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Knott's Berry Farm

Coordinates: 33°50′39″N 118°00′01″W / 33.844178°N 118.000267°W / 33.844178; -118.000267
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Knott's Berry Farm


Location8039 Beach Boulevard Buena Park, California 90620
Coordinates33°50′39″N 118°00′01″W / 33.844178°N 118.000267°W / 33.844178; -118.000267
Opened1920 [1]
OwnerCedar Fair Entertainment Company
General managerRaffi Kaprelyan
SloganAmerica's 1st Theme Park, California's Best Theme Park
Operating seasonYear-round
Attendance3,683,000 in 2014[2]
Area160 acres (65 ha)
Attractions
Total40
Roller coasters10
Water rides2
Websitehttp://www.knotts.com

Knott's Berry Farm is a 160-acre (65 ha) amusement park in Buena Park, California, owned by Cedar Fair. The 2014 Global Attractions Attendance Report states Knott's Berry Farm is the 13th most visited theme park in North America.[2] The park employs approximately 10,000 seasonal and full-time employees.[3] The park features 40 rides including roller coasters, family rides, children's rides, water rides, and historical rides. The park is accessible by public transportation.

The theme park sits on the site of a former berry farm established by Walter Knott, Cordelia Knott, and their family. Beginning around 1920, the Knott family sold berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand along State Route 39. In 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property, and the Knotts built several shops and other attractions to entertain visitors. Cordelia Knott's efforts in the Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant were essential to putting Knott's Berry Farm on the map, and the ensuing crowds prompted the creation of even more tourist attractions. In 1940, Walter Knott began constructing a replica Ghost Town on the property. Knott added several other attractions over the years, and began charging admission to the attractions in 1968. In 1983, Knott's Berry Farm added Camp Snoopy, which began the park's present-day association with the Peanuts characters.

In the 1990s, following the deaths of Walter and Cordelia Knott, their children sold the family business; the theme park was sold to Cedar Fair, while the food business was sold to ConAgra Foods, which subsequently sold to J. M. Smucker; Smucker's reduced the range of products but has continued to make jams, jellies and preserves. Cedar Fair has continued to expand the theme park, adding Knott's Soak City in 1999 and adding other rides to the original park.

History

Main article: History of Knott's Berry Farm

Origin

Wood carver Andy Anderson with Sad Eye Joe in the Ghost Town area of the park, 1941

The theme park sits on the site of a former berry farm established by Walter Knott and his family. Beginning around 1920, the Knott family sold berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand along State Route 39. In 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property, later called "Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant". The dinners soon became a major tourist draw, and the Knotts built several shops and other attractions to entertain visitors while waiting for a seat in the restaurant. In 1940, Walter Knott began constructing a replica Ghost Town on the property, the beginning of the present-day theme park.

Knott's first theme park logo: a prospector, with pack mule.

The idea of an amusement park really picked up in the 1950s when Walter Knott opened a "summer-long county fair". In 1968, for the first time, an admission price was required to get into the park, originally set at 25 cents. The Calico log ride was added in 1969. On April 12, 1974, Cordelia Knott died. Walter turned his attention toward political causes,[4][5]

Roaring Twenties[6] re-themed Gypsy Camp in the 1970s with the addition of a nostalgic traditional amusement area, Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars, Knott's Bear-y Tales. Then with the northward expansion of a 1920s-era Knott's Airfield themed area featuring the Cloud 9 Dance Hall, Sky Cabin/Parachute Sky Jump and Motorcycle Chase steeple chase roller coaster above the electric guided rail Gasoline Alley car ride.[7] The expansion was inspired by the innovative new roller coaster Corkscrew.

Sky Tower was built to support two attractions, the Parachute Sky Jump (now closed) and the Sky Cabin. Parachute Sky Jump boarded one or two standing riders anticipating the thrill of the drop into baskets beneath a faux parachute canopy. From the top, eight arms supported the vertical cable tracks of wire rope which lifted the baskets. The Sky Cabin ringed the support pole with a single floor of seats that are enclosed behind windows. The Sky Cabin ring revolves slowly as it rises to the top and back offering a pleasantly changing vista. Sky Cabin is very sensitive to weather and passenger motion, such as walking, which is prohibited during the trip. During winds 25 mph+ or rain it is closed. When built, Sky Tower was the tallest structure in Orange County (a distinction briefly held by WindSeeker before its relocation to Worlds of Fun in 2012.) The illuminated "K" in logo script atop the Sky Tower was designated a landmark which prevented Knott's plan of converting the foundation to support WindSeeker.

Presidential candidate former Vice President Richard Nixon and his wife Pat and family visit Knott's Berry Farm, August 16, 1968

Corkscrew debuted in 1975 as the first modern-day roller coaster to perform a 360-degree inverting element, twice. It was designed by Arrow Development. Corkscrew is still operating to this day, but was sold and relocated in 1989 to Silverwood in Athol, Idaho. Montezooma's Revenge was later opened in 1978 and remains in operation at Knott's Berry Farm.

