The Underrated Classic Rides of Knott's Berry Farm | The Attractions That Inspired Disneyland
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- In the world of theme parks, Knott's Berry Farm tends to fly under most people's radar unless they live in California. Today, I would like to take a look at the interesting dark rides of the park, highlighting why they're significant and historic to the theme park industry and how they came to inspire Disneyland.
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Knotts Berry Farm is absolutely incredible. It’s such an underrated park with great atmosphere and lots of charm. It really deserves more love nation wide with its history and rides! Thanks for making a video on it and giving it the love it deserves!
I know everyone adores Cedar Point, but Knott's will always be the best Cedar Fair park and in my personal opinion the best park in Cali. So much charm and energy in such a small footprint, it really is unmatched.
There's apart of me that still wishes Disney could have purchased KBF (as rumored in the 90s), and rebranded it as their DCA park.
I went to knotts purely by chance as I was in Anaheim for Disneyland. I was holding a Cedar fair platinum pass at the time because I live near Cedar point, so it literally cost me nothing to park and walk in. I was taken aback by the history and depth of the park. It is an absolute gem and a must see if you are ever nearby. The chicken is also delicious.
The one thing I'm going to disagree with is the chicken. Everyone tells me it's great, but when I went in October, the food was absolutely terrible. I'm not being hyperbolic at all, as in it was legitimately poor food quality, especially the fried chicken. I had a pretty mediocre experience there in 2018 as well, so I can't say that I understand the hype around the restaurant. I would even consider KFC to be a higher quality meal than what they served me there.
Are you guys talking about the chicken served just outside the park?
@@PoseidonEntertainment I only ever hear love or hate for the chicken so I think they might have some quality control issues, but most of the food I had there I loved. The giant cookie sandwich with boysenberry ice cream being my particular favorite. But I distinctly remember liking the chicken. To each their own though. I think ordinary adventurers just had some Meh chicken from there in a video of theirs recently so now I think you have me questioning my whole existence. Did I like the chicken? What even is a boysenberry? Lol for real though Keep it up man great stuff.
@Zachary Eversole are you talking about Ms. Knotts chicken and pot pie? They reworked the recipe and aren't the same. Her food used to be so good it's bland and basic now.
Calico also helped inspire Indiana Jones Adventure. Imagineers saw they could build a massive scale themed room and have the ride path revisit this room several times. A great way to add scale throughout without having to build a bunch of big rooms.
It feels like nearly every big themed ride at Knott's points to the Disney attraction. (And they are all excellent: Timberland - Splash, Calico Mine - Pick one, Calico Rapids - Grizzly River, Pony Express - TRON)
I hadn't heard that before, but that definitely seems plausible now that you highlight the similarities. It seems that Knott's has a significant but understated influence on the industry. I was surprised to see how many HHN houses were similar to Knott's Scary houses of the past.
Native Souther Californian here, and I just want to say I'm happy that our local theme park is getting so much needed love and exposure to a wider audience. It's always a must to visit Knott's at least once a year. And Bigfoot Rapids is the best ride they had 😊
Cannot tell you how much joy this brings me to see on this channel, I will die on the hill that Timber Mtn. is the best classic log ride in the world. These rides and Knott's as a whole are the groundwork for Disney's rides and they just go mostly forgotten to everyone besides die-hard enthusiasts and California locals nowadays. Glad to see Knott's covered the way it deserves!
Timber Mountain is always a good time. Strangely enough, I've only ever experienced it with its Halloween overlay though.
I wouldn't be mad if the aliens were always there...
Strangely, the one Knott’s Berry Farm thing you’re most likely to encounter nationwide is a brand of shortbread cookies typically sold in vending machines.
@@AdamYJ To be fair, those cookies slap--
One thing about Timber Mtn. That I really like is it's speed.
Literally just went for the first time yesterday. As a FL native used to Disney/Universal/SeaWorld parks, I was absolutely enamored with all the charm that this park had.
It's definitely different and unique, worth a side-trip in a larger Cali trip.
It really is a fantastic park.
Im glad to see someone embrace and review Knotts Berry Farm! Most of the time people only focus on Disney, but Knotts has so much charm, history and love in it that it’s worth a visit. As one who’s been there for 10 years, thank you so much for covering this park 💜🍇
I think that keeping the content diversified is important and I've had Knott's on the back of my mind for a while. I'm glad to have finally covered it.
My mother is a 5th grade teacher and she used to take her class on a field trip to Knotts. They would go to the section of the park with all the historical buildings and take a tour there. They also had the opportunity to pan for gold and sit in an actual vintage school house. The only ride the class was able to go on was the calico mine ride or the log ride. I was actually in her fifth grade class and go to experience this specific field trip. It was honestly one of the highlights of being a fifth grader.
I think Knott's is perfect for schools. Ghost Town seems like the perfect fit.
I'm curious, did your mom ever have a problem with you being in her class? I've heard teachers often don't like having their own kids in their class. Their not wanting to be called "mom" during class time is supposedly one of the quibbles.
