SoCalJasonland

Per an Orange County Register article on June 9th, Knott's has announced that they currently have no plans to add a giga or hyper coaster in the near future. It might be hard to access the article behind the paywall but the short story is no new big coaster for a while. There is another article on the site from June 7th, saying Xcelerator is waiting on parts from Europe and there is no set re-opening date. https://www.ocregister.com/2022/06/09/knotts-berry-farm-shoots-down-giga-coaster-speculation/ https://www.ocregister.com/2022/06/07/when-will-knotts-berry-farm-reopen-the-xcelerator-coaster/

Here is the special renewal offer for people with passes extended to 5/5/2022 that want to do it online: https://www.knotts.com/season-passes?keyword=SpringTwoSeasonPassesRenewal

And now the Knott's class action suit over not issuing refunds when closed during COVID instead of extending the passes is now moving forward: Can't a theme park catch a break? https://www.ocregister.com/2022/04/22/knotts-berry-farm-season-pass-class-action-lawsuit-can-move-forward-judge-rules/ By BRADY MACDONALD | bmacdonald@scng.com | PUBLISHED: April 22, 2022 at 11:13 a.m. | UPDATED: April 22, 2022 at 11:50 a.m. A class action lawsuit filed by a Knott’s Berry Farm season passholder who was refused a refund when the Buena Park theme park was shuttered for more than a year by the COVID-19 pandemic seeks restitution for millions of passholders. A United States District Court Judge in Ohio denied a motion on Thursday, April 21 by Knott’s parent company Cedar Fair to dismiss the class action lawsuit and ruled the suit over non-refunded season passes during the coronavirus pandemic can move forward. Judge James Carr said in the ruling that any reasonable passholder would have expected a prorated refund when the Ohio-based Cedar Fair closed its 11 theme parks during the pandemic. Cedar Fair and Knott’s Berry Farm officials declined to comment on the pending litigation. Cedar Fair offered 2020 season passholders an extension through the 2021 season when the pandemic shuttered the company’s theme parks in March 2020. Knott’s, California’s Great America, Ohio’s Cedar Point, Virginia’s Kings Dominion, Canada’s Wonderland and other Cedar Fair theme parks reopened at varying dates based on individual state health and safety guidelines. Knott’s reopened in May 2021 after hosting a series of food festivals without rides during the pandemic closure of the park. The lawsuit was brought by Washington state resident Moneva Walker who purchased a 2020 season pass for Knott’s Berry Farm when she lived in California.

Disney should play this correctly and: 1. State that all new development including new attractions will be delayed or canceled in Florida until we take a 10 year period to evaluate if we have reached market saturation in the Orlando area. Make the locals feel better by stating that we will not need to increase prices by 10% a year if we are not adding new $100,000,000 plus attractions every year. Instead, state you will spend $20,000,000 per year on attraction rehabs until the classic attractions are all in prime condition. 2. Dump all of Disney's fire and police department pensions, healthcare and municipal debt on the local or state government. I have heard that they could transfer well over a billion dollars of debt to the government as part of the process of dissolving the special district. 3. Layoff all Disney corporate staff that was moved to Orlando from California except for what is needed to run the parks and cruise ship. State that the company is entering a cost controlling stage because of lower attendance then expected.

The last couple of times I was at the park, it doesn't look like they were working on the ride. If they are waiting on a part from Europe, in the past it has taken 6 to 9 months approximately to have the part manufactured and shipped here if that is any indicator.

There is still a big giant gap that he obviously slipped through. The operator has some responsibility to know that it was unsafe whether his company trained him/her correctly or not. It sounds like the design, training and operator were all deficient. This is coming a 25 year claims adjuster.

I wonder if they decided to wait for a Polercoaster to be available? I hear they are coming soon too.

About coaster painters and a lot of footage of Xcelerator

on Thursday they had two teams painting Xcelerator with lifts. There was another team at the other end of the track. It looked like they were using paint rollers and a bucket. And the lucky BBQ meal of the day was flank steak with White Claw Black Cherry.

