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Park Queue TimesPQT

Kennywood
vs
Lake Compounce

On a typical day Lake Compounce queues less: about 16 minutes a ride against 18 at Kennywood, a difference of roughly 2 minutes on every queue you join.

See both right now

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 Lake Compounce compared on their typical recorded queue times
TypicallyKennywoodUnited StatesLake CompounceUnited States
Average wait per ride 18 min16 min (best of the two)
Rides with recorded waits 1125 (best of the two)
Longest typical queue Exterminator46 minBoulder Dash37 min
Shortest typical queue Spinvasion8 minRainbow Riders5 min
Average ride uptime Share of opening hours a ride is running86% (best of the two)67%

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 Lake Compounce compared on live queue times
Right nowKennywoodUnited StatesLake CompounceUnited 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 Lake Compounce queues less: about 16 minutes a ride against 18 at Kennywood, a difference of roughly 2 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 - 18 minutes a ride here against 16 at Lake Compounce - for what Kennywood has that Lake Compounce does not
  • You would rather not find rides shut: Kennywood's rides run 86% of opening hours against 67% at Lake Compounce
  • Exterminator is on your list - it is Kennywood's longest typical queue at about 46 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Kennywood's own character - the rides, theming and atmosphere described below

Pick Lake Compounce if…

  • You want shorter queues: Lake Compounce averages 16 minutes a ride against 18 at Kennywood
  • You want more to do: 25 rides here have recorded wait data against 11 at Kennywood
  • Boulder Dash is on your list - it is Lake Compounce's longest typical queue at about 37 minutes, so it is the one to do first
  • You want Lake Compounce'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

Lake Compounce

Lake Compounce in Bristol, Connecticut, opened in 1846 and is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America. Boulder Dash is the standout, a wooden coaster that runs along the side of the mountain, alongside the 1927 Wildcat, the triple-launch Phobia Phear and Thunder N Lightning. The park also has the Crocodile Cove water park, and in the autumn it adds Halloween haunts on select dates.

Summer weekends and the July holiday week are the busiest. Weekdays in June and the autumn weekends before the haunts open are quieter. Check the live queue times before you go and use the crowd calendar to choose a day.

Lake Compounce live queue times

05 · Questions

Kennywood or Lake Compounce?

Which is better, Kennywood or Lake Compounce?

If you are judging on queues, Lake Compounce: it averages about 16 minutes a ride on a typical day against 18 at Kennywood, roughly 2 minutes back on every queue you join. Kennywood has 11 rides with recorded waits against 25 at Lake Compounce. Kennywood also runs its rides more reliably - 86% of opening hours against 67%.

Which has shorter queues, Kennywood or Lake Compounce?

Lake Compounce, by about 2 minutes a ride. On a typical day Lake Compounce averages 16 minutes against 18 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 Lake Compounce best time to visit to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Kennywood and Lake Compounce 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 Lake Compounce for the full ride lists.

Is Kennywood bigger than Lake Compounce?

By rides we track waits for, Lake Compounce is the bigger day out: 25 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 Lake Compounce 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 calendar