@@PoseidonEntertainment At least in the early 2000s, they had an annual Physics Day where high-school physics classes got special discounted tickets and permission to do basic physics experiments on the rides (nothing that would interfere with operations, obviously--stuff like timing the drop on the log ride). I went with my class, got handed a giant packet of physics problems, finished early (physics is easier when at least one person in your group can do calculus), and got to spend most of the day just running around the park. One of the best days of high school for me, and the last time I got to ride Kingdom of the Dinosaurs. (Shout out to the dire wolf who moved to Timber Mountain.) Knott's definitely has a history with local schools.
I grew up in the LA area and went to Knott's on a field trip in the 70s. We had a tour of the old town area to learn about history. Then we got to go on one ride. I remember that we voted on which ride, but I can't remember which ride we went on.
The main thing I remember was during the historical part. There was a pre recorded show about pioneers and covered wagons which had a great many tragic scenes. Before it started, the tour guide warned us that it was not funny and even though some of the voices might sound kind of funny it was very very serious and we were absolutely not supposed to laugh. So of course the kids who were usually disruptive laughed at that part of the show. The guide stopped the show and yelled at us what's an anger that seemed far beyond the scope of the misbehavior.
I grew up in Orange County and went to Knotts all the time after school. It's super underrated and a whole lot of fun. I wish they weren't so land locked so they could expand a bit more.
I definitely agree. Still, I think there are areas ripe for replacement. I would like to see a larger focus on dark rides, especially with Disneyland right down the street. The market is clearly there.
I’ve been going to Knotts all my life, actually went yesterday. I’ve pretty much been watching this place change my entire life. This park has only been getting better and better and I’m glad cedar fair recognizes and treasures the value of these attractions. I absolutely love how they run this park, except for the operations. I’m excited to see what comes in the future, especially with year 50 for scary farm.
I had some serious issues with their ops there. That's the only real negative I have to say about it.
I think Cedar Fair has done a very good job, but their placement of Silver Bullet at the entrance to Ghost Town is awful!
Knotts got REAL bad for a loooong time. But then it got a new CEO that cared and love was put back into the park. I haven’t been in years but last time I went, it was so much better. It was clean, the theming was improved, the historic rides were given love and upgrades. I love knotts. But I love it when it’s cared for. Because when it’s not.. it’s truly terrible. It needs people in charge who give a damn. I hope it continues to have those for many years
Knott’s has had another classic attraction in limbo for the last few years called Mystery Lodge, but no one ever talks about it or why it closed. Wish it would come back! Fantastic video!
Knott's really is a hidden gem and it's astonishing how close it is to Disneyland. Highly recommend to anybody in the area for a fun day trip.
It's twice that I've tacked it on to a Disneyland trip and it definitely adds to the overall experience.
@@PoseidonEntertainment its almost been like a park for the locals. My dad who grew up in Anaheim went there once a week as a kid/teenager because it was where all his friends would go to hang out. It had the more aggressive and daring rides over Disneyland. It used to market very well over Disneyland to locals. Which is why you saw that contemporary push in the 80's in the Eisner era.
The Calico Mine Ride for me was an absolute classic since I have only been once and for me this was one of the greatest non-Disney dark rides out there. This is the park's history and that ride's significance, so it's not only entertaining and nostalgic for me but also a major part of Knotts Berry Farm's history.
The one thing I dislike about it was the Halloween overlay this year. I was excited to show the ride to the person I was with and the overlay just killed the vibe of the ride for us. I much prefer its original show scenes.
I always love seeing very similar ride scene elements between Knotts and Disneyland and then finding out which park did it first (Bigfoot vs Harry). Knott's is an essential part of the SoCal theme park landscape...I'vealways loved its simpler charm.
I also reeeeaaaallly miss Kingdom of the Dinosaurs. Slow, kinda creepy, fascinating and awesome. Thanks for this vid!
Not a lot of great footage seems to exist of that ride, but I think it's very much something I would have enjoyed. It seems pretty derivative of the Universe of Energy, but that's also part of its charm.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I could verbally describe each scene from memory 🤣
That little bit of Dinosaur footage really hit some deep old memories for me too!
I miss Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, it was slow BUT had a great vibe.
Thank you for showcasing these amazing attractions, and Knotts in general. I honestly can’t stand most modern attractions… the mine ride and log ride were both “dated” back in the 80’s when I first experienced them. If an attraction has heart & charm it is timeless. I wish current day imagineers understood this.
Older attractions definitely have a distinct charm to them if designed well. I'm glad that Cedar Fair was able to preserve them, keeping that charm, yet still updating them in a meaningful way.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Could it be that Cedar Fair’s Executive Chairman Matt Ouimet could have something to do with “preserving the charm” of Knott’s Berry Farm? Considering Mr. Ouimet was President of Disneyland during what I would argue was the park’s last great era (Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary circa 2005), I wouldn’t be surprised if he has some influence over the creative direction of Knotts. #MattOuimet4DianeyParks
I've not been totally on board with the Cedar Fair Knott's (no surprise there) but I am so glad that they've given the love and affection due to some of the classic elements. And a little surprised.
Never been to Knott’s personally, but many family members have loved going there. It was often their favorite park to visit, especially during Halloween. The park seems to have a nice atmosphere to it and some stellar dark rides. Hopefully I’ll make my way out there someday. Loved hearing your perspective as always 👍
Knotts is more Disney than Disney at this point. Wonderful park!
