Knott's Berry Farm: General Discussion

[Sam]

Come the morning of September 4th, Hydro at Oakwood will be an only child. Knott's Berry Farm have confirmed they plan to remove Perilous Plunge after Labor Day, the only other Intamin River Plunge in the world.

I absolutely adored Hydro when I rode it, and was eagerly looking forward to PP. But for some reason, when I rode it in 2009, it was just incredibly painful and boring - nothing at all like I remember Hydro.

Maybe it's because I'd grown (I visited Oakwood in 2005) and the restraints didn't fit me anymore. Or maybe it was something different with the ride. It did have a different layout.

Anyway, bon voyage Perilous Plunge, don't speak ill of the dead and all that.

Knott's Perilous Plunge's days are numbered
By MICHAEL MELLO / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Knott's management said Monday that the ride will shut down for good following Labor Day.

"Perilous Plunge has carried thousands of visitors over its 12-year tenure at Knott's," park General Manager Raffi Kaprelyan said, "so we wanted to invite guests out to give it a proper send-off."

A brief release about the closure did not detail why the ride will be shut down except a teaser: "Future plans for the site are scheduled to be released shortly."

Unconfirmed reports of a new ride have worked their way around the park in recent weeks.

Perilous Plunge is a three minute-long ride that ends with a 115-foot drop, thoroughly soaking up to 24 riders at a time.

The ride will close just short of its 12th anniversary; it opened in mid-September 2000. Though a popular ride, it has had its problems.

About a year after it opened, restraints failed to keep an obese woman in her seat, resulting in her falling to her death. After the accident, state regulators forced Knott's to redesign the ride; it re-opened eight months later.

Screamscape reckons they'll replace it with a giga coaster, similar to Skyrush.

 

[BigAl]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Don't they want to sell it? If it's still the steepest water ride (is it? ) in the world then surely it must be worth something?

 

[Benzin]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Another Intamin death machine bites the dust...

 

[Sazzle]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

I rode Hydro in 2010 and found it to be incredibly uncomfortable - the restraints were solid metal with no padding, there was absolutely no room at all to move, and the loading took FOREVER because the staff were meticulously ramming down every restraint to within an inch of the guests life.

They've both had bad, bad publicity, and aside from losing one of the steepest water rides in the world, I wouldn't complain if Oakwood removed their version.

Poor Perilous Plunge... may bigger and better things do your footprint proud!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Sam]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Screamscape reckons that the new coaster could possibly use the splashdown of Perilous Plunge, adding fuel to the fire that this will be a B&M megacoaster.

Few shots of the ride removal:

More here.

 

[Mankey]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

I'd be amazed if they didn't take advantage of that pool! Dive machine?

 

[Harv]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Is it just me that thinks that second picture looks like RCT3 when you delete part of a track and you just get a little bit left standing on it's own?

Still quite sad, I love water rides 'n all that. Still, the splash pool is enough reason for a new exciting development in years to come.

 

[Sam]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

2013 - New Attraction(s) / New Coaster - Rumor - (9/24/12) More rumors leaking in on Knott’s future plans. The latest word claims that in addition to a couple of flat rides, the parks next coaster may also be added… but it would only be something the size of a Mad Mouse style coaster. Can you say capacity nightmare? Disney has had enough capacity problems with their own mouse coaster down the road. Not to mention Knott’s has a pretty extensive collection of tiny family friendly coasters already: Jaguar, Pony Express, Sierra Sidewinder and Timberline Twister.

I kinda like it, but KBF is a bit of a joke of a park.

 

[Sam]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Yep, the Mad Mouse rumour was true.

Knots Berry Farm Announces "Coast Rider" Roller Coaster. The 52 foot ascent to the top of Coast Rider will have everyone clinging to the handrails for the ultimate family coaster experience. The adventure aboard the ride gives guests the feeling of riding the California coast, but once they reach the crest, it is a harrowing journey down the 1,339 feet of track filled with hairpin turns, twists and spins.

That's the new coaster in orange, to the left of the purple Boomerang.

Oh dear!

 

[Adam James]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

So basically a Tidal Wave is being replaced by a Lego Jungle Coaster?

What a disappointment for Knotts fans. (On a side note, the concept drawing is very nice!)

 

[CGM]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

A wild mouse? I thought they stopped being cool over a decade ago. Why does Knott's even need more family coasters? Their newest coasters are Sierra Sidewinder and Pony Express. The last big addition was Silver Bullet. That was eight years ago!

 

[Sam]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Continuing with Cedar Fair's brutal coaster cull, next up for the chop is Boomerang at Knotts.

