Knott's Berry Farm

Knott's Berry Farm


Slogan America's 1st Theme Park, California's Best Theme Park
Location 8039 Beach Boulevard
Buena Park, California 90620, U.S.
Coordinates 33°50′39″N 118°00′01″W / 33.844178°N 118.000267°W / 33.844178; -118.000267Coordinates: 33°50′39″N 118°00′01″W / 33.844178°N 118.000267°W / 33.844178; -118.000267
Owner Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
General Manager Raffi Kaprelyan/Jon Storbeck
Opened June 19, 1920 [1]
Operating season Year-round
Visitors per annum 4,014,000 [2]
Area 160 acres (65 ha)
Rides
Total 40
Roller coasters 10
Water rides 2
Website http://www.knotts.com

Knott’s Berry Farm is a 160-acre (65 ha) theme park located in Buena Park, California, and owned by Cedar Fair. In 2017, it was the tenth-most-visited theme park in North America. Knott's Berry Farm is also the most-visited theme park in the Cedar Fair chain.[3] The park features 40 rides including roller coasters, family rides, and water rides, and it employs approximately 10,000 people.[4]

The origin of the theme park dates back to 1920, when Walter Knott and his family began selling berry products at a roadside stand along State Route 39 in California. By the 1940s, a restaurant, several shops, and other attractions had been constructed on the property to entertain a growing number of visitors, including a replica ghost town. The site continued its transformation into a modern amusement park over the next two decades, and an admission charge was added in 1968. The park was sold to Cedar Fair in the late 1990s, and the family's food business was eventually acquired by The J. M. Smucker Company.

History

Origin

Wood carver Andy Anderson with Sad Eye Joe in the Ghost Town area of the park, 1941

The theme park sits on the site of a former berry farm established by Walter Knott and his family. Beginning around 1920, the Knott family sold berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand along State Route 39. In 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property, later called "Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant". The dinners soon became a major tourist draw, and the Knotts built several shops and other attractions to entertain visitors while waiting for a seat in the restaurant. In 1940, Walter Knott began constructing a replica Ghost Town on the property, the beginning of the present-day theme park. The idea of an amusement park really picked up in the 1950s when Walter Knott opened a "summer-long county fair".

Knott's first theme park logo: a prospector, with pack mule.

In 1968, for the first time, an admission price was required to get into the park, originally set at 25 cents. The Calico log ride was added in 1969. The park became a popular destination for conservative college students in the 1960s, especially as conservative organizations like the California Free Enterprise Association, the Libres Foundation, and the Americanism Educational League were based there.[5] According to Assistant Professor Caroline Rolland-Diamond of the Paris West University Nanterre La Défense:

it also appealed to conservative Americans, young and old, because the idealized representation of a past devoid of social and racial tensions that it offered stood in sharp contrast with the political and social upheavals affecting California since the Free Speech Movement erupted at the University of California at Berkeley in 1964.

— Caroline Rolland-Diamond, Revue française d’études américaines (2016)[6]

On April 12, 1974, Cordelia Knott died. Walter turned his attention toward political causes,[7][8] Roaring Twenties[9] re-themed Gypsy Camp in the 1970s with the addition of a nostalgic traditional amusement area, Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars, Knott's Bear-y Tales. Then with the northward expansion of a 1920s-era Knott's Airfield themed area featuring the Cloud 9 Dance Hall, Sky Cabin/Parachute Sky Jump and Motorcycle Chase steeplechase roller coaster above the electric guided rail Gasoline Alley car ride.[10]

Sky Tower with the illuminated "K" in logo script at the top was built to support two attractions, the Parachute Sky Jump (now closed) and the Sky Cabin. Parachute Sky Jump boarded one or two standing riders anticipating the thrill of the drop into baskets beneath a faux parachute canopy. From the top, eight arms supported the vertical cable tracks of wire rope which lifted the baskets. The Sky Cabin ringed the support pole with a single floor of seats that are enclosed behind windows. The Sky Cabin ring revolves slowly as it rises to the top and back offering a pleasantly changing vista. Sky Cabin is very sensitive to weather and passenger motion, such as walking, which is prohibited during the trip. During winds 25+ mph or rain it is closed. When built, Sky Tower was the tallest structure in Orange County (a distinction briefly held by WindSeeker before its relocation to Worlds of Fun in 2012.)

Motorcycle Chase, modernized steeplechase rollercoaster built in 1976 by Arrow Development, featured single motorbike themed vehicles racing side-by-side, each on one of four parallel tracks, launched together.[10] One or two riders straddled each "Indian motorcycle" attraction vehicle. The tubular steel monorail track closely followed dips and bumps in "the road" and tilted to lean riders about the curves. Gasoline Alley, an electric steel-guiderail car ride below, was built together and intimately intertwined, which enhanced ride-to-ride interaction thrill value.[11] Rider safety concerns of the high center of gravity coupled with the method of rider restraints caused it to be re-themed Wacky Soap Box Racers with vehicles themed to look like soap box racers, each seating two riders, strapped in low (nearly straddling the track), surrounded by the close fitting car sides, and the dips and bumps of the track were straightened flat in 1980. Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers was removed 1996 for a dueling loop coaster Windjammer Surf Racers and now Xcelerator, a vertical launch coaster, takes its place.

On December 3, 1981, Walter Knott died, survived by his children who would continue to operate Knott's as a family business for another fourteen years.

In the 1980s, Knott's built the Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde as the house band. It was during the height of the "Urban Cowboy" era. The "Barn Dance" was featured in Knott's TV Commercials.

