Knott's Berry Farm

[Freak]

Knott’s needs just one more major coaster. And by one more, I’m saying they should add one. I think they need this more than another flat. While I wouldn’t be opposed to adding another one (Preferable an Endeavor), the park has an already pretty solid roster of flats. It should be a realizable, high-capacity B&M. They literally cannot be caught in this situation again where two major coasters are down. At least by having one more it will help with park capacity and if (or WHEN) Xcellerator goes down again or a coaster needs a refurb, they have the new one to help.

Agreed that there is some serious flaws in the park’s ops. Like it was mentioned earlier, Mystery Lodge is down for an undisclosed amount of time, they were actually contemplating just scrapping Monty after announcing a restoration, and they have a hard time giving their employees the hours they need….I don’t understand this? This is supposed to be the most profitable and most attended park in the Cedar Fair chain yet it has these issues? Maybe the cost to run things is higher in California as opposed to the other CF parks in the states?

 

[Wesker69]

I wouldn't say the park has a lot of flat rides, unless you're including the entirety of Camp Snoopy (which also needs an overhaul). The only flats they have outside of Snoopy are 3 in Boardwalk & 5 in Fiesta

Yes, the park could use another coaster, I'd almost want them to scrap Pony Express for something that has better capacity. Besides, it's always going down, of course, that could just be poor maintenance upkeep.

I wonder if Mystery Lodge could be gutted (giftshop included) & be redone into something better... whether it's a "show" type attraction or a haunted house experience.

They need to do a lot more renovations in the park on the level of Fiesta, only done properly. The bathrooms are terrible (Indian trails, rapids, & prop shop being the exceptions).

Did anyone know that you can get a $100 shot at Knott's in Fiesta!? For that price, I better be drunk for a week or more!

Out of curiosity, I dug into the talent wages from their job listings... The Ghost Town Alive talent is getting paid $21 an hour every day, for 3 months, 930-5.. just to run around Ghost Town. The current Fiesta Village talent (Storyteller, puppeteers, singers etc) is also in the $20-22/hr range.

Meanwhile, the scareactors for Scary Farm will only be getting paid $16 to be Monsters for 6 weekends (stilts might be $18, but not sure)

 

[Jake S]

Out of curiosity, I dug into the talent wages from their job listings... The Ghost Town Alive talent is getting paid $21 an hour every day, for 3 months, 930-5.. just to run around Ghost Town. The current Fiesta Village talent (Storyteller, puppeteers, singers etc) is also in the $20-22/hr range.

Meanwhile, the scareactors for Scary Farm will only be getting paid $16 to be Monsters for 6 weekends (stilts might be $18, but not sure)

ghost town alive is very popular, for what it’s worth. and I’d caution against railing against the pay of one underpaid employee in support of another.

 

[Rideguy70]

Excluding kiddie rides, Knott's has way more flat rides than SFMM.

• Knott's has 11: Scrambler, Gliders, Wipeout, Dragon Swing, La Revolucion, Sol Spin, Hat Dance, Wave Swinger, Ferris Wheel, Rapid River Run, Bumper Cars (and that's not even counting Log Ride, Calico Mine Train, Supreme Scream, Sky Cabin, Carousel, and Berry Tales,, which would be 6 more). Apparently you don't count a ferries wheel or bumper cars as a flat ride, which is fine, but not sure what else you'd call them. I suppose Rapid River Run is a gray area, but I've seen many other parks count that same ride for adults, so I included it.
• SFMM has 6: Buccaneer, Swashbuckler, Scrambler, Crazanity, Bumper Cars, and Turbo Spin (not counting JL)

For comparison's sake (using similar standards, excluding kiddie rides, sky towers, dark rides, drop towers, carousels, and water rides--but I did count bumper cars and ferris wheels), I counted Carrowinds at 14, Dollywood has about 7, Six Flags Great Adventure has 12 (which is a park pretty noted for a big flat ride collection--and that 12 includes Cyborg Spin, which is likely gone, bringing the total down to 11), and Six Flags Great Adventure has 12. So I'd say Knott's is doing pretty good in the flat ride department. Sure, more is always welcome, but I don't really detect a massive shortage of flat rides like SFMM has.

Also, the eternal question for Knott's is where the heck do they put a new coaster? Unless you all still believe in that 300ft coaster with the underground tunnel under Beach Blvd is still coming...

