I think the best one they had was the Scrambler—that octopussy egg beater thing that flung you fifty directions in three or four minutes.

Now, my son has a year pass to Busch Gardens, so it’s all rollercoasters, all the time. I think there’s only one we haven’t tried…

loved it. Hope your son has a wonderful time this summer.

Summer is maybe the WORST time to slog around the park—except that there are way fewer tourists. Not going to go *every* month just because we can (it’s an hour drive up there on the worst interstate besides the one to Disney).

And yeah, he’ll enjoy the crap out of it because he’s a grown-arsed man now who hangs onto his inner child with glee.

Kids did all kinds of crazy stuff, like standing on their hands with the feet up. I loved to watch.

Had to laugh, although it really isn’t funny, but it is now just thinking bout it. My favorite brother (out of 4), who is gone because he got melanoma, had eaten quite a few hot dogs......and when we got on the tilt-a-whirl, he lasted about 5 turns, and hurled ALL HIS DOGS. Thank gawd my area was saved from his hurling, but the person on his wrong side did not appreciate his move. But yup, the tilt-a-whirl was, AND is still my favorite.

So sorry, and the scrambler STILL IS my favorite ride.

your brother be a blessing to you.

Flumes, rafts, etc.
Roller Coasters for non-water rides.

Rides where you are on a car moving on a track and shoot at pop-up with a laser gun became a favorite as an adult. Great way to work off anger!

Thank you for bringing that up.

And I loved Kennywood the one time I went -- about 40 years ago.

Such a great escape!

Merry-go-rounds are cool, too.

The Scrambler

them. Our nearest Amusement Park is Kennywood Park.

Sometimes the Scrambler is called the Sizzler.


Our nearest amusement park is Darien Lake. I don't visit amusement parks now a days in my older age. lol

Back in the mid-60's, while driving from LA to San Francisco, we stopped at a huge amusement park in Long Beach called "The Pike" which had a great double-track roller coaster and the best bumper car ride I ever went on.
(The bumper car ride at Playland had about 15 or 20 cars & lasted about 3 minutes. The bumper car ride at The Pike had more than 30 cars & the guy let us ride them for nearly 15 minutes)

I would ride it over and over and over.

It was the only roller coaster that I liked.

It went fast, but it didn't have steep drops.

It was a rough ride that would jerk you all around.

Thank you livetohike.

Yes, Kennywood is open.

next were Bumper Cars and the Dragon Coaster.

Very little has changed since this video from 9 years ago. Really fast and almost no restraints. You had to be alert at all times during this ride.

When I took my wife to Playland a few years ago that was the only ride I recommended we ride. Grew up going to Rye Playland. Still one of the best amusement parks around.

Thank you very much, johnp3907

And - I'm beginning to see my childhood as acutely deprived ...

There were pony rides. And you could try to win an (inevitably sickly) goldfish in a little bowl ... Ring toss or dart a couple of inflated balloons to get a stuffed monkey ...

Knock down a pyramid of milk bottles .. (but everyone 'knew' the bottles were 'weighted' to cheat ... )

Regardless - it was endlessly exciting ... And much, much better than little league baseball - the bowling alley, drive in movie or roller rink.

That ride that went fast in a circle over a hill and then backwards set to pop, dance or rock music. The centrifugal force would push you towards the side, squishing whoever was riding with you.

There used to be an amusement park across the Detroit River on the Canadian side called Bob-Lo Island. You got there on a three-deck boat. The top deck was for observation and had deck chairs; the second had entertainment (a band and dance floor) and food and drinks; and the bottom had the engine area. After a lovely 20 minute boat ride, you arrived at the island which had tons of rides and a picnic area. I had some great times going to Bob-Lo as a kid.

I miss it to this day

We went on our honeymoon which was some time ago.

When you were at the top then going down it was almost like free falling, it was a blast.

A group of us went to an amusement park in the late 70 at Myrtle Beach, SC. This was when the first 360 turns where you're traveling upside down during the ride. Admission to the park allowed you to ride as many rides as you want so we took advantage of it. We get on the roller coaster and when it was over, we'd get off, get back in line, ride it, and do it again. After about the fourth time, the attendant said if the line isn't long to just stay on it. We rode it about a half-dozen more times that night.

Lots of screaming and great music! (back in the day when there was great music lol)

Centrifugal and gravitational force making the cars spin in different directions at different speeds. Awesome!

Tilt a whirl
Octopus
Haunted house rides
House of Mirrors

8 arms going up and down while the whole thing spins. Two pods on the end of each arm rotating on their own. I staggered off and sat for 20 minutes to get my balance back. Luckily I hadn't eaten anything.

I think it was called the rocket. It was two rockets that swung back and forth, getting higher and higher, until you were making complete loops, and putting you upside down.

Every year, my hometown in NJ hosts a carnival called Septemberfest. The Tempest is kind of like the Teacup Ride at Disney, only MUCH faster. My sister and I had a tradition of sorts - we'd ride on it with one of our friends, during which we would *have* to sing these two songs: It's Still Rock n' Roll to Me (Billy Joel) and My Ding-A-Ling (Chuck Berry)! I don't know how or why we started doing that, but the tradition went on for several years.

But it was always those two songs...the other people in the car with us were always like, "Why tf are these girls singing?"