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Knott's Berry Farm

Knott's Berry Farm is a 57-acre (2,500,000 sq ft) theme park located in Buena Park, California, owned and operated by Cedar Fair. In March 2015, it was ranked as the twelfth-most-visited theme park in North America, while averaging approximately 4 million visitors per year. The park features over 40 rides, including roller coasters, family rides, dark rides, and water rides.

Knott's Berry Farm
Location8039 Beach Boulevard
Buena Park, California 90620, U.S.
Coordinates33°50′39″N 118°00′01″W / 33.844178°N 118.000267°W / 33.844178; -118.000267
StatusOperating
Opened1920; 104 years ago (1920)
OwnerCedar Fair
General managerJon Storbeck
SloganAmerica's 1st Theme Park, California's Best Theme Park, The Friendliest Place in the West
Operating seasonYear-round
Attendance4,115,000 (2018)[1]
Area57 acres (23 ha)
Attractions
Total43
Roller coasters9
Water rides2
Websitewww.knotts.com

Walter and Cordelia Knott first settled in Buena Park in 1920. The park began as a roadside berry stand run by Walter Knott along State Route 39 in California. By the 1940s, a restaurant, several shops, and other attractions had been constructed on the property to entertain a growing number of visitors, including a replica ghost town. The site continued its transformation into a modern amusement park over the next two decades, and an admission charge was added in 1968. In 1997, the park was sold to Cedar Fair for $300 million.[2][3]

History edit

Origin edit

 
The Timber Mountain Log Ride is one of Knott's Berry Farm's most popular rides.

The park sits on the site of a former berry farm established by Walter Knott and his family. Beginning in 1923,[4] the Knott family sold berries, berry preserves, and pies from a roadside stand along State Route 39. In June 1934, the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property, later named "Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant."[5] 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. The idea of an amusement park picked up in the 1950s when Walter Knott opened a "summer-long county fair."[6]

 
Knott's first theme park logo, composed of a prospector with a pack mule
 
Wood carver H. S. "Andy" Anderson with Sad Eye Joe in the Ghost Town area of the park, 1941

Paul von Klieben was the key employee of Walter Knott in the creation of the Ghost Town at Knott's Berry Farm and the restoration of the ghost town of Calico, California. In 1941, he joined Knott's as a staff artist, then served as art director there from 1943 to 1953. He traveled to ghost towns in the West, conducted research, and designed most of the Ghost Town section of Knott's Berry Farm. He created concept art for most of the buildings that were built there. He also drew up floor plans, oversaw the construction of buildings, and even spent some time painting concrete to look like natural rock. His Old West paintings and murals adorned the walls of many structures in the park, and a number of them still do. His art was also used extensively in Knott's newspapers, menus, brochures, catalogs and other publications.[7][8][9][10]

In 1956, Walter Knott arranged with Marion Speer to bring his Western Trails Museum collection to Knott's Berry Farm. Speer had been an enthusiastic supporter of Walter Knott's efforts to create Ghost Town, and had written articles for Knott's newspaper, the Ghost Town News. In 1956, twenty years after creating his museum, Marion Speer (at age 72) donated the carefully cataloged collection (30,000 items) to Knott's in return for Knott's housing it, displaying it and naming Speer as curator. Speer continued in that position until he retired in 1969 at the age of 84.[11][12][13][14][15]

 
The original Western Trails Museum building at Knott's was either made of rammed-earth construction or concrete made to look like rammed-earth. This construction technique is fireproof and was used in the old mining town of Calico, California. This ca 1983 photo is courtesy of the Orange County Archives.

The museum was once housed in a building (which has since been razed) at Knott's Berry Farm between Jeffries Barn (now known as the Wilderness Dance Hall) and the schoolhouse. The Western Trails Museum at Knott's is now just south of the saloon in Ghost Town.[16][12][17]

The park became a popular destination for conservative college students in the 1960s, especially as conservative organizations like the California Free Enterprise Association, the Libres Foundation, and the Americanism Educational League were based there.[18] According to Assistant Professor Caroline Rolland-Diamond of the Paris West University Nanterre La Défense:

it also appealed to conservative Americans, young and old, because the idealized representation of a past devoid of social and racial tensions that it offered stood in sharp contrast with the political and social upheavals affecting California since the Free Speech Movement erupted at the University of California at Berkeley in 1964.

— Caroline Rolland-Diamond, Revue française d'études américaines (2016)[19]

In the late 1960's a 10 ft. high brick wall with barbed wire embedded into the top was constructed around "Ghost Town" and for the first time, in 1968, an admission price was required to get into that section of the park (ostensibly to keep out the "hippies" and local long-haired youth from freely "hanging out" in the park that were, on occasion, causing problems and degrading the Knott's "family" image). The entrance price originally being set at $1 for adults and 25¢ for children.[20] Previous to this, entry was free and the cost was based on purchasing a ticket for each ride, using the A-E ticketing system similar to that of Disneyland. The Calico Log Ride (the original name of the Timber Mountain Log Ride) opened in 1969.[21] Also during this period, an attempt to create a monorail system between Knott's and Disneyland was reportedly in the works for many years, however, project construction never began due to costs and legal issues obtaining needed property and gaining necessary right-of-way access.

When Cordelia Knott died on April 12, 1974, Walter turned his attention toward political causes.[22][23] The Roaring Twenties[24] rethemed Gypsy Camp in the 1970s with the addition of a nostalgic traditional amusement area, Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars, and 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/Sky Jump and Motorcycle Chase steeplechase roller coaster above the electric guided rail Gasoline Alley car ride.[25]

The Sky Tower with the illuminated "K" in logo script at the top was built to support two attractions, the Sky Jump, operated from 1976 to 1999,[26] and the Sky Cabin. The Sky Jump boarded one or two standing riders anticipating the thrill of the drop into baskets beneath a faux parachute canopy. From the top, twelve 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. Its ring revolves slowly as it rises to the top and back offering a pleasantly changing vista. It 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, the tower was the tallest structure in Orange County[27] (a distinction briefly held by WindSeeker before its relocation to Worlds of Fun in 2012.)

The 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.[25] 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-guide rail car ride below, was built together and intimately intertwined, which enhanced ride-to-ride interaction thrill value.[28] Rider safety concerns of the high center of gravity coupled with the method of rider restraints caused it to be rethemed Wacky Soap Box Racers with vehicles themed to look like soap box racers, each seating 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 in 1996 for a dueling loop coaster Windjammer Surf Racers and now Xcelerator, a vertical launch coaster, takes its place.

On December 3, 1981, Walter Knott died,[29] 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 Calico Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde as the house band. It was during the height of the "Urban Cowboy" era. The "Calico Barn Dance" was featured in Knott's TV commercials.

 
Bigfoot Rapids (now Calico River Rapids) was located in the Wild Water 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, a primeval retheme of Knott's Bear-y Tales), in 1987 and Bigfoot Rapids in 1988, a whitewater river rafting ride as the centerpiece of the new themed area Wild Water Wilderness.

The Boomerang roller coaster replaced Corkscrew[24] in 1990 with a lift shuttle train passing to and from through a cobra roll and a vertical loop for six inversions each trip.

The Mystery Lodge (1994),[30] inspired by General Motors "Spirit Lodge" pavilion, was a live show augmented with Pepper's 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[31] and created with the assistance of the Kwagulth Native reserve in the village of Alert Bay, British Columbia.[32] Mystery Lodge recreates a quiet summer night in Alert Bay, 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 on June 17, 1995, to add another roller coaster to the mix of Fiesta Village alongside Montezooma's Revenge.

New owners edit

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

In 1995, the Knott family sold the food specialty business to ConAgra Inc,[2] which later re-sold the brand to The J.M. Smucker Company in 2008.[33] (In 2024, Smuckers discontinued sale of the Knott's Berry Farm jams in grocery stores.[34])

On December 29, 1997, the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair. 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.

In the late 1990s, Cedar Fair also acquired the Buena Park Hotel, located at the northwest corner of Grand and Crescent Avenues.[35] 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.[36]

Post-Cedar Fair acquisition edit

 
View of Silver Bullet from Sky Cabin
 
Hangtime debuted as the park's latest major roller coaster since Silver Bullet on May 16, 2018.
 
Knott's Beary Tales: Return To The Fair opened enthusiastically to season passholders on May 6, 2021.

Since being acquired by Cedar Fair, the park has seen an aggressive shift towards thrill rides, with the construction of several large roller coasters and the addition of a record-breaking Shoot-the-Chutes ride named Perilous Plunge. Perilous Plunge had the record of being the tallest and steepest water ride in the world until September 2012 when it was closed and removed.[37] Also, in 2013, Knott's Berry Farm announced that one of the most popular rides at the park, the Timber Mountain Log Ride, would be closed for a significant five-month refurbishment, led by Garner Holt Productions, Inc.[38]

On May 25, 2013, Knott's Berry Farm added three new family rides on the site of the former Perilous Plunge, including a wild mouse called Coast Rider, a scrambler flat ride called Pacific Scrambler, and Surfside Gliders. All three were constructed in the Boardwalk section of the park. An old bridge that connected the exit of Coast Rider and the Boardwalk became the entrance to Surfside Gliders and Pacific Scrambler. Following the 2013 season, Knott's Berry Farm removed Windseeker and moved it to Worlds of Fun, where it reopened in 2014. For the 2014 season, the historical Calico Mine Ride underwent a major refurbishment completed in six months.[39]

During the fall of 2019, Knott's Berry Farm announced the return of Knott's Bear-y Tales as an interactive 4D dark ride as part of the park's 100th anniversary in 2020. However, the park was indefinitely shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of its operating day on March 13, 2020.[40] Knott's Bear-y Tales and other planned changes to the park were postponed to 2021.[41] In June 2020, Knott's Marketplace reopened with health guidelines in place.[42] The following month, the park introduced Taste of Calico, an outdoor food festival on weekends located in the Ghost Town section of the park. The event evolved over the season, becoming Taste of Knott's when it expanded into Fiesta Village and the Boardwalk, Taste of Fall-o-ween during the fall season,[43] and Taste of Merry Farm for the Christmas holiday season which was cancelled in December 2020 due to the regional stay at home order issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom.[44] Amusement Today recognized the Taste Of events in its annual Golden Ticket Awards, awarding the park under the category "Industry Leader: Amusement/Theme Park" for its innovative approach.[45]

