Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Sabrina's Brochure Spotlight: Kennywood 1985


Don't be fooled--The photos you are about to see really aren't stills from Adventureland! This is what Kennywood really looked like in the '80s.

Can anybody guess what Kennywood's newest attraction was back in 1985? Alright, they made that one too easy. But in case your brain has already shut itself off in anticipation of the upcoming three-day weekend (for those of you in the States, anyway), they're going to spell it out for you...

Raging Rapids, Kennywood's rendition of the Intamin rapids ride, burst onto the Pittsburgh scene this year. It's a good thing too, because summers can be downright sweltering in Pennsylvania. Want proof? I rode Raging Rapids with a friend on one of those 100-or-so-degree days just a few short years ago, and we were both bone dry in less than two hours!

It always struck me as funny that Kennywood used to count Log Jammer as a roller coaster. They weren't shy about marketing it that way, either. When I pulled out this brochure, I found a small write-up about the park that I had stapled to it all those years ago (which I believe came from a AAA guide book). It proclaimed that Kennywood had four roller coasters and a "water coaster". Had we been living in the age of the internet back then, imagine the controversies this claim would have spawned amongst enthusiasts!

Oh yeah, and in addition to those FIVE roller coasters, the park had some other attractions too. It's unfortunate that these photos are so small, because there are quite a few classics to be seen here. Not all of these rides have survived to the present day, but the return of the Bayern Kurve in 2009 reminds us that with Kennywood, there is always hope! This park's appreciation and preservation of classic rides is virtually unparalleled in the industry today, and that's even more refreshing than a rapids ride in my book.

Looking at this map is bringing back painful memories of the horrible traffic Mike and I encountered getting into and out of Kennywood last summer. The never-ending construction in this state rivals the oppressive heat!! Too bad there's not a ride capable of fixing THAT problem. [cue foreshadowing of future post] If only I had a Sky Rocket...


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