The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[mr. cockblock]

Im pretty excited because I just found out that me and a couple friends are going to Knott's Berry Farm in 2 weeks! I havent been there for a long time (since Xcelerator was brand new) so I get to ride three 3 rides that I have yet to ride! (Silver Bullet, Sierra Sidewinder and Pony Express)

 

Anyway, I was curious if you guys knew the best ways for me and my friends to get discounted/cheapest tickets to the park? Thanks a lot.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I think Burger King has Knott's tickets for relatively cheap. (35 bucks I think), other than that there is the after 4 p.m. promotion, if you want to go that late. Other than that I can't think of anything else than maybe a so. cal. discount, if they still do that.

[A.J.]

Screamscape reports today that the Sky Cabin will not be removed, and that Windseeker will be constructed at another location.

 

IMO, Sky Cabin needs to go.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Yeah, bad decision not getting rid of the sky tower ... it's time has come unless they are going to truly invest in rehabbing it to get it looking good again.

 

I have a feeling it's going to be a little too cramped in Fiesta Village now (well, more than it was already).

[gforce532]

Along with fixing it up. The least they could do is to get clean windows that you can see out of.

[SharkTums]

I agree that Sky Tower needs some work, but I'm not as quick as you guys to pull it out. When Cedar Fair came in and raised all of the height restrictions to NBA League only the Sky Tower was at least something that everyone could still ride. Little kids do get a kick out of it.

[robmiester]

I was there on New Years Day and rode Ghostrider multiple times w/ the full stop. To be honest, I still find it just as fun as it was before, if not more enjoyable. The ride hauled ass up to that point, almost moreso than it used to, and post-MCBR was still crazy. That being said, I stayed mostly in the back row, so that definitely changed my perspective. The worst part about it was that the whole ride shut down multiple times during the day, including once while I was on it. The employees have the same thoughts as the general TPR populace and miss the non-stop, as they mentioned a few times throughout the day. However, the stop doesn't neuter the ride and it's still a great ride in my book.

[robbalvey]

^ I haven't ridden it with the brake, but in my many years of riding hundreds of coasters, I have never once found a coaster where a trim brake that brings the train to a complete stop mid-way through the course, doesn't change the ride considerably. I think many people here are just Knott's fanboys who are wanting to give the ride the benefit of the doubt.

 

I'll see for myself in a couple of months, I guess...

[John Knotts]

^ I agree. Obviously the ride was designed to run from the mid-course to the brake run even from a dead stop, and It shouldn't completely ruin the second half of the ride no more than Goliath does. However, it can't help but effect the flow of the ride, as well as any major airtime on "the drop" if you're not in the very back car. I didn't ride it last visit, but from what I could see, it had no trouble picking up it's usual speed on the second half. But that stop is just way too jarring...

[robmiester]

^^I'm not going to sugarcoat that I may be a slight Knotts fanboy, so that certainly affects my opinion. It's also not as if it doesn't affect the ride considerably, as I felt in a front-seat ride, where you practically crept over the drop until you were able to pull the back few cars. However, in the back, it's still a great 2nd half. It's still nowhere near the level it was back in its first few years, but it still is a good ride. The first part of the ride is as it has been, and you still get ejector air in the back car during "the drop." However, it's increasingly becoming a backseat-only ride, which is unfortunate. I'm all for Track Topping the ride, though, and hopefully CF can find a way to fix the ride up in the upcoming years.

[DJeXeL]

It's bitter sweet in my opinion as GR is an OK ride. Not horrible and not awesome. The train stopping on the mid-course greatly affects the pacing, but if it reduces wear on the track/trains thus reducing maintenance costs, then it is what it is.

Edited January 6, 2011 by DJeXeL

[John Knotts]

^ yeah I'm sure it's nothing the park wanted to do, after all, Ghostrider has run free for over a decade. But like most major wooden coasters, it's at that point where it will either get the care that it needs, or fade into a pile of crap. I hope Knotts realizes that no matter what the they build, it's Ghostrider that is "face" of the park (at least in terms of coasters). It seems as though as Ghostrider goes, so does Knotts.

Edited January 6, 2011 by John Knotts

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I'm still not above the idea of tearing it down and replacing it with a floorless called "Ghostbuster"

[robbalvey]

It's bitter sweet in my opinion as GR is an OK ride. Not horrible and not awesome. The train stopping on the mid-course greatly affects the pacing, but if it reduces wear on the track/trains thus reducing maintenance costs, then it is what it is.

That's such a B.S. cop-out though. It's because they've let the ride fade into a shadow of it's former self is why they won't spend the money to make it what it once was. Same thing happened to Colossus at Magic Mountain. If that ride was still a #4 rated coaster in the world, and it was part of the reason why people came to Knott's, I guarantee you that it would get more funding for extensive track work.

 

But since it's now a more forgotten about "just another ride in the park", it's not going to get anywhere near the love as other rides will get. So instead of fixing it, they can slap a band-aid on it, the trims, and let it ride out the rest of it's life like that.

 

Because when you've got a coaster that at #55 in the world, coming in at #75 in the world after a trim was placed on it, doesn't really matter to anyone. No one goes out of their way to ride a top 55 woodie, but they WILL go out of their way to ride a top ten woodie.

 

It's just a shame that it's come to this. Seriously, Ghostrider used to be one of the best in the world and I know people who would fly across the country just to ride it. Now it's just a "credit" at the park. It's fallen into mediocrity and I couldn't tell you the last time it was mentioned in a positive light during conversation.

 

Sad.

 

They only way I ever see this ride getting "fixed up" is if they do something to it that allows the park to re-market it as something new, or at least greatly improved.

