Kennywood or Geauga Lake? Which do you prefer?

That's the beauty thing about parks-- it doesn't have to be "either/or." You can like different parks for different reasons. Liking one doesn't mean you have to hate another. I'm sure both parks would like you to visit several times this year to help you fine-tune your opinions. The more parks there are and the better they're doing means that those of us who visit are the big winners.

I say just like em both, but obviously you can have a less expensive summer with the GL season pass.

I like both really well. Favorite coaster is at Kennywood. I like 2 woodies at GL better than the 2 (really) good woodies at Kennywood (not a racer fan). Atmosphere? Kennywood. Food? Tie, potato patch and fried cheese on a stick. Rides? Both have positive and negative.

Kennywood, hands down.

Geauga Lake is a nice place. It has two great wood coasters- Big Dipper and Villain. A good B&M floorless. An Intamin Impulse (still a lot of fun). And that wonderful lakeside atmosphere that few parks can match. With a darkride and some more flats, the park would definitely move closer to "exceptional". But Kennywood is Kennywood, and in my eyes, it's tough to argue against that.

Yeah, Kennywood offers so much more in a "whole park experience" kind of way. I love the collection of rare and one-of-a-kind rides and the authentic atmosphere. I never have quite understood the appeal of Potato Patch fries. They're good and all but nothing I really feel a need to rave over. Maybe it is just a surprise for a lot of people to actually find quality food in an amusement park!

Geauga Lake is a decent park that has actually managed to hold onto a little bit of charm despite the numerous makeovers of recent years. They have a great coaster collection with 2 really fantastic wooden coasters which rival The Kennywood rides and a beautiful carousel (with a band organ). Now if they would just put that circle swing back together... Oh, and you can't beat the price and with crowds the way they've been you *really* get your money's worth!

Geauga Lake has tons of potential, which I see could use a lot of fixing, I see more potential then what they want to use. I'd do things completelty differant if I were in charge, but Kennywood has its own atmosphere which something unique to the park. (also for Geauga Lake they are gonna kill themselves, unions are mad at them for not hiring a union construction company, and refuse to visit the park, which brings in major attendance) I don't know much about Kennywood except my pleasent visit there.

Just making my first trip to Kennywood last summer I can see why i was somewhat let down. Kennywood had some very good rides, the only coaster I didnt care for was the Racer, besides that the park was a let down. The park lacked sit down resturants and entertainment. The food that they did have was to scale price wise as other parks but seemed to lack in the freshness area. Excluding one older gentleman on PR, the staff seemed bored and offered little joy to my day. The craziest thing is that this park costs $28 dollars to get into. TWENTY EIGHT DOLLARS! for what they have to offer, i dont see that as moderatly priced even considering parking is free. Kennywood will have to make some big changes soon if it plans to keep afloat by entering the Ohio market

Wow. What Kennywood did you go to? I had just about the opposite experience.

jar, your post seems to indicate that entering Ohio's market can hurt the park. The only thing that such an expansion can do is raise their attendance, as people certainly aren't going to stop visiting the park because they advertise in Ohio. As far as I'm concerned, $28 dollars is par for the course, given that Hersheypark is $40, and Cedar Point is $45. Geauga Lake's $25 admission might be the boost the park needs to be successful, but we all know that they're going to hurt the bottom line by receiving more than $10 per person less than last year. Geauga Lake can engage in price cuts because they have the support of a theme park behemoth, whereas Kennywood Entertainment consists of a handful of regional parks that do not have nearly as much capital to throw around.

Kennywood.

Geauga Lake (when I was there it was still SFWoA) didn't have the charm as Kennywood did. No big lofty trees, the employees didn't want to be there at all, and the food was lackluster to say the least. They do have some good coasters, but nothing that could touch the PR. The woodies didn't do anything for me there. Maybe after riding the Thunderbolt, Racer, and Jack Rabbit for so many years, I'm a little biased. The only thing I got from them was a back ache, RWB Villian. If the Big Dipper got some TLC it would be good. And the flats there didn't impress me either.

Now to Kennywood. I've loved this park since I was 3. The food is of excellent quality and price compared to the other parks I've been too. Price has never been an issue when I go to Kennywood because there is always a discount floating around somewhere (Pepsi product cans, Giant Eagle, or the latest through the American Cancer Society). It is a good value for the entertainment you recieve. My friends and I did the entire park (I can now fit on Pitt Fall and the Aero 360 with no problems due to weight) in one afternoon and guess what, we never got bored. I can ride ride the rides there over and over and not get sick of them or tired of them.

If you go to parks just for the big flashy rides, then Kennywood isn't your type of place. If you go to a park for atmosphere and quality of rides of quantity, then go to Kennywood now!

