Knotts Berry Farm Advice

[X2coasterfreak]

I am going to Knotts Berry Farm in June and I haven't been there since I was seven or eight. I was thinking about going to Xcellerator first because it is the ride I want to ride the most. Someone told me I should go to Ghostrider first because it has the longest lines.Do you have any advice?

[robbalvey]

Don't go on a Saturday.

Do Ghostrider first (the line gets TERRIBLE)

and then hit up Silver Bullet, then Xcelerator and then everything else.

 

Honestly it doesn't really matter if you hit Bullet before Xcel, it's just on the way, and it seems to get the 2nd longest line in the park.

 

As long as Xcel is running two trains you probably won't ever see THAT long of a line for it. I think people still just can't find the entrance!

 

But hit GR first. You'll be pissed if you have to stand in line 45 minutes for such a craptacular coaster.

 

--Robb

[CreditCrazy]

Yes, riding Ghostrider first would be a good idea. I think its line surprisingly gets the longest and honestly, it's not really worth a long wait IMO. Once you've ridden Ghostrider, I'd suggest going to Pony Express as that line can also get a bit long and isn't worth a huge wait. Then go to the Boardwalk and ride everything you want there (Riptide, Perilous Plunge, Boomerang, Xcelerator, Supreme Scream, etc.). Then you can go over to Fiesta Village for Montezooma's Revenge, Jaguar, and some flat rides. Then Silver Bullet (unless you plan on going to Camp Snoopy for Sierra Sidewinder). Don't worry about Silver Bullet before Ghosttown, Boardwalk, Fiesta Village, etc. because Silver Bullet tends to fill up at opening and become a walk-on the whole rest of the day.

 

But all this advice is if you get there at opening. If not, you can pretty much just go whereever you want, but I high recommend to try to get there at opening, because you can at least walk-on a few rides then.

[rcdude]

Definitely get there at opening. If you don't, you may not get to experience all the park's rides. You should do Ghostrider first, since it gets the longest waits since it is the tamest of the park's big coasters. I have seen a half-hour wait with two trains running for Ghostrider when all other coasters had one train and about a five minute wait. Besides, the Boardwalk and Fiesta Village areas don't open until an hour after the rest of the park, so you can't go straight to Xcelerator. After Ghostrider, go to Pony Express if you want to ride it. Sometimes, I've gotten there early enough to go twice without getting off. If it's not too cold and you don't mind getting wet or want to ride, go on the Bigfoot Rapids now before it gets much of a line (assuming that it is open), as it is the most disappointing of the park's three water rides.

 

If the Boardwalk is open by this time, you can head back there and do Xcelerator, then just go through the park hitting every ride you want to do as you get to it. If it isn't open yet, however, do not go to Silver Bullet. Instead, go to Sierra Sidewinder. Many parents don't get there this early so the line should still be fairly short. This ride actually gets longer lines and they move slow, so you won't want to ride it if they're long (a line backed up to the entrance takes about an hour with two trains running, but the ride is only worth about a fifteen minute wait). After Sierra Sidewinder, everything should be open so you can go through the rest of the park at your leisure.

 

As far as lines go, here are the usual lines for major rides on a summer weekday (based on my experience):

 

Ghostrider: 30-45 minutes

Log Ride: 10-15 minutes

Calico Mine Ride: 15-30 minutes

Silver Bullet: 15-30 minutes

Xcelerator: 10-20 minutes

Perilous Plunge: 15-45 minutes (temperature dependent)

Supreme Scream: 10-30 minutes (more towers = shorter wait)

Montezooma's Revenge: 5-10 minutes

 

These are the rides you should definitely do. Everything else is optional, but don't skip Jaguar and/or Sierra Sidewinder just because they are family coasters unless the lines are long. If you go on a weekday, you should be able to get on everything and do some rides as many as four times. On a weekend, it is unlikely you will have time to re-ride anything if you want to go on as many rides as possible.

[CreditCrazy]

^ Are you sure Fiesta Village and the Boardwalk don't open until an hour after opening? I've gone to Fiesta Village at opening and I've done the Boardwalk about 30 minutes after opening.

[ghost007jas]

^ It varies from day to day. But the Boardwalk (in my experiences) is not fully open until about an hour after the park.

