Knott's Berry Farm, 10/21/09. Awesome empty school day, broke personal best for total rides, Dads first visit since Feb, 05

Hours: 10-5:30. Due to recent events in my life, scheduling conflicts, ride closures, skipping summer vacation, and a hugely failed attempt to visit the park in June, this is the first "full" visit I have had to KBF since May 8. This is the longest time elapsed between two KBF visits I have had since 2005. Just to clarify, I actually did go on 6/17, but the park was the most crowded I have ever seen. There were two hour lines on the "top" rides and 60-90 mins waits on the smaller coasters, water rides and flat rides. That day I only stayed for 1 hour and got on three rides before the lines were so terrible that I just left. I hardly even count that as a visit, but I sure made up for it today. I got on 53 total rides which is the most I have ever rode at any park in one day. My old record at KBF was 47 which I did in 2005 and my record at SFMM is 43. My dad also went with me today and he got on 33 total rides, which we are fairly certain is the most he has ever done in one day too. It was his first visit to the park since Feb, 05. KBF was also my mothers favorite park, but I have already covered my feelings about that in my last SFMM trip report, so I will just leave it at that.

I bought my dad a senior ticket on KBF's website for $15, which was actually $18 after fees. Still a good deal since it would have been $23.99 at the park. Also at the end of the day, two ride ops on the Silver Bullet were talking. One of them said that he asked to be transferred from the Pony Express to a different ride because he was sick of arguing with guests about the loose article policy and also because most of the people who ride PE get back to the station and start talking about how much they disliked the ride. I found this amusing because my dad and I were talking about PE earlier in the day after we rode it. Today was the first time my dad had ever rode it and I have been telling him how bad it was since I rode it last May. My dad agreed with everything I have been telling him about how it is the worst coaster I have ever rode and how unbelievable it is that PE and Terminator Salvation, which we love, cost the same amount of money. My dad also rode Sierra Sidewinder for the first time today. We both think that one is a lot of fun and rode it 8 times today.

We also took a look at the Xcelerator, but there isn't very much I can report. There was some kind of yellow brace on the track, near an area where some of the fins have been removed. There is also a long section of track which has been removed from the brake run. Also, the trains appear to have been partially dismantled.

Here is the day in order:

GhostRider: twice, walk ons. Only switched rows.

Sierra Sidewinder: 3 times, walk ons. Only switched rows. My dad first times riding it. He enjoyed it very much.

Silver Bullet: twice, walk ons. Only switched rows.

Jaguar: twice, walk ons. Stayed in our seats.

Montezooma's Revenge: twice, walk ons. Only switched rows.

La Revolucion: twice, walk ons. Stayed in our seats.

Waveswinger: once, walk on.

Dragon Swing: once, walk on.

Supreme Scream: twice, walk ons. Stayed in our seats.

Boomerang: twice, walk ons. Sat in back then moved to front row.

Timber Mountain Log Ride: once, walk on.

Calico Mine Ride: once, walk on.

GhostRider: twice, walk ons. Only switched rows.

Silver Bullet: 3 times. Twice without leaving our seats then moved to front row.

Sierra Sidewinder: twice, walk ons. Only switched rows.

Montezooma's Revenge: twice, walk ons. Front row then moved to back.

Jaguar: once, walk on.

La Revolucion: once, walk on.

Supreme Scream: twice, walk ons. Stayed in our seats.

Boomerang: once, walk on.

Pony Express: 3 times, walk ons. Stayed in our seats twice, then switched rows. My dad first times riding it and the park was deserted so might as well ride it, since it is a coaster. You probably already read what we think of it. Check out my ranked track record if you like. Hint: start at the bottom.

GhostRider: twice, walk ons. Only switched rows.

Silver Bullet: 3 times, walk ons. Stayed in our seats twice, then moved to front row.

Sierra Sidewinder: 3 times, walk ons. Stayed in our seats.

Montezooma's Revenge: twice, walk ons. Front row then moved to the back.

Jaguar: once, walk onto front row.

Supreme Scream: twice, walk ons. Stayed in our seats.

Boomerang: once, walk on.

Silver Bullet: once, walk on. Park closed while I was on the ride.

53 total rides: GhostRider-6, Sierra Sidewinder-8, Silver Bullet-9, Jaguar-4, Montezooma's Revenge-6, La Revolucion-3, Waveswinger-1, Dragon Swing-1, Supreme Scream-6, Boomerang-4, Timber Mountain Log Ride-1, Calico Mine Ride-1, Pony Express-3

I've gone a couple day on weekdays before Haunt and actually left early because I was getting bored from riding the same things over and over and over again. The entire park was a Ghost Town, not just a section of it. ;)

I have not been to the park for a few years, so I have not experienced Sierra Sidewinder or Pony Express. What makes Pony Express so bad? What is the loose article policy on the ride that people are complaining about?

Yes, the entire park has been a Ghost Town almost everytime I have been there on a school day. There have been times I have left early for the same reason you did, including a visit on 1/14/09 in which I got on 41 rides in 5 hours and only stayed from 12-5. Except for holiday periods, almost any weekday between Sept and May is like this.

The loose article policy people complain about is the same one which has been talked about on this site before. No glasses even with straps, no baseball caps even if they are worn tighty, no skull caps even though they fit tightly around your whole head. I find it amusing that I have been allowed to ride almost everything at SFMM with either a baseball cap or a jacket around my waist, but KBF is so strict on such a small, forceless coaster. Pony Express is barely even a kiddie coaster in my opinion. My dad and I agreed that the Timberline Twister at KBF and Canyon Blaster at MM are both more fun than PE. PE is extremely short, has virtually no forces of any kind and is the most boring, pointless coaster we have ever been on. It is the only coaster I have ever rode that when it was over my first thought was that I didn't enjoy it.

The ride op said that people would exit PE and be upset that they had to remove their glasses or hat to ride such a weak coaster. My dad thought the same thing and agreed with what I have been saying since it opened, that it is a piece of junk. When I went to KBF in May I got a good laugh when a 7 or 8 year old boy had just exited the GhostRider at the same time I did. His father (I assume) asked him if he wanted to ride PE next. The boy responded, "No, I don't want to ride that one, it sucks". Our thoughts exactly.

Addict, it's nice to see you got another solid trip in with your dad.

I probably bet your mother is looking thinking: "You two go out and have fun, but I've got the best seat for the show!" May she rest in peace.

Hopman, thank you, I appreciate that. I am glad my dad and I had another great park trip. We were thinking kind of the same thing. She is watching us and is happy that we can visit parks and ride coasters together like we used to.

I'm glad that even though we've never met face-to-face and are opposet coasts, I'm glad I that I can be some support mo friend.

If I may make an observation. I belive that riding coasters with your is part of the healing process for both of you. I'm willing to bet that your mom's spirit is riding the coasters and rides right next to you.

I agree and am grateful for the support. I do feel that we have somewhat of a friendship (as much as is possible thru an anonymous message board) even though we have not met. The kind words are helpful and it is nice to know that somebody is reading my posts about what is happening and cares enough to respond. I also appreciate what everybody said in response to my last trip report as well as the private messages I have received. I agree that riding is part of the healing process for us since it has been part of our lives for so long and my dad has been unable to do so as much as he would like due to his huge responsibilities of the last 3 1/2 years. I feel that my mom's spirit is next to us on the rides too.