firebird81

Knott's just got a pretty phenomenal $10 million coaster this year.

Was at the park last night and decided to sit and watch the light show on Hangtime for a bit. I noticed something that seems to back up some of what I have seen people saying on youtube about the ride. You don't always experience actual hang time on Hangtime and for the first time I think I actually saw why....The trains don't go thru at a consistent speed each time. I'm assuming it's a weight thing, or maybe how the train is released at the top of the drop, since it isn't one particular train that always goes faster, but about half the time those trains absolutely race thru that course. The other times they slow over the top of the loops and give great hang time. I get that most coasters are probably gonna move faster or slower under various conditions, but this is the first time I've ever noticed a ride where the speed so clearly varies from one ride to the next.

In other news, I'm guessing Knott's 2019 addition will be what looks to be bathrooms being added to the picnic area.

None of those things are causing the slow dispatches. The returning train literally sits for over two minutes completely stopped while they are still loading the other train, usually. 5 minute dispatches are the norm. for a ride that runs 2 minutes and 30 seconds, that's not an MCBR or end brake run issue. There have been a couple of times where they have actually been ahead of the returning train when I've been there, but that almost never happens. And when they are..the line moves much faster. A full queue will go thru in less than an hour. But it almost never happens. Usually you have people getting off the train fighting for room at the boxes to get heir stuff with the people getting on the train. You have a line of people at the exit getting put on about every second train, which means the gates don't open until they are seated. On busy days, you have a steady stream of fastlane folks coming up and getting right into the queue at the loading station. All of these things are the reason Ghostrider's operations are so slow. It is by far the most popular ride in the park, even with Hangtime.

I have a question. I've heard from a couple of people that after a certain point, they all start feeling pretty much the same for the most part(excluding the raptor). I still haven't ridden a single RMC, but I guess I can see how that might be possible. Has anybody experienced that?

deleted by Angels fan...

Ghostrider runs two trains.

No, Pony express is usually up and running. You didn't miss much, tho. It's a fun ride, but so short it's not worth waiting over ten minutes for. Ghostrider on the other hand......what hasn't already been said about that beautiful wooden work of art? Time much better spent, in my opinion....oh, and Hangtime rocks!

They seem to be trying to address the operations of Ghostrider lately. Last week they actually had the trains loaded before the other train even hit the midcourse brake run. But there are too many times those trains dont go out for 4 or 5 minutes on other days. It's sad because this truly is THE ride at Knott's. The Firemans BBQ is great, next time you gotta try the new boardwalk BBQ, too.

I agree Knott's is definitely busier this year. Weekdays are seeing weekend sized crowds since Memorial Day weekend. I think they're on the right track with the seasonal events and new shows. That's the kind of stuff that brigs people in.

Don't know about teh 18th, but the past two weeks have seen weekdays very busy with middle school students on their 8th grade graduation trips, it seems. Lotta line cutting, flirting teenagers, loud rap music on iphones in line.... On the bright side, yesterday both Ghostrider and HAngtime were really tackling their operations issues. Hangtime was actually sending out a train as soon as one came in.

Couple of things here....Universal wasn't that big of a player, at east in SoCal, until just a few years ago. Their attendance numbers nearly doubled with the Harry Potter land opening. Halloween Horror Nights, like all halloween fests at parks, was influenced by the original haunt....Knott's Scary Farm. Disney is a long time behemoth in the theme park industry, yet most of the visitors to Disneyland are Californians...by far. They literally have 1 million annual passholders, and those folks use their passes. Jew, you are missing the point entirely. The point isn't Knott's current numbers. The point is the size of the market, nearly 20 million in the LA basin alone, 40 million in California, you 6 hour region ( which I would say is accurate) includes another 10 million in the Phoenix area, another million in Vegas, neither of which have theme parks. It's the potential for growth with the right investments that makes Knott's the most valuable park in the chain. If Cedar Fair commits to annually investing in Knott's and even CGA for the next 5 years.....they could literally grow their company by leaps and bounds, giving themselves plenty of cash to invest in the other parks. Any CEO that doesn't see Knott's Berry Farm as the most obvious cash cow for Cedar Fair, probably shouldn't be running Cedar Fair.