Knott's Berry Farm returned to normal operation on May 6, 2021, including the debut of the delayed Knott's Bear-y Tales attraction originally planned for 2020.[46]

Timeline edit

Park timeline
 
Stagecoach circa 1950, added as the first ride in 1949
 
Knotts Berry Farm Denver & Rio Grand steam locomotive, added as Ghost Town & Calico Railroad in 1952
  • 1920: Ten acres of berry farmland leased by Walter and Cordelia Knott
  • 1927: Ten leased acres of berry farm purchased, named Knott's Berry Place
  • 1929: Ten more acres are purchased
  • 1932: Rudolf Boysen gives Walter his last six crossbreed berry plants, as yet unnamed
  • 1934: Cordelia and her children serve the first chicken dinner to customers in their tearoom.
  • 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 Railroad
  • 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
  • 1956: Western Trails Museum
  • 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. Schulz Theater)
  • 1973: Inaugural Knott's Scary Farm Halloween event
  • 1974: Wild West Stunt Show replaces Wagon Camp shows.
  • 1975: Corkscrew; Knott's Bear-y Tales.
  • 1976: Motorcycle Chase; Sky Jump; Sky Cabin; Propeller Spin; Loop Trainer Flying Machine; Whirlpool; Gasoline Alley; Whirlwind.
  • 197?: Knotts Berry Farm Hotel opened.
  • 1978: Montezooma's Revenge; Old MacDonald's Farm removed; Cable Cars removed
  • 1980: Dragon Swing; Wacky Soap Box Racers
  • 1983: Barn Dance featured Bobbi & Clyde Country Western Dancing; Camp Snoopy themed area built, forcing the 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: Knott's Pacific Pavilion; Knott's Bear-y Tales removed; Tijuana Taxi removed; Fiesta Wheel removed; Mexican Whip removed.
  • 1987: Kingdom of the Dinosaurs; Tampico Tumbler; Gran Slammer; Slingshot;; Bear-y Tales Funhouse; Happy Sombrero renamed Mexican Hat Dance.
  • 1988: Bigfoot Rapids
  • 1989: XK-1; Greased Lightning moved into an enclosed building and renamed Whirlwind. Corkscrew removed/refurbished and moved to Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho; Propeller Spin removed; Loop Trainer Flying Machine removed.
  • 1990: Boomerang built on the former site of Corkscrew.
  • 1991: Studio K closed.
  • 1992: Indian Trails-themed area; Mott's Miniatures closes.
  • 1994: Mystery Lodge.®
  • 1995: Jaguar!
  • 1996: The Boardwalk-themed area (a 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 the park; Bear-y Tales Funhouse removed.
 
GhostRider at night
  • 1998: GhostRider; Supreme Scream; Woodstock's Airmail; XK-1 removed; Knott's Pacific Pavilion removed; Slingshot renamed Wave Swinger; Mexican Hat Dance renamed Hat Dance.
  • 1999: Wipeout; Coasters restaurant; Charlie Brown Speedway; Sky Jump removed; HeadAche removed and renamed The Blue Thunder at Miracle Strip Amusement Park; Pacific Pavilion removed; Radisson Resort Knott's Berry Farm.
  • 2000: Perilous Plunge; Knott's Soak City U.S.A. water park; Windjammer Surf Racers closes; Haunted Shack removed.
  • 2001: VertiGo; Wipeout relocated; Headspin relocated and renamed Wilderness Scrambler.
  • 2002: Xcelerator; VertiGo removed
  • 2003: Tampico Tumbler removed; Gran Slammer removed; La Revolución; Joe Cool's Gr8 Sk8; HammerHead removed.
  • 2004: Silver Bullet; Lucy's Tugboat; RipTide; Screamin' Swing; Kingdom of the Dinosaurs closed; Church of Reflections relocated to outside of park; Radisson Resort Knott's Berry Farm renamed Knott's Berry Farm Resort Hotel. Grand Sierra Scenic Railroad shortened to accommodate Silver Bullet.
  • 2005: T.G.I. Fridays restaurant (California Marketplace).
  • 2006: Pacific Spin (Soak City U.S.A.); Johnny Rockets restaurant; Walter K Steamboat removed; New Perilous Plunge boats put into operation; Woodstock's Airmail relocated.
  • 2007: Sierra Sidewinder; Wilderness Scrambler removed.
  • 2008: Pony Express; Peanut's Playhouse removed.
 
Coast Rider and Surfside Gliders 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
  • 2012: Fast Lane; 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; Perilous Plunge closes
  • 2013: Boardwalk expansion: Coast Rider; Surfside Gliders; Pacific Scrambler (all replaced Perilous Plunge); WindSeeker removed[47]
  • 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 Speedway, 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.
  • 2016: Ghost Town is renovated to celebrate its 75th birthday; RipTide officially closed and demolished due to technical issues;[48] Starbucks replaces Dreyer's in the California Marketplace; Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant undergoes major renovations;[49] GhostRider reopens from its major refurbishment on June 10, 2016; Temporarily removed Wipeout for HangTime construction.[50]
  • 2017: Sol Spin; new Boardwalk Barbecue restaurant;[51] Added VRCADE;[52] Boomerang closes;[53] Montezooma's Revenge receives new color scheme.[54]; Brought back Ghost Town Alive;[51] Extended Boysenberry Festival;[51] Soak City gets an expansion[51]
  • 2018: HangTime; Sky Cabin reopened on February 10; Wipeout relocated and reopened in October; Bigfoot Rapids closes in September to undergo major renovation and new theming as Calico River Rapids.
  • 2019: Calico River Rapids opened in May.
  • 2020: Voyage to the Iron Reef closed on January 5, Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair was set to open in the former spot of Voyage to the Iron Reef; the entire park was shut down on 14 March on grounds of COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 2021: Knott's Berry Farm reopens after a year-long closure on May 6 to season pass holders; Knott's Berry Farm's grand reopening and Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair opens to the general public on May 21; Knott's Berry Farm's 100th anniversary celebration begins May 21 to September 6, 2021.
  • 2022: Montezooma's Revenge closed for a major renovation, set to reopen in 2024 as MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress.[55]
  • 2023: Sol Spin, La Revolucion, and Dragon Swing are all repainted to fit into the refreshed Fiesta Village; Casa California opens in place of the old arcade in Fiesta Village; Carousel was renamed Carrusel de California; Waveswinger renamed Los Voladores; Timberline Twister and Camp Bus removed.
  • 2024: Snoopy’s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster; Sally's Swing Along; Huff and Puff and High Sierra Ferris Wheel removed; Rocky Mountain Trucking Company and Grand Sierra Railroad are rethemed to Camp Snoopy's Off-Road Rally and Beagle Express.

Annual park events edit

 
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 a 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.[56] 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.[57] 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 was portrayed by Charlene Parker from 1983 to 2017, the longest of any performer.[58][59][60][61][62][63][64] 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.[65] She returned for one night in 2012 for the 40th anniversary of the event then again featured in her nightly show from 2014 to 2017.[66] During 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 that 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 on 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.

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

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

A boysenberry festival is held at Knott's that has food and drink prepared in a variety of ways with boysenberries. There are also special shows and music for the multi-week event.[67]

Areas and attractions edit

The park consists of four themed areas:

Ghost Town edit

 
Butterfield Stagecoach's entrance
 
Charlene Parker, a spinner and weaver in Ghost Town

Ghost Town is based on the Calico ghost town and other real ghost towns in the Western United States. Walter Knott inherited his uncle's silver mill and land, then bought more of the actual 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.

Craftsmen in Ghost Town demonstrate the arts of the blacksmith, woodcarver, glassblower, 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.

The Ghost Town area has a few other notable attractions. The Bird Cage Theatre is an old-fashioned theater in Ghost Town. It only hosts two seasonal entertainments—during "Knott's Merry Farm", which includes two small productions: "Marley's Wings" and "A Christmas Carol", for the 2021 season, and "The Gift of the Magi" and "A Christmas Carol" for the 2022 season, and as well as 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 "Home for the Holidays", a Knott's Merry Farm Christmas skit with singing, 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. The 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.

The park formerly featured a 5th area. Formerly known as Wild Water Wilderness, now part of Ghost Town, the area features two major rides: the Pony Express, a horse-themed family roller coaster installed in 2008 and Calico River Rapids, which opened in 1988 and was refurbished with a new theme for the 2019 season. Nearby Pony Express 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.

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

A common misconception is that at Knott's the terms "Ghost Town" and "Calico" are interchangeable, but that is not the case. Walter Knott explained that he built Ghost Town as a composite to represent ghost towns throughout the West, rather than as a replica of any one particular ghost town. The Calico Saloon was not named "Ghost Town" because it is supposedly located in Calico. Rather, it was named for the tradition of lining Gold-Rush-era buildings with red calico fabric. Also, the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad was named because "Ghost Town" and "Calico" are two separate places. Walter Knott always referred to the Old West section of Knott's Berry Farm as "Ghost Town", not "Calico."[68][69][70][71][72]

Some 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.

