planning a trip to Kennywood (questions)

Hey all! I am planning on going to Kennywood in a few weeks and I have never been before. Well, I am actually seeing family and will not have all the time in the world. So what are the essential rides? And how far off has Phantom's Revenge fallen from your top hypers? No one seems to talk about it anymore and does that have to do because of its age? It seems like an air time machine but the major problem it has is its length.

What is the food like as far as quality and prices?

Other random question: whatever happened to the supposed expansion? I remember Kennywood bought the lot next to the park and there were talks for a wooden and steal coaster but nothing ever materialized.

Thanks guys!

Mike

Phantom is still a fantastic ride, I think it just happens to be in a park where it's overshadowed by some awesome and historical wooden coasters. The second drop down into the ravine is absolutely awesome.

Food prices and quality seemed better than average, but other than the potato patch fries, I don't remember anything worth writing home about.

My favorite ride there is the Jack Rabbit. Not the same since they put real restraints on the cars. Still a favorite. And dont miss the Auto Race cars. They are the best as well. Overall it is a great park and you need to ride all the classic rides which is our main reason for visits. There are one of a kind left rides there from many years back. The food is also really good.

Phantoms Revenge is my #2 steel coaster and is the best ride in the park. You can get discounted tickets at Eagle Grocery stores which will save you about $12. If you are limited on time you can buy the VIP coaster tour which is KWs version of a flashpass and will get you on all the coasters except for thunderbolt without waiting in line.

I like Kennywood a lot. But really, I have just two words for you:

Bayern Kurve.

Food and drink prices have been inching up in price lately and it's no longer the cheap park in the area. Potato Patch fries are still what they are and before I went vegetarian the sausage was good at the pagoda.

fearandloathing said:
Other random question: whatever happened to the supposed expansion? I remember Kennywood bought the lot next to the park and there were talks for a wooden and steal coaster but nothing ever materialized.

That was tied to the Mon Fayette highway and the economy. The highway is sadly inching closer and closer to Pittsburgh but the economy probably won't ever be what it was. I don't see it happening. Kennywood is a nice manageable size for the Pittsburgh area.

Phantom's Revenge is a pretty sweet ride. The second drop is actually taller than the first one, a rarity in coasters. And your plunging towards the river, ducking under one their woodies. I regret that I only rode it once, due to the rain.

Auto Race, definitely. Yes, it's a "kiddie" ride, but it's uber cool. It's a classic retro ride and probably one of it's kind. I saw it, and I said, I must ride this.

Their wooden coasters are awesome! They not the tallest, fastest or other superlative, but they're great. The Jack Rabbit may be old simple looking woodie, but it's a great ride. Not to be overlooked. The Racer is pretty sweet, well designed. Same for the Thunderbolt. Together, all of their woodies were very smooth and warrants multiple rides.

All of their coasters are classic/ retro and quirky, sometimes both.

Another neat attraction was the Noah's Arc walk- through. If it wasn't for the rain, I wouldn't have done this one. But, I am glad I did as it pretty neat.

I spend a little less than a day here. I wish I had more time, perhaps a second day there. I am in Texas and probably wouldn't have a chance to go back anytime soon.

Does Kennywood still have the Tumblebug ride? I've been halfway around the world to various Amusement parks, but have never traveled the 300 or so miles to Kennywood.

fearandloathing said:

And how far off has Phantom's Revenge fallen from your top hypers?

It hasn't. The trains are fantastic, the layout is beautifully orchestrated, and the airtime is varied and plentiful.

People don't talk about it much because there isn't much to talk about. It's damn near perfect year after year so there's rarely something new to discuss.

Did they fix that weird transition at the top of the big hill?

I think they did edit it a bit but it's still not perfect.

Concrete Enchilada said:
Auto Race, definitely. Yes, it's a "kiddie" ride, but it's uber cool. It's a classic retro ride and probably one of it's kind. I saw it, and I said, I must ride this.

It's been closed for rehab all year but I haven't been to the park in a week or two so I don't know if it's open again. Fun ride, best ridden in the evening as the kids are starting to leave the park.

One of my favorite tips to give is to ride Thunderbolt in a middle seat, any of them. I try to never ride on the axels anymore.

I loved Phantom's Revenge, but I remember a spine-busting part that almost ruined the ride for me. Remembering back and looking at this POV, I'm thinking it was right at 1:25.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoJkimXAuRM

It was an unexpected part that I didn't brace for properly, and I got slammed in pain.

I'm going back to Kennywood this year as well. I haven't been in forever.

I remember Phantom as being very good. Except for the quick double dip near the end that practically breaks my back every time I ride, the ride is near perfect. The first 160' tall curved drop is amazing, then you get an unusual flat straight stretch before climbing to get to the second drop. The second drop is very long, at 228', and seems to take forever to get to the bottom, traveling under the Thunderbolt roller coaster.

I am pretty excited to get back on it.

I remember reading that the expansion was dependent on the building of the new highway. Neither one has happened. That's okay by me though, because every time I have ever visited Kennywood, I still wanted more of it by the end of the night. I never want to leave that park at closing time.

@Jeph

In an older operating configuration, Phantom had trims on the final double-up into the brakes, and the double-down (the "spine buster" you're referring to) was taken pretty flipping quickly.

A year or two... or three? ago, the trims from the double-up were relocated to the double down, which I think helped a lot with the harshness of that element.

The ride in general is awesome though. Easily still a top 5 steel coaster for me.

Don't forget Log Jammer. Log flumes are becoming increasingly rare, and this is a good one. It features one of a very few 'ups' on flumes--sections where momentum carries the log upward.

One of the worst flume rides ever, unique uphill or not.

Jeff said:

Did they fix that weird transition at the top of the big hill?

Yes

Corkscrew Follies said:

Does Kennywood still have the Tumblebug ride?

Yes

Auto Race...It's been closed for rehab all year but I haven't been to the park in a week or two so I don't know if it's open again.

Yes

eightdotthree said:

One of the worst flume rides ever, unique uphill or not.

NO!