I stand corrected. His claim that the Church is being moved to replace those 30 or so spots, tho, is false. The permit specifically said for future park expansion, I'm guessing Soak City expansion, in all honesty, especially since Wild Rivers is coming back and will be twice as big as the old park.

FINALLY!

They lost zero parking form the Soak City expansion. I live two miles from the park. That expansion didn't move into the parking lot at all. The permit application for moving the Church of Reflections specifically stated the purpose was for future park expansion. What that means is anybody's guess. And as far as tourists not going to Knott's. That's not true, either. Magic Mountain, on the other hand, is very much a locals park. The point is moot anyway....we literally have 18 million locals in the LA metropolitan area. You don't think that means there's a lot of room for growth?

I fart in your general direction

It doesn't need to be low capacity to appeal to them. They'll find a way to reduce capacity all on their own.

They're making moves across the street for future park expansion. The Church of Reflections is moving to a Lutheran Church. That area and the picnic are next to it could be used to relocate the hotel, opening up a large area to the south of the park. Not by 2020, tho. They do have a considerable amount of space south of Ghostrider already where they house the haunt mazes. But, they've been pretty adamant about NOT destroying the aesthetic of Ghost Town. The abandoned a large coaster back there for that very reason a few years ago. I DO think the park will eventually expand southward. With Disney pricing, the HUGE tourism number OC gets (48 million a year!), Star Wars land coming all add up to Knott's having an unprecedented opportunity with the right investment to become one of the biggest players in the theme park industry...will Cedar Fair spend that money, tho?

Hangtime has an issue with the seatbelts that might affect operations. The release is kind of clunky. When we rode everyone was having problems trying to figure out how to get the seatbelt off. I am fully convinced that Ghostrider's operations depend completely on whether or not a certain 30 or so year old woman is working. When she is there, I swear its true, they get the trains dispatched in half the time they do when she isn't. But that ride also suffers greatly from all of the riders who enter from the exit side and avoid the lines. There is always a line of 15-20 people over there at any given time. When the ride first opened, they used to start a train when the one before it got to the midcourse brake run. Now the train completes the run and sits for two minutes before the one in the station leaves.It is mindnumbingly slow.

Thursday would be better. The 4th is the most crowded day of the year and the crowds tend to be a little smaller the next day.

Rode this sucker today and we were blown away by it! Full disclosure, none of us have ever ridden a Gerstlauer infinity before, so the entire experience was new to us. But we absolutely loved it. That first drop is great, those of you who tend to suffer from motion sickness, don't let the loops keep you away from this one. The vertical lift is definitely an interesting sensation the first time you ride it. Knott's has a real winner here. Ghostrider stays at the top for me at this park, but Hangtime is definitely a must ride every time we go to the park now. Better than Silver Bullet, on par with xcelerator for me, but obviously a very different experience than Xcelerator. Knott's couldn't have chosen a better ride to replace Boomerang.

GREAT FIND! I'm going Saturday!

They shot the commercial yesterday. Some ACE members got in as extras and so far they seem to be giving it great reviews. I guess tomorrow is a friends and family event for employees and they will get to ride Hangtime. It's almost time!

No need to RMC Ghostrider. It is fine just how it is. Getting the topic back to KBF...I would absolutely LOVE an RMC conversion for GhostRider. The layout is already great, so they wouldn't have to do much. While I have no doubt Ghostrider would make an EXCELLENT RMC conversion....I'm kinda partial in this case to keeping it wooden. It really fits the Ghost Town theme, it's already a beast and to most people it is the signature ride of Knott's. ( sorry Xcelerator fans). I think if they ever expand the park an RMC hybrid would be a great addition, tho. Just don't mess with my Ghostrider.

testing new light patterns tonight..