Thrill level (out of 5)[73]
  1 (low)   2 (mild)   3 (moderate)   4 (high)   5 (aggressive)
Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level[73]
Butterfield
Stagecoach
  1949 Knott's
Berry Farm
A family stagecoach ride that takes guests through the areas of Fiesta Village, Camp Snoopy and the Indian Trails area. 1
Calico Mine Ride   1960 Bud Hurlbut A 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[74] mine train dark ride. Riders board ore cars pulled by battery-powered[75] locomotives and journey deep into a faux mining excavation site. The ride closed for refurbishment in January 2014 and reopened on June 14, 2014.[76] 3
Calico River Rapids   1988 Intamin (Rethemed by Garner Holt Productions) Formerly Bigfoot Rapids. A river rafting water ride. For the 2019 season, the attraction was refurbished to feature roughly 20 wildlife animatronics and water effects from Garner Holt Productions. 4
Ghost Town & Calico Railroad    1952 Baldwin Locomotive Works An authentic 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge[77] train ride around the park. The ten-minute ride takes guests through the Wild Wilderness area, the Boardwalk area and Fiesta Village. All of the Passenger Cars came from the D&RGW, while one came from the Rio Grande Southern. Some of the D&RGW cars were used on the San Juan Express. 1
GhostRider   1998 Custom Coasters International (Retracked by Great Coasters International) A wooden roller coaster featuring multiple un-banked turns. 5
Pony Express   2008 Zamperla A steel roller coaster in which riders dip, turn and dive while harnessed in vehicles intended to simulate equestrianism. 4
Silver Bullet   2004 Bolliger & Mabillard A Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster featuring 6 inversions. 5
Timber Mountain Log Ride   1969 Bud Hurlbut & Arrow Development A family friendly and classic themed log flume dark ride attraction. The 4-minute ride features two major drops, of which the final drop is 42 feet. The ride opened in 1969 and re-opened in 2013 after an extensive refurbishment. The ride features more than 40 audio animatronics developed by Garner Holt Productions, forest scents and an exclusive ride soundtrack. 5

Fiesta Village edit

Fiesta Village was built in 1969 under the pretense of a Mexican theme. It was built to pay tribute to California's Spanish and Mexican heritage. 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 themed rides like La Revolución, Jaguar!, and MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress, 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 Thrill level[73]
Carrusel De California   1955 Dentzel Carousel One of the world's oldest working Dentzel Carousels, this 100-year-old ride still revolves to the strains of its antique Band Organ. Menagerie carousel's 48 hand-carved animals including lions, tigers, ostriches, camels, zebras, giraffes, pigs, cats and horses. A Wurlitzer #157 Band Organ is also present, but unrestored. 1
Dragon Swing   1980 Chance-Morgan Formerly was themed to a swinging pirate ship. With the new reimagined renovation, the attraction was repainted to have the appearance of an alebrije. 3
Hat Dance   1969 Rauerhorst Corporation & Mack Rides A Teacups type ride. Riders spin sombrero-themed cuencos as they rotate on counterrevolutionary turntables. Originally named Happy Sombrero. 3
Jaguar!   1995 Zierer A steel family roller coaster. 4
La Revolucion   2003 Chance-Morgan Riders rotate 360 degrees while simultaneously swinging back and forth in a pendulum motion. 5
Los Voladores   1986 Zierer A classic family swing ride. Riders board individual swing sets before orbiting a central tower. Originally named Slingshot, then changed to Waveswinger until Fiesta's renovation in 2023. 3
MonteZOOMa: The Forbidden Fortress   1978 Anton Schwarzkopf Riders accelerate from 0 to 55 mph (89 km/h) in 4.5 seconds. This coaster was awarded the American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Landmark Award on June 20, 2019. The coaster is the last Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop left in the U.S. Formerly called Montezooma's Revenge (1978-2022).[78] 5
Sol Spin   2017 Mondial A thrilling topsy-turvy adventure over 6 stories high as they rotate in all directions on one of six spinning arms. It was built on the spot of Windseeker. 5
 
A view of The Boardwalk following its 2013 expansion

The Boardwalk edit

Boardwalk Games include physical challenges such as a three-point challenge, baseball, and test your strength. Hawkers pitch a variety of traditional games as well, such as water racers, bucket toss, whack a mole, and ping pong toss. In September 2012, Perilous Plunge - one of Knott's major thrill rides - closed for an expansion of the Boardwalk.[citation needed] The boardwalk reopened a year later with two flat rides and a new family roller coaster taking the place of Perilous Plunge. The Boomerang roller coaster was repainted in green and yellow. Boomerang was removed in 2017 to make way for HangTime.[citation needed]

At the south end of the boardwalk is the family interactive dark ride: Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair. The world's largest Johnny Rockets restaurant is located at Knott's Boardwalk, featuring over 5,900 square feet (550 m2) of indoor dining space for more than 260 guests.[citation needed] Also located in The Boardwalk is the 2000-seat Walter Knott Theatre hosting seasonal offerings, notably the ice-skating show "Snoopy's Night Before Christmas", with several different ice shows in the past, one of which, "Merry Christmas Snoopy!" relocated to California's Great America, another Cedar Fair park. It was renamed in 2020 from the Charles M. Schulz Theater to the Walter Knott Theater, as part of a refurbishment of the exterior for the park's 100th anniversary, which also included new LED signage to the theater's marquee.[citation needed]

Ride Picture Year Opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level[73]
Coast Rider   2013 Mack Rides A steel wild mouse roller coaster. The ride's layout is on the former site of Perilous Plunge. 4
HangTime   2018 Gerstlauer A steel Infinity Coaster. The ride's layout is on the former site of Boomerang and Riptide. The ride is America's first and only coaster of this type. The ride features a 96-degree drop and 5 inversions. 5
Knott's Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair   2021 Triotech A 4D interactive dark ride that blends 3D projections and special effects, such as simulated wind and aromas, with physical sets. Debuted for the park's 100th anniversary and replacing Voyage to the Iron Reef, its theme pays homage to the retired Knott's Bear-y Tales. 2
Pacific Scrambler   2013 Eli Bridge Company Originally "Whirlpool" from 1989 to 1996, Pacific Scrambler is a classic scrambler amusement ride. When the area opened in 1996, this was a ride called Whirlpool, it was housed inside a building that featured 'undersea' murals on the walls, musical soundtrack effects, and concert-style lighting effects. In 2000, it was replaced with a Shoot the Chutes ride called Perilous Plunge. The ride eventually closed down in 2012 and was replaced with three new rides, including Pacific Scrambler 3
Sky Cabin   1976 Intamin Ascend over 180 feet in the slow-moving Sky Cabin for a 360-degree panoramic view of Orange County and the Los Angeles Basin. 2
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. 5
Surfside
Gliders
  2013 Larson International A Flying Scooters ride with a height of 28 feet. Riders can pilot and move the gliders as it offers them a good view of the Boardwalk area. 3
Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars   A classic family bumper cars attraction. 4
Wipeout   1999 Chance Rides A Trabant circular ride located between Hangtime and Sky Cabin. 4
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. Xcelerator features the park's second-highest drop. 5

Camp Snoopy edit

 
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's 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. The 8 rides include a Zamperla Rockin' Tug called Rapid River Run, and a steel spinning roller coaster called Sierra Sidewinder. For guests who cannot ride the park's more aggressive and thrilling rides, Camp Snoopy contains a good number of rides for guests of all ages including infants, children, and seniors. Except for Sierra Sidewinder, the rides are relatively tame.

 
Claude Bell in his new Artist's Studio at Knott's Berry Farm, drawing Ed Strouse, Feb. 1954. This building is now the Rock & Geode Shop. Photo courtesy Orange County Archives.

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 received a makeover for its 30th anniversary. In summer 2014, Knott's Berry Farm opened up new rides in Camp Snoopy.[39]

The 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge[79] Grand Sierra Railroad takes guest on a four-minute train ride through the reflection lake. The ride was made shorter with the construction of Silver Bullet. As part of the 30th Anniversary makeover, the train ride received a series of Peanuts vignettes (made by Garner Holt Productions) along the track and narration by the character Linus.

Knott's has portrait artists, as well as face painters and caricature artists in two different locations in Camp Snoopy operated by Kaman's Art Shoppes. Portrait artists have a long history at Knott's, dating back to 1951. Claude Bell, who created the concrete characters on the benches at Knott's, operated the portrait concession from 1951 to 1986. Bell also sculpted the minuteman statue on display at Independence Hall.[citation needed]

 
Portrait artists and face painting at the north end of Camp Snoopy.
Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer Thrill level[73]
Balloon Race   1983 Bradley and Kaye

Replaced w/ new redesigned unit 1992

Manufactured by D. H. Morgan Manufacturing

2
Charlie Brown's Kite Flyer 2014 Zamperla 2
Grand Sierra Railroad   1983 Crown Metal; 2013 Renovation by Garner Holt Productions 1
Linus Launcher   2014 Zamperla 3
Pig Pen's Mud Buggies 2014 Zamperla 2
Rapid River Run 2004 Zamperla 2
Rocky Road Trucking Company   Zamperla 1
Sierra Sidewinder   2007 Mack Rides 4
Woodstock's Airmail 1998 S&S Worldwide 2

Indian Trails edit

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.

Public area edit

Many of the original attractions are outside the gates of the current-day theme park along Grand Ave. at the California Marketplace, mostly things that would no longer be considered interesting to today's audience, or things that were merely decorative. 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 edit

 
Walter Knott at the dedication of Knott's full-scale replica of Independence Hall, July 4, 1966.
 
The Independence Hall replica in 2013.

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, complimentary 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. A tunnel and pedestrian underpass beneath Beach Blvd. connects the main parking lot to the shops, restaurants and theme park.

Former attractions edit

  • Boomerang – 1990-2017
  • Cable Cars – 1955–1979[80]
  • Camp Bus – 1992–2023
  • Charlie Brown's Speedway – 1992–2013
  • Corkscrew – 1975–1989[81]
  • FearVR: 5150 – closed shortly after opening in 2016
  • Fiesta Wheel – 1969–1986
  • Gasoline Alley – 1969–1996
  • Gran Slammer – 1987–2003
  • Hammerhead – 1996–2003
  • Haunted Shack – 1954–2000
  • HeadAche – 1976–1999
  • Henry's Auto Livery – 1957–1980
  • Joe Cool's GR8 SK8 – 2003–2013
  • Knott's Bear-y Tales/Kingdom of the Dinosaurs – 1975–2004
  • Knott's Lagoon – 1964–1983
  • Knott's Pacific Pavilion – 1986–1998
  • Loop Trainer Flying Machine – 1976–1989
  • Merry-Go-Round Auto Ride/Tijuana Taxi – 1969–1976
  • Mexican Whip – 1969–1986
  • Motorcycle Chase/Wacky Soap Box Racers – 1976–1996
  • Mott's Miniatures – 1956–1992
  • Perilous Plunge – 2000–2012
  • Propeller Spin – 1976–1989
  • RipTide – 2004–2016
  • Screamin' Swing - 2005–2015
  • Sky Jump – 1976–1999
  • Tampico Tumbler – 1987–2003
  • Timberline Twister – 1983-2023
  • VertiGo – 2001–2002
  • Voyage to the Iron Reef - 2015-2020
  • Walter K. Steamboat – 1969–2004
  • Whirlwind/Greased Lightning/HeadAche – 1976–1999
  • Wilderness Scrambler - 2001-2007
  • Windjammer Surf Racers – 1997–2000
  • Windseeker – 2011–2013
  • XK-1 – 1990–1997