Motorcycle Chase – A modernized steeplechase rollercoaster built in 1976 by Arrow Development, featured single motorbike themed vehicles racing side-by-side, each on one of four parallel tracks, launched together.[7] One or two riders straddled each "Indian motorcycle" attraction vehicle. The tubular steel monorail track closely followed dips and bumps in "the road" and tilted to lean riders about the curves. Gasoline Alley, an electric steel-guiderail car ride below, was built together and intimately intertwined, which enhanced ride-to-ride interaction thrill value.[8] Rider safety concerns of the high center of gravity coupled with the method of rider restraints caused it to be re-themed Wacky Soap Box Racers with vehicles now attached in four car trains, each car seated two riders, strapped in low (nearly straddling the track), surrounded by the close fitting car sides, and the dips and bumps of the track were straightened flat in 1980. Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers was removed 1996 for a dueling loop coaster Windjammer Surf Racers and now Xcelerator, a vertical launch coaster, takes its place.

December 3, 1981, Walter Knott died, survived by his children who would continue to operate Knott's as a family business for another fourteen years.

In the 1980s, Knott's built the Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde as the house band. It was during the height of the "Urban Cowboy" era. The "Barn Dance" was featured in Knott's TV Commercials.

Big Foot Rapids is located in the Wild Wilderness section of the park.

During the 1980s, Knott's met the competition in Southern California theme parks by theming a new land and building two massive attractions:

  • Kingdom of the Dinosaurs (1987) (primeval re-theme of Knott's Bear-y Tales)
  • Bigfoot Rapids (1988), a whitewater river rafting ride as the centerpiece of the new themed area Wild Water Wilderness.

The Boomerang roller coaster replaced the Corkscrew[6] in 1990 with a lift shuttle train passing to and fro through a cobra roll and a vertical loop for six inversions each trip.

Mystery Lodge(1994),[9] inspired by General Motors "Spirit Lodge" pavilion, was a live show augmented with Peppers Ghost and other special effects, which was among the most popular exhibits at Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which was produced by Bob Rogers of BRC Imagination Arts[10] and created with the assistance of the Kwagulth Native reserve in Alert Bay, British Columbia.[11] Mystery Lodge recreates a quiet summer night in the village of Alert Bay, British Columbia then guests "move inside" the longhouse and listen to the storyteller weave a tale of the importance of family from the smoke of the bonfire.

The Jaguar! was opened June 17, 1995, to add another roller coaster to the mix of Fiesta Village alongside Montezooma's Revenge.

New owners

In the 1990s, after Walter and Cordelia died, their children decided to sell off their businesses:

In the late 1990s Cedar Fair acquired the Buena Park Hotel at the corner of Grand Ave. and Crescent. It was then brought up to Radisson Standards and branded Radisson Resort Hotel as a franchise. In 2004, the park renamed the Radisson Resort Hotel the Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel.

In 1995, the Knott family sold the food specialty business to ConAgra Foods, which later re-sold the brand to The J.M. Smucker Company in 2008.

In 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. Initially, the Knotts were given an opportunity to sell the park to The Walt Disney Company. The park would have been amalgamated into the Disneyland Resort and converted into Disney's America, which had previously failed to be built near Washington, D.C. The Knotts refused to sell the park to Disney out of fear most of what Walter Knott had built would be eliminated.

Cedar Fair era (present)

View of Silver Bullet from Sky Cabin

Since being acquired by Cedar Fair, the park has seen an aggressive shift towards thrill rides, with the construction of a number of large roller coasters and the addition of a high-performance Shoot-the-Chutes ride Perilous Plunge. Perilous Plunge had the record of being the tallest and steepest water ride in the world until September 2012 when Knotts Berry Farm closed and demolished the water attraction.[12] Also, in 2013, Knotts Berry Farm announced that the most popular ride at the park, the Timber Mountain Log Ride, would be closed for a major 5 month refurbishment.

On May 25, 2013, Knotts Berry Farm added three new family rides which replaced the spot of Perlious Plunge. They include: Coast Rider (wild mouse roller coaster), Pacific Scrambler (scrambler ride) and Surfside Gilders. All three of the rides added to the theme of the Boardwalk. The old bridge which connected the exit of Perlious Plunge and the boardwalk is now used as the entrance to Surfside Gilders and Pacific Scrambler. The Boomerang roller coaster was also repainted to a lime-green color as part of the Boardwalk expansion.

On September 2, 2013, Knotts Berry Farm announced that Windseeker would be closed and removed from the park. After the ride was closed by Cedar Fair for safety inspection, the ride was never cleared to operate. The ride was removed and sent to Worlds of Fun for the 2014 season.

