The Knott's Berry Farm (KBF) Discussion Thread

[G-Force!]

Just something else to get you guys excited: http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/2010/04/21/knotts-xcelerator-could-open-this-weekend/42019/

[Chrisrad]

I will be at the Fabulous Fords Forever show this weekend with my '65 Mustang.. If I see any '57 Chevy's cresting the top hat, I will try to take some pictures. Now that I think about it, I might as well cross the street during the show to ride a few rides..

[robbalvey]

I'm just curious but how much testing and training has been done with the crew? Is it realistic for the ride to open this weekend given what seems like a limited amount of re-training and testing has been done? Unless of course they have been doing training and testing and no one has mentioned it.

 

--Robb

[fatdaddy]

Yeah, but I wouldn't go off any of the speculation on Screamscape

 

Robb, scrreamscape and that news article seem to be in agreement. And i gotta agree with jew, all the x spellings are starting to get old.

[robbalvey]

^ Well, to be fair, the dudes giving us the "Ecksighting" news do have good information.

Edited April 23, 2010 by robbalvey

[Ace Of Spades]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm in pretty good shape considering, and I've always been okay with trading off smoothness for intensity, so I'll give the back car a try...once.

 

Oh, and to anyone showing up at Fabulous Fords Forever on Sunday, make sure to stop by my brother's 2005 Black Mustang Convertible and say hi! I'll be around from time to time!

[Calicoasters]

I'm just curious but how much testing and training has been done with the crew? Is it realistic for the ride to open this weekend given what seems like a limited amount of re-training and testing has been done? Unless of course they have been doing training and testing and no one has mentioned it.

 

I've seen the ride testing almost daily for weeks now, and I think several members here have reported their sightings in this topic as well. All this week the ride has been testing during regular park hours and all those runs were performed by ride operators. My word may not be much, so I happen to really like these two quotes.

 

I was at the Farm today from around 11-12 and notice lots of Xciting things going on. When I asked around a few of the suits in front of the ride simply said "We hope to open by the end of the week".

 

“Conceivably we could have this wrapped up later this week,” Cal-OSHA spokesman Dean Fryer said, potentially allowing the ride to open this weekend.

 

I happen to be very excited about this little subject not only because I really want to ride this beast again, but I can't wait to operate it as well.

[austinlee]

Oh, quick question: Does anyone know if Ghostrider has any "good seats" like Viper at SFMM? Or is the entire ride rough now? It's just that I haven't been back to the Farm since 2007, and it was pretty terrible back then.

 

YES, 7-1 (front row, back car). I'm not lying or trying to make you kill yourself, it's the best. I always avoided the back row and rode as far up as possible, but I finally tried it at WCB and it was great...and, believe it or not...the most enjoyable part of the train.

 

At least try it. If you don't like it, go for the front...but the back completely changed my opinion on Ghostrider (positively)!

 

Glad it worked out well for you, but I have got the living heck beat out of me when I sat back there. I've never had any trouble on Viper no matter where I have sat.

 

I'm trying to resist the urge to count on Xcelerator being open when I go on Monday but that OC Register article from today is very encouraging, especially when combined with the fact that we have KBF employees and visitors on this site verifying that it has been testing regularly for weeks.

[gforce532]

Yeah today wasn't very Xciting. Of course if it was going to open it wouldn't run with the rain. And the water dummies were on the train while it waited on the brake run. At least that what was going on after 4:00. Man with the rain comes the park really becomes deserted. I had sat in on the 5:00 wild west show and there was only about 40 of us total at the most.

[cal1br3tto]

Oh, quick question: Does anyone know if Ghostrider has any "good seats" like Viper at SFMM? Or is the entire ride rough now? It's just that I haven't been back to the Farm since 2007, and it was pretty terrible back then.