FearVR: 5150 controversy edit

For Halloween Haunt in 2016, Knott's Berry Farm introduced FearVR: 5150, a virtual reality attraction that was met with controversy from the mental health community regarding its perceived negative portrayal of mental illness.[82] The ten-minute-long attraction immersed guests inside of a chaotic hospital haunted by a supernatural central character named Katie and zombie-like patients.[83] The initial controversy came from the attraction's name, with 5150 referring to Welfare and Institutions Code section 5150, the California law that allows a law enforcement officer or clinician to involuntarily commit a person suspected of having a mental illness and determined "a danger to themselves or others". It also referenced the fact that guests experiencing the attraction had their arms strapped to a chair as part of the experience. The backlash was focused on Cedar Fair's use of painful experiences suffered by those dealing with mental illness and to have it "transmogrified into spooky entertainment".[82] In response, Cedar Fair removed "5150" from the name, and after continued opposition, permanently closed the attraction on September 28, 2016, six days after its debut.[84][85] A petition was signed by more than 2,000 people hoping Cedar Fair would bring it back, with the petition's organizer stating that Cedar Fair should not be "forced to shut down an attraction based on the words of people who had not even experienced the attraction".[86]

Knott's Soak City edit

Knott's Soak City is a water park. It opened on June 17, 2000, as Soak City U.S.A. It requires separate admission from Knott's Berry Farm. In addition to the water park across the street from the main theme park, Cedar Fair also formerly owned two other Knott's Soak City Parks, in Palm Springs and Chula Vista.[87]

Private police force edit

For much of the park's early history, Knott's Berry Farm had a unique arrangement with the Orange County Sheriff's Department where the park's security officers were sworn special deputies vested with full police powers.[88] The Security Department, however, did not answer to the county sheriff, but rather to the park's Chief of Security (who for many years was Steve Knott, the grandson of Walter Knott). Knott's Berry Farm maintained a completely private police force, vested with full police powers, and overseen by park management.

Before the City of Buena Park was incorporated, Knott's Berry Farm's Security Department even provided police services to the nearby unincorporated area that would eventually become known as Buena Park, including writing traffic tickets.[88] Then, in the early days of the incorporated City of Buena Park, Knott's Berry Farm Security provided vital mutual aid assistance to the Buena Park Police Department (formerly Buena Park Public Safety) during emergencies since Knott's Berry Farm's 34 sworn Special Deputies outnumbered, and were better equipped than the city's four-man Department of Public Safety.[88]

The Orange County Sheriff Department discontinued this arrangement in the late 1980s but Knott's still maintains its own private (albeit unsworn) security force, and its "Station-K" public safety radio designation.

Fast Lane edit

Fast Lane is a limited-access line queue system offered for an additional charge at Cedar Fair amusement parks. Visitors can purchase a wristband that allows them to bypass standard lines in favor of shorter ones at many of the parks' most popular attractions.

Food products edit

The J.M. Smucker Company continued to sell the jam and preserves made famous by the Knott family for several years; however, other products, such as the syrups, were phased out due to low demand.[89]

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

In January 2024, Smucker's discontinued the rest of the Knott's Berry Farm brand after low sales.[90]

Public transportation edit

Knott's Berry Farm can easily be accessed by various public transportation services. Service is available by the Los Angeles Metro, the Orange County Transportation Authority,[91] and Anaheim Resort Transit. Bus routes serving the park include Metro Express Line 460 which provides direct express service between Downtown Los Angeles and Disneyland OCTA bus routes 29, 38 and 529 and Anaheim Resort Transit route 18.[92]

Attendance edit

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
3,565,000[93] 3,333,000[94] 3,600,000[95] 3,654,000[95] 3,508,000[96] 3,683,000[96] 3,683,000[97] 3,867,000[98] 4,014,000[99] 4,034,000[100] 4,115,000[101] 4,238,000[102] 811,000 [103] 3,681,000[104] 3,899,000[6]

See also edit

Notes edit

References edit

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  5. ^ "75 years of Mrs. Knott's chicken". Orange County Register. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
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  9. ^ Stack, Ken. Stack's Liberty Ranch Collection, Volume Two, pp. 84-5, Stack's Liberty Ranch, 2020.
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External links edit


