Kennywood
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Kennywood is an amusement park near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the borough of West Mifflin. It ranked second to Cedar Point in the category of "Favorite Park" in Theme Park Magazine's 2004 Reader's Choice Awards. Kennywood uses the slogan "America's Favorite Traditional Amusement Park." It features a number of old wooden coasters (3) still in working order, along with a newer steel coaster, the Phantom's Revenge (2001), and one indoor coaster, the Exterminator (1999). There is also a variety of other unique family-type rides, 32 attractions total. Kennywood is also famous for their Fresh Cut French Fries at the "Potato Patch" stand. The fries are cut fresh and served in a basket with an option of up to eight toppings. The Potato Patch Fries have become so well known that Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle grocery stores began selling Potato Patch Fries in frozen food form in 2001. Kennywood's slogan was, back in the Sixties, Seventies, Eighties, and early Nineties, "The Roller Coaster Capital of the World".
Kennywood is one of two amusement parks listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the other being Rye Playland Park. It is also one of the few amusement parks that still allow guests to bring their own picnic lunch into the park.[link]
History
Kennywood began in 1898 as a trolley park that catered to local industrial workers and their families. From its origin as a working-class picnic destination, the park grew in the first half of the twentieth century into a popular entertainment site that combined technological thrill rides with recreation venues like swimming pools and dance halls. In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, the park remained successful by adding rides like the Log Jammer, the Raging Rapids, the Steel Phantom (later turned into the Phantom's Revenge) and the Pitt Fall.Today the park features a nostalgic atmosphere and is supported by a loyal local fan base. [Kennywood Entertainment] also runs Sandcastle Waterpark [link], which opened in 1989, Idlewild Park [link] near Ligonier, and Lake Compounce [link], New England's family theme park in Bristol, Connecticut.
After the Pittsburgh Steelers won Super Bowl XL in 2006, Steelers safety Mike Logan, a native of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, near Kennywood, made a humorous riff on the "I'm Going to Disney World!" advertising campaign usually associated with the Super Bowl, saying, "Forget Disney World, I want them to open up Kennywood!"
Proposed Expansion
In July, 2005, Kennywood was in negotiations to buy brownsfield land that would increase the size of the park from 92 to up to 140 acres, and carry it into the neighboring city of Duquesne. Kennywood officials, however, insist that the proposal is contingent on the completion of the long-delayed Mon-Fayette Expressway to pass within feet of the park.As of March 2006, Kennywood had bought 15 acres and is in the process of acquiring another 28 acres of the Union Railroad yard. Its $60 million expansion plan, all contingent on taxes and the Mon-Fayette Expressway, includes a hotel, an indoor water park, and a new signature thrill ride. The new water park would be separate from the much larger Sandcastle Waterpark. West-to-West Coalition, a collection of 22 municipal governments, has announced that it is working with Kennywood on its expansion plan.
Attractions
Roller Coaster History
Through the years, Kennywood has made use of the hilly Pittsburgh terrain to create coasters that wouldn't be feasible anywhere else. The Thunderbolt and the Jack Rabbit, both wooden coasters, place the lift chain in the middle of the ride, not at the beginning. In both cases, the car leaves the station and drops into a valley for its first hill. Phantom's Revenge uses the same valley as the Thunderbolt, where the Phantom's second drop passes through the supports of the Thunderbolt's first drop. Many coasters sit in the footprint of former coasters. The Phantom's Revenge bears an obvious resemblance to the record-setting Steel Phantom. Older visitors will recall that the Thunderbolt is an improvement of the Pippin.Current Roller Coasters
- Racer - A John A. Miller wooden roller coaster with a track that is looped over on itself to create the appearance of two separate, parallel tracks. Riders choose from one of two trains, one on each side of the loading platform, that then race against each other as they traverse the course. The winning side is alternated each time.
- Jack Rabbit - A John A. Miller wooden roller coaster, known especially for its double dip. Coming down off of its second hill, the track levels out briefly half of the way down, then continues downward—a double-dip drop. The speed of the train as it enters this second part of the drop is so high, (only about 30 mph) that the riders are given the impression that they will be thrown free of the train. The Jack Rabbit is one of the oldest running roller coasters in the world.
- Thunderbolt - A wooden roller coaster. Originally there was a John A. Miller wooden coaster known as the Pippin on this site, built in 1924. A new design, by Andy Vettel, Jr., was used in the 1967 reconstruction of the Pippin, reusing several of its elements, but resulting in a larger, faster coaster to be known as the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt regularly places at or near the top of lists concerning the world's top coasters and is distinguished by an immediate drop out of the starting gate, rather than the standard long climb. The Thunderbolt has a top speed of about 55 mph.
- Exterminator - An indoor Reverchon spinning mouse roller coaster. This coaster has heavily themed scenery even in the line, and halfway through the ride, your car spins freely. This ride is not for people with weak stomachs.