Big Foot Rapids is located in the Wild Wilderness section of the park.

During the 1980s, Knott's met the competition in Southern California theme parks by theming a new land and building two massive attractions:

  • Kingdom of the Dinosaurs (1987) (primeval re-theme of Knott's Bear-y Tales)
  • Bigfoot Rapids (1988), a whitewater river rafting ride as the centerpiece of the new themed area Wild Water Wilderness.

The Boomerang roller coaster replaced the Corkscrew[9] in 1990 with a lift shuttle train passing to and fro through a cobra roll and a vertical loop for six inversions each trip.

Mystery Lodge (1994),[12] inspired by General Motors "Spirit Lodge" pavilion, was a live show augmented with Pepper's ghost and other special effects, which was among the most popular exhibits at Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which was produced by Bob Rogers of BRC Imagination Arts[13] and created with the assistance of the Kwagulth Native reserve in the village of Alert Bay, British Columbia.[14] Mystery Lodge recreates a quiet summer night in Alert Bay, then guests "move inside" the longhouse and listen to the storyteller weave a tale of the importance of family from the smoke of the bonfire.

The Jaguar! was opened June 17, 1995, to add another roller coaster to the mix of Fiesta Village alongside Montezooma's Revenge.

New owners

In the 1990s, after Walter and Cordelia died, their children decided to sell off their businesses:

In the late 1990s Cedar Fair acquired the Buena Park Hotel at the corner of Grand Ave. and Crescent. It was then brought up to Radisson standards and branded Radisson Resort Hotel as a franchise. In 2004, the park renamed the Radisson Resort Hotel the Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel.

In 1995, the Knott family sold the food specialty business to ConAgra Foods, which later re-sold the brand to The J.M. Smucker Company in 2008.

In 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Initially, the Knotts were given an opportunity to sell the park to The Walt Disney Company. The park would have been amalgamated into the Disneyland Resort and converted into Disney's America, which had previously failed to be built near Washington, D.C. The Knotts refused to sell the park to Disney out of fear most of what Walter Knott had built would be eliminated.

Cedar Fair era to present

View of Silver Bullet from Sky Cabin

Since being acquired by Cedar Fair, the park has seen an aggressive shift towards thrill rides, with the construction of a number of large roller coasters and the addition of a high-performance Shoot-the-Chutes ride Perilous Plunge. Perilous Plunge had the record of being the tallest and steepest water ride in the world until September 2012 when it was closed and removed.[15] Also, in 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced that the most popular ride at the park, the Timber Mountain Log Ride, would be closed for a major five-month refurbishment, led by Garner Holt Productions, Inc.[16]

On May 25, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm added three new family rides on the site of former Perilous Plunge. They include: Coast Rider (wild mouse roller coaster), Pacific Scrambler (Scrambler ride) and Surfside Gliders. All three of the rides added to the Boardwalk theme. The old bridge which connected the exit of Perlious Plunge and the boardwalk is now used as the entrance to Surfside Gliders and Pacific Scrambler. The Boomerang roller coaster was also repainted a lime-green color as part of the Boardwalk expansion.

On September 2, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced that Windseeker would be removed from the park. The ride was removed and sent to Worlds of Fun for the 2014 season.

On November 22, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm made a major announcement for the 2014 operating season; the famous and historical Calico Mine Ride would be closed for a major six-month refurbishment beginning in January 2014.[17]

