The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[coasterlvr]

Ride op stapled me in with those lap bars on Mean Streak a couple weeks ago. She kept pushing until it was 2 clicks past the normal that other ride operators do. I have very big legs so it was very painful especially going around turns. Had bruises on my leg from this.

What do you all mean by "staple"?

To push the restraints in so much that the rider cannot move at all. This depends on a number of factors, and the biggest variable is of course the rider. Maybe a rider is of a size that the first locking point still leaves a lot of room. Some ride ops will push until it hits that second locking point just to be sure, and perhaps for this rider that's pushing up against them. That rider would be said to be stapled. They'll be safe, but may not enjoy the ride very much.

 

I have been stapled before, and it's not the most pleasant thing ever for sure. But I personally would rather err on the side of safety, and generally all parks will.

 

i slouch, stick my legs out, stick my stomach out, anything to keep from being stapled in. nothing makes a ride more unenjoyable than being in a tight restraint.

[coloradocoasterguy]

To push the restraints in so much that the rider cannot move at all. This depends on a number of factors, and the biggest variable is of course the rider. Maybe a rider is of a size that the first locking point still leaves a lot of room. Some ride ops will push until it hits that second locking point just to be sure, and perhaps for this rider that's pushing up against them. That rider would be said to be stapled. They'll be safe, but may not enjoy the ride very much.

 

I have been stapled before, and it's not the most pleasant thing ever for sure. But I personally would rather err on the side of safety, and generally all parks will.

My experience working at Knott's away back when is that they require at least two clicks. If we didn't get that second click you couldn't ride. We would force it so you could ride.

[CP Maverick]

My first ride on GhostRider was not very pleasant. The op checked my restraint by stepping on it. That was much worse than the forceful push the Xcelerator ops would give to your restraints. [Aug 2002]

[DILinator]

nothing makes a ride more unenjoyable than being in a tight restraint.

 

Agreed. I used to have a very overlarge wallet (think: about and inch and a half), that I would keep in my front pocket (obviously not in the back, at that size), and making sure to place it under where the restraint would come down, and then flexing my leg, would tend to assure me that I wasn't stapled too uncomfortably. I was still FAR from unsafe, but at least the ride wasn't painful the entire time. Now that I have a smaller, more reasonable wallet size... Well, I just have to hope I don't get stapled!

[coloradocoasterguy]

My first ride on GhostRider was not very pleasant. The op checked my restraint by stepping on it. That was much worse than the forceful push the Xcelerator ops would give to your restraints. [Aug 2002]

Wow. Things must have really changed after I left (summer 1999). We would never ever use our feet. You can't pull back and make sure it's good.

[haydn12]

I weigh 190 pounds at 5'11" so I'm not large but have decently big lets from 20 years of karate and hiking. The 1st click she pushed done was painful, the 2nd click had me yelling but she didn't care. First time I've ever ran into a ride op like that at Cedar Point. I'm 58 and that was the first time I've ever been upset at a ride op.

[LiftThrill]

Ride op stapled me in with those lap bars on Mean Streak a couple weeks ago. She kept pushing until it was 2 clicks past the normal that other ride operators do. I have very big legs so it was very painful especially going around turns. Had bruises on my leg from this.

What do you all mean by "staple"?

To push the restraints in so much that the rider cannot move at all. This depends on a number of factors, and the biggest variable is of course the rider. Maybe a rider is of a size that the first locking point still leaves a lot of room. Some ride ops will push until it hits that second locking point just to be sure, and perhaps for this rider that's pushing up against them. That rider would be said to be stapled. They'll be safe, but may not enjoy the ride very much.

 

I have been stapled before, and it's not the most pleasant thing ever for sure. But I personally would rather err on the side of safety, and generally all parks will.

 

Stapling is the reason hydraulic restraints are so awesome. No click system, just goes down to where it should be. Ratcheting restraints are weird because some of them lock in different positions depending on the seat, which I've always found odd but understandable.

[coloradocoasterguy]

Ride op stapled me in with those lap bars on Mean Streak a couple weeks ago. She kept pushing until it was 2 clicks past the normal that other ride operators do. I have very big legs so it was very painful especially going around turns. Had bruises on my leg from this.

What do you all mean by "staple"?

To push the restraints in so much that the rider cannot move at all. This depends on a number of factors, and the biggest variable is of course the rider. Maybe a rider is of a size that the first locking point still leaves a lot of room. Some ride ops will push until it hits that second locking point just to be sure, and perhaps for this rider that's pushing up against them. That rider would be said to be stapled. They'll be safe, but may not enjoy the ride very much.

