Kennywood opened in 1898 as a trolley park in western Pennsylvania. It was started by the Monongahela Street Railway Company, just like many small parks were started by railroads during this time period to encourage tourists to ride the rails. In 1902, they leased the park to an amusement company to create stronger competition against other trolley parks in the area. Today, Kennywood covers over 100 acres and has 32 rides, including five roller coasters. In 2004, they were voted second in Theme Park Magazine's Reader's Choice Award.
The roller coasters at Kennywood draw thousands of visitors every year. Phantom's Revenge is one of the more popular of these roller coasters. At speeds of up to 85 miles per hour, Phantom's Revenge is one of the fastest coasters in the world. It has a 230-foot drop and winds in and out of one of the park's other coasters - Thunderbolt. Called "the King of Coasters,'' Thunderbolt reaches speeds of up to 50 miles per hour and has huge drops at both the beginning and at the end of the ride.
One of the oldest coasters in the park is the Jack Rabbit. This coaster was built in 1921 by John Miller over a natural ravine in the park's land, and it has a 70-feet drop. There's also the Exterminator, a roller coaster in the dark where riders can't see hairpin runts and drops, as well as the Racer, which was also built by John Miller and is the only single-track racing roller coaster in the country.
Kennywood also has a number of what they call "dark'' rides. Garfield's Nightmare is a ride mild enough for children. This 3D experience uses black lights and fluorescent colors to turn the world of Garfield upside-down. Older riders can check out Ghostwood Estate, an eight-room haunted house that replaced an earlier haunted ride at the park. In Ghostwood Estate, riders have mounted laser guns and compete with other vehicles to shoot the characters found throughout. Noah's Ark is another dark-themed attraction. This walk-through attraction was built in 1936 and is one of the few remaining walk-through haunted attractions in the United States.
Kennywood has a number of other parks as well. For guests who want to get a little wet, there are flume rides and a raging rapids ride. There are also a number of classic rides, including bumper cars, go-karts, a railroad, a merry-go-round, paddle boats, a whip, and swings. In addition, there are daily shows at Kennywood, including a BMX stunt show called Maximum Velocity and a juggling show called Jugglemania.
The park is open from May to September with gates opening at 10:30 AM. The park is also open weekends in October from 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM for "Phantom Fright Nights.'' General Admission costs $34.99 for adults and $21.99 for children under 46 inches tall. They also have discounts for groups, senior citizens, and guests who come to the park after 5:00 PM. Visitors can call 412-461-0500.
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