Knoebels again lands best wooden coaster award in amusement park survey - pennlive.com

The Phoenix roller coaster at Knoebels Amusement Resort (photo via Knoebels Amusement Resort).Knoebels Amusement Resort

One of Pennsylvania’s own amusement park rides has been named the best wooden roller coaster for a sixth year running, Knoebels Amusement Resort has announced.

The Phoenix, located at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Northumberland County, was voted the best wooden coaster for the sixth consecutive year in the annual Golden Ticket Awards survey by trade publication Amusement Today.

“We are honored Phoenix has received this distinction for a sixth consecutive year,” Dick Knoebel, the president of Knoebels, said in a news release.

“It is no small feat to maintain wooden roller coasters the way our team does. Seeing guests’ excitement as they exit the ride — some of whom will hop right back in line to ride again — is what keeps us motivated to continue this meticulous care,” Knoebel continued.

The Phoenix was originally built as The Rocket in San Antonio, Texas in 1947, according to Knoebels’ website. The coaster was later moved and rebuilt at Knoebels in 1985. During the last off-season, Knoebels replaced 800 feet — or 7,800 total board feet — of The Phoenix’s track, according to the resort.

The Golden Ticket Awards are determined through voting by a select group of hard-core amusement park enthusiasts, according to Amusement Today.

Lancaster County’s Dutch Wonderland was also awarded Best Family Park for the fifth year in a row in recognition of its kid-friendly rides, according to Amusement Today. Knoebels was also ranked No. 1 in the listings for Best Food, something it has done now 21 times in 24 years, and was a finalist in the following categories:

In addition to first-place awards, Knoebels was a finalist in these other categories:

In addition to The Phoenix, four other Pennsylvania rides landed in the Amusement Today’s list of top 25 wooden roller coasters: the Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer Park and Water World in Erie County, the Thunderbolt and Jack Rabbit coasters at Kennywood in Allegheny County, and the Lightning Racer at Hersheypark in Dauphin County. Kennywood’s Phantom’s Revenge also landed in the top 25 steel roller coasters.

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