ELYSBURG - With a bright sunny sky and temperatures in the upper 60s, conditions were perfect for people to get out and enjoy the day, and there was no better place for people to do that than Knoebels Amusement Resort, which opened for its 85th season Saturday.
Cars from several different states could be seen in the parking as young and old came onto the grounds to enjoy the rides, entertainment and food that have made the park a perennial favorite throughout the nation, as evidenced by the fact that the National Amusement Park Historical Association voted the Elysburg resort as its Favorite Traditional Park in a recent survey.
How popular was opening day for Knoebels? According to public relations manager Joe Muscato, people started
entering the grounds 90 minutes before the rides began operating.
"Between everyone having cabin fever, the beautiful day and our 2-for-1 hand stamp discount, it was pretty crowded. Our people handled it well," Muscato said.
Even so, Muscato said park officials extended the amount of time for everyone on the hand stamp to accommodate the crowd.
"We want people to come here and have fun, and not worry about something like that," Muscato said.
Sue Kane, of Hatboro, joined one of the many groups visiting Knoebels for the first time this year, as a member of DAFE, the Darkride and Funhouse Enthusiasts. They were there for the first event of the season, "The Diamond in the Rough," in celebration of Knoebels' new ride "The Black Diamond," a dark roller coaster.
"We couldn't ride it yet, so they gave us a tour of the inside, and we got to see some of the tricks they have planned for us," Kane said.
Despite not being able to ride the coaster yet, Kane went on plenty of rides, including the Haunted Mansion, voted by her organization as the favorite traditional dark ride for the 10th year in a row.
"With the weather, we couldn't ask for anything more," she said. "This is my favorite place on earth."
Tucker Thomas, 5, of Walnutport, feels the same way. He came to Knoebels Saturday for his birthday party.
"Tucker loves coming here and riding the rides," said party attendee Katy Jo Shoemaker. "It feels so good to be here, the weather is just beautiful."
With a big crowd coming, employees were busy throughout the park, making everyone feel welcome. It's something that Ruth Cook has seen for the past 40 years she has worked for Knoebels, 27 of them at the funnel cake stand.
"We are having fun here, and it's been a pretty good day so far," Cook said.
These days, Cook mostly supervises in the kitchen, but remembers her days pouring the batter and dusting the fried circles of goodness with powdered sugar.
"If I had a penny for every funnel cake I poured, I'd be rich," she said.
When asked what the key to making a good funnel cake is, she said it's oil and temperature.
"You have to have good oil and keep that temperature at about 400 degrees to fry it, otherwise, the funnel cake won't be as good," she said.
Knoebels will be open every weekend until May 25, when the park begins its daily schedule until Labor Day. After that, it goes back to a weekend schedule until the end of September.