All things Knotts Berry Farm

[Darkbeer1]

Review: Calico River Rapids blends storytelling with thrills to bring new life to aging Knott’s water ride

The new Calico River Rapids adds about 20 animatronic figures to the 1987 BigFoot Rapids water ride at the Buena Park theme park.

www.ocregister.com

>>I wasn’t sure how much of the animatronics I might see rumbling past at a fairly good clip aboard the white water rapids raft. But I was surprised at how many of the visual vignettes I was able to see and appreciate. The addition of the animatronics made the ride a little more fun and will certainly help to attract a new audience to the old attraction.


A second ride on Calico River Rapids revealed a few scenes I missed the first time around. Which, of course, is the point — to get you to come back and ride again and again.<<

That is only the last two paragraphs. Brady did a great job describing the ride.

So check it out at the link, or at another SCNG website.

 

[BubbaQuest]

Knott's continues their greatest flaw of not being able to stage show scenes properly.

Looks like fun. Just bummed there is no big splash down.

 

[Phroobar]

Looks like fun. Just bummed there is no big splash down.

The trench was never modified. Only the buildings where rethemed and AA figures added along the trench. I'm sure there are some behind the scenes tech updates too. I hope the waterfall gets turned on.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Love it, love it, love it. And so does Lisa. More to come. The current wait is less than 5 minutes. CRR rocks!

 

[Rich T]

Knott's continues their greatest flaw of not being able to stage show scenes properly.

It's a spinning raft ride. These scenes are staged as well as the scenes on the Shanghai ride or Popeye at IoA. And then there's Grizzly River Run, which is continuing Disney's greatest flaw of not including any show scenes whatsoever if they think they can get away with it!

Seriously, this ride looks wonderful. I think every scene is great, effective and fun. And, yes, Bigfoot isn't scary, but it looks like that's not what they were going for. The howling wolf, the guy with the shotgun, the chickens, the bear and everything else more than make up for it. This looks awesome, and I can't wait to ride it.

 

[TROR]

It's a spinning raft ride. These scenes are staged as well as the scenes on the Shanghai ride or Popeye at IoA. And then there's Grizzly River Run, which is continuing Disney's greatest flaw of not including any show scenes whatsoever if they think they can get away with it!

Seriously, this ride looks wonderful. I think every scene is great, effective and fun. And, yes, Bigfoot isn't scary, but it looks like that's not what they were going for. The howling wolf, the guy with the shotgun, the chickens, the bear and everything else more than make up for it. This looks awesome, and I can't wait to ride it.

Oh, big disagree. The only real show scene at the Shanghai rapids ride is the giant crocodile monster, but that's staged wonderfully to be a complete focal point of the guests when they pass underneath it. Bigfoot should be the same way and at the end of a bend, not flat against the track. I'm not going to be too brutal towards Knott's (because it is just Knott's) but they do need help when it comes to staging.

 

[Darkbeer1]

One interesting thing. Most of the AA's are triggered by an electronic eye. So the sound and movement matches up when the raft goes by.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Also the load/unload raft area is totally new, and the ADA loading works a lot better.

 

[Rich T]

Oh, big disagree. The only real show scene at the Shanghai rapids ride is the giant crocodile monster, but that's staged wonderfully to be a complete focal point of the guests when they pass underneath it. Bigfoot should be the same way and at the end of a bend, not flat against the track. I'm not going to be too brutal towards Knott's (because it is just Knott's) but they do need help when it comes to staging.

I agree about Bigfoot's placement, but I really think everything else (and there's a lot!) on the ride looks wonderful.

 

[TROR]

I agree about Bigfoot's placement, but I really think everything else (and there's a lot!) on the ride looks wonderful.

There's a few other things, such as the wolf having the same directional problem with it not facing the rides, the baby bear being hidden in the thickets, and how close in proximity the grizzly and the panther are to one another. Most of it's fine, but it could be slightly improved. Really the biggest flaw is just the track layout wasn't designed to have these show scenes so it's not as smooth as it could be.

 

[Rich T]

There's a few other things, such as the wolf having the same directional problem with it not facing the rides, the baby bear being hidden in the thickets, and how close in proximity the grizzly and the panther are to one another. Most of it's fine, but it could be slightly improved. Really the biggest flaw is just the track layout wasn't designed to have these show scenes so it's not as smooth as it could be.

I actually like the wolf's positioning; riders get to see him from three sides as he does his thing. See, you're looking at all this as a flaw because the ride layout is unchanged. I see it as an amazingly great addition of character and charm to an existing rapids ride.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Plus it gives those in the queue a chance to check the Wolf out.

 

[NateD1226]

I absolutely loved it! The Bigfoot AA is way better in person. Plus, I only waited 15 minutes at 2:00!

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

Plus it gives those in the queue a chance to check the Wolf out.

