Canobie Coaster Posted June 20, 2017 Share Posted June 20, 2017 The second op was more heavyset than the first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sensesfailed Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Finally got out to Knoebels with the kids for the first time this year. Daughter also decided to try out Flying Turns for the first time and loved it, so that totally makes the trip worth it. Also finally tried their Gator bites.... that.. not so impressed with, I really don't get why people thought they were so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaFunkyOne Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 As someone who worked at Knoebels from 90-95, and one last season in 99 as I was looking to pay down student loans on the quick... The park has really changed. I remember when you could drive through the park. the Whirlwind was still operating, hell even the Jet Star was still around in my early seasons. Â One thing about Knoebels is ride maintenance. John Fetterman and Jim Sheckles headed up the Maintenance department, and one thing that always received top priority was the Phoenix, the 2nd was the Flyer. Knoebels always knew these were the main attractions, and the phoenix always received re-track work on the 2nd turnaround ever year. If you ride front seat and look at the guide trough you'll notice where the train wears into the turn as it approaches the drop before the double up. This was a significant area of wear and tear so each November the trains were removed, and track work would begin. Trains also refurbished each year with new assemblies for running gear. When it came to pouring money into a coaster, Phoenix received it duly respected share. Â I last went to Knoebels in 2016 to Ride impulse. After years of working at the park, and spending the last 2 season (94-95) working on the phoenix during single train operation, I would probably say i have rode that ride over 1000 times and it never fails to impress. In the 99 season I was assign to twister and then resume my old faithful spot (Cosmotron). Cosomotron was always my favorite ride simply for the music. Being a former DJ, helped with that placement, and I was the only employee allowed to provide my own music because I, like the park was the only one to own a Sony Mini Disc, ad I could provide the hit songs faster as being a Dj I had subscriptions to a lot of music services. If the park had to wait on the provider it could be months before a new disc would show up. Â But I will say my last season was my greatest as that was the introduction of Twister, since I commuted from Allentown to the park to work weekends and some off days from my 2-3-2 job at the time I would show up early to help with maintenance, which led to many a free ride time. I'll never forget one August Saturday morning getting to the park at 7am and riding for 4 hours straight with a stop watch to time the ride based on Liquid helium additions to the running gear for the trains. they were trying to lock it in at 2:10, but the closest we got was 2:04, and it was running fast that day. (FYI it's fastest run time was 2:01) Â Subsequent visits in 2002, 2006, and 2009 twister fell out of favor with me due to how rough the ride was becoming It sure wasn't getting the love Phoenix was getting, but still a great ride if you did the front of the train. Back of the train required a Chiropractic visit the following week. Â When it comes to the Phoenix, the 3rd seat section in car one of any train is the place to ride. All of the air time seems almost calculated to that position. So If you haven't sat there I highly recommend it. Â The Phoenix will forever be my favorite Knoebels coaster, but ranks #2 behind my all time favorite, Boulder Dash, but from what i have been hearing lately Boulder Dash is needing some serious work. Â All in all, I have sent people from as far away as NC to Knoebels, and when they returned praised the park and wished they had something like it in their state. Knoebels is a rarity in Amusement parks. If you want to thank someone for that Thank the knoebels family as they have always been committed to keeping the park the same old fashioned family fun park it has always been. Â =O) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ccron10 Posted July 13, 2017 Share Posted July 13, 2017 Had a great time Tuesday evening at the park. At 5pm I waited to the bottom of the stairs leading into the station for Flying Turns (5 minutes) and was the only one in line for a moment. Took two rides in 15 minutes before they had to take off a train because they were running out of people to fill the trains. Â All the other rides were either a one train/cycle wait or walk-ons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolper Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 I'm taking my family and my 3 & 5 year olds to Knoebels next Friday. We went last year on a weekday and tried to get a handstamp about 15 minutes before the park opened and the line was LONG so we ended up doing the tickets. Â Does anyone have strategies for this line? Do we need to get there an hour before the park opens? I figure it must get long early with all the campers getting there first. Â Does the handstamp line move pretty quickly (we didn't stick around to watch it last time)? Â Thanks for the help! