The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

Boomerangs get way too much hate. They're not amazing but the smoother ones are a lot of fun and this should be one of the best ones in the world by default thanks to that insane location.

[bert425]

I have to admit that coaster looks really cool on the roof of a hotel.

 

. . . said everyone who's ever purchased a ticket for "Manhattan Express/NY NY/Coaster" and immediately regretted doing so.

 

 

 

 

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Lol, yep. That one does look cool too. Also no desire to ride it.

[robbalvey]

I just received the following email from Knott's for an upcoming film shoot! If you are interested, follow the instructions below:

 

We are capturing photos and video on Sol Spin and we are in need of some riders. Ultimately we would like to have 6-10 volunteers who are able to ride Sol Spin multiple times to capture the different angles. Our filming is taking place Tuesday, March 19 – arrival by no later than 8:30 a.m. and we would conclude by 10 a.m. (park open). The volunteers would be invited to stay and enjoy the park for the rest of the day if they like. If you could have anyone interested email us at pr@knotts.com I would greatly appreciate it.

Edited March 13, 2019 by robbalvey

[Nrthwnd]

^ Hope a bunch of people signed up, and will show up tomorrow.

I sure would, except for allllllll thissss dissssstance.

Plan to get another one of these, in Sept.'s visit.

[RoxasBraveheart]

Hey, so for some reason I live in California and haven't gone to Knott's Berry Farm yet. Because of this, I'm deciding to go for my first time. Any tips or useful advice?

[coasterbill]

Hey, so for some reason I live in California and haven't gone to Knott's Berry Farm yet. Because of this, I'm deciding to go for my first time. Any tips or useful advice?

 

Take note of this before you go (scroll down to scheduled ride closures). There are a lot of refurbishments going on right around now.

[thrillseeker4552]

^This right here. Also, be sure to check both areas of the website that list ride closures. There is one which Coasterbill linked above under the hours of operation, and there is another under "Play" and "Scheduled Ride Closures" on the website. Yes, they have been different before. Last weekend when HangTime was closed, one listed it and the other didn't. So I would recommend looking at both.

 

As for attacking the park, get there at opening and go immediately to GhostRider. Even if it doesn't open immediately, wait for it to open. Then head to the back and do Xcelerator and HangTime. After that, it's all pretty much fair game. Weekends are obviously the busiest (especially once the Boysenberry Festival rolls around).

[coasterbill]

Oh, and ride the Log Flume regardless of temperature because it's apparently the best ride in the park. I wouldn't know of course since it's ALWAYS down for refurb when we go to Knott's and I'm only slightly bitter.

[Canobie Coaster]

GhostRider at night is also a must (assuming the park is open after nightfall).

 

I wouldn't quite call the flume the best ride in the park, but it is pretty awesome.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

The log flume is the best ride in the park. Also Calico Mine Ride is an amazing dark ride, don't skip it.

[Kyle Coleman]

if you can get there before opening they usually open ghostrider early otherwise that line can get stupid long and stay that way all day.

[RollerManic]

Ghostrider has a single rider line. Don’t be like me and buy a ticket at the gate only four hours before the park closes and then wait in line 2 hrs (!!!!) for Ghostrider (everything else in the park, including Xccelerator and Hangtime were only 20-30min waits btw), then only IMMEDIATLEY after getting off realize that there was a single rider line with a 5min wait the whole time.

 

God I felt stupid. I’m from MO and my decision to visit the park was brash and impulsive, as I just happened to be passing it one night and God only knows when I’ll be in LA again (afterall, it had been 10 yrs since my previous visit). I’d never been to Knotts before, so I was very anxious to go.

 

Overall, I had a pretty good night at Knott’s and got most everything I wanted done once plus an extra lap on Xcelerator as a nice bonus, but imagine if I had not wasted 2 hours in line for Ghostrider! Especially considering in the last hours before closing, the lines all cleared out to just about nothing for rides around the park, I would have gotten SO much more done.

 

I missed out of Jaguar though because it broke down while I was in the station and it was the last hour before closing. FUUUUUU

 

In the end, that’s life, but atleast Ghostrider is best wooden coaster I’ve been on bar El Toro / the RMCs, so better that I rode it than have never went to Knott’s.

 

This park needs more single rider lines.

[ryder]

^I've been hearing that SR line is new, and will only be used on heavily attended days. So there's no guarantee it'll be available.

 

But I do agree they need a few more SR lines, especially Hangtime and IR--it could be done really easily there, as those rides already have a grouper. Xcelerator would be nice as well, but I do understand it'd be a bit tougher to manage.

[coasterlvr]

^I've been hearing that SR line is new, and will only be used on heavily attended days. So there's no guarantee it'll be available.

