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Kennywood
vs
Knoebels

On a typical day Knoebels queues less: about 7 minutes a ride against 36 at Kennywood, a difference of roughly 29 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.

Kennywood and Knoebels compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallyKennywoodUnited StatesKnoebelsUnited States
Average wait per ride 36 min7 min (best of the two)
Rides with recorded waits 1256 (best of the two)
Longest typical queue Exterminator74 minFlying Turns23 min
Shortest typical queue Aero 3608 minUmbrella Ride5 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running81% (best of the two)42%

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.

Kennywood and Knoebels compared on live queue times
Right nowKennywoodUnited StatesKnoebelsUnited 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 Knoebels queues less: about 7 minutes a ride against 36 at Kennywood, a difference of roughly 29 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 Kennywood if…

  • You will accept a longer queue - 36 minutes a ride here against 7 at Knoebels - for what Kennywood has that Knoebels does not
  • You would rather not find rides shut: Kennywood's rides run 81% of opening hours against 42% at Knoebels
  • Exterminator is on your list - it is Kennywood's longest typical queue at about 74 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Kennywood's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

Pick Knoebels if…

  • You want shorter queues: Knoebels averages 7 minutes a ride against 36 at Kennywood
  • You want more to do: 56 rides here have recorded wait data against 12 at Kennywood
  • Flying Turns is on your list - it is Knoebels's longest typical queue at about 23 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Knoebels'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

Knoebels

Knoebels is a free-admission, pay-per-ride park in Elysburg, Pennsylvania - one of the last major "trolley parks" in America, family-owned since 1926. The park is famous among coaster enthusiasts for two wooden coasters: Phoenix (rebuilt from a 1948 design and widely considered one of the best woodies in the world) and Flying Turns, a rare modern bobsled-style coaster.

Because it's free to enter, Knoebels stays genuinely busy on summer weekends and holidays, with queues building on the signature wooden coasters well before dinnertime. Weekdays are usually very relaxed. Check live wait times before queueing for Phoenix or Flying Turns, and use our crowd calendar to pick a quieter day if you want to re-ride freely.

Knoebels live queue times

05 · Questions

Kennywood or Knoebels?

Which is better, Kennywood or Knoebels?

If you are judging on queues, Knoebels: it averages about 7 minutes a ride on a typical day against 36 at Kennywood, roughly 29 minutes back on every queue you join. Kennywood has 12 rides with recorded waits against 56 at Knoebels. Kennywood also runs its rides more reliably - 81% of opening hours against 42%.

Which has shorter queues, Kennywood or Knoebels?

Knoebels, by about 29 minutes a ride. On a typical day Knoebels averages 7 minutes against 36 at Kennywood. Queues still move hour by hour, and a midweek day outside school holidays beats the gap at either park. See Kennywood best time to visit and Knoebels best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Kennywood and Knoebels 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 Kennywood and Knoebels for the full ride lists.

Is Kennywood bigger than Knoebels?

By rides we track waits for, Knoebels is the bigger day out: 56 rides against 12. Acreage matters less than how many you can actually get on, which comes down to queues and opening hours - and on those Knoebels 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.

Kennywood calendarKnoebels calendarCompare other parks
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