1. Playland

    1. Playland

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    Elysburg, PA

    Playland

    4.5 (2 reviews)

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    11 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    Knoebels Amusement Resort - My husband got the golden ring!  That earns you a free ride!  Ralph and I were on the bench so we couldn't reach the rings.

    Knoebels Amusement Resort

    4.3(421 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    We had SO MUCH FUN at Knoebels. Whilst in NEPA, the folks we were visiting here suggested going to…read moreKnoebels. They're regulars since it's within an hour drive for them. I wasn't sure at first but now I'm a fan. This is a pretty old-school park. There is no admission; instead, you buy ticket books at the park and "pay" using tickets. Many of the rides--at least the kid's rides--are $2.50 per ride. And apparently the tickets never expire; the people we visited with have used a decades-old leftover ticket book and it was accepted. It was really easy to use the tickets, which are in the book in $1 and 50-cent denominations. In addition to no entrance fee, they have free parking. I honestly don't know where I've been in a long time that has free parking; I don't even think the county fair in my hometown offers free parking anymore. They have acres of it but we didn't have to park too far away, perhaps because we got there a few minutes before the park opened. They have lots of disabled parking spots and there's also a tram with several tram stops. Inside the park, I saw several baby changing/nursing mothers stations. The rides are lots of fun. I mentioned before that they have kid's rides, but they in fact have an entire kiddie *section*. There are over a dozen rides that are only for kids, and have maximum height limits. We spent our time in this section of the park almost exclusively. The girls loved it, and so did I! It was so much fun to see them having a blast on these rides all by themselves. We spent a good chunk of our day here--we were there for 6 or 7 hours, I think--and still we missed a few. I'm bummed that we missed some but that just gives us something to look forward to next time we visit, which I hope is before my daughter hits the height limit for some of the rides since she's a tall kiddo. I'm not sure how it usually is, but we may have just come at the right time. We were here on a Saturday and our friends were surprised; usually they come on weekdays to avoid crowds, but it was not bad at all. It only took us 5 minutes or so in line to get ticket books. The upside to coming on a weekend, too, was that there were rides operating that aren't always open when they've come during the week. Whatever was happening on this day (which was Juneteenth weekend, so I expected it to be packed!), our kids were able to ride at least 5-6 rides within the first hour at the park and there were only a couple times the entire day where we had to wait in line to enter a ride--and even then, it was waiting in line for one ride to finish and then we got the kids on the next one. The longest line we waited on all day was to get some fries! Speaking of food, although we didn't get much, what we did get was great. We got the aforementioned fries, which they cut and cook right there. My friend's mom always gets ice cream when they visit, specifically the waffle sandwich, which I also got and it was so good I wish that other ice cream places did warm waffles instead of waffle cones. We got some cotton candy, and they had some very delicious frozen iced tea (I added peach flavor which was really good, and it was quite refreshing). There's several stores around where you can pick up souvenirs, too. We stopped at the apparel shop and got some t-shirts and sweatshirts. At the Christmas shop at the North Pole, we wandered around to check out the ornaments and Christmas decor. There was another shop that in all the times our friends have been here they said they didn't remember ever stopping at. They have postcards, so make sure to pick up some postcard stamps somewhere! I had so much fun and can't wait to return to Knoebels. I bought two $50 ticket books and we used exactly one book, so we're already ahead on our next visit. Perhaps the cutest ride in the park is the Pony Carts, which don't have real ponies but the kids ride in what looks like horse drawn carriages as though they're the cart driver. I did enjoy going on the Skloosh, which I went on with my daughter; even though she's only two she's a daredevil and loves a good water ride as long as she doesn't get splashed in the eyes too much. I only wish we'd been able to go on the other water ride! But I didn't actually miss or mind not going on rides; it was a wonderful day just watching the little ones in their joy and excitement.

