Phoenix is a classic wooden roller coaster at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, prized by enthusiasts as one of the best wooden coasters in the world. Its story didn’t start in Pennsylvania, though. Built in 1947 by designer Herbert Paul Schmeck and Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, it originally operated as The Rocket at Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas, where it was billed as the largest roller coaster in the world at the time.
When Playland Park closed in 1980, the ride sat dormant until Knoebels purchased it in 1984. With no blueprints available, crews numbered and cataloged every individual board before dismantling the structure and shipping it to Pennsylvania, where it reopened on June 15, 1985, under a new name: Phoenix. Nearly four decades later, it remains a beloved centerpiece of Knoebels’ free-admission park.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Knoebels Amusement Resort
- Manufacturer: Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
- Opened: June 15, 1985 (originally built 1947 as The Rocket)
- Height: 78 ft
- Top speed: 45 mph
- Length: about 3,200 ft
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Phoenix follows a double out-and-back, figure-eight layout typical of classic wooden coasters from its era. After a chain-lift climb to 78 feet, riders drop 72 feet and race through a course of airtime hills and tight turns for about two minutes, reaching a top speed of around 45 mph. The ride runs two trains, one yellow and one orange, each seating 24 riders across four cars.
Enthusiasts consistently rank Phoenix among the greatest wooden coasters ever built, praising its relentless airtime and smooth, well-maintained wooden track. Its combination of speed, forceful hills, and vintage PTC train styling has earned it a devoted following that returns to Knoebels year after year specifically to ride it.
A Coaster Reborn
What makes Phoenix’s story remarkable is the relocation itself. When Knoebels bought the shuttered ride from Playland Park in San Antonio, no engineering blueprints existed for the structure. Workers had to number every board by hand during disassembly so the coaster could be reconstructed accurately on the other side of the country, a painstaking process that took roughly a year.
Since 1986, Knoebels has celebrated the ride’s legacy with the annual Phoenix Phall Phun Phest, drawing roller coaster enthusiasts from across the country each October for after-hours rides and memorabilia swaps. The event underscores the coaster’s status as a landmark within the amusement industry.
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Phoenix FAQs
Is Phoenix at Knoebels the original ride from Texas?
Yes. It opened in 1947 as The Rocket at Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas, before being dismantled board-by-board and rebuilt at Knoebels, reopening on June 15, 1985.
How fast does Phoenix go?
Phoenix reaches a top speed of about 45 mph during its roughly two-minute ride.
Does Phoenix have any inversions?
No. Phoenix is a classic wooden coaster with zero inversions, relying on airtime hills and turns rather than loops.
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Photo: Joshua Wilmot / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.