knott, berry, farm, acre, theme, park, located, buena, park, california, owned, operated, cedar, fair, march, 2015, ranked, twelfth, most, visited, theme, park, north, america, while, averaging, approximately, million, visitors, year, park, features, over, rid. Knott s Berry Farm is a 57 acre 2 500 000 sq ft theme park located in Buena Park California owned and operated by Cedar Fair In March 2015 it was ranked as the twelfth most visited theme park in North America while averaging approximately 4 million visitors per year The park features over 40 rides including roller coasters family rides dark rides and water rides Knott s Berry FarmLocation8039 Beach BoulevardBuena Park California 90620 U S Coordinates33 50 39 N 118 00 01 W 33 844178 N 118 000267 W 33 844178 118 000267StatusOperatingOpened1920 104 years ago 1920 OwnerCedar FairGeneral managerJon StorbeckSloganAmerica s 1st Theme Park California s Best Theme Park The Friendliest Place in the WestOperating seasonYear roundAttendance4 115 000 2018 1 Area57 acres 23 ha AttractionsTotal43Roller coasters9Water rides2Websitewww wbr knotts wbr comWalter and Cordelia Knott first settled in Buena Park in 1920 The park began as a roadside berry stand run by Walter Knott along State Route 39 in California By the 1940s a restaurant several shops and other attractions had been constructed on the property to entertain a growing number of visitors including a replica ghost town The site continued its transformation into a modern amusement park over the next two decades and an admission charge was added in 1968 In 1997 the park was sold to Cedar Fair for 300 million 2 3 Contents 1 History 1 1 Origin 1 2 New owners 1 3 Post Cedar Fair acquisition 1 4 Timeline 2 Annual park events 3 Areas and attractions 3 1 Ghost Town 3 2 Fiesta Village 3 3 The Boardwalk 3 4 Camp Snoopy 3 5 Indian Trails 3 6 Public area 3 6 1 East property 4 Former attractions 4 1 FearVR 5150 controversy 5 Knott s Soak City 6 Private police force 7 Fast Lane 8 Food products 9 Public transportation 10 Attendance 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 External linksHistory editMain article History of Knott s Berry Farm Origin edit nbsp The Timber Mountain Log Ride is one of Knott s Berry Farm s most popular rides The park sits on the site of a former berry farm established by Walter Knott and his family Beginning in 1923 4 the Knott family sold berries berry preserves and pies from a roadside stand along State Route 39 In June 1934 the Knotts began selling fried chicken dinners in a tea room on the property later named Mrs Knott s Chicken Dinner Restaurant 5 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 The idea of an amusement park picked up in the 1950s when Walter Knott opened a summer long county fair 6 nbsp Knott s first theme park logo composed of a prospector with a pack mule nbsp Wood carver H S Andy Anderson with Sad Eye Joe in the Ghost Town area of the park 1941Paul von Klieben was the key employee of Walter Knott in the creation of the Ghost Town at Knott s Berry Farm and the restoration of the ghost town of Calico California In 1941 he joined Knott s as a staff artist then served as art director there from 1943 to 1953 He traveled to ghost towns in the West conducted research and designed most of the Ghost Town section of Knott s Berry Farm He created concept art for most of the buildings that were built there He also drew up floor plans oversaw the construction of buildings and even spent some time painting concrete to look like natural rock His Old West paintings and murals adorned the walls of many structures in the park and a number of them still do His art was also used extensively in Knott s newspapers menus brochures catalogs and other publications 7 8 9 10 In 1956 Walter Knott arranged with Marion Speer to bring his Western Trails Museum collection to Knott s Berry Farm Speer had been an enthusiastic supporter of Walter Knott s efforts to create Ghost Town and had written articles for Knott s newspaper the Ghost Town News In 1956 twenty years after creating his museum Marion Speer at age 72 donated the carefully cataloged collection 30 000 items to Knott s in return for Knott s housing it displaying it and naming Speer as curator Speer continued in that position until he retired in 1969 at the age of 84 11 12 13 14 15 nbsp The original Western Trails Museum building at Knott s was either made of rammed earth construction or concrete made to look like rammed earth This construction technique is fireproof and was used in the old mining town of Calico California This ca 1983 photo is courtesy of the Orange County Archives The museum was once housed in a building which has since been razed at Knott s Berry Farm between Jeffries Barn now known as the Wilderness Dance Hall and the schoolhouse The Western Trails Museum at Knott s is now just south of the saloon in Ghost Town 16 12 17 The park became a popular destination for conservative college students in the 1960s especially as conservative organizations like the California Free Enterprise Association the Libres Foundation and the Americanism Educational League were based there 18 According to Assistant Professor Caroline Rolland Diamond of the Paris West University Nanterre La Defense it also appealed to conservative Americans young and old because the idealized representation of a past devoid of social and racial tensions that it offered stood in sharp contrast with the political and social upheavals affecting California since the Free Speech Movement erupted at the University of California at Berkeley in 1964 Caroline Rolland Diamond Revue francaise d etudes americaines 2016 19 In the late 1960 s a 10 ft high brick wall with barbed wire embedded into the top was constructed around Ghost Town and for the first time in 1968 an admission price was required to get into that section of the park ostensibly to keep out the hippies and local long haired youth from freely hanging out in the park that were on occasion causing problems and degrading the Knott s family image The entrance price originally being set at 1 for adults and 25 for children 20 Previous to this entry was free and the cost was based on purchasing a ticket for each ride using the A E ticketing system similar to that of Disneyland The Calico Log Ride the original name of the Timber Mountain Log Ride opened in 1969 21 Also during this period an attempt to create a monorail system between Knott s and Disneyland was reportedly in the works for many years however project construction never began due to costs and legal issues obtaining needed property and gaining necessary right of way access When Cordelia Knott died on April 12 1974 Walter turned his attention toward political causes 22 23 The Roaring Twenties 24 rethemed Gypsy Camp in the 1970s with the addition of a nostalgic traditional amusement area Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars and 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 Sky Jump and Motorcycle Chase steeplechase roller coaster above the electric guided rail Gasoline Alley car ride 25 The Sky Tower with the illuminated K in logo script at the top was built to support two attractions the Sky Jump operated from 1976 to 1999 26 and the Sky Cabin The Sky Jump boarded one or two standing riders anticipating the thrill of the drop into baskets beneath a faux parachute canopy From the top twelve 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 Its ring revolves slowly as it rises to the top and back offering a pleasantly changing vista It 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 the tower was the tallest structure in Orange County 27 a distinction briefly held by WindSeeker before its relocation to Worlds of Fun in 2012 The 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 25 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 guide rail car ride below was built together and intimately intertwined which enhanced ride to ride interaction thrill value 28 Rider safety concerns of the high center of gravity coupled with the method of rider restraints caused it to be rethemed Wacky Soap Box Racers with vehicles themed to look like soap box racers each seating 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 in 1996 for a dueling loop coaster Windjammer Surf Racers and now Xcelerator a vertical launch coaster takes its place On December 3 1981 Walter Knott died 29 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 Calico Barn Dance featured Bobbi amp Clyde as the house band It was during the height of the Urban Cowboy era The Calico Barn Dance was featured in Knott s TV commercials nbsp Bigfoot Rapids now Calico River Rapids was located in the Wild Water 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 a primeval retheme of Knott s Bear y Tales in 1987 and Bigfoot Rapids in 1988 a whitewater river rafting ride as the centerpiece of the new themed area Wild Water Wilderness The Boomerang roller coaster replaced Corkscrew 24 in 1990 with a lift shuttle train passing to and from through a cobra roll and a vertical loop for six inversions each trip The Mystery Lodge 1994 30 inspired by General Motors Spirit Lodge pavilion was a live show augmented with Pepper s 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 31 and created with the assistance of the Kwagulth Native reserve in the village of Alert Bay British Columbia 32 Mystery Lodge recreates a quiet summer night in Alert Bay 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 on June 17 1995 to add another roller coaster to the mix of Fiesta Village alongside Montezooma s Revenge New owners edit In the 1990s after Walter and Cordelia died their children decided to sell off their businesses In 1995 the Knott family sold the food specialty business to ConAgra Inc 2 which later re sold the brand to The J M Smucker Company in 2008 33 In 2024 Smuckers discontinued sale of the Knott s Berry Farm jams in grocery stores 34 On December 29 1997 the Knott family sold the amusement park operations to Cedar Fair 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 In the late 1990s Cedar Fair also acquired the Buena Park Hotel located at the northwest corner of Grand and Crescent Avenues 35 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 36 Post Cedar Fair acquisition edit nbsp View of Silver Bullet from Sky Cabin nbsp Hangtime debuted as the park s latest major roller coaster since Silver Bullet on May 16 2018 nbsp Knott s Beary Tales Return To The Fair opened enthusiastically to season passholders on May 6 2021 Since being acquired by Cedar Fair the park has seen an aggressive shift towards thrill rides with the construction of several large roller coasters and the addition of a record breaking Shoot the Chutes ride named Perilous Plunge Perilous Plunge had the record of being the tallest and steepest water ride in the world until September 2012 when it was closed and removed 37 Also in 2013 Knott s Berry Farm announced that one of the most popular rides at the park the Timber Mountain Log Ride would be closed for a significant five month refurbishment led by Garner Holt Productions Inc 38 On May 25 2013 Knott s Berry Farm added three new family rides on the site of the former Perilous Plunge including a wild mouse called Coast Rider a scrambler flat ride called Pacific Scrambler and Surfside Gliders All three were constructed in the Boardwalk section of the park An old bridge that connected the exit of Coast Rider and the Boardwalk became the entrance to Surfside Gliders and Pacific Scrambler Following the 2013 season Knott s Berry Farm removed Windseeker and moved it to Worlds of Fun where it reopened in 2014 For the 2014 season the historical Calico Mine Ride underwent a major refurbishment completed in six months 39 During the fall of 2019 Knott s Berry Farm announced the return of Knott s Bear y Tales as an interactive 4D dark ride as part of the park s 100th anniversary in 2020 However the park was indefinitely shut down due to the COVID 19 pandemic at the end of its operating day on March 13 2020 40 Knott s Bear y Tales and other planned changes to the park were postponed to 2021 41 In June 2020 Knott s Marketplace reopened with health guidelines in place 42 The following month the park introduced Taste of Calico an outdoor food festival on weekends located in the Ghost Town section of the park The event evolved over the season becoming Taste of Knott s when it expanded into Fiesta Village and the Boardwalk Taste of Fall o ween during the fall season 43 and Taste of Merry Farm for the Christmas holiday season which was cancelled in December 2020 due to the regional stay at home order issued by California Governor Gavin Newsom 44 Amusement Today recognized the Taste Of events in its annual Golden Ticket Awards awarding the park under the category Industry Leader Amusement Theme Park for its innovative approach 45 Knott s Berry Farm returned to normal operation on May 6 2021 including the debut of the delayed Knott s Bear y Tales attraction originally planned for 2020 46 Timeline edit Park timeline nbsp Stagecoach circa 1950 added as the first ride in 1949 