- Phantom's Revenge - "The Steel Phantom," a steel looping coaster built by Arrow Dynamics, opened in 1991. The Steel Phantom briefly held several records for longest drop and highest speed (about 80 mph). After the 2000 season, the coaster was heavily modified by Chance Morgan Rides, including the removal of all of the inversions.
Other Attractions
- Kiddieland collects all of the child-only rides in a compact area between the Auto Race and the Aero360, scaling the river view side of the park. Rides include miniature versions of the Turtle, Swings, Flying Carpet, Pitt Fall, Whip, Carousel, Ferris Wheel, and Phantom.
- The Kandy Kaleidoscope is a candy store that sells homemade fudge and other candies, and the candy store is located near the entrance of the park.
- The lagoon features paddle boats and a bungee-type ride, the Sky Coaster, which only takes 1-3 riders at a time and is not included in the ride-all-day pass. Several carnival games and food huts are adjacent to the lagoon.
- The Turtle and The Kangaroo are bumpy-track rides inspired by, in turn, the turtle's curved shell and the kangaroo's leap. They are the first rides that most children graduating from Kiddieland ride, but they are also very popular with teenagers because operators usually let them ride several times in a row when lines are very short. They're also both unique rides, because the Turtle is one of only five standing and three currently operating, and the Kangaroo is the last of its kind.
- The Merry-Go-Round, built in 1926, and completely refurbished for 2005, is a historical landmark. Kennywood encourages large groups to use it as a meeting-spot considering it is centrally located--a custom to most smaller and older parks.
- The Log Jammer is a water ride, resembling a roller coaster, which runs through the wooded area in the back of the park. It was the park's first multi-million dollar project.
- King Kahuna was added to the park in 2003. It originally stood at Kennywood's sister park, Lake Compounce in Connecticut. The ride consists of a platform attached to two arms. The arms rotate in a circle while the platform flips riders upside down. The ride is unique in that the ride is never the same twice. On warm, sunny days, fountains spray riders multiple times, getting them soaked!
- Lost Kennywood, which was added to the park in 1995, was built on the old pay parking lot area. The area evokes memories of Kennywood's long history, and also the illusion of yesteryear's dangerous rides, with modern safety features, of course. The area includes the Pittsburg Plunge, a Shoot-the-Chute named after the brief period in the 1890s when Pittsburgh dropped the "h" from its name, the Whip which was moved from its original location near the Log Jammer, the Wave Swinger wicker swing ride, the Exterminator, and the Pitt Fall 251-foot-drop tower ride. The Swing Shot joined the line-up in 2006.
- Swing Shot is one of the first larger models of the S&S Screamin' Swing added in 2006. The name was chosen from a long list of names that were entered in the "Name the New Ride" contest Kennywood held over the summer of 2005. It is basically a giant swing that swings riders back and forth, reaching a height of 90 feet at a 120 degree angle and reaching speeds of 50 mph. This ride stands where the Wipeout once stood (the Wipeout was moved to the former site of the Bayern Kurve, which was removed from the park in 2005).
- Entertainment is a focal point of Kennywood. Strolling musicians, live shows, and costume characters truly evoke Kennywood's rich history. For the park's 100th anniversary in 1998, the park had side shows, magicians, and other events in their "anniversary midway." Today, the Kennyville Stage offers 3 shows a day and in 2006, the park introduced their first High Dive act in the Garden Stage area. The Garden Stage received a major overhaul and will debut in 2007. The park also has roaming mascots, Kenny Kangaroo-an original character, and Garfield and Odie from Garfield cartoons.
- Turnpike is a vintage car ride located right at the front if the park. It originally required two riders, but this has since changed to one. The Turnpike is one of the closest rides to the main entrance.
- Paratrooper is a classic ride, originally called the SkyDiver.
- The Auto Race, also known by several veterans as the Auto Ride, is also the last of its kind. Electric cars run quite quickly through a trough-like track that twists and turns, almost like a maze. There used to be several small hills placed in the track, but were removed due to rear-end collisions caused when cars couldn't get up and over them on rainy days.
Phantom Fright Nights
Phantom Fright Nights is a Halloween event held at Kennywood on Friday and Saturday nights during the month of October. The park typically opens at six or seven in the evening and closes at one or two in the morning. The event began in 2002, though the concept of theming an amusement park for Halloween is not new. "Phantom Fright Nights" was ranked the 3rd best Halloween event in the world in 2005.Labor Day traditionally marked the end of the season and the park would shut down until the spring. In 2002, Kennywood decided to break the long-standing tradition and turn almost half of park into a giant Halloween extravaganza. The park's initial trial of Phantom Fright Nights in 2002 consisted of four traditional haunted houses, with only a few rides and roller coasters in operation. Despite the relatively limited scope of the opening year, the experiment proved to be a success, and new areas of the park and rides are opened for the festivities every year. In 2004 Kennywood debuted Gory Park, a haunted zone in Lost Kennywood. The following year, 2005, the park managed to have 3/4 of the rides and attractions operable due to high demand and record-breaking crowds. The park has reported attendance greater for one Fright Night than they have on a good normal operating day.
