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Just got back from a fantastic trip to Knoebels! 1.5 days and there were still some things I didn’t get to do. Phoenix is awesome, especially in the front! (Might have to change my signature...) Kosmo’s Curves lived up to the hype too. Didn’t get to much food there but what I had was good (don’t worry Bill I got the pierogis )

 

One of the coolest things we saw at the park was that they employed a deaf ticket collector at the entrance of Twister. I think that’s awesome that they’re that accommodating with their employees!

 

Overall, I found Knoebels to be an awesome park, and I cannot wait to return!

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The weather in the northeast has been absolutely f*cktarded the last 2 weeks or so. Beautiful sunny days with occasional biblical downpours with the sun coming out again and a beautiful blue sky like 30 minutes later. Then repeat process like 5 more times throughout the day. If it's more of that crap then it won't be a washout and it sort of looks like that's the case.

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Postponing my day at knoebels to next week...worth an extra 5 hour trip to go back on a nicer day. Tickets only today...imagine they won't be open long.

 

Good news is my audible for the day is stopping at Quassy for the first time. New credit!

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Postponing my day at knoebels to next week...worth an extra 5 hour trip to go back on a nicer day. Tickets only today...imagine they won't be open long.

 

Good news is my audible for the day is stopping at Quassy for the first time. New credit!

 

you'd be surprised how quickly they get everything up and running again after a downpour (even a flash flood).

other than Flying Turns. . once that goes down for rain, takes a while to dry the course out.

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The forecast originally called for Saturday and Sunday to have rain all day. I think it rained for a total of a half hour while I was at the park on Saturday and then we hit a big downpour driving home yesterday.

 

Like Bill said the weather this year has been odd since the rain has been absolutely torrential when it does occur.

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I was at the park for a whole day Tuesday and half a day Wednesday. The forecast for Tuesday looked bad, but it really only rained from 2-3. As a result, almost everything was a walk on, including flying turns by the end of the day. Wednesday was super crowded but still manageable, they had two trains on Phoenix but only one on Twister.

 

Impulse was running two cars the whole time, but for Tuesday and Wednesday morning they only loaded one car with the other going straight through the station to the holding block. It was weird.

 

It was really windy Wednesday, so the snapping on the flyers was completely extreme and scary, it was awesome.

 

 

Downdraft was the shit.

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I wish I knew how to properly snap flyers. Between my two rides I only snapped a couple times, and at no point did I feel like I would die. That being said they’re still awesome, and I’m sure one day I’ll figure it out and get the extreme ride with wild snapping everybody promises!

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I wish I knew how to properly snap flyers. Between my two rides I only snapped a couple times, and at no point did I feel like I would die. That being said they’re still awesome, and I’m sure one day I’ll figure it out and get the extreme ride with wild snapping everybody promises!

 

I totally agree. I have no idea how to do it.

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^^-- turning the rudder one way and then the other, switching before the reversal of the swing, will give you the widest swing on any flyers. I have to work hard on it to get a snap on Flying Eagles. On Knoebels' it still took a few swings to get anything, then suddenly the whole thing was bucking crazily and I let off.

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Finally made it up to this park! Original plan was for last Monday but the weather looked iffy so when the previous Thursday opened up I went. Maybe that would have made for more rides actually but you never know. Time was running out for the best nights to go and get night rides and besides Virginia heat made heading north look very good. In a plan was inspired a bit by coasterbill's recent account of 1 hour sleep before work, I did it as a day trip and stayed until close, getting home at 3 AM. Wasn't sure it was the kind of park I would have wanted the entire day at, even if it wasn't so hot, so I planned a late afternoon arrival, casual and plenty of rest first. Indecision etc. put me out the door a little late, so I caught more traffic. Such a battle to get there; I was tempted to give in and go to SFA and then later Hershey but pressed on. Originally planned to use tickets for the Mansion and Turns and eat until the after 5 wristband, but as it was I went straight to it.

 

First interesting experience after walking in and seeing the place, plus walking between a couple of buildings no fences, was finding the wristband booth. It's kind of in the middle of the park. First stop was Flying Turns, long line, gotta ride NOW, so moved on to Phoenix and Twister.