Love the classic rides still there. My childhood of riding the Timber Mountain Log Ride will stay with me forever. ❤
I love knott’s berry farm so much. Such a great park that I’ve visited probably a little too much (leading to burnout and exhaustion) but honestly the affordable experience, fast lane, and general great immersion makes me love this park so much. I’ll definitely want to go back when they’ve added a bunch of new things so I can experience new stuff.
I've always loved Knotts. I'm always happy to see it get the respect it deserves
If the park went all in on dark rides, I think it might be a serious contender for the local Disneyland crowd. The coasters in the park are pretty solid, but I think they could go further with the old west theming.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I wonder what else they could do, because growing up in SoCal my friends would go to Knotts for the coasters. This video actually made me realize how underrated their dark rides are
Always glad for Knotts to get attention. As you say, hardly unknown to southern Californians, but a great park with a lot of personality.
I think its lack of popularity works in its favor though. I've been twice, once in 2018 and most recently last month. I don't know if this is normal, but I felt that having gotten there early, I was able to do every single ride I wanted.
Love this theme park as you get more than what you pay for, fun laid back atmosphere, and even though I've never been one to feel nostalgia for the old western days when it comes to this park I hope they keep the theming as it makes it unique in a great way.
I like how different the streetmosphere of the park tends to be. It's something that I haven't really seen elsewhere in a long time.
Fun fact: Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter was at the grand opening of Calico Log Ride and said in a later interview that while everyone was straining to catch a glimpse of John Wayne, he was climbing up to inspect the lift hill ride system
I thought of possibly including that tidbit, but I used Expedition Theme Park as a jumping off point for my research on these rides. Since he already mentioned it, I didn't want to re-tread what he already covered.
@@PoseidonEntertainment ah! You just reminded me where I heard that fun fact haha
I'm British and I was fortunate enough to spend NYE 99' at KBF when I was in my early teens, will always be my favourite theme park because of that experience.
So glad you did a Knott's video! I grew up on this place and I'm still proud to call it my home park. So many memories here. I just really wish they would improve their operations; honestly, I would take a major operational push over a new ride here. But other than that I love it!
I had serious problems with their ops when I went. I have a lot of good things to say about the park in general, but its management really needs to step it up.
My dads company would have annual picnics at knotts. So many amazing memories 🥲❤
Despite having lived in SoCal my whole life, I recently went to Knott's for the first time. My mother is extremely adverse to letting us ride wet rides, but I did go on the Mine Train and insisted on riding the boysenberry blaster ride (I think at least half of the blasters are broken and the ride was closed for maintenance for around an hour before we were able to even queue).
It was an incredibly charming park, albeit a bit hard for a family with a coaster apprehensive 8 year old to find a good balance between things high schoolers enjoy and rides that are suitable for theme park newbies. As someone who grew up in Disneyland, yet has only been a handful of times since moving out of the LA area, it was a fun new experience.
I will say that the park is quite unbalanced in its experiences. It would really benefit from an additional two or three really excellent dark rides.
Just went in October, the little kids area is so well maintained with small rides everywhere. Great tree cover in that area too. The park has maintained the charm that most of Disney has lost.
It's really well done, though I think it's an overlay to an older area of the park. I would have liked to see how it would have evolved if Camp Snoopy hadn't taken over.
In 2019, I had a choice to go to Knott's or Disneyland ($70 a day tickets). I chose Disneyland. 2 years later, I end up working at a Cedar Fair park, so have passes to go to Knott's. We did both and love Knott's! We have gone back again and planning another trip this year. The atmosphere and thrills are the big winners for us. But the unique rides like Calico Mine Train or the Stagecoach ride. It even inspired us to actually go to Calico. This is a park that many sleep on, but it was one of the best Cedar Fair parks in my mind.
I am really looking forward to what I'm hoping will be your next video =3
I have been to Knott’s so many times since I’m local, love it, but I never knew of this ride. I can’t recall ever going on this, even when I was too short to go on thrill rides. Thank you for showing this part of the park that is easily overlooked, very interesting.
Which ride are you referring to?
The mine ride I’m definitely going back to see it for myself. I enjoy a good dark ride.
Knotts is my home park. And I absolutely love it! It’s so charming! Im also a history guy so getting have a park with such a rich and fascinating history as my home park it’s awesome! So cool to see the video on the channel.
I wish more people would appreciate that history. It's a cool park, but always seems to be overlooked by people who only travel to Disneyland. It's definitely a good side-trip to a Disneyland stay.
Knots will always have a special place in my heart for a lot of reasons. It was where I went on my first intense thrill rides, it was my first job, and the many times I went to Halloween Haunt, which are probably the best theme park experiences I’ve ever had. The great memory I have of these rides is the first year I went to Halloween Haunt it was turned into a horror ride very similar but legally distinct from the Evil Dead franchise right after I had fallen in love those films.
AYYY. As a local I love that Knotts Berry Farm is getting some well deserved love and attention
Damn, these rides look amazing. I love the classic dark rides and the simple theme of the logging for the flume ride. Great job covering this. This place is very beloved but it deserves more credit and success!
Definitely worth a side-trip if you ever find yourself in California.