[tanthonyam]

The absolute BEST time to visit KNott's is in October on a weekday. The park is virtually yours to choose any ride multiple times, and then in the evening is The Haunt. Works for me everytime. Since it is Haunt time there are really no major rides down for refurbishment. It is your best bet to ride everything, that is if you can go in October.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

^^ Boardwalk only opens an hour late during the offseason weekdays.

 

Once schools let out for the summer, Boardwalk opens with the park.

 

 

Just get to the park at opening and go strait for Ghostrider, recently they have started to open this ride 5-10mins before park opens. So get to the park early.

 

Have fun.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Contrary to everyone else. I suggest GhostRider First, followed by Xcel, due to it having downtime later in the day so consistent you can set your watch to it. Bullet has more capacity for a ride than Knott's needs so even long lines for that ride move quickly. Everything else you can play by ear.

[hemmy]

I was @ Knotts mid-July last year (weekday) and the longest line was to the Calico Mine ride (about 20 minutes)

 

Guess by everyone's posts, that was a very odd day.

[CreditCrazy]

Oh, yeah, going to Xcelerator would also be a good ride to go to early (after Ghostrider) because it will break down sometime in the day (and probably more than once). I suggest that if you want to ride Xcelerator again, to ride it again right away and not put it off until later because it can break down at anytime in the day and not open back up again.

 

Lately, my plan at Knott's has been to go to Xcelerator first, keep riding it until it closes, then ride my other favorites (Silver Bullet, Monte, Ghostrider, Timber Mountain Log Ride, and Perilous Plunge), see if Xcelerator has reopened or not, and if not...leave .

[Domm]

I am heading there Thursday and am going to take all of the advice given so far. What do you think the crowds are going to be like?

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Shouldn't be that bad. Lines here and there but nothing horrible.

[KnottsDisneyFarm]

Try to go during a weekday (like me). I'm going on a Tuesday (the 7th).

[sfmmrules!]

I was there last July on a Wednesday. It wasn't crowded except Ghostrider had the longest wait.

[KnottsDisneyFarm]

^That always has the longest line no matter what.

[snoflake15]

Can I ask some slightly different advice?

 

Heading over to So Cal for second year in a row in August. Was at SFMM last year but fancy KBF this year for a change and cos it is closer. My fiancee doesn't like theme parks so have 2 options -

A) Go on my own first thing in the morning, get round the park then head home earlier or

B) Go to Soak City for the day then hit the park at night so she can go with the friends we are with and I can get on the rides then.

 

Questions -

 

1) Is it better at KBF first thing in morning or late at night?

2) If going at night what time do I need to get in the park to get round it all?

3) Will all the rides still be running at night?

 

Will be my one and only trip there so want to get round it all.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^It doesn't really matter what time you get to Knott's. It's very rare you'll get lines that are unbearable there, if you don't care where you sit on Xcel, you can get on in about 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes. Silver Bullets runs pretty efficient, and GhostRider...Well, it's there. If going in August, you should be fine from say 4-10. Thats more than enough time to knock out the 9 coasters they have and maybe supreme scream and the log.mine rides if its not too busy.

[snoflake15]

^Cheers. I'll aim to get in there for about 4 then.

[stellaclose]

My advice = go somewhere else (SFMM or DL). The place is a dump.

[X2coasterfreak]

^ Not really, it was a really enjoyble park. No it isn't as good as DL or SFMM, but it is not a dump.

[KnottsDisneyFarm]

Questions -

1) Is it better at KBF first thing in morning or late at night?

2) If going at night what time do I need to get in the park to get round it all?

3) Will all the rides still be running at night?

 

Q1 A=Go late at night, because in the morning it is already hot.

Q2 A=Get there at around 7:00 or 7:30 to hit all the big rides a couple times.

Q3 A=In my experience they still run all the rides at night.

 

Your welcome!

[snoflake15]

^Thanks

My advice = go somewhere else (SFMM or DL). The place is a dump.

 

Is it really that bad?

 

I really want to try Xcelerator and Silver Bullet ( I love inverts and also Knocked Up!) and the Boomerang brings back nostalgic memories of my first ever coaster in Glasgow.

 

I did SFMM last year and although I love it and I would like to try TS:TR and Deja Vu (which was broken last year ) it's a hassle for me to get to. DL doesn't really appeal as I have done the whole of WDW in Florida. I just fancy a new challenge.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

^No.

 

Six Flags is the dump out here in Socal.

 

 

Go, its a fun park. Xcelerator is incredible!

[socalMAN123]

Six Flags is the dump out here in Socal.