Phoenix (roller coaster)

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title: "Phoenix (roller coaster)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["roller-coasters-opened-in-1985", "1985-establishments-in-pennsylvania", "knoebels-amusement-resort"] description: "Wooden roller coaster in Elysburg, Pennsylvania" topic_path: "general/roller-coasters-opened-in-1985" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(roller_coaster)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Wooden roller coaster in Elysburg, Pennsylvania ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox roller coaster"]

Field	Value
name	Phoenix
image	Knoebels Phoenix.JPG
caption	Lift hill of Phoenix
previousnames	The Rocket (1947–1980)
location	Knoebels Amusement Resort
section
type	Wood
type2
status	Operating
opened
year	1985
manufacturer	Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
designer	Herbert Paul Schmeck, 1947
track	Double Out and Back, Figure 8
lift	Chain lift hill
height_ft	78
drop_ft	72
length_ft	3200
speed_mph	45
inversions	0
duration	2:00
angle
capacity	720
cost	$1,500,000
restriction_in	42
trains	2
carspertrain	4
rowspercar	3
ridersperrow	2
video	Phoenix Knoebels PTC Wooden Roller Coaster POVs.webm
rcdb_number	143
coordinates
::

|name= Phoenix |image=Knoebels Phoenix.JPG |caption=Lift hill of Phoenix |previousnames=The Rocket (1947–1980) |location= Knoebels Amusement Resort |section=
|type= Wood
|type2=
|status= Operating |opened= |year= 1985 |manufacturer= Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
|designer= Herbert Paul Schmeck, 1947 |model= |track= Double Out and Back, Figure 8 |lift= Chain lift hill |height_ft= 78
|drop_ft= 72
|length_ft= 3200
|speed_mph= 45
|inversions= 0 |duration= 2:00 |angle=
|capacity= 720 |cost= $1,500,000 |acceleration= |gforce= |restriction_in= 42
|trains= 2
|carspertrain= 4
|rowspercar= 3
|ridersperrow= 2
|video= Phoenix Knoebels PTC Wooden Roller Coaster POVs.webm |rcdb_number= 143
|coordinates= Phoenix is a wooden roller coaster located at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. It was moved to its current location in central Pennsylvania in 1985. Prior to its purchase and relocation to Knoebels, it operated under the name The Rocket at Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas.

History

Phoenix was designed and built by Herbert Paul Schmeck and Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC). It operated as "The Rocket" at Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas from 1947 until the park's closure in 1980. At its opening, The Rocket was hailed as "the largest roller coaster in the world", with 3,200 feet of track and a 78-foot lift hill. Knoebels purchased the ride in 1984 and dismantled it starting in January 1985. As there were no blueprints to work with, each individual board was numbered and cataloged on site.

Ride experience

The ride features two PTC trains, one yellow and one orange, each capable of accommodating 24 passengers. The trains feature buzz bars as a form of restraint, and do not feature seatbelts. After being dispatched, the train takes a sharp right turn as it exits the station and enters a dark tunnel. Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, the train ascends the 78-foot lift hill. After reaching the top of the lift hill, the train drops down a 72-foot initial descent before entering the first turnaround.

Following a leftward turn, the train descends to ground level and traverses two smaller airtime hills before ascending into the second turnaround. Now running parallel to the lift hill, the train descends another drop, and hits a double-up, followed immediately afterwards by a double-down. The train then rises up into a final turnaround, wrapping around the outer side of the initial turnaround's structure. Subsequently, the train traverses a series of four consecutive bunny airtime hills before hitting the brake run, making a right hand turn to return to the station.

Awards and rankings

Phoenix has consistently ranked among the top 10 wooden roller coasters in various polls such as the annual Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today, and has won the Golden Ticket Award itself in the Best Wooden Coaster category each year from 2018 onwards. It was also awarded the Coaster Landmark designation by American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE).

| type = wood | accessdate = September 20, 2021 | 1998 = 10 | 1999 = 6 | 2000 = 5 | 2001 = 4 | 2002 = 5 | 2003 = 4 | 2004 = 4 | 2005 = 4 | 2006 = 5 | 2007 = 3 | 2008 = 3 | 2009 = 4 | 2010 = 3 | 2011 = 2 | 2012 = 3 | 2013 = 3 | 2014 = 4 | 2015 = 3 | 2016 = 2 | 2017 = 2 | 2018 = 1 | 2019 = 1 | 2021 = 1 | 2022 = 1 | 2023 = 1 | 2024 = 1 |2025=1}}

::data[format=table]

NAPHA Members Survey: Favorite Wood Roller Coaster	Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	Ranking
::

Modern usage

Since 1986, Knoebels has held the "Phoenix Phall Phun Phest", a yearly October event for roller coaster enthusiasts. In 2001, over 1,500 roller coaster and amusement park fans converged on Knoebels, many in costume, to participate in a memorabilia swap meet and ride the rides after the park closed to the general public. The event was voted the third best Halloween event in 2008 and 2009 in an Amusement Today survey.

References

References

1. "This central Pa. legend 'could easily be considered the perfect coaster'".
2. "Phoenix".
3. "2024 GTA Winners".
4. "ACE Coaster Landmark Awards".
5. "NAPHA Members Survey". National Amusement Park Historical Association.
6. Baldwin, Tim. (September 2009). "Southern California hosts AT's 2009 Golden Ticket Awards". Amusement Today.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::