Great Adventure Outpost
Industry => Industry News => Topic started by: dkny6363 on August 08, 2009, 09:30:23 PM
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Anyone who has been to Kennywood... How are the coasters?
They are all rated very well, but I get the feeling they might get some nostalgia discounts if you know what I mean. Is Kennywood worth a 5 hour drive???
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5 hour drive? Yes.
The coasters are all solid and the ride collection (besides coasters) is very good too. I'd go more often if it wasn't for it's location, I hate driving in that area.
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Kennywood is in my top five of over 100 parks I've visited. Lots of classic flats (some you can't find anywhere else) and new ones too, plus some very fun coasters. If you think parks like Great Adventure and Cedar Point are the best because of their big steel coasters, you may be disappointed. But if you like Knoebels and flat rides, then you should love Kennywood. They have three classic woodies that are all fun (to this day Thunderbolt is still one of my absolute favorite back seat rides), an indoor themed spinning mouse that makes Dark Knight look like a carnival ride, a kiddie coaster, and one of the best steel airtime coasters around--Phantom's Revenge.
Don't miss the Auto Race, Noah's Ark, Turnpike, Kangaroo, Turtle, and the newly returned Bayurn Curve. The Turnpike is rumored to be leaving at the end of this season, which is a shame as it's probably the best antique car ride you'll ever find--really elaborate layout. The Auto Race is something special. Then there are the more obvious flats like Pitfall the Intamin 2nd Gen drop tower and the elaborate interactive dark ride--Ghostwood Estate, plus the classic Old Mill ride that Garfield infested. The water rides are great as well and there is inexpensive yummy food all over the park.
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If you have time , add Idlewild as well. Kennywood is awesome. Go now !
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Just watched the movie Adventureland last night it's set in Kennywood
Yes Kennywood is a great Classic park with 4 awesome coasters all very enjoyable
Loved it can't wait to go back
the Jack Rabbit surprise you guys kept warning me about was a nice surprise, HOLD ON :o
and Yes everything Matt said
I also think they have the only operating Noah Ark attraction in the world ?
if Kennywood can make a awesome indoor mouse coaster why didn't the Dark Knight come out like it or better ?
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If you have time , add Idlewild as well. Kennywood is awesome. Go now !
Right this second??!!?? Ok I'll get my shoes on. haha
Matt the funny thing about your comment is that my 2 favourite parks are the Point and Knoebels. The points flaws are (hit you in the face noticable) but the positives for me are overwhelming.
Basically what you guys have told me about kennywood is what I've kind of pictured it as. The problem for me is that all these classic flats that I love, do nothing for my non-junkie family. I'm hoping after watching adventureland they'll want to go. They are much more into the point, and SFGA than Knoebels, or waldameer. As long as Phantoms, and Thunderbolt are as thrilling as they seem to be I'm sure they'll have a good time. Jack Rabbit, and more so Racer are my worry.. I'm afraid they'll think nothing of them. It looks like Jack Rabbit has its moments. Would it be a fair assesment to say kennywood style of park lays somewhere between a knoebels and hershey? A little more modern set of rides than knoebles but even less modern than hershey. But with that classic park feel.
Thanks for the tips.
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Turtle looks really sweet. How busy does it get?
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It's much more like Knoebels than Hershey.
Racer is a fun coaster, especially in the back where you get some good air, but the closeness of the tracks allows you to slap hands and pass stuff to riders on the opposite train. Great fun.
Jack Rabbit is all about the powerful double-down. Ride in the back!
Thunderbolt is very powerful in the back but seems to be a big let-down for people who only ride it up front. Very fun backseat ride with powerful airtime on 5 hills and some great laterals. Very unique layout.
The Turtle is kind of tame the way Kennywood runs it, but it's hard to find a Tumblebug these days. The line can get long. I've waited about 30 minutes for it.
IMO Phantom's Revenge blows away the steel at Cedar Point, except for Magnum which is another one of my absolute favorites.
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Back seat is the only seat on woods, and hypers.. except for the phoenix.
I was going to wait untill next year but I feel a magnetic force pulling me to pittsburg. We'll have to see what thier big announcement is this week. Maybe that will make it worth waiting for.
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Back seat is the only seat on woods, and hypers.. except for the phoenix.