On November 22, 2013, Knotts Berry Farm made a major announcement for the 2014 operating season. The park announced that the famous and historical ride, the Calico Mine Ride, would be closed for a major 6 month refurbishment beginning in January 2014.[13]

Annual park events

See also: Knott's Scary Farm
Knott's Scary Farm event

The park's annual Knott's Scary Farm has drawn crowds since 1973. The idea for this event was presented at one of the regularly scheduled round table meetings for managers by Patricia Pawson. The actual event was created by Bill Hollingshead, Gary Salisbury, Martha Boyd and Gene Witham, along with other members of the Knott's Berry Farm Entertainment Department as documented in the DVD Season of Screams. Initially fake corpses and other static figures were rented from Hollywood prop house, but Bud Hurlbut, the creator/concessionaire of the Mine Ride, Log Ride and other rides at Knott's, decided that this wasn't enough.[14] He dressed up in a gorilla suit, and started scaring guests on the Mine Ride. Halloween Haunt was an instant hit, and by the next year, the event sold out nightly.[15] During this special ticketed event, the entire park (or major portions of it) re-themes itself into a "haunted house" style attraction in the form of mazes and "scare zones" in the evening. Over a thousand specially employed monsters are also scattered – often hidden out of view – throughout the park at this time. Some of the characters have become well-known, such as the green witch, which has been portrayed by Charlene Parker since 1983, the longest of any performer.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Several attractions are decorated for the event including the Timber Mountain Log Ride and Calico Mine Train and there are 13 mazes of various themes. Elvira (actress Cassandra Peterson) was introduced into the Halloween Event in 1982 and was prominently featured in many Halloween Haunt events until 2001. According to postings on her My Space page, Cassandra was released from her contract by the park's new owners due to their wanting a more family friendly appeal.,[23] although she returned for one night in 2012 for the 40th anniversary of the event.[24] During the month of October, Knott's Scary Farm generates half the revenue for Knott's Berry Farm's fiscal year.[citation needed]

Season of Screams is a DVD produced by an independent company which traces the beginnings of Halloween Haunt and the story behind how it all got started back in 1973. Season of Screams also highlights recent Halloween Haunts.

Winter Coaster Solace is an event that takes place in the first or second weekend of March every year when roller coaster enthusiasts can come before the park opens and stay after the park closes to ride the rides and eat at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It is intended to provide "solace" to visitors from other parts of the country where theme parks and roller coasters are seasonal, not year-round operations like the Southern California parks. Knott's Berry Farm also used to give attendees behind the scenes tours of the rides.

Every year since 1991, Knott's has offered free admission to veterans and their families during the month of November. Though this was originally started as a tribute to returning Gulf War veterans, they subsequently expanded it to include all veterans and have run it every year since.

A Christmas event known as "Knott's Merry Farm" also happens annually. Previous Merry Farm events have included manufactured snow, handcrafts exhibits, and a visit with Santa Claus. This event was originally created by Gary Salisbury in the Fall of 1985.

Praise (festival) has been a Christian themed celebration presented many years as a mix-in special event of music and comedy on New Year's Eve.

Current areas and attractions

The park consists of four themed areas:

  • Ghost Town
  • Fiesta Village
  • The Boardwalk
  • Camp Snoopy

Ghost Town

Charlene Parker demonstrating a spinning wheel in Ghost Town, 2011

Craftsmen in Ghost Town demonstrate the arts of the blacksmith, woodcarver, glass-blower, sign cutter, and spinner. Demonstrations of narrow gauge railroading and farm equipment hobbyists accompany additional merchant stalls of cottage-craft fairs seasonally at discounted admission which is restricted to Ghost Town only.

Western Trails Museum, relocated between the candy store and the General Store to accommodate Bigfoot Rapids, still features historical western artifacts large and small, from a hand powered horse-drawn fire engine to miniature replica of a borax hauling "Twenty Mule Team" and utensils necessary to survive the prairie and wilderness.

The Ghost Town area has a few other notable attractions. The Bird Cage Theatre only hosts two seasonal entertainments – during "Knott's Merry Farm," two small productions of "The Gift of the Magi" and "A Christmas Carol," and a Halloween Haunt thrill show. The Calico Stage, a large open-air stage in Calico Square, hosts a variety of shows and acts, big and small, from those of elementary school students, Gallagher, a local band, and the summer-spectacular All Wheels Extreme stunt show featuring youthful performers demonstrating aerial tricks with acrobatics, trampolines, and riding ramps with skates, scooters, skateboards, and freestyle bikes to popular music. Calico Saloon recreates the revelry of music, singing and dancing, with Cameo Kate hosting a variety of acts. Jersey Lily, Judge Roy Bean's combination courthouse/saloon, offers certified comical "genuine illegal hitchin'" alongside pickles, candy, and sports/soft drinks.

Many parts of Ghost Town are forever lost to progress. The conversion of the Silver Dollar Saloon to a shooting gallery, Hunters Paradise shooting gallery to Panda Express and the original Berry Stand, moved several times with its last location now occupied by the Silver Bullet station.

What is left of Ghost Town today was based on Calico ghost town and other real ghost towns in the Western United States such as Prescott, Arizona. Walter Knott inherited his uncle's silver mill and land, then bought more of the actual Calico ghost town in 1951 and developed it. In 1966, he donated that property to the corporate-municipal County of San Bernardino which then made the town of Calico, California into a public historic park, for which it charged an entrance/parking fee. See 'History – Ghost Town – Calico' section above.