nbsp Knotts Berry Farm Denver amp Rio Grand steam locomotive added as Ghost Town amp Calico Railroad in 19521920 Ten acres of berry farmland leased by Walter and Cordelia Knott 1927 Ten leased acres of berry farm purchased named Knott s Berry Place 1929 Ten more acres are purchased 1932 Rudolf Boysen gives Walter his last six crossbreed berry plants as yet unnamed 1934 Cordelia and her children serve the first chicken dinner to customers in their tearoom 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 amp Calico Railroad 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 1956 Western Trails Museum 1958 Mott s Miniatures nbsp Bud Hurlbut in Calico Mine Ride engine circa 19601960 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 Schulz Theater 1973 Inaugural Knott s Scary Farm Halloween event 1974 Wild West Stunt Show replaces Wagon Camp shows 1975 Corkscrew Knott s Bear y Tales 1976 Motorcycle Chase Sky Jump Sky Cabin Propeller Spin Loop Trainer Flying Machine Whirlpool Gasoline Alley Whirlwind 197 Knotts Berry Farm Hotel opened 1978 Montezooma s Revenge Old MacDonald s Farm removed Cable Cars removed 1980 Dragon Swing Wacky Soap Box Racers 1983 Barn Dance featured Bobbi amp Clyde Country Western Dancing Camp Snoopy themed area built forcing the 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 Knott s Pacific Pavilion Knott s Bear y Tales removed Tijuana Taxi removed Fiesta Wheel removed Mexican Whip removed 1987 Kingdom of the Dinosaurs Tampico Tumbler Gran Slammer Slingshot Bear y Tales Funhouse Happy Sombrero renamed Mexican Hat Dance 1988 Bigfoot Rapids 1989 XK 1 Greased Lightning moved into an enclosed building and renamed Whirlwind Corkscrew removed refurbished and moved to Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho Propeller Spin removed Loop Trainer Flying Machine removed 1990 Boomerang built on the former site of Corkscrew 1991 Studio K closed 1992 Indian Trails themed area Mott s Miniatures closes 1994 Mystery Lodge 1995 Jaguar 1996 The Boardwalk themed area a 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 the park Bear y Tales Funhouse removed nbsp GhostRider at night1998 GhostRider Supreme Scream Woodstock s Airmail XK 1 removed Knott s Pacific Pavilion removed Slingshot renamed Wave Swinger Mexican Hat Dance renamed Hat Dance 1999 Wipeout Coasters restaurant Charlie Brown Speedway Sky Jump removed HeadAche removed and renamed The Blue Thunder at Miracle Strip Amusement Park Pacific Pavilion removed Radisson Resort Knott s Berry Farm 2000 Perilous Plunge Knott s Soak City U S A water park Windjammer Surf Racers closes Haunted Shack removed 2001 VertiGo Wipeout relocated Headspin relocated and renamed Wilderness Scrambler 2002 Xcelerator VertiGo removed 2003 Tampico Tumbler removed Gran Slammer removed La Revolucion Joe Cool s Gr8 Sk8 HammerHead removed 2004 Silver Bullet Lucy s Tugboat RipTide Screamin Swing Kingdom of the Dinosaurs closed Church of Reflections relocated to outside of park Radisson Resort Knott s Berry Farm renamed Knott s Berry Farm Resort Hotel Grand Sierra Scenic Railroad shortened to accommodate Silver Bullet 2005 T G I Fridays restaurant California Marketplace 2006 Pacific Spin Soak City U S A Johnny Rockets restaurant Walter K Steamboat removed New Perilous Plunge boats put into operation Woodstock s Airmail relocated 2007 Sierra Sidewinder Wilderness Scrambler removed 2008 Pony Express Peanut s Playhouse removed nbsp Coast Rider and Surfside Gliders 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 2012 Fast Lane Park improvements Replacing area theme music removing boardwalks and pouring concrete replacements rebuilding rotted wood structures keeping open until park closing attractions restaurants amp shops which had previously closed early More aggressive youth marketing amp advertising Perilous Plunge closes 2013 Boardwalk expansion Coast Rider Surfside Gliders Pacific Scrambler all replaced Perilous Plunge WindSeeker removed 47 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 Speedway 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 2016 Ghost Town is renovated to celebrate its 75th birthday RipTide officially closed and demolished due to technical issues 48 Starbucks replaces Dreyer s in the California Marketplace Mrs Knott s Chicken Dinner Restaurant undergoes major renovations 49 GhostRider reopens from its major refurbishment on June 10 2016 Temporarily removed Wipeout for HangTime construction 50 2017 Sol Spin new Boardwalk Barbecue restaurant 51 Added VRCADE 52 Boomerang closes 53 Montezooma s Revenge receives new color scheme 54 Brought back Ghost Town Alive 51 Extended Boysenberry Festival 51 Soak City gets an expansion 51 2018 HangTime Sky Cabin reopened on February 10 Wipeout relocated and reopened in October Bigfoot Rapids closes in September to undergo major renovation and new theming as Calico River Rapids 2019 Calico River Rapids opened in May 2020 Voyage to the Iron Reef closed on January 5 Knott s Bear y Tales Return to the Fair was set to open in the former spot of Voyage to the Iron Reef the entire park was shut down on 14 March on grounds of COVID 19 pandemic 2021 Knott s Berry Farm reopens after a year long closure on May 6 to season pass holders Knott s Berry Farm s grand reopening and Knott s Bear y Tales Return to the Fair opens to the general public on May 21 Knott s Berry Farm s 100th anniversary celebration begins May 21 to September 6 2021 2022 Montezooma s Revenge closed for a major renovation set to reopen in 2024 as MonteZOOMa The Forbidden Fortress 55 2023 Sol Spin La Revolucion and Dragon Swing are all repainted to fit into the refreshed Fiesta Village Casa California opens in place of the old arcade in Fiesta Village Carousel was renamed Carrusel de California Waveswinger renamed Los Voladores Timberline Twister and Camp Bus removed 2024 Snoopy s Tenderpaw Twister Coaster Sally s Swing Along Huff and Puff and High Sierra Ferris Wheel removed Rocky Mountain Trucking Company and Grand Sierra Railroad are rethemed to Camp Snoopy s Off Road Rally and Beagle Express Annual park events editSee also Knott s Scary Farm nbsp Knott s Scary Farm eventThe 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 a 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 56 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 57 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 was portrayed by Charlene Parker from 1983 to 2017 the longest of any performer 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 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 65 She returned for one night in 2012 for the 40th anniversary of the event then again featured in her nightly show from 2014 to 2017 66 During 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 that 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 on 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 A Christmas event known as Knott s Merry Farm also happens annually Previous Merry Farm events have included manufactured snow handcraft exhibits and a visit with Santa Claus This event was created by Gary Salisbury in the fall of 1985 Praise has been a Christian themed celebration presented for many years as a mix in special event of music and comedy on New Year s Eve A boysenberry festival is held at Knott s that has food and drink prepared in a variety of ways with boysenberries There are also special shows and music for the multi week event 67 Areas and attractions editThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Knott s Berry Farm news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The park consists of four themed areas Ghost Town Fiesta Village The Boardwalk Camp SnoopyGhost Town edit nbsp Butterfield Stagecoach s entrance nbsp Charlene Parker a spinner and weaver in Ghost TownGhost Town is based on the Calico ghost town and other real ghost towns in the Western United States Walter Knott inherited his uncle s silver mill and land then bought more of the actual 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 Craftsmen in Ghost Town demonstrate the arts of the blacksmith woodcarver glassblower 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 The Ghost Town area has a few other notable attractions The Bird Cage Theatre is an old fashioned theater in Ghost Town It only hosts two seasonal entertainments during Knott s Merry Farm which includes two small productions Marley s Wings and A Christmas Carol for the 2021 season and The Gift of the Magi and A Christmas Carol for the 2022 season and as well as 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 Home for the Holidays a Knott s Merry Farm Christmas skit with singing 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 The 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 The park formerly featured a 5th area Formerly known as Wild Water Wilderness now part of Ghost Town the area features two major rides the Pony Express a horse themed family roller coaster installed in 2008 and Calico River Rapids which opened in 1988 and was refurbished with a new theme for the 2019 season Nearby Pony Express 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 Western Trails Museum relocated between the candy store and the General Store to accommodate Calico River Rapids formerly Bigfoot Rapids still features historical western artifacts large and small from a hand powered horse drawn fire engine to a miniature replica of a borax hauling Twenty Mule Team and utensils necessary to survive the prairie and wilderness A common misconception is that at Knott s the terms Ghost Town and Calico are interchangeable but that is not the case Walter Knott explained that he built Ghost Town as a composite to represent ghost towns throughout the West rather than as a replica of any one particular ghost town The Calico Saloon was not named Ghost Town because it is supposedly located in Calico Rather it was named for the tradition of lining Gold Rush era buildings with red calico fabric Also the Ghost Town amp Calico Railroad was named because Ghost Town and Calico are two separate places Walter Knott always referred to the Old West section of Knott s Berry Farm as Ghost Town not Calico 68 69 70 71 72 Some 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 Thrill level out of 5 73 1 low 2 mild 3 moderate 4 high 5 aggressive Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level 73 ButterfieldStagecoach nbsp 1949 Knott sBerry Farm A family stagecoach ride that takes guests through the areas of Fiesta Village Camp Snoopy and the Indian Trails area 1Calico Mine Ride nbsp 1960 Bud Hurlbut A 2 ft 610 mm narrow gauge 74 mine train dark ride Riders board ore cars pulled by battery powered 75 locomotives and journey deep into a faux mining excavation site The ride closed for refurbishment in January 2014 and reopened on June 14 2014 76 3Calico River Rapids nbsp 1988 Intamin Rethemed by Garner Holt Productions Formerly Bigfoot Rapids A river rafting water ride For the 2019 season the attraction was refurbished to feature roughly 20 wildlife animatronics and water effects from Garner Holt Productions 4Ghost Town amp Calico Railroad nbsp nbsp 1952 Baldwin Locomotive Works An authentic 3 ft 914 mm narrow gauge 77 train ride around the park The ten minute ride takes guests through the Wild Wilderness area the Boardwalk area and Fiesta Village All of the Passenger Cars came from the D amp RGW while one came from the Rio Grande Southern Some of the D amp RGW cars were used on the San Juan Express 1GhostRider nbsp 1998 Custom Coasters International Retracked by Great Coasters International A wooden roller coaster featuring multiple un banked turns 5Pony Express nbsp 2008 Zamperla A steel roller coaster in which riders dip turn and dive while harnessed in vehicles intended to simulate equestrianism 4Silver Bullet nbsp 2004 Bolliger amp Mabillard A Bolliger amp Mabillard inverted roller coaster featuring 6 inversions 5Timber Mountain Log Ride nbsp 1969 Bud Hurlbut amp Arrow Development A family friendly and classic themed log flume dark ride attraction The 4 minute ride features two major drops of which the final drop is 42 feet The ride opened in 1969 and re opened in 2013 after an extensive refurbishment The ride features more than 40 audio animatronics developed by Garner Holt Productions forest scents and an exclusive ride soundtrack 5Fiesta Village edit Fiesta Village was built in 1969 under the pretense of a Mexican theme It was built to pay tribute to California s Spanish and Mexican heritage 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 themed rides like La Revolucion Jaguar and MonteZOOMa The Forbidden Fortress 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 Thrill level 73 Carrusel De California nbsp 1955 Dentzel Carousel One of the world s oldest working Dentzel Carousels this 100 year old ride still revolves to the strains of its antique Band Organ Menagerie carousel s 48 hand carved animals including lions tigers ostriches camels zebras giraffes pigs cats and horses A Wurlitzer 157 Band Organ is also present but unrestored 1Dragon Swing nbsp 1980 Chance Morgan Formerly was themed