Probably wouldn't have fit in the video since it was mainly focused on the California Park but fun bit of trivia, the Knott family actually did build a second amusement park before the where bought by cedar fair in 1997, and it kind of still stands today.
When the Mall of America in Minnesota opened up in 1992 instead of just licensing out the Campy Snoopy/Peanuts name, the Knott family actually built the tiny 7 acres park in the middle of the mall and it kind of shows. The whole thing arguably had a lot better theming then any of the current iterations of Camp snoopy and had a decent amount of ride variations, and I know some locals who like to clam Paul Bunyan's Log Chute is one of the best log flume rides out there.
However due to contracting issues with Cedar Fair the park lost its Camp Snoopy theming and after a few years of just being branded as "The Park at MOA" until being rebranded as the first Nickelodeon Universe. Sadly it did loose most of its summer camp theming that made it a real hidden gem in the past but it still has a few strengths. The park is extremely kinetic since everting is so compact, and its even more so since you don't actually need a pass to get in so a lot of mall goers will often use they park as a shortcut. It also kept a lot of the rockwork, foliage, and very slight elevation changes from a camp snoopy days, combined with the massive skylights it almost feels like an outdoor park, especially if you compare it to the other nickelodeon universe in NJ which really feels like a bunch of thrill rides in a giant warehouse.
Not sure if its worth a video all on its on, maybe if you do a video on indoor parks or tiny ones around the US or the world, but it is still a local favorite around MN.
Thank you for highlighting these classic attractions and Knott’s Berry Farm! It’s my home park and my son and I spend lots of time here. It has the best theme park food in Southern California! No one can beat the food at Fireman’s Barbecue!
my family used to go to knott's every christmas eve, it's really an amazing park with wonderful atmosphere
Another awesome video! I didn’t know Knotts has such well themed classic rides. As a huge fan of Potc as well as thunder and splash mountain all of these seem like my cup of tea, especially the calico mine ride.
It's a really cool park if you have the chance to visit, especially in the summer when their streetmosphere is at its best.
I need to visit Knotts when it isn't Halloween but visiting for the first time I will say the park has some great vibes. I was afraid it'd be a bit Six Flags feeling but instead it felt relatively clean and cared for. Certainly not a big production like a Disney/Universal park but actually pretty refreshing in other ways.
They have such a small amount of land I'm impressed by the mileage they actually get out of everything they have.
I managed to have a full day and didn't see Sierra Sidewinder the whole time. We stayed Near Ghostown/Broadwalk almost all day and had plenty to do.
@@DavidBehlman exactly, I was impressed at the tight construction providing a lot to do and the coasters feel surprisingly well placed. After Magic Mountain I'd presumed most parks did a carny design and just slap things down wherever.
When I went for Halloween I was impressed how the Goring 20s had a music act on the upper balcony while the scare actors roamed the pathways it created an area you could sit in and be entertained as a major portion of your night. It's actually something Universal can't do because their pathways are so narrow and uncomfortable.
I've only been to Knott's twice, but both times were in September or October. I really need to actually visit in the summer when Ghost Town is at its best.
What was once called the John Wayne Theater, which had a really interesting water curtIn, hosted a number of top acts. I first saw Linda Ronstadt perform there. A long time ago the park had a model train store that featured Lionel trains and service.
I personally love Calico Mine Train. And the retheme during the holidays is hilarious and very creative as well.
See, I actually wasn't a fan. I was excited to show it to someone else and I think she thought I was crazy because the overlay was so weird. I suppose it's different if you're local, but I very much wanted to see the original version of the ride again.
@@PoseidonEntertainment yeah I've been on Calico I don't know how many times so I enjoy the retheme. But nothing beats the original.
Love your content. My 1st job was at Knott's making funnel cakes by the log ride. Went many times over the years as my Aunt lived down the street. Glad to see it get some love. Still love everything boysenberry to this day. The Log ride and Bigfoot Rapids were always my favorites. Silver Bullet is a fun addition as well. And Camp Snoopy I loved more as a kid than Fantasy Land. One forgotten ride that I loved was the the Wacky Soap Box racers. Was a bit like the Cars ride at California Adventure but with 4 cars racing at a time.
I’ve only been to knott’s once but only for my sister’s cheer competition year ago maybe in like 2011? I don’t remember, but I never went on any of the rides, I’ve only ever been to Disneyland but I’ve always been curious about knott’s and this video helped push that more now I really do want to go check it out even more
great topic sounds really interesting!!
I think Timber Mountain has to be the best log flume there is, it’s just so much fun because of how fast the logs go down the course.
I agree that it's definitely up there. I personally prefer both the DLR and WDW Splash Mountains better, but Timber Mountain trails right behind.
I live in San Diego and I'm a Platinum Pass Holder for 3 years and I try to go once a week because it's a park for everyone..go to go on rides or go just to enjoy the wonderful beauty and history of The Farm. Thank you for giving Knotts love.. its a must if you visit SoCal.
I was blown away by how good Knott's Scary Farm was though. I don't know if it makes sense with my schedule, but I definitely want to come back next year just for that.
You should make a full day of the park video. Fiesta Village will be reopened with the new MONTEZOOMAS REVENGE back open! Can't wait!
Really like the video. Thanks. I’m originally from So CA and went to Knott’s a few times in my youth ( I’m 64 ).