Unless you are on Magnum at CP, then 1-3 is the best :D
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I prefer back on magnum. 1-3 is better for the bunny hills at the end. Thats why you ride it twice in a row. Or more.
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I used to love Magnum but as I get older, I can't handle the coat hanger track anymore. Sorry Matt, yes, I'm becoming a wimp LOL.
The worst part is, I enjoy it while I'm riding but find that it ruins my day with pain later on.
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Where is Kennywood?
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West Mifflin, PA
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Back seat on Magnum rules. Same for Phoenix. I've never gotten the 1.3 love. You're missing out on the big drops up there. You still get plenty of bunny air in the back plus the massive big drop air.
Wade, I can still ride Magnum non-stop even when it's trimless and the bunnies are extra good. It bruises my thighs, but those are just battle scars proving I had fun. :)
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Oh I could care less about thigh bruising :). I'll put up with that anyday for a good ride. Unfortunately my bad back is starting to rule my life :(.
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Bad back? What's that? :)
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Yes, and I still do it anyway like you. I just like to complain lol
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It's therapy. :)
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Back seat on Magnum rules. Same for Phoenix. I've never gotten the 1.3 love. You're missing out on the big drops up there. You still get plenty of bunny air in the back plus the massive big drop air.
Wade, I can still ride Magnum non-stop even when it's trimless and the bunnies are extra good. It bruises my thighs, but those are just battle scars proving I had fun. :)
Back seat on Phoenix?!?!? You need an intervention to cure that. That being said I guess i'll have to try it. You were right about back on vortex (CW) even though front's still better.
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Hey, Anybody hear about their new coaster coming next year?
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Yes. Looks like an awesome ride
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It sounds very good!
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I thought it was going to be a eurofighter... but apparently its premier rides, and not Gerstlauer.
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Looks like i'll be going next year and not this year.
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Premier...inverted top hat...
My kind of ride!
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This seriously made my day :).
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I thought it was Chiller at first, call me an idiot or call me in denial that its gone...
Inverted tophat, Sweet
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New Coaster? What kind?
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Exactly this kind.
http://www.palaceentertainment.com/kennywood/NEWfor2010.html (http://www.palaceentertainment.com/kennywood/NEWfor2010.html)
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Kennywood's Turnpike making way for new roller coaster for 2010
(http://www.techhi.net/images/COASTER/Kennywood/Keenywood.new.caoster.2010.jpg)
It will go from zero to 50 mph in three seconds. It will hurl riders 100 feet into the air and bring them back down at a 90-degree angle. It will take them upside-down, through a corkscrew and around a steeply banked curves.
It doesn't have a name yet, but next summer, it will be the newest roller coaster at Kennywood.
The steel coaster, with 2,100 feet of track, will be powered by a linear synchronous motor, which utilizes electromagnetic propulsion technology.
It won't be as fast as the Phantom's Revenge, which reaches a top speed of 82 mph at the bottom of its 225-foot hill, but it will have plenty of other features that should make it attractive to coaster enthusiasts.
The 65-second ride will reach a top speed of 50 mph and will offer two 90 degree ascensions and drops, three inversions, a corkscrew and "cliffhangers," which leave riders suspended at the top of a hill before a drop.
The new coaster will be the park's seventh and will replace the Turnpike ride, which has been in its spot near the park's entrance since 1966.
The Turnpike's last day of operation is Sunday, and workers will begin dismantling it the following day.
The park will bring the Turnpike back sometime after the 2010 season, but will relocate the ride and alter its track.
"Guests aren't saying goodbye to the Turnpike, just saying see you later," public relations manager Jeff Filicko said yesterday at a news conference. "It will still be the same traditional ride guests know and love."
The new coaster will be the 25th in the park's history. Its location was also the location of Kennywood's first roller coaster, the Figure Eight -- later known as the Gee Whizz Dip the Dips -- built in 1902.
A promotional video of the coaster can be viewed at the park's Web site, kennywood.com.
"It's unlike any roller coaster you've experienced at Kennywood," Mr. Filicko said.
