Phoenix - Knoebels

Date Ridden: June 18th, 2008. Times Ridden: 18 with 3 in the front seat, 3 in the back and every other seat at least once.

I just returned from a 7 day, 10 park trip that took me from New Jersey, through PA, up to Canada and back across to Ohio. After being launched vertical by Farenheit, taken up over 230 feet on Behemoth, twisted all over Erie by the RF II, and amazed once again by the speed and smoothness of the coaster that started it all for me exactly 2 years ago (Millie at CP), I get home and what do i remember most about my trip?

A 78 foot coaster built in 1948 and moved on 34 trucks to its current site in the 80's.

Yep people, Phoenix is that good.

In fact, Knoebels in general is that good. I will not go into the insane Skooters, the terrifying Flyer (I thought I was going to actually flip upside down), the sick Looper which made me feel like a mouse in a cage rolling around the track, or any of the other amazing things that happened to us in our 7 hours there. Yes, I ate a steak for 9 bucks that I could cut with a plastic knife, bought a sweatshirt for under 20 dollars, and ate a waffle ice cream which was the best 2 bucks I spent the entire trip. No, I will not discuss those things. I will give one of the greatest wooden coasters in history its just dues.

Where do I start? Well, maybe after the first ride where I thought the coaster was great somewhere along the lines of Raven. That would be a great comparison for most woodies as Raven is solidly lodged at a top 10 coaster for me out of my now 276 ridden. However, having ridden only the middle of the train I had underestimated this little ride. I was soon to be amazed.

I will not discuss airtime in this ride. That has been discussed in the reviews listed below. I will say that I counted 13 bits of airtime ranging from nice floater to hardcore ejector riding in the back seat and 12 bits in the front seat. The other cars had anywhere from 10 up to 13 in one of the other front seats (yep somewhere up towards the front....I forget exactly where). This coaster is about airtime, possibly the best you will find on any ride anywhere, but it has other positives as well.

When entering the station on my first ride, I immediately noticed they were only running 1 train. With about 6 people per line, I quickly counted up a 20 minute wait which was not bad but I was hoping for more. In less than half that, I was on the ride and rolling through the opening tunnel.

My fellow enthusiasts, in my humble opinion this is the best run coaster in the freaking world!! A simple buzz bar with no seat belts and intense airtime (sorry, I mentioned the A word)? A station crew that runs you through with record pace? I kid you not, on one ride I timed, the train was moving 12 seconds after the gates opened to let people on. What if you have caps, cameras or prizes? Just throw them across the train onto the concrete and pick them up when the ride ends. No locker nazis are present trying to wring another buck out of you. No bins are necessary. Just throw it down and pick it up later. There is no time for that crap...get on the Phoenix, pull down your buzz bar and ride!!!

In reading over what I have written so far, this definitely does not sound like a polished review written by the secondary literature teacher that I profess to be. It seems choppy, intense, yet very much to the point. That I believe is what Phoenix is. At the Golden Ticket awards this year, sleek El Toro will probably walk in dressed in a a shiny new Pre-fabricated tuxedo, the heavily muscular Voyage will stroll in side by side with his short stumpy buddy Raven, and the new kid Ravine Flyer II will be over at the childrens table. Phoenix will be propped up in a comfortable pair of jeans, a cap on sideways covering his gray hair, and a Knoebels t-shirt purchased at a gift shop for 5 dollars. He will probably even be showing off his scars to the newbies from the "Great Move of '84".

And without a doubt, he will be just as good as he always was.

Overall Score- 10 (Perfect)

Ride Phoenix below......however no video does this ride justice.