Knoebels » Amusement Park Mom

Pennsylvania Amusement Park 2012 Season Passes now available

Dec 212011

Many of the amusement parks in Pennsylvania offer season passes for their guests. In most cases these passes can be a considerable savings over purchases single day tickets if you visit the park three or more times. Check out each park’s website below for details on their 2012 Season Pass offerings.

Conneaut Lake Park – Season passes are not available to Conneaut Lake Park. Check the park’s website here for ticket information.

Delgrosso’s Amusement Park – Delgrosso’s is a free admission amusement park that offers season passes for rides and the waterpark. Pass holders can bring a buddy for free on Tuesdays. A discount is being offered on the passes but no end date is listed. Visit the park’s website for information here.

Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom – Dorney has a buy now don’t pay until March plan in place for their season passes until 12/31/11. The regular season pass includes admission to all Dorney Park and Wild Water events plus free parking. A platinum pass is available that gives you access to all Cedar Fair parks (with a few exceptions) in the US. Platinum passes do not include seasonal events at some parks. See the Dorney Park website here for details.

Dutch Wonderland – Dutch Wonderland has discount prices prior to 1/1/12. Dutch Wonderland season passes include entry to all Dutch Wonderland events. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012. See website here for complete season pass details.

Hersheypark – Hersheypark has discount pass prices prior to 1/1/12. Hersheypark Season passes include entry to all Hersheypark events and free parking. Dutch Wonderland and Hersheypark combo passes (Gold passes) are still available for 2012. A Discovery Pass upgrade is also available that includes other Hershey attractions. See website here for complete details.

Idlewild – Idlewild & Soakzone has discount pass prices if you buy 4 or more. They also offer a bring-a-buddy free day for season pass holders. See website for details here.

Kennywood – Season passes to Kennywood are available at a discounted price through 12-31-11 and are further discounted if you buy 4 or more. Season passes to Kennywood include regular season events but do NOT include Phantom Fright Nights. They do include buddy discount events. Visit their website here for details.

Knoebels – Knoebels is a free entry park and they do not offer season passes. They do offer discounts on ride tickets and wristbands at certain times. Visit their website here for details.

Lakemont Park – No information is available at this time.

Sesame Place – Sesame Place is offering a discount on their season passes through 12/31/11. They have different types of passes which include free admission or discounts to SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and other parks or just to Sesame Place. The passes include free parking and regular season admission only. Choose carefully from their website here.

Waldameer – Though Waldameer is a free admission park, they do offer season passes to cover the cost of rides. Waldameer is the only park in Pennsylvania to limit the number of season passes it sells, so make sure you get one early if you want one since they sold out last year. Visit the website here for details.

Knoebels Black Diamond is OPEN!!!! Get in line to ride the newest dark roller coaster!!!

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Oct 132011

Come one, come all to Knoebels for Hallo-fun and ride the Black Diamond!!

Yes folks, it is open. Knoebels confirmed on their Facebook page just hours ago that the Black Diamond is open for Hallow-fun. Some lucky folks have already gotten to ride it, but if you haven’t been one of them yet then make the trek to Elysburg on a Friday or Saturday in October to experience the latest in dark ride terror at Knoebels.

The Black Diamond ride is NOT included in your wristband admission price. You must buy a separate ticket (just like for the Haunted Mansion) and it will cost $2.50.

Want to see what the ride looked like during construction? Visit my behind-the-scenes post here.

2011 Golden Ticket Awards results – PA amusement parks make quite a showing!!!

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Sep 232011

Knoebels is a big winner in the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards - Kennywood too!

Since 1998, the industry publication Amusement Today, has been awarding world-wide amusement parks with a coveted Golden Ticket to show they are the best of the best in the industry.

Even with the Disney giants figured in and parks in every other part of the world, our Pennsylvania Amusement parks continue to hold their own in the Top 5 of many of the categories. You can see all the details here.

Here is a list of all the reported wins for Pennsylvania Amusement Parks in the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards – arranged by park:

Knoebels
1st Place – Best Food (They beat Epcot and Busch Gardens Williamsburg, know why? Funnel cakes, potato pancakes and waffle Ice Cream sandwiches – that’s why!)
1st Place – Best Carousel (Still grabbing the ring!)
2nd Place – Best Park (This means little ole’ Knoebels beat out ALL the Disney parks!)
#2 Wood Roller Coaster – Phoenix
3rd Place – Friendliest Park
3rd Place – Best Halloween Event
4th Place – Best Dark ride for the Haunted Mansion (betcha the Black Diamond shows up in 2012!)
Kennywood
1st Place – Best Funhouse/Walk-Through attraction – Noah’s Ark (Classic!)
4th Place – Best Halloween Event (Be scared, be very scared!)
4th Place – Best Carousel (It’s a nice one!)
8th Place (2 way tie) – Best Park (tied with Tokyo DisneySea in case you wonder)
#5 Steel Coaster – Phantom’s Revenge
Idlewild & SoakZone
1st Place – Best Children’s Park (In the world!!! Wow!!!)
Dutch Wonderland
5th Place – Best Children’s Park (PA has 2 in the top 5 in the world, what a great place to have kids!)
Waldameer
#6 Wood Coaster – Ravine Flyer II

So, did you notice a few big parks in PA that were not listed? Yep. Hersheypark and Dorney Park didn’t make the short lists on any reported categories, but they probably were in there someplace – just not at the top.

