Phantom's Revenge Review, Kennywood Mega Coaster...plus the History of Steel Phantom 

I heard that the airtime on this was insane but wow wow wow!!!! I didn’t expect it I also didn’t expect it to be as smooth as it was. That second drop felt like it went on forever

An underrated masterpiece in my opinion. So intense in many ways and still the king of Kennywood in my opinion.

The first drop looks huge from the parking lot, but those aerial shots really punctuate just how massive that second drop is (as well as Thunderbolt's final drop)! Still the best coaster in the park almost 20 years later.

I'm 6'1 so Steel Phantom never bothered me, although I recognize its weaknesses. Phantom's Revenge is a clear improvement and I wish Morgan built more coasters using this design philosophy. Excellent review of an outstanding ride.

Phantom's Revenge is elite! My only rides were this year, and even on a Saturday, the first 4 rides were walk-ons, as people took awhile to find it. The grouper honored my request for back row, then when he saw me coming back, he assigned me back row again, then asked if I wanted to try front on my 3rd ride. It's nice when the grouper does things like that. (Are you listening to me, Knoebels!?) After riding Skyrush, which was very shaky, it was great to then ride this strong airtime machine that was glossy smooth.

Kennywood is my home park and Phantom's Revenge is amazing! Love to marathon it whenever I can. Rode the Steel Phantom back in the day. Head banger for sure but consistently greyed out multiple times especially in the back!

Great video! I am thoroughly enjoying your content. I used to work at Kennywood and can tell you firsthand that 85 mph is only the minimum statistic. Ever since they switched the trains over to monochromatic green and purple ones they now run, it goes even faster. Because the new trains are more weighted the average speed is estimated at 86 mph.

Great review! Very in-depth and informational! I have not ridden this, but from what I can tell, it looks like an upgraded version of my home park's Magnum XL-200. I know that might sound weird, but it makes sense to me: -They both have a really slow lift that really builds your adrenaline while giving a great view. -Phantom's first drop is like a better and smoother version of the curved drop off of Magnum's first large airtime(less) hill. -Phantom's second drop is an improved and elongated version of Magnum's first drop, both having an angle of descent that lasts for a while, almost like straight track, just angled downwards. I like your comparison to a drop tower, because Magnum also sort of feels like that too. -Phantom's helices are an improved version of Magnum's pretzel-shaped turnaround, with Magnum giving mild positives and laterals and Phantom giving stronger positives and laterals. -The final bunny hills on Phantom look a little more sustained than Magnum's while still maintaining the insane ejector airtime. -Phantom's lap bar looks way more comfortable than Magnum's, further enhancing the ride experience.

It would be cool if kennywood added a hyper GTX, because they have worked with Morgan/Chance before and it is in their budget

I grew up in Pittsburgh and had the opportunity to ride Steel phantom before it’s change over, in fact I spent an entire day in 2000 getting in over 12 rides in just after the announcement was made of its closure (is was 12 and i still remember hurting for days). But I must say that it’s transformation was much needed, and welcomed. The ride is fantastic and I truly love it. Being a little older now and living out of state, I don’t get to ride it as much, but still got to take a ride in 2021 and loved it just as much as when I was a kid!

