The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[MisterP]

I just made my first trip ever to KBF, and while I really enjoyed Xcelerator, Silver Bullet, Iron Reef, and the Calico Mine Ride, am I the only person who thinks the Timber Mountain Log Ride is the best ride in that park?

 

Man, for a non-Disney dark/water ride, it is really spectacular!

 

You could definitely be justified making that argument. For me, it shares the top 3 with Xcelerator and Montezooma's.

 

Yeah, I left out Montezooma's. That is a a helluva lot of fun too.

 

Of course, its my first ever launched Schwarzkopf, since Greezed Lightnin' was closed when I went to Kentucky Kingdom in 2003...

[robbalvey]

In case you missed it, West Coast Bash tickets are now on sale: http://www.themeparkreview.com/store/index.php?categoryID=22

[CedarFlags]

Here's a fantastic photo from the summer ice show, Blockbuster Beagle. This is the principle couple for the show, Delene MacKenzie and Bob Moskalyk.

 

 

photocred: Knott's Network

[SingleRiderCam]

Knott's recently tweeted that Boomerang's trains have been upgraded. Has anyone been there to see what the upgrades are?

[grsupercity]

Knott's recently tweeted that Boomerang's trains have been upgraded. Has anyone been there to see what the upgrades are?

 

Hopefully the new vest restraints like Carolina Cobra got

[VegasBaby]

Knott's recently tweeted that Boomerang's trains have been upgraded. Has anyone been there to see what the upgrades are?

 

Hopefully the new vest restraints like Carolina Cobra got

 

Agreed, I hope they got the new vest restraints as well. I rode the Boomerang at Hersheypark recently and it has the same vest restraints as the Carolina Cobra. The restraints were very comfortable and there was no head banging at all. Those new restraints would be a major upgrade for the Knotts Boomerang.

[i<3coasters]

Knott's recently tweeted that Boomerang's trains have been upgraded. Has anyone been there to see what the upgrades are?

 

Was at the park last week and they were not the vest restraints. Doubt that has changed in 6 days? They had the bulkier ear-bash padding, but the ride was smoother than I remembered it.

 

Edit: Confirmed, restraints are the same:

[coasterlvr]

anyone doing the commecial/media shoot? was curious what i'm missing after i broke my thumb and needed surgery and couldn't make it.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Ouch. Hope the surgery went alright for you.

[ioio]

Very curious if anyone went to the filming as well? Supposedly going tomorrow morning ... like, MORNING MORNING! lol

[coasterlvr]

Very curious if anyone went to the filming as well? Supposedly going tomorrow morning ... like, MORNING MORNING! lol

 

really? just one day? i thought you had to go to all three? hmmm, maybe i'll go tomorrow then. my hand kind of feels okay. lol

 

[CedarFlags]

Who else is itching for Halloween to start? Maze re-construction is already in high gear, and the full lineup will be announced in a little over 2 weeks at Scare LA.

 

Based on some info I have, but don't want to spoil all the details of... the number of mazes is staying the same, some older mazes are getting a little extra love and attention, some newer mazes are getting tweaked, there will be another headlining show in the Charles Schultz Theater.

[chickenbowl]

I keep hearing rumors of people saying that RMC is going to do work in GhostRider next year. I just wanted to say that there's no way that's happening. They already have 4 projects for 2016, that's double any other year for them. I highly doubt they'd have any time to do work on Apocalypse or GhostRider in 2016.

[KnottsBerryMountain]

I am so ready for haunt and the off season

[VegasBaby]

I keep hearing rumors of people saying that RMC is going to do work in GhostRider next year. I just wanted to say that there's no way that's happening. They already have 4 projects for 2016, that's double any other year for them. I highly doubt they'd have any time to do work on Apocalypse or GhostRider in 2016.

 

I tend to agree with you, it seems highly unlikely that we are going to get a GR makeover from RMC in 2016. Several articles I read about the Iron Reef opening mentioned that Raffi said next year's addition would be focused on Ghost Town to coincide with its 75th anniversary. I think people have taken these comments to mean that GR is going to get a makeover (either Iron Horse or topper track) from RMC. With the Kentucky Kingdom announcement, we know for sure that Six Flags doesn't have an exclusive with RMC. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they will be working on GR. Knott's may have GCI come in and re-track the ride, but I just don't know how effective or long-lasting that will be. Knott's works on portions of GR every off season, but that work really hasn't done much to enhance the ride experience. Personally, I still love GR's layout and think that RMC topper track is the best bet to restore it to its former glory, but I'm not holding out hope that's gonna happen in 2016.

[CedarFlags]

I keep hearing rumors of people saying that RMC is going to do work in GhostRider next year. I just wanted to say that there's no way that's happening. They already have 4 projects for 2016, that's double any other year for them. I highly doubt they'd have any time to do work on Apocalypse or GhostRider in 2016.

