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KNOTT’S BERRY FARM
Buena Park, California
Cedar Fair Entertainment
Ride Rehabs - These dates are not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as refurbishments are subject to change.
Dragon Swing - NOW CLOSED through TBD
Hat Dance - NOW CLOSED through TBD
Xcelerator - NOW CLOSED through TBD
La Revolucion - NOW CLOSED through TBD
Montezooma’s Revenge - CLOSED through mid-2023
Timber Mountain Log Ride - NOW CLOSED through TBD
---- THE LATEST BUZZ ----
(2/9/2023) Knott's Berry Farm To Celebrate Charlie Brown Day (MORE...)
(2/4/2023) Knott's Berry Farm Drops Chaperone Policy... For Now... (MORE...)
(1/11/2023) PEANUTS Celebration Details (MORE...)
(12/22/2022) Xcelerator Update (MORE...)
(12/14/22) 2023 Special Event Dates Posted (MORE...)
Screamscape has posted our official review of Knott's Scary Farm 2021. Click here to see all the details.
See the official review of 2019’s new Calico River Rapids - Click here
Screamscape has posted our official review of Knott's Scary Farm 2017 this week. Click here to see all the details.
Screamscape has posted our official review of Knott's Scary Farm 2016 this week. Click here to see all the details.
You can read Screamscape’s full review of the Knott’s Scary Farm 2015 Halloween Haunt. Check it out here.
 Park News - (2/9/2023) Hey all you Charlie Brown fans… Knott’s Berry Farm will celebrate Charlie Brown Day on Feb. 12 at the park. “The park invites guests during this special time of year to join in on all the excitement as the PEANUTS gang takes over. To show everyone’s favorite underdog just how special he is, attendees will be encouraged to pay homage to Charlie Brown by sporting his signature bright yellow zig-zag striped tee, black shorts, and red baseball cap outfit. At 12:30pm on the Calico Mine Stage, the PEANUTS characters will perform the musical game show It's Your Life, Charlie Brown, with the loveable title character getting the surprise of his life. After the show, all guests dressed as Charlie Brown will be invited to gather around the stage for a photo opportunity posing alongside the boy of the hour. All guests in attendance will also receive a button commemorating Charlie Brown Day, while supplies last. Knott’s PEANUTS Celebration takes place daily January 28 through February 26.”
(2/4/2023) Knott’s Berry Farm announced on Friday that they were dropping the chaperone policy on Saturdays that used to require all guests under 17 to visit the park with a responsible guardian aged 21+. As long time readers know, the policy was first put into place in the middle of Summer 2022 in response to fights breaking out across the park by mostly underage youths. This caused Knott’s to shut down early that night as the fights continued to rage uncontrolled both inside and outside of the theme park. After a test the policy was refined in time for the start of the busy after-hours Halloween Haunt event, but by the Winter holiday season the policy that was in effect Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays had been reduced to just Saturdays.
The policy was very much a game-changer for the industry and saw quite a few other parks follow suit with similar policies of their own following the growing trend of unacceptable bad-guest behavior over the past few years. Now that Knott’s has backed off on the policy entirely, following the successful implementation, we’ll have to wait and see how the general public reacts. Much like a parent “grounding” their child after bad behavior in hopes that they have learned their lesson going forward, we’ll have to wait and see if the attempt at behavior modification will stick, or if Knott’s will be forced to bring back the chaperone policy once again.
With a successful run of the policy already in the books that can come back at any time, Knott’s has put all the kids on notice like a stern parent, “Don’t make me pull this car over! You know what happened last time, I will do it!”
(1/11/2023) Knott’s PEANUTS Celebration will take place at the park between Jan. 28 and Feb. 26, 2023. “The celebration features a new game show at the Birdcage Theatre, plenty of new PEANUTS-inspired cuisine, a new space-themed exhibit and photo ops that allow guests to step into the iconic Charles M. Schulz comic strips. And many of the PEANUTS characters will be hanging out throughout the park to add to the fun.”
Visit the official website for all the details.