We listened and our customers demanded that we cut expenses to the bone and charge extra for every service that was included with admission; so I would like to welcome our new leader from Spirit Airlines, Selim Bassoual!

Good point. Some times it is difficult for me to identify the line at where Six Flags stops caring and where California government cares too much. It is good that they are using a quality painter and may it look great for many years.

The military appreciation discount, extended hours from 10 - 10, and that it was a holiday for some people helped make it packed. The military appreciation days have been extended to Mon - Thur. over several weeks, so I thought that would spread out the crowds. I guess that didn't work because Wednesday had half the coasters dispatching with some empty rows while Thur. had lines out of the entrance of almost every queue. There must have been something free for military because it was packed Thursday like a Saturday in July.

I thought the Jack and Coke was decent for an amusement park pre-mixed cocktail, but the Margarita was very tart to me. I really wish they were able to sell the chicken restaurant boysenberry mojitos in the park. Its not really that far to go get a couple though. Xcelerator The Ride has been added to the ride closures from (Nov. 29 - Dec. 17) https://www.knotts.com/scheduled-ride-closures I hope the crowds today aren't indicative of what is in store for the holidays. It was one of those walk around and maybe catch a flat ride or two type of days.

With spray, do you have to mask all of the trees and ground for overspray?

Happy, happy, joy, joy! Even more happiness in the front row! The rare Christmas/Halloween decorations photo. I wish you a Scull Mountain Xmas

I saw it testing last night on the video and it is no longer on the list., so I am going to have to go today and check. I think all the coasters are working again! https://www.knotts.com/scheduled-ride-closures RIDE CLOSURES Attractions and their availability is subject to change without notice. Closed Rides: Pig Pen's Mud Buggies Wipeout

You will be treated equally but first you must be as tall as daffy duck's hand to participate in the equality. If not, we have a separate but equal attraction for you on You tube!

Knott's is big for people just going for meals. I talk to many people that have passes with season meals but refuse to pay for parking or ever ride or view any attractions. If they have to wait over 10 min for any meal, they start to whine that it was faster yesterday, but most people are pretty nice, but a bit impatient. They don't ever plan to spend over an hour in the park, so the free marketplace parking works for them. Many get their meals to go, and the to go boxes are stocked right next to several of the registers so people don't even need to ask. It is a yearly take out meal plan for them. The fact they have to walk through an amusement park to get their meal is a hassle and not a benefit. I saw the really trash action of someone trying to fill up a giant thermos with BBQ sauce. I felt like I was with the ghetto people at El Pollo Loco who bring their own tupperware to steal salsa.

They got over $5,000,000 in the auction for the games and they state the museum was still a money losing venture. Ouch! It is ironic that the location is going to be used to grow marijuana considering how anti-drug the pinball museum owner is. I guess there isn't much else use for Banning land beside tribal gaming, outlet stores, and a couple giant dinosaurs.

