Knoebels Discussion Thread

[Rai Fox]

1 hour ago, Schrecken said:

I've got a question for locals to this park or anyone else who is familiar with the surrounding area - what other things are there to do nearby? I've been to Knoebels in the past, but it's been a long time ago and I wasn't traveling with my husband who has no interest in parks and coasters. 

How far away do you consider "nearby?"  Knoebels is kiiiiind of in the middle of nowhere.  Bloomsburg is the nearest "city" but it's definitely not a tourist town.  If you're an outdoorsy type, you're in the middle of the mountains and there's plenty of hiking, riding, canoeing and such around, but other than that you're probably looking at an hour and a half to any other real "entertainment", places like Dorney Park or Penn's Caves.

[Zand]

1. Visit Centralia

2. Look at Cornfields

3. Hang out at Sheetz

4. Yuengling brewery is somewhat close

 

As said above, the park is in the middle of nowhere with nothing really of interest in the area (other than hiking...plenty of that) but it is definitely worth visiting the middle of nowhere in this case.

 

 

[AmyUD06]

19 hours ago, Schrecken said:

I've got a question for locals to this park or anyone else who is familiar with the surrounding area - what other things are there to do nearby? I've been to Knoebels in the past, but it's been a long time ago and I wasn't traveling with my husband who has no interest in parks and coasters. 

If I remember right, there's a Turkey Hill convenience store and gas station a few miles out.  Oh, there's a lumber yard too.

Sorry, those are the only things I can remember seeing on my trips there.  It is kinda in the middle of nowhere.  According to Google Maps there's a gun club and a bunch of churches in the area, if that's up his alley.

But wait, there's more!  Knoebel's actually has a ton of awesome history stuff there too, most of which has nothing to do with parks or coasters (but I couldn't imagine spending the whole day doing that).  And admission is free, so if he gets bored you're not out any money.  Does he like awesome food?  Knoebel's has a ton of that too!  Does he golf?  Knoebel's has their own course right nearby too.

[Schrecken]

OK, thanks everyone for suggestions. I do remember the "middle of nowhere" thing when I was there years ago..... We will figure something out! 

[savetheclocktower]

There can be things to do anywhere if you make there be things to do.  If your list of interests is short, the list of things to do will also be short.

The Columbia Montour County Visitors Bureau website seems to have a lot of good suggestions.  Something in particular that looks interesting to me is the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine.

[coasterbill]

On 9/16/2023 at 9:44 AM, Zand said:

1. Visit Centralia

2. Look at Cornfields

3. Hang out at Sheetz

4. Yuengling brewery is somewhat close

 

As said above, the park is in the middle of nowhere with nothing really of interest in the area (other than hiking...plenty of that) but it is definitely worth visiting the middle of nowhere in this case.

 

This made me LOL. Two of these suggestions are actually great though. I'll let everyone decide which two.

[Zand]

On 9/18/2023 at 1:30 PM, coasterbill said:

This made me LOL. Two of these suggestions are actually great though. I'll let everyone decide which two.

I mean...someone mentioned the Turkey Hill store above. That might be more entertaining than Sheetz. I've gone back to Team Wawa in the past year so looking at cornfields is firmly back ahead of Sheetz on my list.

My other favorite pastime of that area is staying at the Super 8 in Danville, and around 11pm getting a knock on the door saying they have to move us to a different room because it was pouring and our room was probably about to flood. This was about two weeks after the infamous 2018 flood you see marked on the covered bridge at Knoebels. A good portion of the park was still underwater when I was there but it was still open because Knoebels.

[coasterbill]

As one matures in life they graduate from team Sheetz to team Wawa.

Sure, you look back fondly at your party days of getting blackout drunk and then going "YEAH MAN PUT MOZZARELLA STICKS ALL OVER THAT BURGER AND SPELL IT WITH A Z" but there's no shame in not being about that life anymore.

Also, I'm sad about that Super 8.

I used to stay at shit hotels all the time and now that I've grown up a bit and become a fancy-ass Wawa person my tastes have changed and I'm more of like a Marriot / Hilton / Choice but Comfort Inn / Suites or above person. That Super 8 was always WAY too good to be a Super 8 though and I feel like even now I'd consider staying there if it were still like it used to be. I'm sad to hear that they checked the sign, saw that it said "Super 8" on it and realized that they were supposed to suck. That's a bummer.

[prozach626]

On 9/16/2023 at 8:44 AM, Zand said:

1. Visit Centralia

4. Yuengling brewery is somewhat close

yep

[bert425]

I'm all ready for the Trick or Treaters! 



