You know, it is fitting that Knoebels has went the way of the "Wood Only" club when it comes to their major coasters. Knoebels itself sits nestled into a valley amongst the many trees of the east-central Pennsylvania mountains. As you traverse the park, one thing you see plenty of are more trees, and many areas seem almost forest like with trees all around. Therefore, what better way to complement that setting than with 2 premier examples of wooden coaster design – the mighty powerhouse Phoenix, and this twisted beauty, Twister. Truthfully, I’m almost thrilled that we went to Knoebels in the post-Whirlwind days, as from what I’ve seen and heard that coaster just didn’t quite fit right with the beauty and ambiance that defines Knoebels. If they ever do go steel with a coaster installation again, I say keep with the classic feel and bring in a Schwarzkopf. Until then, just keep with the current philosophy that "wooder is better". Wooden coasters are just what Knoebels does best, and that truth is reiterated by the outstanding wooden addition from 1999, Twister.
In actuality, a trip to Knoebels is so much like a trip back in time, back to days when wooden coasters were the only game in town. There were no behemoth steel giants, no massive tangles of twisting steel track, no launches of varying type and intensity. The tools of the trade were simpler, and if you had a roller coaster, it had lumber and nails/screws. That’s where Knoebels shows off its charm, as the wooden greatness of yesteryear is brought back to the forefront in this park of nostalgia and sheer happiness. Entering Knoebels, Phoenix hides itself in the back of the park, and the only coaster you can really see right away is Twister. The structure of the ride is truly magnificent, especially after you walk across the little bridge and first get a good look at the coaster up close. The twisting, intertwining layout darts in, out, and around itself many times and leaves any true coaster fan in awe of its appearance. Once you wipe away the drool from watching the coaster fly through its paces, you enter the queue under the twisting signage of the ride. The waits here are rather minimal, as the Knoebels crew is truly top-notch and keeps lines moving very quickly. I never had a wait longer than 15 minutes for any of my 5 terrific rides.
A ride on Twister can be summarized as a wild and frolicking journey through mounds of slick timber. One of the more unique elements in the ride, to me anyway, was the split lift hill, which you hit right out of the gate. After the initial lift climb, the train drops slightly, hits a quick curve, and then it’s back onto another lift hill! I thought this was just really neat, and after this second longer climb, the train turns and hits the first and biggest plummet. This drop is really good, at nearly 90 feet, and there is a great pop of airtime near the back of the train. Cresting the next hill and turn, there is a gigantic moment of airtime, almost Phoenix-like, near the front of the train. Although, airtime wise, Twister just doesn’t quite deliver as opposed to the coaster down the midway from it, but that’s really not what this coaster was intended to do. This is all about what the name indicates, twisting! I tend to prefer airtime myself, but Twister still delivered a dynamite ride for me, and it was much more enjoyable than other twister-type coasters I had ridden, which tended to border on the rough side. That’s what is so amazing about Twister – it is incredibly smooth considering the wide variety of elements it goes through, with the track banking, turning, and coiling all around this structure. The elements hit rather quickly, so I cannot remember every detail, but after that first turn, the train hits another great drop with a good chopper through support boards. There’s nothing quite like flying through a wooden coaster with its own lumber whizzing right by you! Another huge highlight of the ride is the massive doubl
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