Ah yes. A Knott's video. Exactly what I expected right after Chapek is fired lol
I kind of predicted it, but I didn't think it would be this fast.
Spent several years as a stagehand there and still think back fondly
I have grown to appreciate Knott's Berry Farm more over the years. Unlike Disneyland, Knott's growth and transformation went from working farm - restaurant and eventually theme park as the decades moved forward. The Ghosttown and these landmark attractions retain the spirit of this park.
Although modern Knott's Berry Tales is lacking the original ride has designed by Rolly Crump and had a catchy tune.
Even though, Cedar Fair is not known as a theme park company they has respected the theming Knott's in some places. The transformation to Calico Rapids was a nice tie into Ghosttown and the old west. And it helped that Cedar Fair had added another attraction called Pony Express across the walk.
Dog my school broadcast used the same song from the intro a year or two ago. Epedemic sound w 💪💪💪
Here's the song if you wanted to reference it: www.epidemicsound.com/track/pi5bcLhuKA/
Still one of my favorites to ride! There was a rich history between Bud Hurbut & Walter Knott. Both had "passion" for the park and its expansions. I rode this as a lad as well as an adult. I last rode it before the referb of it + log flume. I put Knott's & Silver Dollar City as my fav old themed parks outside Disney in America. SDC actually older than Six Flags Over Texas. Parks dripping with detail and old timey charm.
Went to Knotts for Knotts Scary Farm for the first time this year. I went on the mine ride and to my suprise they made seem like a kids themed Halloween ride at first and then at the the end the supposed fairy that you look for is actually evil. It was pretty cool suprise honestly.
I experienced that as well and I can't say that I'm really a fan. I feel that it takes a lot away from the impact of the original ride. Then again, I'm not a local, so I can see how they would appreciate the overlays.
Went to Knotts a few months ago. Won't be back for a long time if ever. Very disappointed. 3 of the main rides were shut down. I Actually felt that I was getting much more for my money when i went to Disneyland the next day.
Me, every time my home park get mentioned for being the first log flume for like five seconds and then being forgotten: YEEEEEAAAAAAH WWWWOOOOOOOOO BABABY
Maybe a SFOT video could be interesting in the future. I know little about the history of the Six Flags parks, but just from looking at footage, it looked like a legitimate theme park of its time.
Knotts is a phenomenal park and my second favorite Cedar Fair park overall. And if the park had the space to expand and was able to continue its overall themed atmosphere, I think it would even surpass Cedar Point.
The park that serves as the rival analog to Knotts is Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Both parks were heavily themed and then acquired by the rival chains but allowed to continue their themed atmosphere despite their respective chains not caring about theming in their other parks. What I find surprising is that Six Flags has continued to theme Fiesta Texas even further and operate it better than its other parks with recent examples being the queue line for Joker and Poltergeist. Knotts is likewise getting some updated theming for next year. And I've been pleasantly surprised to see that Cedar Fair overall is starting to focus on theming a bit more with the Jungle Expedition in Kings Dominion, Boardwalk at Cedar Point, Aeronautica area at Carowinds and theming on rides like Mystic Timbers, Orion and Copperhead Strike.
I'm very excited to see Cedar Fair pursue more theming, even if it's nothing elaborate. It seems that people draw the most comparisons between them and Six Flags and I'm glad to see them bringing themselves up to SeaWorld level theming. I don't know much about the Six Flags Texas parks, but I was surprised to see how much theming SFOT had in its early years when I was doing research on the log flume. I think I might be interested in taking a trip to both of those parks and perhaps doing a video on them.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Over Texas is a bit of a mixed bag with theming. Some of the original theming remains and those areas look really nice and well about the modern Six Flags standard. But some areas are black top and cheap facades with little landscaping. Fiesta Texas is much more consistent with park appearance and theming. While it's not on the level of Herschend's two main parks or most of the SeaWorld/Busch Gardens parks, Fiesta Texas is clearly above the Six Flags standard.
And since you mentioned Texas, I'm afraid to tell you that SeaWorld San Antonio is not at all on the level of Orlando or San Diego when it comes to theming or park appearance. It's kind of drab and there is a lot of dead space, though they've been attempting to fill it with coasters. But they have a lot of work to do.
@@zacg_ Over Texas & Over Georgia both could really use a "return to form" via recapturing the original vision/theming concepts they had back before Premier took over. Cedar Fair's shown recently how you can balance new thrills & current-year ROI additions with longer-term improvements to guest experience, dining options, better theming, & more varied non-coasters. Fiesta Texas is lucky to have Jeffrey Siebert as park president, as he's lead the park back towards the level of quality/immersion & stability that Gaylord sought in 1992. More of the chain's parks could really just get away with off-the-shelf Gravity Group family woodies & Skyline single-rail duelers for new coasters while investing much more in dark rides & general cohesion. I'm local to Over Texas & am really annoyed that the new chain CEO has effectively pushed out SFOT's president (who ran the place much like Siebert, but only for a few years) by being simultaneously cheap on investment & backwards-minded on how to make Six Flags more comparable to Cedar Fair as a whole. The whole "no more teenager daycare" spiel works *only* once you've gotten the parks up to a family-focused standard, not the budget quality we've seen from Six Flags since they crawled out of bankruptcy.
