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All things Knotts Berry Farm
- Thread starter Phroobar
- Start date
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
With your priorities, I'd highly recommend Fastlane. Lines for the Calico Mine Ride don't tend to be that long in my experience, but it's extremely helpful for both the flume (assuming they haven't randomly shuffled it off the FP ride list again-double check to confirm) and Ghostrider, which is just ungodly popular and stays jammed all day. Deservedly so-it's fantastic in its current state-but its wait times are hugely disproportionate compared to the other coasters. Otherwise it's a long, slow wait unless you hit it right at park opening. Additionally, Knott's operations don't begin to compare with Cedar Point/Kings Island, which is another point in FL's favor, and it will help you be as productive as possible with your limited timeframe on what is sure to be a busy day.
Don't forget to visit the Independence Hall replica across the street by Soak City-there's a charming little show in the main chamber that they can activate for you too. It keeps different hours from the rest of the park, so don't wait too long to head over there if it interests you (also easier to do at your leisure with FL). Obviously do Mystery Lodge should they decide they want to start it up again.
If you feel you have time, eat at the Chicken Dinner restaurant. Don't feel like you MUST order the fried chicken, but eating in the restaurant is a great experience. I highly recommend boysenberry pie a la mode for dessert, though you can order this in the park as well at Ghost Town Grill.
Another heads up-maybe I'm just uniquely bad at this, but Knott's has several parking lots and its seemingly random and arbitrary which parking lot will actually be open and which one you'll be directed to. Sometimes you'll see a little sign at the corner before you reach the block with the park directing you where to go, sometimes not. I've never NOT found parking, but it always takes longer and is more confusing than it feels like it should be.
I feel Knott's does have a lot of flat rides for a park of its size-it's actually quite small, though the meandering paths disguise it a bit. Every time I've gone there are always several flat rides I'd completely forgotten about. Like Disneyland, they jam quite a lot into a relatively compact footprint.
That said, Knott's is really a different kind of park and you're best off not trying to treat it the same way you treat the Ohio parks, though CF certainly tried its hardest to turn it into a baby Cedar Point for a decade plus. What makes Knott's interesting are the things that make it different from the typical CF mold and that are tied to its past as an early theme park and alternative to Disneyland (one exception-the Peanuts characters were first used at Knott's before CF bought the park and sent the characters to the other parks as well, so do take a stroll through Camp Snoopy-it's far nicer and more distinctive than some of the other CF Peanuts areas). So I wouldn't really concern myself with the flat rides (and it's unlikely you'll find anything that you haven't seen before) and focus instead on the atmosphere of the place and the things you can't do anywhere else.
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1HAPPYGHOSTHOST
Well-Known Member
I would buy that off you. I love that shirt.
SplashGhost
Well-Known Member
@PiratesMansion makes a lot of good points, if you are only going for a half day on a Saturday, then I agree that Fast Lane would be worth it. With that, you should be easily able to do all the must-do attractions, and get at least a couple of rides in on each of the major coasters. Without Fast Lane, you might be able to only ride 3 or 4 things in the time that you are there. So if you can afford it, definitely go Fast Lane.
One of the unique things about Knott's is just exploring the Ghost Town area, without Fast Lane, you won't have any time to explore, and you will miss out on one of the most unique things about the park.
One of the unique things about Knott's is just exploring the Ghost Town area, without Fast Lane, you won't have any time to explore, and you will miss out on one of the most unique things about the park.
DavidDL
Well-Known Member
No need! They’re selling it in one of the shops just outside the park and next to Mrs. Knotts chicken restaurant so if you really want one, you don’t even need to visit the park.
Too Many Hats
Well-Known Member
Appreciate the single rider tip -- will do.
I'm realizing 5-6 hours may not be enough time to see all the headliner coasters, Timber Mountain, and Calico Mine Ride. However, I'll be going with my girlfriend, and in general at amusement/theme parks I tend to place the emphasis more on enjoying the overall experience rather than necessarily hitting every ride. I was just wondering if showing up at 5pm on a Saturday in July would be severely misguided, but it sounds like it should be fine -- I'll just expect not to hit everything. Honestly maybe I'll just get a (surprisingly affordable) season pass and plan on visiting again sometime.
That's a bummer about HangTime, especially since it's new. I've heard it's pretty fun.
Yeah, Silver Bullet doesn't look like it packs the punch of Raptor or Banshee. It seems to take up a ton of real estate at Knott's -- perhaps it's more of a crowd pleaser than a thrill machine.
Jaguar interests me because of its layout. Doesn't it pass through the loop of Montezooma's Revenge? And doesn't it also, like, go through (or around) a temple? I hope to check it out, if I have time. Being a 5'10" man isn't always the best, but one advantage is that theme park rides are typically pretty comfortable, lol.
Crazanity looks nuts. Went on one of those once, and it was the only time I ever felt kind of queasy after a ride.
Too Many Hats
Well-Known Member
I'm probably going to visit in the late-afternoon and evening, but your plan is tempting. I really, really want to ride GhostRider (ideally more than once).
