The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[chickenbowl]

This might be a cool idea, but the Windseeker is in the mexican themed Fiesta Village now, and I just noticed how visually similar it is to the rope poles that they have down in Mexico. I have a picture to explain. But these traditional poles are called the Bird Dance in Mexico, where men would swing around the pole, tied by their waste, while the rope unravels.

I think that Knott's should play off this idea for the Windseeker. That seems like Knott's style vs. the general CF Windseeker.

[GLund]

^I believe the boys from Jackass did something like that on an episode of WildBoyz. Pretty freakin' scary and hilarious!

 

But you're right, with how this is being installed in Fiesta Village that would be a good way to tie in the ride with the area.

[GLund]

I apologize for the double post but does anyone know if Ghostrider is still down?

 

My friends are going to the park tomorrow and want me to go, but I made previous plans and I'm not going to break them if I can't go on my favorite woodie. Thanks in advance!

[SharkTums]

According to their website it's supposed to reopen tomorrow.

 

Ride Closings

Rides Scheduled Closed for Rehab

January 24 - February 04

GhostRider

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I've noticed they did alot of work on the turn after the mid-course brake into the Low Beach section. This is pure speculation on my part but maybe this extensive work can allow them to ease off the heavy braking halfway through the course.

[OldJJman]

I've noticed they did alot of work on the turn after the mid-course brake into the Low Beach section. This is pure speculation on my part but maybe this extensive work can allow them to ease off the heavy braking halfway through the course.

 

The brakes above the station are block (E-stop) brakes only. They've never been used as any kind of trims.

 

 

JJ

[gdoggy1678]

I've noticed they did alot of work on the turn after the mid-course brake into the Low Beach section. This is pure speculation on my part but maybe this extensive work can allow them to ease off the heavy braking halfway through the course.

 

The brakes above the station are block (E-stop) brakes only. They've never been used as any kind of trims.

 

 

JJ

Umm... that MC Block has been stopping and holding trains for 3 seconds the past month...

[OldJJman]

Umm... that MC Block has been stopping and holding trains for 3 seconds the past month...

 

Wow. That's new. So... we're both right.

 

Those brakes can stop and hold (didn't know it had gone into an everyday practice), but AFAIK, they can't be (and we've been told by Jack Falfas, among others) used as trims to slow a train, though stopping it is far worse!!

 

I've only been stopped on the block 3 times (in over 1800 rides on GR). This was all during 3 train ops way back in the beginning.

 

 

JJ

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

Yes, whether or not it was intended to, trains have been coming to a full stop since late December...

[OldJJman]

Yes, whether or not it was intended to, trains have been coming to a full stop since late December...

 

Wow. I mean that literally! I've only ridden a total of 7 times in the last 3 years because of the pile of crap it has become.

 

First the original helix, then absolute lack of upkeep, then neutering the best part of the ride (and the 15 seconds that follows it).

 

Looks like I'm completely done riding it.

 

GR used to be world class. Now it's just

 

 

JJ

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^That drop off the brakes was amazing! Too bad that's gone away now.

[GLund]

Yeah, whenever anyone used to say there's no ejector air in Southern California, I'd bring up sitting in the very backseat of Ghostrider. That drop right after the turnaround above Ghostriders station is ridiculous.

 

It is one of the ONLY drops I've been on where its hard for me to keep my hands up because of how forcefully the you'd lift up against the restraint.

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

I will admit. The first time I rode GhostRider was back in 2004 and even then it was fun. The last time I rode it was 2009, and I don't think I'm going to ride it ever again, but the nly barable part of that rie for me was that low turn from the mid course to the Low Beach section.... Once again, I on't now how the trim affected the ride, but overall, it wasn't worth riding to begin with, so I couldn't care less about it.

[6flagsbrad]

I visited the park on Superbowl Sunday, it was pure heaven. Everything was a walk-on. Ghostrider was the only coaster with two trains running, and it was so smooth. There are also a lot of walls up around the Windseeker site. They're re-paving the walkway between the carousel and Bullet-lake, with walls up surrounding the carousel. It seems like this would be the perfect spot for the line for the ride. About half of the barbecue building still remains standing. Jaguar was closed, which I'm beginning to wonder if it is because of construction going on. Anyways, amazing day in the park. I definitely suggest attending any theme park on Superbowl Sunday.