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Zo Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 At Knoebels today. The Skyway is not operating. Generic sign in front says "temporarily out of service." Â Hope this isn't what I think it is. Â Flyers are down today too. But I'm already one order of pierogis deep so today is a good day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolfBobs Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 ^^My parents and nephews were there last Sunday the 9th and it was open. Sometimes rides just have mechanical downtime without any hidden, cryptic meaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert425 Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 the Knoebel's website does show Scenic Skyway as "open" today. Â so must just be a breakdown of some sort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImNotOneOfYou Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 I went to Knoebels for the first time since 2015, and the park was just as amazing as I remembered. Â I also had my first attempt at snapping on the Flyers. I had a pretty good run going before I messed up the timing. I allegedly had a better run at Lake Compounce. Â Side note, what is Impulse doing there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbill Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 At Knoebels today. The Skyway is not operating. Generic sign in front says "temporarily out of service."Â Hope this isn't what I think it is. Â It's most likely nothing but it will be slightly concerning whenever that ride goes down for the foreseeable future. It's very rare for a simple, slow moving fixed grip ski lift to go down for a mechanical reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 I'm taking my family and my 3 & 5 year olds to Knoebels next Friday. We went last year on a weekday and tried to get a handstamp about 15 minutes before the park opened and the line was LONG so we ended up doing the tickets.  Does anyone have strategies for this line? Do we need to get there an hour before the park opens? I figure it must get long early with all the campers getting there first.  Does the handstamp line move pretty quickly (we didn't stick around to watch it last time)?  Thanks for the help! David  The food court serves great breakfast items. If you have two adults, arrive an hour before the tickets open and eat a leisurely breakfast, well except for the one adult that should get to the ticket booth right after eating. Then the rest of the clan can join him as the booths open. The whole party needs to be at the window to apply wristbands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolper Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 The food court serves great breakfast items. If you have two adults, arrive an hour before the tickets open and eat a leisurely breakfast, well except for the one adult that should get to the ticket booth right after eating. Then the rest of the clan can join him as the booths open. The whole party needs to be at the window to apply wristbands. Â Shoot! I booked a hotel with a breakfast so we didn't have to worry about it. Sounds like you think 30-45 mins before the park opens is the way to go (1 hour minus eating time). Kids could use that time walking around the park with one adult while another waits. Â Do these lines tend to move pretty quickly? I've been in some wristband lines that take forever. Since my kids are little and going to do mainly kiddie rides, I'm thinking I might just do the Weis discount tickets. Â Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted July 17, 2017 Share Posted July 17, 2017 The lines wristband lines usually move pretty fast, except for the one I'm standing in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfelice Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 Heard it straight from the park owner during the Pennsylvania Amusement Park Association event today that Scenic Skyway is safe. He pointed out how the land below was modified for access in the event an evacuation is necessary. Â On a side note, there seems to be unexpected mechanical issues when rider weight is added to the new Over the Top ride. There wasn't much of an answer as to when it will be open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterbill Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Someone asked about the Sky Ride on Facebook today and the park responded reaffirming their commitment to being awesome... Â Â ^ I know you already got some confirmation on this, but since it's second hand information from the rest of us it's nice to see the park confirm it publicly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Coaster Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I still need to try their sky ride sometime. I always get distracted by the Skooters, Impulse, or food before I make it there.  Heard it straight from the park owner during the Pennsylvania Amusement Park Association event today that Scenic Skyway is safe. He pointed out how the land below was modified for access in the event an evacuation is necessary. On a side note, there seems to be unexpected mechanical issues when rider weight is added to the new Over the Top ride. There wasn't much of an answer as to when it will be open.  I also wonder if the accident as the Island will cause a delay since the report seems to indicate it wasn't rider misconduct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Zo Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I was at Knoebels on Monday. Had a great visit, with manageable crowds -- Flying Turns was 20-30 minutes, flats were a cycle or two, Phoenix and Twister were running only one train each (meh) with 2-4 cycle waits.  