Questions about Knotts Berry Farm

[luvgoing2disney]

We will be staying at HoJo's and will go one day to KBF, using the city bus, (460 I believe is the route number) If the park opens at 10 on Monday, Memorial Day, what time should be plan on leaving to arrive at opening? How much earlier that park opening time should we plan on being there? Can you get most of the park done in that one day?

 

[DizNee Luver]

I can't advise totally on this......we went last August & got there after opening & the park was virtually empty!! One day will be more than enough. Our family ranged from 3, 3, 5, 9, 21, 23, 25 & adults. We were done in 3 hours. Not enough for the 5 & 9 yr old to do.....the kiddie rides are mostly for toddlers & the thrill rides weren't an option for them. Even my thrill seekers were bored after a few hours.

I used to love this park, but since it was bought out, I found it to be a lot of cement & tracks........garbage everywhere, gum everywhere & the prices for food was ridiculous!!! (yes even higher than Disney!!)

Just wanted to voice our experience. Hope you have a better time than we did.

 

[skiingfast]

For Knotts I would try to show up 15 minutes early. Being Memorial Day it might be busy. It has a lot of rollercoasters so if it's busy they can get long lines, that would make it hard to do it all. But getting there early can let you get in a bunch of rides in the morning.

As an alternative to the bus, graylines runs tour buses up from hotels around DL. Could take more time, but I know I have seen them run specials, ticket+ride for the price of a ticket.

 

[luvgoing2disney]

I can't advise totally on this......we went last August & got there after opening & the park was virtually empty!! One day will be more than enough. Our family ranged from 3, 3, 5, 9, 21, 23, 25 & adults. We were done in 3 hours. Not enough for the 5 & 9 yr old to do.....the kiddie rides are mostly for toddlers & the thrill rides weren't an option for them. Even my thrill seekers were bored after a few hours.

I used to love this park, but since it was bought out, I found it to be a lot of cement & tracks........garbage everywhere, gum everywhere & the prices for food was ridiculous!!! (yes even higher than Disney!!)

Just wanted to voice our experience. Hope you have a better time than we did.

The makeup of your group has ages similar to ours. There will be a total of ten ranging from 9 to 80 (yep 80, but a very youthful 80--not me, BTW. ) Most of the group enjoys thrill rides, in fact that's why we are going there. We're going to buy the tickets for around $45.00 which includes a meal. Of course, there will be snacks bought during the day in addition to the meal.

 

[jdb in AZ]

How's their fried chicken dinner these daze? We haven't been to KBF for years and years -- the rides just don't compare. DH conned me into going on a roller coaster that goes upside down. Spent the rest of the day with a migraine. Not my idear of a good time, but your results may vary.

 

[DizNee Luver]

The makeup of your group has ages similar to ours. There will be a total of ten ranging from 9 to 80 (yep 80, but a very youthful 80--not me, BTW. ) Most of the group enjoys thrill rides, in fact that's why we are going there. We're going to buy the tickets for around $45.00 which includes a meal. Of course, there will be snacks bought during the day in addition to the meal.

LOL.....we had 10 in our group!! The adults were late 40's & MIL 80.....how funny is that?!!!!!
If you can bring in your own drinks....I'd do it.....if I recall, the soda from the vending machines were $4 each.....

How's their fried chicken dinner these daze? We haven't been to KBF for years and years -- the rides just don't compare. DH conned me into going on a roller coaster that goes upside down. Spent the rest of the day with a migraine. Not my idear of a good time, but your results may vary.

Now I will say......that Mrs Knott's Chicken Dinner was the best thing from our day at Knotts!!! We will make the trip over JUST for this again!!!! SOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!

I went on the wooden coaster thinking that would be fun....it was the most scared I'd ever been in my life. I have fibromyalgia & had no idea how badly you get shook & jerked on this type of coaster.....holy moly I wanted to die before it was over..........I could hardly move for the remainder of our trip.....bad, bad, bad.......lol

 

[CrazyDuck]

Our family ranged from 3, 3, 5, 9, 21, 23, 25 & adults.

You don't consider 21, 23 & 25 adults?

