Kennywood Questions - CoasterBuzz

Anyone know how adamant they are about no sigle riders on Thunderbolt and Turnpike? Out of curiousity, why are those 2 rides under such a restriction?

I'm going on a Tuesday in early June, and am wondering if they bend the rules when business is slower (which I'm hoping for)?

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4 weeks to the trip that I've only ever dreamed of...

Can't tell you about Turnpike, but I know on T-Bolt they were willing to do "whatever it takes" to prevent single riders when we were there...

I don't recall if this is true for T-Bolt specifically, but I'm thinking a lack of seat dividers to some parks is a red flag...I know at PCar they wouldn't let ANY kids ride alone on their Falling Star (or similar ride, couldn't find any ID at all on the ride)....sliding in seats CAN be a problem, esp. for smaller riders.

Makes sense. Thanks. I'll just hope that while in line I run into a group with an odd number of people.

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4 weeks to the trip that I've only ever dreamed of...

Thunderbolt can potentially injure or eject riders who happen to be sitting on the closed side when the train hits the bottom of the square helix. Personally, I think they ought to allow you to use a 54" plush toy as your riding partner.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

There are some pretty extreme laterals in that helix - that is the primary reason for the 2-rider policy. There will most likely be another single rider for you to pair up with. FYI, blockbusters in the pittsburgh area are selling discount tickets to kennywood for $10 less than normal price.

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Is that Freedom Rock? Well turn it up dude !!

Last year the park had me wait on the platform until another single rider came to the ride, which resulted in an extra five minute wait. If I were you, I'd try hard to find another person to go with you, or meet you there.

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Goccvp1

If I had something inspiring to say, you'd be reading it now.

I don't know if this is true or not, the thunderbolt had that partner rule because a boy was riding by himself before and when they went into the helix, he was thrown off and killed. I read it on the kennywood blvd website if you wanted to go and see.

For the 'Pike, the best answer I can give is for capacity reasons. Usually it runs ten cars and three will be in the unload/load area. So that leaves seven cars on the track. Say half of those seven cars have single riders, so the total capacity is ten people out of a possible 14. The seats were designed for two people and that helps reach full capacity.
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2002/2003
KW Old Mill/T-Pike Crew

Kennywood day??? as in the second tuesday in july?? ill be there too! i don't miss kennywood day for the world. im there every year. ummm on the tpike they don't really enforce it too much but the thunderbolt its a little more strict...i talked to a ride op while waiting in line an she let me ride alone....try making friends with them....it could help ;-)

Yep... Turnpike is a capacity issue, mostly. 10 cars with single riders on a 5 minute ride = l-o-n-g waits.

The Thunderbolt is a safety issue. If you don't have a partner, just tell the ticket taker, and she'll find you one.

The good news for the singles is that due to some modifications on the Wipeout (seat belts, foot guards) you no longer need a partner on that ride.

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If you could just see the beauty... these things I could never describe. Pleasures and wayward distraction; is this my wonderful prize? --Joy Division

J Bird said:
ummm on the tpike they don't really enforce it

Hmm, well I've never seen or let it slip myself.

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2002/2003
KW Old Mill/T-Pike Crew

Why would you want to ride alone on thunderbolt? Half the full is crushing the hell out of your riding partner.

I am going to Kennywood on May 9 for the first time. Does anyone know if it is usually crowded early in May?

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-Sean Newman

Hey Joel,

Did Chance send out a bulletin on the Wipeout, or was that just a modification Kennywood decided to make?

I think the new Wipeout rules may be for every park. Knott's wipeout closed when SFMW's Starfish had the accident. There were no single riders allowed on Wipeout at that time.

KBF's Wipeout reopened a few months ago, and now it has seatbelts- but now single riders are allowed. So I would guess that Chance may have sent something to the parks.

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The Trip: CP, SFWoA, PKI, KW, HW, IB, SFGAm, MiA and LeSourdsville too.
8 Days- 10 parks. May 2003

Agreeing with CFM: Since the SFMW incident, similar rides have been undergoing the modifications at several parks...noticed on the recent trip to MB/PCar that there were "repairs" under way...

SFgadvMAN said:
I am going to Kennywood on May 9 for the first time. Does anyone know if it is usually crowded early in May?
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-Sean Newman

I think the park will not be open that day, but if it is, the park will be a little crowded. I would suggest you ride phantom's revenge, exterminator, and thunderbolt early in the morning because the lines for those rides are around 45min to 1 hr. 15 minutes. Also the pittfall, king kahuna, areo, and sky coaster are the best flat rides they have so ride them when possible. When I was their, king kahuna had a 15-30 minute wait and pttfall had 10-15 min. wait. Try the chicken strips and cheese fries or funnel cakes with ice cream and strawberries if you want to eat.

Derrick, if you would have looked on the Kennywood webpage before making that comment, you would have noticed that it says: "Open Daily from May 9, 2003 through September 1, 2003."

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Six Flags Worlds of Adventure Online

Derrick Whitsett said:
Try the...funnel cakes with ice cream and strawberries if you want to eat.

Yes please! I had one of those in 2001 and they were the best, and very cheap too.

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Coaster Grotto - Save your Top 20 Coasters and Track Record Online!

John, it was a bulletin from Chance.

I'm not sure if there was an incident at another park that brought it on or if it was just something they came up with to make a few extra bucks.

Oh, and sorry I never returned your email the other week... as you may guess, I'm pretty busy lately.

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If you could just see the beauty... these things I could never describe. Pleasures and wayward distraction; is this my wonderful prize? --Joy Division