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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Apparently a Bayern Kurve attraction on a trailer was spotted at Knoebels over the weekend. Has anyone been to Phunfest this year and knows anything more?

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It's in the parking lot like the pictures show.  I've seen a rumor it's 2 different ones they are piecing together.  One came from Fun Spot, IN.

 

Phunfest was cool.  First time visiting.  But holy cow, it was packed!!!  Early morning ERT on Phoenix was great and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

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I would be surprised if Knoebels did the horn. They get enough complaints about Downdraft's compressed air noise, and they have an active campsite right next door.

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Two things:

The thought is that they’re bringing a Bayern Curve for this time of year? Or as a new permanent ride?

Also, looks like some rides saw pretty steep increases again. I’m wondering if they’re changed just for the fall or...? Because they just seemed to have increased. Thrill flats are all $2.25-2.50, haunted mansion is up to $3, etc. E.G. flyers were $1.75 last year or two years ago so $2.50 is significant imo. I know I’ve said this before but clearly if they continue at this pace for too long, I think it’s going to be start becoming cost prohibitive for some families.

Just my two cents and I totally understand if folks see it differently.

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I was at the park this weekend for PPP and had a good time. The ERT was great but crowds hit hard after, busiest I have ever seen the park. Still managed to do a lot and got our first night rides on the wooden coasters. I was blown away by how fast Twister was running later one, it was insane. I have never had a ride on it that fast and the ending was insane. Phoenix was running great too and got some awesome night rides. The dispatches were amazing on the coasters too, trains were dispatching when the Twister train was at the start of the helix and when the Phoenix train went into the double up and double down basically all day. 

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13 hours ago, Taylor Finn said:

Also, looks like some rides saw pretty steep increases again. I’m wondering if they’re changed just for the fall or...? Because they just seemed to have increased. Thrill flats are all $2.25-2.50, haunted mansion is up to $3, etc. E.G. flyers were $1.75 last year or two years ago so $2.50 is significant imo. I know I’ve said this before but clearly if they continue at this pace for too long, I think it’s going to be start becoming cost prohibitive for some families.

I'm not going to give Knoebels a hard time on their pricing, as even with those modest increases, it's still one of the most value-for-dollar parks out there. Free parking, free entry, ever-present discounts on ticket books if you go to the nearest Weis Market, delicious and cheap food... yeah. I don't blame them for raising their prices on rides due to the shortened season if that's what it takes for them to stay in business during this new temporary normal.

I visited with the family on a mid-September Saturday with overcast weather, and I was expecting it to be way emptier than it actually was. Turns out they were running a "buy a ride bracelet today, get a free one for next May" promotion, and people turned out in droves for that. Even when the skies opened up and it started raining all over, it was busier than I had seen it in many of my previous visits. Due to long lines for all the major rides, we ended up only sticking around for about three hours and only got a chance to ride Impulse out of all the major coasters. Not exactly my idea of an ideal day at Knoebels but ultimately I was happy to escape back into the happy place for a little while longer, and I'm looking forward to returning in May.

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So long as Knoebels remains free-admission and free-parking, it will never become cost-prohibitive because all it costs to enter is a family's time and fuel / electricity for their car.

For a free-admission park, riding X amount of rides in a day and paying for them individually will always cost more than a pay-one-price option.

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Knoebels is absolutely one of my favorite places to visit. And it would take a lot for me to be steered away from returning (ie- ripping down Phoenix, and Twister, replacing the bumper cars with standard ones, and getting rid of all the tasty treats). I think it is an interesting thing to look at and dissect, is all. I am really a numbers guy. There's no doubt that the value of parents being able to go in and ride just a few rides is immense and can offer huge savings over most parks that require an admission.

The main reason for bringing them up is moreso to just point out that I *think* the ride increases are occurring at a faster rate than in the parks history. And so, if they get to a good level (like where they are now) and they begin to slow down again, I think that would be a okay. But ifi in a few years, the Flyers are at $3.25, Phoenix is at $4,  and the kiddie rides are alll $2-2.50, that's a pretty quick progression and a slippery slope.