(12/14/2022) As part of a promotional email about the benefits of buying a Knott’s Berry Farm 2023 Season Pass, they list the dates for several of the park’s upcoming special events. The list includes:
Knott’s PEANUTS Celebration - Jan. 28 through Feb 26, 2023
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival - Mar. 10 through Apr. 16, 2023
Summer at Knotts and the return of Ghost Town Alive - May 19 through Sept. 4
Knott’s Scary Farm - Sept. 14 through Oct. 31
Knott’s Spooky Farm - Sept. 28 through Oct. 29 & Oct 31
Knott’s Merry Farm - Nov. 17, 2023 through Jan. 7, 2024.
(12/12/2022) Knott’s Berry Farm will be hosting a countdown to New Years Eve party unlike any other and everyone is invited. “The New Year’s celebration features entertaining activities for the whole family including a family-friendly comedian, live bands, swing dancing and more. Guests are invited to count down the final moments of 2022 with festive music, party hats and noisemakers making this night extra special. The spectacular firework celebration sets the skies above Knott’s ablaze at the stroke of midnight as colorful fireworks light the start of the New Year. The nighttime extravaganza offers a stress-free night perfect for family and friends to come together and create new memories by starting a new tradition by celebrating the New Year ’s Eve at Knott’s.”
Visit the official website for all the latest information.
(12/10/2022) Knott’s Berry Farm has announced a new change to the park’s Chaperone policy going forward. The Chaperone policy was first put into effect during the later half of the summer in 2022 after the park was forced to close early after a wave fights broke out throughout the park one day that mostly involved teens. The policy was expanded and modified as the park approached the busy Halloween season.
Entering the winter Holiday season, Knott’s has announced that the existing Chaperone policy that was in effect on Fridays through Sundays will now only be in effect on Saturdays. The same rules as before apply however, all guests 17 and under must be accompanies by a chaperone at least 21+ of age and able show a valid photo ID to prove their age. Each chaperone may only accompany up to 5 guests. Anyone 17 or under in the park without a chaperone “will be subject to ejection”. Anyone visiting the park, age 18+ also must be able to show a valid photo ID with their date of birth as proof of their age.
(10/27/22) Time to make your travel plans for 2023… because Knott’s Scary Farm is already reminding everyone that they will celebrate 50 years of ‘never-ending nightmares” next year. This is going to be a big one you wont want to miss.
(9/29/22) Some are speculating that attendance to Knott’s Scary Farm may be a bit soft due to the new Chaperone policy, so Knott’s has made an adjustment to the policy. According to what they posted on Twitter, the Chaperone (age 21+) may now oversee up to 5 guests under the age of 18. We’ve seen this number slowly increase since the Chaperone policy first went into effect in July and allowed only 3 underage guests per Chaperone, then later increased to 4 as they reset the rules in time for the first promotion of Knott’s Scary Farm.
If you follow the link however, there is a special benefit for Chaperone’s coming to Knott’s Scary Farm.
“For Knott’s Scary Farm ONLY: Effective September 29, 2022, any chaperone who accompanies a total of five minors, all with valid paid admission for that evening’s event, will be given one (1) complimentary chaperone admission to use for that event night only. Limit one (1) complimentary chaperone ticket per five minors.”
So a pretty good benefit for potential Chaperones I must say, as long as they can bring a total of five minors to the park with them to help boost attendance.
(7/23/22) In the aftermath of the fights that saw Knott’s Berry Farm forced to close early last weekend, just as I predicted, all new rules went into effect yesterday that now prevent minors from visiting the park on Friday and Saturdays without a guardian being present at all times. This new policy is now in effect “until further notice”. I would expect there to be some small tweaky of the policy over the upcoming weeks as they work through what is working and parts that are causing issues, but in general this has been a long time coming.
With such a major park like Knott’s now embracing the concept, I would not be surprised to see many others begin enforcing similar policies, especially as we approach the more chaotic Halloween season.
The bottom line right now is this, all guests under 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone at all times while in the theme park on Fridays and Saturdays. Chaperones must be at least 21 years old and able to vouch for up to three minors and stay with them at all times throughout the day.
(7/17/22) Things got a little out of hand at Knott’s Berry Farm on Saturday night it seems, as social media and the local news have confirmed that after several fights broke out in the park, Knott’s decided to shut the entire park down early. For whatever reason some guests called the police to report the fights and claimed to have heard gunshots, but police on site during the event confirmed that no shots were fired.
