Knott Your Typical Theme Park

When thinking of theme parks, people usually think of Universal Studios, Disneyland, or Six Flags. Knott’s Berry Farm is a theme park similar to these places, but doesn’t receive the same hype. On March 18th, I finally paid a visit to Knott’s, even though I’ve been living a mere thirty minutes away from it my entire life.

Before I jump into my experience at Knott’s, there are some basics that you should know. Knott’s Berry Farm is located in Orange County, in the city of Buena Park. That’s about a 30 minute drive from Hawthorne. For those of you who wonder, “Why is it called Knott’s Berry Farm?” I have the answer for you! Before it was an amusement park, it actually was a berry farm. It was founded by Cordelia and Walter Knott, and there they planted the boysenberry, a cross of multiple berries. As time went on, Cedar Fair acquired the farm; the business preserves it and maintains it to this day. (Here is the link to their history, if you’re interested in learning more about them! https://www.knotts.com/media-center/history)

Like many theme parks, Knott’s is divided into many different themed areas. These areas include, Calico Park, Ghost Town, Boardwalk, Fiesta Village, Camp Snoopy, and the California Marketplace. If you didn’t know, Knott’s Berry Farm is also home to the Peanut’s gang, which consists of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and their entire crew. The park was pretty big (I didn’t even get to visit Camp Snoopy). For each different section of the park, I also noticed one thing. Every employee was dressed in an outfit that matched where they worked. In Calico Park, there were cowboys holding fake guns, in Ghost Town, ladies were dressed like women from the 1800s. If you were playing an arcade game, or sports game, employees were dressed in referee shirts. At the Fiesta Village, employees wore bright, Hawaiian shirts, while those that were in the Boardwalk dressed in marine-life colors. Whichever part you were in, you really got into the feel of the place. Another thing that makes Knott’s different is their space. I remember visiting other theme parks and I remember how hot, and crowded it was. Knott’s is different; it’s not as crowded and there’s plenty of space. Walkways and sidewalks are huge, so you don’t have to be bumping into people every other minute. There was also many places to sit down and relax. My parents, who usually just sit down and wait for us to finish, were happy to find some place to sit and relax while we ran around the park.

Another thing that makes Knott’s different from other theme parks is how lenient they are about what you can bring. Of course, there are the basic rules about not being able to bring in alcohol and weapons. When walking to the park, there were people with wagons and backpacks filled with jackets, snacks, and other items. My family and I brought some snacks and a couple of water bottles. Knott’s allows you to bring outside food and drinks, which isn’t common in other theme parks. Places like Disneyland and Universal Studios don’t allow you to bring outside food and drinks; thus, forcing you to buy their own items. While it is good for other parks, it is not good for your wallet. Prices for either a soda or water, can be up to $4, while food is usually sold for more than $9. At Knott’s there are souvenir cups that are sold for $10.99; you get a cup that has free refills the day of purchase and $1.00 refills for the rest of the season if you visit again. There is also a souvenir cup that is sold for about $30, and with this cup, you get free refills the entire year. Being able to bring your own snacks, food, or water really helps you save some money. If you wanted to, you could use that money you saved to buy souvenirs or play games to win prizes. If you’re the type to eat at the park, you have a lot of great options. Knott’s has a Johnny Rockets, a Panda Express, a diner, a TGI Friday’s, and their own little eateries. Around the park, you can smell carne asada fries, churros, and funnel cakes! I wanted to buy everything and eat it! My family and I had lunch at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant (located in the California Marketplace, but to get here, you have to exit the park), but we took it to go, so we can eat inside the park. I am not a fan of fried chicken; however, the fried chicken at Knott’s was delicious. We got a 14 piece fried chicken bucket, with a dozen biscuits with boysenberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a side of corn. This was $36.99, but every penny was worth it. Even if you don’t go to the park itself, you do have access to the restaurants at Knott’s, so if you’re ever in the area, make sure to swing by Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant! For dessert, we got a plain sugared funnel cake. It was pretty good, but next time I think I’ll try out the one with berries and ice cream on top. 

Shifting from the basics of the park and the food, it’s time to talk about the main attractions: the rides! There are various types of rides at Knott’s ranging from different ages to different ranges of thrill. The first ride I went on was the Timber Mountain Log Ride. This ride was not what I expected. For some reason, I thought it would go slowly and cruise along, but I was wrong. The ride was full of turns, bumps, and drops. At the end, I was splashed and drenched with water, but I would ride it again and again if it weren’t for the lines. Speaking of lines, wait times are somewhat okay. The longest I waited was about an hour, and the shortest I waited was about 20 minutes. Back to the topic of rides, the ride that I waited for an hour was the Ghost Rider. The Ghost Rider is one of the tallest, wooden roller coaster rides. When you look at it from the outside, it looks slow and lame, but when you ride it, it is filled with surprises. The ride picked up quickly and it felt like I was flying. It zoomed past the track and left everything a blur, and the drops were something I did not expect. If I could, I would ride it numerous times. Jaguar, another roller coaster, was actually pretty mediocre. It had quick twists and turns, but besides that, it was a pretty smooth and quick ride. I was only able to ride a few of the roller coasters that day, but I was fine with that. I actually enjoyed walking around the park and walking into little shops. The park was someplace new, and I know that when I go back, I’ll definitely squeeze in more rides.

If you’re interested in visiting the park, make sure to check their website for ticket prices. You can either buy them online, or at the gate. As for me, I’m a season pass holder. I have the gold pass, which is about $18 a month. My pass includes discounts off of merchandise and some food, and when Soak City opens, I can also get into that park. Also, there are no blackout dates. I can go whenever they are open, and I have access to the park early on certain days, and don’t have to buy separate tickets to the upcoming Boysenberry festival, or Knott’s Merry Farm. There are a lot of benefits to being a pass holder, but if you just want to visit the park for a day, make sure to check the website, that I have linked! (https://www.knotts.com/ticket-category/Daily-Tickets)

If you decide to take a trip to Knott’s with your friends or family, I hope this has helped you make your decision and plan out your day. Make sure to have fun if you do visit!