It looks like they just ended their season with 6 of their rides not operating, including their bigger coaster. Not very good maintenance stats or signs of financial health. RIDES Ocean Odyssey Family thrill ride. (42″ unless with adult. Minimum height requirement is 36″). Bumble Bee Both parents and kids will enjoy this delightful family ride. (42″ unless with adult. Minimum height requirement is 36″). Orca Screamer – Closed until further notice A kid-size version of our world’s highest triple tower ride and just as much fun. (42″ unless with adult. Minimum height requirement is 36″. Max. height 74″). The Orca Screamer is closed until further notice. Check back for updates. Viking Adventure – Closed until further notice A ride that will thrill and surprise. (42″ unless with adult. Minimum height requirement is 36″). The Viking Adventure is closed until further notice. Check back for updates. Tivoli Wheel All ages will enjoy this unusual ferris wheel (no height requirement). Lady Bug Coaster A roller coaster designed for the younger set (40″ unless accompanied by an adult). Boat Carousel A ride that the whole family can enjoy together (no height requirement). Sky Screamer® The world’s highest triple tower ride, will take you over 137.2 metres (450 ft.) skyward giving you a thrilling ride not to mention a spectacular view of the Falls and surrounding Niagara landscape. You will also be launched up and down at speeds of up to 96 km/h (60 mph). (48″ height requirement). Dragon Mountain® roller coaster – Closed until further notice Ride the world’s largest steel roller coaster, Dragon Mountain® found only at Marineland®. Spread over 30 acres of land, it is the world’s largest non-stop roller coaster. Dragon Mountain also features more tunnels – 1,163 feet – than any other coaster in the world (48″ height requirement). The Dragon Mountain® roller coaster is closed until further notice. Check back for updates. Kandu’s Twister An all-time favourite with theme park visitors, each gondola on this teacup-style ride features an image of a killer whale (47″ unless with an adult. Minimum height requirement is 40″). Magic Experience – Closed until further notice Themed to honour our black bears this ride allows you to experience several different types of motion simultaneously. (54″ unless with an adult. Minimum height requirement is 46″). The Magic Experience is closed until further notice. Check back for updates. Sky Hawk – Closed until further notice Lifts you high above the Marineland funscape for an awesome view and floating experience. (54″ unless with an adult. Minimum height requirement is 32″). The Sky Hawk is closed until further notice. Check back for updates. Wave Swinger A beautifully designed and popular ride with our guests (42″ height requirement). Flying Dragon – Closed until further notice A guaranteed white-knuckled experience is what you’ll get on this ride (52″ height requirement). The Flying Dragon is closed until further notice. Check back for updates. Hurricane Cove A ride that will spin you in to peals of laughter (42″ height requirement).

There should be no plexiglass dividers in the mazes per the ride ops I spoke to today who attended the employee preview Haunt event. They have a sugar free Berry Punch that is pretty good and is in a couple of locations in the park. The drink stands in front of the arcade near the bumper cars and the one in Camp Snoopy near the kiddie coaster both have it. This is one of the drink stands with the diet Berry Punch. Meet and greet Looks like the pizza place near the bumper cars is about to be re-skinned into something new. Pumpkins everywhere

I was able to make it out to Knott's on Thursday the 2nd. Hangtime and a couple of the flat rides were closed. The longest wait was for Ghostrider at approx. 20 min. I call this photo two black cherry White Claws, 3/4 pound bag of personally chosen candy, and a log ride. True fact!, If you have White Claws with their couple of grams of carbs that you have more room on your diet for a big bag of candy! This is the new Boardwalk BBQ menu. As you can see, I was able to order two more White Claws, flank steak, and hatch mac & cheese. It also would have come with a corn muffin but I was carbed out. The observation tower accents the photo. Wipeout is a lot smaller when all taken apart. When did the water in the lagoon turn so green? Is this an algae breakout? The bottom of the lagoon is looking pretty sad. The old "K" at the top of the sky cabin was on display. It looks like each side was lit differently. This side has looped tubing. The opposite side of the "K" was lit in white single tubes.

https://metrolinktrains.com/ Metrolink is quite a bit cheaper but will take longer as you have to transfer from a bus to a train, and possibly a Uber from the Buena Park station. I screen printed the sample Saturday rate, part of the schedule, and you will still be 3.7 miles from Knott's about a 1 & 1/2 hours later. Directions from Buena Park station to Knotts