And hasn't every area at Knott's been renovated at some point? I suppose Camp Snoopy is the oldest, but I don't really have any major issues with it (aside from maybe it'd be nice if they did something with the cave/bridge area). Honestly, the way the trees have grown in there over the years makes it a lovely area to me. Yeah, the rides are off the shelf, but they're kiddie rides.

I also don't think it's fair to compare GTA actors to Scareactors. Their job is way, way more interactive and detailed. When the day comes that the scareactors are interacting with guests and giving them puzzles and tasks to perform to send them to another performer who will do the same, then we can talk. Plus, I can't tell you how many times I've seen scareactors at Knott's totally absent from stations, or talking about their weekends with each other as guests pass by and they don't even try to scare them.

 

[Wesker69]

 

[Freak]

View attachment 19156

 

[Southerncoasterer]

Excluding kiddie rides, Knott's has way more flat rides than SFMM.

• Knott's has 11: Scrambler, Gliders, Wipeout, Dragon Swing, La Revolucion, Sol Spin, Hat Dance, Wave Swinger, Ferris Wheel, Rapid River Run, Bumper Cars (and that's not even counting Log Ride, Calico Mine Train, Supreme Scream, Sky Cabin, Carousel, and Berry Tales,, which would be 6 more). Apparently you don't count a ferries wheel or bumper cars as a flat ride, which is fine, but not sure what else you'd call them. I suppose Rapid River Run is a gray area, but I've seen many other parks count that same ride for adults, so I included it.
• SFMM has 6: Buccaneer, Swashbuckler, Scrambler, Crazanity, Bumper Cars, and Turbo Spin (not counting JL)

For comparison's sake (using similar standards, excluding kiddie rides, sky towers, dark rides, drop towers, carousels, and water rides--but I did count bumper cars and ferris wheels), I counted Carrowinds at 14, Dollywood has about 7, Six Flags Great Adventure has 12 (which is a park pretty noted for a big flat ride collection--and that 12 includes Cyborg Spin, which is likely gone, bringing the total down to 11), and Six Flags Great Adventure has 12. So I'd say Knott's is doing pretty good in the flat ride department. Sure, more is always welcome, but I don't really detect a massive shortage of flat rides like SFMM has.

Also, the eternal question for Knott's is where the heck do they put a new coaster? Unless you all still believe in that 300ft coaster with the underground tunnel under Beach Blvd is still coming...

And hasn't every area at Knott's been renovated at some point? I suppose Camp Snoopy is the oldest, but I don't really have any major issues with it (aside from maybe it'd be nice if they did something with the cave/bridge area). Honestly, the way the trees have grown in there over the years makes it a lovely area to me. Yeah, the rides are off the shelf, but they're kiddie rides.

I also don't think it's fair to compare GTA actors to Scareactors. Their job is way, way more interactive and detailed. When the day comes that the scareactors are interacting with guests and giving them puzzles and tasks to perform to send them to another performer who will do the same, then we can talk. Plus, I can't tell you how many times I've seen scareactors at Knott's totally absent from stations, or talking about their weekends with each other as guests pass by and they don't even try to scare them.

Wait, you count Supreme Scream but not Drop Of Doom?

Anyway, I only visit Knott's for the food and atmosphere. The park's ride line up has gotten stale and they really need something exciting to draw me back.

 

[Rideguy70]

^I didn't count Supreme Scream. I didn't count drop towers at all, although I suppose I could have, but even if I had, all the flat ride counts would have risen by one, still making the spread the same, as all those parks have a drop tower.

 

[Stryker]

View attachment 19156

Didn’t they make that lot preferred parking for Scary Farm last year? That lot isn’t really that much closer. Portions of the East Lot can be closer. I think the Western Lot is the best when it’s open. Shorter walk and shorter lines through the gates.

This was posted in a FB group a few months ago but I didn’t share it as I wasn’t sure how valid it was. With the recent rumors, maybe it’s worth discussing. Anyone hear anything about this?

 

[deadbydawn]

That new parking update is funny. I don't think it's that much farther just to pay the $30 or whatever it is to park in the Beach lot and walk, or better yet the Crescent lot when it's open! I don't see a world where anyone would pay $20 on top of having the Season Pass parking just to park there. It will be interesting to see how this does.

