Follow the Arrows

There was an amusement park I had been wanting to visit for years but never found the time to go. Well now that time had finally come. Kennywood is located in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA called West Mifflin eight miles east of downtown. The area the park is located in can be best described as industrial with many factories across the Monongahela River. The park itself is tucked away on a piece of land where you honestly cannot believe there is enough space to even have an amusement park. In fact if you didn’t follow the yellow arrows, attached in certain spots, you really wouldn’t even know there was an amusement park in Pittsburgh.

I followed the arrow

An Arrow

Awesome Area

Kennywood initially opened in 1899 and later it was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan. They would eventually go on to form the Kennywood Entertainment Company which owned and operated the park as a closely held family business for over 100 years. In 2007 Palace Entertainment, a company from California, purchased the park. Kennywood is one of only two amusement parks listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Needless to say it was this history and longevity of success that drew me to visit this park now. I made my visit to the park on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2015 on my way up to Cedar Point. Kennywood was designed to be a detour trip since it is relatively close to Cedar Point and when I say “relatively close” I mean three hours driving time (so not really relatively close by most people’s standards). However if it is a park that I have never visited I will take a “short” three hour drive if I can. Anyway, it was my best opportunity to finally go to Kennywood so I took it.

Entrance Plaza

Beautiful!

Pretty!

Let me just say that driving through Pittsburgh was insane yet 

cool at the same time. I was driving on a two lane interstate (I376) as I approached the Fort Pitt Tunnel. Then all of a sudden after I came out of the tunnel there it was, downtown Pittsburgh. I wasn’t expecting to see the city so soon with only a two lane interstate in front of me. It was a beautiful sight for sure as seen in my picture below. At the same time however there were cars everywhere and I was doing my best to stay the course while not doing something stupid, like wrecking my car in the heavy Pittsburgh traffic.

What I saw exiting the Tunnel credit google maps

I followed the arrows, which hung above the streets, and finally made it to Kennywood. It was a marvelous sight to behold. My eyes instantly focused on one of the many reasons I wanted to come to Kennywood in the first place: Phantoms Revenge. I found my way to the free parking located a decent distance from the front entrance of the park. I bought my discounted single day admission from the Giant Eagle supermarket for only $31 an absolute steal for this park. It was now around noon and I was ready to enter Kennywood. For some reason I was not expecting what happened as I entered the park. I did not realize that after entering Kennywood you have to go through a tunnel, under the main road, to get to the actual park. 

Front of the Park Statement

I followed the Arrows

They even had an arrow ride

I could instantly see the old style charm as I made my way down the midway. I grabbed a map and tried to find out where I was going to go eat. I was extremely hungry so I did something I normally never do upon first entering an amusement park; I went and got food. Normally I would try and hit the park’s biggest attraction but hunger won out this time. I found a place to eat simply titled “Refreshments” (as seen in the movie Adventureland) and ordered a philly cheesesteak, fries, and drink. Kennywood has always been known as a park with great food and what I ordered proved that point. My meal was delicious and ranks as one of the best meals I have ever had at an amusement park. 

In the movie Adventureland

Yeah this was tasty!

So far this side trip was off to a good start. There I was standing inside an amusement park that I had never been to before, having just eaten great food, and ready to hit some new-to-me rides. What more could I ask for? I started with Jack Rabbit a wooden coaster built in 1920. Yeah that’s right a wooden coaster that is 95 years old! I am pretty sure it is the oldest roller coaster I have ever ridden. Luckily it didn’t ride like it was 95 years old but rode rather smoothly. Jack Rabbit is known for its famous “double dip” drop element and the only thing keeping you from flying out of the car is a small bar that sits across your lap (no seatbelts). It was a fun coaster with that one moment of crazy air time but really that was all it needed.

Main midway after tunnel

Cool sign

  

I had to walk all the way across the park to hit up the next attraction: Phantoms Revenge. Coaster enthusiasts have raved on this coaster ever since it was re-built in 2001 and it currently ranks as the #14 steel coaster in the world according to Amusement Today magazine. Originally built as a looping coaster (Steel Phantom) in 1991 Kennywood decided to increase the length, take the loops out, increase the drop, and add some wild air time hills. It is safe to say that all of this worked to make Phantoms Revenge a brilliant coaster.