Allow me to chime in if you will. I watched several ride pov's of this today online and my 2 cents is they have greatly improved the attraction. I love it. everything. As far as the argument above to show scenes I am glad they didn't throw the baby out with the bath water so to speak by keeping the original layout and just adding AA's around it and a new theme. I think the ride has greatly improved. I love all the AA's and I love the hillybilly guy shooing at the raft and splashing the water. I like the tnt section though only one 1 ride through did someone in the queue attempt to get the raft wet. It respects what came before but adds to it. the AA's are in the same AA tradition of Knott's they feel like they have been there this whole time. they fit in with the AA's on the log ride and the old dinos from Kingdom back in the day. I LOVE THE BIGFOOT AA SOOOO MUCH. I have no problem with it's placement or size or look. it is awesome. eat your heart out EXPEDITION EVEREST. My only questions are : 1. are the bigfoot prints still in the cement in the queue? 2. are the waterfalls still there but turned off? the ride would not be the same if they took out the waterfalls and that would be a big missed opportunity. other than that, I loved it.

 

[Nirya]

The ride definitely looks like an improvement over what was there, which is great, but that Bigfoot at the end....ehhh. I don't feel like Garner-Holt really does big AAs real well, and that Bigfoot as the finale really needed to be something more than what it is. Everything else is good, the settler with the gun is especially great. Very excited to see what comes next (and if they do anything for Haunt here).

 

[Darkbeer1]

My only questions are : 1. are the bigfoot prints still in the cement in the queue? 2. are the waterfalls still there but turned off? the ride would not be the same if they took out the waterfalls and that would be a big missed opportunity. other than that, I loved it.

1. No, the footprints were patched to make the walkway flat years ago for safety reasons.

2. The main walkway waterfall that turned off in the winter just before the raft got there is still there (rockwork), but the pumping system was so damaged, Knott's decided to not fix it. So SBNO (Standing but not operating).

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

The ride definitely looks like an improvement over what was there, which is great, but that Bigfoot at the end....ehhh. I don't feel like Garner-Holt really does big AAs real well, and that Bigfoot as the finale really needed to be something more than what it is. Everything else is good, the settler with the gun is especially great. Very excited to see what comes next (and if they do anything for Haunt here).

I disagree .for over 30 years we went on a ride called BIG FOOT RAPIDS that showed bigfoot prints in the cement and a broken cage in the queue but there was never a big foot. only at the end through a "cave" did we sometimes hear a roar depending if the effect worked or not that day. they never really took advantage of the theme. I love how they rethemed it and still showed respects to Bigfoots Rapids by not only adding a Bigfoot AA finally but also make the cave a actual cave!! before it felt more like you were going through a metal sewer tunnel and it always felt out of place with the outdoor woodsy vibe of the rest of the ride. I love how there is now a fog as you exit the ride. it is a major improvement.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

1. No, the footprints were patched to make the walkway flat years ago for safety reasons.

2. The main walkway waterfall that turned off in the winter just before the raft got there is still there (rockwork), but the pumping system was so damaged, Knott's decided to not fix it. So SBNO (Standing but not operating).

disappointing in the footprints but with the ride retheming I am ok with it. but the waterfalls needs to be fixed and turned on. after watching some ride through where the waterfalls were there are these log things above and I figured maybe that the water falls are still there but just reworked to look like they come from the logs. I was hoping they were turned off since its early may. that I feel hurts the ride because you would get drenched under the waterfalls and it helped on those hot summer days. do you think they will make them operational again?

 

[Darkbeer1]

Knott's Berry Farm/Calico River Rspids Opening Day - 5/17/2019 - Darkbeer

Hi there, I am David Michael, and this is my photo album.... A hobby gone bad, I am now a Theme Park Reporter and Photographer (in my spare time). I hope you enjoy the photos, and thanks for visiting. If you see me at a park, please come over and say hello! If you want to send an e-mail, you...

darkbeer.smugmug.com

And the end of the album, there are 11 short videos that show the animations, so go check them out.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

Knott's Berry Farm/Calico River Rspids Opening Day - 5/17/2019 - Darkbeer

Hi there, I am David Michael, and this is my photo album.... A hobby gone bad, I am now a Theme Park Reporter and Photographer (in my spare time). I hope you enjoy the photos, and thanks for visiting. If you see me at a park, please come over and say hello! If you want to send an e-mail, you...

darkbeer.smugmug.com

And the end of the album, there are 11 short videos that show the animations, so go check them out.

I think the wolf is my favorite AA because it reminds me soo much of my dog. but at first I did not notice the baby bear. I was surprised to see it on a different ride pov. I love discovering new things like that on repeat views or actual rides on the attraction. I think the bigfoot AA is pure awesomeness. simple and effective and has the most movement.