Take ur average person and send them to Kennywood, they wont be there more than 4 hours. It is a pain to get anyone i know, whos not a coaster nut, to go to Kennywood. The only coaster s they like are PR, they complain its too short, and thunderbolt. Sure if you grew up with this park, ull prolly like or if ur a coaster ethu. besides that its nothing more than a regional park and will never be anything more. people who grew up on CP arent going to go to KW over GL, and ceratinly wont go over CP

Jar, our friends are different. I can't get mine to seem to go to Geauga Lake, but they will go to Knoebel's in the drop of a hat and Geuaga Lake is technically closer (GL could be a day trip, out and back 4 hrs round trip, but we rather spend the extra money and stay at Knoeble's over night plus and stay an extra day). They were on the same band trip as I was and were easily bored in 4 hours at GL. We went to Kennywood and were there till close and never thought twice about it. They knew the experience we had at SFWoA (rude ride ops, closed rides, bad/expensive food, and uncleanliness) and, even with the understanding that is under new management/ownership, won't go back until something drastically changes, not saying it hasn't.

And you never know what Kennywood has up its sleeve. Look what they did with the Steel Phantom. I just can't wait till the Mon Fayette Expressway comes through, then something big will probably happen.

jar, unless you personally walked around and polled the park's guests, those are only your own opinions. All of Kennywood's coasters are popular--just look at the lines, as all of them have full queues. Sure, Phantom's Revenge is short, but I've never heard anyone complain about it; in fact, I've worked over there several times, and I hear nothing but raving reviews about the ride.

If the average person spent 4 hours at Kennywood, we would not be staying open consistently from 11 in the morning 'til 10:30 at night.

As for the people who grew up on CP, just read the previous posts in this topic, as most of the people raving about the park don't even live in Pittsburgh!

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Word said:
Odd height restrictions?

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For instance, you now must be 48" tall to stand behind the enclosed metal fenced-in concrete platform near the the end of Shipwreck Falls, in order to get wet by the huge wave that ensues. That caged area had been there for years with loads of 2, 3 and 4 year olds trying to get a quick soaking, and there have never been any safety issues. Another one would be the 48" requirement for the family water ride Grizzly Run, which used to be 42" under SF rules, and never had a incident either. The oddest 'safeguard' of all, though, would be the addition of seatbelts on the vintage carousel.

If anyone knows of incidents at other parks at rides like these, I would like to know the details. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm in favor of the best safety procedures possible on everything, but even I think this is overkill. The only reason I could see them doing this would be for some sort of huge exclusive insurance discount. Are these standard CF practices at all of their parks?

*** Edited 6/9/2005 10:07:17 AM UTC by midwave***

FYI midwave, when I rode GL's Carousel on May 14th, the seat belts had been removed.

Ray P. (who thinks both parks are well worth visiting)

I was gonna say, I've been there everyweek (GL) and the carousel hasn't had any kind of seatbelt.

Not that this has much to do with anything but.... Anyone leaving Kennywood's parking lot(since yesterday) and going down KW BLVD. toward HOMESTEAD/RANKIN BRDGE will notice the huge billboard CF placed for GL to make sure most of Kennywood's guests notice it. I don't think this will hurt Kennywood at all but it's interesting to see that CF knows it's biggest threat and is taking some action. Best of luck to GL, which I visited 6 times last year even tho I'm a KW fanboy. GL is a different experience to me. It's like a CP, but closer and cheaper. I own a season pass there and will continue to go there because they have rides that KW doesn't. But KW will always be my #1 park, no matter what.

42ish parks visited.

Geauga Lake is middle of the pack... at best.

Kennywood is top 5.

Just one man's opinion.

razore86 i never saw that sign. And i go that way home from work everyday lol. Then again i never really pay attention to billboards so thats probably why i never saw it.

I can't compare them. They are both VERY different with their own specialties.

Kennywood has the classic woodies and a kick ass steel and a Reverchon mousey, not to mention some of the best fries and chicken strips on the planet! They also have a killer arcade and a GREAT selection of flats. Oh, and you can't beat the "traditional park" charm that Kennywood has. I agree with Brian though, it's in my personal top 5.

And I forgot about Pittfall......:-P

Geauga Lake has two of my favorite coasters of all time.....X-Flight and Batmaninator, as well as a VERY improved Raging Wolf Bobs. The food isn't as good, and way overpriced (as in any chain park) but I enjoyed my first visit there a couple of weeks ago since it was SFWOA. I LOVED it, had a great time, and didn't mind the $20 ticket (there was a pre-Memorial Day special going on).

I don't see why one could compete with the other.......they are as different as night and day, and the locals in between should be happy that they have both at their disposal. Both parks are exactly 4 hours from my house, so I consider them BOTH *home* parks, although Kennywood is just a LITTLE more special to me.

They both ROCK!

-Tina

*** Edited 6/9/2005 3:39:55 PM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***