Video footage posted to the news story had footage of some people fighting, but that footage was shot outside the park, so it sounds like any fights taking place inside may have continued outside the park for a time once Knott’s closed at 8pm, three hours earlier than scheduled.
I know I don’t have to stress how unacceptable this is, but events like this have become more common over the past couple of years at a variety of locations. I can’t speak for how things have taken place nationwide but over the past two years I know new rules banning unaccompanied minors have been put in place at many malls, mini-golf FECs, and movie theaters. The rules vary from location to location, but I’ve seen everything from complete bans 7-days a week, to bans on Friday-Sundays, to bans after 3pm.
It may also surprise some people that select smaller theme parks have also begun to implement similar bans. In fact it was just one year ago that Elitch Gardens in Colorado put exactly such a ban preventing anyone under the age of 16 from visiting the park at any time without an adult chaperone due to a problem with “unruly teenagers”. Teens aged 16 and 17 can come during the day, but if they want to stay after 3pm, they also have to have an adult chaperone with them at all times.
If incidents like this continue to be a rising trend in this country, I think we could see some of the major theme park chains begin to put place similar enforcement rules into effect before too long. I know several parks have been slowly and quietly modifying their rules to visit during evening Halloween themed events over the past couple of years, including the banning of any personal bags and backpacks unless they are made of clear-plastic, so the addition of age restrictions wouldn’t be a surprising twist.
Xcelerator Status - (12/22/2022) While Xcelerator at Knott’s Berry Farm is definitely still closed, for the first time in a very long time a train has been spotted on the tracks. About a little under two weeks ago, a video was posted to YouTube by Knott’s Network (at the 11:35 timestamp) that briefly shows the Xcelerator train on the holding brakes outside the station, though it has been stripped of all the outer body parts.
If I had to guess, they may be getting ready to begin some early stage testing of the launch system in the near future. After all the downtime, Xcelerator is going to need a good amount of testing to get to the point where it can reopen again, but you’ve got to start somewhere. So Spring 2023 it still is until we hear otherwise.
(11/7/22) While we have no solid way to back this up, we’ve been sent word that Xcelerator at Knott’s Berry Farm is currently now expected to remain closed until around mid-April 2023. This would likely set the reopening to happen sometime just after the Easter/Spring Break in California.
(9/2/22) Could Xcelerator open sooner than we last expected? According to Screamscape sources some of the needed items that have been on backorder for some time to repair Xcelerator have finally arrived. From what I’m told repair work has begun on Xcelerator this week, but it isn’t likely to be enough to get Xcelerator open just yet.
(8/18/22) Knott’s Berry Farm fans… I’ve got some good news and some bad news, especially the later if you were hoping to get a ride on Xcelerator during Scary Farm. According to a source the good news is that the plan is to reopen Xcelerator once again in the future. The bad news is Xcelerator isn’t expected to reopen until sometime in 2023… possibly not until closer to Spring Break actually.
(5/21/22) Has the plug been pulled on Xcelerator? The popular launched coaster at Knott’s has been down for most of 2022 thus far, starting off the year being closed for repainting for several weeks, only to be shut down again in March due unknown mechanical issues that have kept it closed ever since.
A popular rumor whispered around the park for the past few years always claimed that Xcelerator was just one bad breakdown away from being retired for good, but clearly this was never the case as Knott’s just spent the time and funds to repaint the coaster. But with sister ride, Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, down for the entire 2022 season due to an incident in 2021, word has it that the Cedar Fair office is re-evaluating the long-term viability for keeping these style Intamin launch coasters in service. As such, the latest whispered rumor making the rounds at Knott’s claims that Xcelerator could be left SBNO for the rest of the busy season, leaving the park with two coasters down this year with the current Montezooma’s Revenge refurbishment taking place from now through 2023.
Knott’s Scary Farm 2022 - (10/15/22) I’m a bit late with this report, which is entirely my fault, but Screamscape was invited out to a Knott’s Scary Farm Art and Dining Preview event just before the launch of this year’s Knott’s Scary Farm event. I’ll hand the rest of this off to Rob’s report from the preview event, along with a collection of excellent photos.
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Screamscape was invited to a preview of the various ancillary components that make up the annual ritual that is Knott's Scary Farm. As in previous years, art, food, and merchandise are all vital elements that contribute to the overall experience.