The Boardwalk area including Hangtime under construction

Timeline

Park timeline
Stagecoach circa 1950, added as the first ride in 1949
Knotts Berry Farm Denver & Rio Grand steam locomotive, added as Ghost Town & Calico Railroad in 1952
  • 1920: Ten acres of berry farm land leased by Walter and Cordelia Knott
  • 1927: Ten leased acres of berry farm purchased, named Knott's Berry Place
  • 1929: Ten more acres purchased
  • 1932: Rudolf Boysen gives Walter his last six crossbreed berry plants, as yet unnamed
  • 1934: Tea room opens and Cordelia serves the first chicken dinner
  • 1940: Living Ghost Town tribute started with free entertainment.
  • 1941: 100 more acres of land are added, totals 120.
  • 1946: Steakhouse
  • 1947: Name change from Knott's Berry Place to Knott's Berry Farm.
  • 1948: Bottle House and Music Hall
  • 1949: Stagecoach
  • 1951: Calico Saloon
  • 1952: Ghost Town & Calico Railroad
  • 1954: Haunted Shack, Bird Cage Theater
  • 1955: Dentzel Carousel, Merry-Go-Round Auto Ride (later the Tijuana Taxi), Hunter's Paradise Shootin' Gallery, Model 'T' Children's Ride, Cable Cars
  • 1958: Mott's Miniatures
Bud Hurlbut in Calico Mine Ride engine, circa 1960
  • 1960: Calico Mine Ride.
  • 1966: Independence Hall
  • 1968: Fence surrounds the park, and admission is charged.
  • 1969: Timber Mountain Log Ride; Fiesta Village themed area; Tijuana Taxi (re-themed from Auto Ride); Mexican Whip; Fiesta Wheel; Happy Sombrero.
  • 1971: John Wayne Theater (later the Good Time Theater, then the Charles M. Shulz Theater)
  • 1973: Inaugural Knott's Scary Farm Halloween event
  • 1974: Wild West Stunt Show replaces Wagon Camp shows.
  • 1975: Corkscrew; Bear-y Tales.
  • 1976: Motorcycle Chase; Sky Jump; Sky Cabin; Propeller Spin; Loop Trainer Flying Machine; Whirlpool; Gasoline Alley; Whirlwind.
  • 1978: Montezooma's Revenge, Old MacDonald's Farm removed, Cable Cars removed
  • 1980: Dragon Swing, Wacky Soap Box Racers
  • 1983: Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde Country Western Dancing; Camp Snoopy themed area built, forcing removal of Knott's Lagoon and its attractions around a lake which had been built north of Independence Hall, so that a parking area could be relocated.
  • 1984: Studio K debuts. The most successful teen dance facility in the nation. Opened with a Dick Clark Special, "Rock Rolls On".
  • 1986: Bear-y Tales removed; Tijuana Taxi removed; Fiesta Wheel removed; Mexican Whip removed.
  • 1987: Kingdom of the Dinosaurs; Tampico Tumbler; Gran Slammer; Slingshot; Happy Sombrero renamed Mexican Hat Dance.
  • 1988: Bigfoot Rapids; Bear-y Tales Funhouse.
  • 1989: XK-1; Greased Lighting moved into enclosed building and renamed Whirlwind. Corkscrew removed/ refurbished and moved to Idaho; Propeller Spin removed; Loop Trainer Flying Machine removed.
  • 1990: Boomerang built on former site of Corkscrew;
  • 1991: Studio K closed.
  • 1992: Indian Trails themed area.
  • 1994: Mystery Lodge.®
  • 1995: Jaguar! added
  • 1996: The Boardwalk themed area (retheme of Roaring 20's); HammerHead; Greased Lightning renamed HeadAche; Whirlpool renamed Headspin; Wacky Soap Box Racers with Gasoline Alley removed.
  • 1997: Windjammer Surf Racers; Cedar Fair Acquires Knott's; Bear-y Tales Funhouse removed.
GhostRider at night
  • 1998: GhostRider; XK-1 removed; Supreme Scream; Woodstock's Airmail; Slingshot renamed Wave Swinger; Mexican Hat Dance renamed Hat Dance.
  • 1999: Wipeout; Coasters restaurant; Charlie Brown Speedway; Sky Jump removed; HeadAche removed and renamed The Blue Thunder at Miracle Strip Amusement Park; Pacific Pavilion removed; Radisson Resort Knott's Berry Farm.
  • 2000: Windjammer Surf Racers closes; Perilous Plunge; Knott's Soak City U.S.A. water park; Haunted Shack removed.
  • 2001: VertiGo; Windjammer Surf Racers removed; Wipeout relocated; Headspin relocated and renamed Wilderness Scrambler.
  • 2002: Xcelerator added; VertiGo removed
  • 2003: Tampico Tumbler removed; Gran Slammer removed; La Revolución; Joe Cool's Gr8 Sk8; HammerHead removed.
  • 2004: Silver Bullet; Lucy's Tugboat; Rip Tide and Screamin' Swing opened; Kingdom of the Dinosaurs closed; Church of Reflections relocated to outside of park; Radisson Resort Knott's Berry Farm renamed Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel. Grand Sierra Railroad shortened to accommodate Silver Bullet.
  • 2005: T.G.I. Fridays restaurant (California Marketplace).
  • 2006: Pacific Spin (Soak City U.S.A.); Johnny Rockets restaurant; New Perilous Plunge boats put into operation; Walter K Steamboat removed; Woodstock's Airmail relocated.
  • 2007: Sierra Sidewinder; Wilderness Scrambler removed.
  • 2008: Pony Express, Peanut's Playhouse removed.
Coast Rider and Surfside Gilders opened in May 2013 as part of the boardwalk expansion.
  • 2009: Pink's, Remodel and rebrand of Viva La Coasters in the California Marketplace.
  • 2010: Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular added/Snoopy's Christmas Spectacular.
  • 2011: WindSeeker added
  • 2012: Park improvements – replacing area theme music, removing boardwalks and pouring concrete replacements, rebuilding rotted wood structures, keeping open until park closing attractions, restaurants & shops which had previously closed early. More aggressive youth marketing & advertising; Fast Lane, Perilous Plunge closes
  • 2013: Boardwalk expansion: Coast Rider; Surfside Gliders; Pacific Scrambler (all replaced Perilous Plunge); WindSeeker removed[18]
  • 2014: Charlie Brown's Kite Flyer; Linus Launcher; Pig Pen's Mud Buggies; Grand Sierra Scenic Railroad, Lucy's Tugboat and Rocky Road Trucking Company rethemed as Grand Sierra Railroad, Rapid River Run and Rocky Mountain Trucking Company; Charlie Brown's, Joe Cool's GR8 SK8, Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, Log Peeler and Snoopy Bounce removed. La Tiendita removed.
  • 2015: Voyage to the Iron Reef, Screamin' Swing closed in preparation for removal, GhostRider closed for major refurbishment.
  • 2016: Ghost Town is renovated to celebrate its 75th birthday; Rip Tide officially closed and demolished due to technical issues;[19] Starbucks replaces Dreyer's in the California Marketplace; Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant undergoes major renovations;[20] GhostRider reopens from its major refurbishment on June 10, 2016.; Removed Wipeout.[21]
  • 2017: Soak City gets an expansion[22] added Sol Spin; new Boardwalk Barbecue restaurant.[22] Brought back Ghost Town Alive;[22] Extended Boysenberry Festival;[22] Added VRCADE.[23] Montezooma's Revenge Receives new color scheme.[24] Boomerang closes.[25]
  • 2018: HangTime opens; Sky Cabin reopened on February 10, 2018; Wipeout relocated.