 

I have been stapled before, and it's not the most pleasant thing ever for sure. But I personally would rather err on the side of safety, and generally all parks will.

 

Stapling is the reason hydraulic restraints are so awesome. No click system, just goes down to where it should be. Ratcheting restraints are weird because some of them lock in different positions depending on the seat, which I've always found odd but understandable.

Exactly.

[pianojohn]

Just got back from a quick trip to CA. Had two amazing rides on Ghostrider.

 

My first one was at night in the 2nd row. The amber colored lights on the entire length of the track are a nice touch. I found the ride very smooth and fast.

 

I then rode it the next day in the very back seat. Another great ride with some pops of airtime.

 

If Cedar Point ends up hiring GCI to redo Mean Streak and add new trains, that would be fine with me. Although I am still holding out on the RMC retrack.

The new trains are super comfortable and look awesome

Early morning shot from the hotel room as maintenance walked the track

[Vonni]

^ I agree with you on wanting to have RMC takeover Mean Streak, but I've always wanted a custom GCI at CP. I'd like to see that in the old STR location.

[fatdaddy]

Ghostrider line jumping is awful! Mostly because the employees they have posted at the emergency exits just let them in! I mean what's the point of posting an employee to stop line jumping if they just let everyone in? Here's a clue, if you didn't let them out of the exit to use the bathroom, etc.,...don't let them in, they were not in line!

[monty1998]

Knott's Update

 

Soak City... The layout and concept art for the Soak City expansion have been posted on the Buena Park website. It is contained in a rather large PDF that covers the entire agenda for tomorrow night's council meeting and is located here... www.buenapark.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9603 The most pertinent pages are 269-272. Knott's is purchasing land near La Palma and Stanton to replace parking lot that will be lost to the expansion. The existing ride Pacific Spin will be replaced with a Fusion Constrictor Python by White Water West. In addition, there will be a tower with 4 drop pod slides and 2 tube slides that will both have long translucent portions. A large area of new cabanas is also included.

 

Good news from the Farm... attendance appears to be even higher this summer than last year's record levels.

 

Bad news from the Farm... the major mechanical malfunction that occurred on Pony Express earlier this month will apparently keep the ride closed for quite awhile, possibly through most of the summer.

 

In other news somewhat related to Knott's... the fire station on Western will be demolished and moved to another portion of Knott's west parking lot adjacent to La Palma.

[Vonni]

^^ Even if they did leave the line for the restroom or etc., they should not be able to reenter at the same spot.

Edited June 28, 2016 by Vonni

[Jew]

^^Nice find. When the fire station is moved, it should improve flow in the western lot.

[coloradocoasterguy]

In other news somewhat related to Knott's... the fire station on Western will be demolished and moved to another portion of Knott's west parking lot adjacent to La Palma.

Hmmm, sounds similar to a suggestion I made to them awhle back.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^You should totally go into theme park management.

[Lameformer]

Knott's Update

 

The existing ride Pacific Spin will be replaced with a Fusion Constrictor Python by White Water West.

 

What?! Pacific Spin is an amazing ride! It's really going to be sad to see it go.

[Jew]

I assume it will be sent to another Cedar Fair water park. It's a fun slide, but there is already a tornado at Hurricane Harbor and Aquatica. Replacing one big slide with 7 new ones and new cabanas seems like a huge improvement for a park that desperately needed something since Pacific Spin was their last new addition in 2006.

Site plan

New slide replacing Pacific Spin

New Slide complex

Another view of complex

[Vonni]

I am so glad to see this. Long over due.

[VegasBaby]

I am so glad to see this. Long over due.

 

Agreed, Pacific Spin was added back in 2006 and they haven't done anything since. It's a bummer to lose Pacific Spin, but the two new slide towers more than make up for it. Personally, I love trap door slides and it's great Knott's is getting four of them.

[Mr. Corn]

I would have loved to see a water coaster, but hey, 7 new slides are great! Plus, to go with Knotts trend, it would be a family water coaster

[Lameformer]

Got to ride GhostRider on Sunday. It was surprisingly very smooth and full of air time. It was a little less intense, but it's a small price to pay. I'd probably say it's my 5th favorite coaster and my 2nd favorite at KBF, behind Xcelerator

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I like that all four are different. Gives a little more reason to go back and try the others too.

[pproteinc]

Hmmm maybe they'll send Pacific Spin to Carowinds. To my knowledge it's the only cedar fair water park with out a funnel slide.

[Guy T. Koepp]

^Unless you include Knott's Soak City next year? With that thought, perhaps they will send it to themselves for a 2018 expansion. That way they can do 2 major expansions in 2 years, and Carowinds will still be the only CF waterpark without one.