KennyKon _ My first ACE event

KennyKon was my first ACE event and it was great! I was able to meet a lot of fellow coaster enthusiasts. I met a couple of great guys and hung out with them most of the day. One’s name is John and he is from Ca. and the other’s name is Jonathan from NY. Jonathan is studying to be an engineer and is hoping to design coasters some day. I also hung out with a group of five ride ops from CP for a while. I met so many people and I am terrible with names so forgive me if I run into you again and can’t remember your name.

We started out the day with ERT on the Racer at 9:30. They gave each of us two laps each time that we boarded the train. This saved time by not having to unload and reload the train each time. The refurbished trains are still looking great.

Next was ERT on the Thunderbolt. It was running very well, but only one train operation. It would have been nice to have two, but the crowds were fairly light all day.

We met up with some other Acers at 2:30 for an ITOT (informal takeover) of King Kahuna. We were given two rides in a row (and I think that they turned up the water pressure). A few non-Acers that boarded with us were really surprised when the ride op asked if we wanted to go again for the second ride. There was not a dry stitch of clothing on any of us. It was very hot and humid and it really felt good.

Kennywood really went all out for us and everyone had a great time. And later some great food.

Everything but the Rapids was running well. Jackrabbit was running two trains and PR was only running one, but again the crowds were light and the lines were short. A short thunderstorm at about 5PM cleared out even more people.

At our dinner a Kennywood executive (I missed his name) came down and talked to us about the park and the plans for future expansion. He told us that nothing was set in stone yet but that they would like to eventually add two coasters, a wooden coaster and a steel coaster on the new property. He also said that they had almost purchased a Vecoma SLC last year but decided not to (everyone cheered). He told us that they would also like to build a hotel with an indoor water park (most of you already know that).

Jonathan left for home just before dinner. After dinner John and I headed out to do more riding. No more than a ten minute wait for anything. After the park closed at 10PM we went for a half hour of ERT on PR. Again they gave us two laps before reloading. Just about everyone was able to get in four laps and some may have been able to get six in. It was a great day at a great park with some great people. *** Edited 7/19/2005 2:18:34 AM UTC by CP ismyhome***

I missed KennyKon this year but it's always been one of my favorite events.

Glad you had fun! I have rode King Kahuna once (last year) and got mildly soaked. Nowadays I just point and laugh. My friends got DROWNED (about three times) the last time we were there back in late May. It was hilarious!

-Tina

Thanks for that re-hashing Tina, that really sucked. I was wet for like 3 hours and freezing when the breeze kicked in.

Great report from the Kon. I would have gone, but my boss thought it was funny to make me work on Sunday. Glad you had a great time, and I will NOT ride the King Kahuna until they turn that damn water off. YUCK! Nothing like ruining your ride when you get water up your nose and in your mouth.

Katie, who could so go for a Phantom ride right now!

Hey I warned Bill about it. I said "Are you SURE?????"

It was still fun to point and laugh, though. Unfortunately I didn't get many good photos of the "drowning". Heheh.

-Tina

This was my first Kennycon and it was a very well done event. It was very cool to ride the Racer with other enthusiasts who want to do the hand slapping during it, instead of with the GP, who look at you like your crazy when you try and do it. The Phantom was running incredibly fast. Two train operation on Jack Rabbit was great as the line moved very fast. Except for the storm coming in and shutting some rides down for awhile it was a great day. How was The Phantom ERT? We had to leave during the dinner to get home at a decent hour.

It's one of the better events IMHO. I prefer the smaller, regional events anyway.

There is nothing more insane than two trainloads of enthusiasts hand-slapping during Racer ERT. ;-)

I have been to several KennyKon's (excluding this year's) but never stayed past dinner time myself (I also had to get home at a decent hour) but I plan on it next year.

I am looking forward to my first Fright Night though, before PPP ;-)

-Tina

You'll get your scare in Tina. Just you wait. We def need to do a walk through of Noah's Ark.

