The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

I assume they will get that final support piece that's been lying on the ground all weekend out of there tonight. Then they can start ground clearing of the station and surroundings.

 

I'm curious to see if they work at all tonight with the park closing at 8 pm now on the weekdays. Makes me wonder when they will work next, looking at the webcams it looks like all the support pieces are gone.

They started at around 9pm tonight.

This picture is just before 11pm. Working on the ground.

They still have to demolish the two shops I believe.

Am i the only one thinking that the delay in Boardwalk BBQ vertical construction has to do with the planning for whatever is replacing Boomerang. I feel like they wanted a rough idea of the footprint before they stuck a restaurant in that area.

Interestingly, the Knott's website has been re designed.

Yay, finally. The old website was terrible for mobile devices. The new design is much better.

Am i the only one thinking that the delay in Boardwalk BBQ vertical construction has to do with the planning for whatever is replacing Boomerang. I feel like they wanted a rough idea of the footprint before they stuck a restaurant in that area.

I would think that whatever is replacing Boom has been designed and planned long before they even announced Boom's closure. I'd even be willing to bet before they even demolished the old BBQ and removed Wipeout. They aren't winging this last minute. But I do agree that the delay has to do with the new ride in some way. My personal opinion is that the ride goes through the restaurant structure in some way or maybe it's all been a ruse and it's actually the new ride station and they've been constructing it under the guise of the BBQ to get a jump on things.

Yay, finally. The old website was terrible for mobile devices. The new design is much better.

when they redid cedarpoint.com, tony clark said one of the reasons was also to make things more consistent over all devices.

It appears that as well as adding shinguards, the height requirement has also been DRAMATICALLY increased as well for Coast Rider. It is sad that you can take a kid on an 80mph, extreme launch, Intamin Hypercoaster, yet not a Wild Mouse. Anyone else dissapointed?

It appears that as well as adding shinguards, the height requirement has also been DRAMATICALLY increased as well for Coast Rider. It is sad that you can take a kid on an 80mph, extreme launch, Intamin Hypercoaster, yet not a Wild Mouse. Anyone else dissapointed?

I hope this is a typo, but if that is the truth, that is garbage. At this point, maybe they should rip out Coast Rider and use its land for the new coaster as well! All in favor, say I.

EDIT: After reading the website more, it appears that riders above 44" can still ride with a supervising companion. The 54" applied to alone riders. That's still insane.

The wild mouse at Knotts is no longer a family coaster no debate about it. I almost wonder if it would be a wise investment to try to get new cars for the ride to get the height down seeing as it likely has multiple decades of service life left in it and these recent changes don't quite render it useless, but get it pretty darn close.

Edit: Online it says the height limit is still 44 inches with a supervising companion, so it is not as bad as it originally seemed.

Why the sudden spook that caused them to make such noticeable changes to this wild mouse? I wonder if this will happen to the other (Mack rides) Cedar Fair wild mouses?

This.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/03/02/family-sues-knotts-berry-farm-after-they-allege-son-was-injured-on-coast-rider/

just like Jaguar. what was it when it opened? 42"? i just remember my nephew could ride it one year, then next year when he came to visit he couldn't.

What I don't understand is this incident occurred in 2014. They only now did the changes once the family sued. In all this time no one else has gotten hurt due to the lack of shinguards. And I think that in a normal court Knott's would clearly win the case. I but you're probably not correct that California legal mumbo-jumbo is probably at fault here.

In other news, Ricochet at Kings Dominion (another CF Mack wild mouse) is also currently listing a 54 inch requirement AND their site does not even have an accompanying rider stipulation (yet... hopefully). The Fly at Canada's Wonderland has also gone up to 54. Carowinds Ricochet is still at 44, but I think theirs is a different manufacturer?

Just watched the as they turned on the work lights a few minutes ago then backed in a large shipping container and then a large truck mounted dumpster. This is making some fascinating TV watching! Knott's Network posted a photo earlier today that shows they have been removing railings from the old station. I wonder if that's what the dumpster is for.

And has the new BBQ building always been inside the construction wall or is that new?

Nope. The dumpster is over by Skin Cabin and a big back-hoe is working the ground and dumping stuff into the dumpster.

Edit 10:34pm. Look like they are demolishing the Hat Shop.

In other news, Ricochet at Kings Dominion (another CF Mack wild mouse) is also currently listing a 54 inch requirement AND their site does not even have an accompanying rider stipulation (yet... hopefully)?

It does say when you go to the rider height & safety guide:

Carowinds Ricochet is still at 44, but I think theirs is a different manufacturer?

Same manufacturer...different layout (Compact Park model).

How do you make a screenshot of the webcam?

Removed.