The Into the Fog gallery show is a personal favorite. A handful of new works were on display by a variety of artists depicting their interpretations of Knott's Scary Farms ghoulish offerings. The standard is always high, and if this teaser show is any indication, this year's exhibition will be a showstopper. The creative minds of the artist pool Knott's draws from is impressive, and it's always a delight to see what they bring to the show each year.
The other draw of the evening was the cuisine, of course. Knott's' culinary imagination runs wild when it comes to both the creation and naming of their seasonal offerings. We were only able to sample a select few of the items though. The chicken gumbo is very tasty, plus you get a frog leg garnish, which is fun for grossing out some of your less adventurous friends. The "I VANT Your Blood" vodka cocktail is sweet and satisfying too. For dessert, we recommend the Pecan Pie Brownie Bomb, which "traps" a little pecan pie inside a brownie ball.
We've provided a list of the vast majority of the offerings below. We'll let the photos do the rest.
DRINKS
I VANT Your Blood vodka strawberry lemonade. Includes syringe loaded with strawberry flavor to be injected into the drink, or directly into your mouth. Your choice!
Origins Sour Apple Margarita. Green, of course.
Strawberry Spider Milkshake, non-alcoholic
Depths Citrus Margarita, with Blue Curacao
Red Rum, with mango flavor around the rim
Burgeoning Bourbon
Pumpkin Eater Piña Colada
FOOD
Angry Autumn Salad, with butternut squash, beets, pomegranate seeds, goat cheese, arugula, with apple cider vinaigrette.
Chicken and Spicy Sausage Gumbo with Frog Leg Garnish.
Chilling Chicken Tamales with chili and cheese
Ghouls Mac and Cheese with Steak Bites
Frighten Philly Cheese Tater Tots
Creepy Calamari on a Stick
Spooky Crabby Sushi Roll
Mexican Chorizo Shrimp Sliders
Creepy Calamari with Spicy Aioli
Witch's Finger Fries with ham, cheese, and cubano topping
Fearless Footlong hot dog
Bratty Bratwurst and Sauerkraut on a Bun
Cupra Nacho Dog
Scary Sausage and Veggie Sub
Nacho Pizza
Hollow's Chicken and Hatch Chili Pizza Pie
DESERTS
Bonker's Banana's Fosters Funnel Cake
"Murder Us" S'more Funnel Cake
Derby Chocolate Pie
Zombie Brain Mint Brownie Stuffed Churro
Perilous Pumpkin Cheesecake Funnel Cake
Halloween Bundt Cakes
Pecan Pie Brownie Bombs
Halloween M&M Cookiewhich
Mousse Cups
M&M Trifle Dirt Cups
Canine Candy Corn Macaron
Knott's Scary Farm operates select evenings from September 22 - October 31
(8/21/22) Knott’s Scary Farm is now set to return on select nights from September 22 through to October 31st. This year’s event features 9 Haunts, 5 Scare Zones and 3 Live Shows and a few other surprises such as the popular Timber Mountain Log Ride: Halloween Hootenanny experience, Into the Fog: A Scary Farm Tribute Art Show and the return of the Boo-Fet, where you can enjoy a pre-fright dinner with the monsters.
The list of new haunts this year includes: Bloodline 1842 (NEW - arm up with supernatural weaponry and go to war with vampires), The Grimoire (NEW - encounter an ancient relic that turns your nightmares into reality). The other seven seem to be returning favorites like: Dark Entities, Dark Ride: Castle of Chaos, Mesmer: Sideshow of the Mind, Origins: The Curse of Calico, Pumpkin Eater, The Depths, and Wax Works.
This year’s Scare Zones are: CarnEVIL, Forsaken Lake, Ghost Town Streets, Gore-ing ‘20s and The Hollow.
This year’s live entertainment will see the return of last year’s fan favorite Puppet Up! - Uncensored, Conjurers - Dark Magic and Carnaval de Grotesque.
Knott’s has posted a ton of awesome teaser videos which you can see below!
(8/20/22) Just as everyone expected, Knott’s Berry Farm has confirmed that their new chaperone policy preventing minors from visiting without 21+ aged chaperons on select days will now include Knott’s SCARY Farm. According to Knott’s the new chaperone policy, “will now be extended to ALL EVENT NIGHTS of Knott’s Scary Farm” (the emphasis is mine, not Knott’s).