He called it "high-tech" -- it is the first coaster in the park to use linear synchronous motor technology -- and said it will more than satisfy thrill seekers: Riders will immediately launch into a 95-foot-high vertical climb rather than a traditional slow climb up the first hill. After a cliffhanger pause, the car will drop at a 90-degree angle.
Coaster enthusiasts can also look forward to a barrel roll, an "inverted top hat," which twists the train up one side of the arch and twists it the opposite direction on the way down; and the coveted "zero gravity hill," which creates a weightless feeling.
"It's going to be awesome. It's another new chapter in the park's history," said Dave Hahner, author of the book Images of America: Kennywood and secretary of the American Coaster Enthusiasts.
Mr. Hahner was one of 15 members of ACE to attend yesterday's announcement. The ride has two trains that can fit 12 people each, and avoids using "big, clunky lap bars and confining shoulder straps," Mr. Filicko said.
It was designed by -- and will be constructed by -- Premier Rides of Millersville, Md.
Kennywood will post Web updates and feed from a camera on its Web site during construction. Updates will also be available on its Facebook page, which launched yesterday.
(http://www.techhi.net/images/COASTER/Kennywood/Keenywood.2010.jpg)
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That looks like its gonna be good!
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How busy does kennywood get?
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It can get real busy. Their operations aren't top notch either. The crews are good, but for some reason, the park hardly ever opens any of the coasters with max capacity.
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It's worth the wait!
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How busy.. When is the best time to go?
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June, not on a weekend, just like any other park. Just don't go on a Saturday in peak season. I went on a Sunday in July and it wasn't too bad with only a 15 minute wait for Phantom's Revenge once they put the second train on. The Turtle had close to a half hour wait though, but most everything else was 5-20 minutes. I'd call that fairly typical from my visits over the last 18 years. The park is actually fairly small despite having a ton of attractions, so it always seems crowded.
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That doesn't sound very busy. So weekdays during the summer would be real unbusy probably?
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I wish that would happen to SF!! :D
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I don't know about "unbusy", but it should be fine. Their awesome flat rides are just as popular as the coasters (as they should be), so there will be lines for everything, but once they get multiple trains on Phantom and Thunderbolt (Jack Rabbit always seems to run two and Racer needs to), their lines should be fine. Exterminator always has a long wait though. A Saturday in June isn't too bad, but any other day as long as there isn't some special non-enthusiast event going on, should be pretty decent. They do get very busy for the Phantom Fright Nights weekends in the fall though.
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I'm thinking summer... Im skipping my cedar point fall trip this year, which means i will be going next fall. Asuming the new coaster is a reality. Also i've been turned on to PPP by you guys. I will be hitting that up next fall... 3 trips in the fall doesn't work for me. So summer it is. I get the feeling this coaster will be a late opener though. Hopefully not as late a the Rocket.
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It's a Premier launch coaster. What could POSSIBLY go wrong? ;)
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The only premier launch I know personally is Stunt coaster at wonderland and it's as reliable as the sun rising. How reliable was chiller??? ;)
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Don't even go there LOL. Search the forums for Chiller and I'm sure we have a zillion pages on its status lol. Honestly though, the Freeze coasters, Speed and the Stunt coasters seem to have all the kinks worked out these days and had it not been for that nasty train issue with Chiller, I think we'd still be riding it today.
Anybody here have actual concerns about the reliability of this new ride just because of it being from Premier or do you think they've turned a corner these days?
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All i'm saying is that i am planing to visit kennywood Late summer instead of spring or early summer.
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The Revenge of the Mummy made me believe in Premier again. Not many problems with them.
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No, I think they are fine. From my understanding, the problems with Chiller were due to a third-party being involved in the ride. Their other rides seem to be more reliable than any Intamin coaster.
I was specifically poking fun at Chiller with my previous post. ;)
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Maximum RPM had alot of troubles last year. Or so I heard.
Matt I'm preparing a list of questions about PPP for you. I can't go this year but 2010 is locked. Be on the lookout for my questionair extraordinaire! ha
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Maximum RPM has the prototype ferris wheel lift. Otherwise the ride is the simplest Premier coaster ever, so I'm guessing all of its problems were related to the lift.
Adding a launch to a ride system greatly increases the controls/computer factor so any launched coaster is going to have its fair share of problems regardless of who makes it IMO. But once they get them operating for a while, the Premiers seem to be very reliable as far as high tech coasters go. Nothing beats a simple old Arrow for reliability though.
