The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[PeoplemoverMatt]

So in other words not very accurate. Got it. I'll trust CF's own numbers.

 

Right because an individual corporation has absolutely no incentive to embellish their own figures. It's those sneaky third party industry-wide analysts you really have look out for.

[Jew]

Keep in mind that many of the people who work for the parks (or are contracted by the parks) for design/concept work are members of TEA...The numbers are universally accepted in the industry as pretty close to accurate.

[Hilltopper39]

Going back to our previous discussion, TEA report pegged KBF attendance at 3.9 million and Soak City nowhere in their top 20 for water parks (#20 was at 402,000).

 

 

I'm guessing that Cedar Fair includes Knotts Market Place and the Hotel into their attendance figures for the Knotts property.

 

 

There is no way that the Theme Park and Water Park combined drew 5.5 million people.

Where does TEA Connect and the IAPAA get their figures?

 

They use a combination of publicly available information and their sources.

So in other words not very accurate. Got it. I'll trust CF's own numbers.

 

 

The figures in the TEA report and in CedarFair's 10K annual report are exactly the same. I'm not saying it's entirely accurate, only the execs at Cedar Fair really know that, but they must be comfortable enough with the figure to officially report it to their shareholders.

[sxexaxn]

I watched Ghostrider doing test runs for about an hour and a half last night starting at about 9:15pm. Two trains cycling. One was empty and the other one had water dummies in it with a test dummy in the front row. It looks and sounds like it's running fantastically. Really moving fast throughout whole course and especially the second half. Talked with a member of management who was watching the test runs from the marketplace parking lot and he told me that he and 7 other guys rode it earlier so they've already started with actual riders. He said they were probably going to be test running until around 3:00 in the morning and I would probably expect them to be doing it again tonight after Park closing.

[Guy T. Koepp]

So great to hear that. I am looking forward to getting my rides in on it in September. Good time to be in Cali. Unfortunately I'm in Tteenneessee, and I don't think we'll ever get our new wood coaster running.

 

But hey, some wood is better than no wood. Am I right!?

[RollerManic]

Tteenneessee

 

Ours is already running, Guy. Well, sort of.

[Jew]

Management changes at KBF/Cedar Fair:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/knott-717382-president-vice.html

 

BUENA PARK – There’s a new sheriff in Ghost Town – a former Disneyland executive.

 

Jon Storbeck, 56, was announced Friday as the new vice president and general manager of Knott’s Berry Farm, effective Monday.

 

A longtime Tustin resident, Storbeck previously was vice president of hotels and Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. He was also a vice president of Disneyland for nine years. He left the company in January after 30-plus years.

 

“Growing up in Orange County, I’ve gone to Knott’s since I was a kid,” Storbeck said. “I love the theme of the Old West and look forward to continuing the momentum.”

 

Storbeck replaces Raffi Kaprelyan, who was promoted to regional vice president of Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., which owns Knott’s and other theme parks. Kaprelyan, who started his career at Knott’s more than 35 years ago as a janitor, will oversee Knott’s and several other parks for Cedar Fair.

 

“I’ve known Jon for a long time, and I know he will continue what we’ve done here for the past five years,” Kaprelyan said.

 

Under Kaprelyan’s stewardship since 2011, the park has undergone a number of changes and improvements, including upgrades of two classic rides, the Calico Mine Ride and the Timber Mountain Log Ride.

 

There also was a revamping of children-targeted Camp Snoopy, and the addition of the Voyage to the Iron Reef, an interactive ride in which passengers shoot at targets.

 

On Friday, a revised Ghost Town was unveiled to guests, and the Ghostrider roller coaster will re-open within the next couple of weeks and offer a smoother ride.

 

As for Storbeck’s plans for Knott’s: “It’s a great opportunity to do things from a theming standpoint, and I hope to continue growing its audience, both locally and from those visiting the area.”

[Nrthwnd]

^ Is this a good, or a not so good, management change?

[Jew]

I have friends who worked at Disney while he was in charge of the parks there and they all seemed happy about it on Facebook.

 

I hope the new guy will bring passion back to Haunt. The maze quality has improved a ton, but it lost a lot of the charm it once had IMO. Less mazes and more rules for the monsters.

[coloradocoasterguy]

Well, let's see. The last time an ex-Disney guy came to the Cedar Fair company Knott's got better. I predict this is good.