As a reminder, the new chaperone policy that went into effect after the park was shut down early one night in July which was caused by teens fighting throughout the park now requires all park guests age 17 and under to be “accompanied by a chaperone who is at least 21 years old to be admitted to the park”. Each chaperone must provide a valid photo ID with date of birth as proof before entering the park and each “chaperone may accompany no more than four guests age 17 or younger per day”.
“Chaperones must accompany their party during entry, remain inside the park during their visit and be available by phone throughout their stay. Guests ages 17 years old or younger who are found inside the park unaccompanied by a chaperone will be subject to ejection.”
In addition to the chaperone policy, Knott’s Scary Farm will also enact a strict no bag policy. “Guests will not be permitted to bring bags larger than 6.5” x 4.5” x 2” into the park, including purses, backpacks, or diaper bags during Scary Farm operation. All bags will be searched prior to entry.“
Since July, during daylight hours Knott’s current chaperone policy is in effect at both Knott’s Berry Farm and the Knott’s Soak City waterpark on all Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
2023 - MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress / Fiesta Village Improvements - (9/2/22) A new article from the OC Register about the re-launch of Montezooma’s Revenge in 2023 have confirmed a couple of things with Knott’s officials.
Officially confirmed by Knott’s is that as rumored, KumbaK is behind the renovations and new trains for Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress. They also confirm the addition of a new “over-the-shoulder restraint” system, with Knott’s officials claiming it is to “meet current requirements by the American Society of Testing and Materials” (ASTM).
(8/17/22) Knott’s Berry Farm gave everyone a sneak peek at their new roller coaster trains for MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress and they are beautiful looking creations that imply they may have some kind of on-board lighting, along with a peek at the possible special effects sequence that could be added to the station when the ride launches down the track.
There is one small complaint however that quickly spread through the world’s coaster fans… as I suspected, the new trains will feature some kind of shoulder restraints. Knott’s has not confirmed any details, but speculation based on the animation showing what at first appeared to be Premier Rides style “comfort collar” straps, combined with what looked more like a Vekoma over-the shoulder lapbar system. However, discussion online then evolved into it being pointed out that the restraint system actually looked extremely similar to one created by KumbaK used on a few inverted roller coaster trains done by them as replacements for original equipment.
While this is just animation, I can’t deny that these restraints do look very much like KumbaK’s equipment. While KumbaK (from the Netherlands) is a company known more for their European renovation projects than their US projects, their company speciality is to provide upgrades to existing ride systems rather than provide entire new rides from scratch. So new trains and replacing a flywheel launch system with a modern magnetic launch system, along with the appropriate new control systems, is something right up KumbaK’s alley.
Let’s just hope that whatever style new train comes, that it will allow for quick reloading, though I fear that nothing will be as quick as the original lap-bar only system that Montezooma’s Revenge was built with.
(8/12/22) Knott’s Berry Farm has released some of the official info about what they have planned for the 2023 season, which they are calling the “All New Fiesta Village”. They even posted an animated walk-through of the entire land, showcasing various improvements to the theming around the area that will enhance the experience, entertainment options, dining and shopping in the land.
Guests can walk down the Fiesta Mercado, past various merchants selling unique, bright and colorful items. There will be a made-to-order burrito and taco full-service restaurant added called Casa California, with the connected Cantina Del Sur bar serving “cold cerveza and specialty cocktails”.
Then there is the updated Montezooma’s Revenge. Knott’s isn’t ready to reveal everything just yet and the only peek we get at the renovated ride is a look at the new entrance portal. However they did confirm that going forward the ride’s name will be changed to MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress. I’m not so sold on that one, as there was just something fun about how the name Montezooma’s Revenge flowed off the tongue all these years.
What they have confirmed however is pretty much everything that Screamscape revealed in our earlier rumor report. Guests will become adventures and treasure seekers looking to find Montezuma’s gold and break the curse. “But, beware the way forward might not always be as expected.”