We also have a replacement for Fastpass. I would love to summarize it for you but I don't understand it myself Disneyland FastPass replacement: Lightning Lane, Genie+ are the new way to skip lines for some rides https://ktla.com/news/local-news/disneyland-fastpass-replacement-lightning-lane-genie-are-the-new-way-to-skip-lines-at-parks/ by: Nexstar Media Wire Posted: Aug 18, 2021 / 01:41 PM PDT / Updated: Aug 18, 2021 / 03:21 PM PDT Disney revealed on Wednesday the replacement for its iconic FastPass program at its U.S. theme parks and disclosed details about Disney Genie, a free personalized itinerary tool that will help guests spend less time waiting in line. Disney said the iconic FastPass and MaxPass programs at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World will be retired and replaced with “Lightning Lane” later this year. Guests will be able to purchase the newly announced Disney Genie+ for a flat fee to gain access to shortened wait times using a new Lightning Lane on most attractions, including Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The new service will cost $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort. Guests will be able to choose one attraction at a time and select the next available arrival window for the Lightning Lane entrance. An example arrival window would be 10:00-11:00 a.m. at a specific attraction. Genie+ also includes exclusive “AR filters” at Walt Disney World and Photopass downloads at Disneyland Resort. While Genie+ will give guests access to the expedited Lightning Lane and a reduced wait for most attractions, it won’t include every attraction. Other “highly demanded” attractions, including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Walt Disney World and Radiator Springs Racers at Disneyland, will be available exclusively as “individual attraction selections.” Those attractions will be separate Lightning Lane purchases per person per ride, Disney said Wednesday. A full list of Genie+ attractions and Lightning Lane attractions will be released later this year. Individual attraction selection pricing will be released later this year, Disney said. Genie+ is similar to MaxPass, a service previously offered at Disneyland Resort where guests could book FastPass times on mobile devices. Using the previous system at Disneyland, guests could obtain paper FastPass at each attraction. MaxPass, which launched in 2017, introduced the ability for guests to reserve FastPass times without going to the ride and obtaining a paper ticket, offering instead the convenience of scheduling attractions in the Disneyland app. According to Disney, all attractions will continue to offer a traditional standby queue or, in some instances, a virtual queue. Lightning Lane purchases in the Disney app will be made per person per attraction and are not included in the Genie+ flat-fee purchase. Selecting attractions will happen on the day of your visit instead of weeks in advance as with the previous FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World. Both Lightning Lane and Genie+ will launch in the fall. Disney Genie, also revealed on Wednesday, is a free tool available to guests at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort that will help guests build a plan by optimizing their day based on projected wait times and available attractions. “Disney Genie listens to the preferences that guests share with us to help design their best day and deliver an experience that’s made just for them,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Product, said in a statement “Pairing incredible technology with more than 60 years of expertise about how our guests visit the parks, Disney Genie will personalize their Disney day, allowing guests to spend less time planning and waiting and more time doing the things they love.” Guests can select their favorite attractions or characters, and Genie will “map out an entire day” while updating “your plan, so you can go with the flow as the day changes,” Disney said in a news release. The tool will launch in the fall. “It’s going to allow Disney to move people to other attractions in the park,” said Dennis Speigel, president of Ohio-based International Theme Park Services. “It will alert people if there is a low wait at Splash Mountain… and Genie helps Disney understand the flow of guests.” Speaking about the business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Speigel said Disney and other theme park operators used the time to evaluate business practices for the future. “It gave Disney, Sea World, Universal…. it gave them the opportunity to eliminate programs and add programs,” Speigel said. “It accelerated the touchless and contactless part of the business, which increased per-capita spending in all of the theme parks.” At Walt Disney World and Disneyland, all previous versions of FastPass have included a free option. With the exception of private VIP tours, this marks the first time Disney has offered a paid alternative to the traditional standby queues at its domestic parks. First introduced in 1999 at Walt Disney World, FastPass began as paper tickets that had a return window for attractions. Disney World added FastPass+ and the ability to select attractions and return windows through My Disney Experience in 2013. Paper FASTPASS at Walt Disney World ended in 2014. In 2017, MaxPass was launched at Disneyland. When the parks closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both FastPass+ and MaxPass were suspended. Earlier this month, a paid FastPass program was officially launched at Disneyland Paris on Aug. 5 under the Disney Premier Access brand. For $9-$17 per attraction, guests skip the traditional standby line by using this service.

