The Place: Knoebels
The Date: June 17-18, 2000
The Weather: Saturday…hot with a 30 minute dash of  rain…Sunday, muggy, drizzly & crappy
The Reason I went: To experience Phoenix, Twister & those Flyers!

 Saturday:

          Where to start?!  There are so many great rides here.  I have been hearing about this park since becoming an enthusiast and was a little worried that all of this build up would let me down…well, Knoebels did not disappoint.  The only bad part about the trip was the journey down which took 7 hours…a lot of which was spent crawling along I-84 through the miserable roads of Connecticut at less than 50 m.p.h.

          I left a little after 7 in the morning and, after stopping at my hotel (the barely mediocre Danville Motor Lodge) I finally arrived at the park around 2:45.  As many have said, the walk from the parking field, through the pavilions and into the park can be a little under whelming…but it is definitely fun, with the Skloosh, Balloon Race, Giant Wheel and Power Surge make up a great way to see the inside of the park for the first time. 

          But, I could not in good conscious start there…it had to be the Phoenix.  If any one coaster has amazed me for a long time it is this one.  I have looked at pictures of it for a long time…yet always had a hard to figure out, what the hell made this coaster so good?  I know from smaller coasters, like the ones at Holiday World & the Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk Giant Dipper that bigger is not always better…but, if you look at this coaster, it is simply a double out and back…even seeing it on America’s Greatest Vol. 2 did not help much.

          My first ride on the Phoenix helped me realize that those little bunny hops can produce better airtime than most coasters out there.  Countless people have extolled the virtues of the Phoenix…so I will not go into every detail of the ride…well, at least a few.  I spent every ride in the last seat of the first car and loved only having the lap bar to fly into.  This coaster has the best beginning of any with that pitch-black (hand in front of face) tunnel.  The most amazing part of this coaster is that the first half of the ride was the weakest part.  The time from the top of the lift through the second turnaround was fun and had airtime…and was fun.  However, the time from the double-up, double-down on, this thing is AMAZING.  On the second half of the ride I was simply ejected into the air on every hill and could not believe it.  The coaster literally threw me into a standing position and I left the station laughing because I was still amazed by the airtime this thing gives.  This ride really proves that Schmeck is one of the best coaster designers in history, but one who is often overshadowed by Miller, Prior & Church, and Traver.  P.T.C. had one of the world’s best designers in Herb & I think we push him to the back sometimes because his rides were not extreme…they were just near-perfect.  I cannot wait to experience the Comet next month.

          One of the few things that made me not happy with the park was that they did not offer POP during the weekends.  This is one of the few theme park innovations I do enjoy.  I really hate having to curb that feeling of euphoria and “I WANT TO RIDE AGAIN,” after coming off of the exit ramp because I know that next ticket will cost $1.50 or $2…granted that is not a lot by itself…but considering I would have liked to gotten a minimum of 10 rides on each coaster…that would have cost a lot at the end of the day.  Something they might want to consider, especially knowing how many enthusiasts visit here…is perhaps creating a “Ride Fanatic’s Pass” (but give it a better name) and giving it a high price, like $50 or $55.  This way, most people who only want to ride some things (which is most everyone) can do tickets…while dumb people like me can ride everything I want as much as I want.  Just something to consider.

          I must say for those of you who have not been here, this park is definitely different than many I have been to.  The trails are not asphalt…in fact there is very little to be found anywhere in the park, instead there are mostly rock trails.  Also, there are many old trees to be found throughout the grounds.  The place is relaxing to walk through…but that is not why I was there.

          I took a ride on the Whirlwind…a Vekoma corkscrew…what else is there to say?  It had Arrow trains, a VERY loud & whiny lift engine and a point when the train would leave the lift and it would shutter very loudly.  The only good part about the ride is the tree after the second corkscrew  which the train barely misses.  I wish they would have kept the Jet Star.

          I left the Whirlwind to see the Flying Skooters, which millions upon millions have raved about, only to hear an odd noise.  It wasn’t powered by electrical contacts, like many…no it wasn’t tires…oh my…is that a?…that looks like a #$&#&!~% tractor engine!!  Oh my good dear Lord.  Those things were amazing.  I was jacked and could not wait to get on them.  Finally I get on…everyone gets a long ride cycle here!…and enjoyed the wooden seats (the first un-cushioned skooter seat I have seen).  All I can say about this thing is WOW.  These things fly fast and the fins are given almost free reign.  The best part is the tree to the right of the entrance which you look like you are going to hit head on.  I could go on and on about this thing but words really cannot do it justice.  All I can say is that I saw first time riders snapping this ride to pieces.

          One interesting side note about this ride was the “reminder” I got of the flyers to take home.  After I got back to the hotel I had two large, red, knots in my back, I figured they had to be from the flyers and the car snapping so violently…but why only in those two spots?  I found out on Sunday.  Those two spots, one at the top and one at the bottom of my back, were the two places where I came into contact with the flyer car.  The upper one was where I touched the car when I sat back and the lower one was where my back would touch when I leaned forward.  Adam Sandy, one of the few people to be dumb enough to be hurt by a case of snapping skooter (but do not think this will stop me from doing it again when I go back…whenever this may be…).

          The little coaster that could called me next.  Yes, the notorious High Speed Thrill Coaster was bumping along and was quite inviting.  I had heard stories about this thing...but like most tales about Knoebels, I did not want to get too excited, I mean, this is a kiddy coaster.  Well, that depends where you sit.  I was in the back and this coaster was snorting by our second trip around.  It was hard to believe this coaster was built in 1955 (by the Overland Amusement Company) as it still gives a great ride because of the care the park gives it.

Knoebels Page 2.

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Adam Sandy, Copyright 2001.