"Oh Yeah!"

[spatch]

Central Pennsylvania's getting some serious-ass flooding and Knoebels Amusement Park, situated alongside a crick in a wooded valley, has got itself "a bit of water" too, with pictures to boot.

The park's used to periodic flooding, after getting hit in 1996 and 1972, which is evident in the oddly-cheerful report on their site. "Oh Yeah! We've got a bit of water right here at Knoebels!"

The Knoebel family is nothing if not resilient and optimistic, though. While the park's "closed indefinitely" at this point, Dick Knoebel has already said he's looking to get as much open as he can for this weekend (the all-important Fourth weekend!)

Knoebels has always been known to take their misfortunes and turn them into something good. After the 1972 flood, the floor of the park's roller skating rink was too warped and buckled to restore, so the park took the building, bought some dark ride stunts from other parks, and built their Haunted Mansion ride. The Haunted Mansion is excellent. Currently the park's major project is a new build of an old design: The Flying Turns bobsled ride. I wonder how the flood will affect the construction plans.

I love Knoebels, and as I can't see actually getting out there any time soon, I miss the park and its amazing charm. But I hope they get all the stuff out of the muck and water real quick. Sounds like they know they can.

Comments

[asd109.livejournal.com]

We were just there last summer.

[scout1222.livejournal.com]

A bit of water indeed.

[spatch]

A Pennsylvanian's capacity for understatement is rivaled only by a Midwesterner's.

[lindito.livejournal.com]

heh. don't forget sarcasm. :)

it's that calvinist culture, smacking you in the face for all to see.

meanwhile, the virginia suburbs of dc are like "i'm hoping we don't have to go to work for a while"

[lindito.livejournal.com]

thank you for reminding about one of the few decent things about central pennsylvania -- the mom-n-pop amusement parks every ten feet.

for some strange reason, the dutch wonderland theme song is playing in my head. i liked dutch wonderland better than hersheypark, which was within view of EVERY south-facing window of my high school.

knoebel's i've only been to like once or twice, though.

have you ever been to williams grove, near grantham?

[spatch]

I went to Dutch Wonderland once when I was about 6 or 7 years old. Don't remember much except that it was pretty low-key. They had a wax museum next door I remember a bit more vividly, because my little brother threw his stuffed animal into one of the bigger displays (probably some Gettysburg thing) and my grandpa had to climb over the barrier to get it back.

I've been to Williams Grove exactly one time, and I went on a Monday, and they're closed on Mondays. I was sad, because I wanted to ride the Cyclone (a true backyard coaster in every sense of the word.) Sadly, now the park probably won't reopen again, and I won't get the chance.

[(Anonymous)]

Wow, I live in the Back Bay, was reading Universal Hub, found your post on Metro, and now you're writing about Knoebels. I went to church with some of the Knoebel family when I lived in Bloomsburg ... small world.

Really miss the ice-cream waffles. So yummy.

- riggs