We also have a replacement for Fastpass. I would love to summarize it for you but I don't understand it myself Disneyland FastPass replacement: Lightning Lane, Genie+ are the new way to skip lines for some rides https://ktla.com/news/local-news/disneyland-fastpass-replacement-lightning-lane-genie-are-the-new-way-to-skip-lines-at-parks/ by: Nexstar Media Wire Posted: Aug 18, 2021 / 01:41 PM PDT / Updated: Aug 18, 2021 / 03:21 PM PDT Disney revealed on Wednesday the replacement for its iconic FastPass program at its U.S. theme parks and disclosed details about Disney Genie, a free personalized itinerary tool that will help guests spend less time waiting in line. Disney said the iconic FastPass and MaxPass programs at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World will be retired and replaced with “Lightning Lane” later this year. Guests will be able to purchase the newly announced Disney Genie+ for a flat fee to gain access to shortened wait times using a new Lightning Lane on most attractions, including Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The new service will cost $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort. Guests will be able to choose one attraction at a time and select the next available arrival window for the Lightning Lane entrance. An example arrival window would be 10:00-11:00 a.m. at a specific attraction. Genie+ also includes exclusive “AR filters” at Walt Disney World and Photopass downloads at Disneyland Resort. While Genie+ will give guests access to the expedited Lightning Lane and a reduced wait for most attractions, it won’t include every attraction. Other “highly demanded” attractions, including Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Walt Disney World and Radiator Springs Racers at Disneyland, will be available exclusively as “individual attraction selections.” Those attractions will be separate Lightning Lane purchases per person per ride, Disney said Wednesday. A full list of Genie+ attractions and Lightning Lane attractions will be released later this year. Individual attraction selection pricing will be released later this year, Disney said. Genie+ is similar to MaxPass, a service previously offered at Disneyland Resort where guests could book FastPass times on mobile devices. Using the previous system at Disneyland, guests could obtain paper FastPass at each attraction. MaxPass, which launched in 2017, introduced the ability for guests to reserve FastPass times without going to the ride and obtaining a paper ticket, offering instead the convenience of scheduling attractions in the Disneyland app. According to Disney, all attractions will continue to offer a traditional standby queue or, in some instances, a virtual queue. Lightning Lane purchases in the Disney app will be made per person per attraction and are not included in the Genie+ flat-fee purchase. Selecting attractions will happen on the day of your visit instead of weeks in advance as with the previous FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World. Both Lightning Lane and Genie+ will launch in the fall. Disney Genie, also revealed on Wednesday, is a free tool available to guests at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort that will help guests build a plan by optimizing their day based on projected wait times and available attractions. “Disney Genie listens to the preferences that guests share with us to help design their best day and deliver an experience that’s made just for them,” Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Product, said in a statement “Pairing incredible technology with more than 60 years of expertise about how our guests visit the parks, Disney Genie will personalize their Disney day, allowing guests to spend less time planning and waiting and more time doing the things they love.” Guests can select their favorite attractions or characters, and Genie will “map out an entire day” while updating “your plan, so you can go with the flow as the day changes,” Disney said in a news release. The tool will launch in the fall. “It’s going to allow Disney to move people to other attractions in the park,” said Dennis Speigel, president of Ohio-based International Theme Park Services. “It will alert people if there is a low wait at Splash Mountain… and Genie helps Disney understand the flow of guests.” Speaking about the business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Speigel said Disney and other theme park operators used the time to evaluate business practices for the future. “It gave Disney, Sea World, Universal…. it gave them the opportunity to eliminate programs and add programs,” Speigel said. “It accelerated the touchless and contactless part of the business, which increased per-capita spending in all of the theme parks.” At Walt Disney World and Disneyland, all previous versions of FastPass have included a free option. With the exception of private VIP tours, this marks the first time Disney has offered a paid alternative to the traditional standby queues at its domestic parks. First introduced in 1999 at Walt Disney World, FastPass began as paper tickets that had a return window for attractions. Disney World added FastPass+ and the ability to select attractions and return windows through My Disney Experience in 2013. Paper FASTPASS at Walt Disney World ended in 2014. In 2017, MaxPass was launched at Disneyland. When the parks closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both FastPass+ and MaxPass were suspended. Earlier this month, a paid FastPass program was officially launched at Disneyland Paris on Aug. 5 under the Disney Premier Access brand. For $9-$17 per attraction, guests skip the traditional standby line by using this service.