Intensity rating (out of 5)[25]
  1 (low)   2 (mild)   3 (moderate)   4 (high)   5 (aggressive)
Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer Description
3 Calico Mine Ride 1960
(2014) 		Bud Hurlbut A 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[26] mine train and dark ride. Riders board ore cars pulled by battery-powered[27] locomotives and journey deep into a faux mining excavation site. The ride closed for refurbishment in January 2014 and reopened on June 14, 2014.[28]
1 Ghost Town & Calico Railroad 1952 An authentic 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge[29] train ride around the park. The ten-minute ride takes guests through the Wild Wilderness area, the Boardwalk area and through Fiesta Village.
5 GhostRider 1998 Custom Coasters International A wooden roller coaster featuring multiple banked turns.
5 Silver Bullet 2004 Bolliger & Mabillard An inverted roller coaster.
5 Timber Mountain Log Ride 1969
(2013) 		Bud Hurlbut & Arrow Development A classic themed log flume attraction. The five-minute ride features two major drops, of which the final drop is 42 feet. 1969 (Original opening)
May 29, 2013 (Refurbishment grand reopening)
1 Butterfield
Stagecoach 		1949 Knott's
Berry Farm 		A family stagecoach ride which takes guests through the areas of Fiesta Village, Camp Snoopy and Indian Trails.

Wild Water Wilderness

Wild Water Wilderness is a section of Ghost Town that features two major rides: the Bigfoot Rapids river rafting adventure, and Pony Express, a horse themed family roller coaster installed in 2008. Nearby Bigfoot Rapids is Rapids Trader, a small merchandise stand. It is also home to Mystery Lodge, a multimedia show based on an Expo 86 pavilion featuring a Native American storyteller.

Ride Picture Year Opened Manufacturer Description
5 Bigfoot Rapids 1988 Intamin An Intamin family river rafting ride in which riders board circular watercraft and journey down a faux white water river. It is located in the Wild Water Wilderness section of Ghost Town
4 Pony Express 2008 Zamperla A steel roller coaster in which riders dip, turn and dive while harnessed in vehicles intended to simulate equestrianism. It is located in the Wild Water Wilderness section of Ghost Town

Fiesta Village

Fiesta Village was built in 1969 with a pop-culture Mexican theme. It was the second area constructed after the completion of Ghost Town. Stores like Casa California, restaurants like Pancho's Tacos, La Papa Loca, and La Victoria Cantina, games like Shoot If Yucan, and the themed rides like La Revolución, Jaguar!, and Montezooma's Revenge, along with the former attraction Tampico Tumbler, all contribute to the Mexican and Aztec theme of the area. In 2013 colorful string lights were added for the summer season.

Ride Picture Year opened Manufacturer Description
3 Dragon Swing 1980 Chance-Morgan A swinging pirate ship type gondola ride.
3 Hat Dance 1969 A Teacups type ride. Riders spin sombrero themed cuencos as they rotate on counterrevolutionary turntables. Originally named Happy Sombrero
4 Jaguar! 1995 Zierer A Steel roller coaster designed specifically for families with young children.
5 La Revolucion 2003 Chance-Morgan Riders rotate 360-degrees while simultaneously swinging back and forth in a pendulum motion.
2 Merry Go Round 1955 Dentzel Carousel One of the world's oldest working Dentzel Carousel, this 100-year-old ridestill revolves to the strains of its antique Band Organ. Mmenagerie carousel's 48 hand-carved animals including lions, tigers, ostriches, camels, zebras, giraffes, pigs, cats and horses.
5 Montezooma's Revenge 1978 Anton Schwarzkopf Riders accelerate from 0 to 55 mph (89 km/h) in 4.5 seconds.[30]
3 Waveswinger 1987 Zierer A classic family swing ride. Riders board individual swing sets before orbiting a central tower. Originally named Slingshot. Riders cannot ride if the person's weight is above 230 lbs.

The Boardwalk

A view of The Boardwalk following its 2013 expansion

Originally themed as Gypsy Camp, and later re-themed to the "Roaring '20s", "Knott's Airfield", then "The Boardwalk", this area is home to the most of Knott's major thrill rides.

Boardwalk Games include physical challenges such as a rock wall, soccer, basketball and a rope ladder crawl. A variety of traditional pitch three balls and win a prize type games, such as squirt gun into clowns mouth, knock off milk bottles, pitch a quarter onto a plate are pitched by hawkers along the Boardwalk Games midway. In September 2012, Perilous Plunge closed for an expansion of the Boardwalk. Perilous Plunge was noticeably known as one of Knott's major thrill rides. The boardwalk reopened after a year transformation with two flat rides and a new family roller coaster taking the spot of Perilous Plunge. The Boomerang roller coaster also got repainted with a new vibrant green and yellow color scheme.

The world's largest Johnny Rockets restaurant franchise is located at Knott's Boardwalk, featuring over 5,900 square feet (550 m2) of indoor dining space for more than 260 guests.

