Knott's Berry Farm has been an enigma in my life for a long time now. It started out as that little park across the road from Disneyland that I would have loved to visit except for the fact that when I was a kid going to Disneyland was absolutely sacred so the one time a year I did make it up to SoCal no days were wasted on a non-Disney park. That all changed when the structure of my SoCal trips changed as an adult. Most of the time I'd be staying with friends instead of at an on site hotel, so the idea of doing stuff besides Disney slowly crept into my roster. Two years ago I did a marathon Disneyland/Knott's/Universal/Hamilton trip, for example. In all that time though, when I finally did make it to Knott's I instantly fell in love.
Knott's Berry Farm has an atmosphere and vibe unlike any other park I've experienced. What it lacks in big E Ticket thrills it makes up for in charm, charm, and more charm! Not to mention a fascinating history that's nearly twice as long as Disneyland's. Knott's set the stage for stuff like themed log flumes and highly immersive dark rides that pre date some of the iconic Disneyland attraction. The Ghost Town area there is rich with history with every building being pulled from a real life ghost town and cobbled together into a themed land. The three big attractions there are Timber Mountain...perhaps the greatest log flume ever created and the inspiration for Splash Mountain...Calico Mine RIde, a dark ride with Pirates levels of immersive set pieces, and Mystery Lodge, an incredibly unique theatrical experience about the storytelling heritage of Native American tribes who were local to Orange County.
Point being, I love Knott's almost as much, if not more, than Disneyland itself. Which is why my grandma and I have decided for the first time to take a SoCal trip not focused on Disney, but on Knott's itself. This trip will encompass three days at Knott's Berry Farm with a side day at Disneyland...the opposite of how we usually do it. I intend to use this thread to showcase all the wonders and Imagineering creativity that the park has on offer and to just have fun chronicling my first Knott's centric trip. Leaving for the airport in 30 minutes, so I'll be sure to keep this updated throughout the day and the rest of the trip!
Knott's Berry Farm has an atmosphere and vibe unlike any other park I've experienced. What it lacks in big E Ticket thrills it makes up for in charm, charm, and more charm! Not to mention a fascinating history that's nearly twice as long as Disneyland's. Knott's set the stage for stuff like themed log flumes and highly immersive dark rides that pre date some of the iconic Disneyland attraction. The Ghost Town area there is rich with history with every building being pulled from a real life ghost town and cobbled together into a themed land. The three big attractions there are Timber Mountain...perhaps the greatest log flume ever created and the inspiration for Splash Mountain...Calico Mine RIde, a dark ride with Pirates levels of immersive set pieces, and Mystery Lodge, an incredibly unique theatrical experience about the storytelling heritage of Native American tribes who were local to Orange County.
Point being, I love Knott's almost as much, if not more, than Disneyland itself. Which is why my grandma and I have decided for the first time to take a SoCal trip not focused on Disney, but on Knott's itself. This trip will encompass three days at Knott's Berry Farm with a side day at Disneyland...the opposite of how we usually do it. I intend to use this thread to showcase all the wonders and Imagineering creativity that the park has on offer and to just have fun chronicling my first Knott's centric trip. Leaving for the airport in 30 minutes, so I'll be sure to keep this updated throughout the day and the rest of the trip!
