After last Friday’s rainy day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg (BGW), Sam and Greg are approaching some milestone credit counts for their blooming hobby. Sam, at 47, and Greg, at 70, have both said that they’d really like to make their 50th and 75th credits respectively, be on a well-known coaster. No Python Pit type of credit for 50 or 75. No offense, Go-Karts Plus!
With a 3.5 hour drive home back to Baltimore after BGW, we talked quite a bit about some of the parks we would like to visit either during the fall and winter holidays, or even next year. Greg has yet to go to Knoebels, so that’s been a bucket list park for him. During Sam’s lone visit last summer, the only coasters she rode were Twister and Flying Turns. That’s when an idea popped into my head, but one I didn’t mention until I got home to do some research.
My idea: Take both Sam and Greg to Knoebels and have it timed to where the both of them get Phoenix for the 50th and 75th credits for their credit lists. I mean, you can’t get much more significant than landing one of the world’s best wooden coasters for those credits.
There was a problem with my idea, however. Knoebels currently has Flying Turns down for the retrofit that I covered in the article, “Knoebels Grounds Flying Turns.” Still, with Twister, Black Diamond, Kozmo’s Kurves, and Impulse at the park, Greg could ride all of those and save Phoenix to last to make it work. Well, if all the coasters are open, that is.
For most of the season, Impulse has been down. It did open recently, but now Black Diamond has been listed as down. A couple of days ago I sent the park a message through Facebook. I asked if Black Diamond is down for the season or if it might be available for their upcoming Halloween events
“It depends on staffing. We update the rides list each day we’re open between 9 – 10 a.m.” the park replied.
I think Black Diamond would be well-suited to run during October with its dark ride elements. The person responding to the message agreed. Still, I worry that Greg could fall a ride or two short if we just go up to Knoebels for the day. Alas, I had yet another idea!
In October, Knoebels is open 2 – 10 p.m. Close to home, Adventure Park USA (APUSA) opens at 11 a.m. on weekends. Greg still needs two of the credits from that park, so we could be there first thing when the park opens and get him those credits. It would pad his count by two more coasters before we head up to Knoebels for the rest of the day and make getting 75 practically a done deal. As for Sam, she and I attended the park last year, so no new credits will be there for her. Unless two of these coasters are down that day Kozmo’s Kurves, Impulse, and Black Diamond, she should be okay.
So, as it sits right now, that is the plan of attack. We are looking to do these two parks on Saturday, October 10, 2020. If anyone is planning to be at either park. Let me know. We won’t be at APUSA too long, but we plan to stay at Knoebels until close.