PR ERT was great. It seemed even faster in the dark. I was able to get 4 laps in the half-an-hour that they gave us. The people that made it to the station first may have been able to get six in.

Kennywood really went all out for us and everyone had a blast. This was my first of many KennyKons. I will definitely be there next year. Thanks Kennywood!!!!

I also point and laugh :)

Rob did get footage of the "drowning" didn't he, Chuck? ;-)

-Tina

coasterqueenTRN you couldn't have got wet last year on the king kahuna cause they didn't do the water feature last summer. In 2003 they did it, but there were a lot of problems with it.so they stopped getting people wet in 2004. They fixed the problem and started it back up this summer. just thought i should say that.

Oh and Fright Nights is fun, just get there early. Most nights it is super busy and the lines for the haunts are super long. I didn't even ride much cause i was waitin in line for the haunts for a long time. I'll be in the cemetery again so look out for me lol. I will get you!!!! mwa ha ha ha ha ha mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha~*~ *** Edited 7/19/2005 3:08:35 PM UTC by PGH_Steeler***

I don't do the haunts, lol an hour and a half wait just isn't my cup of tea. I will ride PR all night! and the top spin since it doesn't run water during fright nights. hehehehehe!

I don't want to see that footage Chuck, you know what those reasons are.

Katie

how can you not do the haunts? thats the main reason to go. You can ride PR anytime. You should at least do 3 of the haunts. I didn't ride much cause i didn't stay the whole night cause i got tired lol. You have to do the cemetery cause i'm there, you have to do the manor cause thats fun and the new vampire maze should be good. Then you can ride all you want. The haunted ark might even be good. Oh don't go through the Fort, it's so stupid. But after those, you can ride, ride, and ride some more.

lol, well if the lines aren't too bad we'll def do the cemetary and Mortem Manor. How's the 3-d thing behind the log jammer? any good?

The Haunts is something I would like. I like the stuff that CP and PKI put on every fall.

I doubt I would be fun to try to scare, PGH Steeler. I always laugh in the "monsters" faces. They leave me alone and go after those who are actually scared. It's a riot!

-Tina

Are they still going to have the Clown maze? The wife and I enjoy that one very much! The 3-D effects are very cool.

-Tambo (Who will be hitting Fright Nights the Friday before PPP)

i think the clown maze is still on. I didn't think it was scary. Maybe if your afraid of clowns you would be scared. It was cool though being 3D and all. It's so fun when we find out someone's name cause we follow them through the whole maze scaring the sh*t out of them lol. They be like "how do you know my name?" lol it's funny. I can scare anyone cause i'm so fast. i love to get people when they are turned around talkin to their friends, and then when they turn back around.By then i am right in their face. Like 2 inches away from their face.That gets them all the time lol. *** Edited 7/20/2005 12:02:08 AM UTC by PGH_Steeler***

Hey you forgot a couple of things about the expansion news.
The part about the new bridge for next year over KP Blvd,
and the mentioning about the status of the land next to the
Exterminator what might be relocated over there. Anyway this
was my first ACE event as well. I was wearing an Army shirt,
I enjoyed the Racer and Phantom ERT's, but my two favorite things
were the behind the scenes tour of Noah's Ark and the Turtle
humping at 9pm. I got to meet Bill for the first time and a lot of
other people as well. For my first ACE event I really enjoyed it.

I didn't make it to the Turtle ITOT. I may have seen you once or twice. I had an ACE shirt and a Norfolk Southern ball cap on.

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CP ismyhome said:
He also said that they had almost purchased a Vecoma SLC last year but decided not to

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I have never read anything in my life that filled me with such a strong mixture of horror and doubt, and then instantly added relief and renewed trust back into the mix in such a short period of time.

A hang-n-bang at Kennywood... ::shiver::

- BB (absolutely dancing over the prospect of those two new coasters)