[chickenbowl]

It seems that Silver Bullet is going to have one of its supports reconfigured in order to fit Windseeker in. I've never heard of a theme park changing a support on a coaster, but it sounds interesting. There's a picture of the new support on westcoaster.

 

EDIT: Picture from westcoaster.net

New support

[CGA_88]

I don't know about any other coasters, but they had to modify one of Logger's Run supports at CGA when they built Stealth. They called it the "C" support, because, well, it looked like a "C."

Edited February 8, 2011 by CGA_88

[Bolliger&Mabillard]

^^Very interesting. I hope it's color matched. It looks a bit shinier than other supports...dare I even say, they look silver?

[DJeXeL]

^Minor details. HaHa

[Myself]

Changing supports on wooden coasters is pretty common...the Thunderbolt at Kennywood had its structure re-engineered three different times to accommodate the Raging Rapids and the Phantom (once for each version).

 

But I do think steel coaster supports have been changed in the past...didn't Pepsi Max Big One require a significant reconstruction when they built Infusion?

[Ccron10]

It seems that Silver Bullet is going to have one of its supports reconfigured in order to fit Windseeker in. I've never heard of a theme park changing a support on a coaster, but it sounds interesting. There's a picture of the new support on westcoaster.

 

When Hersheypark built their wave pool, they needed to reconfigure one or two of Roller Soaker's supports for the wave machine building to fit.

 

I think it may be rare on a steel coaster, but if the track sections show cracking or fatigue I guess it can happen.

[Big-M]

I visited the park on Superbowl Sunday, it was pure heaven. Everything was a walk-on. Ghostrider was the only coaster with two trains running, and it was so smooth. There are also a lot of walls up around the Windseeker site. They're re-paving the walkway between the carousel and Bullet-lake, with walls up surrounding the carousel. It seems like this would be the perfect spot for the line for the ride. About half of the barbecue building still remains standing. Jaguar was closed, which I'm beginning to wonder if it is because of construction going on. Anyways, amazing day in the park. I definitely suggest attending any theme park on Superbowl Sunday.

 

Is GhostRider still getting trimmed at the midcourse?

[JJ728]

I visited the park on Superbowl Sunday, it was pure heaven. Everything was a walk-on. Ghostrider was the only coaster with two trains running, and it was so smooth. There are also a lot of walls up around the Windseeker site. They're re-paving the walkway between the carousel and Bullet-lake, with walls up surrounding the carousel. It seems like this would be the perfect spot for the line for the ride. About half of the barbecue building still remains standing. Jaguar was closed, which I'm beginning to wonder if it is because of construction going on. Anyways, amazing day in the park. I definitely suggest attending any theme park on Superbowl Sunday.

 

Is GhostRider still getting trimmed at the midcourse?

I'd assume so. There is no way that they'd trim it that hard a couple months ago and ease off the brakes over time. Its not in the habit of Cedar Fair parks to do so, or in that case any park.

[djbrcace1234]

I visited the park on Superbowl Sunday, it was pure heaven. Everything was a walk-on. Ghostrider was the only coaster with two trains running, and it was so smooth. There are also a lot of walls up around the Windseeker site. They're re-paving the walkway between the carousel and Bullet-lake, with walls up surrounding the carousel. It seems like this would be the perfect spot for the line for the ride. About half of the barbecue building still remains standing. Jaguar was closed, which I'm beginning to wonder if it is because of construction going on. Anyways, amazing day in the park. I definitely suggest attending any theme park on Superbowl Sunday.

 

Is GhostRider still getting trimmed at the midcourse?

I'd assume so. There is no way that they'd trim it that hard a couple months ago and ease off the brakes over time. Its not in the habit of Cedar Fair parks to do so, or in that case any park.

It still is, but I don't think it changes the ride all that much. However the "drop" is not felt as much as it used to be in the front. The back is still fun, though.

[6flagsbrad]

They do still brake it, I sat in the front when I went, and it does feel slower on that drop. Otherwise, it isn't that slow.

[robbalvey]

Do we have anyone that visits KFB on a regular basis (once per week) that can start posting photo updates of what is happening around the park?