It does seem like Fiesta Texas now competes with SeaWorld/Busch Gardens in general, making it more of a destination than regional venue. I hate how SEAS is currently following the Premier Parks playbook of "buy so many coasters, damn everything else, that'll distract the public from Blackfish!" while sacrificing budget needed to address other problems like staffing, park upkeep (BGW/BGT both having this issue lately), poor management, & lack of ride variety. Hopefully Cedar Fair keeps a solid footing and becomes a true middle-ground chain to fill in the gap SEAS will likely leave as they continue to decline (let alone Disney...).
@@DragoonEnRegalia I agree about the first two Six Flags parks returning to their original concepts, though I really doubt that can happen. For one thing, DC and Looney Tunes have so come to define the chain that I don't think you can get rid of them and much of the cheap work has come from overlaying those IPs carelessly.
That said, there's no reason those IPs have to be used poorly. Most Batman clones have a cool loading station and Fiesta Texas shows what you can do with the Looney Tunes IP if you care a bit more. And I'll never understand why more parks didn't get a ride like Yosemite Sam's Gold River Adventure from Over Texas.
I like the idea of a return to orginal concepts for the chain but continuing with the DC and Looney Tunes stuff as the unifying concept with the chain. But that would mean that Magic Mountain could bring back the Wizard and trolls. It would mean New England and America could return to some of their colonial theming beyond the entrance. Great America could have a trip around America feel. But then they should use those IPs as well contained immersive areas of these parks and include dark rides like Justice League but put a bit more effort into the appearance and immersion. I've also never understood why every Six Flags park doesn't have a Looney Tunes overly for their log flumes with some enclosed dark ride segments.
I don't think Six Flags will ever go back to the days of taking inspiration from Disney. While I don't like Disney's trajectory, I can't imagine them ever being similar to Six Flags going forward. Unfortunately, modern Six Flags doesn't care to make their parks great and modern Disney has great parks so they no longer care.
Grew up just blocks from Knott’s and got to watch the Parachute Ride go up and down all day long! My favorite theme park ever. Getting to watch Camp Snoopy go up was epic. Plus, my first inverted coaster was the classic Corkscrew 🌸🌸🌸
I can't say that Camp Snoopy really does anything for me, but in terms of kid focused areas, it's pretty well done. Still, I would have liked to see how that area could have evolved before the overlay.
Love to see Knott’s getting attention, great vid!
Though I love some of the bigger amusement parks in California, Knott's is my absolute favorite to visit.
Kingdom of the Dinosaurs was my favorite ride when I was a kid the replacements leave a lot to be desired. Awesome video.
I wish that they would replace the current Bear-y Tales with something better. It's truly embarrassing.
Good video! I have been to Disneyland multiple times in my life, but somehow have never been to Knotts. My wife and I want to go to Knotts someday. Knotts looks to have some amazing themed rides!
I haven't been in the summer, but that seems to be the best time to go. That's when their Ghost Town streetmosphere is at its most involved.
I was just there yesterday, so I got to watch this while eating my Boyensberry cookie. Bear-y Tales broke down on my group so I still haven't experienced it. This park's big three are incredible and you didn't get into how good some of the rollercoasters are!
I like Ghost Rider and Silver Bullet, but they don't really blow me away. I've been on a fair number of solid woodies and my closest B&M invert is Montu, so everything seems a bit underwhelming in comparison. I'm also not really a fan of Hangtime either. The coaster collection is decent, but doesn't really do much for me.
Most of my credits are from SoCal with vague memories of Valleyfair and Mount Olympus. I've yet to experience Xcelerator so perhaps that mystique is boosting my view.
Silver Bullet is gentle and fun compared to MM's Batman which is great, but taught me to ride defensively so I appreciated not having to do that on a B&M invert. Sierra Sidewinder is like the perfect family coaster too!
I also just had my first night rides on GhostRider and HangTime and I know that's a bit of a gimmick but they were super cool.
I love Knott’s Berry Farm. When I was a kid, my dad was able to get discount tickets at Christmas time through his work so we’d go every year near my birthday. They also had a meet n greet with Santa across the street so we’d go there first, get our present to put in the car, and then spend the day at the park. I actually have more memories of Knott’s than I do Disney because it was much more affordable for my family, especially with those discount tickets dad got.
Even today, Knott’s is more affordable. My brother and his family have season passes to Knott’s and go there all the time. There is a great old timey charm to the park. I much prefer the corny old stunt show from the 80s than I do the new one, but I like that Cedar Fair has preserved so much of the original park while still making newer thrill rides.
Now that you mention it, the one thing the park could really use is a sit down show outside of Ghost Town. Hopefully I didn't miss anything when I went recently.
@@PoseidonEntertainment oh wow do they not do the stunt show any more? They used to have one in the show arena right at the entrance.
What crazy perfect timing for you to put this out as I'm considering going this weekend, and it's been 5 years since I last visited.
It's definitely a great "every few years" type of park.
@@PoseidonEntertainment made it this weekend, as well as Universal Hollywood and what nice mix up from the usual Disney time.
Kingdom of the Dinosaurs was my favorite Knott's ride (I was too young for thrill rides the first time I went there, but old enough to have been hooked by the 80's dino media wave). Disappointing to see that it is still in need of a worthy successor.