Excellent review and video! I remember way back to 1991 being there to ride Kennywood’s record breaking Steel Phantom. It opened on my 14th birthday,…May 10, 1991. We rode it only about a month or so after it’s debut. The line was painfully LONG. But I’ll never forget,….as we were getting closer to the loading platform,…everything briefly came to a halt. Next thing we saw was the park first aide bringing a stretcher up into the loading platform. They lifted a rider out from the seat, and onto the stretcher. We thought little of it. But somewhere in my mind I can remember thinking to myself “wow,…is this ride so intense that it caused injury to this poor person…??” We found out only minutes later. I waited extra long for the front seat for my very first ride. I can remember my heart pounding as we climbed the long lift. The twisting first drop was great. The intense wind in the face at the bottom of the first drop was incredible. Then up up up that second hill. I do remember looking down that second drop before plummeting down through the Thunderbolt. But once those Arrow trains hit 80mph and veered to the left in that INSANE U-turn,…from there onward it was all literally a blur. You hardly had time to realize you had just zoomed through the U-turn before the trains were slamming into the first vertical loop with such speed! It was here in that first loop that I remember feeling pain in my neck. The boomerang and single corkscrew happened so fast that I may have even blacked out. I got off the Steel Phantom that day somewhat disappointed. Holding my sore neck and wondering WHY Kennywood would build a torture machine like this!?! I actually let a few years go by before I tried riding it again and managed to enjoy it a little. But overall it was NOT a pleasant experience. And it’s quite clear to me just WHY Kennywood removed the loops. The old Steel Phantom equaled a baseball bat mugging in a NYC alleyway. Too intense. Phantoms Revenge is a home run! A fantastic ride!

Truly an insane coaster! Got 4 rides in June 2019 and I swear the back row is lethal when it comes to airtime! A solid #4 out of 83 coasters I've ridden!

All the kennywood rides at night are so incredible, really makes the sounds of these older coasters stick out. I gotta go back to kennywood

At Phantom Fright Nights 2019, I got a night ride on Phantom's Revenge and Steel Curtain. They both feel completely out of control. You have no idea what's going on.

Even in my old age I would still take the beating the original Steel Phantom would dish out over the Phantoms Revenge! It was an insane ride but fun as hell!

With Kennywood being my home park, Phantom's Revenge is by far my #1 coaster (beating out Steel Vengeance), the air time is crazy and in the front you get tears forced out of your eyes. I have personally ridden in every single seat in the train, counting my rides on the purple and green trains. I see it as a goal of mine to ride in every single seat in both trains.

You can actually see the bottom of the second drop. Kennywood has a designated area on the Greater Allegheny Passageway, and you can see the bottom of the drop from there.

Personally skyrush is my favorite in PA because the airtime is more sustained and has crushing laterals and crushing positives, as well as the insane first drop, although I absolutely understand why phantom is most peoples' favorite in PA. Phantom is in my top 5, the ejector with minimalistic restraints in insane

My only complaint has ever been just that I want MORE of Phantom's Revenge. The pacing is amazing, like you said, but it just leaves you wanting more and more of it.

The second drop on this is one of my most anticipated moments on any coaster

I can honestly feel the airtime just from looking at the POV 🤤

My parents took me to Kennywood when visiting my grandma just before they temporarily shut down the Steel Phantom to do the refurb. I have fond memories of that version as my Dad and I rode it twice. Once near the middle and the second in the front car 😂🤣. Personally I don't remember if being that rough tbh, and when showing my kids the difference on another video...I was kind of disappointed that they took the loops, corkscrew, etc out as it looks way to tame as Phantoms Revenge. Nice to know exactly why they did the refurb 👍

Thank u for loving the very back man like u get thrown around like a rag doll in the very back and I love being thrown over the first hill can’t wait for this summer again I go every weekend haha

Thanks! This is my home park, been going my whole life. Despite its new owners its still a pretty special park. And Ive had lots of night rides on it, its INSANE

I just visited Kennywood for the second time on a 91 degree day and got 8 rides in on my visit, 6 being night rides and they were AMAZING!!!! It was running so fast in the heat and riding this coaster in the dark was just insane!!! 🤯 On my first visit several years ago, I rode it twice and while it was amazingly violent, it was no where near my recent rides. Definitely moved from a top 30 to a top 5 for me. If you can get a night ride on this in the summer - do it!! They were open till 10 last week!

After riding Steel EEl, with those restraints and that ending with that vicious airtime, feeling like I’m gonna fall off, I’m all for the Morgan coasters

Funfact: According to some long term locals, the first few years, the Phantom had to only run one train due to it constantly constantly not being able to stop in the brake run and sliding into the station during initial testing. Of course now-a-days it isn't an issue, but it was for the first year or so.

