ELYSBURG, Pa. — Amusement parks have rides for anyone and everyone. While some people prefer a mild type of fun, others are thrill-seekers, and then there is Andy Hine.
"On this tour, we're going to do 15 parks with a potential 129 different roller coasters," Andy said.
Andy is the Founder of the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain. He started the club in 1988 with the idea of uniting people who like roller coasters.
"I didn't realize that 34 years later, we'd still be together and have 1,300 members," Andy said.
Andy has organized trips all over the world. This one was supposed to happen in 2020, but the pandemic pushed it back until now. Fifty-four of the club's members are in the United States for two weeks. The trip includes a two-day stop at Knoebels Amusement Resort and exclusive rides on Twister and Phoenix. So what does a roller coaster expert look for in a ride?
"For me, it has to be wood because wood is good. I like air time. We're standing right in front of the Phoenix, which has the most air time of any coaster in the world," Andy said.
Speaking of Phoenix, Andy added, "I rode this for the first time in 1988, and it's been my number one coaster ever since."
For someone who has been on more than 2,000 roller coasters, that's a big deal!
"I would fly from England just to have one ride on this ride," Andy said.
Since Andy is the expert, we asked him where we should sit on the Phoenix.
"If you like positive g-force being pressed into your seat, you sit in the front. If you like being lifted out of your seat feeling a little bit of weightlessness, sit in the back. If you want a bit of everything, in the middle," Andy said.
"Here we are, seat 3 of the Phoenix. Seat 3! The best seat in the house. I'm gonna take your word for it. Here we go," Andy said.
Andy likes sitting in row three. He says it gives the best air time. He would know.
"I rode it 28 times yesterday," Andy said.
If there wasn't such a long line, Andy and Nikki would have gone 28 more times!
One thing that Andy and the rest of the group wanted to make clear was that no matter what kind of rides you enjoy, it's important to visit amusement parks.
They are happy to be here supporting both Knoebels and American tourism.