Kennywood Park’s fans can now breathe a sigh of relief that one of the park’s last-of-its-kind rides is not gone forever. On November 19, Kennywood management shared the welcome news that the Kangaroo will return in 2022.

An experience that can be enjoyed by all members of the family, the Kangaroo’s appeal has remained the same for generations–it’s simple, old-fashioned fun.

But why celebrate the comeback of a ride that was a longtime Kennywood staple? The excitement of Kennywood’s outspoken fan base is over the fact that the park has seemingly reversed its hastily-made choice to remove the Kangaroo, a decision that was originally made as a result of the park’s lackluster 2020 season.

In the weeks leading up to the 2020 Presidential Election, nervousness was at a peak for many. Figuring people would be distracted by the election’s uncertain outcome on November 3rd, Kennywood management took the opportunity to break the unfortunate news: four of the park’s older flat rides would be retired. Kennywood attendance had fallen to six million (from 16 million in 2019) during the shortened 2020 season, and corporate shakeups in the park’s management team resulted in the decision to put the bottom line over the visitor experience.

Of the four rides retired, the Kangaroo was the loss that hurt the most. Opened in 1962, the Kangaroo was unlike any other ride in America. The experience was simple, but with every jump off the ramp, riders felt the giddiness of going over the first drop of a roller coaster. Along with the Kangaroo, Kennywood removed the Volcano, Paratrooper, and Bayern Kurve. The Paratrooper and Volcano were classic rides, but the Bayern Kurve–a uniquely forceful ride–was one of only two left in America.

What Kennywood hoped would amount to nothing more than angry and short-lived social media comments soon became a public relations nightmare. A petition calling for the Kangaroo’s return gained more than 20,000 signatures, and the park continued to receive complaints for weeks on social media. However, when the park opened for the 2021 season, there were signs that the the ride’s removal may not have been permanent. 

Although all traces of the Paratrooper and Bayern Kurve were removed, the Kangaroo plot looked like the ride could still be re-constructed at a moment’s notice. The queue line, operator’s booth, and lighting remained in place. The Kangaroo’s empty concrete pad was an eyesore, but it was also a conversation starter. It seemed that while Kennywood wanted everyone to look past the other empty plots, the Kangaroo’s absence was obvious.

Wasn’t it a no-brainer for Kennywood to bring back the Kangaroo, reap positive publicity, and make the loss of Volcano, Paratrooper, and Bayern Kurve fade into memory? It’s not going far to assume that depending on approval from its Spanish parent company, Kennywood management hoped for this outcome all along.

Premier Rides, the company responsible for Kennywood’s Sky Rocket, will be leading a full refurbishment of the Kangaroo. The park says that the ride will get a new “LED lighting package, vibrant new colors, and state-of-the-art operating systems.” There is some cause for concern that updated safety restraints will change the ride, but the park says that Premier Rides will maintain the Kangaroo’s classic feel.

Kennywood is not merely restoring the ride–they’re investing in a substantial refurbishment that will ensure its operation for decades to come.  Combined with the refurbishments of the Old Mill and Noah’s Ark, it is clear from this decision that Kennywood’s local management still has some control in the choices made by its larger corporate owners. 

While the Kangaroo’s return has been covered by many local news outlets, what’s not being mentioned is that the ride will be the centerpiece of major changes at Kennywood next season. Following a successful implementation at sister park Lake Compounce in Connecticut, all corners of Kennywood will receive a general freshening up; a repaint of every roller coaster has already been announced. This investment in park upkeep will hopefully be a first step to restoring Kennywood’s homespun charm, which has been partly lost in the park’s past 15 years of corporate ownership. 

A renewed focus on a specific historic ride is good, but the overall park atmosphere is often just as important. There is still hope that Kennywood — which is one of only two amusements park in the country to be named a National Historic Landmark —  will one day turn its attention back to the details that define a classic amusement park, like hand-painted signage, meticulous maintenance, and lush landscaping.

When the park was controlled by locals who focused on maintaining its balance of old and new rides, Kennywood was at its best. Being part of an international chain of 60 parks is a world away from the days of the Kennywood Entertainment Company, which kept the park under the same family ownership for more than 100 years. Fortunately, corporate ownership has not destroyed all of Kennywood’s charm–the lack of attention to detail has just chipped away at the edges.

Although care for detail is often overshadowed by the park’s collection of historic rides, it certainly played a part in Kennywood earning the nickname of “America’s Finest Traditional Amusement Park.” If Kennywood’s upcoming beautification, headlined by the return of the Kangaroo, sees a revived focus on the overall visitor experience, the park will become the true holder of this title. Kennywood must continue to invest in the present, but its interest in the past is what makes it a special place.