Kennywood should sell t-shirts with your saying "I owe my life to Phantom's seatbelt!"

Kennywood assigned seats the first time I rode this but I still got a front row, a middle and a backish middle seat ride. I can’t wait to return and experience this in the back along with steel curtain. Maxx Forces inversions are mainly of the fun and floaty kind and steel curtains look to have that similar feel. Kennywood is so underrated, they have the greatest steel coaster I have ridden yet, a multi looper contrasting a great ride like Maxx Force, a supporting collection that makes me continuously reride each to decide which coaster out of the four is the best, a very solid flat ride and track ride collection and of course some great food to top all of that off. Truly one of my favorite parks and is a massive surprise to me how much the park managed to pack in. My only complaint with the ride is that it doesn’t have a helix, which would’ve been a perfect way to end off the ride. I find the ending very similar to the Boss’ current ending, great speed and airtime in the front but considerably weaker in the back. I was lucky enough to experience Boss when it had the helix and didn’t trim very hard and that was one of the most intense and craziest finales I have ever experienced. The helix had crazy head choppers and laterals and felt like it was never going to end and then transitioned into two ejector pops. Phantom’s Revenge could have had an added craziness to it with a final downwards helix, although I can only dream. What the park could still do to spice this up though is add a tunnel with some lights on that turnaround with a feeling similar to the one on the Demon rides. That would still be really cool and slightly disorienting!

I got 3 rides on this a few weeks ago and it lived up to the hype. And that's saying something considering it was in the mid 40's that day with a very light drizzle.

This coaster has such a beautiful setting

This is my home park. I have ridden Phantom more than any other coaster at 316 times. Im definitely a back seat guy. Curtain is my favorite ride. I did notice a slight rattle in the back row on the purple train. I rode it 66 times in 2020

Finnaly we get one of the best coasters on the planet on this list awesome ride.

Hey canobie coaster I am going to ride phantoms revenge next week, looks awesome.

Got 4 rides on this today... i am a local and this never gets old.. that first ride every season is always a shocker, regardless of how many times youve rode it

After sp closed kennywood said they weren’t done breaking records. So it was speculated that they were building a intamin ravine diving giga to replace sp but fan outcries caused them to change last minute

This coaster got rebooted into Phantom's Revenge for its 10th anniversary.

As slow as that lift hill always was, as a kid there was always that 1-2 punch visual/audio punch by the Phantom. You would come around a corner and finally see the Phantom’s lift hill and know you were almost there. But that original Arrow lift hill was so loud, yet with such a unique sound, that I still equate that sound with every lift hill I’ve ever experienced, whether it actually exists or not.

I honestly wouldnt be surprised if this was the best coaster in Pennsylvania, although I'm guessing number 3 behind Skyrush and Steel Curtain. Hopefully I can get out to ride it next year as it's just 3.5 hours away from me

This is my home park, so I'm spoiled by this ride and feel like I take it for granted. I'm not a fan of positive gs or overly aggressive ejector airtime, but I can always appreciate no air gates! And great shot at 4:10! Were you coming from there, or did you drive miles away from the park just to get a shot? ;-)

I miss the lazer loop at kennywood it ran from 1980 to 1990 it was my favorite at the time

In case it helps with finding the elevation change of the ride, Kennywood has stated that the second hill is 115 feet.

Phantom's Revenge is the definition of insanity. I cannot understand how Kennywood can get away with putting riders through this 85mph rocket train.

I’m planning to go to Kennywood next year, would it be worth to go there for more than 1 day?

I have heard that turn at the bottom of the second drop had strong positive Gs back when it was Steel Phantom, did you think it was?

Yeah!

It's in my backyard so I forget how dope it is too...

