Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Knoebels Discussion Thread


Recommended Posts

Well, I guess I can offically stop calling it "Lying Turds" and call it "Flying Turns"! I bet that this will go into the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest time it took to construct a coaster to opening day. May a record like that never be broken!

 

I don't think Guinness (or the rest of the world) cares about a record like this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, and this will sound odd, but does the entire ride really smell of wood? Just looking at that POV it seems like it would smell like you're in a active lumber yard, but obviously there's not been a lot of fresh cuts made to this thing lately!

 

I thought that it did. I could smell the wood fairly strongly in the whole area. My friends didn't notice it as much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^Well, I think Orphan Rocker is closer to being scrap metal than ever actually opening at this point.

 

The forest at Scenic World has already reclaimed most of the land it sits on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought there was another SBNO coaster somewhere that had the steel track work completely built but never had an electrical system put in so it never opened. Maybe even an (old) intamin?

 

Edit; According to Wikipedia Vertigorama at Parque de la Ciudad in Argentina was built in 1983 and never opened. Rcdb has opening listed as 1983 but not sure if that's just the year it was built.

Edited by Moose
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got on Flying Turns yesterday, had a great time. The line was out the entrance but it was still only about an hour wait. The operations were outstanding, especially for a coaster as non traditional as this. The themeing is also really well done. The coaster itself was super fun, I have no other bobsled coasters to compare it to, but it definitely felt more aggressive than I was expecting towards the end. Just enough of a sense of danger to keep it thrilling.

 

This was my first time at Hallo-Fun and it was every bit as good as I was expecting. Knoebels is the perfect place to be in the fall, the trees were beautiful and honestly, show me a more gorgeous countryside than eastern PA. There was a light but steady rain that lasted most of the day, but I never saw anything shut down, including Flying Turns. Twister, after dark, in the rain, was one of the most intense experiences I've had on any coaster ever. Even when I did have my eyes open (the rain kept them shut for most of it) I couldn't see AT ALL what was coming up next, I might as well had never ridden it before, every turn took me by surprise.

 

Oh, and you could've added me to the list of people who don't understand why Knoebels wins best food all the time, that is, up until last night. Apparently I'd just never gotten the right thing before, because last night I got a sandwich at the international food court (which during the fall is just the food court), I can't remember what it was called, "Barnyard something", but it was ham, egg, cheese, sweet potato fries, and horseradish sauce, all on a wonderfully hearty bun... holy crap, very easily the best food I've ever had at an amusement park (not that the competition is very stiff). Plus, corn cakes. <3

 

Now, about Stratosfear. I HAVE to know what makes this drop ride so much better than every other drop ride I've been on. Even Pit Fall didn't have a drop as intense as this one, and they both seem to be utilizing about the same technology (lift you up, drop, magnetic brakes). Did they find some way to reduce the friction between the car and the tower? All I know is, the sensation of falling is like something out of my nightmares, totally uncontrolled, very much like you simply jumped off a roof and are barreling downwards to your doom. I'd love it if anyone could explain that to me.

 

I only have a couple negatives. I didn't know they were removing Power Surge (probably old news but I missed it), and it was a shame that they couldn't have finished the job over the week since that was quite an eyesore right at the entrance to the park, the main arm still hanging there with a tangle of white wires hanging from it. (Not that I'll miss the ride of course, and that's prime real estate for them to put something else awesome there.) Also, there were a few timing issues and light leakage problems in the Haunted Mansion that I don't remember ever seeing before, which pretty negatively affected the scariness of the ride. Since this is Knoebels I know they'll fix it at some point, but it was admittedly a little disappointing. Finally, one of the huge draws for us is the carousel organs they have, and when we first got there, none of them were turned on, and instead there was a tape playing through really tinny speakers behind one of the cabinets. This was baffling and really scary, but luckily when we passed by it again later on the bigger organ was running like normal and sounded gorgeous.

 

^These are all very minor quibbles and overall we had an excellent time.

 

IMG_20131019_211040_620.thumb.jpg.690594c75c040045218924e91c0222ce.jpg

I don't usually take pictures, but I thought the sky looked really dramatic behind flying turns. I know, just a blurry cell phone picture, but I wanted to share it anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Removing the Power Surge is news to me. That ride seems to be always full of people on it.