    I genuinely love visiting Knoebels. It's a beautiful park with so much to do, free admission, great…read morefood and my family has enjoyed coming here for years. Many of the employees have been kind, welcoming, and patient, which is why it disappoints me to have to write this review. Unfortunately, this is the second year I've experienced what I believe was discriminatory treatment toward my Black and Brown family, including my autistic children. This isn't something I'm saying because I was upset in the moment. These experiences were serious enough that I felt obligated to report them to Guest Services. We visited on July 9, 2026. My children are autistic and were wearing Knoebels' accessibility wristbands. We understand how the program works because we've visited before. The wristband allows individuals who cannot tolerate long waits to board through the designated accessible entrance according to the park's accessibility procedures. The first incident occurred at the Satellite ride. There were only two children waiting and virtually no line. My son went to the accessible entrance with his wristband, and the ride operator refused to let him board. I explained that he was autistic and showed his accessibility wristband. The operator acknowledged that he knew what the wristband was for, but still told my son to go wait at the regular entrance while allowing other children to board first. My son became increasingly distressed, repeatedly asking why he couldn't ride. Guest Services later told me that the operator had not followed the accessibility policy correctly and said they would report the incident to a supervisor. The second incident happened at the Looper. Three male ride operators were working that attraction. My son and nephew absolutely love this ride. They are polite, well-behaved boys, but like many autistic children, they ask a lot of questions and become excited about rides they enjoy. The park was not crowded, and there were little to no lines. I watched from a nearby bench as the boys rode several times. As time went on, I noticed the operators becoming visibly irritated whenever the boys returned. Eventually, the operators told them they had to wait 30 minutes before riding again. I understood that this applies when using the accessibility entrance, so I instructed the boys to simply enter through the regular queue instead, which only had a few children waiting. When they walked to the entrance, the situation escalated. One operator, Carl, scolded my nephew for going under a bar instead of walking around it, even though the children immediately ahead of him had done the exact same thing. When I respectfully pointed this out, Carl responded, "Well, I didn't see them, and stop shouting at me." I was not shouting. Another operator, Mark, then began yelling at me, telling me that if I had a problem, I should go to Guest Services. My sister became upset because of the way he was speaking to me. When my husband came over, Mark stated that he "yells at children all day long" and that our children were no different. I found that statement especially concerning given that he knew they were autistic. No employee should be yelling at children, regardless of disability. Supervisors eventually came over, but instead of addressing the employees' behavior, they largely defended it. One operator also insisted the boys had to wait another 30 minutes before riding again, despite the fact that they had unlimited ride wristbands and were now entering through the regular queue, where there was almost no wait. I asked why they hadn't simply told the boys they were welcome to use the regular entrance if they wanted to ride again. There was no response. I want to be clear that not every employee at Knoebels treated us this way. In fact, many staff members throughout the park were wonderful, patient, and kind to my family. However, these interactions left us feeling singled out, dismissed, and treated differently. Whether it was because of our race, our children's disabilities, or a combination of both, it was deeply upsetting. I sincerely hope Knoebels takes these concerns seriously by providing additional training on disability accommodations, respectful communication with families, and ensuring that all guests are treated equally and with dignity. We love this park and want to continue making memories here, but no family should leave feeling the way we did.

    Photos
    Knoebels Amusement Resort - Orangade

    Orangade

    Knoebels Amusement Resort - The motor boats are a nice opportunity to relax and take a trip around the park on their lazy river.

    The motor boats are a nice opportunity to relax and take a trip around the park on their lazy river.

    Knoebels Amusement Resort

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    Twister Rollercoaster

    Twister Rollercoaster

    3.6(10 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Wuh-ho, ladies-n-gentlemen! After riding this coaster I can safely say it is the best twister…read morecoaster I've ever been on! And that's a statment the Rollercoaster Queen doesn't make too lightly. For those of you who are wondering what twisters are, they're a relatively new breed of wooden rollercoasters. Recent technological advances have allowed for higher hills and more sharply banked turns and twists, hence the name (and name of this particular coaster) "Twister." I mean, you know it's gonna be one hell of a thrill ride when the coaster has not one, but two lift hills! This beast is over 3900 feet long, reaches a height of 101 feet, and has a bowl so twisted, you'd think you're looking at spaghetti gone haywire. It was designed completely in house by the folks at Knoebel's and was built by Philadelphia Toboggan Company, who've put their name on many, many famous coasters. So we're gonna take a couple of rides, first in the front for the view and then in the back for the G-forces. Ready? The Twister does a bit of a drop out of the station and then clips along towards the initial lift hill. This lift hill is actually within the rest of the coaster's structure. This one does a rather rapid ascent and for me that's the only negative. Me, I love it when coasters ascend their lift hills slowly. Builds up anticipation, y'know. So the lift chain releases and we drop slightly into a very rapid "S" curve before we hit the second lift hill. The lift chain engages and if we look ahead, we see nothing but sky. But if we look to the sides we get a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. As we crest the hill, we take a look of the foothills. We do a short drop and then into another "S" curve before we take the big drop. Ah, the big drop! We get maybe a nanosecond to take in the view of the twists, turns, and bowls of The Twister! We plunge Earthwards under the bowl before going back up again, then a 180 into a boomerang before we go into the bowl itself. We're on the outer part of the bowl as we do a high-banked curve. We're going almost too fast to see it, but we're now on the inner bowl with even more sharply banked curves. The a twist into a high-banked boomerang, an airtime hill, then we plunge into the short tunnel for another hidden airtime hill. Finally we do another curve as we hit the brake run into the station. So as we get off the ride, I hope you've caught your breath, your heartrate returns to normal, and your innards have caught up with you. 'Cos we're gonna ride again!

