originally posted on 11/10/2023
Photo: Keith Humbel. View full-sized image.
The weather was brisk and the leaves were almost at their peak on October 21 when 55 attendees gathered at Kennywood (West Mifflin) for ACE-DAFE Phantom Fright Night. The “night” actually began during the day, because a few years ago Kennywood changed its traditional Phantom Fright Nights to Phantom Fall Fest, which begins at noon and runs until late in the evening.
ITOT took place on Kennywood’s indoor Crazy Mouse, The Exterminator.
Photo: Brett Weissbart. View full-sized image.
The daytime activities are more oriented to families with children, and some rides are only open until 6 p.m., at which time the park gets foggy, the sickly orange and green lights come on, spooky music can be heard and creatures of all kinds roam the park. Those who arrived for the event on the early side could participate in several informal takeover times (ITOTs) on The Exterminator, the Reverchon spinning mouse; Journey with Thomas (train); and Old Mill, the oldest ride in the park (1901).
Kennywood’s iconic Old Mill — more than 120 years old — hosted another of the event’s ITOTs.
Photo: Dave Hahner III. View full-sized image.
Photo: Dave Hahner III. View full-sized image.
Since this was an informal event, registration wasn’t required, and there was no official start time. However, attendees were required to check in at Pedro’s food stand between 4 and 4:30, to get a wristband that entitled them to some special scheduled activities. As for entering the park, Kennywood offered discounted tickets to attendees who didn’t have a season pass.
Exhibiting ingenuity, Kennywood utilized the (water-free) trough of Raging Rapids for its Voodoo Bayou.
Photo: Bill Linkenheimer III. View full-sized image.
It was still light at 4:45 when attendees met at the entrance to Raging Rapids for the first exclusive activity of the event. The trough of this simulated white water raft ride had been transformed into Voodoo Bayou, a haunt with disturbing dead bodies, coffins, decaying plants, fog and other voodoo-related objects. Attendees could take their time checking out the scenes without fear of creatures leaping out at them.
mAlice in Wonderland Unleashed (left) is another of the park’s haunts, expanded for 2023 and along with VooDoo Bayou (right) is as popular as ever.
Photos: Bill Linkenheimer III. View full-sized image.
Another perk was experiencing mALICE in Wonderland three ways! This extremely popular haunt is even more popular this year because of its expansion into mALICE in Wonderland Unleashed. Attendees were offered (1) a lights-on walkthrough before the haunt opened, (2) a first-in-line walkthrough when the haunt opened and (3) access to the second level of the haunt for a bird’s-eye view of the public experiencing the various scenes and characters. Kennywood’s director of operations, Marie Ruby, explained to attendees before the initial walkthrough how the haunt had been reconfigured and expanded since its opening year, when visitors had to choose one of two paths through the haunt.
The outdoor haunts don’t open until dark, and it was definitely dark by 7 p.m. when attendees made their way to the Kennyville Cemetery, located near the entrance to the park. There they were met by the cemetery’s caretaker, none other than ACE Western Pennsylvania member Garrett Sauers, for their first-in-line access to the haunted cemetery.
Kennywood’s famous Thunderbolt creates the perfect backdrop for a group photo.
Photo: Ryan Lucas. View full-sized image.
During the evening, Kennywood features six haunts and four scare zones. In addition to the three they had already visited, attendees could line up for other popular haunts such as Shady Grove Memorial Hospital, Dark Shadows and Villa of the Vampires. Questionable creatures hung out outside of all of these and interacted with those in line, which kept the wait from becoming monotonous. Other rides open during Phantom Fright Night but not scheduled for ITOTs were the ACE Coaster Classic and ACE Roller Coaster Landmark Jack Rabbit; Thunderbolt, another ACE Roller Coaster Landmark; Sky Rocket, from Premier Rides; and Kangaroo, the only operating flying coaster in the United States.
Because of rain closing The Phantom’s Revenge, Ghostwood Estate was the last stop of the day for many attendees.
Photo: Lee Ann Draud. View full-sized image.
An ITOT on the interactive dark ride Ghostwood Estate turned out to be the last one of the night because the final scheduled ITOT on The Phantom’s Revenge was canceled owing to rain that arrived in the last hour the park was open. This was unfortunate because night rides on the Phantom in a foggy, chilly park are the best way to end this spooky event. The Phantom will have to save his revenge until next year!
— Lee Ann Draud, ACE Publications Director
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