Annual park events

Knott's Scary Farm event

The park's annual Knott's Scary Farm has drawn crowds since 1973. The idea for this event was presented at one of the regularly scheduled round table meetings for managers by Patricia Pawson. The actual event was created by Bill Hollingshead, Gary Salisbury, Martha Boyd and Gene Witham, along with other members of the Knott's Berry Farm Entertainment Department as documented in the DVD Season of Screams. Initially fake corpses and other static figures were rented from Hollywood prop house, but Bud Hurlbut, the creator/concessionaire of the Mine Ride, Log Ride and other rides at Knott's, decided that this wasn't enough.[26] He dressed up in a gorilla suit, and started scaring guests on the Mine Ride. Halloween Haunt was an instant hit, and by the next year, the event sold out nightly.[27] During this special ticketed event, the entire park (or major portions of it) re-themes itself into a "haunted house" style attraction in the form of mazes and "scare zones" in the evening. Over a thousand specially employed monsters are also scattered—often hidden out of view—throughout the park at this time. Some of the characters have become well-known, such as the green witch, which has been portrayed by Charlene Parker since 1983, the longest of any performer.[28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Several attractions are decorated for the event including the Timber Mountain Log Ride and Calico Mine Train and there are 13 mazes of various themes. Elvira (actress Cassandra Peterson) was introduced into the Halloween Event in 1982 and was prominently featured in many Halloween Haunt events until 2001. According to postings on her My Space page, Cassandra was released from her contract by the park's new owners due to their wanting a more family friendly appeal,[35] although she returned for one night in 2012 for the 40th anniversary of the event and has returned as a regular performer throughout the run of the event for the last several years.[36] During the month of October, Knott's Scary Farm generates half the revenue for Knott's Berry Farm's fiscal year.

Season of Screams is a DVD produced by an independent company which traces the beginnings of Halloween Haunt and the story behind how it all got started back in 1973. Season of Screams also highlights recent Halloween Haunts.

Winter Coaster Solace is an event that takes place in the first or second weekend of March every year when roller coaster enthusiasts can come before the park opens and stay after the park closes to ride the rides and eat at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It is intended to provide "solace" to visitors from other parts of the country where theme parks and roller coasters are seasonal, not year-round operations like the Southern California parks. Knott's Berry Farm also used to give attendees behind the scenes tours of the rides.

Every year since 1991, Knott's has offered free admission to veterans and their families during the month of November. Though this was originally started as a tribute to returning Gulf War veterans, they subsequently expanded it to include all veterans and have run it every year since.

A Christmas event known as "Knott's Merry Farm" also happens annually. Previous Merry Farm events have included manufactured snow, handcrafts exhibits, and a visit with Santa Claus. This event was originally created by Gary Salisbury in the Fall of 1985.

Praise (festival) has been a Christian themed celebration presented many years as a mix-in special event of music and comedy on New Year's Eve.

Current areas and attractions

The park consists of four themed areas:

  • Ghost Town
  • Fiesta Village
  • The Boardwalk
  • Camp Snoopy

Ghost Town

Butterfield Stagecoach's entrance
Charlene Parker, spinner and weaver in Ghost Town

Craftsmen in Ghost Town demonstrate the arts of the blacksmith, woodcarver, glass-blower, sign cutter, and spinner. Demonstrations of narrow gauge railroading and farm equipment hobbyists accompany additional merchant stalls of cottage-craft fairs seasonally at discounted admission which is restricted to Ghost Town only.

Western Trails Museum, relocated between the candy store and the General Store to accommodate Bigfoot Rapids, still features historical western artifacts large and small, from a hand powered horse-drawn fire engine to miniature replica of a borax hauling "Twenty Mule Team" and utensils necessary to survive the prairie and wilderness.

The Ghost Town area has a few other notable attractions. The Bird Cage Theatre only hosts two seasonal entertainments—during "Knott's Merry Farm," two small productions of "The Gift of the Magi" and "A Christmas Carol," and a Halloween Haunt thrill show. The Calico Stage, a large open-air stage in Calico Square, hosts a variety of shows and acts, big and small, from those of elementary school students, Gallagher, a local band, and the summer-spectacular All Wheels Extreme stunt show featuring youthful performers demonstrating aerial tricks with acrobatics, trampolines, and riding ramps with skates, scooters, skateboards, and freestyle bikes to popular music. Calico Saloon recreates the revelry of music, singing and dancing, with Cameo Kate hosting a variety of acts. Jersey Lily, Judge Roy Bean's combination courthouse/saloon, offers certified comical "genuine illegal hitchin'" alongside pickles, candy, and sports/soft drinks.

Many parts of Ghost Town are forever lost to progress. The conversion of the Silver Dollar Saloon to a shooting gallery, Hunters Paradise shooting gallery to Panda Express and the original Berry Stand, moved several times with its last location now occupied by the Silver Bullet station.

What is left of Ghost Town today was based on Calico ghost town and other real ghost towns in the Western United States such as Prescott, Arizona. Walter Knott inherited his uncle's silver mill and land, then bought more of the actual Calico ghost town in 1951 and developed it. In 1966, he donated that property to the corporate-municipal County of San Bernardino which then made the town of Calico, California into a public historic park, for which it charged an entrance/parking fee. See 'History – Ghost Town – Calico' section above.