The new ride is horrible. I didn't even realize it was new when I went because it was so poorly maintained.
@@PoseidonEntertainment eesh :(
It was weird looking through the discontinued ride list. I'd barely recognize the place if I ever went back.
Debating whether or not I want to look at the Great America map now...
Super amazing video
I didn't even know this place existed when I went down to California. Definitely going to have to visit next time instead of my usual six flags/Disneyland stop, I think!
I went to Magic Mountain as well and I vastly prefer Knott's. Ghost Rider and Silver Bullet are pretty solid. Hangtime is decent as well.
Did knotts scary farm in 2021 and it was absolutely incredible
I agree. It was so different from what I was used to (HHN Orlando) and it really impressed.
Knott's Berry Farm is creepier than Scary Farm tbh. The Scary Farm is polished and in shape and where the park gets most of its attention but when you take that away, it's weird. It's a blatantly outdated park, with ride videos that haven't been updated since what looks like the 1990s, yet it's extremely popular and crowded. It feels like a local park that's within days of shutting down (even the Snoopy theme, while still relevant to kids, is an IP that has existed for 74 years), yet it's the 12th most visited in the continent, ahead of Seaworld CA and any Six Flags.
Growing up going to DL, the first time I went with my kids on Calico Mine I was shocked at the similarities (other than the speed of the train) with Big Thunder. It almost seemed like Disney just made a fast forward version and figured the theming (right down to the colored mine pools and escaping the exploding tunnel) was good enough to copy straight over.
Now that the kids are getting a bit old for Legoland, and with Knott's down the street, it's a perfect fit as the value for the money makes DL just seem like an exorbitant waste. A season pass for entry AND meals is a fraction of Disney and now we have a place to visit for an entire year with no daily costs. Win win.
I believe that the multi-colored mud pits in Calico were inspired by the rainbow falls of Journey Through Nature's Wonderland. However, yeah it does appear that BTM then took inspiration from Calico's interpretation of those elements. Either way, it's neat how the parks have influenced each other.
The Dinosaur ride in that location to me was the best out of all of them. I would go on it continously .
I Love ❤️ Knott‘s Berry Farm
So what I'm gathering is Knott's REALLY loves putting explosives in their rides.
It's really cool to see more of Knott's- I remember seeing ads for it in busses during my Disneyland trips as a kid and always wondered what it was like, but I've never had a chance to visit. I'm definitely going to have to try next time I'm in socal because I'd be really interested to see those dark rides.
Yeah, there is quite a lot of TNT in the rides, isn't there? It doesn't even necessarily make sense, but it's certainly fun.
Fun fact - the original Knott's Bear-y Tales was designed by legendary Imagineer Rolly Crump. I wish I'd experienced that version but believe it or not the new Bear-y Tales is a massive improvement to the absolutely awful Voyage to the Iron Reef.
I had an absolutely horrible time with the new ride, but I'll take your word on it lol
To be honest, you ought to talk about the world's fair attraction that used to operate at Knott's Berry Farm. The Mystery Lodge.
There's a whole history about Expo 86 and BRC which ought to be worth diving into, including their 3D film that they made for the expo (and is available for purchase to view) as well as the show presentation that was transported to Knott's.
I wasn't aware that it existed. I first went to Knott's in 2018 and seemed to have missed it.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Aye, the Mystery Lodge was still operating until 2019 as Knott's had to close it for a missing replacement part on the projector and haven't really reopened it as the Mystery Lodge since. The only exception during Scary Farm either a special show in 2021 or as an extension of the newer maze, the Grimorie this year of 2022. Knott's did heavily promote the Mystery Lodge during the late 1980s to mid 1990s in posters and pogs. Yet the show or presentation has recently fell into relative obscurity.
But the Mystery Lodge (and to some extent it's 3D film sibling, Rainbow Wars) would be worth looking into as they were both developed by BRC and at least Rainbow Wars is available for purchase and viewing. If for nothing else, they're both interesting products for 1986 and Rainbow Wars in some ways is like a science fantasy 3D film companion to Disney's Captain EO; while Mystery Lodge is great example of utilizing the Pepper's Ghost effect.
Awesome 😎
do a video on the new disney update with bob iger back! there may be hope for the park! also love knotts, great vid 😊
I'm thinking about it, just not sure how to address things yet.
KBF is always a bittersweet visit for me as so much has changed from my earliest visit (1971 for my 6th birthday).
I remember the original pan for gold location, The Haunted Shack, the Tin Lizzy track out at the NW corner of Beach Blvd and Crescent Ave. Fiesta Village before Camp Snoopy, the opening of the Roaring 20s, the parachute jump, the Corkscrew, the Motorcycle Chase before it became the Soapbox Racers, the old Volcano curiosity by the Chicken Dinner Restaurant which had the Devil cranking the underworld with piano hammers hitting a screen for the sound effects, and the old parking lot electric cable cars.
Yeah, I miss the original Knott's Berry Tales designed by Rolly Crump too.
I wish there was better video of the attraction. The best that I could find was incredibly distorted and nearly unwatchable.
Bud Hurlbut was an amazing visionary.
I agree. I wish he had developed more high budget projects.