(and now I simply MUST plan a visit to Knoebels in 2024)
 

[prozach626]

I've never seen more of a reason for a school monitored trunk-or-treat in my entire life.

[Taylor Finn]

Doing a 2024 Season Update on this, primarily for myself: (Prices 2001, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2014 via Wayback Machine); Inflation is $1 in 2001 = $1.73 today.

Phoenix: $1.50 $2, $2, $2.50, $3, $3, $3.50, $4, $4.50, $5

Flyers: $0.80, $1, $1.20, $1.50, $1.75, $2.50, $2.50, $3, $3.50, $3.50

Carousel: $0.70 $0.80 $0.90, $1, $1.50, $1.75, $2, $2.50, $2.50, $3

Red Baron: $0.60, $0.70 $0.80, $1, $1.25, $1.50, $1.75, $2, $2, $2

Adult Wristband w/ Coasters: (not available yet for 2024), $31, $37, $39.50, $47, $50, $53, $55, $56

Other notes- Black Diamond is $4.50, Phoenix, Twister, Impulse, Flying Turns- $5.00 Haunted Mansion increased from $2.50 to $3 to $3.50 from 2021 to 2023, still $3.50 in 2024. All flats are $3-3.50 now, They mainly just increased a few $2.50 rides to $3 and a few $3 rides to $3.50. Kept the $3.50 as is. Skyway remains $5 Kiddie rides are $2-2.50 (Kozmo's Kurves = $3.50)

Campground rates went up from like $56/58 to $62/66 to $65/70 last couple years (no rate yet for 2024, expecting another increase).

Prices increased again, of course. Which is to be expected. Coasters all went up 50 cents, many flats did as well. I would say about half or a bit more of the rides went up by 50 cents. This represents a roughly 10% increase on everything in one year. If you buy tickets, like they require on weekend, and do all five coasters plus some of the more unique rides (Bumper Cars, Carousel, Flyers, Train, Haunted Mansion, Looper, Skyway, Whip, Giant Wheel , Giant Flume), you'll be sitting at $59. For 15 rides, that seems like a lot. You can save 15% at Weis, so ~$50. 

It seems like they're pretty clearly trying to push people toward wristbands more and more. The coaster price increases are especially dramatic (increase from $3 --> $5 in 4 years).

I know people are going to come and defend the park. And I love Knoebels. But, the average person living near that park makes less $$$ than people coming from surrounding cities and the price to actually ride things is getting quite high, in my opinion. It's no Mall of America, Atlantic City, Morey's Pier, Coney Island, etc.

[coasterbill]

Highlights:
- The new Power Surge is not a portable model. It's permanent. I didn't even know that they made permanent models. The program will be crazier. The ride will not open on opening day.

- They repainted Impulse even though it barely needed it

- The park is very well staffed this year already

- Every car of the Bayern Kurve apparently had it's own PLC. They've changed that. The delays have been due to that but it should be open in 2024. They also just had to reallocate people to other projects last year, like reopening the Skyway (suck it Lake Compounce).

The ride will be the fastest ride in the park. The max speed is 70 mph. They're not sure if they can safely run it at 70 mph but they're going to try and if not, run it as close to 70mph as possible.

- Some changes have been made to some haunted mansion scenes.

- The cub cars are going away for awhile but will probably be back. This is where the Rock O Plane will go (between Phoenix and Fandango). The ride will not open on opening day.

- They replaced a lot of sections of the flume. It will open around Memorial Day.

- Paratrooper and the Teacups are both undergoing restorations and will open later in the year.

- Sky Slide is coming back after being closed since the start of the Pandemic. It may not reopen this year but it will finally reopen. Hopefully no lawyer actually looks at it.

-They've done a bunch of track work on the three wood coasters but that's to be expected.

[BitterOldHag]

1 hour ago, coasterbill said:

The ride will be the fastest ride in the park. The max speed is 70 mph. They're not sure if they can safely run it at 70 mph but they're going to try and if not, run it as close to 70mph as possible.

Does anyone know if there was ever a Bayern Kurve in the US that ran at 70 mph? Seriously, that sounds illegal... but I'll be in line for it when it opens!  

[KBrylczyk]

So, the only Bayern Kurve I've ever ridden was the one that used to be at SFGAdv and, good lord, I can't imagine that thing ever going 70mph.  Is the Knoebels version an XL model or something?  Because godDAMN that'll be a wacky ride.

[prozach626]

On 1/18/2024 at 7:32 AM, Taylor Finn said:

Prices increased again, of course. Which is to be expected.

