Planning Knoebel's/Hersheypark trip in October

Sounds good to me!

I've heard during the day it's easy to get on most stuff? Not ERT, but with no waits, that sounds good. If it's really like that.

The biggest pain with PPP, well more accurately going to the park in the afternoon, is going to be getting into the park. Because they have the Covered Bridge Festival/ Craft Fair going on the same day, traffic is ridiculous in the morning and early afternoon (if not beyond that). Two years ago, I tried to get to the park by 11 or so, and traffic was backed up 2 miles outside of Elysburg. This is about 5 miles outside the park. It took me about 40 minutes from that point to get into a parking space in the lot.

Getting through the craft fair to the rides is another story. The fair itself extends from the edge of the parking lot to a little past the ferris wheel, including the side paths leading up towards Skloosh. It's very tight between the booths and the crowd. It's hard to get through, and you to be careful or else you may be struck in the head or poked in the nads by some knickknack being carried by some craftie.

On the plus side, there are a lot of food vendors there too selling some really good stuff. Many of those are also crowded. Most of the craft show crowd is gone by mid afternoon.

GCG, depending on the crowd in the park itself, there may be some waits for rides. A lot of people will be in Kiddieland, but there may be a lot who want to ride the coasters, flyers, and dodgems too.

Forget the Hersheypark part... I'll have to wait until next year.

What time to get to Knoebel's/PPP?

11:45 AM is registration, but a friend told me I should get there earlier, like 9 or 10 AM. Yikes, I was hoping to sleep in. I know traffic will be backed up no matter what. What do you guys think?

Get there early unless you want to take over an our to go from the park entrance to the parking lot. I would say 9 is good. I tried 11 and isn't get into the park for 90 minutes.

Oh, by all means go early. The covered bridge festival starts at 10, I see, so check it out. We thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't know how artsy/craftsy you guys are, but there's something for everybody and a lot of the stuff leans toward the art side rather than the crafts side. Prices are reasonable, too - we always come home with something. And as mentioned before, the food is good. Fresh pressed apple cider. Yum.
Then the rides open at noon, and like I said before, it's not too busy. Get an all-day with your registration and you can ride to your heart's content before it gets slamming busy for the evening event.
All this discussion makes me want to go.

If it's your only trip to Knoebel's in "a long time" go early. I lived about 3 hours from Knoebel's for a couple years, so I wasn't too desperate to get in every ride possible. I showed up at 3 or 4 routinely and got plenty of stuff done.

^Thanks guys, I'll definitely hit the sack early Friday night to get up nice and early on Saturday. There is so much to do there - just ride and food wise alone - that I want plenty of time to do it. Spent a whole day there last summer, felt rushed and didn't even get to 1/2 the stuff.

I'm going to go back to the park on Sunday as well.

I'm so psyched for PPP this year...bummed because hubby can't go, but psyched for the event anyway! I wasn't planning on coming until the evening, but I would really like to check out the arts/crafts area, and perhaps I WILL be able to eat the junk food because I'll do Zumba beforehand. Hehehe...

If I go, I'll be there during the day on the combo. I'm trying to reconcile my desire to beat SOME of the traffic and get a space in the same county with the fact I don't want to be standing around for nearly two hours with no interest in the crafts thing.

If I'm there, look for the fat, bald guy in black or blue jeans and Walking Dead t-shirt. And say hello, bunky...I owe you that slice.

For anyone interested in the Craft Fair part of it, I found a downloadable map and vendor list on the Columbia-Montour Visitors' Bureau website.

http://www.itourcolumbiamontour.com/events/covered-bridge-festival/

Psyched to hear that rides will be open Thursday and Friday as well (12-6, I think) for those of us who can't make the weekend festivities.

^That's a whole-lotta-stuff! When I was there last August, I'm pretty sure there was a bunch of craft stuff going on.

I would much rather sleep in and get to the park around 2 or 3, but I'm thinking it's gonna be good to get there nice and early - before 10am, and get a nice sit down brunch - and hopefully park close to the front!

According to the site, the Food Court serves breakfast. Doe anyone know if, A, it's open on Saturday, and B, if it opens before the park proper?

Yes, and yes. It's always a tradition to eat there, for me and a lot of others.

GCG, even if you aren't able to park close to the front, you can always take some time around 5:00 or so to run out to the lot and move your car closer. Most of the craft crowd is gone by then, and there's plenty of spaces in the front. You will be glad you did around 10:15 that night.

Around 5, you won't be missing much in the way of rides. The coasters shut down between 5 and 6 so they can add the second trains. Cesari's and the Haunted Mansion will have the longest lines at that time.

Yes - the 5pm car trip is never-miss! Opportunity for picking up some warmer clothes, retrieving and/or eliminating some electronics, and getting ready for the PPPPhestivities!

The weather outlook ths year is phairly phrigid - maybe two extra layers!

Raven-Phile said:

Yes, and yes. It's always a tradition to eat there, for me and a lot of others.

Thanks, Josh. I may plan on getting something there before the park "officially" opens. I'll have something very light here., then take off. It's a 3.5 hour-or-so ride, so I'll surely be hungry by the time I get there.

The park special runs about $4.50 and I think it includes coffee. It's by no means a gourmet meal, but it's something you'd expect to make for yourself of a relaxing Saturday morning.

I don't drink coffee, but other than that, I'm there.

I've only been to the park twice and got lost both times. But that's a good thing - I like the layout. I will have no clue where to go once I get there. Maybe I should go to the park Friday night to get an idea of where the food places are - how late are the gates open?

Mike Gallagher said:

I don't drink coffee...

Inconceivable!