It appears that as well as adding shinguards, the height requirement has also been DRAMATICALLY increased as well for Coast Rider. It is sad that you can take a kid on an 80mph, extreme launch, Intamin Hypercoaster, yet not a Wild Mouse. Anyone else dissapointed?

 

I hope this is a typo, but if that is the truth, that is garbage. At this point, maybe they should rip out Coast Rider and use its land for the new coaster as well! All in favor, say I.

 

EDIT: After reading the website more, it appears that riders above 44" can still ride with a supervising companion. The 54" applied to alone riders. That's still insane.

After what has been replaced by Perilous Plunge; basically 3 carnival rides that are unamusing to anyone over 10 years old, I have absolutely no issue if they relocate the two flats and move Coast Rider to some other park, and install something awesome in replacement of Boomerang. My brother and I rode all 3 just out of curiosity on our last trip, and the best ride we had was on the Scrambler flat. Coast Rider was a joke with or without the stupid ankle restraints. And we're all for just enjoying what's there but give me a break. The Boardwalk became laughable once Perilous has left. Unless if by "boardwalk" you mean "endless concrete and no palm trees or any trees or beach atmosphere anywhere."

Destroy it all and make it new. Although, that would probably just bring more concrete (UGH). Do something so you can't hear the freakin' cars honkin' their horns on Western and La Palma. IMO that corner, besides Xcelerator, and now after removing Boomerang, has become a complete joke as far as a "Theme Park" is concerned. It's more like a solidified semi-permanent Carnival.

Cedar Point can get away with it because they're on a peninsula, but they have a gold mine in this park and they need to start treating it that way. All I've seen is them do since Silver Bullet is cheap out on worthless attractions that mean nothing. I'm sick of it. I'm not going back to this park unless they install something that makes it worth my admission. Until then, enjoy the moms dropping off their kids for the park to babysit their teenies.

/\ I actually enjoyed Coast Rider, aside from all the trims. Why so many? And what's with that name? So lame. I also really liked Sierra Sidewinder. The coaster I actually think should be scrapped is Pony Express. I haven't been on a worst roller coaster in my life, and I live near Wild Waves. It's way too short for one thing. I honestly for the life of me do not know why they couldn't make it longer. It is still going pretty fast when it hits the brakes. It might have uglied up Whitewater Wilderness but they could easily have had the coaster wind over and through Bigfoot Rapids. And there is zero reason to have two trains running on that coaster, unless part of the thrill is sitting in an awkward and unflattering hunched over position for five minutes while waiting for the train in the station to go. Having two trains on such a short ride really does nothing to increase capacity.

If they were to remove Pony then they could pop in a long hyper from the Boardwalk up and over the new Calico Stage and down into that space. I drew up a little rendering of just such a coaster.

A steep lift hill like Intimidator 305 then a turn around the Sky Cabin to the drop. Then and out and back full of airtime ending with a helix over the lagoon. I drew it on Google Earth first with the measuring tool and it's over 4,000 feet long. The lift and turn around might only take up about 400 feet of that. Yeah I know a turn around Sky Cabin is ugly but they are strapped for space. They'll make it work.

Of course that's what they should do which means it's what they aren't doing.

What I don't understand is this incident occurred in 2014. They only now did the changes once the family sued. In all this time no one else has gotten hurt due to the lack of shinguards. And I think that in a normal court Knott's would clearly win the case. I but you're probably not correct that California legal mumbo-jumbo is probably at fault here.

Knott's could and hopefully will win the lawsuit from the injury in 2014 as they had taken what appear to be reasonable known measures to protect the riders. Unfortunately, someone found out that the restraints could be rider defeated so the company can become negligent on future injuries if they don't take measures to protect against future escapes and injuries. This is more of a common law issue than specific California legal issues.

What I don't understand is this incident occurred in 2014. They only now did the changes once the family sued. In all this time no one else has gotten hurt due to the lack of shinguards. And I think that in a normal court Knott's would clearly win the case. I but you're probably not correct that California legal mumbo-jumbo is probably at fault here.

 

Knott's could and hopefully will win the lawsuit from the injury in 2014 as they had taken what appear to be reasonable known measures to protect the riders. Unfortunately, someone found out that the restraints could be rider defeated so the company can become negligent on future injuries if they don't take measures to protect against future escapes and injuries. This is more of a common law issue than specific California legal issues.

Wouldn't that be on manufacturer and not the park? And what about the fact that out of the hundreds of wild mouse coasters there has never been another incident like this anywhere, that we know of. At what point is the responsibility solely put on the idiot public? No one can plan for and foresee every possible whacky scenario.

Also wouldn't it better to block the opening rather than restrain the legs of riders and thereby hindering larger taller people from riding? Put little doors or something on the cars.

Holy crap they demolished and cleared that store quickly.

Holy crap they demolished and cleared that store quickly.

Both stores were demolished last night. I watched it all live while drinking my tea.