All things Knotts Berry Farm

Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Just got to Soak City having Fish and Chips.

As mentioned, decent crowd.

Food is good. Better fries than the ride park. Similar to the new Farmer's Boys ones.
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
A few photos from Sunday

darkbeer.smugmug.com

Knott's Berry Farm - 5/12/2019 - 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 darkbeer.smugmug.com

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And a short video of the rafts going downstream

darkbeer.smugmug.com

Knott's Berry Farm - 5/12/2019 - 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 darkbeer.smugmug.com
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Phrubruh said:
You are living proof there is more to do in Southern California than Disneyland and maybe the beach.
Click to expand...

I have had a blessed life, and heck, a second bite of it.

My father worked for the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission (Senior Scientist), which had many visiting scientists while I grew up, either staying with us or nearby. And they all wanted to see "tourist" sites, each person had different requests, some more main stream than others. We lived in San Diego, so SeaWorld, Tijuana (and places south and east in Mexico), The Alpine Mountains, Julian, Palm Springs including the Tramway, Borrego Springs, and of course, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and later on Magic Mountain. Plus many more.

One thing was the visitors all gave there leftover tickets to the young kid. I had a stack of tickets 2 to 3 inches tall, mostly A thru C ones, but always had more than enough to ride anything I wanted, and around 7 or 8, I got to go off by myself, with a few rules to keep in touch with Dad and whoever he was with.

So I started at an early age, and to this day, love day trips, sometimes with a one night hotel stay. And not just Theme/Amusement parks, but lots of other things.

My Honeymoon 9 years ago, was a month long, and 3,000+ miles on the car. The Blue Ridge Mountains, etc...

My wife loves the Palms to Pines Highway, and the Angeles Forest drives.

SoCal is an amazing place. San Diego County has the most varied temperatures in the nation. The city of San Diego has the least. Ocean, Snowy mountains and desert all in one county. Add all the surrounding areas that makes up SoCal, plus north west Mexico.

Go back to Knott's - Calico (real one), Mitchell Caverns, Belmont Park (Boardwalk), Indian Reservations, Wooden Mountains and rivers, Mexico and villages (Not the Tijuana area), and more. Heck, Knott's is more true to the California Adventure theme than what Disney offers.

I have done jobs that allow me to go on the road, and not stuck in the office.

I am very lucky to live here in West Anaheim, right in-between Disneyland and Knott's. (Yes, draw a straight line on the map between the two, find the halfway point, and you would be in my back yard). And have had the chance to visit a variety of things, and meet some very interesting people. And now I share these experiences with my wife, who seems to shake her head a lot. I was in a parking lot, when Bob Miller (the Kings broadcaster) came over to say hello. My wife walks up halfway, and listens, and noticed a Championship ring on his finger. We wrapped up our talk, and then I said Bob, I would like you to meet my Wife, Lisa. And I mentioned Bob's last name, and he headed off to the event. My wife said, "You mean that was THE Bob Miller", and with a big grin, I said yes, and she just realized that it was one of those "I am with my Husband" moments.

Another good one was at an event that we ran into Margaret Kelly. Margaret said Hello David or something like that... My wife looked shocked, then she said that she went on a Blind Date with me. Well, that left her speechless. After we said goodbye to her, Lisa said.. You went on a date with her? I then explained that yes, I was asked to entertain someone at a Club 33 event. I had no idea who it was going to be.. Well, I was shocked when someone close to my Mom's age came over and said, Hi David, I am your date for the next couple of hours, my name is Margaret. We talked almost the entire time, and she said it was a great date at the end, even a kiss on the cheek.

Way too many more stories.. As I said, I am Blessed.

Can't wait until Friday, and the Calico River Rapids being open.
 
THE 1HAPPY HAUNT

THE 1HAPPY HAUNT

Well-Known Member
Darkbeer1 said:
A few photos from Sunday

darkbeer.smugmug.com

Knott's Berry Farm - 5/12/2019 - 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 darkbeer.smugmug.com

20190512_154830-L.jpg


20190512_170317-L.jpg


20190512_170741-L.jpg


20190512_171124-L.jpg


20190512_171328-L.jpg


And a short video of the rafts going downstream

darkbeer.smugmug.com

Knott's Berry Farm - 5/12/2019 - 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 darkbeer.smugmug.com
Click to expand...
Awesome. Cant wait to see some ride povs on youtube to see the Bigfoot AA in action
 
NobodyElse

NobodyElse

Well-Known Member
SuddenStorm said:
I'd actually be interested to read a detailed write up about how the ride experience changed from testing to opening if you're willing. Finding new/ unheard information about Splash is incredibly difficult.
Click to expand...

My fuzzy memory is going to disallow a detailed write up, but here are a few scattered recollections.

(Remember this was before Indiana Jones Adventure, and long before DCA was a glint in anybody's eye.) We parked in the old lot, end entered backstage via a gate in the fence. This must have been somewhere just south-east of the Pirates building. We then made our way to the end of the line, somewhere behind HM building. (Ron Dominguez gave me a Coke and a smile.) :)

We entered Splash via one of the back doors, traversed up and down some standard industrial steel stairs, and ended up somewhere near the loading zone. Basically the reverse of an emergency exit route I imagine.

