Flying Turns Update

Thanks to Screamscape.com I found a batch of fantastic new construction photos at Johnnyupsidedown.com. They were shot yesterday (8/29/06). Big files too, for us detail freaks! They've started to drill holes for the lift hill footers. The Flying Turns, amongst all those big green trees, looks great after a fresh rain.

Hey Kim Pedersen! We haven't met, but I remember reading about your backyard coaster in Fremont. I lived in Milpitas at the time and always wanted to know where I would be able to catch a glimpse. Not that I'm a stalker or anything. ;)

So will there be a flying turns going up in someone's backyard in the future? ;)

*** Edited 8/30/2006 8:30:09 PM UTC by janfrederick***

Howdy. Sorry you never got a chance to ride the Termite. Yep, I've toyed around with the idea of a personal Flying Turns for years. It's just one of too many plans buzzing around in my head. Have you seen this?
http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/Niles.html

^ I've been checking out your monorail stuff....I'm esp. fond of the GL and Miami Metrozoo ones, quite unique, LOL. Awesome monorail pages/information! :)

Did NOT recognize you as the same Kim Pedersen of "Termite" fame...thanks to janfrederick I do now... ;)

edit: Turns looks pretty awesome....I imagine it'll remain a "one-of-a-kind" item for a few years...at least until the Lost Technology is re-rediscovered... ;)

*** Edited 8/30/2006 8:25:09 PM UTC by rollergator***

Absolutely. I think I happened upon the monorail society site when trying to find out more about the Las Vegas project. I ended up killing that day's productivity by looking at all the cool pictures from Japan.

Mr. Fetterman, here's a posibility for the next home grown project. ;)

PS...sorry about the type-0! ;)

Ooops. I should have read the previous page first!

*** Edited 8/30/2006 9:13:22 PM UTC by janfrederick***

ok i have a ? ... my one friend and some ppl weather it be a rumor or w/e have been saying that hershey park has bought knoebels. is this true??

as far as i know knoebels is owned and opp. by knoebel family!

Why do these stupid rumors keep circulating? I know that Dick and the rest of the Knoebel family would rather douse the park with gasoline and strike a match than to sell out. I heard from a co-worker yesterday that they were purchased by Six Flags, and yet another Disney.

This park will be auctioned off piece by piece before Hershey, Cedar Fair, Disney, or Six Flags will ever own it. Thank you, and this has been my rant of the day! LOL

ok thanks for that phoenixphan:-)

i kinda fig it was a rumor and was not true cuz why would knoebels see such a nice park that is so sucussful? and even if knoebels did i am sure they would of let us know. i just wanted to make sure though

thanks again.

They couldn't possibly sell the park to Hershey because Cedar Fair bought it years ago!

Best rumor that seems to re-surface every year around June is that they started charging admission. Now either they fenced that whole park in really quickly or hired a whole bunch of people to stand at every possible place a person could walk, drive, or float into the park.

hmm just thought of something now that summer is over and they don't have the flying turns done (only 1/2 way) and with fall begining and it getting darker earlyer (like 4-4:15 pm) will the constuction ppl loose time on constuction because it will be dark or will they work in the dark? just a random thought.

**its not getting dark too early yet but i have noticed its dark by 8pm instead of 9pm now** and it will keep falling til we set clocks back in oct. *** Edited 8/30/2006 10:13:57 PM UTC by Seth***

What if Kennywood bought Knoebel's? What would you think of that?

If Kennywood bought Knoebel's, hmm... They are both top parks in my book, but I rather Knoebels be in the family. That IMO is one of the things that makes the place so remarkable. If you haven't already, you need to get the 75th Anniversary book, the story of the park, and the people is amazing! (I am in no way biased tword my home park, really!)

On a side note, I am actually off work for once, and will be attending my frist PPP this October! Just wondering who I might get to see out there, am looking forward to a great night out at the park. *** Edited 8/30/2006 10:41:50 PM UTC by phoenixphan :-)***

The real question is: "Who WON'T be at PPP"?

Oh, wait, this isn't the "How to spot an enthusiast" thread... ;)

I want to go this year as I have never been before, I guess we'll see.

I'll be on the phlyers all weekend. :)

Some thoughts on the lift: note this Riverview Park postcard with the Bobsled...

http://i3.ebayimg.com/02/i/00/f0/09/0b_1.JPG

From this and some other stuff I've seen, I'd hazard a guess that there are still about 2-3 bents to go until they reach the peak of the lift. It looks like the peak parallels roughly the middle of the figure 12. That said, I think when those bents go in we'll be able to see them on webcam 1 from the side. Too much info and speculation? Sorry if so!

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phoenixphan :-) said:
Why do these stupid rumors keep circulating? I know that Dick and the rest of the Knoebel family would rather douse the park with gasoline and strike a match than to sell out. I heard from a co-worker yesterday that they were purchased by Six Flags, and yet another Disney.

This park will be auctioned off piece by piece before Hershey, Cedar Fair, Disney, or Six Flags will ever own it. Thank you, and this has been my rant of the day! LOL

---

I'm not so sure about that. As much as I hate all the "this is a business" talk that sometimes appears around here, Knoebels is in business to make money and if something happened where the Knoebel family needed to sell the park in order to survive, I'm sure they'd sell it. That's not to say the Knoebels family (and the park's staff) isn't incredible dedicated to keeping a nice park alive (they clearly are) but this is one of this instances where I have to say, "never say never".

But let's look at all these rumors. Why would Hershey buy the park? I remember rumors circulating that Hershey was going to buy Williams Grove. Not going to happen. They purchased Dutch Wonderland but I'm sure what was a unique set of circumstances leading up to the sale. Let's not forget that Hershey once owned Lake Compounce for a few years but sold it- they're obviously not looking to grow into a huge park operator. Six Flags? They're selling parks and I doubt they're going to buy any. Besides, why Knoebels? I don't think the Elysburg market is big enough for a park to grow they'd want it to grow. And Disney? I think Disney has been rumored to buy every park in the world at some point, everything from Cedar Point to Bushkill!

Hey kids, check out the webcams today!!

http://www.flyingturnsproject.com/FT_Webcam.html

Don't you ever think buyers aren't interested in Knoebels park.

HW was offered what would set their family up for life for their park.

After Dick and family have passed, Those buyers will still be there. I just hope children and grandchildren aren't greedy enough to take the easy out. A Hotel, Ski slope and Lake and Knoebels would be a year round resort

At least for the near term, we can be reasonably sure they won't close the park to put in condos or high-end retail shoppes (with an 'e' of course).

Yuengling's have kept it in the family for 175+ years. Knoebels is a mere youngun compared to that.