Knott's Berry Farm

[Freak]

Screamscape has given an update on Monty…and it doesn’t sound good.

Screamscape has heard some disappointing rumors as of late regarding the status of Montezooma’s Revenge. Unfortunately the severity of these rumors go from bad to worse. On the lighter side, shortly after the confirmation from the park that the updated Montezooma’s Revenge would not be ready this summer, I had begun hearing that it probably wouldn’t be ready to reopen now until 2024. This did match up with the overall lack of any progress or new construction on the site and made sense. It also matched up with why Knott’s was suddenly talking to the press about their efforts to reopen Xcelerator next instead.
As for the “worse” news… things get oh-so-much worse…
NOW… don’t panic and keep in mind that this was just a single rumor sent my way, but the source claims that major issues have come up with the companies contracted to provide the new track and trains, and they may be unable to provide what they were contracted to do without a significant increase in funds above and beyond what was already agreed upon in the contracts. (Again...this is rumor only... nothing confirmed!)
Currently Montezooma is in pieces, with the trains and large sections of track and the flywheel launch system removed a long time ago to make way for the new parts. According to the story, this has put Knott’s in a bit of a hard spot… unable to restore the ride back to the way it was, and currently unable or unwilling to move forward with the original chosen partners in order to finish the job as intended.
You can see where I’m going with this… and it isn’t good. I’m hoping this rumor is wrong… or if true, that perhaps Cedar Fair could instead reach out to someone else instead to possibly finish the job. Cedar Fair and Knott’s management should be very aware of just how beloved and important Montezooma’s Revenge is to the Knott’s Berry Farm fans as well as the roller coaster enthusiast community out there. Any truth to the bad business dealings aside, I can only hope that they would make the right decision and take whatever steps are necessary to save Monty.
This would start with a call to Gerstlauer, as they are really the only company out there who have successfully completed a similar upgrade project on another Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop. Walibi Belgium worked with them to update their Psyke’ Underground coaster in 2013, replacing the train as well as updating that ride’s launch system with a modern magnetic launch and braking system. A year before, in 20112, Gerstlauer also provided Hersheypark with new trains for their Schwarzkopf made Soperdooperlooper coaster. Simply put, many enthusiasts who are aware of these facts have been wondering why Gerstaluer was not chosen for the Montezooma project in the first place, as the park had just worked with them to open HangTime for the 2018 season.

Even if they are in this hard spot they need to go through with finishing the job. I mainly renewed my pass in hopes to be able to ride Monty again. I get that stuff happens, but they better work on reopening it. This should’ve been a fairly straightforward project. It’s not a big coaster at all.

 

[Tobias]

Yeah, if the rumors are true, I honestly feel the only reason Knott's/Cedar Fair went with KumbaK was because it was a lowest bidder situation. I know that sort of thing happens in theme parks a lot, but this is the kind of project where you should lean towards companies who've had legit experience with this sort of project. Gerstlauer has it, and that's who they should be hitting up to salvage this.

 

[Freak]

Yeah, if the rumors are true, I honestly feel the only reason Knott's/Cedar Fair went with KumbaK was because it was a lowest bidder situation. I know that sort of thing happens in theme parks a lot, but this is the kind of project where you should lean towards companies who've had legit experience with this sort of project. Gerstlauer has it, and that's who they should be hitting up to salvage this.

Im baffled as to why they didn’t go with Getstlauer in the first place. I fear the same fate will happen with Dragster.

 

[Tobias]

Im baffled as to why they didn’t go with Getstlauer in the first place. I fear the same fate will happen with Dragster.

That's why lowest bid makes sense, quality and experience can get pushed aside when what at park is looking at is the lowest price.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Going to pull the nuclear option:

what if Montezuma doesn't reopen at all. And it goes off as a wasted chance to rejuvenate it.

 

[Jake S]

what if Montezuma doesn't reopen at all. And it goes off as a wasted chance to rejuvenate it.

it's hard to make a truly educated guess without knowing all the financial implications, but it wouldn't surprise me if this attraction gets completely scrapped.

 

[JaySalahi]

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.

 

[chris.g]

Knott's is in the gutter. I could totally see them ridding themselves of this and not doing anything about it and being completely okay with it.

 

[Freak]

Knott's is in the gutter. I could totally see them ridding themselves of this and not doing anything about it and being completely okay with it.

If this is what they intend on doing, they can only get away with this for so long. It’s one thing to just close a ride, it’s quite another to promise the ride reopening for two years only to drop it.

 

[Jake S]

If this is what they intend on doing, they can only get away with this for so long. It’s one thing to just close a ride, it’s quite another to promise the ride reopening for two years only to drop it.

as long as they remain a cheaper alternative to Disneyland and a higher quality alternative to six flags … they can likely get away with this sort of a thing for a good long while.

 

[Freak]

as long as they remain a cheaper alternative to Disneyland and a higher quality alternative to six flags … they can likely get away with this sort of a thing for a good long while.

