KBF Trip Plan

I'm going to Knotts on a Friday in August for the first time and have a few qeustions. When the park opens should I go straight to Xcelerator? And if so, then what should I ride next? I will only be spending a few hours at the park becuase of a shortage of time. I want to hit all the coasters and a few of the other good rides. Any help of which rides to hit first to avoid huge lines would be very appreciated.

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Steel: 1)MF, 2)Goliath, 3)Magnum
Wood: 1)Villain, 2)Beast, 3)Roar(SFMW)

I would go to Xcelerator Ghostrider and Perilous Plunge first. Then do the other coasters and get some more rides on Xcelerator and Ghostrider.

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-Sean
In 4 Days My 100th Coaster will be HyperSonic XLC

Actually, you will want to do Ghostrider first then Xcelerator. Ghostrider is still bringing in larger lines than Xcelerator from what I have seen. Anything else can pretty much be done whenever.

I'd do what SpoungeBob suggests. Ghostrider is the very first ride folks come across in the park, and will therefore be the thing that gets the longest line first. Xcelerator may have a few peeps run to it, but by the time you get off Ghostie the Xcelerator line will not be too bad.

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Nothing... NOTHING... can prepare you for... the Fourth Dimension!

Game plan:
Arrive at 8:30 am. They open promptly @9 after the star spangled banner is played.
Run to ghostrider. Make sure you get there immediately.
Then go to Perilous Plunge (if you want).
Then bigfoot rapids (if you want).
Then supreme scream.
Then bommerang.
Then montezummas revenge.
Then Xcelerator.
then jaguar (if you want).
then log ride.
then calico mine ride (a reallly long ride).
then mystery lodge.

Ghostrider tends to get lines of 2 hours while on the other side of the park, Xcelerator is 20-30 minutes. Very strange.

Thanks for your help. I probably go to Ghostrider, then Xcelerator and go from there.

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Steel: 1)MF, 2)Goliath, 3)Magnum
Wood: 1)Villain, 2)Beast, 3)Roar(SFMW)

If supreme scream is running all 3 towers the line usually moves very quickly, as opposed to just 2 towers running and a full queue. if xcelerator's closed, get you money back.

Does GR not run 2 trains or something? Why the long lines?

Because it is at the front of the park and it is really popular. That's why.

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A CoasterForum Member
www.thrillnetwork.com/boards/index.php?referrerid=211

Its just the closest coaster to the front of the park as well as a ride that can be seen as people approach the front of the park. Naturally, it is the first that they head to.

Its kind of like Raptor at CP filling up quickly and Magnum slowly getting a crowd, since Raptor is the closest coaster on the main midway and Magnum is near the back of the park.

I agree, Ghostrider, then Xcelerator (you could get a couple of wait free rides here), Boomerang (won't have a line; its worth it then), Perilous (if you want to get soaked), or Monte and Jaguar.

Come early to Knotts and stay late!

I say hit Supreme Scream in place of Boomerang CoasterFanMatt. Boomerang is a dud and don't waste your time getting on it. That is unless you've never been on one and want to try it.

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A CoasterForum Member
www.thrillnetwork.com/boards/index.php?referrerid=211

Oops. I forgot Supreme Scream altogether! Yeah, certainly replace Boomerang with that.

What I meant regarding Boomerang is that its not a very good ride, but its still worth the credit in your track record, so go on it early when you don't have to wait for it. IMO, its not worth waiting more than 10 minutes for.

Xcelerator has been a front seat walk on already during the weekdays in the afternoon, but friday will be much more crowded.

Ghostrider is also discovery channel's #4 coaster.

Well if Xcelerator is closed for you like it was for me, I have no dought that Ghostrider will make up for it. I was so depressed because of Xcelerator, but after riding Ghostie in the back at night, I totally forgot about how depressed I was and didn't even care that I missed out on Xcelerator.

Like Speedy said, get your money back if Xcelerator isn't open, we did. They were very nice about it too. Basically I got free rides on my now favorite wooden coaster.

I forgot to add this. If you eat in the park, be sure to get a funnel cake with boysenberry jam on it. Mmmmm, I want another one now.

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Top 5:
5)Raptor 4) Goliath 3) Ghostrider 2) Apollo's Chariot 1) Millennium Force

*** This post was edited by coastingohio on 7/27/2002. ***

Is Xcelerator down a lot? Seems like a couple of people haven't been able to ride. What do you mean get your money back? They'll give you your admission back if you Xcelerator is down???

Also, does GR's line die down later in the day? I mean, just using the Raptor example, Raptor starts the day with 1.5 hr wait (on a busy Sat.) but by mid afternoon, around peak time, it's down to half an hr. or 45 min.

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A rollercoaster? What's that?

If you enter the park and the closed ride list doesn't include Xcelerator, but it is closed for some reason, head to the Guest Relations center (the Info center) near the exit to the park, and speak with an officer. Sheri is usually the one in charge. She'll comfort you, but she probably won't give you a refund unless you're from far away and can't come back on a complimentary ticket (which is their more standard refund). Other items they have known to hand out include KBF food gift baskets, gift certificates, and front of the line passes. Don't bother if the sign at the front says it's closed and it is (it may open up).

GHOSTRIDER is the most popular ride in the park. It's line builds to over an hour and 45 minutes on saturdays, when the line starts way before the switchbacks. It won't be bad if there are quick ride ops (no stacking) and the lne is all within the queue house (below the station), say 50-60 minutes.

Xcelerator's capacity seems to be much higher than ghostrider (at least when they get it down to 1 min 30 seconds launch to launch), many people are scared to fainting (some people have fainted watching it run), and most every seat is occupied due to assigned seating (only the front car can have an empty seat). A warning though: THE FRONT CAR LINE WILL BE UP TO 4 TIMES AS LONG WHEN THE QUEUE LENGTHS FOR THE 2 LINES SEEM TO BE THE SAME. NEVER, UNLESS YOU WANT A PICTURE AND THE FRONT CAR QUEUE IS JUST 1/3 DOWN THE RAMP, WAIT IN THE RIGHT LINE. This is sometimes the queue time the ride ops quote when they tell you the line time, but no matter what they are always wrong.

Here are the line times when the line is at various spots.
-The entire ramp is full, 15 minutes
-Vending machines, 30 minutes
-2 switchbacks, 45 minutes
-4 switchbacks, 60 minutes
-entire switchbacks, 75 minutes
-entrance to ride, 100 minutes

You'll probably encounter a 30 miniutes line when you go, depending on what time. the line gets long at around 2 pm, but before then it is about 25 minutes MAX.

Thanks for the suggestions. I can't wait to go. And if Xcelerator is closed and is not on the ride closures board I would think they'd refund my money since I'm from Portland Oregon and can't get down there easily.

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Steel: 1)MF, 2)Goliath, 3)Magnum
Wood: 1)Villain, 2)Beast, 3)Roar(SFMW)