Kennywood, Sandcastle, Idlewild Set Opening Days for Summer 2020

For the first time since the 19th century, spring in Southwestern Pennsylvania has not brought roller coasters, carousels and all the fun found at its landmark amusement parks. But that changes soon, as Kennywood and its sister parks, Sandcastle Waterpark, and Idlewild, will open in phases starting in July!

Kennywood, Sandcastle and Idlewild will open in phases, kicking off with a Friends & Family Day, followed by several dates exclusively for Season Passholders. Then, the three parks will open to the general public on Saturday, July 11.

• July 6: Friends & Family
• July 7-10: Season Passholder Previews
• July 11: Opening Day

The experience at Kennywood, Sandcastle and Idlewild will be different from any other season in their combined 295 years of operation, as each park strives to deliver a fun, family experience while ensuring the health and safety of Guests and Team Members. Each park will build upon their longstanding emphasis on clean, safe environments with a series of measures following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and best practices within the amusement and attractions industries.

The changes will be apparent even before visiting America’s Most Thrilling Historic Landmark and its sister parks. Kennywood, Sandcastle and Idlewild will limit capacity not only in the parks, but on each ride, pool, slide, restaurant and building to ensure compliance with recommended social distancing standards. In order to accomplish this, all Guests will need to RSVP for the day they wish to visit, in addition to having a pre-purchased ticket or Season Pass. The parks will only sell tickets and Season Passes online. Walk-up sales will not be available this summer, and all sales by third parties, such as schools and community groups, will be conducted online. The online RSVP systems will be available by Wednesday, June 17.

• Guests will need to register for the date they wish to visit in advance, in addition to their regularly purchased Ticket or Season Pass.
• The RSVP system will be available beginning Wednesday, June 17. Dates will be released in phases, and not all at once.
• If the date you wish to visit is not listed in our online calendar, we may have already reached our capacity limit for that date, in which case you will need to choose another day. If you are looking for a date later in the summer, please check back again as more dates will open as the summer progresses.

“The health and safety of our Guests and Team Members continues to be our top priority as we work to reopen in this new environment,” said Kennywood Assistant General Manager Rob Henninger. “We will continue working in step with local leaders, health experts and our industry colleagues to ensure best practices are in place at Kennywood, Sandcastle and Idlewild.”

Face masks will be required for all Team Members and Guests, except children under three years of age. Guests must remove their masks while swimming and on water attractions. Team Members will also wear additional personal protective equipment, including gloves and face shields, while performing select work activities. Hundreds of sanitizing stations have been added all around the parks, and thorough cleaning will be conducted at regular intervals throughout the day at high-traffic locations. All of these cleaning and safety measures will be reinforced through instructional signage and additional staff training, and visitors will be able to purchase masks and hand sanitizer at retail locations in each park.

Guests will be required to comply with the following new regulations:

• Wear face coverings per CDC guidelines
• Submit to temperature check at arrival
• Wash hands often with soap and water
• Avoid touching your face
• Maintain appropriate (6 ft.) distance from others not in your travel party

This season marks the return of the Old Mill and the 100th anniversary of the Jack Rabbit.

To show appreciation, all 2020 Season Passes now include the 2021 Season as well. Season Passholders will get the first opportunities to experience Kennywood, Idlewild & SoakZone and Sandcastle Waterpark this summer, as July 7-10 will be reserved for those most loyal visitors. Given the disruptions and continuing adaptations this summer, some attractions may not be available on each park’s respective opening day, and some may remain closed all this year. Kennywood is open daily through August 25, and open weekends until November 1. Idlewild & SoakZone and Sandcastle are open daily through August 23, with Sandcastle being open on weekends until Labor Day and Idlewild through October 25.

For tickets and more information on each park’s specific plans, please visit the Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle websites.

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