Was gonna post my whole scorecard from the day but I'll just cut to the important stuff: * Pierogis (from the good place) * Pork chop on a stick (with three different seasonings) * Ice cream waffle sandwich (with neapolitan ice cream) * Mac and cheese bites * Tri-taters * Cesari's pizza  A short photo set, mainly from Impulse (because it's new since my last visit) and Skloosh (because it's fun to photograph). First chance to ride Impulse! I really liked it, a little more than I had anticipated. The drop has some bonkers airtime, and is one of the best parts of the ride. The cobra roll is pretty intense -- it's smooth, but it does a nice job of pushing the restraints down a little tighter. That was actually my biggest complaint about the ride -- the restraints, when tightened over the course of the coaster, were pretty uncomfortable to my hip bones. Nonetheless, the ride was quite smooth -- no shaking or wobbling like other similar coasters I've been on. Hangtime! Coaster nerd shot. The moment at the top. Full speed at the bottom of the drop. Impulse's bright colors really liven up the front of the park. Admittedly it's still a little strange to see a standard-looking steel coaster plot of land at Knoebels, but it's worth it. Gone vertical! The sky ride, as mentioned, was not operating (plastic over the operator's console, too). Looks like this will just be some temporary downtime. Twister is looking patriotic. Phoenix, riding as fantastic as ever! I wish they were running two trains, because it did slow the line down, and there was never a chance to get on and off and on again really quickly. Impulse flies through the sky. My favorite ride on Phoenix was in 1-3 (row 3). The airtime is just as crazy as advertised. A pleasant view of the giant wheel. Squirrels were eating corn. Passing the other Pioneer Train. Hattie and Henry. How about some Skloosh? The wave is coming. The wave has arrived. Now you regret your decision. A wall of water. Ripples in the wave. I sacrificed my own dryness to get this shot. You're welcome. For a short drop, Skloosh packs a huge punch. Like sailing headlong into a storm. The mist after the splash. Splashing at the bottom of the drop. Drops hang in the air. Fear and excitement. Almost like I'm riding alongside! Not a dry inch anywhere. The aftermath. The elusive "moment of impact" shot. Took a few tries to get this! Storms grew around the park on Monday, but I'd like to thank Knoebels for putting up their force field to keep the bad weather away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Zo Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Oops, a few more I forgot were on my phone. The mini golf course was a lot of fun -- it appears quite simple but it's deceptively tricky. This device, for example, is one of the most evil contraptions I've ever run into on a mini golf course. It's virtually impossible to get through it without completely borking your shot somehow. How about this? I won Fascination on the middle line... ...then I won again, on the next game, on the same line. Strange. For my efforts, I won a whole 8 tickets! That's a long way from getting me a crock pot, but if you've ever wondered if anyone actually plays enough Fascination to win a crock pot, your questions have been answered. Over the Top looks like it's fully installed, but not yet operational. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Coaster Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Great photos! I can never get enough Knoebels photos. Â Over the Top looks great and I hope it opens soon. It really fits nicely in that area back there. One train ops are never fun but at the rate they send trains out it's like 2 trains anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rai Fox Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 Not quite a crock pot, but I saved up tickets over seven years and got a toaster oven from Fascination! Judging from the amount of dust the attendant cleaned off the box before handing it to us, it was probably the same one sitting there all those seven years. Â It's great, though. Now I can claim anything I cook in it is Knoebels food, in a way. Sort of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcoaster Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Great pictures, they got me really excited for my trip out there in a couple of weeks. Glad to see they kept their Chairlift operating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ytterbiumanalyst Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 Excellent report! I'll be there in a couple of weeks as well, and this is getting me excited! Thanks for all the Skloosh pictures--I love that ride type. Fingers crossed for Over the Top opening before I get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rill'o'beily Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 "Nonetheless, the ride was quite smooth -- no shaking or wobbling like other similar coasters I've been on." Â I haven't ridden Impulse myself but if by similar coasters you mean eurofighters, yeah I'd like to see more of these Zierer tower coasters around since they offer similiar experiences to eurofighters but with no gerst-ache Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canobie Coaster Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 If a EuroFighter has lap bars like Hydrus, they are better rides in my opinion. I prefer Gerstlauer lap bars to the Zierer ones and the rest of the ride is fairly comparable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcoaster Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I haven't ridden a Gerlauster without OTSR yet, but Untamed was fun as was Impulse. Both similar rides, Impulse has the slight edge IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now