Ohio Parks

GL2005, please use the "shift" key when you post. It makes things much easier to read.

As for Kennywood, "save your gas money" is your opinion, but you'll find that most people here don't agree with it. There are many things you'll find at Kennywood that most other parks to NOT have -- the Kangaroo, the Turtle, and the Auto Race come to mind immediately. Most people would tell you that Thunderbolt is NOT the only good wooden coaster there, and it's hard for PNE_Man to have ridden Racer and Jackrabbit "5000 times each" when he's never been there.

I would definitely do Kennywood during this trip. There are no hotels immediately adjacent to the park, but you can stay in Pittsburgh easily enough, and I BELIEVE the hotel at the Waterfront (about 2 miles down the road from Kennywood) will be open by then (Lord Gonchar can fill you in more on this).

I believe the latest word on the Waterfront Courtyard is March 2005.

It's been bumped back a couple of times though, so don't be surprised if it is again.

When I went to KW I stayed in the springhill suites in west Mifflin.... it about 6-8 miles away.... From what I was told that is one of the closest to the park. it was like 80 a night!

I would drive by CP and GL for another day at KW. DO NOT miss this park!

Also stayed at the Springhill in West Mifflin. Nice place. While the route is by no means "direct," the Yellow Arrows are all you need.

Cleveland to KW is, what, 2 hours? My recommendation would be to skip PKI in favor of KW. Save PKI, SFKK and HW for another trip.

Drive by CP without stopping?!?!?!?! Isn't that a sin? ;)

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IBsteve said:

Also stayed at the Springhill in West Mifflin. Nice place. While the route is by no means "direct," the Yellow Arrows are all you need.

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lol he's not kidding!! If you tell the front desk you want to go, they'll give you writted directions

Let see ohio Hmmmm... I would start at GL, Then KW, then down to PKI with a short stop at Whydot lake, and last back to CP for the rest.

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Word said:
Staying in Columbus seems kind of silly. Halfing the one drive to PKI isn't worth the increased drive times to all of the other places. Also, OSU students will not be in session so it could be kind of boring in Columbus.

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Columbus is the largest city in Ohio, and the 15th (soon to become 14th) largest city in the country. There's really more here than just The Ohio State University. (Although, you wouldn't know that by the local media during football season...)

Columbus isn't Ann Arbor, after all... (Sorry, just couldn't resist it.)

Joel

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JZarley said:

Columbus isn't Ann Arbor, after all... Joel

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lol! NICE!! GO bucks!

Of course it has more than Ohio State University... it has millrace and Rideman!

Kennywood is worth it just for phantom's revenge alone, not to mention the oldies and exterminator.

columbus is getting bigger all the time....
a couple of years ago, they had rolling black-outs like LA...

There are about a dozen rides at Kennywood that make it "worth it", not to mention the way the entire park feels as a whole.

when I was there this year I didn't see exterminator were was it? .... aided to this I didn't get a park map oh well

i gotta hit Kennywood one of these days. all i ever hear is good stuff about it...for PA, i've been to CLP, Idlewild, (StoryBook forest and FAiryLand forest, age showing on those..). also, waldamere...
The racing coaster there looks similar to the old racer at Euclid Beach... (a miller? ?

Exterminator is in the Lost Kennywood section of the park, way in the back, under the Pittsburg Plunge and near the Whip.

Since it's indoors, it's not easy to spot from the midway if you don't know where to look.

Speaking of not knowing where to look, I asked three employees where I could find a park map. They all gave me a puzzled look and told me to try three different places. Finally found one and it was, well, old school, to say the least.

I love that park!

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Rob Ascough said:
Drive by CP without stopping?!?!?!?! Isn't that a sin? ;)

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LOL, Rob. And I did just that. Twice in fact, the week before Labor Day, to and from PA. After visiting Hershey, Dorney, Knoebels and Kennywood, I don't regret it at all.

ETA: Sorry about the double post!! Brain fart. *** Edited 10/13/2004 10:13:10 PM UTC by IBsteve***

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FLYINGSCOOTER said:
The racing coaster there looks similar to the old racer at Euclid Beach... (a miller? ?

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I'm pretty sure the only similarity is that they were both designed by John Miller and they are both mobius.

http://history.amusement-parks.com/Euclid/Coasters/racer2.jpg

Thats the only problem with KW except that fact its in Pittsburgh, park maps are hard to locate, I know of only 2 places in the park to get one. One is the service center, near volcano, the other was just before that main entrance at guest relations. http://www.themeparkbrochures.com/maps/2002/kwood2002.htmlBut other than that I'd say KW is just about as perfect as a park could be. *** Edited 10/14/2004 1:38:25 AM UTC by Snap43***

Look, first off , I never said Kennywood was bad. Re read my post you will see that i said it is good, good rides, but small park. c'mon guys, you can't say that it isn't. And there isn't much of a view, oohh ahhh, a factory, yay! please, I've lived here all my life and this place is a dive. Not the park, but the whole town. I'm not old school, I'm very much new school as far as thrills, and GL and CP are just that for me. nice, big parks, beautiful surroundings, like the park view off the boardwalk at GL, the view of lake erie from Magnum, sorry guys, this steel city is worthless to me. I'm glad you guys like it, cause I don't. I just wanted to put my thoughts into it, and lets face it, you can't resort at Kennywood. would it really feel like a getaway? "cmon guys, lets get out of our 2 star hotel and drive through this crap town to kennywood. Sorry, I guess I just can't imagine someone actually attracted to this disgrace of a town. whatever floats your boat. we all have our opinions. i'm just expressing mine as does everyone else here.