    I've been to about 20 amusement parks throughout my life, mostly on the east coast and a little…read morefurther south to King's Dominion and those in FL. Although I'm a bit biased because I grew up just a few towns over from Knoebels, it is still the best park in America hands down for not only the free admission but because they have gems like the Twister that make you want to come back over and over again. The Twister has to easily be on the top 10 wooden coaster list in all of America, if not cracking the top 5. The BEST I've ever been on, even though it is a hybrid coaster, would be El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure. The Phoenix was obviously ranked for many years and for good reason but now Knoebels has TWO of the top coasters in the entire country and can be ridden any day you'd like for only $5 for BOTH! Who offers up that kind of deal anywhere else?? I've posted a few "different" pictures, one of the golden bolt when the coaster was finished in 1999 and the lovely train that goes under the two large lift hills and back into the woods. I don't have enough gumption to pull out my camera going down the lift hills so you get to enjoy those instead. The only complaint about the ride itself is the headaches it can cause from all the jarring, especially if you ride it more than once in a row. One time, I rode 3x in a span of 20 min because the lines were so short on a fall day and that was not smart given how I felt afterwards. The bouncing around happens throughout the ride, beginning in the decent down a small hill out of the station. EVERYTHING else, and I mean everything....is great about the Twister. From the first teaser hill (sorry for ruining it) to the "double helix" twist you engage in while making circles around the queue line. It's so genuine and original, I can't think of another single coaster I've been on that compares to the Twister. It's in a category all on its own and the thrills don't end. Coaster enthusiasts need to head to rural PA for a day to experience this as well as the Phoenix....and I can't stress enough, it'll only cost you $5 and the gas to get there.

    Photos
    Twister Rollercoaster
    Twister Rollercoaster - High drop 2015.

    High drop 2015.

    Twister Rollercoaster - Entrance 2015.

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    Entrance 2015.

    The Phoenix - Golden Ticket Awards Best Wooden Coaster 2018.

    The Phoenix

    4.8(16 reviews)
    0.3 mi

    Holy airtime! If you go, make sure to sit in the back seat…read morefor the best experience of this historic wooden coaster.

    In the 1980s, when the Knoebels family announced they were resurrecting a dead roller coaster from…read moreTexas, a wooden relic called The Rocket, there were skeptics. "Wooden coasters don't rise from the dead," they said. "Once they're gone, they're gone," they said. "Extreme coasters with ever-growing numbers of loops are the future!" But Knoebels, being run by either visionaries or lunatics (or both), instead dug up the corpse, hauled it across the country beam-by-beam, and brought it back to life. They named it The Phoenix, because what else do you call a miracle? And what a resurrection it was. The Phoenix is a wooden coaster as God intended. No over-the-shoulder restraints, no plastic prison to hold you down. Just a single, beautiful buzz bar, a safety system designed under the assumption that riders are either thrill-seekers or daredevils, and that both deserve respect. The bar does not staple you to your seat. It merely suggests that you stay. And so, if you are fortunate enough to ride in the back row, and you should ride in the back row, you will experience what can only be described as flight. The first drop pulls you down like a siren's call, but it is the return trip, the final act of this wooden symphony, where The Phoenix truly earns its legend. The bunny hills do not simply lift you from your seat. They rip you from gravity itself. Your body becomes a loose suggestion, held in place only by momentum and the faint hope that this ancient engineering will continue to defy physics for just a little longer. You will scream. You will laugh. You will ascend. There are flashier roller coasters in the world. Taller ones. Faster ones. Louder ones. But none of them feel like this. The Phoenix doesn't consistently place in the top three (and often win) the Golden Ticket Award for best wooden coaster because of it's speed or height. It is a coaster built entirely of transcendence. So if you ever find yourself in Elysburg, PA, among the trees and the laughter and the smell of frying dough, do yourself a favor: go ride The Phoenix. And for those brief, breathtaking moments when you are no longer touching your seat, remember this: sometimes, dead things do come back. And sometimes, they are better than ever.

    Photos
    The Phoenix - Phoenix as seen from Wipeout

    Phoenix as seen from Wipeout

    The Phoenix - Main hill 2015.

    Main hill 2015.

    The Phoenix - Golden Ticket Awards Best Wooden Coaster 2018.