This is the problem.

[Doppel Looping]

Does anyone know if you can get discounted tickets at local grocery stores or other locations?

 

i am going to go with my wife a week monday june 3 on the way home from hershey. 
 

not sure if unlimited ride passes are worth it. 

[racingmoose]

Weis markets sell discounted ticket books.

https://www.weismarkets.com/amusement-park-tickets

[Zand]

Great day as always at Knoebels! Moderate crowds and thankfully the humidity that was plaguing the northeast the past few days was replaced by a refreshing breeze for most of the day.

Twister was running immaculately today. Last time I was here it was getting a little rough but they've obviously done some great work to it in the past few years. Ejector pops in front, great laterals throughout, and it was hauling through that double helix with no shuffling.

Phoenix fun as always, although I think I actually preferred Twister today with it running in perfect condition. I wish they would run two trains on these to really make them lapable, that's the one thing that they never seem to do that would really make the day even more awesome.

Don't always make it on Flying Turns or Impulse, but got great rides on both today with not so bad wait times. 

Flyers, Stratosfear, Bumper Cars, etc phenomenal as always. Unfortunately never made it on the Carousel. Also the Flume was closed all day which was a bummer.

Kosmotron seemed to be running slower than ever. Kind of a lame excuse for a Music Express type ride. Also rode Rotojet which I ended up in a broken jet that would not raise more than 1/4 way and caused a rather uncomfortable ride.

Bayern Curve, Power Surge, and Paratrooper seem to be on a Six Flags maintenance schedule. I don't think any of them are actually going to open this year. Psyched for whenever they do get Bayern Curve up and running.

Pierogies and Pizza delicious as always!

Off to Dorney tomorrow. Iron Menace will be cool. Talon and Steel Force will be fun. But the real star of the show is Demon Drop. Riding a Larson Tower and an Intamin 1st Gen on back to back days makes me want to move to NE PA!

Finally, going back a page we were having a discussion on Sheetz vs Wawa. Turns out there's another option in central PA as well called Rutters. You guys have it f*cking made with good gas station eats around here. I don't want to go home to my shitty Cumberland Farms.

[ratdogg68]

Planning a trip next year. Hope they have the Bayren Kurve up and running. Does anyone have a picture of it in it's current  status?

[Zand]

Sorry I totally forgot to grab a pic while I was there. The track itself is built but I didn't see any sign of a ride vehicle. Knoebels has been known to open new rides in like October right before they close, but also took 7 years to open Flying Turns so you never know if it will be open by next week or next year or 2030.

Good news is if it's not open and you get bored, you could always go check out the world famous Shamokin Dunkin Donuts!

[prozach626]

LOL. Awesome video not intended to be awesome.

 

But yeah. Six Flags... I mean Knoebels frequently opens their attractions late. Flying Turns took them almost as much time to construct as it is taking SFStl to paint their Carousel horses.

[BobloLives]

Knoebel's Trip August 31st

Just a quick couple of notes from our third-ever Knoebel's trip this weekend:

1) Park was quite busy but the lines move so fast! It's amazing what can be accomplished with a properly staffed park. Flying Turns was our longest wait (only because we rope dropped it) and it was only 25 minutes. To keep thing moving they have you put your loose items on the yellow lines on most coasters instead of having to maneuver through the seats to the storage bins and back to your seat. V. efficient!

2) Twister in a very light misty rain is awesome! At least better than Phoenix in a pelting rain. Both are better than most other coasters on a good weather day.

3) First trip where we focused on food and omfg -- why did we not realize how good it is??? Pierogies, roast beef, frozen iced tea, breakfast sandwiches -- all "home-made" and not a damn healthy thing in sight. Winning!

4) Rock-o-plane looks tantalizingly close to being completed, but not Bayern Kurve.

A few pictures:

My daughter and friend demonstrating what the front car feels like on Phoenix

Going in the "campground corner" of the park by Phoenix and Gasoline Alley

Fancy hand drawn blue circle showing Bayern Kurve's developing home

Bayern Kurve as of Saturday the 31st. Handsome fellow, but not close to done. Looks like it is just sitting on the concrete as well, but I am no construction expert.

 

[prozach626]

Sounds like you had a good time.

I appreciate the blue circle around the blue circle.

[CoasterBuck]

This will sound like a total "park" response, but the Bayern Kurve really is a work-in-progress.  There have been some setbacks (that I cant really talk about), but there has also been a lot of progress as well (that is not necessarily visible atm).

I do expect this to be ready to go for opening day 2025.