Ride Picture Year opened Manufacturer Description
5 Boomerang 1990 Vekoma Boomerang at Knotts Berry Farm in the new boardwalk expansion livery colors. A reverse shuttle roller coaster with a height of 125 feet. It inverts riders six times. Boomerang replaced the 1975 "Roaring '20s" Corkscrew roller coaster (currently located at Silverwood Theme Park.
4 Coast Rider May 25, 2013 Mack Rides A steel wild mouse roller coaster. The ride's layout is on the former site of Perilous Plunge.
3 Pacific
Scrambler 		1989
(2013) 		Eli Bridge Company Originally "Whirlpool" from 1989 to 1996, Pacific Scrambler is a classic scrambler amusement ride. As Whirlpool, it was housed inside a building which featured 'undersea' murals on the walls, musical soundtrack effects, and concert-style lighting effects. With the opening of the Boardwalk expansion, it was renamed and moved to a new location.
5 Rip Tide 2004 HUSS A Top Spin ride with 38 theater gondola seats. Riders somersault forwards and backwards suspended on rotating lift arms Riders must be 54 inches to ride.
2 Sky Cabin 1976 Intamin A circular Gyro tower 180 feet into the sky, offering riders a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Skycabin takes guests up 180 feet for a scenic view of the park and the surrounding area.
5 Supreme
Scream 		1998 S&S Worldwide Supreme Scream features the highest drop in the park. A vertical ascending and descending drop ride. It features 3 Turbo Drop towers.
3 Surfside
Gliders 		May 25, 2013 Larson International A Flying Scooters ride with a height of 28 feet. Riders can pilot and move the gilders as it offers them a good view of the Boardwalk area.
2 Voyage
to
the
Iron
Reef 		2015 Triotech A 4-D interactive dark ride attraction where riders aim and shoot at animated targets to score points
4 Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars A classic family bumper cars attraction.
4 WipeOut 1999 Chance-Morgan A Chance trabant ride. Riders boarded a circular ride platform which undulated and rotated simultaneously.
5 Xcelerator 2002 Intamin A launched roller coaster in which riders accelerate from 0 to 82 mph (132 km/h) in 2.3 seconds and climb 20 stories into the air. Xcelerator is currently the tallest roller coaster at Knotts Berry Farm. Pictured is Xcelerator's tower structure. Xcelerator features the park's second highest drop.

Camp Snoopy

Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz (center) visits the construction site of "Camp Snoopy" with daughter Jill Schulz, Marion Knott and others, circa 1983

Camp Snoopy is home to the park's family and children rides, with many of the rides and attractions being built specifically for children and guests who cannot ride the park's more aggressive attractions. Its theme is Charles M. Schulz' "Peanuts" comic strip characters. Snoopy has been the mascot of Knott's Berry Farm since 1983, and the characters can now be seen at all of Cedar Fair's parks, except Gilroy Gardens, which is managed by Cedar Fair and owned by the city of Gilroy. The 14 rides include a mini roller coaster called the Timberline Twister, a mini-scrambler called the Log Peeler, a Zamperla Rockin' Tug called Lucy's Tugboat, and a steel spinning roller coaster called Sierra Sidewinder. Snoopy Bounce is a small attraction for kids. However it is not considered a ride at the park. For guests who cannot ride the park's more aggressive and thrilled rides, Camp Snoopy contains a good amount of rides for guests of all ages including infants, children, and seniors. With the exception of Sierra Sidewinder and Timberline Twister, the rides are relativity tame and not aggressive.

Knott's Berry Farm also built the Mall of America's indoor theme park, which itself was originally called Camp Snoopy. (In fact, Charles M. Schulz hailed from St. Paul.) However, today the park is no longer affiliated with Knott's or Cedar Fair, and is now called Nickelodeon Universe.

On November 22, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced major improvements in the area of Camp Snoopy. Camp Snoopy will receive a makeover as the section is approaching its 30th anniversary. In summer 2014, Knott's Berry Farm will open up new rides in Camp Snoopy.[13]

The 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[31] Grand Sierra Scenic Railroad takes guest on a four-minute train ride through the reflection lake. The ride was made shorter with the construction of Silver Bullet.

Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer
2 Balloon Race 1983
2 Camp Bus

1992

Zamperla
3 Linus Launcher 2014 Zamperla
2 Charlie Brown's Kite Flyer 2014 Zamperla
1 Grand Sierra
Scenic Railroad 		Re-Themed 2014 Crown Metal
3 High Sierra
Ferris Wheel 		1983 Eli Bridge
1 Huff and Puff 1983
2 Pig Pen's Mud Buggies 2014 Zamperla
2 Rapid River Run 2004 Re-themed 2014 Zamperla
2 Red Baron 1983 Chance-Morgan
1 Rocky Mountain
Trucking
Company 		Re-Themed 2014 Zamperla
4 Sierra
Sidewinder 		2007 Mack Rides
4 Timberline
Twister 		1983 Bradley and Kaye
2 Woodstock's Airmail 1998 S&S Worldwide

Indian Trails

Located next to the Bottle House in Ghost Town, Indian Trails is a small area sandwiched between Camp Snoopy, Ghost Town, and Fiesta Village, showcasing Native American art, crafts, and dance. One ride is located in this area. It is called Butterfield Stagecoach which is a family ride where an actual stagecoach take guest on a circular ride through Fiesta Village and Camp Snoopy. It is one of the original rides at the park. The ride was developed directly by the park and it opened in 1949.

