05/21/2026
๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐
The Whip at Kennywood celebrates its 100th birthday this season. It is a classic flat ride manufactured by W.F. Mangels Company of Coney Island, New York. It is one of the parkโs oldest surviving attractions and the last operating 16-car model of its kind (likely in the U.S., if not worldwide).
William F. Mangels patented the ride in 1914. It quickly became popular at Coney Island and spread to other parks. The design features cars pulled along an oblong/elliptical laminated wooden track by a cable connected to rotating turntables at each end. As cars reach the ends, they โwhipโ around the bends, creating lateral forces and laughter-inducing sideways slides for riders.
Models typically came in 8-, 10-, or 12-car versions, with larger ones being rarer. It was a staple at many early 20th-century amusement parks and traveling carnivals. Kennywood also has a kiddie version.
Kennywoodโs Whip History1919: Kennywoodโs first Whip (a smaller 12-car model) debuted. This marked the start of the attractionโs long run at the park. In 1926, the current 16-car model replaced the original for the season. This upgrade happened amid other park changes (e.g., removing an earlier Racer coaster and retheming attractions). Itโs this version celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. The May 25, 1926 Pittsburgh Press wrote this: "The Whip also is new. The old ride was given to the junkman and a new device of much larger capacity in-stalled. The Whip is now in an orna-
mental steel building. With shelter now provided, the Whip should not sufter for patronage in rainy weather."
Originally this ride was near the Pippin (across from todayโs Ghostwood Estate area). It was moved in 1968 (with its building) to make way for the Thunderbolt coaster expansion; it went to what is now the Steelers Country area (the old pavilion building later became the End Zone Cafรฉ).
It was moved again in 1995 to the new Lost Kennywood section, where it remains today. It was housed under a steel pavilion/structure from the 1920s until 1994. In 2002, a microburst caused the (then-open) pavilion to collapse, tragically killing one guest. The structure was not rebuilt; a white wooden fence now surrounds the ride.
The Whip remains popular for its simple, family-friendly thrillsโno big drops, just fun whipping action that appeals across generations.