While that is all the website gives away, Knott’s press release did offer more details. “New updates allow guests to be completely surprised by the direction the train will take them at the start of each ride. The randomized launch sequence will make it impossible for anyone to know their destiny until it is too late to escape the clutches of Montezooma. To reach the station and try to escape with Montezuma's gold, guests will find their way through the fortress protecting the treasure but must beware of the countless boobytraps within. The grounds leading to the temple will resemble a macabre history exhibit as treasure hunters' remains from throughout the ages line the walls. Now that the traps leading to the gold have been cleared, only those brave enough can make it through the final challenge and find themselves at the home of the hidden Aztec treasure in MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress.”
So just as rumored, once you board the train, you wont know if it will launch forward or backwards, making each ride a wild surprise of sensations and anticipation. My only major concern is this, because thus far Knott’s has not revealed what the coaster trains will look like. My fear is that over the shoulder restraints may be used in this new version as a way of holding guests in place, no matter if they launch forward or backwards. SoCal coaster fans will recall that when Superman at Six Flags Magic Mountain switched from launching forward to launching backwards, the trains were modified to have over the shoulder restraints rather than the simple lapbars that were used when it first opened. More as we find out!
(7/24/22) A small collection of pictures from the Knott’s “graveyard” were sent in to us by ACN showing off the cut-off pieces of track from the loop removed from Montezooma’s Revenge, as well as the entire massive flywheel system that has also been removed from the ride, intact. And yes… the track for the loop that was removed was cut to be removed, so this definitely means new sections of track will be fabricated and added to the ride when it reopens. They’ve also posted a video of the scene as well on their YouTube channel that is worth checking out, so consider subscribing for future updates.
(7/11/22) With the temporary removal of the loop on Montezooma’s Revenge, I was reminded that we really haven’t gotten any firm information about exactly what Knott’s has planned for the ride. Digging a little deeper, we may finally have some possible answers, though I’ve also been told that we can probably expect the park to come forward with the details on their own sometime next month.
In the meantime… here is what I’m hearing will take place.
For starters, the park is said to be getting an all new train for the coaster. While Monty can only run one train at a time, I believe they actually have two trains, always keeping one in perpetual refurbishment and when finished they swap them out to refurb the other train. At this time I’m not sure if they are getting a completely brand new train from someone, or if they sent out the spare train to be transformed into something new. Of course a new train can also mean new restraints, but we can only hope they continue the tradition of only trains with lap bars only.
Track… we have heard over time that it is likely that sections of track may be replaced. The removal of the loop this week seems to confirm that particular rumor.
New theming is coming and not just in the queue. From what I’m told the queue and station will be re-themed to that of an “exploration camp”. Special effects are also rumored to be added to the station that will likely enhance the launch sequences. And yes… sequences… as in plural. I’m a little fuzzy on the details but we are hearing something about the new version of the ride rotating through three different possible launch profiles. This along with the update of the old Flywheel launch system to a new modern magnetic launch system means that the new Montezooma’s Revenge could become a multi-launch coaster. Imagine the surprise in store for riders while they wait for the launch, not knowing if the coaster will launch forward or backwards at first. Talk about adding a re-rideability factor, and if that wasn’t enough, there is also a rumored special 4th launch sequence rumored to take place only upon every 100th launch.
The possibilities are kind of interesting when you think of it this way. Lots of work left to be done here ahead of the rumored May 2023 re-opening.
(7/10/22) While Montezooma’s Revenge has been closed for a few months now to under-go a massive restoration and upgrade project whose scope is still unconfirmed, we really haven’t seen a lot of visual work reported to be taking place. Until now, when guests visiting the park this weekend noticed that workers had actually removed the top of Monty’s loop.
(5/21/22) For guests visiting Knott’s Berry Farm, start to keep your eyes open when walking around the park’s Fiesta Village area. From what we’ve started to hear, in addition to a relaunch marketing effort for the revised Montezooma’s Revenge in 2023, the park is planning on making a number of improvements around the Fiesta Village area as well. I don’t know if this might mean a new flat ride, or if they are looking to upgrade the food offerings, or simply improve the overall decor, but changes are said to be coming.
As for Montezooma’s Revenge, the park has still not really confirmed exactly what kind of changes or upgrades they have in store. The popular rumor that has been around from the start would be to retire the old Flywheel launch system in favor of a modern Magnetic launch system, but again, this has not been confirmed. We’ve also heard rumors of possibly enclosing the launch track to create a dark tunnel effect, but again… nothing confirmed. As work on the upgrades is expected to begin and become visible to park guests over the coming months, I assume it won't be long until we have a better idea of what is going to happen. One thing that does seem for sure is that some kind of upgraded queue experience with some added theming elements is expected for the relaunch.
