Kangaroo at Kennywood was one of my favorite rides there. It was in my top 10 rides in the park, and I loved it since the first time I rode it in 2013. I was 5 when I first rode it, and I rode it a lot in 2019 and 2020. Then, in the middle of the season, the ride shut down.
Now, it is publicly known that Kangaroo is being removed, and I wanted to talk about what the ride experience was like.
It started with boarding. You would choose between 8 cars. Some of these would be up a half bunny-hill. Some would be on flat ground.
When you chose your cars, you would pull down your grab bar. This is slightly more restrictive than a buzz bar. This is somewhat comparable to the Phantom's Revenge Lap Bar. The Lap Bar locks into a single position. It locks using a type of hook.
Eventually, the ride would start. You'd go in a circle before going into a bunny hill. The buny hill, however, isn't complete. It went through a super steep drop, but you didn't go through that drop, usually (more on that soon). The car would fly of the track, but it was connected to an arm. The arm used hydraulics to lower you in a safe way.
When you flew off the track, you got a quick pop of flojecter airtime. This was repeated several times. I think that there would usually be 8-10 cycles around the circle before the ride ends.
When the ride ends, there would be a surprise for people near the top of the bunny hill. If you were at the top of the hill, you would sometimes slowly go off the top. This would mean that you actually went down the very steep hill. If that happened, it would be uncomfortable, and sometimes a little painful, but it usually wasn't something to worry about.
You would get off the ride happy. This experience was great for both families and thrill seekers.
The ride was often considered one of the best rides at Kennywood, by both kids and adults. It is sad to see it go, but I am optimistic that Kennywood will find a worthy successor to the ride. I hope that the recently opened plots will allow for more similar rides to open.
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