Kangaroo Ride Returning To Kennywood With New Theme

Last week, Kennywood announced that the beloved Kangaroo ride would be returning to the park in 2022.

The ride is not only returning, but returning with an all new theme — in which fans got to vote for over the past three days. Kennywood fanatics could vote for one of two themes; classic or vintage.

After the park tallied nearly 12,000 votes, a victor was made clear. Nearly 80% votes were in favor of the Vintage theme!

In 2022, Kennywood’s Kangaroo will return featuring a whimsical Vintage theme — including a revised ride logo, vibrant car designs, and an all-new LED lighting package.

“Our guests asked for Kangaroo’s comeback, and we’re hoppy—happy—to make it happen,” says General Manager Mark Pauls. “Allowing the public to play a role in the ride’s exciting future is just the beginning of many exciting things to come.”

In partnership with Premier Rides – one of the amusement industry’s leading ride manufacturers and innovators, Kennywood has already begun the refurbishment of Kangaroo by adding new state of the art operating systems that will provide that classic “Flying Coaster” feel.

“Our goal is to update Kangaroo, but more importantly, ensure we preserve the longstanding history of this timeless ride,” says Premier Rides President Jim Seay. “By modernizing the Kangaroo, we can provide many more generations of Kennywood fans the opportunity to happily hop aboard for decades to come.”

Kangaroo debuted at Kennywood in 1962, and though not officially considered a roller coaster, creator John Norman Bartlett dubbed it a “Flying Coaster” due to the single, sharp slope in its circular track that ride cars shot up into a joyous airtime moment of weightlessness. It quickly became a park favorite for its simple fun, and in 1974 served as an inspiration for Kennywood’s first mascot: Kenny Kangaroo. Then, in 2020, the park closed it along with 3 other beloved flat rides to make room for future expansion. When it returns in 2022, Kangaroo will once again be the last ride of its kind operating in the entire world.

The last major attraction to open at Kennywood was the Steelers football themed “Steel Curtain” Roller Coaster which is now open in the “Steelers Country” area of the park.

Guests can secure their rides on Kennywood’s world-class collection of rides, including the renewed Kangaroo, with a 2022 Season Pass. The park’s Black Friday sale saves guests up to $30 on Gold and Platinum Season Passes, which provide free admission to Holiday Lights in 2021, plus unlimited visits in 2022.

Holiday Lights (with the Jack Rabbit coaster) runs weekends through Christmas Eve, with a record-setting celebration scheduled for Black Friday – November 26. The park will host The World’s Largest Ugly Sweater Party that evening in an attempt to set a new record for such an event.

Guests can participate by visiting on Friday evening and gathering around Kennywood’s 100-foot-tall Christmas Tree at 7 p.m., where they’ll be joined by live entertainers, plus Kenny Kangaroo and fellow character friends!

For more information on the Kangaroo’s return, Holiday Lights, and Black Friday Season Pass specials, visit Kennywood.com.

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