Whirlwind was a steel Vekoma coaster that operated at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, from 1993 to 2004. Before arriving in Pennsylvania, the ride had already lived a full life as Whirlwind at Playland Park in Rye, New York, where it thrilled riders from 1984 to 1992. Knoebels purchased the used coaster and, when it opened in 1993, it replaced the park’s own Jet Star ride, giving Whirlwind a second home for over a decade.
What made Whirlwind stand out among Vekoma’s mass-produced corkscrew models was its unusual layout: rather than a standard double corkscrew, it featured two separate, individual corkscrew elements. At the time it operated at Knoebels and Playland, it was the only Vekoma corkscrew coaster in the United States built this way, making it a genuine oddity for coaster enthusiasts who tracked it across its multiple relocations.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Knoebels Amusement Resort
- Manufacturer: Vekoma
- Opened: 1993
- Closed: 2004
- Height: about 64 feet
- Top speed: about 37.3 mph
- Length: about 1,148 feet
- Inversions: 2 (separate corkscrews)
The Ride Experience
Whirlwind’s claim to fame was its pair of standalone corkscrew inversions, spaced apart in the layout rather than combined into the back-to-back double corkscrew Vekoma typically built. Riders climbed a modest 64-foot lift before dropping into a circuit that delivered two distinct inverting moments across roughly 1,148 feet of steel track, reaching about 37 mph along the way. The 28-rider trains kept the ride moving quickly through Knoebels’ lineup of classic attractions.
A Coaster on the Move
Few coasters have traveled as much as this one. It debuted at Playland Park in Rye, New York in 1984, where it replaced that park’s own Jet Star ride, and ran there until 1992. Knoebels then acquired the coaster and opened it as Whirlwind in 1993, where it replaced Knoebels’ own long-running Jet Star and operated for a further eleven seasons. Space constraints at the park led to its removal after the 2004 season — the Flying Turns wooden coaster now occupies that spot — and Whirlwind was subsequently sold and shipped to Parque de Diversiones in San José, Costa Rica, where it reopened in 2005 under the name Bocaraca and continues to operate today.
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Whirlwind FAQs
Is Whirlwind still operating at Knoebels?
No. Whirlwind was removed from Knoebels after the 2004 season due to space constraints and no longer operates at the park; Flying Turns now occupies that spot.
Where did Whirlwind end up after leaving Knoebels?
The coaster was relocated to Parque de Diversiones in San José, Costa Rica, where it reopened in 2005 under the name Bocaraca and still runs today.
What ride did Whirlwind replace at Knoebels?
Whirlwind replaced Knoebels’ own Jet Star ride when it opened in 1993. Coincidentally, Whirlwind had also replaced a different Jet Star ride when it first opened at Playland Park in 1984.
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