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    Golden Ticket Awards Best Wooden Coaster 2018.

    Flying Turns

    Flying Turns

    4.4(7 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    There are faster rides at Knoebel's. There are rides that pull your hair back like an unpaid debt…read morecollector and rides that make you taste the corndog you ate three hours ago. Flying Turns is not one of them. It tops out at 24 miles per hour, which is about the speed your uncle drives when he is looking for the turnoff he missed ten minutes ago. And yet, here I am, grinning like a fool every year as I step into its line. As far as I know, this is the only wooden bobsled coaster on Earth. The only one. Each car slides and rattles through a curving trough of planks with no rails to keep it in check. Gravity and momentum have the wheel. You are cargo. You are a marble in a chute, an egg in a spoon race against nothing but yourself. And here's the strange thing: even though it is only 24 miles per hour, because you are sitting so low in the car and there are no tracks beneath you, it feels much faster and far more chaotic than that number suggests. The line does not move quickly. There are three cars per train. Six humans ride at a time. Knoebel's built this ride over seven years and only opened it when it was perfect, so I respect the slowness. Before you even get in line, they weigh you. Before you ride, they weigh you again to arrange the load. No numbers are shown. Someone just nods yes or no like a prophet who has seen the future and decided you may proceed. If you ride with someone else you sit in single file and share a single seatbelt like two sardines who have agreed to a joint adventure. People say get there first thing in the morning. I say no. This week by noon the line snaked all the way past the North Pole shop. Around dinner time I walked on in about 25 minutes. That is my pilgrimage hour. Every year I ride Flying Turns. Every year it is worth it. It is slow. It is rare. It is as joyful as it is improbable. I cannot imagine Knoebel's without it.

    Flying Turns is the only wooden bobsled coaster at least in the United States, if not the world…read more This causes it to hug every little dip and turn, which makes for an exhilarating ride despite the low heights. The only downside is that this has a low capacity, and therefore often has the longest line in the park.

    Photos
    Flying Turns
    Flying Turns
    Flying Turns - Flying Turns roller coaster

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    Flying Turns roller coaster

    Bumper Cars - Line to ride.

    Bumper Cars

    5.0(3 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    The Bumper Cars, also known as the Dodgems or Skooters, are a Knoebels staple. Everyone has a…read moredifferent opinion of what the best ride is at Knoebels. Many will say the Phoenix; others will say the Train, there are countless possible answers. I would argue that this is the parks well known but best dark horse ride. The bumper cars are like many of the older rides at Knoebels: not perfect, edgy, and full of individual personality. Two different styles of cars are in-use (older medal vs newer plastic), with the medal ones being the standard operating cars. These cars are edgy, you might get one that is fast and maneuverable, but the next one is slow and sluggish, it's part of the experience. I've had a car break at the start of the ride, it happens. As for the individual ride, it can vary per the group. Floor is configured as an oval, one way, and no head on's allowed. Many kids have issues controlling the cars as they do not drive yet. Often, the ride has to be briefly stopped due to people being unable to understand directions. Cars can hit very hard and pick up some decent speed, and it can be a physical experience. Overall, worth the price of the ride for the fun experience. The Bumper Cars are one of the best rides in the park without question.

    Come for a great time but try not to stay for the whiplash!…read more Often quoted as "the best bumper cars in America", this statement is fairly legit for those that I have been on throughout the northeast. These are a classic mainstay and part of the unique charm of Knoebels in general. I'll never forget the older gentleman who worked here for years and is glorified in a painting on the wall yelling "NO HEAD-ON COLLISIONS!" I believe he has passed away considering he was probably in his 70's back in the 1990's. RIP Awesome Bumper Car Man Whoever is working here, they are still sassy as hell no matter who it is and you'll hear someone get yelled at no less than three times throughout a ride. But this is for good reason and the heeded warnings are important because you will legit get injured if you decide to take your buddy on at full speed, head-on. Don't think about trying it because your neck will hurt for weeks AND you'll probably get kicked out of the park. The smell of these cars while running, the loud bangs and the sparks flying on the ceiling make it a must see attraction every single visit. These can't be missed and at under $2 per ride, it's probably the best value in the park besides the Grand Carousel. The line is rarely longer than 2-3 cycles of riders and the ride seems fairly long, like close to five minutes.

    Photos
    Bumper Cars - Ride art.

    Ride art.

    Bumper Cars - Well worn ride ID tag.

    Well worn ride ID tag.

    Bumper Cars - Spare cars.

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    Spare cars.

    Playland - amusementparks - Updated July 2026

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