unpopular, but for the folks that say "couldn't hurt" hear me.

oh, I signed the Petition.

 

but I don't have any hope it will make a difference.

I'm in the camp of just hoping Knoebel's swoops in to save it (and Bayern Kurve)

[blue-cactus]

Bayern Kurve is indeed my favorite flat ride... so naturally was disturbed about Kennywood's actions. It has come full circle since I "lost" my Kurves at Cedar Point, Kings Island, Geauga Lake, Canada's Wonderland, etc when I was young. The happiness I felt the first time I went to Kennywood and saw, even from the road, that this park had one. Back in the old pre-internet days, you didn't know what the park had til you got there.

Kennywood was always on the list to visit once I learned they took special care of the historical rides... Kangaroo, Noah's Ark, Old Mill, Paratrooper, Whip ... happy that my kids also got to enjoy these rides as we often visited while traveling from Connecticut back to the families in Ohio each year.

Always afraid that Kennywood would go full corporate like Six Flags and Cedar Fair, and surprised it took so long to do so...

Sorry... had to rant on my first post of any kind on this website.. and agree, if Kennywood can't do it anymore... sell the rides to Knoebels-- they know and care about preserving the classics!

 

[Djwadeknox]

Very cool special on Kennywood from 1988. It’s amazing to see what they got away with back in the day. https://youtu.be/2DA00XuTM-A

[KBrylczyk]

On 11/21/2020 at 11:08 AM, Djwadeknox said:

Very cool special on Kennywood from 1988. It’s amazing to see what they got away with back in the day. https://youtu.be/2DA00XuTM-A

Holy hell, not only in operations but clothing as well.

 

[Nrthwnd]

Interesting that their mascot Kenny, was played by (at least) three young women back then.

And their hair! If that isn't the 80's, then I don't know the 80's!

[bert425]

oh look. . I got a survey from Kennywood asking me what type of "events" I'd prefer they do to get me coming to the park most often.

luckily, there's a space on the last page to give some feedback on what other new special events I'd like to see at Kennywood:

[dlasflyer]

The Kenny’s Parkway chairlift is also being removed.

[KBrylczyk]

Man this park seems to be jumping off a cliff with the new owners.  Such a shame.

[KPfan]

Man this park seems to be jumping off a cliff with the new owners.  Such a shame.

No, just cleaning up years of neglect and bad decisions.

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[Canobie Coaster]

On 12/12/2020 at 6:59 AM, dlasflyer said:

The Kenny’s Parkway chairlift is also being removed.

When was the last time that even operated?  I've never seen it going once in my visits to the park over the past decade.

[KPfan]

When was the last time that even operated?  I've never seen it going once in my visits to the park over the past decade.

It rarely operated. Maybe 1-3 times a year average. The park started using shuttles in recent years. One less ride that they had to staff.

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[CenturyFlyer]

The one time I entered the parking lot and saw it running, we sped to the upper-most parking lot, but there was no operator in sight once we got there.

[Canobie Coaster]

Just curious, does anyone know when the last time Black Widow operated?  I know it was down for the entire 2020 season, but it sounds like it may have been down for the entire 2019 season as well looking through some reports.

[coasterbill]

I didn't know that but that's on-brand.

[Canobie Coaster]

I probably should add it was closed in my 2017 visit as well, but I thought that was just a fluke at the time.  I saw the ride operate in 2016, but that has been it.

The only other Zamperla discovery I've seen with this much downtime is the one at Great Escape.  The others seem to run outside of a small technical delay here and there.

[bert425]

I rode it in 2014, but I was one of only 4 people total on it, and they made us sit 2 on each side to "balance" it