Watching this video after an edible just put phantoms revenge on my bucket list, it now joins a short list of coasters that I think can beat velocicoaster as my no 1

kennywood is my home park, so i get a lot of rides on this thing, top 20 all the way! im surprised you grayed out tho cuz i haven’t once

I personally like this over the Steel Curtain. I live in Pittsburgh and have to ride the coaster at least once a year, by far my favorite coaster of all time

Been on that rite many times it is great

I'd say it's the best coaster in Kennywood but I haven't ridden Steel Curtain so that could change in the future. I can't say it's the best coaster in Pennsylvania yet or at all as Kennywood is the only park in the state that I've been to. I hope to also visit Knoebels, Waldameer, Hersheypark and Dorney Park in the future as well.

This ride is great I I think this is ride is slightly overrated since so many people say it’s underrated but still making Top ten northeast coaster and Second best coaster in PA. I live in East Pennsylvania so probably Kennywood is my number 6 of major parks close to me btw

The steel phantom from the 90s banged your head so hard in the loops there used to be a paramedic at the exit. It was that awful

Being old enough to ride Steel Phantom, I can say after many rides, if you made a concerted effort to push your head back against the headrest and hold it tightly in place, you could alleviate the roughness it caused. But who thinks or wants to worry about that?

Phantom mechanic here: Second drop height is 115 feet First drop height is 160 feet Second drop is 232 feet Therefore, change in elevation is 277 feet from top of chain lift to bottom of second drop

While I prefer Wildcat's Revenge and Skyrush over Phantom's Revenge, the margin for preference is very small. I love the use of terrain and powerful airtime.

My dad (a big coaster enthusiast) rode steel phantom he said it was the roughest coaster he's ever been on

I figured out what model, Steel Phantom is. It's acuity a Steel Twisted Terrain Coaster. It's like CGI because there coaster models are called Twisted Wooden Coasters. So its a Morgan Mega (Type of a Hyper Model below 200ft) Twisted (if GCI calls they'res Twisted Wooden Coasters, then why not steel coasters!?) Terrain Coaster. A Morgan Mega Twisted Terrain Coaster Model.

My first ride on phantom was a back seat nightr ride (keep in mind, I was 10 at the time and terrified of phantom) *Edit* Phantom is running a tad rough (nothing too noticeable) as of 2023, also that double down in the airtime packed finally is insane

So is it a mega or hyper. You keep going between the 2

I don't think there is a better overall speed machine than Phantom's Revenge. Before they installed the final trims and did the speed reductions it was hitting 90-91mph at the bottom of the ravine and then flying into the station at 75mph. It still sustains high speeds, but on a good day it might run 88mph and hit the last trims at about 68-70mph which is still nuts.

It’s still my favorite

I rode this coaster 13 times my entire life I also came to Kennywood 5 times

"Steel Phantom was an Arrow looper.... but Steel Phantom had a flaw: it was an Arrow looper"

Can you review the Lil Phantom?

phantom is my fav at kennywood

This is my home park... I was just tall enough to ride Steel Phantom the last year it was open... I don’t remember it too much I just remember I had to take out my earrings.

First time I took my wife on this ride was at night. She said Braddock (the town across the river) looks beautiful at night. I replied, "From here".

Underrated my ass!

Having rode both versions of this coaster, I truly feel that the Steel Phantom version was a lot better than the Phantoms Revennge version. The loops, bat wing and inversions were awesome.

Have they sorted the insane system where if you buy the most expensive fast tracks they don't let you choose your seat for the ride??? I thought this was absolutely nuts and because the ride op was a complete arse about it (honestly seemed to enjoy telling me no), kind of ruined my Kennywood experience. Want to go in future and have more time there.. Phantom's Revenge was amazing but I couldn't place it highly due to the tainted experience, so I need to go again to see where it really sits. Annoyingly it's a fairly long way from the UK!