 

--Robb

Edited January 6, 2011 by robbalvey

[DJeXeL]

^Well said. I still enjoy it as an attraction but it's not what it used to be, you couldn't be more correct on that. I still remember riding GR 2 weeks after it opened in Dec '98 and it gave me that "Holy Sh*t this is amazing" feeling. Sadly after 3 or 4 years I couldn't speak the same about it and it became "just a credit" as you put it.

Edited January 6, 2011 by DJeXeL

[John Knotts]

Unfortunately, I agree as well. We've seen this happen way too many times at other parks. Star wooden coaster starts to age and tear itself apart. The people in charge of setting yearly budgets refuse to allow funds to fix it. Park has to compensate by building something that over-shadows it in terms of public draw and attention. Wooden coaster fades into memory as yet another coaster that USE to be awesome. Fortunately, there are other options now to restore some of these rides. SFMM started a trend that I hope spreads across the industry. The re-marketing of rides that no longer meet their potential. All I can do is hope that Ghostie is considered in the future.

[Gmaster562]

It's bitter sweet in my opinion as GR is an OK ride. Not horrible and not awesome. The train stopping on the mid-course greatly affects the pacing, but if it reduces wear on the track/trains thus reducing maintenance costs, then it is what it is.

That's such a B.S. cop-out though. It's because they've let the ride fade into a shadow of it's former self is why they won't spend the money to make it what it once was. Same thing happened to Colossus at Magic Mountain. If that ride was still a #4 rated coaster in the world, and it was part of the reason why people came to Knott's, I guarantee you that it would get more funding for extensive track work.

 

But since it's now a more forgotten about "just another ride in the park", it's not going to get anywhere near the love as other rides will get. So instead of fixing it, they can slap a band-aid on it, the trims, and let it ride out the rest of it's life like that.

 

Because when you've got a coaster that at #55 in the world, coming in at #75 in the world after a trim was placed on it, doesn't really matter to anyone. No one goes out of their way to ride a top 55 woodie, but they WILL go out of their way to ride a top ten woodie.

 

It's just a shame that it's come to this. Seriously, Ghostrider used to be one of the best in the world and I know people who would fly across the country just to ride it. Now it's just a "credit" at the park. It's fallen into mediocrity and I couldn't tell you the last time it was mentioned in a positive light during conversation.

 

Sad.

 

They only way I ever see this ride getting "fixed up" is if they do something to it that allows the park to re-market it as something new, or at least greatly improved.

 

--Robb

So basically, a Rocky Mountain treatment.

[robbalvey]

It's bitter sweet in my opinion as GR is an OK ride. Not horrible and not awesome. The train stopping on the mid-course greatly affects the pacing, but if it reduces wear on the track/trains thus reducing maintenance costs, then it is what it is.

That's such a B.S. cop-out though. It's because they've let the ride fade into a shadow of it's former self is why they won't spend the money to make it what it once was. Same thing happened to Colossus at Magic Mountain. If that ride was still a #4 rated coaster in the world, and it was part of the reason why people came to Knott's, I guarantee you that it would get more funding for extensive track work.

 

But since it's now a more forgotten about "just another ride in the park", it's not going to get anywhere near the love as other rides will get. So instead of fixing it, they can slap a band-aid on it, the trims, and let it ride out the rest of it's life like that.

 

Because when you've got a coaster that at #55 in the world, coming in at #75 in the world after a trim was placed on it, doesn't really matter to anyone. No one goes out of their way to ride a top 55 woodie, but they WILL go out of their way to ride a top ten woodie.

 

It's just a shame that it's come to this. Seriously, Ghostrider used to be one of the best in the world and I know people who would fly across the country just to ride it. Now it's just a "credit" at the park. It's fallen into mediocrity and I couldn't tell you the last time it was mentioned in a positive light during conversation.

 

Sad.

 

They only way I ever see this ride getting "fixed up" is if they do something to it that allows the park to re-market it as something new, or at least greatly improved.

 

--Robb

So basically, a Rocky Mountain treatment.

Or a Psyclone treatment.

 

--Robb "No one has ridden a Rocky Mountain Coaster yet to know if that's the best plan of action. What if it sucks?" Alvey

Edited January 7, 2011 by robbalvey

[Gmaster562]

I just noticed my glass of water is half empty...

 

Garrett "Have some faith" stewart

[the ghost]

Sad news from the park today. Knotts legend, Bud Hurlbut died yesterday. He was responsible for the classics, Timber Mountain Log Ride and the Calico Mine Ride.

 

Bud Hurlbut, who created some of Knott's Berry Farm's centerpiece rides, died Wednesday. He was 93.

Hurlbut worked for years with Walter Knott, the founder of Knott's Berry Farm. There, Hurlbut designed and built the Calico Mine Ride and the Timber Mountain Log Ride -- two attractions that, decades after they were built, remain among the most popular rides in the park.

 

The rest of the article can be found here.

www.ocregister.com/news/-283078--.html

 

This is very sad news as these are two absolutely classic and charming attractions as well as the best rides left from the pre cedar fair regime.

[SenseOFone]

^I read that, and my day wasn't going that great already. But now I want to cry

[Gmaster562]

UGH! Now my TV show is half over.

[cal1br3tto]

^This isn't the "Rant" thread...

 

I think I'll continue to be a backseat rider on Ghostie. Here's hoping the "fanboy rumors" of a not-too-badly-diminished experience have at least a grain of truth to them...

[DJeXeL]

Very sad day indeed. Calico Mine Ride holds a special place in my heart. RIP Bud Hurlbut

Thank you for your creativity and contributions to the amusement industry.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

"No one has ridden a Rocky Mountain Coaster yet to know if that's the best plan of action. What if it sucks?"

Quoted For Truth.

This project has been talked about as if it were the second coming of Christ. Let's see how Texas Giant pans out before we start saying its the best thing ever.