I enjoy paying with the tickets for whatever reason (always at Weiss) and it allows us the opportunity to spread our fun out over two days and ride a bit less each day and save a few $$ over buying two all day wristbands.

I did this just now out of morbid curiosity and figured I would at least add it here so my work wasn't for only me. (Prices 2001, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 via Wayback Machine); Inflation is $1 in 2001 = $1.47 today.

Phoenix: $1.50 $2, $2, $2.50, $3, $3

Flyers: $0.80, $1, $1.20, $1.50, $1.75, $2.50

Carousel: $0.70 $0.80 $0.90, $1, $1.50, $1.75

Red Baron: $0.60, $0.70 $0.80, $1, $1.25, $1.50

Adult Wristband w/ Coasters: (not available), $31, $37, $39.50, $47, $50

Is it still super affordable and far cheaper by the ride than most other parks? Absolutely. Does that detract from the fact that I doubt rides saw these % increases in the previous two decades? E.G. were the Flyers like 25 cents in 1980?

Hope someone besides me at least found the above mildly interesting! 🙃

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On 10/12/2020 at 10:50 PM, Taylor Finn said:

The thought is that they’re bringing a Bayern Curve for this time of year? Or as a new permanent ride?
 

It's definitely not for this season.  There are pictures of it on Reddit and it's in extremely rough condition.  I don't see any way it's operating this year.  Hopefully that means Knoebels is planning to properly restore it and add it to the park for good.  One more amazing flat ride saved from the scrap heap.

I'm particularly happy about it since according to comments I've seen elsewhere, it seems to be the old Bayern Kurve from Fun Spot Indiana...which was, I believe, purchased from Riverside Park when it became Six Flags New England...My first Bayern Kurve and among the first adult rides I ever rode.

In a year like 2020 that just keeps finding new kinds of crap to throw at most of us...leave it to Knoebels to literally find a piece of my childhood rusting away in a lot and decide to fix it up.

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More Bayern Kurves are always good.  My first (and only) was the one at SFGAdv back when I was a little kid, since Kennywood's was down during my 2017 visit..  I *think* the one from SFGAdv was the one that went to Riverside but I can't be sure.

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  • 3 months later...
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Doing a 2021 Season Update on this: (Prices 2001, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2021 via Wayback Machine); Inflation is $1 in 2001 = $1.50 today.

Phoenix: $1.50 $2, $2, $2.50, $3, $3, $3.50

Flyers: $0.80, $1, $1.20, $1.50, $1.75, $2.50, $2.50

Carousel: $0.70 $0.80 $0.90, $1, $1.50, $1.75, $2

Red Baron: $0.60, $0.70 $0.80, $1, $1.25, $1.50, $1.75

Adult Wristband w/ Coasters: (not available), $31, $37, $39.50, $47, $50, Not Available Yet

Other notes- Black Diamond is $3, Phoenix, Twister, Impulse - $3.50, Flying Turns - $4. Haunted Mansion increased from $2.50 to $3. All flats are $2-2.50, Ferris Wheel = $3. Kiddie rides are $1.50-2 (Kozmo's Kurves = $2.50)

None of this will stop me from visiting. But I do think I'm likely to get a wristband, not tickets this year. I'm sure they're hurting a bit from a mostly lost season.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hey there all you crazy crehos and fellow TPRers 🥰

Just stopping by to let folks who will be attending "Opening Day at Knoebels" know that I have worked out a small ERT session with the park.  There's no cost to members, but pre-registration for inclusion is required.

Link for sign-up is here:   https://www.retrogamesformac.com/knoebels/

See you in the queue!
-Wild Bill 🤠

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  • 2 weeks later...

Opening day today! Most things are listed as open, but flyers are supposedly closed which is a bummer, hopefully it's not for the whole season or something.

Wipeout is gone from the website as well, but overall they have more rides open than last season and it's only the first weekend. Wish I could be there!

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