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Disney California Adventure
vs
Kennywood

On a typical day Kennywood queues less: about 22 minutes a ride against 26 at Disney California Adventure, a difference of roughly 4 minutes on every queue you join.

See both right nowCompare other parks

01 · On a typical day

What you would normally queue.

Averages across recent weeks, so one broken ride or one wet Tuesday cannot decide it. This is the comparison to plan a trip on; the live figures below are the one to act on today.

Disney California Adventure and Kennywood compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallyDisney California AdventureUnited StatesKennywoodUnited States
Average wait per ride 26 min22 min (best of the two)
Rides with recorded waits 21 (best of the two)11
Longest typical queue Radiator Springs Racers70 minExterminator52 min
Shortest typical queue Jessie's Critter Carousel5 minSwingShot5 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running75%Not recorded

Averaged across every ride at each park with recorded waits. A ride that never opened is left out, so a park is not flattered by counting a shut ride as a queue of zero.

02 · Right now

Both parks, this minute.

Live queue times at both parks. These fill in as soon as the page loads, and keep updating while you are here.

Disney California Adventure and Kennywood compared on live queue times
Right nowDisney California AdventureUnited StatesKennywoodUnited States
Average wait right now --
Rides open --
Opening hours today --
Longest queue --
Shortest queue --

These keep refreshing while this page is open. A closed park posts no waits, so its rows read as dashes rather than zeroes.

Verdict, on a typical day On a typical day Kennywood queues less: about 22 minutes a ride against 26 at Disney California Adventure, a difference of roughly 4 minutes on every queue you join.

03 · Choosing

Which one is your day out.

Every line here is earned by one of the figures above - nothing is a generic sentence with a park name dropped into it.

Pick Disney California Adventure if…

  • You will accept a longer queue - 26 minutes a ride here against 22 at Kennywood - for what Disney California Adventure has that Kennywood does not
  • You want more to do: 21 rides here have recorded wait data against 11 at Kennywood
  • Radiator Springs Racers is on your list - it is Disney California Adventure's longest typical queue at about 70 minutes, so it is the one to do first

Pick Kennywood if…

  • You want shorter queues: Kennywood averages 22 minutes a ride against 26 at Disney California Adventure
  • Exterminator is on your list - it is Kennywood's longest typical queue at about 52 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Kennywood's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

04 · The parks

What each one is.

Kennywood

Kennywood is a historic traditional amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. It has been running since 1898 and is a US National Historic Landmark - home to three classic wooden coasters (Thunderbolt, Jack Rabbit, Racer) alongside modern additions like Phantom's Revenge (a steel coaster known for a near-400 ft second drop) and Steel Curtain (part of a Steelers-themed area).

Kennywood's season runs roughly May to October, with peak crowds concentrated on summer weekends, July 4th, and during the Phantom Fright Nights event. Weekdays in June and September stay noticeably calmer. Check live queue times before committing to Phantom's Revenge or Steel Curtain, and use our crowd calendar to pick a quieter day if you want plenty of re-rides.

Kennywood live queue times

05 · Questions

Disney California Adventure or Kennywood?

Which is better, Disney California Adventure or Kennywood?

If you are judging on queues, Kennywood: it averages about 22 minutes a ride on a typical day against 26 at Disney California Adventure, roughly 4 minutes back on every queue you join. Disney California Adventure has 21 rides with recorded waits against 11 at Kennywood.

Which has shorter queues, Disney California Adventure or Kennywood?

Kennywood, by about 4 minutes a ride. On a typical day Kennywood averages 22 minutes against 26 at Disney California Adventure. Queues still move hour by hour, and a midweek day outside school holidays beats the gap at either park. See Disney California Adventure best time to visit and Kennywood best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Disney California Adventure and Kennywood in the same trip?

Yes - both parks are in United States, so a two-park trip is realistic over a long weekend. Split the days so you start at whichever opens earliest and drive to the other in the evening.

How many rides does each park have?

See the tables above for ride counts - or jump to Disney California Adventure and Kennywood for the full ride lists.

Is Disney California Adventure bigger than Kennywood?

By rides we track waits for, Disney California Adventure is the bigger day out: 21 rides against 11. Acreage matters less than how many you can actually get on, which comes down to queues and opening hours - and on those Kennywood is the quicker park.

Then pick
the quiet day.

Both parks have a crowd calendar with six weeks of forecast and the best day left to go.

Disney California Adventure calendarKennywood calendarCompare other parks
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