(2/4/22) Knott’s Berry Farm fans please note that the park has now confirmed that Montezoom’s Revenge will be closed starting February 7, 2022 to begin the park’s major renovation plans for the classic shuttle loop coaster. So you’ve got this weekend as your last chance to ride before they reopen the ride in 2023.
(1/14/22) Knott’s Berry Farm apparently has realized that they dropped the bomb about closing Montezooma’s Revenge a little too “last second”. As such, Knott’s apparently opted to reopen Monte on Tuesday, one day after it closed in order for fans to get their rides in before it shuts down for the long rehab. No new officially date has been set to close the coaster for the still-planned refurbishment however. Knott’s only confirmed that the project timetable has been adjusted and Montezooma’s Revenge will be able to stay open for a few more weeks.
So you’ve been warned… get to Knott’s and get your last rides in on this classic coaster while you can, otherwise you’ll be waiting until 2023 like the rest of us.
(1/8/22) Knott’s Berry Farm just made a surprise announcement that I had not even heard a whisper about ahead of time. As of January 10, 2022, Montezuma’s Revenge is closing down to undergo “major renovations”. Monty was the first Flywheel-launched coaster of its kind “and will be upgraded with exciting changes while keeping the ride’s unique charm that our guests have loved for generations.” More details about just what Knott’s will do to the coaster won’t be coming until later this year, but they did say that Montezooma’s Revenge will not reopen until 2023.
I would imagine that the goal is to have it reopen no later than the start of Summer 2023, which means Monty is going to be down anywhere from 12 to 18 months. The question is, just what kind of upgrades are planned for it? Will the Flywheel Launch be upgraded to something magnetic? I would imagine modern magnetic braking might be added, but what about the roller coaster train? Would they refurbish the existing trains or has the time come to have all new trains created? We know Six Flags hired out to have new trains built for two of their classic Schwarzkopf coasters (Revolution at SF Magic Mountain and now Riddler at SF over Georgia) and Hersheypark hired Gerstlauer to create all new trains for their Sooper Dooper Looper. So new trains are always a possibility, though Knott’s has always kept the original trains in pretty good shape through a constant maintenance rotation program. As far as other things that could be done, one has to look across the Atlantic to Walibi Belgium where the park transformed their original Flywheel coaster (Siricco/Turbine into what is now called Psyke Underground by enclosing the entire coaster. It is worth noting that this was only done due to noise complaints the park had received for years from their neighbors. While the all indoor setting is unique, in the case of Psyke Underground they also purchased new trains from Gerstlauer along with changing the launch system to a quiet LIM based system. Let us hope that Knott’s has studied what happened to Psyke, as the new magnetic launch has long been criticized as being far too slow and gentle in comparison to the original thrill of the flywheel launch.
2023 - Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel Renovations - Confirmed - (8/14/22) Knott’s Berry Farm reports that the planned renovations to the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel are planned to begin soon and be complete in 2023. This will include major upgrades to all 322 guest rooms, common areas, conference facilities and adding a new outdoor banquet area.
“The renovation work is set to commence later this year, starting with a complete transformation of all 322 guest rooms. The hotel's newly transformed guest rooms will feature stylish country-chic interiors including newly updated family-size rooms that will provide guests with ample space for up to six and additional amenities such as a kitchenette and mini refrigerator. The bright yet serene accommodations will be perfect for families ready to unwind after a full day of fun at the park.”
“In early 2023, all public spaces, including the lobby, conference rooms, ballroom and restaurant, will receive a complete transformation. The lobby will include rustic and warm textures reminiscent of Walter's appreciation for the Old West with a welcoming, elegant feel that Cordelia created for everyone who ordered her famous chicken dinners at their restaurant. Accents will nod to the inspiration and ingenuity that led to the creation of the Knott Family’s famous berry farm. The theme will carry over to a newly updated and conceptualized restaurant that makes guests feel like they are dining in modern farmhouse-style. This open-concept restaurant will feature historical details and elegant accents perfect for those looking to celebrate big moments or enjoy a meal with loved ones.”
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