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From the article: "The park likes to have two dark rides because they are high-capacity, family-oriented rides," general manager Harry Henninger said when the ride opened 26 years ago. "Family oriented rides." I know some parks that could use some of those.
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They certainly seem to be going away faster than they are returning. And, the ones that are built---the sally rides---generate long waits with relatively low capacity. I wonder how much longer before someone other than Disney installs an omnimover-style darkride...those things literally eat people, capacity-wise. The original patents have to have expired---Mansion opened in the late 60s.
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^ Wasn't Phantom Theater at Kings Island an Omnimover-like system? Ray P.
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I was about to say the same thing. I think Phantom Theatre was an Ominmover-style ride.
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I wonder if they'll preserve any of the sets. Those coyotes were hilarious.
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I've only have ridden 1/2 Gold Rush. On my first trip it stopped and we were escorted out.
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I have it on video. Good times.
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I never did get a chance to ride it because the lines were always long. I've only been to Kennywood perhaps four times, and unfortunately it was usually in the busy season. I guess I'll never get a chance.
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I contributed this too. I don't know what they have in store there, my only thought is that they are replacing that games area cause it can't possibly be that much money to maintain and run and still seems to have good lines when its busy. I have never "walked on" this ride.
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I'm a huge darkride fan and I've haven't yet gotten the pleasure to visit Kennywood. I'm regretting that quite a bit now, very sad.
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Wow, when I suggested that we add on Kennywood to our midwest trip back in June, it was initially met with some resistance. I'm really glad we went. I must have lucky as well, because Gold Rusher was almost always a walk-on on my four trips. In fact, on the last trip, it was a little bit busy during the early afternoon, but the mid-day storm took care of that.
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^^ Kennywood is a good place for darkrides, but the park really lacks a good 'ol traditional darkride (Gold Rusher was fairly modern, Exterminator is really a themed coaster and Old Mill is pathetic). If you want the best collection of darkrides, head to Rye Playland... but better do it soon.
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I went on a fairly busy Saturday the weekend of Coaster Mania and only had to wait about 10-15 minutes for the Gold Rusher. It's a cute ride.
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Rob, if you are riding the Old Mill for the scenery then you are missing the point of the attraction COMPLETELY. If Geauga Lake or Cedar Point had an Old Mill type of ride I would have spent countless days there every summer....though never alone. :-)
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Well now that the Olde Mill is themed to Garfield and has tons of flourescent scenery--with the 3D-glasses to go along with it--it may attract a different kind of crowd Just remember, they do have video cameras along the rides course.
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Uh-oh...I guess I'm showing my age. I didn't realize it was a Garfield ride now. That is enough to know it isn't something I'd be interested in. Cameras? What the problem with that?
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I rememeber many yarns back coming to Kennywood in 1981, and looking for the Gold Rusher. Everyone that I spoke with thought it was a coaster, bigger than the Racers, smaller than the Thunderbolt. I remember riding the lift of the Racer looking back, my cousin and me. No coaster to be found. About 2 hours later, we stumbled upon the big line, and the Gold Rusher. It was worth the wait. Going up and down the hill was an added feature. I have the original park brochure, which described very little. Also, I have a brochure the next season which says the Gold Rusher 'gets a new look', which was the new second floor bridge network, which I thought was a great ues of space. If you really think about it, Kennywood created a little bit of a western themed area, with the Hootin Hollar Railroad, Raging Rapids Rafting Co., and the Gold Rusher. You just have the love the tie in's. Having an outdoor bbq and an old Taylor shooting gallery, and you have an instant western town. Just my opinion.
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Figures the ride would close tomorrow. I am making the drive from Detroit to Kennywood Tomorrow night. I will not be able to enter the park until Friday. 
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Does anyone know why they are closing it so suddenly? The article doesn't say. We rode on this on August 12th and there weren't any issues that I noted - although it had been many years since my last ride so I would not have necessarily noticed if there were stunts not working. Sandi
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Man, now I'm really sad. We were just there on Sunday -- I'd been begging to go all season and it was the 'least rainy' of our options, LOL -- but the Gold Rusher was closed. I figured it had to do with the rain (despite being an indoor ride... Disaster Transport's issues on the brain LOL,) and while disappointed, figured I would just ride it next year. Guess that won't happen. The sudden closing seems odd to me too -- one would think they'd leave it open through at least the end of the season (or at least the regular season, if not their Fright Nights.)
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If they're suddenly closing something this early, that must mean there is much work to be done to transform it into whatever it is to become. Could you imagine having the locomotive prop at your local haunted house? It'd be a great way to have people need a change of underwear
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Kennywood plans on re-using most of the props for Phantom Fright Nights, so, don't be looking for these artifacts to start showing up on e-bay. Not-so-coincidentally, a new fright zone for this year is called "Death Valley Ghost Town". You can bet where you'll see some of the Gold Rusher's former inhabitants take up new residence. The ride will start to be dismantled on Monday and the building will begin preparation for what will replace it. Sunday morning, the park is planning an invitation only 'wake' for the Gold Rusher for DAFE members and employees for one final ride, as reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article. Although a few people may actually 'know' what is going to replace it, Kennywood management is keeping it's replacement secret for the time being.
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Heres my view. I live in pittsburgh and the gold Rusher is a dark ride that has been a fixture in the park for many years. Its time to remove and update. Its theming is really bad, it has a really low capasity of moving the crowds ,only 300 per hour,and its just really bad. The space is very small where it lives and its time to put something new in. It apears to me that the space would be perfect for a sally dark ride. Im just hoping that it will not be replaced with more food and games The park has limited space as it is. Dont get me wrong, I love dark rides , but its time for change and it time for the replacement of the Rusher.I think that Kennywood Corp. is right on track to remove and replace . Its the replace part that Im concerned about. Coasteron..Love and Peace.
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Man am I glad I got there yesterday. I got home late last night and was shocked to read that the very ride I had been on that day was closing the next. Almost every time I've gotten to Kennywood, I've tried to get a ride in on Gold Rusher. It was a delightful experience and, despite what some naysayers claim, the effects were terrific. It's fun to hear the kids in the car ahead of you, screaming as the bugs descend upon them in the dark. At least they still have Noah's Ark -- a great funhouse. Although I gotta say, every time I ride Garfield's Nightmare, I like it less and less.
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Too bad, sound the death toll for another classic dark ride. I'm glad I decided to ride it when I visited the park last summer.
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Gold Rusher is closing so early due to the emense amount of construction and demoliton and just overhauling of the building that is going to be needed for the new ride like brotherdave said... Just why they made the announcement to the public so late is beyond me i work at the park and we have all known since the beginnning of the season. Brother Dave was right about the demolition and the fright night new section "Death Valley" however it appears that Kennywood has decided that they may not use the gold rusher scenes after all they said even though they wont be used again they don't want to destroy them in the weather.
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Management announced at the DAFE wake on Sunday that most of the props and scenes would indeed be used for Death Valley during Phantom Fright Nights. They also announced that the ride's track and vehicles would be heading to Parque de Diversiones in Costa Rica. They emphasized that almost nothing will be available on e-bay, except for possibly a few signs and other minor scenery items. And that's not even definite.
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