So why are Knoebels and Kennywood so successful in this contest when Hersheypark and Dorney aren’t? I think it is because they are unique and they have a devoted following.

In Knoebels’ case they are still family owned and they just handle things differently than a corporate run park – free parking, free admission, affordable food and a bring your own food policy, etc. No corporate park would go for that since it leaves too many profits to chance. They keep a stable of classic rides running when others have given up on them. But most of all they take care of their employees and their community and people love them in return. I didn’t see anyone taking up a collection to fix Hersheypark when it flooded this year, but that is exactly what Knoebels fans did for them. That tells you how the people love this park.

And Kennywood, though corporate owned now, had been a family owned park forever before that and is a fixture in the Western PA area. They have classic rides found no place else and an old carnival feel that is rare in an urban setting. Kennywood makes you wish for the good old days – except you don’t need them ’cause they are still right there, but with a healthy dose of the best of the new stuff too. Kennywood’s employees have fond memories of working there unlike some other park’s employees who would rather forget working at the park. Kennywood also has a generations old devoted following like Knoebels and people go to bat for them no matter what.

All in all I think that is the secret. If the park loves the people, the people will love the park and it shows in every way.

Congratulations to all our parks!!!

Updated 9/14/11 with new video: Flood of 2011 Closes both Knoebels and Hersheypark this weekend – Sept 10 and 11th, Dutch Wonderland will be open

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Sep 082011

Water, water everywhere - including AP Mom's backyard shown above

09/14/11 Update

One of our local television stations, WGAL, made a trip to Hersheypark on 9/13 to discuss the damage and the loss of animals at ZOOAMERICA. The zoo has finally admitted that 9 prairie dogs were also lost in the flooding in addition to the two bison. You can watch the video here.

09/09/11 Updates, see below for original post.

Hersheypark:

A video of Hersheypark added to local news Facebook account here. Shows Storm Runner track, monorail track and Trailblazer station exit.
And here is a Facebook video of someone’s TV showing aerial video from Harrisburg and Hershey, including Hersheypark. It gives you a good idea of how much the creek has risen and also shows a nice shot of where Skyrush is to go. They show Harrisburg first, then Hershey. I’m trying to find the original but can’t seem to locate it but this’ll do for now.
Hersheypark has begun to add some photos and info to their Facebook page here.

Knoebels:

New photos from Knoebels today on their Facebook page here. The best bumper cars ever are in need of a little clean up….but there are no better people in the world to get it done than the folks at Knoebels.

Dutch Wonderland

Dutch Wonderland has been updating their Facebook page here and confirms for sure they will be open as of 10am tomorrow, Sept 10th with only one ride not operational and that is the Ferris Windmill. Duke’s Lagoon closed for the season on Labor Day weekend and no one has posted any pictures from that.

Original Post Text:

The Central Pennsylvania area has been hit hard by water over the last several days. Many communities, including my own, have been underwater or will be underwater in the near future. Alas two of PA’s great Amusement Parks have been hit hard by Mother Nature and another missed the major flooding but still shows signs of destruction.

Knoebels in Elysburg PA has a long history of flooding but seeing the pictures on their Facebook page will make anyone who has ever visited there very sad. Debris and mud are everywhere with many rides damaged and roads ruined. The good news is everyone is safe and they are beginning the clean up already. The absolute best place to find information about Knoebels is on their Facebook page here. More than any other PA park, Knoebels has embraced the power of Facebook and uses it to keep its fans up to date. Check it out to see how they are doing.

Hersheypark Entrance - photo credited to Heather Rivera via Facebook and Accuweather.com

Another Central PA park, Hersheypark, has taken a heavy hit as well and will remain closed this weekend. In their typical closed-mouth fashion, Hersheypark has not placed any photos on their Facebook page of the flooding though some locals have put a few things up.

Photos have surfaced of the main gates and various other areas flooded by Spring Creek which runs through the heart of the park. Google search will bring you some more photos and you can see a few photos of Hersheypark in a slideshow here, but be warned it includes the painful image of the drowning bison at nearby ZOOAMERICA that has been plastered across the media everywhere.

Rumors have surfaced that some of the moorings for the newest ride, Skyrush, have been washed away. And a non-rumor is that Dollywood will beat Hersheypark to the winged car coaster finish line in 2012 with their new coaster, Wild Eagle, opening in April 2012 compared to the estimated May 2012 opening for Skyrush at Hersheypark.

Dutch Wonderland, another Central PA park in Lancaster PA, has had some flooding as well but there is information on their Facebook page that they will open at 10am on Saturday the 10th as planned. You can see pictures on their Facebook page here of the creek flooding affecting their newest Tom Sawyer ride (which is in pieces in the photos) and their riverboat ride as well. I’d call before visiting this weekend to make sure they are open.

So, the Flood of 2011 which is now just hitting the capital city of Harrisburg has left two of PA’s top amusement parks under water and closed for the first fall season weekend. But you can still hit Dutch Wonderland and have some amazing fries, a funnel cake and a ride on the monorail.

Happy 85th birthday to Knoebels!!!!

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Jul 042011

The Phoenix at Knoebels

Knoebels as we know it opened its doors 85 years ago today. What a great way to celebrate the birth of our country – with a park that is as American as Apple Pie – or waffle ice cream sandwiches.