 

YES, 7-1 (front row, back car). I'm not lying or trying to make you kill yourself, it's the best. I always avoided the back row and rode as far up as possible, but I finally tried it at WCB and it was great...and, believe it or not...the most enjoyable part of the train.

 

Agreed! I think 7-1 and 1-1 are the seats to ride on Ghostrider. I could definitely tell the difference in roughness between 7-1 and 7-2.

 

I have only ridden Ghostrider at WCB and the roughness did not bother me, as I've been on better (and worse) coasters that were equally rough or rougher. I rate it as good, but not especially memorable--I think it could grow on me with more rides, but it just didn't seem to have a special moment or feature for me; I have to really think about it in order to remember how much I liked it at the time (oh man, it's coming back now ). About the train rehab comment I read earlier, now I know why some people were insisting on the Silver train at WCB.

[Top Thrill Dragster]

7-2 is a wheel seat that is why is so much rougher than 7-1.

 

For the best rides on GhostRider I always sit in the front row of every car. When I do that I never walk away in pain.

[Rocket Rodder]

Right. Be ready for long lines because they will most likely only have one train running... (For... obvious reasons)

 

I'm XCited myself!

 

I wouldn't expect long lines at all! If it is open (Which we all hope it is) the line should be a walk on all day.

Oh yeah huh! Because of the slow season. But I meant towards the weekends or the summer season.

[fatdaddy]

Any verdict on xcellerator, did it get paroled today.

[coasternut]

I'm not in California and still checking to see if it's running. Let's get HOT KNOTTS!!

[fatdaddy]

xlerator was working today!!!

dried the hell outta my hands, thrilling

[fpsphil]

^that might have been working but the real xcelerator definitly wasn't, supposed to be open though by this time next week according to word around the park

[coasternut]

xlerator was working today!!!

 

Quite a B - J!

[Calicoasters]

Any verdict on xcellerator, did it get paroled today.

 

Unfortunately there was just a bunch of standing around today. I'm guessing (Only Guessing) things wont get going again until after the weekend, Sorry ACErs.

 

Xlerator doesn't even compare to the Dyson Air Blade! Knott's has an air blade in an employee bathroom and I love it's extreme drying power. I think Universal has them in most of their bathrooms as well.

 

 

 

I rode GhostRider today for the first time in about a year and I didn't enjoy it at all! I rode the back on the gold train and got the crap kicked out of me

[austinlee]

^^^ & ^. Thanks for the info. I will probably still go on Monday, due to the ride closures which are scheduled in May and the questionable weather we may have later in the week, depending on which forecast you check. I can always go back again when Xcelerator reopens.

[gforce532]

I'm guessing (Only Guessing) things wont get going again until after the weekend,

 

When will it end.

[coasternut]

 

I rode GhostRider today for the first time in about a year and I didn't enjoy it at all! I rode the back on the gold train and got the crap kicked out of me

 

Big surprise getting beat up on Ghostrider in the back. I'll only ride it in row 1 or 2 in the first car. Otherwise I'll pass.

[rcdude]

^Ghostrider in the back is usually a bad idea. The ride is way too rough in that part of the train. When I ride, I usually stay with the first three cars. If they are crowded, I may go to cars four or five if those cars have a short wait, but I will never ride in cars six or seven. Despite it being rough I still rank the ride as my second favorite wooden coaster (after Terminator).

[Calicoasters]

Silver Bullet ride operators caught on camera! Just some of the silly things we do when we are operating 1 train.

 

[Jew]

^No offense, but that is EXACTLY why I hate Cedar Fair ride operators having those wireless mics.

[austinlee]

^^^ I agree. I usually sit in the middle because the wait is usually shorter than the front or back and the back is way too rough. Anywhere in the first 5 cars gives me an intense, but not painful ride, although it is still rough. GhostRider is my 2nd favorite wooden coaster after Terminator too. When GhostRider was new (er), and I was younger , I used to be able to sit in the very back. I actually preferred it back then, but now it just beats me up too much.