The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[edgeboy]

It always astounds me to see how simply rapids are created on river rapids rides. Has Knotts ever used theirs for Scary Farm maze? I think I heard tale of at least one Six Flags doing this.

 

Yes, they have. I don't recall the name, but it was sort of Bigfoot-themed. The scares were pretty light, and riding at the end was optional. We actually did, and were a bit surprised that in the final tunnel of the rapids, they had a Bigfoot-character standing over you, and it would though a huge boulder at you (which was attached to a bungee cord). That was a cool highlight, but I'm sure not many people got to see it... it was mostly too cold for most people to justify riding a rapids ride at night in winter (this was before current global warming trends).

[ytterbiumanalyst]

(this was before current global warming trends).

Sigh. No it wasn't. But rather than attempt to explain climate science, I'm just going to leave this here:

[CedarFlags]

1 train operation on GR wouldn't be quite as bad if it didn't also come with 1 train staffing. If they would schedule 4 ROs on dock to check the train instead of only 2, you could at least cut down on the load time and get cycles every 5 minutes instead of 7. Although, staffing is more expensive than just running the trains, so I guess I understand from a business standpoint. But from a guest experience standpoint, it SUCKS.

 

Bullet with 1 train is manageable, Pony with 1 train is manageable, Xcel with 1 train is standard and also manageable. Ghostrider with 1 train is heinous.

[edgeboy]

^^Say what you will, but in 2015 it was over 90 degrees every day of October (I was keeping track), and it was over 90 for the vast majority this year. At the time frame I mentioned, I remember needing a jacket that night and still being a bit cold, and that most people thought we were crazy for going on a water ride.

[Mechanic]

^ There were 9 days in October 2015 that reached 90* or above. Nice try though.

 

Source

 

Say hi to Al Gore for me.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf69EEL3WBk

[Jew]

It always astounds me to see how simply rapids are created on river rapids rides. Has Knotts ever used theirs for Scary Farm maze? I think I heard tale of at least one Six Flags doing this.

 

Yes, they have. I don't recall the name, but it was sort of Bigfoot-themed. The scares were pretty light, and riding at the end was optional. We actually did, and were a bit surprised that in the final tunnel of the rapids, they had a Bigfoot-character standing over you, and it would though a huge boulder at you (which was attached to a bungee cord). That was a cool highlight, but I'm sure not many people got to see it... it was mostly too cold for most people to justify riding a rapids ride at night in winter (this was before current global warming trends).

 

It was called Bigfoot's Revenge.

[coasterbill]

How the hell did this become a climate change discussion? It's getting hotter and the facts are indisputable* but it's not like it's made such a difference over the last few years that it's made a major impact on your decision to ride a rapids ride at night or not. Rapids rides are always terrible, day or night. Go ride the Log Flume.

 

(call me crazy but I like to get my information on climate from climate scientists and meteorologists, not politicians regardless of affiliation)

[SoCalJasonland]

Ghostrider has both trains running today with no wait unless you want front or back. Rest of park is dead so far.

[ABW]

How the hell did this become a climate change discussion? It's getting hotter and the facts are indisputable* but it's not like it's made such a difference over the last few years that it's made a major impact on your decision to ride a rapids ride at night or not. Rapids rides are always terrible, day or night. Go ride the Log Flume.

 

(call me crazy but I like to get my information on climate from climate scientists and meteorologists, not politicians regardless of affiliation)

 

[WOFanatic]

How the hell did this become a climate change discussion? It's getting hotter and the facts are indisputable* but it's not like it's made such a difference over the last few years that it's made a major impact on your decision to ride a rapids ride at night or not. Rapids rides are always terrible, day or night. Go ride the Log Flume.

 

(call me crazy but I like to get my information on climate from climate scientists and meteorologists, not politicians regardless of affiliation)

You probably get your "information" from the Chinese, don't ya?

[ABW]

How about not turning this into a heated political discussion?

Edited December 13, 2016 by ABW

[coasterbill]

This has nothing to do with Knotts, if you want to argue about it for some reason then shoot me a PM or something.

 

Ghostrider has both trains running today with no wait unless you want front or back. Rest of park is dead so far.

 

That's great news! Hopefully we get out there soon to ride this thing.

[El Toro_Ryan]

There are only 2 trains. The mid-course brake was removed because the park simply couldn't dispatch fast enough for 3 trains to make a difference. They did not buy an extra train, so the 2 is all they have. All this information comes from park management during the Ghostrider walkback at WCB.

 

The park still purchased three trains even with the removal of the mid-course. This way there are always two trains available while one is still in rehab, just like before with the PTC trains. I believe the first two trains were shipped out and I'm not sure if they have received the third train yet but they definitely ordered three.

 

I feel like the park could have pulled off three train operation if they really tried. Europa Park does it on Wodan and that thing has a way shorter cycle time. Would have been cool to see in my opinion, especially with the crowds the ride seems to draw.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Okay. You always seem to know what you're talking about, so I believe you. In early September, they only had two, but it is possible that a third would come later. It does make sense for a year round park.

[coasterlvr]

There are only 2 trains. The mid-course brake was removed because the park simply couldn't dispatch fast enough for 3 trains to make a difference. They did not buy an extra train, so the 2 is all they have. All this information comes from park management during the Ghostrider walkback at WCB.

 

The park still purchased three trains even with the removal of the mid-course. This way there are always two trains available while one is still in rehab, just like before with the PTC trains. I believe the first two trains were shipped out and I'm not sure if they have received the third train yet but they definitely ordered three.

 

I feel like the park could have pulled off three train operation if they really tried. Europa Park does it on Wodan and that thing has a way shorter cycle time. Would have been cool to see in my opinion, especially with the crowds the ride seems to draw.