[coloradocoasterguy]

My Xcelerator redesign. Launch. Top hat. Drop. Giant cobra roll. Overbanked turn. Corkscrew thingie ending in a dive loop. Overbanked turn into a giant helix. Brake run.

 

[CedarFlags]

I don't know how this managed to stay so quiet, but Pony Express had a pretty serious mechanical failure on Friday that resulted in a very loud bang that had pieces of the flywheel machinery flying off onto the train tracks and the back of Wilderness Dance Hall. Nobody was hurt but the ride has been down all weekend.

[coloradocoasterguy]

I don't know how this managed to stay so quiet, but Pony Express had a pretty serious mechanical failure on Friday that resulted in a very loud bang that had pieces of the flywheel machinery flying off onto the train tracks and the back of Wilderness Dance Hall. Nobody was hurt but the ride has been down all weekend.

 

I won't be sad if they remove PE entirely.

 

Oh and it's not a dance hall anymore. Now it's a hands on horse stable.

[CedarFlags]

I don't know how this managed to stay so quiet, but Pony Express had a pretty serious mechanical failure on Friday that resulted in a very loud bang that had pieces of the flywheel machinery flying off onto the train tracks and the back of Wilderness Dance Hall. Nobody was hurt but the ride has been down all weekend.

 

I won't be sad if they remove PE entirely.

 

Oh and it's not a dance hall anymore. Now it's a hands on horse stable.

 

That's the Barn ( next to the Western Trails Museum). Wilderness Dance Hall is still the same.

[coloradocoasterguy]

I don't know how this managed to stay so quiet, but Pony Express had a pretty serious mechanical failure on Friday that resulted in a very loud bang that had pieces of the flywheel machinery flying off onto the train tracks and the back of Wilderness Dance Hall. Nobody was hurt but the ride has been down all weekend.

 

I won't be sad if they remove PE entirely.

 

Oh and it's not a dance hall anymore. Now it's a hands on horse stable.

 

That's the Barn ( next to the Western Trails Museum). Wilderness Dance Hall is still the same.

What barn?

[CedarFlags]

Craft Barn. It was a Merchandise location, and it's been renovated. Here's an aerial view. The Barn is in blue, and Wilderness Dance Hall is Red. Yellow is Birdcage and Green is Saloon (for reference)

 

[KBrylczyk]

I don't know how this managed to stay so quiet, but Pony Express had a pretty serious mechanical failure on Friday that resulted in a very loud bang that had pieces of the flywheel machinery flying off onto the train tracks and the back of Wilderness Dance Hall. Nobody was hurt but the ride has been down all weekend.

 

Oh, Zamperla, you goofy bastards...

[Jew]

Maybe KBF's maintenance team can't read Italian either...

[laqueefa]

Maybe KBF's maintenance team can't read Italian either...

 

[PixelRush]

I don't know how this managed to stay so quiet, but Pony Express had a pretty serious mechanical failure on Friday that resulted in a very loud bang that had pieces of the flywheel machinery flying off onto the train tracks and the back of Wilderness Dance Hall. Nobody was hurt but the ride has been down all weekend.

Jesus Christ, I hope no one got it on video like during the Xcelerator explosion (where they suspiciously had a camera ready to record it happening...) or else Knott's will be under the microscope!

[coloradocoasterguy]

Craft Barn. It was a Merchandise location, and it's been renovated. Here's an aerial view. The Barn is in blue, and Wilderness Dance Hall is Red. Yellow is Birdcage and Green is Saloon (for reference)

 

[attachment=0]kbf.jpg[/attachment]

Well, the blog I've been following showed the wrong building for their exterior shot.

[Philrad71]

^^ As long as no one was injured, killed or it endangered the lives of captive animals, the media will most likely leave this one alone.

[CedarFlags]

^^ As long as no one was injured, killed or it endangered the lives of captive animals, the media will most likely leave this one alone.

 

This ride in England literally just stopped on the lift hill.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-36389196?ns_campaign=bbc_south_today&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=english_regions

[i<3coasters]

Stopped by Knott's for a few minutes yesterday afternoon when I was driving home and saw them cycling empty trains on GhostRider from Beach Blvd. Caught a few videos and thought I'd share because this thing is looking GOOD.

 

Apparently they were testing it for a few hours yesterday like this, dispatching trains about every 2-3 minutes. I figure this bodes well for a soft opening soon.

IMG_8909.MOV

IMG_8912.MOV

[Nrthwnd]

^ That's one hell of an inversion.

 

Looks good, even though a bit upsy downsy, heh.