Exterminator is an indoor spinning roller coaster at Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. Built by French manufacturer Reverchon Industries and opened on April 18, 1999, it was Kennywood’s first indoor coaster and remains one of the more unusual attractions in the historic park’s lineup, blending a wild mouse-style track layout with a fully enclosed dark ride environment.
The ride’s concept plays on the “wild mouse” coaster type by casting riders as rats trying to escape a team of exterminators. Guests wind through a themed subterranean facility filled with animatronic exterminators in hazmat suits, fog effects, mirrors, and industrial set pieces like electrical substations and boiler rooms, all while the freely spinning cars add an unpredictable twist to the compact layout.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
- Manufacturer: Reverchon Industries
- Opened: April 18, 1999
- Height: about 43 feet
- Top speed: about 29 mph
- Length: about 1,378 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Exterminator’s cars face forward through the first half of the layout before switching to free-spin mode for the remainder of the ride, giving each trip a slightly different, disorienting feel as riders are chased through the darkened facility. The attraction’s theming was developed by R&R Creative Amusement Designs, with animatronic figures built by Sally Corporation, giving the coaster a level of storytelling detail that is rare for a ride of its compact footprint.
A Kennywood First
When it debuted in 1999, Exterminator marked Kennywood’s first fully indoor roller coaster and became the park’s sixth coaster overall, joining a lineup already known for classics like the Jack Rabbit and Racer. The ride has been updated over the years to keep pace with modern park operations; in 2022, some of its queue-line props were removed to make room for Kennywood’s Speedy Pass virtual queue system, though the core dark ride experience remains intact.
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Exterminator FAQs
Where is the Exterminator roller coaster located?
Exterminator is located at Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.
Does the Exterminator have any loops or inversions?
No, Exterminator has zero inversions. It’s a spinning wild mouse-style coaster rather than an inverting one, with its thrills coming from the freely spinning cars and enclosed, disorienting setting.
Who manufactured the Exterminator coaster?
Exterminator was built by Reverchon Industries, a French roller coaster manufacturer, and opened at Kennywood on April 18, 1999.
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Photo: Breemik08 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.