Public area

Many of the original attractions are outside the gates of the current-day theme park along Grand Ave. at the California Marketplace, mostly things which would no longer be considered interesting to today's audience, or things which were merely there for decoration. Near the restrooms behind Berry Place are the waterfall overshooting the water wheel and historic gristmill grindstone, a replica of George Washington's Mount Vernon estate fireplace hearth, and what remains of the visible beehive. Some attractions still exist, but have been incorporated into backstage areas, such as the Rock Garden, now an employee smoking area. Other attractions have been removed, such as the historic volcano, and the cross-section of giant sequoia with age rings denoting historic events such as Christopher Columbus visiting America.

East property

The east side of the property, divided by Beach Blvd., features the main parking lot, Knott's Soak City a seasonal water park that requires separate admission, the picnic grounds rental areas, complementary admission to Independence Hall and gift shop, and the Church of Reflections which was moved outside the theme park in 2004 and held non-denominational Sunday services until 2010, but is still used for wedding ceremonies. A tunnel and pedestrian underpass beneath Beach Blvd. connects the main parking lot to the shops, restaurants and theme park.

Former attractions

Main article: Former attractions at Knott's Berry Farm
2

Soak City

Main article: Knott's Soak City § Orange County

Soak City is Knott's Berry Farm's water park. It opened in 1999 as Soak City U.S.A., it requires separate admission from Knott's Berry Farm.

Fast Lane queuing

See also: List of Fast Lane attractions § Knott's Berry Farm

Fast Lane is Knott's Berry Farm's virtual queue system. For $50, visitors get a wrist band that enables them to get to the front of the line on 10 of the most popular attractions without queuing.

Attraction/capital timeline

Stagecoach circa 1950, added as the first ride in 1949
Knotts Berry Farm Denver & Rio Grand steam locomotive, added as Ghost Town & Calico Railway in 1952
  • 1920: Ten acres of berry farm land leased by Walter and Cordelia Knott
  • 1927: Ten leased acres of berry farm purchased, named Knott's Berry Place
  • 1929: Ten more acres purchased
  • 1932: Rudolf Boysen gives Walter his last six crossbreed berry plants, as yet unnamed
  • 1934: Tea room opens and Cordelia serves the first chicken dinner
  • 1940: Living Ghost Town tribute started with free entertainment.
  • 1941: 100 more acres of land are added, totals 120.
  • 1946: Steakhouse
  • 1947: Name change from Knott's Berry Place to Knott's Berry Farm.
  • 1948: Bottle House and Music Hall
  • 1949: Stagecoach
  • 1951: Calico Saloon
  • 1952: Ghost Town & Calico Railway.
  • 1954: Haunted Shack, Bird Cage Theater
  • 1955: Dentzel Carousel, Merry-Go-Round Auto Ride (later the Tijuana Taxi), Hunter's Paradise Shootin' Gallery, Model 'T' Children's Ride, Cable Cars
  • 1958: Mott's Miniatures
Bud Hurlbut in Calico Mine Ride engine, circa 1960
  • 1960: Calico Mine Ride.
  • 1966: Independence Hall
  • 1968: Fence surrounds the park, and admission is charged.
  • 1969: Timber Mountain Log Ride; Fiesta Village themed area; Tijuana Taxi (re-themed from Auto Ride); Mexican Whip; Fiesta Wheel; Happy Sombrero.
  • 1971: John Wayne Theater (later the Good Time Theater, then the Charles M. Shultz Theater)
  • 1973: First annual Knott's Scary Farm Halloween event
  • 1974: Wild West Stunt Show replaces Wagon Camp shows.
  • 1975: Corkscrew; Bear-y Tales.
  • 1976: Motorcycle Chase; Sky Jump; Sky Cabin; Propeller Spin; Loop Trainer Flying Machine; Whirlpool; Gasoline Alley; Whirlwind.
  • 1978: Montezooma's Revenge, Old MacDonald's Farm removed, Cable Cars removed
  • 1980: Dragon Swing
  • 1983: Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde Country Western Dancing; Camp Snoopy themed area built, forcing removal of Knott's Lagoon and its attractions around a lake which had been built north of Independence Hall, so that a parking area could be relocated.
  • 1984: Studio K debuts. The most successful teen dance facility in the nation. Opened with a Dick Clark Special, "Rock Rolls On".
  • 1986: Bear-y Tales removed; Tijuana Taxi removed; Fiesta Wheel removed; Mexican Whip removed.
  • 1987: Kingdom of the Dinosaurs; Tampico Tumbler; Gran Slammer; Slingshot; Happy Sombrero renamed Mexican Hat Dance.
  • 1988: Bigfoot Rapids; Bear-y Tales Funhouse.
  • 1989: XK-1; Greased Lighting moved into enclosed building and renamed Whirlwind. Corkscrew removed/ refurbished and moved to Idaho; Propeller Spin removed; Loop Trainer Flying Machine removed.
  • 1990: Boomerang built on former site of Corkscrew;
  • 1991: Studio K closed.
  • 1992: Indian Trails themed area.
  • 1994: Mystery Lodge.®
  • 1995: Jaguar! added
  • 1996: The Boardwalk themed area (retheme of Roaring 20's); HammerHead; Greased Lightning renamed HeadAche; Whirlpool renamed Headspin; Wacky Soap Box Racers with Gasoline Alley removed.
  • 1997: Windjammer Surf Racers; Cedar Fair Acquires Knott's; Bear-y Tales Funhouse removed.
GhostRider at night
Coast Rider and Surfside Gilders opened in May 2013 as part of the boardwalk expansion.
  • 2009: Pink's, Remodel and rebrand of Viva La Coasters in the California Marketplace.
  • 2010: Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular added/Snoopy's Christmas Spectacular.
  • 2011: WindSeeker added
  • 2012: Park improvements – replacing area theme music, removing boardwalks and pouring concrete replacements, rebuilding rotted wood structures, keeping open until park closing attractions, restaurants & shops which had previously closed early. More aggressive youth marketing & advertising; Fast Lane, Perilous Plunge closes
  • 2013: Boardwalk expansion: Coast Rider; Surfside Gliders; Pacific Scrambler (all replaced Perilous Plunge); WindSeeker removed[34]®™©™
  • 2014: Charlie Brown's Kite Flyer; Linus Launcher; Pig Pen's Mud Buggies; Grand Sierra Scenic Railroad, Lucy's Tugboat and Rocky Road Trucking Company rethemed as Grand Sierra Railroad, Rapid River Run and Rocky Mountain Trucking Company; Charlie Brown's, Joe Cool's GR8 SK8, Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, Log Peeler and Snoopy Bounce removed. La Tiendita removed.
  • 2015: Voyage to the Iron Reef, Screamin' Swing closed in preparation for removal, GhostRider closed for major refurbishment

