There have been four Bayern Kurve rides at Kennywood since the first debuted in 1968. This model came from Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City, Florida in 1994. It lasted ten years before being removed for refurbishment from 2006-2008; the Kurve came back in 2009. (Kennywood was sold to its current owners at the end of 2007.)
The last Bayern Kurve in the US is at California's Great America, but it runs slow compared to Kennywood's and lacks all of the European decorations.
For those not familiar, the Bayern Kurve had a unique motion where the cars tilted to bank with the track. Although it was a rough ride, its loud horn made its presence heard from literally every corner of the park.
Kennywood had an Enterprise ride (made by HUSS) on this plot starting in 1978. In 2015, it was replaced with an identical 1986 ride from Lake Compounce in Connecticut, one of Kennywood's sister parks.
Paratrooper, opened in 1976, was the third ride of its type at Kennywood. It sat adjacent to the Kangaroo. Like the Volcano, there are still quite a few Paratroopers across the country, including one at Idlewild.
On another note, the Eli Bridge Ferris wheel at Idlewild, an hour away from Kennywood, is also getting removed. Although this is not a rare ride like the Kangaroo and Bayern Kurve, it used to be at Kennywood, and it gives Idlewild a net flat ride loss of three when combined with those lost over the past few years.
This picture is from my first ride on the Bayern Kurve in 2013. I guess that my blog can just as well now be called "empty plot blog."
8 comments:
Awwww! I think it's sad when ANY ride closes for good.
I really like how the Bayern Kurve looks in that one "distant" pic. I love how the green vegetation sticks up behind the backdrop. I also love that painted backdrop of the snowy mountains.
I miss being able to ride the two "Enterprise" attractions that we used to have here, in Southern California. I loved the feeling of how each time you reached the top and were upside down, the vehicle would sort of wiggle or wobble just slightly in the air.
Do you know if they are going to scrap these rides, put them into storage, or if they are being sold to someone else?
TokyoMagic!, people definitely are upset about this. A change.org petition has 19,000 signatures.
I have another picture of the Kurve from even further back. I just added it to the post. It's sad seeing how empty the midway is, knowing that these rides were literally running themselves into the ground.
The weirdest feeling on an Enterprise is when you're at the 3:00 position, and you start to slide forward for a second.
Kennywood is not selling or scrapping the rides yet. I could honestly see them bringing back the Kangaroo down the road and raking in the publicity. On the other hand, if they do put them up for sale, I've heard that some parks are interested in buying the Kangaroo. It is also rumored that Knoebels could possibly install a refurbished Kurve in the next few years, so maybe there'll still be one in PA.
Andrew, I forgot about that feeling on the Enterprise, at the "3:00 position," until you mentioned it! I loved that about the ride, too!
I don't think I've told this story on the other blogs before. When the "Enterprise" was new at Knott's Berry Farm (they called theirs the "Loop Trainer/Flying Machine"), my grandmother wanted to go on it, but she didn't want to go alone and nobody else in the family was willing to go with her. At that point, there were some rides that I was afraid to go on, and that was one of them. Well, about a year later, my best friend (who had already been on the ride) talked me into going on it, and I LOVED it! He also talked me into going on the other rides that I had been avoiding. Eventually, I got to the point where I would try any ride at least once, with the one exception being the "Zipper." That ride always did and always will scare me!
That's an awesome story, TM!!
Andrew, what a fun post with all the "you are there" videos. Plus, I see you were there. I feel like I was tagging along with you, and I really enjoyed it!
TokyoMagic! The "Zipper" was my favorite carnival ride, as a teen. Now, you couldn't pay me enough to go on it.
Merry Christmas!
Sue
Sue, I'm glad you liked the videos. I love the Zipper, but I wish you could find it at amusement parks as well as fairs. I also wish that you were allowed to ride it by yourself because whoever I ride it with never wants to go again!
I'm so glad I got the chance to experience all the closing rides on my first and last visit a few years ago. I had a particular fondness for the Kangaroo and rode it a couple of times that day. So much "whee" for such a low-tech ride (second onlt to the Whip!)
It's great that you got to ride all of these, Melissa! "Whee!" is totally the word to describe the Kangaroo.
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