 

i was told the same thing one day i was there and hoping to use it. probably only when they have a grouper on busy days.

[RoxasBraveheart]

Ghostrider has a single rider line. Don’t be like me and buy a ticket at the gate only four hours before the park closes and then wait in line 2 hrs (!!!!) for Ghostrider (everything else in the park, including Xccelerator and Hangtime were only 20-30min waits btw), then only IMMEDIATLEY after getting off realize that there was a single rider line with a 5min wait the whole time.

God, that's a long wait. Plus a single rider with only 5 minutes? That's insane! I want to get a quick response from you guys before I order, though. Is the Knott's Classic package worth it? I really don't want to be scammed (like another park did; hint, hint ), so I want you guys' thoughts. I'm going with my parents and sister, in case you need to know that.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Yes, worth it. Knott's hotel is generally a good price for a hotel of that quality anyway. The package essentially gives you a discount on all the components. I always prefer the sort of package that discounts things you were going to buy anyway rather than the sort that tries to package in extra things. Sounds like you're in that same place.

[Nrthwnd]

Add to the above, Knott's Hotel runs (still runs?) a pretty accurate and easy shuttle to the Disney Resort, too. You put your reserves in advance at the front desk with the driver, in between his scheduled drives. Pretty easy I found it.

 

And it's a free service too, so don't forget to tip your driver! Ours was wonderful with little stories about all the parks. Stuff I had never heard, before! And I am a dedicated OLD Disney Parks Geek, too!

Me and The Snoop in the Hotel Lobby! He visits you, REAL ~ EARLY! (o:

[coasterlvr]

so i guess it was National Boysenberry Day yesterday. i just went to ride a few things and watch kyle and jeromy eat stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

[Kyle Coleman]

I think I put on five pounds just looking at that fun bun picture.

[JeromyL]

I think I put on five pounds just looking at that fun bun picture.

 

I totally ended up in a boysenberry food coma!!! it was awesome!

[SoCalJasonland]

It is a good week to visit Knott's for the Boysenberry festival. I visited the park on April 9, Tue for a few hours and got to try some of the Boysenberry items. The food was good and there were no lines except for Ghostrider, Log Ride, and the front row of Xcelerator, and I would place each of those at approx 30 minutes. The food stands and other rides might have a 5-minute wait. I checked the park cams today and the park also appears dead compared to the last couple of weeks.

[Arthur_Seaton]

It is a good week to visit Knott's for the Boysenberry festival. I visited the park on April 9, Tue for a few hours and got to try some of the Boysenberry items. The food was good and there were no lines except for Ghostrider, Log Ride, and the front row of Xcelerator, and I would place each of those at approx 30 minutes. The food stands and other rides might have a 5-minute wait. I checked the park cams today and the park also appears dead compared to the last couple of weeks.

I was there yesterday as well (first visit this year, and local schools / colleges are all back in session), but the longest wait I had was 10 mins for the log ride. Ghost Rider, Xcelerator, and Hang Time were all walk-ons for much of the afternoon/evening with the occasional one-or-two-train wait. Definitely a good time of year to visit!

 

Also, Ghost Rider operations were great. They seem to have fixed that stupid brake run issue, and trains were rolling right back into the station just as the next one was leaving. It's also lost some of the retrack's initial smoothness but seems to be running as it should right now — aggressive and thrilling, but without the violence of the pre-retrack years.

[ryder]

LAUSD will be off next week, so don't expect low levels of crowds to last.

[VegasBaby]

It is a good week to visit Knott's for the Boysenberry festival. I visited the park on April 9, Tue for a few hours and got to try some of the Boysenberry items. The food was good and there were no lines except for Ghostrider, Log Ride, and the front row of Xcelerator, and I would place each of those at approx 30 minutes. The food stands and other rides might have a 5-minute wait. I checked the park cams today and the park also appears dead compared to the last couple of weeks.

I was there yesterday as well (first visit this year, and local schools / colleges are all back in session), but the longest wait I had was 10 mins for the log ride. Ghost Rider, Xcelerator, and Hang Time were all walk-ons for much of the afternoon/evening with the occasional one-or-two-train wait. Definitely a good time of year to visit!

 

Also, Ghost Rider operations were great. They seem to have fixed that stupid brake run issue, and trains were rolling right back into the station just as the next one was leaving. It's also lost some of the retrack's initial smoothness but seems to be running as it should right now — aggressive and thrilling, but without the violence of the pre-retrack years.

 

 

Good to hear, I'm headed to the Boysenberry festival tomorrow and I was hoping it wouldn't be too packed. What were some of your favorite food items from the Festival? Any items that you would avoid? I really like how they are doing the tasting card this year where you can pick and choose your items instead of just getting one of everything.