 

Phoenix is a very ordinary wood coaster except better. It just flies. The second turnaround is really fast for an elevated

turnaround and there is a great succession of gradually intensifying hills for the finale. I wouldn't say it's better than coasters that ought to be better, bigger etc., but as one that knows how much fun a standard wood coaster can be it is a beautiful thing to witness and experience. I think it might be uncomfortable with tight restraints as there wasn't bumps as much as a dip or two where suddenly the seat drops out from under you but fortunately the buzz bars just let it happen. Note this does not have ejector air, as sometimes asserted, and these restraints are perfect to demonstrate that. I was out of my seat many times but at no time was pushed up significantly against the bar. Maybe the last hill but also was being pushed forward into it harder at the time. It's definitely out of control by that point though!

 

However my most lasting impression of the park is how amazing Twister looks -- what you can see of it as it heads into the woods -- and it's also excellent. The modern looking platform is curved, made possible by old fashioned skid brake technology. The lack of air gates or chains for the row queues is cool. It's really long too. It's very GCI style curvy and new looking, but may have outdone them. It does have ratcheting bars but no belts. Airtime is little enough it's not really affected but it throws you around enough to appreciate them.

 

On to Impulse, this is a fun smaller coaster although has one neck-jarring spot and the restraints made my first ride a hell. They're a flat lap bar but just keep tightening and it seemed like a bit of my belly got pinched between it and my belt or something along with my shirt so hard I couldn't even do anything about it except wait until the end. Later I dared another try and despite pushing against it constantly it still tightened up. Kind of stressful.

 

Rode the Whip, so much better than Hershey's Washboard ride. Skyride was very Knoebel's but only moderately scenic and that coming back down. By then I was hot and came across Skloosh and while I might normally avoid a full soaking went for it. That huge sheet of water that suddenly materialized in front of the boat looked awesome in more ways than one. Mostly a wet shirt though and maybe due to my feet being tucked back no real wet shoes. After that second Impulse ride I tried the pierogies. These are far more subtle than most park food but yeah they're good. And filling. And a bit greasing.

 

Haunted Mansion was really good. Loud! Riding Black Diamond next was almost too similar though. It would be a really intense mouse but is constantly braked. Track looks the same as a kiddy coaster so it is probably better to be on the safe side. Checked out some of their history stuff over there. Rode the flume. Back to Phoenix and Twister and then bit the bullet and waited for Flyers, yes they are good. This park runs long cycles when operator controlled. This is no doubt great when using tickets, but it increased the wait and frankly once riding I was waiting for it to end by the end, rather than try to make myself sick. Some of the dizzier rides might become torture. Next was the Skooters bumper cars. These do slide a lot but I wouldn't say they go a lot faster. The cars are 50s styled and drive more like 50s cars too. They're big and there's lots of them and the course is small, which makes for lots of traffic jams which along with the sliding makes for much hilarity. Should have ridden these first thing after driving there!

 

It was getting late by now and I was willing to spend the rest of my visit to get a ride on Flying Turns but apparently they close the line a half an hour early. This was the biggest casualty of my late arrival, though not the only one including more food. But I got 3 of my 5 rides on Phoenix instead -- I think they let me through to the last one at 10:01 -- so it was the most fun part of the whole trip, just leaves more reason to go back.

 

Knoebels is a very likable park, I think that's the best way to describe it. There's lots of great attractions and also it's refreshing. I'm glad I have a huge coaster park as a my home park as it's the only thing that holds up to hundreds of visits, but that makes this all the more interesting to make a trip to. Crowds weren't bad but maybe because of the night special and tickets stayed very consistent, some wait all coasters, until the last half hour.