Too Many Hats
Well-Known Member
These are great insights -- thank you!
The price of FastLane is pretty steep; I probably won't go that route. Instead, I'm beginning to think I should just get a season pass. I didn't realize how affordable the lowest-tier season pass is -- even if I only go one additional time, it'll be worth it. Independence Hall, Ghost Town, Mystery Lodge, Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner -- all stuff I'd like to see, and there's no way I'll have time unless I spend an entire day at the park (which I'd prefer not to do). I appreciate your points about the unique charm and history of the park; obviously that's what people love about the place, and I've been hoping to get a sense of it by casually touring the park, taking in the atmosphere, and riding whatever I can. But your post makes me realize there's more there than can be seen in 6 hours...
Appreciate the heads up on parking. Bummed to hear operations at Knott's are not at the level of Cedar Point.
Wouldn't have thought of strolling through Camp Snoopy, given the nothing-to-write-home-about quality of the area at Cedar Point. I will check it out!
SplashGhost
Well-Known Member
That sounds like a good idea, if you hit up Cedar Point and King Island this year, it would be worth getting a Platinum Pass since that would include admission to all Cedar Fair parks. HangTime is pretty fun, but extremely short. Silver Bullet is one of the biggest coasters in SoCal outside Magic Mountain, but I much prefer Magic Mountain's Batman and CGA's Flight Deck, they are smaller inverts, but much more intense.
The Jaguar queue is in the temple and the queue and temple are much better than the actual ride. The ride goes around the temple and through Montezooma's loop, but the only time spent in the temple in the ride is when you are in the station. If you are 5'10", the ride should be comfortable enough. The seat backs are really low and it is the roughest coaster in the park, so I was really sore after the last time I rode it. It will be hard to judge how long the queue is, since most of it is hidden in the temple. Plus, the queues times listed on the Knott's app are far from accurate.
If you have a chance to get up to Magic Mountain also, you should definitely do so. Even if Cedar Point has a better top 5, I personally think Magic Mountain has much better middle tier coasters. For example, Ninja, Viper, and GoldRusher are all vastly superior to their counterparts (Arrow Suspended, Arrow Multi-Looper and Arrow Mine Train) at Cedar Point. GoldRusher and Ninja are really great experiences at night and quite unique as they are built on the side of the mountain in the middle of the park.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
If you are California-based, the Platinum pass would also grant you entry into California's Great America and Gilroy Gardens, though I get that neither are to the level of the Ohio parks.
I wouldn't call Jaguar rough but it's definitely sub-optimal seating and vehicles if you are an adult, and that affects the ride experience. Great queue though-kind of like Knott's does Indy-lite.
Magic Mountain is more directly comparable to Cedar Point, but the big difference is that once you've done the coasters there's really nothing else there (aesthetics and ops also don't begin to compare to CP). People who don't do coasters can still find value in CP-not so sure that'd be the case at MM. I think I would generally agree that CP has the better top tier and SFMM the better middle tier, and it also has the terrain to make things interesting. My main issue with SFMM's lineup is that it's too positive-g heavy; Twisted Colossus is pretty much the only airtime in the park. There's so much potential at Magic Mountain-it's a pity that Six Flags is the company that ended up with the park.
I wouldn't call Jaguar rough but it's definitely sub-optimal seating and vehicles if you are an adult, and that affects the ride experience. Great queue though-kind of like Knott's does Indy-lite.
Magic Mountain is more directly comparable to Cedar Point, but the big difference is that once you've done the coasters there's really nothing else there (aesthetics and ops also don't begin to compare to CP). People who don't do coasters can still find value in CP-not so sure that'd be the case at MM. I think I would generally agree that CP has the better top tier and SFMM the better middle tier, and it also has the terrain to make things interesting. My main issue with SFMM's lineup is that it's too positive-g heavy; Twisted Colossus is pretty much the only airtime in the park. There's so much potential at Magic Mountain-it's a pity that Six Flags is the company that ended up with the park.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
One more thing to clarify about Knott's parking: I don't mean to imply that you will always be directed to a specific lot, because that's not always what happens. There may be a sign at Beach and La Palma, but there may not be. If you're like me and entering from the north side of Beach Blvd, the natural inclination is to go to the fork on the right that takes you to Knott's. At that point, there are always people directing you forward but not necessarily to a parking lot, much less a parking space. When in doubt, just know that there is parking for Knott's on all sides of the park. The lots are as follows:
1. Soak City-adjacent lot: the only one you can directly enter from Beach Blvd if you're lucky-be in the left lane, it comes up right away if it's open. The most desirable lot for me because you're already right there on the Independence Hall side in the event that interests you and because it's the most direct, no-nonsense parking experience. Access the park through the same underpass you drove through to access the lot, but on the sidewalk. Paved.
NOT to be confused with the Marketplace lot, which you also enter on the left side of this road, but after you've passed all the shops and restaurants. Think of this as their version of the Downtown Disney lot, except presumably less abused and with hourly parking only.
2. Knott's Hotel-adjacent lot (on Crescent): the one I end up parked in most of the time. This isn't a terribly bad option either, but feels marginally more inconvenient. Paved.
