So last Wednesday before my Anthrocon trip, I was finally able to visit Kennywood! This was a long time coming, it just was a little tricky due to most years not having enough time to visit, or a certain coaster not being available due to S&S being well, S&S. But everything came together for this trip, and I wasn't going to let a Heat Dome stop me.
In fact, I think the combo of Wednesday and the heat actually kinda' helped, since crowds were light, so I was able to hit up everything I wanted (Sans Thunderbolt due to single rider.) before the heat really kicked in. So without further ado...
Steel Curtain (My 100th Coaster!) : As we are very well aware, S&S's can be a tad temperamental due to one reason or another. This coaster has seen quite a bit of downtime/fixes in its short lifetime, which unfortunately seems par for the course with S&S's big coasters. That said, on the flipside, the coaster is a darn good ride! It's a ride which doesn't waste any time going through its 9 inversions, and that Drachen Fire inspired first drop is something else. The various theming touches from the trains, loading/safety spiels and Renegade playing on the lift were all quite nice. All in all, a pretty kick butt coaster.
Jackrabbit: While Steel Curtain towers overhead, this coaster has been proudly standing on its own for a century. I love how it uses the ravine, the trains are great, and that Double Dip lived up to its reputation with a nice pop of air!
Racer: Another classic woodie with a sweet looking station and a nice little layout. I may have been spoiled a little by Cedar Point's Gemini with its constant back and forth racing, but this is still a really fun racing coaster and my first with a mobius loop.
Phantom's Revenge: Another unique coaster which quite the history of its own, this was a really friggin' good hypercoaster! I do love a twisted first drop, and that second hill diving into both the ravine and under Thunderbolt is simply iconic. Easily one of the best headchopper moments of all time as everyone in front of me yanked their arms down underneath. Add in some great airtime in the back half and it's easy to see why this one is beloved in the lineup.
The Exterminator: I do enjoy a Reverchon spinning wild mouse, and this one gets a lotta' bonus points for being indoors and with a nice amount of theming to a factory overrun by giant rats. The theming was nice, and this coaster also has the distinction of being the first spinning coaster which almost got me flat-out dizzy. I was the only one in the car, and it just spun me like nothing else!
Sky Rocket: An appropriately quirky Premier launched coaster, the first half is honestly really good, while the second half is just plain bizarre. I still enjoyed it overall, even though this reminded me that Premier really doesn't know the term "spacious" in terms of their seat/restraint designs.
Next up are the dark rides/walkthroughs, which just like the coasters and flats, was a mix of the old and the new. The newest being Ghostwood Estate which was a nice little shooting darkride that provided some much needed AC. Then there's Noah's Ark which was a sweet walk-through funhouse with a lot of old-school charm, and finally there's the Old Mill which was a real nice boat ride.
As for the flats, you have your modern rides with Swingshot, Black Widow and the new Spinvansion (Holy G-Forces, Batman!), along with super classic and rare rides such at the Whip (Happy 100th!), Turtle and Kangaroo.
All in all, Kennywood's lineup of attractions is truly a mix of the old and the new, and they proudly show the older rides still hold up to the modern ones, it's a very unique variety that not every park has, so I'm very thankful the park is keeping them all in great shape!
As for food, of course I tried the Potato Patch fries, and they were very good with a pretty good portion on top of that!
Finally, even with the heat, the park was clearly well maintained, with a whole lotta' friendly staff, and a bunch of water stations were found all around the park, so great on them for that!
Overall, this was a fantastic first impression for me! This park is packed with a lot of charm, and a unique lineup of attractions you're just not going to find anywhere else. If this is how it's gonna' be with Herschend at the helm, I'm very much looking forward to returning again and seeing what's next in the future!