Thrill level (out of 5)[37]
  1 (low)   2 (mild)   3 (moderate)   4 (high)   5 (aggressive)
Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level[37]
Butterfield
Stagecoach		 1949 Knott's
Berry Farm		 A family stagecoach ride which takes guests through the areas of Fiesta Village, Camp Snoopy and the Indian Trails area. 1
Calico Mine Ride 1960 Bud Hurlbut A 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[38] mine train and dark ride. Riders board ore cars pulled by battery-powered[39] locomotives and journey deep into a faux mining excavation site. The ride closed for refurbishment in January 2014 and reopened on June 14, 2014.[40] 3
Ghost Town & Calico Railroad 1952 An authentic 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge[41] train ride around the park. The ten-minute ride takes guests through the Wild Wilderness area, the Boardwalk area and through Fiesta Village. All of the Passenger Cars came from the D&RGW, while one came from the Rio Grande Southern. Some of the D&RGW cars were used on the San Juan Express. 1
GhostRider 1998 Custom Coasters International A wooden roller coaster featuring multiple banked turns. 5
Silver Bullet 2004 Bolliger & Mabillard An inverted roller coaster. 5
Timber Mountain Log Ride 1969 Bud Hurlbut & Arrow Development A classic themed log flume attraction. The five-minute ride features two major drops, of which the final drop is 42 feet. The ride opened in 1969, and re-opened in 2013 after an extensive refurbishment. 4

Wild Water Wilderness

Wild Water Wilderness is a section of Ghost Town that features two major rides: the Bigfoot Rapids river rafting adventure, and Pony Express, a horse themed family roller coaster installed in 2008. Nearby Bigfoot Rapids is Rapids Trader, a small merchandise stand. It is also home to Mystery Lodge, a multimedia show based on an Expo 86 pavilion featuring a Native American storyteller.

Ride Picture Year Opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level[37]
Bigfoot Rapids 1987 Intamin An Intamin family river rafting ride in which riders board circular watercraft and journey down a faux white water river. 5
Pony Express 2008 Zamperla A steel roller coaster in which riders dip, turn and dive while harnessed in vehicles intended to simulate equestrianism. 4

Indian Trails

Indian Trails is a section of Ghost Town that showcases native american art, crafts and dance.

Fiesta Village

Fiesta Village was built in 1969 with a pop-culture Mexican theme. It was the second area constructed after the completion of Ghost Town. Stores like Casa California, restaurants like Pancho's Tacos, La Papa Loca, and La Victoria Cantina, games like Shoot If Yucan, and the themed rides like La Revolución, Jaguar!, and Montezooma's Revenge, along with the former attraction Tampico Tumbler, all contribute to the Mexican and Aztec theme of the area. In 2013 colorful string lights were added for the summer season.

Ride Picture Year opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level[37]
Dragon Swing 1980 Chance-Morgan A swinging pirate ship 3
Hat Dance 1969 Rauerhorst Corporation & Mack Rides A Teacups type ride. Riders spin sombrero themed cuencos as they rotate on counterrevolutionary turntables. Originally named Happy Sombrero 3
Jaguar! 1995 Zierer A Steel roller coaster designed specifically for families with young children. 4
La Revolucion 2003 Chance-Morgan Riders rotate 360-degrees while simultaneously swinging back and forth in a pendulum motion. 5
Merry-Go-Round 1955 Dentzel Carousel One of the world's oldest working Dentzel Carousel, this 100-year-old ridestill revolves to the strains of its antique Band Organ. Mmenagerie carousel's 48 hand-carved animals including lions, tigers, ostriches, camels, zebras, giraffes, pigs, cats and horses. 2
Montezooma's Revenge 1978 Anton Schwarzkopf Riders accelerate from 0 to 55 mph (89 km/h) in 4.5 seconds.[42] 5
Sol Spin 2017 Mondial A thrilling topsy-turvy adventure over 6 stories high as they rotate in all directions on one of six spinning arms. It was built on the spot of Windseeker. 5
Waveswinger 1986 Zierer A classic family swing ride. Riders board individual swing sets before orbiting a central tower. Originally named Slingshot. Riders cannot ride if the person's weight is above 230 lbs. 3
A view of The Boardwalk following its 2013 expansion

The Boardwalk

Boardwalk Games include physical challenges such as a rock wall, soccer, basketball and a rope ladder crawl. A variety of traditional pitch three balls and win a prize type games, such as squirt gun into clowns mouth, knock off milk bottles, pitch a quarter onto a plate are pitched by hawkers along the Boardwalk Games midway. In September 2012, Perilous Plunge closed for an expansion of the Boardwalk. Perilous Plunge was noticeably known as one of Knott's major thrill rides. The boardwalk reopened after a year transformation with two flat rides and a new family roller coaster taking the spot of Perilous Plunge. The Boomerang roller coaster also got repainted with a new vibrant green and yellow color scheme. The world's largest Johnny Rockets restaurant franchise is located at Knott's Boardwalk, featuring over 5,900 square feet (550 m2) of indoor dining space for more than 260 guests.