 

the end brake run before the station puzzles me. stop, go, stop, go. it takes a long time to get into the station.

[Arthur_Seaton]

Ghostrider has both trains running today with no wait unless you want front or back. Rest of park is dead so far.

Thanks for the tip! After reading your message, I bailed on work and drove down to the park. Arrived about 4pm and rode an embarrassing amount of rides in the 4 hours I was there. Ghost Rider was basically a walk-on all afternoon / evening, and really only a 1-2 train wait for the front or back (with two trains), so I got 8 rides in. The ride seems to be breaking in a bit now with a little bit of roughness returning, but that's just in comparison to when the reboot first opened and is in no way a complaint; it's still way smoother than most woodies around — and tons of fun. Rode Xcelerator, Supreme Scream, Monte, Silver Bullet, and La Revolucion a ridiculous amount of times without ever having to leave the station / train. One thing about La Revolucion, though, is that if you happen to be on the downside looking up on each swing, the ride's not that intense. The way it rotates is such that your position remains largely the same, so you either get an airtime-filled ride from it, or you get to watch the people sitting opposite you having more fun. I guess speeding up the rotation would produce more variation, but that would probably make the ride more nauseating too. Anyhow, great mini-trip to the park and will probably try to squeeze in a couple more before the year's out.

[CrazedZooChimp]

So I did end up stopping by the park for a few hours on Monday (roughly 10-2). It was really empty, and lucky for me GhostRider and Silver Bullet were both running two trains! Managed to easily get rides on everything I wanted, watched the Christmas Carol show, and wandered through Ghost Town a bit. Got two rides on XCelerator, front and back rides on Silver Bullet, and front and back on GhostRider (plus one in the middle). My longest wait of the day was probably the four or so cycles I waited for the front of GR. Operations seemed pretty decent on GhostRider as well, they were getting trains out roughly every 2 minutes, just about as the second train returned to the station (had 4 operators checking seats). If I ever finding myself in Southern California with a Monday off in December again, I'm going to make sure to stop by again.

 

I'll probably put a few photos up over on Coaster101 in the next couple days (or tonight), but here are a few I took from the park (it was also a pretty nice day, warmed up in the afternoon). I wond

 

 

 

 

[Freestyle23]

Ghostrider has both trains running today with no wait unless you want front or back. Rest of park is dead so far.

 

Find out why it was only running one train last Friday? As I was leaving the park last Friday there were alot of people about to enter. I guess it was some radio show special event. I saw a power 106 truck by the hotel. Maybe that's why they were only running one train?

[SoCalJasonland]

Ghostrider has both trains running today with no wait unless you want front or back. Rest of park is dead so far.

 

Find out why it was only running one train last Friday? As I was leaving the park last Friday there were alot of people about to enter. I guess it was some radio show special event. I saw a power 106 truck by the hotel. Maybe that's why they were only running one train?

 

If two trains are on Ghostrider's track but they are only loading one train; it is because they are short on restraint checkers. They are required to have four restraint checkers to run two trains. That happened a lot during Halloween Haunt when they were short day workers and one train was dispatched empty during the day. Last Friday, there was only one train on the track so I am guessing the other was broken for a couple of days and not short workers. They tend to keep two trains on this whenever possible.

[Jew]

That sounds like a silly rule only Cedar Fair would think of...

[El Toro_Ryan]

That sounds like a silly rule only Cedar Fair would think of...

 

Agreed. It's much more convenient to have 4 attendants to check restraints but running with two is still manageable. Especially with the shorter 24 passenger trains on GhostRider. I heard Dorney Park has a similar rule with running three trains on Steel Force where they need 6 attendants minimum. The reasoning for that though is because the third train absolutely slams to a stop on the final brake run if it stacks. GhostRider looks like it stops pretty comfortably. haha I guess Cedar Fair really just doesn't like stacking.

[SoCalJasonland]

That sounds like a silly rule only Cedar Fair would think of...

 

Unfortunately, it is a Cal-OSHA rule. More operators are needed in case of an emergency to evacuate people from restraints. They can have the second train the on the track but loading it would cause too many people to be on the attraction per number of operators to safely evacuate everyone in case of fire of smoke.

[IamDolfin]

Removed.

Edited August 30, 2018 by IamDolfin

[Jew]

That sounds like a silly rule only Cedar Fair would think of...

 

Unfortunately, it is a Cal-OSHA rule. More operators are needed in case of an emergency to evacuate people from restraints. They can have the second train the on the track but loading it would cause too many people to be on the attraction per number of operators to safely evacuate everyone in case of fire of smoke.

 

I would believe that if SFMM didn't operate with as little staff as possible on all their rides that have multiple trains.

 

Not only that, running the train empty is still putting cycles on it---might as well just take it off if staffing is going to be a prolonged issue.

Edited December 17, 2016 by Jew

[SoCalJasonland]

That sounds like a silly rule only Cedar Fair would think of...

 

Unfortunately, it is a Cal-OSHA rule. More operators are needed in case of an emergency to evacuate people from restraints. They can have the second train the on the track but loading it would cause too many people to be on the attraction per number of operators to safely evacuate everyone in case of fire of smoke.

 

I would believe that if SFMM didn't operate with as little staff as possible on all their rides that have multiple trains.

 

Not only that, running the train empty is still putting cycles on it---might as well just take it off if staffing is going to be a prolonged issue.

 

I know during haunt that they had to move the day people to run the coaster at night and were short handed. They didn't want to add train at end of the day so they just left it on the track. Maybe the number of trains and operators has to do with the fact that this is a wood structure and could burn and needs evacuation quicker? it was just what the ride operator told me when I asked why they weren't loading it. He said the state required four restraint checkers and they were short because some of the day people called in sick or were moved to haunt shift so they had to leave the train empty.