We’ll see. Word spreads like wildfire online and if this rumor gains enough traction, I would (at least like to) believe that the pushback would be too hard to ignore. People are going to ask questions about Monty.

 

[Rideguy70]

People have been asking questions about Mystery Lodge for even longer, and there's still radio silence on that front, too.

Granted, it's not as much of a featured attraction as Monty was, but still, a park with very limited space letting that languish for so long... there's definitely a precedent here

 

[Wesker69]

I would've gotten pics of the Montezooma area, but it wasn't worth the effort..

Anyway, Chris is correct about Knott's being in the gutter, in more ways than one. And this isn't like "oh the employee at Dippin Dots said" because that'd require Dippin Dots to be open (only the one by Supreme Scream is open). Knowing several people who work at the park, they've been hiring people like crazy, but reducing the hours of existing staff. Most things aren't open or only on weekends as far as food/beverages. It's park wide hour cuts. Shifts are being removed, full time employees only getting 2 days on the schedule. It's bad.

As far as Montezooma goes, all I've heard is 2024, but nothing more than that. Knott’s is cheap, just look how long it took for Fiesta to be "done".

There's rumblings of Exxcelerator reopening by the end of this month, but I wouldn't hold my breath. They haven't replaced the parts. Also, they haven't even started training ride-ops to operate it. So August is most likely the best prediction. ........however, I did catch wind of November reopening instead (*grain of salt)

I've also heard that Knott’s will start selling their 2024 season passes... "soon". Probably the typical "buy a pass, get the rest of 2023" gimmick.

 

[Rideguy70]

I sort of believe all this stuff about Knott's cutting back stuff and being cheap (strangely, Knott's and SFMM seem to be going down the same path operationally), but at the same time, it seems at odds with the fact the park is mobbed all the time now.

Even if they're all APs, there's still got to be money coming in, even if it's just from the food events, which APs need to pay for, are expensive, and still manage to be mobbed as well. And wasn't it at least once true that Knott's made Cedar Fair even more money that Cedar Point, owing to the fact it's open year round? How can a park with such relative high attendence be struggling so much in operations?

 

[Freak]

I sort of believe all this stuff about Knott's cutting back stuff and being cheap (strangely, Knott's and SFMM seem to be going down the same path operationally), but at the same time, it seems at odds with the fact the park is mobbed all the time now.

Even if they're all APs, there's still got to be money coming in, even if it's just from the food events, which APs need to pay for, are expensive, and still manage to be mobbed as well. And wasn't it at least once true that Knott's made Cedar Fair even more money that Cedar Point, owing to the fact it's open year round? How can a park with such relative high attendence be struggling so much in operations?

Exactly. Stuff isn’t adding up here.

Also, Screamscape has posted an encouraging update regarding Monty:

In a small update regarding the fate of Montezooma’s Revenge, I’m now hearing that while the project may have been in danger at one point, action has been taken to address the issues and things are still expected to move forward once again. But the rumored new 2024 opening timeline seems to still be the most likely.

I understand that there’s no way to confirm this but thank God. Delayed until next year isn’t ideal but I will take that any day over the nuclear option.

 

[Clive]

What an embarrassment. I wish more theme park journalists were pressing the park harder for answers (particularly those at heavyweight institutions that can survive such a line of questioning).

 

[DTH]

I love the "they can't get away with this" rhetoric lol. Y'all, they can and will do whatever they want and no online community wrongdoing will make even a 2% dent in their profits. It's a much cheaper alternative to Disneyland, droves of people will continue to go. Monty is a classic, but I am willing to bet 85% of the people walking through those gates every day haven't even heard of it, don't even know there's construction in that area, or even care.

It's better to offer solutions (which also won't get read by anyone at Knotts, but hey, at least it's productive) instead of handing out threats like some theme park mafia:

YOU WILL OPEN THIS ROLLER COASTER IF YA KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YA OR YOU WON'T LIKE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

C'mon now lol

 

[Jake S]

It's better to offer solutions (which also won't get read by anyone at Knotts, but hey, at least it's productive) instead of handing out threats like some theme park mafia:

it’s okay for people to be frustrated by the way the park is operated. you’re probably right, griping won’t change anything — but it’s okay to acknowledge this is how the business is being run and also dislike it.

 

[Wesker69]

The park doesn't need a new coaster, it needs more flat rides or even also a dark ride. But of course staffing isn't Knott's strong point for rides.

When was the last time you saw all 3 towers operating at Supreme Scream?

While the park is a cheaper alternative to Disneyland, it was pretty dead this past weekend. This past Saturday, GhostRider was pretty much a 45min-an hour waittime all day. Although I heard yesterday was actually somewhat busy.

The problem is, you can get there at opening & have all the rides done within about 3-4hrs, crowds depending. Ghost Town Alive & Summer Nights is not really a draw. GTA was probably a fun event concept when it debuted, but it's just ....bad.

 

[chris.g]

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.