Ride Picture Year opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level[37]
Coast Rider 2013 Mack Rides A steel wild mouse roller coaster. The ride's layout is on the former site of Perilous Plunge. 5
HangTime 2018 Gerstlauer A steel Dive Coaster. The ride's layout is on the former site of Boomerang and Riptide. 5
Pacific Scrambler 2013 Eli Bridge Company Originally "Whirlpool" from 1989 to 1996, Pacific Scrambler is a classic scrambler amusement ride. When the area opened in 1996, this was a ride called Whirlpool, it was housed inside a building which featured 'undersea' murals on the walls, musical soundtrack effects, and concert-style lighting effects. In 2000, it was replaced with a Shoot the Chutes ride called Perilous Plunge. The ride eventually closed down in 2012 and was replaced with three new rides, including Pacific Scrambler 3
Sky Cabin 1974 Intamin Ascend over 180 feet in the slow-moving Sky Cabin for a 360-degree panoramic view of Orange County and the LA basin. 2
Supreme
Scream		 1998 S&S Worldwide Supreme Scream features the highest drop in the park. A vertical ascending and descending drop ride. It features 3 Turbo Drop towers. 5
Surfside
Gliders		 2013 Larson International A Flying Scooters ride with a height of 28 feet. Riders can pilot and move the gilders as it offers them a good view of the Boardwalk area. 3
Voyage to
the Iron Reef		 2015 Triotech A 4-D interactive dark ride attraction where riders aim and shoot at animated targets to score points 2
Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars A classic family bumper cars attraction. 4
Xcelerator 2002 Intamin A launched roller coaster in which riders accelerate from 0 to 82 mph (132 km/h) in 2.3 seconds and climb 20 stories into the air. Xcelerator is currently the tallest roller coaster at Knotts Berry Farm. Pictured is Xcelerator's tower structure. Xcelerator features the park's second highest drop. 5
Wipeout 2018 Chance Rides A Trabant circular ride located between Hangtime and Sky Cabin. 4

Camp Snoopy

Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz (center) visits the construction site of "Camp Snoopy" with daughter Jill Schulz, Marion Knott and others, circa 1983

Camp Snoopy is home to the park's family and children's rides, with many of the rides and attractions being built specifically for children and guests who cannot ride the park's more aggressive attractions. Its theme is Charles M. Schulz' "Peanuts" comic strip characters. Snoopy has been the mascot of Knott's Berry Farm since 1983, and the characters can now be seen at all of Cedar Fair's parks, except Gilroy Gardens, which is managed by Cedar Fair and owned by the city of Gilroy. The 14 rides include a mini roller coaster called the Timberline Twister, a Zamperla Rockin' Tug called Rapid River Run, and a steel spinning roller coaster called Sierra Sidewinder. For guests who cannot ride the park's more aggressive and thrilled rides, Camp Snoopy contains a good number of rides for guests of all ages including infants, children, and seniors. With the exception of Sierra Sidewinder and Timberline Twister, the rides are relativity tame and not aggressive.

Knott's Berry Farm also built the Mall of America's indoor theme park, which itself was originally called Camp Snoopy. (In fact, Charles M. Schulz hailed from St. Paul.) However, today the park is no longer affiliated with Knott's or Cedar Fair, and is now called Nickelodeon Universe.

On November 22, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced major improvements in the area of Camp Snoopy. Camp Snoopy will receive a makeover as the section is approaching its 30th anniversary. In summer 2014, Knott's Berry Farm will open up new rides in Camp Snoopy.[17]

The 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[43] Grand Sierra Railroad takes guest on a four-minute train ride through the reflection lake. The ride was made shorter with the construction of Silver Bullet.

Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer Thrill level[37]
Balloon Race 1983 2
Camp Bus 1992 Zamperla 2
Linus Launcher 2014 Zamperla 3
Charlie Brown Kite Flyers 2014 Zamperla 2
Flying Ace 1986 Chance-Morgan 2
Grand Sierra Railroad Crown Metal 1
High Sierra Ferris Wheel 1983 Eli Bridge 3
Huff and Puff 1983 Larson International 1
Pig Pen's Mud Buggies 2014 Zamperla 2
Rapid River Run 2004 Zamperla 2
Rocky Mountain Trucking Company Zamperla 1
Sierra Sidewinder 2007 Mack Rides 4
Timberline Twister 1983 Bradley and Kaye 4

Indian Trails

Located next to the Bottle House in Ghost Town, Indian Trails is a small area sandwiched between Camp Snoopy, Ghost Town, and Fiesta Village, showcasing Native American art, crafts, and dance. One ride is located in this area. It is called Butterfield Stagecoach which is a family ride where an actual stagecoach take guest on a circular ride through Fiesta Village and Camp Snoopy. It is one of the original rides at the park. The ride was developed directly by the park and it opened in 1949.

Public area

Many of the original attractions are outside the gates of the current-day theme park along Grand Ave. at the California Marketplace, mostly things which would no longer be considered interesting to today's audience, or things which were merely there for decoration. Near the restrooms behind Berry Place are the waterfall overshooting the water wheel and historic gristmill grindstone, a replica of George Washington's Mount Vernon estate fireplace hearth, and what remains of the visible beehive. Some attractions still exist, but have been incorporated into backstage areas, such as the Rock Garden, now an employee smoking area. Other attractions have been removed, such as the historic volcano, and the cross-section of giant sequoia with age rings denoting historic events such as Christopher Columbus visiting America.

East property

Walter Knott at the dedication of Knott's full-scale replica of Independence Hall, July 4, 1966.

The east side of the property, divided by Beach Blvd., features the main parking lot, Knott's Soak City a seasonal water park that requires separate admission, the picnic grounds rental areas, complementary admission to Independence Hall and gift shop, and the Church of Reflections which was moved outside the theme park in 2004 and held non-denominational Sunday services until 2010, but is still used for wedding ceremonies. A tunnel and pedestrian underpass beneath Beach Blvd. connects the main parking lot to the shops, restaurants and theme park.