Before moving out of California, the last theme park I visited was Knott's. I love it so and have such a wonderful sense of nostalgia for it, having been going since the 70's. Yeah, it is not perfect and things like neutering and then closing the dinosaur ride and the haphazard theming of the non Western areas is sad (did they ever remove the "Roaring 20s" light up sign for an area with no remaining 20's theming?) but it is a wonderful park and I truly, truly miss it.
If I may add two other reasons for folks to make the trip to it, Mystery Lodge is one of if not my favorite show at a theme park EVER...and Mamma Knott's Fried Chicken restaurant is a must do (which you can actually eat at without going into the park itself, so no ticket required).
Mystery Lodge closed in 2019. I hate to also continue to be negative, but I've twice has bad experiences with Mrs. Knott's. The first time (in 2018) I found it to be mediocre and I didn't understand why it was so hyped up. The second time (last month) was downright terrible. The food quality was abysmal. I've definitely had better fried chicken from KFC. That restaurant isn't being maintained at all.
I would recommend the Buzz Price book, "Walt's Revolution!: By the Numbers". Mr. Knott is mentioned, it is quite humorous in hindsight.
I'll check it out
I remember the panning for gold station was still operational in the 1990s. I still have my little jar of gold specks that I panned for a field trip. There was also an area where we could design our own native American leather wristbands, which I also still have in my possession. It's a little saddening that these interactive attractions have been taken out since then, but I'm hoping they might bring them back to some capacity with the new leadership. I'm still waiting to see if they'll actually bring back Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, as that was my favorite ride at Knott's.
I actually didn't spend as much time in Ghost Town as I wanted, but I wasn't aware that gold panning even went away. That's a bit disappointing to hear.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I discovered that the gold panning area is still standing on a recent visit to Knott's, so they might bring that back? I couldn't find where we made the leather wristbands, but I recall it was somewhere near Mystery Lodge (which I also miss).
One of my favorite parks in California
POSEIDON BOB IGER IS BACK
That's true. I'm waiting to see how things play out.
Beary tales has potential, I can't help but wonder if it were put on an omnimover system more like astroblasters, that the capacity would be a lot better. The blasters are unique and fun but don't work well I agree. If they added some more physical sets on top of that I think they'd have a really great ride.
I just think they should tear it out and make a genuine attempt with a new idea. I'm not sure how willing Cedar Fair would be to do something like that though.
I'm enjoying the video, but I had to pause it at 3:00 for a correction. Ghost Town was not created "to educate...". It was created to take the pressure off of Mrs. Knott's chicken dinner restaurant.
Among other reasons yeah, but it's educational nature is inherent in its design and upkeep.
I'd like to imagine Disney and Knott met a train depot. Both were waiting for a delivery of pistons and a mix up later they were swapping steam loco stories for hours. Train bros!
It seems on character for them
there's something charming about the fact that every one of these mine-themed attractions end with dynamite exploding.
It's weird, but I like it. It definitely doesn't make sense on Timber Mountain though.
Knott's is SO much fun! Ghostrider is the best Wooden Roller Coaster EVER! Not counting the RMC Hybrids.
It's pretty solid, but I also had a really bad interaction with their ops that left a really bad impression of how the park is managed.
Please tell me the mine train and log ride still exist... those I loved more than anything else when I was young
And updated!
Another fun fact: Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump designed the original Knott’s Beary Tales attraction
Do people honestly say these Knott's rides had no influence on Disney? We have pictures of him riding on them. I don't think it diminishes the Disney attractions to point out their clear antecedents. (And both Calico dark rides still hold up as just amazing examples of the ride system.)
I can agree with the faults about the updates listed in this video, but I kinda don't care. I think as scenes they work, and more importantly, they show a commitment to keeping the attraction.
Knott's screwed up when they put in Iron Reef. The low capacity ride system was a downgrade fromthe people-eater omni-mover from the previous incarnations. They also removed a chunk of the track layout to add more room for the que. Bear-y Tales was original and designed by Disney Imagineer Rolly Crump. It was a total shame that it was not returned in its original glory. The music alone was infectious and amazing (and you get only a taste of it in the new version). Still, I ride it every visit as it puts a smile on my face.
When I rode the new Bear-y Tales, I couldn't believe how poor the capacity of the attraction was. If it hadn't essentially been a walk-on, I probably would have been pretty angry that I waited for it.
Those are rides I would do
So Walter Knott might have been the Nickol Tesla to Walt Disney's Edison, eh? :)
Wasn't Edison generally a malicious, shady figure? Walt wasn't perfect, but I don't think that Edison is a great comparison.
My grandpa actually worked on the original Log Ride when he was a teenager and he always talked about stupid people could be on the drop.
Ah, the time old tradition of stupid people at theme parks.
@@PoseidonEntertainment His job actually was to prevent the stupid people from wrecking the ride, however there was one time his life was actually threatened. Don’t ask me how since this was in the 60s, but these teenagers snuck in a cherry bomb to the park and threw it at my grandpa when he told them to sit down and it went off. Luckily grandpa wasn’t too injured other than a burn mark on his foot.
Does anyone have a link or info to that Gaylord Carter piece “Going to Heaven?” Can’t seem to find it anywhere online