Best Rides at Kennywood: Ranked by Wait Time Data
Exterminator is Kennywood’s #1 must-ride to plan around because the data says it is the park’s biggest bottleneck: 29.7 minutes on average across 17,552 samples, with peaks up to 120 minutes. That is higher than Steel Curtain, Jack Rabbit, Phantom’s Revenge, and every major flat ride. It is not the tallest or fastest ride in the park, but its indoor setting, spinning cars, and slower loading make it the ride most likely to punish you for waiting too long.
Best Rides at Kennywood, Ranked
- 1. Exterminator: 42 inch minimum, thrill 3/5. This indoor spinning wild mouse is the wait-time champion at Kennywood. The average wait is 29.7 minutes, and 120-minute peaks are brutal for a ride that feels like it should be easy to fit in. Do it early.
- 2. Steel Curtain: 48 inch minimum, thrill 4/5. With a 23.8-minute average and 90-minute peak, Steel Curtain is the park’s big modern coaster headline. The inversions, height, and Steelers Country setting make it a must for thrill riders, but reliability and capacity can make timing important.
- 3. Phantom’s Revenge: 42 inch minimum, thrill 4/5. The average wait is only 13.3 minutes, which is shockingly manageable for a coaster this good. The ravine drop, speed, and airtime still make it Kennywood’s best pure coaster experience.
- 4. Jack Rabbit: 42 inch minimum, thrill 3/5. A classic wood coaster with a 16.8-minute average and 65-minute peak. The double-dip is still the signature moment, and the line can build because almost everyone wants the nostalgia ride.
- 5. Racer: 42 inch minimum, thrill 3/5. Racer averages 14.7 minutes across 17,972 samples. It is a great midday coaster because it moves better than Exterminator and gives you that old-school Kennywood feel.
- 6. Black Widow: 52 inch minimum, thrill 4/5. At 15.2 minutes on average with 60-minute peaks, this is one of the best non-coaster thrills in the park. Hit it before crowds spread into Lost Kennywood.
- 7. Raging Rapids: Water ride, 16.6-minute average, 80-minute peak. Demand jumps hard on hot afternoons, so ride before lunch or accept that you may wait once the day heats up.
- 8. Old Mill: All-ages dark ride vibe, 15.1-minute average. It is more charm than thrill, but it is a Kennywood essential and a perfect cooldown between coasters.
- 9. Sky Rocket: 48 inch minimum, thrill 4/5. It is not in the wait list above, but it belongs near the top for the launch, inversions, and re-ride value.
- 10. Thunderbolt: 42 inch minimum, thrill 3/5. Another historic wood coaster that is best treated as a core Kennywood ride, especially if you care about classic coaster history.
Best family guide and Shorter Riders
At 46 inches, Kennywood opens up considerably, Exterminator and Racer both become available. Phantom’s Revenge requires 48 inches and Thunderbolt requires 52 inches. Riders at exactly 42 inches can ride Jack Rabbit with a supervising companion as an entry point into the coaster lineup.
For kids under 42 inches, focus on lower-barrier classics:
- Pirate: 0 inch minimum, thrill 3/5, a surprisingly fun family swing ride.
- Whip: 0 inch minimum, thrill 3/5, one of the best classic family rides in the park.
- Fire Bustin’ Brigade: 0 inch minimum, thrill 3/5, good for interactive family fun.
- Kennywood Kangaroo: 36 inch minimum, thrill 2/5, a must because it is pure Kennywood history.
- Red Baron: 36 inch minimum, thrill 2/5, an easy Kiddieland-style pick.
- Spinvasion and Whirlwind: 36 inch minimum, stronger options for kids ready for more motion.
Rope-Drop Priority Order
With 11 AM to 10 PM hours, the first 90 minutes are your best chance to beat the worst waits.
- 11 AM: Exterminator first. It has the highest average wait in the park at 29.7 minutes and the worst peak at 120 minutes. Do not save it for later.
- 11:25 AM: Steel Curtain second. It averages 23.8 minutes and is the biggest modern coaster draw. If it is open and running well, go immediately.
- 12 PM: Jack Rabbit or Racer. Both are high-sample, steady-demand classics. Jack Rabbit averages 16.8 minutes, while Racer averages 14.7.
- 12:30 PM: Black Widow. It averages 15.2 minutes and gets worse once people finish the coaster loop.
- Early afternoon: Raging Rapids or Pittsburgh Plunge. Water ride waits rise when the heat peaks, so ride before the hottest part of the day or push them to evening.
- Midday filler: Old Mill, Ghostwood Estate, Whip, Pirate, and Kangaroo. These are ideal when coaster lines are less attractive.
- Evening re-rides: Phantom’s Revenge, Racer, and Jack Rabbit. Phantom’s Revenge is the biggest gift in the data: a top-tier coaster with only a 13.3-minute average wait. Save at least one night ride for it.
The key Kennywood move is simple: rope drop the low-capacity indoor and headline coasters, use midday for classics and family rides, then finish with Phantom’s Revenge after dark.
Thoosie