 

I tend to agree with you, it seems highly unlikely that we are going to get a GR makeover from RMC in 2016. Several articles I read about the Iron Reef opening mentioned that Raffi said next year's addition would be focused on Ghost Town to coincide with its 75th anniversary. I think people have taken these comments to mean that GR is going to get a makeover (either Iron Horse or topper track) from RMC. With the Kentucky Kingdom announcement, we know for sure that Six Flags doesn't have an exclusive with RMC. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they will be working on GR. Knott's may have GCI come in and re-track the ride, but I just don't know how effective or long-lasting that will be. Knott's works on portions of GR every off season, but that work really hasn't done much to enhance the ride experience. Personally, I still love GR's layout and think that RMC topper track is the best bet to restore it to its former glory, but I'm not holding out hope that's gonna happen in 2016.

 

The story I heard (which I give about 50/50 probability to, considering the source) is that Knott's approached RMC to do GhostRider's refurb to coincide with the 75th anniversary of Ghost Town, but wasn't able to book them. According to the story I heard, it was at least partially because of a non-competition agreement RMC had with Six Flags, since the two parks are in the same population market, and the new GR was supposed to open before TC was even a year old. I'm sure RMC's booming popularity and number of projects was also a large contributing factor.

 

I would love nothing more than for GhostRider to get a topper track and a slightly re-profiled drops, but I don't think it's very likely.

 

Also, the park changed its mind on having he ride closed for rehab during Haunt. Because of the crowds, they need the ride to be open so it can hold people.

[Vonni]

Has anybody heard any rumors as to what the 2016 addition could be? I've not heard, or read anything anywhere. All I saw was the hopes for an RMC GR, which we all know isn't going to happen for 2016.....

[Quetzal]

Has anybody heard any rumors as to what the 2016 addition could be? I've not heard, or read anything anywhere. All I saw was the hopes for an RMC GR, which we all know isn't going to happen for 2016.....

 

If there is RMC GR, hopefully they keep this as the queue music:

 

[DBJ]

A Ghostrider refurb would be ideal of course. But if that doesn't happen, I would suspect that it might be a quiet year for the park in 2016. Iron Reef is a pretty major addition. Would be nice to see them develop Soak City a bit more.

[Nickstroberg]

...According to the story I heard, it was at least partially because of a non-competition agreement RMC had with Six Flags, since the two parks are in the same population market...

 

Rmc has stated multiple times that there is no such agreement, or contract, that every single enthusiast seems to know all about.

 

About Ghost Rider though, its really a damn shame how it rides nowadays. I love CCI woodies, and GR has a great layout, full of airtime. All the jack-hammering just really ruins the experience though. Hopefully whatever they decide to do restores itto its former glory. I found my last ride on it to be very reminiscent of The Villain at GL, another CCI that went from being spectacular to spectacularly terrible in a few years upon being built.

 

Fingers crossed its freakin RMC on the horizon though amiright?!

[Vonni]

When are the comments about SF having an exclusive contract with RMC going to finally die? It has been stated, and proven many times that that is false information and no such contract exists. RMC can Iron Horse any wooden coaster for any park in the world that wants them to!

[DILinator]

It's a shame to hear that GhostRider has apparently gotten so bad. I don't remember the exact year I rode it, but at that time I really enjoyed the ride! However, hearing that it is a similar situation to what happened with The Villain, I can understand what it must be like now... I rode that back in 2003, and it was already pretty rough and uncomfortable to me at that point. I suspect GhostRider must have maintained its viability a little better than that quick turnaround at least...

[CedarFlags]

It's a shame to hear that GhostRider has apparently gotten so bad. I don't remember the exact year I rode it, but at that time I really enjoyed the ride! However, hearing that it is a similar situation to what happened with The Villain, I can understand what it must be like now... I rode that back in 2003, and it was already pretty rough and uncomfortable to me at that point. I suspect GhostRider must have maintained its viability a little better than that quick turnaround at least...

 

GR had about 6 good years, then pretty rapidly went downhill in the following 3.

[DILinator]

It's a shame to hear that GhostRider has apparently gotten so bad. I don't remember the exact year I rode it, but at that time I really enjoyed the ride! However, hearing that it is a similar situation to what happened with The Villain, I can understand what it must be like now... I rode that back in 2003, and it was already pretty rough and uncomfortable to me at that point. I suspect GhostRider must have maintained its viability a little better than that quick turnaround at least...

 

GR had about 6 good years, then pretty rapidly went downhill in the following 3.

 

I figured out that I rode it early in 2005, so that would be right around that 6 year mark. It must have been the beginning of that end at that point... I'm not saying it was smooth, then, but I remember still enjoying it! Hopefully they can do something to restore it to at least a semblance of its former glory!

[Vonni]

"I came in like a wrecking baaallll"