Food products

The J. M. Smucker Company continues to sell the jam and preserves made famous by the Knott family, however other products such as the syrups have been discontinued due to low demand.[35]

In November 2013, Knott's Berry Farm began selling their "Berry Market" brand of preserves at the park. The Berry Market brand is all natural and uses the Knott family's original recipe. They are unable to use "Knott's" on the label, since Smucker's owns the rights to the name.

  • In the I Love Lucy episode "Don Juan and Starlets" (first aired February 14, 1955), Fred asks "Say, Ethel wants to know if we're still going to Knott's Berry Farm today." Lucy replies "The only knots you'll see today will be on Ricky's head."[citation needed]
  • In Disneyland Dream Knott's Berry Farm is featured in the 1957 home movie.[citation needed]
  • In Jailhouse Rock (1957) starring Elvis Presley involved three montage scenes of Knott's when his character Vince Everett contracts an escort to 'be seen with on the town' as an exhibition of his playboy nature and they instead behave like hick tourists.
  • In The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show (first aired November 3, 1962) episode of ABC's western variety program was taped at Knott's Berry Farm.[citation needed]
  • The TV movie Anatomy of a Seduction (1979) included both stock footage of the Corkscrew with its original all white paint job and newly shot on-ride footage of the actors with its blue tracks/white supports paint livery.[citation needed]
  • In the 1982 movie Poltergeist, Steve Freeling asks "So. What side of the rainbow are we working tonight, Dr. Lesh? Is this your Knott's Berry Farm solution?"[citation needed]
  • "Summer School" (1987 film) starring Mark Harmon and Kirstie Alley. Mr. Shoop (Harmon) takes his band of under-achieving students on a field trip to Knott's Berry Farm (among other places) instead of teaching them.[36]
  • In The Simpsons episode, "Milhouse of Sand and Fog" (first aired September 25, 2005), a cutaway gag features animated representations of characters from The O.C. enjoying Knott's Berry Farm, then getting robbed by Snoopy forcing them to make an ATM withdrawal at gunpoint.[citation needed]
  • The opening sequence of Knocked Up (2007) featured several of the park's attractions.
  • BrainRush (first aired June 20, 2009), a Cartoon Network TV quiz show was filmed as contestants compete while riding aboard Knott's Berry Farm roller-coasters.[37]
  • An episode of Masterchef was filmed in front of the Coasters restaurant.
  • The Jaguar! coaster was used in an ident for the UK television channel, Channel 4