 

[Dizneydaz]

The fried chicken is still delicious! We get it at the to-go location next to Mrs. Knott's and love it! Ask for it hot from the kitchen.

It will be crowded on Memorial Day. Unlike DLR the Knott's is slow loading so just be prepared for that.

I love Knott's for what it is. If you love thrill rides Xcelerator is awesome!

My DD11's 6th grade class is going there for a field trip on May 25th and she can't wait to finally be tall enough to Xcelerator.

Experience Knott's with an open mind. It's America's first theme park. Don't just do the thrill rides. Check out the original things. The graveyard-find the thumping heart grave. The old school house. The Calico Mine Train. The Log Ride. The Stagecoach. The Bottle House. Ghost Town. If it's hot ride Bigfoot Rapids. The Wild West Show. If you had younger kids I would rec. Camp Snoopy.

I have to agree about Ghost Rider (the wooden coaster). It is very rough and painful to ride. After my last ride my back was really itchy from all the blood flowing to it. DD11 didn't like it either.

Drinks at Knott's are very expensive, more than Disney. And they serve Pepsi, not Coke. They do bag checks at Knott's-for food and weapons. You won't be able to bring in your own sodas. Bottled water yes, no sodas. You could bring a small (collapsable) ice chest and put it in an outside locker if you want. I usually just drink water while there.

If you don't want to have the fried chicken one of Orange County's best restaurant chains (small chains) is The Claim Jumper. Great foodk, huge (shareable) servings. There is one just across the street from Knott's on the corner of Beach and La Palma. An easy walk from Knott's. Just go North from Knott's, it's right across the street.

 

[luvgoing2disney]

The fried chicken is still delicious! We get it at the to-go location next to Mrs. Knott's and love it! Ask for it hot from the kitchen.

It will be crowded on Memorial Day. Unlike DLR the Knott's is slow loading so just be prepared for that.

I love Knott's for what it is. If you love thrill rides Xcelerator is awesome!

My DD11's 6th grade class is going there for a field trip on May 25th and she can't wait to finally be tall enough to Xcelerator.

Experience Knott's with an open mind. It's America's first theme park. Don't just do the thrill rides. Check out the original things. The graveyard-find the thumping heart grave. The old school house. The Calico Mine Train. The Log Ride. The Stagecoach. The Bottle House. Ghost Town. If it's hot ride Bigfoot Rapids. The Wild West Show. If you had younger kids I would rec. Camp Snoopy.

I have to agree about Ghost Rider (the wooden coaster). It is very rough and painful to ride. After my last ride my back was really itchy from all the blood flowing to it. DD11 didn't like it either.

Drinks at Knott's are very expensive, more than Disney. And they serve Pepsi, not Coke. They do bag checks at Knott's-for food and weapons. You won't be able to bring in your own sodas. Bottled water yes, no sodas. You could bring a small (collapsable) ice chest and put it in an outside locker if you want. I usually just drink water while there.

If you don't want to have the fried chicken one of Orange County's best restaurant chains (small chains) is The Claim Jumper. Great foodk, huge (shareable) servings. There is one just across the street from Knott's on the corner of Beach and La Palma. An easy walk from Knott's. Just go North from Knott's, it's right across the street.

Wonderful tips! Thanks so much!

 

[Dizneydaz]

You're welcome.

 

[DizNee Luver]

You don't consider 21, 23 & 25 adults?

They're my sons......so they'll always be "my kids"....but yes, they are adults as well. When I told people we were taking our 7 kids & MIL to DL last summer.....it just became a habit to call them just that.....kids!!

 

[spacemermaid]

There's a trip planning feature at metro.net (the website for LA County public transit, which is what the 460 bus is even though Disneyland and Knott's are in Orange County) where you can get specific pickup/dropoff times for the bus.

Since it looks like you'll be doing the Backyard BBQ (the meal that the ticket includes), you'll get to try Knott's famous chicken...yes, it's delicious! Make sure to try some of the boysenberry pie, too. If for some reason you want to eat at the Chicken Dinner Restaurant instead, the chicken pot pie meal is soooooo good!