Kennywood 5.1.2004, After 6.

My girlfriend and I were down the road at the Waterfront shopping when we decided to take a drive past Kennywood to see what the crowds were like. We saw everyone having fun and couldn’t resist so we went for the after 6 $13.99 deal.

We went to Garfield's Nightmare first thing and were shocked at the new look of the station and waiting area. They did a great job themeing the ride and making it look new. In the line they had TVs with a video playing with Garfield trivia, a making of documentary and a history documentary. Very nice. The ride was the Old Mill but with Garfield. It was nice.

Jackrabbit was next and was running with its always efficient 2 trains. Great ride as always and crazy good air on the double down. I am still amazed at the leather seatbelts.

Headed to Racer next and I believe the installed new queue rails into the midway a bit more. I also see why they never run the 4 trains; one of them blew right through the block brakes and just about through the station. They had to cycle the train again so those on the ride got a second ride. Lucky... The ride is good, but nothing great about it. Fun ride in the front, not rough. Just fun.

Somehow my riding partner talked me into riding raging rapids. No wait, got soaked. She now had to ride Pitt Fall as a trade. :)

Thunderbolt was next and had a long line due to a one train operation, which frustrated me. I think the ride needs some work; it was definitely rougher than last year, lots of bumps at the bottom of the hills.

Phantoms Revenge...fantastic! One train operation? Waited about 40 minutes for it and had a fantastic airtime filled ride near the back, which I think is the best place to sit. You can’t see the bottom of the second hill until your going under the Thunderbolt. This is in my top 3 for sure. I think they should have added a tunnel at the bottom of the double down there. :)

Pitfall was next. It was only running two sides with one of them only having 3 operating seats. One was stuck at the top and the other at the bottom. Long wait, slow loading. Frustrating because it was nearing 9pm and the park was closing at 10. Scary ride. I don’t know why I ride it.

Exterminator was sadly closed so we went back to Phantom for a dark ride where we encountered LINE JUMERS. For the first time ever at the wood we had line jumpers, some locals from one of the school picnics I think. UGH. I gave a couple of them some attitude, but what am I gonna do. The thing that bothered me most is that an op in the station saw them try to go from the line into the station into the front seat line and busted them, but only made them go back to where they were. Kennywood is getting a letter for this, I also told the op about them jumping to get where they were and he said if they don’t see it they cant enforce it. We sat in the second seat, but the ride just isn’t as good up front imo. Still great though. Did I tell you I love this ride?

Ended the night with some Patch fries and a slow stroll to the entrance. Nice night.

How come so many people are shocked about the Nightmare change?

I think a lot of people are shocked because it was so old, and a park tradition. I was a little sad to find out that it has changed, and might i add shocked that they chose garfield...until I found out that there is a garfield movie coming out. I am one of those people who think change is good at times but I don't think something like the old mill should have been changed to a garfield nightmare. Now I plan to make a trip back to Pitts this summer and am going to ride it , but I just think that It will take away from a reminising moment.(as my step son would say a mystical moment) We always rode the old mill first as kids because its one of the first things you come to as you enter from the tunnels.

I know that a few years back the Noah's ark was changed. Im not sure what renovations were dont but I am hoping that the changes were for the better and that they havent completely changed it.

Does kennnywood still have the kangaroo?? I loved that ride. I always tell my husband that hes gonna love it and I want him to experience it . Its a great little ride . Makes me giggle just thinking about it.

Heather

Yup, the Kangaroo is still there, and still a blast.

Well, the turnpike's kinda the first ride when entering the park, but I understand the "reministant moment" type thing. I miss the Mill too. The Nightmare is a LOT different then the Mill though, doesn't leave much to remind you of the old ride. And it's not totally awful. Kids love it, but that's about it. So your stepson might actually enjoy it a little more. *** Edited 6/1/2004 7:13:29 AM UTC by Airyckah***

Luckily, the change to the ARK wasnt near as drastic as the one to the Mill. They still kept the moving boards and the rotating tunnel, which they absolutley HAD to do anyhow. Dont get me wrong, there are parts of the old ARK is miss, but I think the new one is overall better.

I miss the whale's mouth. That was my favorite part of the old Ark. I love the moving boards, but they never seem to work.

When standing in line for Garfield they have a documentary about the Old Mill and how many times it has changed over the years. This is just another one of those times. I think they did a great job with it, especially with the entrance.

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Airyckah said:
I miss the whale's mouth. That was my favorite part of the old Ark. I love the moving boards, but they never seem to work.

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From this day, I still don't understand why they removed the Whale's mouth!?

The moving boards been working everyday since opening day;)

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Airyckah said:
I miss the whale's mouth. That was my favorite part of the old Ark. I love the moving boards, but they never seem to work.

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Not sure where your getting at there. Now granted I only get to Kennywood once a year, but Ive been to KW at least once in every year the past 12 years, minus maybe 2 or 3 years, and every time Im at the park I be sure to ride the Ark. And every time ive been there they boards have been working, great as ever. Maybe im just lucky?

I've never known the boards to have broken down in the last fourteen years... I could be missing something, though.

I'm sure they probley didn't turn on the boards, or somebody turned them off, and forgot to turn them back on.

That's most likely... they have a shutoff switch hidden in the hallway so that they can be turned off for elderly or handicapped guests that can't navigate them.

I probably was just incredibly unlucky then. For mahority of my memory of the Ark w/ the whale's mouth, the boards were shut off. So if they do do that, then I probably just either had very forgetful operators running it or a lot of elderly before me each time I went. Knowing that kinda makes me sadder. Thinking they were broke made it semi-okay with me. LOL.

Ok now im devistated. I had not heard that they took the whales mouth out. Urghhhh now what are you gonna tell me that they took the double dip out of the jack rabbit? :0) JK

I guess Im just not one for change.

From what I understand, the whale was damaged beyond repair when it was removed for the Ark's refurbishment/redesign during the '97/'98 off season.

If by "damaged beyond repair" you mean "removed with a jackhammer," then you're quite correct.

Interesting. I was told that the park had originally intended to restore the whale, and that the remaining portion was forcibly removed only after it was seriously damaged. Is there no truth to that? Just curious.