I'm scared

Dominates the skyline

First Drop

 

Luckily for me the park wasn’t that crowded today so I was on Phantoms Revenge in about 15 minutes. Climbing to a height of 160 feet you get a nice initial drop. Then you climb another hill and take a 228 foot plunge into the steep ravine reaching speeds of 85 mph! The use of terrain here is incredible. You then swoop back around and hit a serious of air time hills that would make Michael ‘Air’ Jordan jealous. It is insane ejector airtime at every turn and I rank Phantoms Revenge at #16 out of the 179 coasters that I have ridden. 

Under first drop into second BIG drop

BIG DROP! Boomshakalaka!

Air time turns into hair time

Next up I rode a ride called The Whip that was built in 1918. The ride contains a circular car on a track with wheels that whips you around as it goes in circles. I then made my way over to Kennywood’s newest coaster Sky Rocket build in 2010. It is a fun ride with a 50 mph launch in 3 seconds over a 95 foot hill. It also has three nice inversions and a few moments of air time. Next up was the Racer a wooden coaster built in 1927. It was a fun coaster and pretty smooth for its age.

Weeeeeeeeee

Fun!

Iconic

 

Bayern Curve was up next. This was a bobsled type flat ride that simply goes up and over a hill in a constant circular motion. Halfway through the ride a loud horn sounds (which is awesome) and the ride then goes faster. It was really fun and a ride I wish more amusement parks had. It would appear there are only four of these type rides left in the world. 

Old School

Am I in Asia?

Since it was close I stopped and grabbed another awesome ride on Phantoms Revenge then made my way over to Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is a wooden coaster built in 1924 and can only be ridden if you have a partner. Since I was solo on this trip it made things a little awkward for me. The ride operator said she would find someone to ride with me but never did so I finally found someone myself. I was going to get on Thunderbolt even if I had to announce it across the station. I also asked the ride operator why such a rule was in place and she said, “Because if you were to ride in this coaster by yourself you would break your ribs” (this due to the forceful back and forth movement around the curves). Instantly in my mind I thought that that was a ridiculous answer. I still do not believe her but it is Kennywood’s rule so I followed it. It was a fun ride, and again not that rough for a coaster as old as it is. I will say that it does have some powerful lateral (back and forth) forces but I doubt anyone would break a rib while riding it solo. 

They said I needed a partner...

... for these curves

 

I went and rode Noah’s Ark next. It is one of the last versions of this ride left in the amusement industry so needless to say it is a very unique attraction. I honestly do not even know how to describe it. It is like a fun house essentially where you walk through in low light looking at animals and other strange things. There’s music, moving floors, mirrors, and stairs as you make your way through the attraction. It is currently ranked as the #1 walkthrough attraction by Amusement Today magazine. After I took a ride with Noah in the ark I heard Phantom calling my name again so I went over a got another ride.

I am ready for the flood

Yes, yes I am a screamer

I usually don't ride dead though

It was getting close to 6:00 o’clock and I was getting hungry again and I already knew what I was going to eat. Kennywood is known for their Potato Patch fries so that is what I got. I really enjoyed them even though I was sure I was clogging my arteries after downing them. They were a tad greasy but tasted fresh and they were topped off with cheese and bacon. Mmmmm, bacon. I wanted to snag one more ride on Jack Rabbit before I left but the line looked to be close to 30 minutes so I skipped and went to Sky Rocket instead. It was a good way to close out the day. 

Who's hungry?

Loop and hills

Unfortunately I had to leave the park shortly after 6:00pm (park was open until 10:00pm) because I was tired and still had over a three hour drive to Sandusky, OH (Cedar Point). My visit to Kennywood was one of a little regret. I only got to spend around six hours there which didn’t allow me to get to everything I wanted to. There are a ton of rides that I didn’t even get to ride but are great and have a lot of history. In total I got in 12 rides, adding five new coasters to my track record, but it could have been so much more. I am not complaining because I had at least finally had the opportunity to go to a park that had long been on my list to visit. Here are some neat rides that Kennywood offers (pictured below). 

Ok, I will apologize on behalf of Blogger because they made this section of the blog in crazy lettering and I had no way to change it. 

Vintage

Black Widow doing its thing

Cool Carousel

Kennywood is a nice park. It has a certain charm that other parks, namely corporate parks like Six Flags and Cedar Fair, simply cannot match. They have a lot of retro rides that your grandparents and even great-grandparents used to ride growing up. They have three wooden coasters all of which were built in the 1920’s! That is absolutely incredible if you think about it. The fact that Kennywood has been able to keep all three of them working, pretty much like they are new, is a testament to the park for its dedication to keeping old historic rides operating. The food is great and the park atmosphere is fun. I hope I will get to spend more time at Kennywood in the future.

I had a blast!

Goodnight Kennywood

See ya Pittsburgh