The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[DJeXeL]

^Exactly. Design was improved upon after XC.

[mike932]

Hi guys. Knotts is selling 2016 season passes for $81. Is this best price I will be able to get? Or is likely they will offer even better prices later?

[DJeXeL]

They will go on sale at some point early in 2016. $81 is still a good deal however as they are offering a free visit in 2015 for new passholders and for renewing passholders they are offering a free FastLane.

[VegasBaby]

Hi guys. Knotts is selling 2016 season passes for $81. Is this best price I will be able to get? Or is likely they will offer even better prices later?

 

I don't know if you will see a better price than $81, plus they are letting you pay it in 9 installments. It's only $72 for renewing passholders, but you need a current 2015 pass to get that price. Knott's is also giving renewing passholders one Fast Lane pass, which is pretty cool.

Edited September 3, 2015 by VegasBaby

[mike932]

Now, I have to talk about Ghostrider, which we rode in the back seat. I'll be honest I consider myself a veteran roller coaster rider, I've been on coasters all over the world throughout Europe and the United States, but I must say, I found the coaster completely unridable. After the first drop and the left turn into the second hill, I knew I was in for another 1-2 minutes of extreme jolting, shifting, pulling, spine splitting, and bracing. At this point, I am surprised the ride is even able to open to the public.

 

I wonder if they can design new trains that have very good shock absorbers.

[CedarFlags]

Now, I have to talk about Ghostrider, which we rode in the back seat. I'll be honest I consider myself a veteran roller coaster rider, I've been on coasters all over the world throughout Europe and the United States, but I must say, I found the coaster completely unridable. After the first drop and the left turn into the second hill, I knew I was in for another 1-2 minutes of extreme jolting, shifting, pulling, spine splitting, and bracing. At this point, I am surprised the ride is even able to open to the public.

 

I wonder if they can design new trains that have very good shock absorbers.

 

RMC trains do have shock absorbers. Crossing my fingers, though with the announcement of Joker at SFDK, it seems they are going to be rather busy until next year.

[grsupercity]

GCI does a good job retracking

[mike932]

delete

Edited September 3, 2015 by mike932

[grsupercity]

First looping coaster in North America.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip_Flap_Railway

 

was that meant for the MM thread?

[Guy T. Koepp]

^Did you meant to put this in the 6FMM thread?

 

If so, Modern Looping. I think 100+ years is a bit out of the modern time frame.

 

If not, then... ...nevermind.

[VegasBaby]

GCI does a good job retracking

 

I think everyone's first choice to do the rehab would be RMC with their topper track and RMC trains. However, I think it's more likely that GCI will be doing the work. GCI has done a great job retracking other coasters (Boulder Dash being the prime example) and they would be a solid choice for GhostRider. If GCI does the work, then I just really hope it includes new Millennium Flyer trains as well.

[CedarFlags]

GCI does a good job retracking

If GCI does the work, then I just really hope it includes new Millennium Flyer trains as well.

 

Hear, Hear! Keeping the PTC trains would just start the countdown clock again on the ride going straight back to its current state.

[KnottsBerryMountain]

Are PTC Trains the reason why GhostRider is so rough?

[DoubleDown]

Are PTC Trains the reason why GhostRider is so rough?

 

I think the best answer to this is that they definitely don't help.

 

Wooden roller coaster technology has advanced SO MUCH since Ghostrider opened in 1998, and as I mentioned before while the ride was amazing for the first half a decade, being the type of "construction" guy I am with some moderate understanding of wooden structures, I had a little birdy in my head wondering how the hell the ride would be able to maintain such an amazing experience on wood track, with such heavy and clunky trains.

 

The best way to describe the ride when it opened is unrivaled wood coaster speed and quick unexpected elements, with some of the only legit airtime in Southern California. Yeah, they had a MCBR, but they did NOT slow the train down for that thing, and the following drop had insane ejector air and headchoppers, followed by intense course manuevering and air time bunny hops.

 

Ghostrider was amazing in its prime years, probably the best wooden coaster I've been on, because it combined insane elements with modern technology. While they provided an intense ride, the heavy trains and these kind of features beat the crap out of the track, and at this point in time, the trains are worn and rehab can only do so much.

 

No matter what they do the ride won't be what it was back when it opened, but I feel like a legitimate retracking with new trains would be the best thing they could do for the ride. There really was nothing like a nightime Ghostrider experience in the very back seat during the early 2000's.

[grsupercity]

^ Shivering Timbers which was also built in 1998 was getting rough from 05-2010ish. Since then GCI has pretty much redone the whole ride and its back to its early 2000's glory. It is now extremely rerideable. Im sure GCI can do that same magic for GR!

[coasterkid124]

Anyone can do a normal retrack and the ride would be good again, but those PTC trains need to be switched for something lighter. They are just too heavy and clunky and will keep doing damage to the track no matter how well the refurbishment is done.

 

Any form of trailered train (RMC, Millennium Flyer, or Timberliner) would be a lot lighter and smoother. I believe that the Timberliners have steering wheels which would help preserve the turns even longer.

[brneff99]

Against my better judgement, hit the park this AM for one last ride on GR before it closes so that I can remember how bad it was once someday its great again...30+ minute wait just moments after park opening...by the time I boarded the wait was easily an hour + and growing...the horribly slow ride ops around one train dispatch did not help. The ride itself needs no further elaboration than the previous pages...jackhammering and pain...thankfully I had positioned myself knowing what was coming and where to compensate but I really feel for folks who have never ridden this thing and have no idea...there were not many smiles around me afterwards...I love the layout and hope that they can recreate the greatness this coaster had when it opened.

The good news is that the rest of the park was empty and I got in a ride on SB, Monte, and 2 on Xcelerator in less than 30 mins and was gone...

Cant wait for WCB!

[mike932]

The good news is that the rest of the park was empty and I got in a ride on SB, Monte, and 2 on Xcelerator in less than 30 mins and was gone...

 

You have no idea how lucky you are to live near Knotts and Disney!

[canadianparkfan]

RMC... Iron rider???

 

Really hoping this is CF's first first venture into working with RMC.

[mike932]

RMC... Iron rider???

 

Snoopy's Ghost Riders?....

 

[CedarFlags]

Ya, today was a weird day at GR. I too went for my farewell ride and encountered a ridiculous line. The top level of the station was only half full, but it took over 30 minutes. Only running one train, plus there were only 2 ROs on dock instead of the usual 4. The park was pretty dead, so I kind of understand why management would have made that call, but it was still really frustrating to see a relatively small number of people making for such a long wait.

 

And yes, the ride is still insane. I will only ride in a non-wheel seat in one of the center cars, so it wasn't legitimately painful, just really uncomfortable. Rest in power, I'll remember the glory days.

[KBrylczyk]

Rest in power.

 

[CedarFlags]

Some Riptide news. The arms and gondola were getting reinstalled today, so it hopefully shouldn't be too much longer before it's open again.

[IamDolfin]

Removed.

Edited August 30, 2018 by IamDolfin

[TopThrill182]

^ When was it last open? I can't even remember.