In the spirit of Halloween season, the park itself is given a complete make-over, with costumed actors roaming the paths, spooky music filling the air, and fog blanketing the park and every light bulb in the park is changed to a different color--even in the restrooms. The merry-go-round horse normally found in the fountain by the entrance is replaced by a giant Death-like figure. In some places sheets are hung up and classic horror movies are played, such as the original "House on Haunted Hill". Several areas of the park, including Kiddieland and Lost Kennywood, are turned into open-air haunted attractions. Other buildings, such as the Penny Arcade and the Parkside Terrace Cafe, are converted into more traditional haunted houses. Even the entrance tunnel is affected; massive amounts of fog are pumped into the passage way and chainsaw wielding characters stalk unsuspecting guests as they enter. These ghouls are also found throughout the park when least expected.
Kennywood discourages children under the age of thirteen from attending the park during Phantom Fright Nights as the atmosphere may be too intense for some younger children, but letting children attend is solely at the discretion of parents or guardians. Many childen go to Fright Night's anyway, even with the suggestion. Kennywood will admit attendees of any age.
Kennywood Memories
On September 28, 1988, the local PBS station, WQED, first aired "Kennywood Memories", a one hour documentary about Kennywood. Rick Sebak narrated. Though in 2006, many of the rides talked about are gone, the historic information about the park is still quite relevant. WQED has made the entire [program log available on their website].Location
Kennywood is approximately 10 miles from downtown Pittsburgh, in West Mifflin, PA. The park is located on PA State Route 837, sometimes referred to as Kennywood Boulevard; the closest interstate exit is Interstate 376's Swissvale Exit #7. Despite the park's obscure location— it was once the terminus of a streetcar line— it is rather easy to find for two reasons. First, it is located on the "Green Belt", part of the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt System. Second, Kennywood has blanketed the neighboring area with yellow wooden "Kennywood" arrows, to the point where the yellow arrow has become the park's logo.Two PAT Transit bus lines, the 59A and 61C, run up to or near where Kennywood is located.
Kennywood Park is located at 40°23'15" North, 79°51'51" West.
Trivia
- The phrase, "Kennywood's open!" is often used in the Pittsburgh region to alert others that their fly is open.
Ride/Attraction Timeline
- 2010: Park expansion- contingent on Mon-Fayette Expressway.
- 2007: Garden Stage to reopen.
- 2006: Swing Shot.
- 2004: Garfield's Nightmare, rebuilt from Old Mill.
- 2003: King Kahuna, Ham-on-Rye (Removed in 2005).
- 2002: Phantom Fright Nights debut.
- 2001: Phantom's Revenge, from Steel Phantom.
- 2000: Aero 360.
- 1999: Exterminator.
- 1998: Kennywood celebrates its 100th anniversary.
- 1997: Pitt Fall.
- 1996: Lil Phantom (Kiddieland), Kenny's Parkway (Kiddieland).
- 1995: LOST KENNYWOOD expansion (Pittsburg Plunge added).
- 1994: SkyCoaster, Bayern Kurve (Removed in 2005).
- 1993: WipeOut.
- 1991: Steel Phantom. Quickly tops top 10 list. (Removed in 2000).
- 1989: Swing Around (removed in 2006)
- 1988: Flying Carpet.
- 1987: Musik Express.
- 1985: Raging Rapids.
- 1984: Wave Swinger.
- 1982: Pirate.
- 1981: Gold Rusher, Paddle Boats.
- 1980: Laser Loop. (Removed in 1990).
- 1979: Garden Stage. (Removed in 2006).
- 1978: Volcano (the Enterprise before 2003).
- 1977: Gran Prix.
- 1975: Log Jammer. (first multi-million dollar ride in the park's history).
- 1968: Thunderbolt, rebuilt from Pippin. Small hill removed in 1969.
- 1966: Turnpike.
- 1962: Kangaroo. (last 'flying' coaster in existence)
- 1948: Dipper. Remodeled in 1951. (Removed in 1984).
- 1945: Olde Kennywood Railroad.
- 1936: Noah's Ark. (Re-built in 1996).
- 1935: Teddy Bear. (Removed in 1947).
- 1930: Auto Race.
- 1927: Carousel, Racer, Turtle.
- 1926: Whip.
- 1924: Pippin. (Converted in 1968 to Thunderbolt).
- 1921: Jack Rabbit.
- 1901: Old Mill. (Converted to Garfield's Nightmare in 2004. Also referred to in the past as Hard Headed Harrold's Horrendously Humorous Haunted Hideaway).
Sister Parks
External links
- [Official website]
- [Phantom Fright Nights Official Website]
- [Kennywood Pictures]
- ["Rare two-family ownership arrangement keeps Kennywood Park thriving for last century"], Pittsburgh Post Gazette
- ["Kennywood banks another 28 acres for park expansion"], Pittsburgh Post Gazette
- [Kennywood Park Connection (unofficial fan site)]
- [Kennywood RCDB Site]
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