As I recall, the ride and show were pretty much what we ended up with after public opening. There may have been a few figures not moving, and lighting may have been a bit bright in sections awaiting further adjustment, but beyond the aforementioned speakers, the ride experience was mostly complete.

Also make this important note: These were at least Version 2 of the logs, so I was in no imminent danger of going down with the ship. You'll have to find somebody else to recount the soggy V.1 log experience. ;)
 
SirWillow

SirWillow

Well-Known Member
Darkbeer1 said:
I have had a blessed life, and heck, a second bite of it.

My father worked for the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission (Senior Scientist), which had many visiting scientists while I grew up, either staying with us or nearby. And they all wanted to see "tourist" sites, each person had different requests, some more main stream than others. We lived in San Diego, so SeaWorld, Tijuana (and places south and east in Mexico), The Alpine Mountains, Julian, Palm Springs including the Tramway, Borrego Springs, and of course, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and later on Magic Mountain. Plus many more.

One thing was the visitors all gave there leftover tickets to the young kid. I had a stack of tickets 2 to 3 inches tall, mostly A thru C ones, but always had more than enough to ride anything I wanted, and around 7 or 8, I got to go off by myself, with a few rules to keep in touch with Dad and whoever he was with.

So I started at an early age, and to this day, love day trips, sometimes with a one night hotel stay. And not just Theme/Amusement parks, but lots of other things.

My Honeymoon 9 years ago, was a month long, and 3,000+ miles on the car. The Blue Ridge Mountains, etc...

My wife loves the Palms to Pines Highway, and the Angeles Forest drives.

SoCal is an amazing place. San Diego County has the most varied temperatures in the nation. The city of San Diego has the least. Ocean, Snowy mountains and desert all in one county. Add all the surrounding areas that makes up SoCal, plus north west Mexico.

Go back to Knott's - Calico (real one), Mitchell Caverns, Belmont Park (Boardwalk), Indian Reservations, Wooden Mountains and rivers, Mexico and villages (Not the Tijuana area), and more. Heck, Knott's is more true to the California Adventure theme than what Disney offers.

I have done jobs that allow me to go on the road, and not stuck in the office.

I am very lucky to live here in West Anaheim, right in-between Disneyland and Knott's. (Yes, draw a straight line on the map between the two, find the halfway point, and you would be in my back yard). And have had the chance to visit a variety of things, and meet some very interesting people. And now I share these experiences with my wife, who seems to shake her head a lot. I was in a parking lot, when Bob Miller (the Kings broadcaster) came over to say hello. My wife walks up halfway, and listens, and noticed a Championship ring on his finger. We wrapped up our talk, and then I said Bob, I would like you to meet my Wife, Lisa. And I mentioned Bob's last name, and he headed off to the event. My wife said, "You mean that was THE Bob Miller", and with a big grin, I said yes, and she just realized that it was one of those "I am with my Husband" moments.

Another good one was at an event that we ran into Margaret Kelly. Margaret said Hello David or something like that... My wife looked shocked, then she said that she went on a Blind Date with me. Well, that left her speechless. After we said goodbye to her, Lisa said.. You went on a date with her? I then explained that yes, I was asked to entertain someone at a Club 33 event. I had no idea who it was going to be.. Well, I was shocked when someone close to my Mom's age came over and said, Hi David, I am your date for the next couple of hours, my name is Margaret. We talked almost the entire time, and she said it was a great date at the end, even a kiss on the cheek.

Way too many more stories.. As I said, I am Blessed.

Can't wait until Friday, and the Calico River Rapids being open.
Click to expand...

Love the stories. I've been wondering for a while now if you were the same Darkbeer I sort of knew from way back in my early enthusiast days in RRC, ACE and other online and SoCal connections. Pretty convinced now, but doubt you would remember me. Still fun to see someone I recognize from the "old" days that's still active and enjoying all there is. And California is so blessed in that way. That's one of the things I do miss about living in the state.
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
SirWillow said:
Love the stories. I've been wondering for a while now if you were the same Darkbeer I sort of knew from way back in my early enthusiast days in RRC, ACE and other online and SoCal connections. Pretty convinced now, but doubt you would remember me. Still fun to see someone I recognize from the "old" days that's still active and enjoying all there is. And California is so blessed in that way. That's one of the things I do miss about living in the state.
Click to expand...

Guilty. One and the same. Still active with ACE. This is the only Disney/Theme Park Board I hang out at. Seems to be a good core of the "Long Timers"...
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
darkbeer.smugmug.com

Knott's Berry Farm - 5/15/2019 - 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 darkbeer.smugmug.com

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A Garner-Holt employee (Logo was on the back of her shirt) headed to the electronics cabin.

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When you see 30+ School buses in the parking lot, be prepared for lots of screaming people...
 

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