3. La Palma Lot-Unpaved and you have to cross La Palma to get to the park. Less desirable unless you're a Claim Jumpers stan, though you're probably closer to the actual park entrance than, say, the Crescent lot.
4. Western Ave. Lot-Some spaces paved, some not. Least desirable as it is the furthest from the main entrance, but Knott's does have a Western entrance that is sometimes opened for the use of people parked here. Last resort option.
1. Soak City-adjacent lot: the only one you can directly enter from Beach Blvd if you're lucky-be in the left lane, it comes up right away if it's open. The most desirable lot for me because you're already right there on the Independence Hall side in the event that interests you and because it's the most direct, no-nonsense parking experience. Access the park through the same underpass you drove through to access the lot, but on the sidewalk. Paved.
NOT to be confused with the Marketplace lot, which you also enter on the left side of this road, but after you've passed all the shops and restaurants. Think of this as their version of the Downtown Disney lot, except presumably less abused and with hourly parking only.
2. Knott's Hotel-adjacent lot (on Crescent): the one I end up parked in most of the time. This isn't a terribly bad option either, but feels marginally more inconvenient. Paved.
3. La Palma Lot-Unpaved and you have to cross La Palma to get to the park. Less desirable unless you're a Claim Jumpers stan, though you're probably closer to the actual park entrance than, say, the Crescent lot.
4. Western Ave. Lot-Some spaces paved, some not. Least desirable as it is the furthest from the main entrance, but Knott's does have a Western entrance that is sometimes opened for the use of people parked here. Last resort option.
I agree to a point, as someone who does actually need it, I can see some simple tweaks that would fix a lot of the issues:
- First and foremost, it needs to be tied to tickets that get scanned, so that a group of four can't end up with four different cards and end up with four sets of times. In other words, this part needs to work more like Disney's setup.
- Take a picture of the person using the pass
- Require the entire party to come in when the pass is issued and take pictures for all of them
- The pictures need to show when the team members scan the pass at each attraction
- Keep the "reverse wait" system they have now.
- Make sure it gets scanned at every attraction with more than a 10 minute wait and a new next ride time is assigned based on the wait time.
- Knott's has the max set at 4 people per party, parties should not be allowed to bundle multiple together to have a larger party. I saw a group of 12 have 3 passes and all insisted on being able to ride together. The 4 person limit is there for a reason, the alternate queues have limited space.
Correction: We know that MOST under 12's have not been vaccinated, there are some who have been part of the trials and have been.
Tamandua
Well-Known Member
Your can tell which kids have been vaccinated by looking for the ones clutching their chests in agony from myocarditis.
Don't overlook the entertainment either, you can literally spend the entire day doing nothing but entertainment and not repeat a show or go on a single ride. This is something I haven't seen other Cedar Fair parks doing either and the entertainment is very high quality as well. Don't forget Summer Nights either and there are character meet and greets as well.
Actually this isn't accurate, they found that that given the sample size, there actually should have been about 3 times the number of kids that had this issue than there were as that would have been normal without COVID around. So there is actually a chance that the vaccine reduced the issue, but the sample size wasn't large enough to be conclusive.
Just some notes about these lots:
- You do not want this lot if you have any sort of mobility issue (even if you don't need a disabled placard) as the walk down the tunnel is extremely steep in both directions. Most ECVs are incapable of making this incline as well.
- This lot is reasonable.
- Haven't needed to park here yet.
- Also haven't needed to park here yet.
- You missed the one next to the marketplace parking, this to me is the most convenient parking, as it is fully accessible with a flat walk to and from the park and is by far the closest.
Tamandua
Well-Known Member
Um... No. The CDC director said that you can expect 30-40 cases of child myocarditis caused by the vaccine per one million people, but she argues that it's worth the cost, which I think is insanity.
CDC head says benefits of COVID vaccines outweigh risk of myocarditis
CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky said on Thursday on Good Morning America that benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh risks of rare heart inflammation in teens and young adults.
Well, that one is new since what I had read previously, but the question becomes if the inflammation is permanent or if it is treatable and goes away after a few days or even weeks. If it becomes a new permanent condition, then you do have to question the wisdom, if it is something that is temporary (which in previous articles I saw said it likely was), then it likely is worth the risk.Um... No. The CDC director said that you can expect 30-40 cases of child myocarditis caused by the vaccine per one million people, but she argues that it's worth the cost, which I think is insanity.
CDC head says benefits of COVID vaccines outweigh risk of myocarditis
CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky said on Thursday on Good Morning America that benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh risks of rare heart inflammation in teens and young adults.www.dailymail.co.uk
But even the article you link to says that males in that age group were 66 cases out of every million and females were 9.1 out of every million without any vaccine involvement. So that statistically means the 30-40 cases is still likely lower than the normal average, the question is if these are in addition to the normal cases or if these end up being total in that age group.
Tamandua
Well-Known Member
You can't know how permanent it will be, but very, very few kids are at risk of dying or suffering health issues from covid. At this point, I think vaccinating kids is a very bad idea given the current data.