Former attractions

  • Boomerang – 1990-2017
  • Cable Cars – 1955–1979[44]
  • Corkscrew – 1975–1989[45]
  • FearVR: 5150 – closed shortly after opening in 2016
  • Fiesta Wheel – 1969–1986
  • Gasoline Alley – 1969–1996
  • Gran Slammer – 1987–2003
  • Hammerhead – 1996–2003
  • Haunted Shack – 1954–2000
  • Henry's Auto Livery – ?–1980s
  • Knott's Bear-y Tales/Kingdom of the Dinosaurs – 1975–2004
  • Knott's Lagoon – ?–1983
  • Loop Trainer Flying Machine – 1976–1989
  • Merry-Go-Round Auto Ride/Tijuana Taxi – 1969–1976
  • Mexican Whip – 1969–1986
  • Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers – 1976–1996
  • Mott's Miniatures – 1956–1992
  • Perilous Plunge – 2000–2012
  • Propeller Spin – 1976–1989
  • Riptide – 2004-2016
  • Screamin' Swing - 2005-2015
  • Sky Jump – 1976–1999
  • Tampico Tumbler – 1987–2003
  • VertiGo – 2001–2002
  • Walter K. Steamboat – 1969–2004
  • Whirlwind/Greased Lightning/HeadAche – 1976–1999
  • Wilderness Scrambler - 2001-2007
  • Windjammer Surf Racers – 1997–2000
  • Windseeker – 2011–2013
  • XK-1 – 1990–1997

FearVR: 5150 controversy

For Halloween Haunt in 2016, Knott's Berry Farm introduced FearVR: 5150, a virtual reality attraction that was met with controversy from the mental health community regarding the negative portrayal of mental illness.[46] The ten-minute-long attraction immersed guests inside of a chaotic mental hospital haunted by a supernatural central character named Katie and zombie-like patients.[47] The initial controversy came from the attraction's name, with 5150 referring to the California law that allows a law enforcement officer or clinician to involuntarily commit a person suspected of having a mental illness and determined "a danger to themselves or others". The backlash was focused on Cedar Fair's use of painful experiences suffered by those dealing with mental illness and to have it "transmogrified into spooky entertainment".[46] In response, Cedar Fair removed "5150" from the name, and after continued opposition, permanently closed the attraction on September 28, 2016, only six days after its debut.[48][49] A petition was signed by more than 2,000 people hoping Cedar Fair would bring it back, with the petition's organizer stating that Cedar Fair shouldn't be "forced to shut down an attraction based on the words of people who had not even experienced the attraction".[50]

Knott's Soak City

Knott's Soak City is Knott's Berry Farm's water park. It opened in 1999 as Soak City U.S.A. It requires separate admission from Knott's Berry Farm.

Fast Lane queuing

Fast Lane is Knott's Berry Farm's virtual queue system. For an extra fee, visitors get a wrist band that enables them to get to the front of the line on some of the most popular attractions without queuing.

Food products

The J.M. Smucker Company continues to sell the jam and preserves made famous by the Knott family; however, other products such as the syrups have been discontinued due to low demand.[51]

In November 2013, Knott's Berry Farm began selling their "Berry Market" brand of preserves at the park. The Berry Market brand is all-natural and uses the Knott family's original recipe. They are unable to use "Knott's" on the label, since Smucker's owns the rights to the name.

Public Transportation

Knott's Berry Farm can easily be accessed by public transportation. Service is available by both Los Angeles Metro and the Orange County Transportation Authority.[52] Bus routes serving the park include Metro Express Line 460 which provides direct express service between Downtown Los Angeles and Disneyland and OCTA bus routes 29 and 38.[53]

  • Summer School starring Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley. Mr. Shoop (Harmon) takes his band of under-achieving students on a field trip to Knott's Berry Farm (among other places) instead of teaching them.[54]
  • BrainRush (first aired June 20, 2009), a Cartoon Network TV quiz show was filmed as contestants compete while riding aboard Knott's Berry Farm roller coasters.[55]
  • Future entertainers: Christian author Stormie Omartian, comedian Steve Martin, the creator of Las Vegas "Legends In Concert" and the worldwide impersonation empire; John Stuart, and Kathy Westmoreland (back-up singer for Elvis Presley) all worked at the Birdcage Theater.

Attendance

200820092010201120122013201420152016Worldwide rank
3,565,000[56]3,333,000[57]3,600,000[58]3,654,000[58]3,508,000[59]3,683,000[59]3,683,000[60]3,867,000[3]4,014,000[2] 28