The odds of being scrapped are super low. There isn’t any other better major ride or coaster they could fit in that spot really. And no matter how much it costs, it’s def cheaper than any other new brand new coaster they could build. So I still think this is will be Knotts next *new* coaster 100% until we get a hyper/giga or expansion into back area and get another family coatser maybe.

Personally I think they should redo Jaguar at some point too, get vekoma, like big bear mountain. On Board audio, and 39inch height requirement. But this ant happening this decade.

Short term Jaguar should get a new or updated train.

I would love to see Knott's add more dark rides. A Peanuts themed dark ride could be incredible - especially if it is more like Universal's Secret Life of Pets and less like the new Bear-y Tales.

I both agree and disagree with Wesker. The park needs a new damn coaster but his critiques are also valid.

Also more park journalists won’t press KBF because they like the perks they’re offered and don’t wanna risk ANY of that for literally asking the park the right questions. They’ll probably kiss the hand that invites them to the press day of whenever Monty eventually opens and say it was worth the wait lol.

It's not just that. I think it's a multi-layered issue. Most of the people that are offered media/press invites either don't understand, know, or care about something like a why a roller coaster is taking this long to become operational again. They have shifted their media focus big time the last couple years to family blogs and TikTok-style marketing and less theme park journalism. The outlets that do care or know about something like the Montezooma dilemma aren't going to get a straight answer from anyone there, thus it doesn't get reported on in any "official" way.

 

[Jake S]

It's not just that. I think it's a multi-layered issue. Most of the people that are offered media/press invites either don't understand, know, or care about something like a why a roller coaster is taking this long to become operational again. They have shifted their media focus big time the last couple years to family blogs and TikTok-style marketing and less theme park journalism. The outlets that do care or know about something like the Montezooma dilemma aren't going to get a straight answer from anyone there, thus it doesn't get reported on in any "official" way.

you're absolutely right that knott's is leaning more toward influencer-type media over the past several years. but the legacy outlets, and even the legacy blogs, could certainly reach out to knott's for comment and then write a story around the park's non-comment. will that move the needle? no idea! but it is a certain amount of pressure media outlets can put on an organization like knott's/cedar fair.

 

[Wesker69]

Incase anyone hasn't heard...



They've extended Soak City operations into haunt season...

 

[DTH]

$20 extra dollars for a parking lot that is maybe 15 steps closer is the most insane thing I've heard, but is so on-brand for Knotts.

Also makes sense to keep Soak City open, summers are going later now. Honestly, if they kept it open half way into October, I wouldn't blame them.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Knotts is removing Timberline Twister and Camp Bus, completely getting rid of both.

 

[Freak]

Knotts is removing Timberline Twister and Camp Bus, completely getting rid of both.

Wow end of an era. Remember loving those rides as a child.

I know it’s unlikely but that opens up some space for a small Peanuts dark ride.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Wow end of an era. Remember loving those rides as a child.

I know it’s unlikely but that opens up some space for a small Peanuts dark ride.

I’ll get an AP of they open a good Peanuts dark ride

Think it would be a really great addition to the park

 

[DTH]

Those are two classics, frankly, as far as kids rides go. Would have been excited to take my kids on those for them to enjoy the same way I did. Without them, I don't know if Camp Snoopy is worth it for a kid, not much else for them to do other than Mine Ride and maybe Log Ride. The replacements are hopefully worth it.

 

[Stryker]

Camp Bus is a pretty standard flat. There's one down the street at Adventure City and other SoCal theme parks. I hope whatever replaces Timberline Twister will not have a height limit so more parents can ride with their kids. I barely fit in it and the lap bar is really uncomfortable making the ride quite jarring.

 

[kingcooger]

My 4 year old loves all the Camp Snoopy rides, the Log Ride, Mine Ride, and Beary Tales.

That being said, she spends a ridiculous amount of time climbing around that one log tunnel thing and those little mushrooms right by the Camp Bus/Timberline Twister/family restrooms. If they are getting rid of those two rides, I would love to see a playground go where they were as footprint wise, it would fit; especially if they absorb the bathrooms.

If they have a grander plan, great, but I recall the old Beary Tales funhouse being somewhere around that area of Knott’s, and wouldn’t mind there being a legitimate playground in the park somewhere.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Well Toontown was partly made because of the success of camp snoopy

So would be funny if now they want to redo part of the camp to compete with Toontown 2.0