raptor Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Originally when I first planned to do the PA trip a couple years ago, I had Hershey Park slated for this day, then I found out about Knoebel's and I was instantly sold, and after going there I'm confident I made the right decision, I love the atmosphere of this place! They advertise themselves as the world's largest free admission amusement park, free parking, free entrance and free entertainment. So I left the Sleep Inn in State College PA and headed for interstate I-80 East towards Elysburg, when I got there and parked I felt like the parking lot was a large Stricker's Grove Parking Lot, but Knoebel's is also known as Knoebel's Grove, and a grove is what it is. It is a very random park without any real preplanned design, everything is kind of in a circle. I bought the all day pass for $37, although you could easily get by with buying tickets per ride as they are very reasonable. First thing I had to ride was the Grand Carousel. which easily lived up to it's billing this is easily the best carousel I have ever ridden and I absolutely love the brass ring, it adds a whole new dimension to the carousel ride. If you catch a ring, then you try to throw into a mouth as you pass to return the ring, they tell you not to keep the rings as souvenir's, you can however by a souvenir one in the Brass Ring gift shop as I did. The carousel is also situated in a beautiful spot, nestled across a pretty creek which I think you cross a small covered bridge to get to it and it has a beautiful big music machine, which isn't actually on the ride itself but but it is in the building and you pass it as you ride I then just walked around the park a bit, I noticed Gasoline Alley, an antique cars ride, but never managed to find time to ride it. They had a Calliope in the middle of the park playing as you walk by, I loved that, next I went into the Brass Ring Gift Shop and free Carousel Museum By the way Knoebel's has the best gift shops, I went a little crazy in the Brass Ring and spent almost $100, they have all kinds of amusement park books, models, shirts, stickers, park souvenir books, you name it they have it and very reasonably priced! I didn't get a chance to ride the swings or the pirate ship behind it They had lot's of pretty creeks and a couple covered bridges, this one leading to the campground that had cabins I love haunted house rides, especially one's that are haunted house rides and not (sorry Kings Island) Scooby Doo rides which seems to be more about Scooby Doo than it is about being a haunted house. Well Knoebel's is awesome, it is an upcharge of 1.50, but it is well worth it, So much charm to it, and it is nestled by itself back in the trees, I loved it! They had a great Fascination spot with lots of players This puppet show was one of many examples of their free entertainment, you can pay nothing to get in, by no rides and still get entertainment The looper is an old time almost extinct ride, brought back to life by Knoebel's, I really wanted to ride it but it required 2 riders and my sister said she refused to be a hamster, bummer! This is the Phoenix coaster, originally from out west at a closed park, Knoebel's brought it here and restored it, and this has the most air-time of any coaster I have ever ridden, I hardly ever touched my seat ah yes, another paratroopers, can't get enough of those I didn't think there were any Cuddle Up's left, but I found one at Knoebel's, it was named tea cups Another example of their free entertainment This ride was too wild for me, as I don't like rides that hang you and hover you upside down way in the air, maybe if I didn't have to worry about my video camera, but my sister loves these kind of rides and rode it a couple of times The Twister was an awesome coaster with a lot of twists in the tracks, kind of by itself closer to the campground further from the other rides They had another excellent carousel in the kids area with another working calliope The Rollo Plane was awesome, a ride that has been removed from Kennywood, and was not in operation at Conneaut lake, I finally got to ride it here and it is terrific! it's a rocker! This looked cool, but I didn't get a chance to ride it, it was like an adult Helicopters that you could fly up towards the trees Downdraft was really fun, it keeps going up and diving down great ride! This ride was a lot of fun, kind of reminds me of a similar ride at Indiana Beach Another chance to ride a Balloon Race This was a cute old fashioned kids boat ride down a stream, I would've liked to ridden it! Yet another example of their free entertainment They have a different show here every night! I must also mention the Alamo a great indoor eatery with an impressive menu, I had a chicken Cordon Blue and my sister had a Vegetable Lasagna This was a fabulous park, well worth the trip and I hope to go back there soon, but probably not too soon as it is a long way from here, probably a 9 hour drive if you went straight from Cincinnati, maybe a little less. As it got dark I headed back for the Sleep Inn, in State College, but it wasn't without problems, 5 minutes after leaving Knoebel's my GPS broke, well actually just the power chord, so I had to guess my way back to The Sleep Inn at State College and it was tricky, I was at least able to find my way to State College, so I pulled over near a Hampton Inn and got my laptop out of the trunk and brought up my map program and was able to soon see that the Sleep Inn was 3 blocks up and a couple blocks over. Quite a long day it was about 2 hours to the park and 2 hours back to the hotel. Tomorrow I'll be driving about 3 hours to go to Kennywood, and I couldn't wait! This is the park I most wanted to visit, so I was saving the best for last! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 I love Knoebel's! Did you see the awesome bumper cars? They are Lusse's, and the finest in the land, in my opinion, and that of many others! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 I must have seen them, but I don't quite recall them, but then again, I'm not a huge of bumper cars, I have to really be in the mood What exactly are "Lusse's" and why are the one's here so great? just curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Lusse was perhaps the best manufacturer of bumper cars. They are heavy, metal cars and they go really, really fast...to put it mildly. This is not a ride for the timid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor Posted July 20, 2009 Author Share Posted July 20, 2009 I'll have to try them next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveStroem Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Thanks for the TR. We will be heading there next month, but only for a few hours. Our plan is to hit Lakemont at opening then head to Knoebels till about 5:30-6 and then to Hershey for the preview evening. This will be on a Saturday, so they won't be selling wristbands. We will have to do tickets for everything. My original thought was just hitting the coasters and the haunted house but some of those flats look too good to pass up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor Posted July 21, 2009 Author Share Posted July 21, 2009 You will be doing some serious driving that day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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