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "Knott's Berry Farm History".
    2. 1 2 "TEA/AECOM 2016 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
    3. 1 2 "TEA/AECOM 2015 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
    4. ↑ http://www.linkedin.com/company/knott's-berry-farm
    5. ↑ McGirr, Lisa (2001). Suburban Warriors: The Origins of the New American Right. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 98–100. ISBN 9780691059037. OCLC 44578931.
    6. ↑ Rolland-Diamond, Caroline (2016). "Another Side of the Sixties: Festive Practices on College Campuses and the Making of a Conservative Youth Movement". Revue française d’études américaines. 1 (146): 39–53. Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via Cairn.info. (Registration required (help)).
    7. ↑ Kooiman, Helen, Walter Knott: Keeper of the Flame, pp. 171–84, Plycon Press, Fullerton, CA, 1973.
    8. ↑ Salts, Christiane Victoria, Cordelia Knott: Pioneering Business Woman, pp. 75–78, The Literature Connection Books, Buena Park, CA, 2009.
    9. 1 2 Adams, Judith A. (1991). The American Amusement Park Industry: A History of Technology and Thrills. Boston: Twayne Publishers. pp. 125–127. ISBN 978-0-8057-9821-0.
    10. 1 2 "Motorcycle Chase, Knott's Berry Farm, 1976" photograph of steeplechase-style roller coaster lift hill
    11. ↑ "Motorcycle Chase, Knott's Berry Farm, 1976" photograph of steeplechase-style roller coaster with car ride combination.
    12. ↑ "Mystery Lodge". www.imdb.com.
    13. ↑ "Knott's Mystery Lodge". BRC Imagination Arts.
    14. ↑ "Knott's Berry Farm: Mystery Lodge" (PDF). BRC Imagination Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 21, 2013.
    15. ↑ Mello, Michael (August 13, 2012). "Knott's Perilous Plunge's days are numbered". The Orange County Register. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
    16. ↑ Buck, Fielding (June 14, 2013). "KNOTT'S BERRY FARM: Garner Holt shares Log Ride experiences". The Press Enterprise. The Press Enterprise. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
    17. 1 2 "New For 2014: KNOTT'S ANNOUNCES MAJOR PLANS FOR 2014". Knott's Berry Farm. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
    18. ↑ "Knott's Berry Farm Announces New Additions". Cision Wire. November 1, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
    19. ↑ PIMENTEL, JOSEPH. "Knott's Berry Farm wraps up Rip Tide ride". The Orange County Register. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
    20. ↑ EADES, MARK. "Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant reopens with new look, but same chicken". The Orange County Register. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
    21. ↑ "Wipeout at Knott's Berry Farm". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
    22. 1 2 3 4 "Coming In 2017: New Thrill Ride, Knott's Soak City Expansion, Ghost Town Alive!, and expanded Boysenberry Festival". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
    23. ↑ "Knott's Partnering With VRStudios on a New Attraction". February 1, 2017. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
    24. ↑ "March 7, 2017 - Knott's Berry Farm Update". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
    25. ↑ EADES, MARK. "Knott's closing its Boomerang coaster for good". Retrieved March 24, 2017.
    26. ↑ Merritt, Christopher. Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm, p. 94-108, 118-21, Angel City Press, Santa Monica, CA 2010. ISBN 978-1-883318-97-0.
    27. ↑ Merritt, Christopher. Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm, p. 127, Angel City Press, Santa Monica, CA 2010. ISBN 978-1-883318-97-0.
    28. ↑ Pak, Ellyn (October 22, 2007). "A love for creeping people out". Orange County Register. p. 1. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
    29. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (October 5, 2007). "Knott's green witch scares because she cares". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
    30. ↑ "Adventures in Education," Knott's Berry Farm, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.
    31. ↑ The Scary Vine, Knott's Berry Farm, Vol. 14, No. 10, October 9, 2009.
    32. ↑ "Scare School," "Behind the Screams" video, Youtube.com (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbfK9iSUbWo), Retrieved 7-30-11.
    33. ↑ Forsyth, Jessica. "Bewitched," Coast magazine, Oct. 2008, pp. 42-3, Newport Beach, CA.
    34. ↑ Owens, Jana (October 19, 2007). "Halloween Haunt brings thrills and chills to Knott's". Daily 49er. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
    35. ↑ Cassandra Peterson's MySpace page Archived July 24, 2007, at WebCite
    36. ↑ Fadroski, Kelli Skye (September 27, 2012). "Elvira returns to Knott's Halloween Haunt". The Orange County Register. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
    37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rides | Knott's Berry Farm". www.knotts.com. Retrieved 2017-11-18.
    38. ↑ "Tourist & Museum Railways in California".
    39. ↑ The Register - Calico Mine
    40. ↑ Mirgoli, Nicholous. "Knott's Berry Farm Trip Report April 2014 - Calico Mine Train Refurbishment and Knott's Berry Bloom". www.ThemeParkOverload.net. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
    41. ↑ "Steam Locomotive Information".
    42. ↑ "Montezooma's Revenge".
    43. ↑ "Steam Locomotive Information".
    44. ↑ "Cable Cars at Knott's Berry Farm" section of Cable Car Lines in Other California Cities by Joe Thompson.
    45. ↑ Murray, Kathy (September 12, 1989). "Knott's Berry Farm pulling Corkscrew from its ride lineup // Prototype coaster is sold to Idaho amusement park". The Orange County Register (Evening ed.). p. B03.
    46. 1 2 Solomon, Andrew. "Mental Illness Is Not a Horror Show". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
    47. ↑ Pimental, Joseph. "Halloween meets virtual reality as Oculus powers 'FearVR: 5150' at Knott's Scary Farm". The Orange Country Register. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
    48. ↑ Hamm, Catharine. "Halloween Haunt: Knott's Berry Farm shuts down Fear VR attraction". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
    49. ↑ Bharath, Deepa. "Knott's closes Halloween attraction 'Fear VR' after complaints from mental health advocates". The Orange County Register. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
    50. ↑ Pimentel, Joseph. "Thousands sign counter-petition to reopen Knott's VR Halloween attraction". The Orange Country Register. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
    51. ↑ "Knott's Berry Farms® - Products".
    52. ↑ "OCTA Bus Book" (PDF). OCTA.
    53. ↑ "LACMTA Express Line 460" (PDF). LACMTA.
    54. ↑ "Summer School (1987)". IMDb.
    55. ↑ "Cartoon Network Gets Real." Turner Newsroom. Press release. May 21, 2009.
    56. ↑ "TEA/AECOM 2008 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
    57. ↑ "TEA/AECOM 2009 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 2, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
    58. 1 2 "TEA/AECOM 2011 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
    59. 1 2 "TEA/AECOM 2013 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
    60. ↑ "TEA/AECOM 2014 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.


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