Advertising itself as America’s largest free-admission park, Knoebels Amusement Resort is exactly that. This alone sets it apart from other parks in the same general area. The price of admission to a popular park about an hour away is $64.99 with a charge of $25.00 for parking if purchased online ($35.00 at the gate). So for anyone wanting to spend time at a first rate park without spending a lot of money, Knoebels is the place to go, which is why it is our next recommendation for Theme Park Insider's Great American Theme Park Month.
Knoebels is family-owned and located in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, a very rural area three hours’ driving distance northwest of Philadelphia. The parking lot, unlike the concrete of most parks, consists of a grassy field. Tickets for rides can be purchased in booklets or lesser quantities. The prices for individual rides are variable. For example, a ride on the renowned Phoenix costs $4.50, Bumper Cars are $3.50 and some of the kiddie rides are priced as low as $2.00. All day ride passes are available for $52.00.
The park is notable for its charm and friendliness. It offers a nice collection of rides, from award-winning coasters to flats. There’s something for everyone. Of particular note is the Phoenix, which won the Golden Ticket award for best wooden coaster on numerous occasions. Relocated from Playland Park where it was known as Rocket, it has been meticulously maintained by Knoebels. (Someone described it as the world’s only stand-up wooden coaster and considering the remarkable ejector airtime, this is a very apt description.)
The other two woodies, Twister and Flying Turns (the latter of which won the Golden Ticket award for best new ride in 2014), are likewise very good. Flying Turns, built in-house, is unique in that it’s the only operating wooden bobsled coaster in existence.
Twister, which I actually prefer to Phoenix due to the layout and double lift hill, was also built in-house. This is a refreshing change from parks in which the primary coasters were built by Intamin, B&M (Bolliger & Mabillard) or RMC (Rocky Mountain Construction). And let us not forget Impulse (reviewed by me in 2015), a Zierer steel coaster with a vertical lift hill and inversions.
Apart from rides, Knoebels features picnic facilities, golf, swimming, live entertainment and a campground. Every October it hosts the immensely popular Phoenix Phall Phunfest, one of many special events. ACE (American Coaster Enthusiasts) Flies With The Phoenix will take place on Saturday July 27.
Food concessions are abundant and some offer items not usually seen at other parks, such as deep-fried vegetables. The park has won awards not only for its coasters but also for its culinary delights.
In short, Knoebels is a delightful park well worth visiting. It never fails to put a smile on my face.
Previously:
* * *
To keep up to date with more theme park news, please sign up for Theme Park Insider's weekly newsletter.
We've been trying to get back up to Knoebels for over a decade, and just haven't been able to squeeze it in. In fact, we had a perfect opportunity a few weeks ago when we were at Dorney Park to ride Iron Menace, and between having to book a hotel on short notice and the fact that the park has stopped selling all-ride wristbands on summer weekends, we just couldn't make it work. We probably would have spent over $200 for the 3 of us to ride all the rides we wanted with tickets, so while it seems economical to pay per ride, it can add up if you're a "ride warrior' or haven't been to the park in a long time.
Some other noteworthy attractions at Knoebel's include the Haunted Mansion (excellent old-school spook house dark ride) and the Grand Carousel, which is immaculately maintained and allows guests to actually reach for the golden ring.
@the_man. Phoenix always comes up because of the awards it's won but as I said, I prefer Twister for largely the same reason as you. It truly is a kick a$$ ride. I actually had to hold on. @Russell, yes Grand Carousel. Knoebels is to be commended for how well they maintain all of the rides. We've seen countless examples of wooden coasters which were not given the TLC they deserved and consequently became too rough to ride.
I just visited Knoebels again for the fourth time last week as the finale of a Pennsylvania theme park trip, and it's definitely one of the most unique parks in the country. While not somewhere that will do it for those who prefer the emotional impact of an immersive land over the physical thrill of old-school rides, it's a fantastic pure amusement park with a lot of rare attractions complemented by a really nice setting and some fantastic food offerings. That said, I do have a few issues with the park, namely the number of closed attractions (eight attractions were down for the day on my most recent visit) and one train operations on the coasters making lines longer than they should have been given the light crowds (though fortunately except for Flying Turns they were still under 20 minutes). However, those aren't a deal breaker and I'd absolutely recommend the inclusion of this park for anyone planning a park trip through Pennsylvania (though I'd still say Hersheypark and/or Kennywood are probably higher priority if you're limited on time and funds).
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
When people talk about Knoebels they always bring up Phoenix as the main reason to visit and its flagship ride, however my personal favorites at Knoebels are: the train, Flying Turns, and Twister (in that order). The train and Flying Turns are unique experiences you can't really get anywhere else, and Twister is just
a relentless kick-a** wooden coaster. Phoenix, I think because it is more airtime based, has lost some of its luster with all of the newer airtime centric coasters that have been built in the past 20 years. But is still definitely above average and a lot of fun.