 

Although going on speculation, I wonder if Knoebels is going to do something with that area between the Giant Wheel and the Chair Lift. This area used to be the road cutting through the park and aside from the Giant Wheel and Chair Lift there is the now former Power Surge, a Bumper Boats ride (which looks like it's barely ridden) and a boat tag (again don't see much action there). There are some games, an ice cream stand (which can go since there are others in the park) and The Loaf, a bread shaped building that I guess used to be a bakery but is now storage and frankly looks like an eyesore now.

 

So my guess for 2014 is that something is going in that vicinity (definitely where Power Surge was but could expand out to where I mentioned). I'd personally love to see another coaster in that area where guests entering the park could see it driving by.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, just saw it in a state of disassembly and assumed. I wonder why that's necessary.

Most rides are taken apart each year down to the bare frame and each nut, bolt, and part is inspected. Not all parks do this and I'm not sure if Knoebels does, but this could be what they might be doing.

I hope it says because it is a pretty fun ride. But then again, this is the only ride other than Wipeout that I have ever seen down for maintenance when ever I go to the park, and even that is rare.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think Power Surge is getting removed... It's still listed on their site.

 

The ride looked really fun, but at the same time it looked like it was plopped down in the middle of a path. The awkward, temporary fence blocking you from the black of the ride didn't seem quite up to Knoebels quality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Concerning Power Surge -

 

Knoebels originally bought a Mixer from Zamperla back in the dark ages (read: 1997).

 

 

The ride, called the AXS (axis), was plopped down where Power Surge is currently. Apparently AXS had maintenance troubles and was removed rather quickly - then the Power Surge took its place and has been operating ever since.

 

The first time I went to Knoebels in the late 90s, AXS had gotten one arm stuck upside-down with riders for several hours. Both arms are supposed to rotate at the same time, so I might not have remembered it correctly, or both arms might have gotten stuck and they were able to rotate one. Either way, that remains the first of only two times that I've seen a Zamperla Mixer in person.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just saw on Screamscape that wheelchair-bound guests are only allowed on the Flying Turns if it has one or two train operation. I'm in a wheelchair, and I was hoping to visit in 2014. Am I the only one who feels that this policy on a NEW ride is ridiculous? The only rides I've had trouble with in the past are rides built a long time before the ADA was passed. I was fine with that, but this policy is a slap in the face. It took them so long to build it, I figured they would've figured this out. I guess I'll be going elsewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That seems hard to believe since it would seem to be an obvious violation of ADA law.

 

edit: Just saw the photo on Screamscape. Did they even run this by a lawyer?

 

Is it really a violation? I don't see how it is. I mean it is not like they are flat out denying them access to the ride, they are just limiting the access.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds to me that the possible reasoning behind this might be that the ride probably '"sets up" (breaks down) if they have Three or four trains stack.

I do find it odd that they would enact this policy, but I guess the way they are looking at is that it cuts back on breakdowns.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just saw on Screamscape that wheelchair-bound guests are only allowed on the Flying Turns if it has one or two train operation. I'm in a wheelchair, and I was hoping to visit in 2014. Am I the only one who feels that this policy on a NEW ride is ridiculous? The only rides I've had trouble with in the past are rides built a long time before the ADA was passed. I was fine with that, but this policy is a slap in the face. It took them so long to build it, I figured they would've figured this out. I guess I'll be going elsewhere.

 

Before you get all upset, did you possible think it could be a safety issue? If the ride breaks down you could be stuck out on the track and it could be very difficult to evacuate you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

knoebelssign.thumb.JPG.4ffe41d1d6d12b43b7ca2a11a2ea0715.JPG

 

Here's the sign. I really don't see how it violates any ADA policy as it still allows handicapped people to ride the ride. I mean the best thing to do would be to contact Knoebels before the trip and see how many trains they might be using that day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just saw on Screamscape that wheelchair-bound guests are only allowed on the Flying Turns if it has one or two train operation. I'm in a wheelchair, and I was hoping to visit in 2014. Am I the only one who feels that this policy on a NEW ride is ridiculous? The only rides I've had trouble with in the past are rides built a long time before the ADA was passed. I was fine with that, but this policy is a slap in the face. It took them so long to build it, I figured they would've figured this out. I guess I'll be going elsewhere.

 

Before you get all upset, did you possible think it could be a safety issue? If the ride breaks down you could be stuck out on the track and it could be very difficult to evacuate you.

Its possible, but if that were the case, they probably wouldn't let anyone in a wheelchair to ride altogether reguardless if they were running two or three trains.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/