1:34 so true lol

I love this ride, and this review. I just disagree with one thing. I think this is 100% a front row ride. I feel like all the elements are better except for the drop down the ravine. I also feel like the ending is better in the front.

9:03. I am an incredibly skinny guy who's only ridden the phantom in the front and 3rd row, I get THRASHED in my seat at the very bottom of the hill.

3:53, 5 mph?

purple's revenge

Actually 232 foot drop

Only The Second Best Purple Hyper Coaster On The East Coast

Taking Steel Phantom out was a big mistake. I miss it

Kennyonetrainops

Now give us a Lil Phantom review

I feel like this is become so underrated it’s overrated that’s just my opinion it’s about 11 on my list and second best coaster in PA bet out by skyrush there’s a lot of airtime in it there’s a unique layout and cool scenery down the ravine great coaster 10/10

I have ridden both Steel phantom and Phantom's Revenge. Phantom's Revenge is light years better than Steel phantom. Is my favorite hyper. I just did a Kennywood video and said Phantom's Revenge is better then Skyrush and I ment it

The Steel Phantom was built when I was 7. I was terrified of it but amazed by it's layout. Phantom revenge still has a good layout but the color scheme isn't as intimidating as the Steel Phantom black and gray. Plus the trains looked sharper back then.

I LOVED this video! I just don't understand why you have to show stats that denote the highest part of track to the lowest part of track when no other coaster stat does that. That might be how "vertical drop" works on ski hills, but on roller coasters it's a virtually irrelevant stat. In 1991 Steel Phantom had a lift hill height of 160''. The 2nd hill crests even lower, but Its drop was the worlds biggest and fastest in 1991 at 225'; well within the "hyper coaster" range, leading to speeds of 85 MPH. When it got converted to Phantom's Revenge a decade later, the drop was actually increased by 3' too. It's generally established that the term "hyper coaster" is used to denote any coaster with either a height or drop between 200' and 299.5'. That term was 1st used to describe when Cedar Point opened MAX XL-200' by Arrow, with a height of 200' and a drop of 194'.) In the year 2,000 Intamin used the term "Giga" when it opened the 1st full circuit roller coaster in the world to have a height of 310' and a drop of 300', when it opened Millennium Force. I don't make the rules, but if I had my way I'd make it so that the more important stat would be be based on DROP rather than height, since height has nothing to do with drop, speed length or any other stat of the coaster. I consider Orion a Giga Coaster (even though B&M doesn't since they don't even classify Fury 325 as a Giga Coaster) because Orion has a drop of 300'. However: From the lift hill alone I'd call it a "Hyper" if all I had to go on was the height of either the lift hill from its beginning, or the height of the crest of the lift hill from the ground below it. But if the new rules you're introducing are the elevation difference from the lowest elevation the track has to the highest elevation the track has: that must be a new rule and that new rule sucks. "Drop" (according to roller coaster parlance) refers to the biggest SINGLE element of elevation loss on any coaster from when it either crests the biggest descending hill (assuming it immediately drops it's biggest drop to it's fastest speed) or starts to get steeper to when it drops to the nadir of the trough of that biggest and fastest drop. It's not always the 1st drop either (as Phantom's Revenge shows us.) ;) It's up to us coaster enthusiasts to keep those terms clear. Please don't further confuse those stats by confusing height with drop let alone pull a "downhill ski resort" method conflating the highest lift serviced skiable terrain with the lowest skiable lift serviced terrain of any ski resort with with the "drop" of a roller coaster. (Even then one can almost always ski the whole thing in one run, but I digress) Otherwise "Drop" will become a nebulous term that everybody becomes confused with. Thanks again for this awesome review of Phantom's Revenge.

steel phantom > phantoms revenge

I rode the Steel Phantom countless times never had a problem. People are wimps

i find phantom kinda overrated, rly the only elite moments were those first 4 hills in the finale, but those were some of the strongest, most aggressive and rapid fire airtime moments on their own and with those restraints it bumps it up to the next level