Attendance

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
3,565,000[38] 3,333,000[39] 3,600,000[40] 3,654,000[40] 3,508,000[41] 3,683,000[41] 3,683,001[2]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ https://www.knotts.com/media-center/history
  2. ^ a b c "TEA/AECOM 2014 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  3. ^ http://www.linkedin.com/company/knott's-berry-farm
  4. ^ Kooiman, Helen, Walter Knott: Keeper of the Flame, pp. 171–84, Plycon Press, Fullerton, CA, 1973.
  5. ^ Salts, Christiane Victoria, Cordelia Knott: Pioneering Business Woman, pp. 75–78, The Literature Connection Books, Buena Park, CA, 2009.
  6. ^ a b Adams, Judith A. (1991). The American Amusement Park Industry: A History of Technology and Thrills. Boston: Twayne Publishers. pp. 125–127. ISBN 978-0-8057-9821-0.
  7. ^ a b "Motorcycle Chase, Knott's Berry Farm, 1976" photograph of steeplechase-style roller coaster lift hill
  8. ^ "Motorcycle Chase, Knott's Berry Farm, 1976" photograph of steeplechase-style roller coaster with car ride combination.
  9. ^ "Mystery Lodge". www.imdb.com. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help); Text "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472543/" ignored (help)
  10. ^ "Knott's Mystery Lodge". BRC Imagination Arts.
  11. ^ "Knott's Berry Farm: Mystery Lodge" (PDF). BRC Imagination Arts.
  12. ^ Mello, Michael (August 13, 2012). "Knott's Perilous Plunge's days are numbered". The Orange County Register. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "New For 2014: KNOTT'S ANNOUNCES MAJOR PLANS FOR 2014". Knott's Berry Farm.
  14. ^ Merritt, Christopher. Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm, p. 94-108, 118-21, Angel City Press, Santa Monica, CA 2010. ISBN 978-1-883318-97-0.
  15. ^ Merritt, Christopher. Knott's Preserved: From Boysenberry to Theme Park, the History of Knott's Berry Farm, p. 127, Angel City Press, Santa Monica, CA 2010. ISBN 978-1-883318-97-0.
  16. ^ Pak, Ellyn, "A love for creeping people out," Orange County Register, News, p. 1, 10-22-07 (http://www.ocregister.com/articles/parker-102103-park-monsters.html), Retrieved 7-29-11.
  17. ^ MacDonald, Brady. "Knott's green witch scares because she cares," Los Angeles Times, Travel, 10-5-07 (http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/knotts-green-witch-s-820/), Retrieved 7-29-11.
  18. ^ "Adventures in Education," Knott's Berry Farm, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.
  19. ^ The Scary Vine, Knott's Berry Farm, Vol. 14, No. 10, Oct. 9, 2009.
  20. ^ "Scare School," "Behind the Screams" video, Youtube.com (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbfK9iSUbWo), Retrieved 7-30-11.
  21. ^ Forsyth, Jessica. "Bewitched," Coast magazine, Oct. 2008, pp. 42-3, Newport Beach, CA.
  22. ^ Owens, Jana. "Halloween Haunt brings thrills and chills to Knott's," Daily 49er, 10-19-07 (http://www.daily49er.com/uncategorized/2007/10/19/halloween-haunt-brings-thrills-and-chills-to-knotts/), Retrieved 7-13-14.
  23. ^ Cassandra Peterson's MySpace page Template:WebCite
  24. ^ Fadroski, Kelli Skye (September 27, 2012). "Elvira returns to Knott's Halloween Haunt". The Orange County Register. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  25. ^ Ratings assigned per Knott's Berry Farm, where "1" is the least intense and "5" is the most. See their "ride listing". Knott's Berry Farm. for more specific details.
  26. ^ Tourist & Museum Railways in California
  27. ^ The Register - Calico Mine
  28. ^ Mirgoli, Nicholous. "Knott's Berry Farm Trip Report April 2014 - Calico Mine Train Refurbishment and Knott's Berry Bloom". www.ThemeParkOverload.net. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  29. ^ Steamlocomotive.info
  30. ^ http://rcdb.com/292.htm
  31. ^ Steamlocomotive.info
  32. ^ "Cable Cars at Knott's Berry Farm" section of Cable Car Lines in Other California Cities by Joe Thompson.
  33. ^ Murray, Kathy (September 12, 1989). "Knott's Berry Farm pulling Corkscrew from its ride lineup // Prototype coaster is sold to Idaho amusement park". The Orange County Register (Evening ed.). p. B03. {{cite news}}: |section= ignored (help)
  34. ^ "Knott's Berry Farm Announces New Additions". Cision Wire. November 1, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
  35. ^ http://www.knottsberryfarmfoods.com/products.aspx#faqs
  36. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094072/locations?ref_=tt_dt_dt
  37. ^ "Cartoon Network Gets Real." Turner Newsroom. Press release. May 21, 2009.
  38. ^ "TEA/AECOM 2008 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  39. ^ "TEA/AECOM 2009 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 2, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  40. ^ a b "TEA/AECOM 2011 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  41. ^ a b "TEA/AECOM 2013 Global Attractions Report" (PDF). Themed Entertainment Association. 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
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