to a swinging pirate ship With the new reimagined renovation the attraction was repainted to have the appearance of an alebrije 3Hat Dance nbsp 1969 Rauerhorst Corporation amp Mack Rides A Teacups type ride Riders spin sombrero themed cuencos as they rotate on counterrevolutionary turntables Originally named Happy Sombrero 3Jaguar nbsp 1995 Zierer A steel family roller coaster 4La Revolucion nbsp 2003 Chance Morgan Riders rotate 360 degrees while simultaneously swinging back and forth in a pendulum motion 5Los Voladores nbsp 1986 Zierer A classic family swing ride Riders board individual swing sets before orbiting a central tower Originally named Slingshot then changed to Waveswinger until Fiesta s renovation in 2023 3MonteZOOMa The Forbidden Fortress nbsp 1978 Anton Schwarzkopf Riders accelerate from 0 to 55 mph 89 km h in 4 5 seconds This coaster was awarded the American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Landmark Award on June 20 2019 The coaster is the last Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop left in the U S Formerly called Montezooma s Revenge 1978 2022 78 5Sol Spin nbsp 2017 Mondial A thrilling topsy turvy adventure over 6 stories high as they rotate in all directions on one of six spinning arms It was built on the spot of Windseeker 5 nbsp A view of The Boardwalk following its 2013 expansionThe Boardwalk edit Boardwalk Games include physical challenges such as a three point challenge baseball and test your strength Hawkers pitch a variety of traditional games as well such as water racers bucket toss whack a mole and ping pong toss In September 2012 Perilous Plunge one of Knott s major thrill rides closed for an expansion of the Boardwalk citation needed The boardwalk reopened a year later with two flat rides and a new family roller coaster taking the place of Perilous Plunge The Boomerang roller coaster was repainted in green and yellow Boomerang was removed in 2017 to make way for HangTime citation needed At the south end of the boardwalk is the family interactive dark ride Knott s Bear y Tales Return to the Fair The world s largest Johnny Rockets restaurant is located at Knott s Boardwalk featuring over 5 900 square feet 550 m2 of indoor dining space for more than 260 guests citation needed Also located in The Boardwalk is the 2000 seat Walter Knott Theatre hosting seasonal offerings notably the ice skating show Snoopy s Night Before Christmas with several different ice shows in the past one of which Merry Christmas Snoopy relocated to California s Great America another Cedar Fair park It was renamed in 2020 from the Charles M Schulz Theater to the Walter Knott Theater as part of a refurbishment of the exterior for the park s 100th anniversary which also included new LED signage to the theater s marquee citation needed Ride Picture Year Opened Manufacturer Description Thrill level 73 Coast Rider nbsp 2013 Mack Rides A steel wild mouse roller coaster The ride s layout is on the former site of Perilous Plunge 4HangTime nbsp 2018 Gerstlauer A steel Infinity Coaster The ride s layout is on the former site of Boomerang and Riptide The ride is America s first and only coaster of this type The ride features a 96 degree drop and 5 inversions 5Knott s Bear y Tales Return to the Fair nbsp 2021 Triotech A 4D interactive dark ride that blends 3D projections and special effects such as simulated wind and aromas with physical sets Debuted for the park s 100th anniversary and replacing Voyage to the Iron Reef its theme pays homage to the retired Knott s Bear y Tales 2Pacific Scrambler nbsp 2013 Eli Bridge Company Originally Whirlpool from 1989 to 1996 Pacific Scrambler is a classic scrambler amusement ride When the area opened in 1996 this was a ride called Whirlpool it was housed inside a building that featured undersea murals on the walls musical soundtrack effects and concert style lighting effects In 2000 it was replaced with a Shoot the Chutes ride called Perilous Plunge The ride eventually closed down in 2012 and was replaced with three new rides including Pacific Scrambler 3Sky Cabin nbsp 1976 Intamin Ascend over 180 feet in the slow moving Sky Cabin for a 360 degree panoramic view of Orange County and the Los Angeles Basin 2SupremeScream nbsp 1998 S amp S Worldwide Supreme Scream features the highest drop in the park A vertical ascending and descending drop ride It features 3 Turbo Drop towers 5SurfsideGliders nbsp 2013 Larson International A Flying Scooters ride with a height of 28 feet Riders can pilot and move the gliders as it offers them a good view of the Boardwalk area 3Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars nbsp A classic family bumper cars attraction 4Wipeout nbsp 1999 Chance Rides A Trabant circular ride located between Hangtime and Sky Cabin 4Xcelerator nbsp 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 Xcelerator features the park s second highest drop 5Camp Snoopy edit nbsp Peanuts cartoonist Charles M Schulz center visits the construction site of Camp Snoopy with daughter Jill Schulz Marion Knott and others circa 1983Camp Snoopy is home to the park s family and children s 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 The 8 rides include a Zamperla Rockin Tug called Rapid River Run and a steel spinning roller coaster called Sierra Sidewinder For guests who cannot ride the park s more aggressive and thrilling rides Camp Snoopy contains a good number of rides for guests of all ages including infants children and seniors Except for Sierra Sidewinder the rides are relatively tame nbsp Claude Bell in his new Artist s Studio at Knott s Berry Farm drawing Ed Strouse Feb 1954 This building is now the Rock amp Geode Shop Photo courtesy Orange County Archives 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 received a makeover for its 30th anniversary In summer 2014 Knott s Berry Farm opened up new rides in Camp Snoopy 39 The 2 ft 610 mm narrow gauge 79 Grand Sierra Railroad takes guest on a four minute train ride through the reflection lake The ride was made shorter with the construction of Silver Bullet As part of the 30th Anniversary makeover the train ride received a series of Peanuts vignettes made by Garner Holt Productions along the track and narration by the character Linus Knott s has portrait artists as well as face painters and caricature artists in two different locations in Camp Snoopy operated by Kaman s Art Shoppes Portrait artists have a long history at Knott s dating back to 1951 Claude Bell who created the concrete characters on the benches at Knott s operated the portrait concession from 1951 to 1986 Bell also sculpted the minuteman statue on display at Independence Hall citation needed nbsp Portrait artists and face painting at the north end of Camp Snoopy Ride Picture Opened Manufacturer Thrill level 73 Balloon Race nbsp 1983 Bradley and Kaye Replaced w new redesigned unit 1992Manufactured by D H Morgan Manufacturing 2Charlie Brown s Kite Flyer 2014 Zamperla 2Grand Sierra Railroad nbsp 1983 Crown Metal 2013 Renovation by Garner Holt Productions 1Linus Launcher nbsp 2014 Zamperla 3Pig Pen s Mud Buggies 2014 Zamperla 2Rapid River Run 2004 Zamperla 2Rocky Road Trucking Company nbsp Zamperla 1Sierra Sidewinder nbsp 2007 Mack Rides 4Woodstock s Airmail 1998 S amp S Worldwide 2Indian Trails edit 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 Public area edit Many of the original attractions are outside the gates of the current day theme park along Grand Ave at the California Marketplace mostly things that would no longer be considered interesting to today s audience or things that were merely decorative 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 edit nbsp Walter Knott at the dedication of Knott s full scale replica of Independence Hall July 4 1966 nbsp The Independence Hall replica in 2013 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 complimentary 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 A tunnel and pedestrian underpass beneath Beach Blvd connects the main parking lot to the shops restaurants and theme park Former attractions editMain article Former attractions at Knott s Berry Farm Boomerang 1990 2017 Cable Cars 1955 1979 80 Camp Bus 1992 2023 Charlie Brown s Speedway 1992 2013 Corkscrew 1975 1989 81 FearVR 5150 closed shortly after opening in 2016 Fiesta Wheel 1969 1986 Gasoline Alley 1969 1996 Gran Slammer 1987 2003 Hammerhead 1996 2003 Haunted Shack 1954 2000 HeadAche 1976 1999 Henry s Auto Livery 1957 1980 Joe Cool s GR8 SK8 2003 2013 Knott s Bear y Tales Kingdom of the Dinosaurs 1975 2004 Knott s Lagoon 1964 1983 Knott s Pacific Pavilion 1986 1998 Loop Trainer Flying Machine 1976 1989 Merry Go Round Auto Ride Tijuana Taxi 1969 1976 Mexican Whip 1969 1986 Motorcycle Chase Wacky Soap Box Racers 1976 1996 Mott s Miniatures 1956 1992 Perilous Plunge 2000 2012 Propeller Spin 1976 1989 RipTide 2004 2016 Screamin Swing 2005 2015 Sky Jump 1976 1999 Tampico Tumbler 1987 2003 Timberline Twister 1983 2023 VertiGo 2001 2002 Voyage to the Iron Reef 2015 2020 Walter K Steamboat 1969 2004 Whirlwind Greased Lightning HeadAche 1976 1999 Wilderness Scrambler 2001 2007 Windjammer Surf Racers 1997 2000 Windseeker 2011 2013 XK 1 1990 1997 FearVR 5150 controversy edit For Halloween Haunt in 2016 Knott s Berry Farm introduced FearVR 5150 a virtual reality attraction that was met with controversy from the mental health community regarding its perceived negative portrayal of mental illness 82 The ten minute long attraction immersed guests inside of a chaotic hospital haunted by a supernatural central character named Katie and zombie like patients 83 The initial controversy came from the attraction s name with 5150 referring to Welfare and Institutions Code section 5150 the California law that allows a law enforcement officer or clinician to involuntarily commit a person suspected of having a mental illness and determined a danger to themselves or others It also referenced the fact that guests experiencing the attraction had their arms strapped to a chair as part of the experience The backlash was focused on Cedar Fair s use of painful experiences suffered by those dealing with mental illness and to have it transmogrified into spooky entertainment 82 In response Cedar Fair removed 5150 from the name and after continued opposition permanently closed the attraction on September 28 2016 six days after its debut 84 85 A petition was signed by more than 2 000 people hoping Cedar Fair would bring it back with the petition s organizer stating that Cedar Fair should not be forced to shut down an attraction based on the words of people who had not even experienced the attraction 86 Knott s Soak City editMain article Knott s Soak City Knott s Soak City is a water park It opened on June 17 2000 as Soak City U S A It requires separate admission from Knott s Berry Farm In addition to the water park across the street from the main theme park Cedar Fair also formerly owned two other Knott s Soak City Parks in Palm Springs and Chula Vista 87 Private police force editFor much of the park s early history Knott s Berry Farm had a unique arrangement with the Orange County Sheriff s Department where the park s security officers were sworn special deputies vested with full police powers 88 The Security Department however did not answer to the county sheriff but rather to the park s Chief of Security who for many years was Steve Knott the grandson of Walter Knott Knott s Berry Farm maintained a completely private police force vested with full police powers and overseen by park management Before the City of Buena Park was incorporated Knott s Berry Farm s Security Department even provided police services to the nearby unincorporated area that would eventually become known as Buena Park including writing traffic tickets 88 Then in the early days of the incorporated City of Buena Park Knott s Berry Farm Security provided vital mutual aid assistance to the Buena Park Police Department formerly Buena Park Public Safety during emergencies since Knott s Berry Farm s 34 sworn Special Deputies outnumbered and were better equipped than the city s four man Department of Public Safety 88 The Orange County Sheriff Department discontinued this arrangement in the late 1980s but Knott s still maintains its own private albeit unsworn security force and its Station K public safety radio designation Fast Lane editSee also List of Fast Lane attractions Knott s Berry Farm Fast Lane is a limited access line queue system offered for an additional charge at Cedar Fair amusement parks Visitors can purchase a wristband that allows them to bypass standard lines in favor of shorter ones at many of the parks most popular attractions Food products editThe J M Smucker Company continued to sell the jam and preserves made famous by the Knott family for several years however other products such as the syrups were phased out due to low demand 89 In November 2013 Knott s Berry Farm began selling its Berry Market brand of preserves at the park The Berry Market brand is all natural They are unable to use Knott s on the label since Smucker s owns the rights to the name In January 