Park News - (11/14/12) Continuing on with the subject of Cedar Fair looking to remove an older coasters from each park in the chain, a new rumor came in this week indicating that Knott’s may also opt to remove their Boomerang sometime in the next 5 years. For the last 3-4 months I’ve been hearing little rumors about possible coaster removals from many of the Cedar Fair parks, which makes me wonder if the corporate office has asked each park to nominate one for possible removal. Sort of like The Hunger Games… but with old coasters. May the thrills be forever in your favor!

I have to say, I completely agree with this plan of clearing out the old crap from these parks. Not one of the coasters up for the chop has any real value, and most of them are eyesores. Knotts was kinda fun as it was my first (and to date, only) boomerang, but really, the ride was rubbish.

 

[Tim]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

I'm slightly concerned if management really have told each park to "rip out one old coaster to make the line up seem more modern". Seems a waste to remove a ride just because it looks old.

Having said that there aren't any rides that have been announced to be leaving that sound especially good.

 

[Sazzle]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

I would hazard a guess they've been asked to nominate a ride for removal with a view to create plans for new additions from the empty space?

I'd like to think so, anyway :-/.

Shame a boomerang is up for the chop - the old ones are golden! Except where they're hideously rough Vekoma contraptions...

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[BigAl]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

The park has released details about an upcoming renovation of their Timber Mountain ride:

Knott’s Berry Farm Updates a Classic
Timber Mountain Log Ride Will Undergo Major Renovation

Buena Park, CA – The oldest log flume ride in the country will be the beneficiary of a multi-million dollar refurbishment and restoration project that will begin this January. The classic attraction which opened at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1969 was the second log flume ride in the U.S.

The $3.5 million attraction was originally funded entirely by its designer Bud Hurlbut who had previously designed Knott’s Berry Farm’s classic Calico Mine Ride. Hurlbut, a pioneer in the theme park attraction industry, wanted his flume ride to be a completely immersive experience. The Calico Log Ride, as it was originally named, takes guests through an 85-foot-high by 330-foot-long mountain range themed to a nineteenth-century lumber camp. The ride, housed in an eight-story building, includes 24,000 gallons of water that circulates free floating logs past a variety of mechanical figures and taxidermied animals culminating in a forty-two-foot free fall.

The much anticipated attraction opened in July 11, 1969 with screen legend John Wayne taking the inaugural ride. The Knott’s Timber Mountain Log Ride remains the most popular ride in the park, surpassing all of Knott’s other attractions in ridership.

“The Timber Mountain Log Ride not only embodies the spirit of Knott’s Berry Farm, but it also set the bar for all themed attractions that came after,” says Raffi Kaprelyan, Knott’s general manager who worked for Bud Hurlbut from 1979-1983. “Bud Hurlbut made numerous contributions to Knott’s Berry Farm, but I think that the Timber Mountain Log Ride remains his crowning achievement.”

Garner Holt Productions of San Bernardino will assist in the revitalization project that is expected to take five months. Garner Holt is the world’s largest designer and manufacturer of animatronics for theme parks, museums, dining and retail locations and has built nearly 3,000 animatronic figures and hundreds of animated props and show action systems. Garner Holt will work with the Knott’s team to upgrade all the ride figures and sets as well as add new scenes and characters to enhance the ride experience while still maintaining the original theming and storyline of the attraction.

About Knott’s Berry Farm:
The Knott’s Berry Farm property includes Knott’s Berry Farm theme park with dozens of rides, shows and attractions; the 321 room Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel with 20,000 square feet of meeting space; the Knott’s MarketPlace shopping and dining area and the 13-acre Knott’s Soak City Water Park.

About Cedar Fair:
Knott’s Berry Farm is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FUN.” In addition to Knott's Berry Farm, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks, four water parks, one indoor water park, and five hotels. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in California under a management contract.

Source.

 

[BigAl]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Apparently all of the Windseeker rides at Cedar Fair parks are down and Knott's Berry Farm have workers at their own ride attempting to get it back open for February 2nd. Does anyone know the exact reason why they're all closed?

???

 

[DiogoJ42]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

At a guess, because they are dangerous death traps?

 

[BigAl]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Well it now sounds like the Windseeker isn't opening again. There must be something seriously wrong with them!

 

[Alastair]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

Well it now sounds like the Windseeker isn't opening again. There must be something seriously wrong with them!

The problem is they all break down for hours at a time when 300ft in the air! That's not something that they could have ignored for very long.

 

[Ian]

Re: Knott's Berry Farm removing Perilous Plunge

A massive cable, and a hand crank to wind it down with...