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How is it possible that Phantoms is only 3200'? Thats the same lengnth as the phoenix. I would have expected atleast 4000, but more likely 5000.
What was steel phantom like? Anyone sad when they converted it?
How far from Kennywood are you guys? I'm guessing 6 hrs if your near Great Adventure.
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I was very sad when they converted Steel Phantom...sad they hadn't done it earlier...no Arrow looping coaster should have gone as fast as that thing did, and the loops HURT and badly. Not every time, but all too often. Very inconsistent coaster...one time a particular seat was head bang city, the next time it might not touch you.
I'm about six hours from Kennywood, and not a second have I spent grieving that Steel Phantom is gone. Quite the contrary...and I rode Steel Phantom the first day it was open.
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IMO Steel Phantom was kinda like all big arrow loopers. It was kind of fun, but kinda hurt too. I rode it in its opening year then again in '98. It had a trim going into the first inversion and was pretty much like GASM after that IMO.
I was not sad one iota to hear the news of the loops being ripped out. I remember thinking all the way back in 1991 (when it opened) that it would be such a better ride without all of the loops. I never dreamed it would become such an airtime monster though with the added wicked fast bunny hops in place of the inversions. An yes it is that short. ;) The ride is very fast paced and hits the brakes at a good click. IMO they could have dragged it out a bit longer, but you wouldn't want to too much or it wouldn't maintain the crazy speed through to the end.
I believe the nylon wheels on steel coasters produce a greater friction loss compared to metal wheels on wood coasters, thus a steel coaster can't have as long of a track as a wood coaster with the same height (potential energy).
I live about 4.5 hours from Kennywood. It is about my third favoritest park and wish I could go more often. After all these years, Thunderbolt is still one of my favorite woodies.
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good video of Sky Rocket in action. They also have good pov videos of the ride. Looks like a lot of fun and a great addition to Kennywood.
http://www.youtube.com/user/wwwCOASTERFORCEcom (http://www.youtube.com/user/wwwCOASTERFORCEcom)
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I'm considering going to kennywood for the first time this fall during PFN's. I'd be going on friday the 15 which I've heard is less busy than the saturdays. Anyone know much about the fright nights?
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It will be packed, but you can still get lots of riding in. If you want to ride Exterminator, do it as soon as the ride opens. Phantom ALWAYS opens with one train operation and after the line builds up to about 30 minutes+, they will add the second train so you can catch that first thing as well if Exterminator isn't open yet, or wait an hour or two until the second train is on.
The haunts get super long lines, which help keep the main ride lines down. It's a great atmosphere to visit the park in. The only real drawback is that the rides in the kiddieland area will be closed (No Li'll Phantom Credit if you care) and the super awesome classic Auto Race may not be open, not to mention the great water rides they have there.
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The fact it's only open for 6 hrs kind of makes me nervous. I'm not a big credit guy. Actually I like to leave a credit or two on the table every park I go to for an excuse to go back. Some examples would be Blackbeards, Rollersoaker, Howler, Woodstock Express, Kingda Ka (not by choice), you get the idea...
I don't really do haunt stuff either so if they keep down the coaster lines thats cool with me. The only ride I really have an itch to ride at kennywood is the turtle.
The fact that it will be dark for just about the entire 6 hrs is what really entices me. Might be cold by then though.
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I forget for sure, but I seem to think the Turtle was closed during the two times I went to PFN, possibly even disassembled. I think they view it as a kiddie ride perhaps. :( The three gems you should be concerned with experiencing are:
Auto Race
Kangaroo
Turtle
Oh and their newly returned Bayern Curve is FANTASTIC, so make sure to get a lap on it.
The six hours would be enough time to experience every (open) and get a few re-rides on some stuff, but like I said, you might not get to experience the Turtle or Auto Race. The Auto Race is the only one of its kind left in the world I believe and is really neat. The Kangaroo should be open though, and it is a one of a kind a well and really fun.
If you can I would go in the summer sometime to get the full experience. The park should be open at least until 10 and quite possibly 11 if it's busy. They don't decide that until the evening, but you can pretty much count on it being open until 10.