2024 Smucker s discontinued the rest of the Knott s Berry Farm brand after low sales 90 Public transportation editKnott s Berry Farm can easily be accessed by various public transportation services Service is available by the Los Angeles Metro the Orange County Transportation Authority 91 and Anaheim Resort Transit Bus routes serving the park include Metro Express Line 460 which provides direct express service between Downtown Los Angeles and Disneyland OCTA bus routes 29 38 and 529 and Anaheim Resort Transit route 18 92 Attendance edit2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 20223 565 000 93 3 333 000 94 3 600 000 95 3 654 000 95 3 508 000 96 3 683 000 96 3 683 000 97 3 867 000 98 4 014 000 99 4 034 000 100 4 115 000 101 4 238 000 102 811 000 103 3 681 000 104 3 899 000 6 See also editOld Maizeland School a California Historic Landmark no 729 at Knott s Berry Farm Incidents at Knott s Berry Farm nbsp Trains portal nbsp Greater Los Angeles portalDisneyland Six Flags Walt Disney World SeaWorldNotes editReferences edit 2018 Global Attraction Attendance Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2019 Retrieved November 29 2019 a b Knott s Berry Farm Foods New York Times May 23 1995 Retrieved 2019 11 29 Subscription required Knotts Agree to Sell Park Los Angeles Times 1997 10 22 Retrieved 2019 11 29 Breaking New Ground The Early Years of Knott s Berry Farm Orange County Historical Society Retrieved 2022 12 23 75 years of Mrs Knott s chicken Orange County Register 2009 06 05 Retrieved 2022 12 29 a b Brigandi Phil Orange County Chronicles pp 117 132 The History Press Charleston South Carolina 2013 ISBN 978 1 62619 133 4 Merritt Christopher and Lynxwiler J Eric Knott s Preserved From Boysenberry to Theme Park the History of Knott s Berry Farm pp 48 61 Angel City Press 2015 ISBN 978 1 62640 085 6 Woodson Weldon D Saga of a Ghost Town Artist Design magazine pp 24 7 Vol 73 Issue 6 1972 Stack Ken Stack s Liberty Ranch Collection Volume Two pp 84 5 Stack s Liberty Ranch 2020 Kooiman Helen Walter Knott Keeper of the Flame p 103 Plycon Press Fullerton California 1973 Western Trails Museum Opens to Public The Knotty Post p 8 November 1956 Knotts Berry Farm Buena Park California a b Merritt Christopher and Lynxwiler J Eric Knott s Preserved From Boysenberry to Theme Park the History of Knott s Berry Farm pp 98 99 Angel City Press Santa Monica California ISBN 978 1 883318 97 0 Heywood Mike Walter Knott and Family Knott s Berry Farm p 112 3 Mike Heywood 2021 Epting Chris In the Pipeline House of history under our noses Daily Pilot January 5 2011 Los Angeles California Lewis Jack Guns that Also Won the West Gun World p 17 May 1962 Gallant Publishing Company Covina California Western Trails Museum Now Open The Berry Vine 1993 Knott s Berry Farm Buena Park California Jennings Jay Knott s Berry Farm The Early Years pp 106 7 Arcadia Publishing Charleston South Carolina 2009 ISBN 978 0 7385 6921 5 McGirr Lisa 2001 Suburban Warriors The Origins of the New American Right Princeton New Jersey Princeton University Press pp 98 100 ISBN 9780691059037 OCLC 44578931 Rolland Diamond Caroline 2016 Another Side of the Sixties Festive Practices on College Campuses and the Making of a Conservative Youth Movement Revue francaise d etudes americaines 1 146 39 53 doi 10 3917 rfea 146 0039 Retrieved October 24 2016 via Cairn info Knott s Berry Farm PDF bos ocgov com Retrieved January 5 2023 Wooley Eric 2019 07 03 Timber Mountain Log Ride Celebrating 50 years at Knott s Berry Farm Coaster101 Retrieved 2023 01 06 Kooiman Helen Walter Knott Keeper of the Flame pp 171 84 Plycon Press Fullerton CA 1973 Salts Christiane Victoria Cordelia Knott Pioneering Business Woman pp 75 78 The Literature Connection Books Buena Park CA 2009 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 a b Motorcycle Chase Knott s Berry Farm 1976 photograph of steeplechase style roller coaster lift hill 10 former Knott s rides and attractions we miss the most Orange County Register 2019 08 21 Retrieved 2022 12 30 Sky Cabin has re opened at Knott s MiceChat Retrieved 2022 12 30 Motorcycle Chase Knott s Berry Farm 1976 photograph of a steeplechase style roller coaster with car ride combination Walter Knott OC Historyland Retrieved 2023 01 06 Mystery Lodge IMDb com Knott s Mystery Lodge BRC Imagination Arts Archived from the original on 2012 11 03 Retrieved 2013 05 29 Knott s Berry Farm Mystery Lodge PDF BRC Imagination Arts Archived from the original PDF on December 21 2013 The J M Smucker Company Acquires Knott s Berry Farm Food Brand From ConAgra Foods Inc Retrieved January 25 2024 Knott s Berry Farm brand discontinued at grocery stores Conagra Brands May 12 2008 Retrieved January 8 2024 Reckard E Scott December 19 1998 Knott s Parent Firm to Buy Hotel Next to Theme Park The Los Angeles Times Retrieved January 8 2024 Reckard E Scott June 15 2000 Knott s Owner Hopes Water Park and Hotel Renovation Bear Fruit The Los Angeles Times Retrieved January 8 2024 Mello Michael August 13 2012 Knott s Perilous Plunge s days are numbered The Orange County Register Retrieved February 28 2014 Buck Fielding June 14 2013 KNOTT S BERRY FARM Garner Holt shares Log Ride experiences The Press Enterprise The Press Enterprise Retrieved September 12 2016 permanent dead link a b New For 2014 KNOTT S ANNOUNCES MAJOR PLANS FOR 2014 Knott s Berry Farm Archived from the original on December 3 2013 Knott s Berry Farm Amusement Park Coronavirus Update MacDonald Brady May 8 2020 Knott s Berry Farm postpones 100th anniversary celebration until 2021 new ride ready to open The Press Enterprise The Press Enterprise Retrieved August 28 2020 Marketplace Reopening Knott s Berry Farm 6 May 2020 Retrieved August 28 2020 Knott s Taste of Fall O Ween 2020 General Review Featuring Special Guest Zombie Joe 27 September 2020 Knott s Berry Farm cancels Taste of Merry Farm through Christmas due to stay at home order 7 December 2020 The Golden Ticket Awards Presented by Amusement Today 28 October 2020 Knott s Berry Farm 2021 Season Passholder Preview days Knott s Berry Farm Archived from the original on April 16 2021 Retrieved April 16 2021 Knott s Berry Farm Announces New Additions Cision Wire November 1 2012 Archived from the original on June 11 2015 Retrieved November 1 2012 PIMENTEL JOSEPH 22 February 2016 Knott s Berry Farm wraps up Rip Tide ride The Orange County Register Retrieved May 25 2016 EADES MARK 20 April 2016 Mrs Knott s Chicken Dinner Restaurant reopens with a new look but same chicken The Orange County Register Retrieved May 25 2016 Wipeout at Knott s Berry Farm Themeparkinsider com Archived from the original on April 1 2015 Retrieved March 24 2017 a b c d Coming In 2017 New Thrill Ride Knott s Soak City Expansion Ghost Town Alive and expanded Boysenberry Festival Knotts com Archived from the original on November 6 2016 Retrieved March 24 2017 Knott s Partnering With VRStudios on a New Attraction Coaster101 com February 1 2017 Retrieved March 24 2017 Eades Mark 18 March 2017 Knott s closing its Boomerang coaster for good Ocregister com Retrieved March 24 2017 March 7 2017 Knott s Berry Farm Update Parkjourney com Retrieved March 24 2017 Niles Robert January 7 2022 Knott s Will Renovate Its Montezooma s Revenge Coaster Theme Park Insider Archived from the original on January 8 2022 Retrieved January 8 2022 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 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 Pak Ellyn October 22 2007 A love for creeping people out Orange County Register p 1 Retrieved July 29 2011 MacDonald Brady October 5 2007 Knott s green witch scares because she cares Los Angeles Times Retrieved July 29 2011 Adventures in Education Knott s Berry Farm 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 The Scary Vine Knott s Berry Farm Vol 14 No 10 October 9 2009 Scare School YouTube Archived from the original on 2021 11 18 Retrieved 31 January 2019 Forsyth Jessica Bewitched Coast magazine Oct 2008 pp 42 3 Newport Beach CA Owens Jana October 19 2007 Halloween Haunt brings thrills and chills to Knott s Daily 49er Retrieved July 13 2014 Cassandra Peterson s MySpace page Archived December 10 2006 at the Wayback Machine Fadroski Kelli Skye September 27 2012 Elvira returns to Knott s Halloween Haunt The Orange County Register Retrieved October 1 2012 MacDonald Brady March 20 2022 Boysenberry Festival kicks off with plenty of purple tongues The Orange County Register pp 1 8 Merritt Christopher and Lynxwiler J Eric Knott s Preserved From Boyenberry to Theme Park the History of Knott s Berry Farm Anniversary Edition p 83 Angel City Press 2015 ISBN 978 1 62640 085 6 Ghost Town amp Calico Railway p 59 Knott s Berry Farm Ghost Town Buena Park California 1953 Nygaard Norman E Walter Knott Twentieth Century Pioneer pp 93 4 Zondervan Publishing House Grand Rapids Michigan 1965 Holmes Roger and Bailey Paul Fabulous Farmer The Story of Walter Knott and his Berry Farm pp 125 6 Westernlore Publishers Los Angeles California 1956 Kooiman Helen Walter Knott Keeper of the Flame pp 132 147 Plycon Press Fullerton California 1973 a b c d e Rides Knott s Berry Farm Knotts com Retrieved 2017 11 18 Tourist amp Museum Railways in California sinfin net The Register Calico Mine Thrillz co Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 31 January 2019 Mirgoli Nicholous 20 April 2014 Knott s Berry Farm Trip Report April 2014 Calico Mine Train Refurbishment and Knott s Berry Bloom ThemeParkOverload net Retrieved April 30 2014 Steam Locomotive Information Steamlocomotive info Montezooma s Revenge Rcdb com Steam Locomotive Information Steamlocomotive info Cable Cars at Knott s Berry Farm section of Cable Car Lines in Other California Cities by Joe Thompson 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 a b Solomon Andrew 26 October 2016 Mental Illness Is Not a Horror Show The New York Times Retrieved October 27 2016 Pimental Joseph 6 September 2016 Halloween meets virtual reality as Oculus powers FearVR 5150 at Knott s Scary Farm The Orange Country Register Retrieved October 27 2016 Hamm Catharine 28 September 2016 Halloween Haunt Knott s Berry Farm shuts down Fear VR attraction Los Angeles Times Retrieved October 27 2016 Bharath Deepa 29 September 2016 Knott s closes Halloween attraction Fear VR after complaints from mental health advocates The Orange County Register Retrieved October 27 2016 Pimentel Joseph 29 September 2016 Thousands sign counter petition to reopen Knott s VR Halloween attraction The Orange Country Register Retrieved October 27 2016 Peek Kyle Behind The Thrills Soak City San Diego to become Aquatica San Diego Behindthethrills com Retrieved 31 January 2019 a b c Orange County Sheriff s Museum Ocsheriffmuseum com Archived from the original on 24 February 2019 Retrieved 31 January 2019 Knott s Berry Farms Products Knottsberryfarmfoods com Archived from the original on 2017 12 13 Retrieved 2015 02 12 The Knott s Berry Farm Brand is Officially Dead Inside The Magic January 17 2024 Retrieved January 19 2024 OCTA Bus Book OCTA LACMTA Express Line 460 PDF LACMTA TEA AECOM 2008 Global Attractions Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2008 Retrieved June 25 2014 TEA AECOM 2009 Global Attractions Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2009 Archived from the original PDF on June 2 2010 Retrieved June 25 2014 a b TEA AECOM 2011 Global Attractions Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2011 Archived from the original PDF on October 18 2015 Retrieved June 25 2014 a b TEA AECOM 2013 Global Attractions Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2014 Archived from the original PDF on June 6 2014 Retrieved June 25 2014 TEA AECOM 2014 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2015 Archived from the original PDF on 2015 06 26 Retrieved June 4 2015 TEA AECOM 2015 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2016 Archived from the original PDF on June 18 2016 Retrieved May 29 2016 TEA AECOM 2017 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2019 Archived from the original PDF on June 2 2017 Retrieved February 26 2017 TEA AECOM 2017 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2018 Retrieved November 28 2019 TEA AECOM 2018 Global Attractions Attendance Report Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2018 Archived from the original PDF on 2015 06 26 Retrieved November 28 2019 TEA AECOM 2019 Global Attractions Attendance Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2019 Archived from the original PDF on 2015 06 26 Retrieved October 22 2021 TEA AECOM 2020 Global Attractions Attendance Report PDF Themed Entertainment Association 2021 Retrieved October 22 2021 Palicki Martin 2021 TEA AECOM 2021 Theme Index and Museum Index The Global Attractions Attendance Report PDF AECOM External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Knott s Berry Farm Official website Knott s Berry Farm at the Roller Coaster DataBase Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Knott 27s Berry Farm amp oldid 1207534982, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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