 

The drive home took only an hour less by the clock but seemed to go by in half the time. Night is so much better to travel especially nowadays, although I did get a scare with my aging eyes. Took the exit from PA-581 to US-15 and it didn't seem right but thought I saw the rode heading off into the darkness and started accelerating, and then realized that actually the pavement switched from concrete to dark asphalt for a sharp 270 degree turn! Other trip notes, I had directions from the highway to the park but just followed signs instead, figuring they know better. You see many references to Sheetz, I didn't stop there but that's the main intersection where you turn from Rt. 54 to the park. you can't miss it. I got 17 rides on my after 5 wristband = $1.70 a ride, vs. tickets.

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Rode the Whip, so much better than Hershey's Washboard ride.

 

we rode that at Hershey the other week, after which, PKIJizzman commented: "Shopping Cart: the Ride"

 

and he was dead on with that description, LOL

 

the one at Knoebel's is great, especially at night with the lighting from the Wave Swinger shining on it.

 

glad you had a great visit to Knoebel's

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Phoenix is a very ordinary wood coaster except better. It just flies. The second turnaround is really fast for an elevated

turnaround and there is a great succession of gradually intensifying hills for the finale. I wouldn't say it's better than coasters that ought to be better, bigger etc., but as one that knows how much fun a standard wood coaster can be it is a beautiful thing to witness and experience. I think it might be uncomfortable with tight restraints as there wasn't bumps as much as a dip or two where suddenly the seat drops out from under you but fortunately the buzz bars just let it happen. Note this does not have ejector air, as sometimes asserted, and these restraints are perfect to demonstrate that. I was out of my seat many times but at no time was pushed up significantly against the bar. Maybe the last hill but also was being pushed forward into it harder at the time. It's definitely out of control by that point though!

 

I don't know what version of Phoenix you rode, but it most certainly has ejector air! We have the video and photos to prove it! Trust me, I am VERY stingy in saying a ride has true ejector air, and this one does.

Edited by SharkTums
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The one I rode you I touched the bottom of the bar not slam into it. I did push into it some when bracing with my feet against the floor due to being tossed forward. As to video, if you have someone actually ejected (I hope not) or a cell phone arcing above the ride path that would prove it. The hairtime video I just checked out, well sort of, but I think the hair got more air sometimes than the person's body due to whip action. I'm not faulting the ride, it's wonderfully out of control. I realize ejector air is not formally defined and by the standards of most coasters this could be called that. It's not an ejector air style of coaster (for which we need look no farther than Impulse) though, just an overachiever.

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I'm thinking of hitting up Knoebels to see what the hub's about (and get some research on a classified project).

 

How are crowds on a Thursday or Friday, and how weird would it be taking a three hour drive by myself to get there (because people suck / don't have my days off / think crossing state lines for a park that's not Hershey is lame)?

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Finally made it to Knoebels on Wednesday an wow! How the hell did I not get there sooner! I want to say thanks to those on here who have given wonderful advice over the years in the preceding pages. Not that you need too much advice with a park as good as this.

 

Bill - the pierogies were good. Not better than my grandma's, but she's deceased, so I can't prove it. I got two orders.

 

Flying Turns, Phoenix, and Twister were what I was most eager to ride, and they all delivered (lol at Phoenix not having ejector air, are you kidding me?). But a lot of fun was finding kooky rides that no other park would consider operating. Looper - that thing is nuts. The dodgems are the best I've been on. Black Diamond was a total WTF moment but still fun. The Haunted Mansion is the best dark ride I've been on. And I did get to properly snap the Flyers.

 

Biggest surprise: Scenic Skyway. That thing was intense, for a ski lift. Going up to the top of that mountain and looking down upon the park was really cool. And it was a nice long ride.

 

All in all a very worthwhile trip. I'm really glad I decided to visit Dorney BEFORE I went and not after, or else I might have left Dorney after an hour or so.

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Of people who have been, what is usually more crowded, Covered bridge festival or Hallo-fun? We are thinking of pairing up a trip to sesame place for their Halloween stuff with Knoebels. Columbus day weekend gives us more time but if the following weekend is less busy we would go then.

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The Covered Bridge Festival / Phall Phunfest weekend is always packed (relatively speaking) but 11 AM - 10 PM hours on the Saturday means that you won't miss anything. You might even find something cool to bring home from the local craft vendors.

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