8/14 Conneaut Lake and Kennywood

Wow, I didn't remember that Conneaut Lake was so hard to get to...going all back roads isn't fun, and it takes forever! When we got there, we were pleased to see the blue streak was running (had made a trip all the way out there in June, only to turn around and go back because it wasn't running). What a great coaster! I had visited that park numerous times as a little kid, but none as an enthusiast. Back seat ride was trememdous, although a little disappointed at the lack of airtime I expected from the little bunny hills on the way back. It was worth waiting almost 45 minutes for it....lots of people there that day, only 1 train operational. One ride on Blue Streak, mission accomplished, onto Kennywood!!!
Got to Kennywood about 1 1/2 hours later. This is my second favorite park! Parking lot was jam packed, had to park on 3rd level for the first time ever. Started worrying about big crowds...bought our evening tickets (after 6pm, great deal) and headed in. The park was packed, but thankfully Kennywood was running two trains on everything but Racer, and they were EXTREMELY efficient! Very pleased! Didn't wait more than 1/2 hr for anything. Didn't bother with Garfield's Nightmare, I think its a disgrace what they did to the poor Old Mill....plus it had a huge line.
EVERY coaster was running better than I ever remembered it, Phantom's Revenge reminded me why its my #2 steel coaster (behind Magnum of course), and I believe its truly underrated, as is the entire park itself. Rode Racer in the backseat, what a great ride! Although, nobody was slapping hands....don't they do that in PA or is that a Gemini thing???
Jack Rabbit was awesome as always, backseat ride on that will really launch ya. THunderbolt, my classic favorite, never a disappointment.
I did try the potato patch fries....they were just fair fries, so what?
Fried oreos stole the show, those are so delicious!!!
Stayed till close and rode the Kenny's Skyway up to the lot...that thing is terrifying!! NEver again!!
What a great trip, Kennywood is a terrific park, everyone should go there!!!!
Favorite parks:
Cedar Point
Kennywood
Kings Island

45 minutes for Blue Streak? Wow. We were there in 2002 and I got 11 rides on it that day... and we were only there for about 2 or 3 hours... and we rode other things too. Actually, my last 9 rides on it were one right after the other... with the last 4 being consecutive. Since no one was waiting, the "Wierd, Evil Carnie" guy who was running the ride that day just stopped it in the station long enough to see if anyone wanted off and re check the restraints before sending it through again.

Guess I was lucky (or you were unlucky).

I stopped by Conneaut both last season and this one. Both times the line for Blue Streak wasn't longer than a dozen or so people.

45 minutes sounds like a good thing for the struggling park. I guess it means people are showing up :)

yeah, it was madness. But that is a good thing for that park. earlier in the season, it wasn't running (reportedly) because they didn't have enough money to buy the necessary maintenance parts...

Glad to hear that Conneaut was packed! I still remember by rides last year, in the rain, by myself, with the crazy air-guitar playing ride-op.

Seems a little odd that you would navigate the "back roads" you hate so much just for one ride on Blue Streak though.

Millrace-
it may seem odd, but we wanted to ride BLue Streak real bad, and it was on the way to Kennywood anyway. I don't know how familiar you are with the area, but we shot up 88 pretty much all the way from Streetsboro, until we got into PA....88 is just a long, straight road that goes through Amish country....I grew up in Middlefield.
if you're a true enthusiast you'll navigate any road for a good coaster.

If you think Kennywood's Sky Ride (chairlift) is bad, I would highly recommend that you not get on the Lake Compounce or Knoebels Sky Rides. I guess you don't ski.

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Intamin Fan said:
If you think Kennywood's Sky Ride (chairlift) is bad, I would highly recommend that you not get on the Lake Compounce or Knoebels Sky Rides. I guess you don't ski.

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My thoughts exactly. Ive been on chair lifts at ski-areas that are MUCH higher off the ground then Kennywood's.

If you're a true enthusiast you'll do more at a park then just knock out the coasters as quick as possible. :)

It's kinda like some bird watchers I know, all they want to do is put check marks on a list. They'll travel all over the place just to get a 5 second glimpse of a bird so they can check it off and then impress people later with their extensive list.

Of course you are forgiven if you had legitimate time constraints :) But I maintain that there are a lot more to parks then just coasters - especially a place like Conneaut where I can have a blast without riding anything!