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Knott's Berry Farm to revamp its classic Log Ride

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Published: January 3, 2013 at 9:50 AM
Knott's Berry Farm announced today that its classic Timber Mountain Log Ride - the second flume ride in the country and the widely-acknowdeged inspiration for Disney's Splash Mountain - will go down this month for a major five-month refurbishment.

Knott's Log Ride

From the press release:

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.

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.

I love that Cedar Fair (Knott's owner) is investing in new characters and story with one of its few remaining "dark ride"-style attractions.

Readers' Opinions

From 75.146.37.9 on January 3, 2013 at 11:00 AM
This might actually get me to walk through the Knott's gates once again.
From David Brown on January 3, 2013 at 11:23 AM
Great to see a theme park investing money in a water ride again. The last few years have been very 'dry' in theme parks. Where are the new water rides?
From James Rao on January 3, 2013 at 11:42 AM
This move is a huge step in the right direction for Knott's Berry Farm. Matt Ouimet is perhaps the best thing to ever happen to Cedar Fair, for sure!

Between this construction, the extended Thunder Mt refurb, and the construction of Full Throttle at SFMM, I may be pushing my planned May SoCal visit back a few months, maybe into September....

Changes like this one are worth waiting for!

From isny orly on January 3, 2013 at 2:18 PM
And yet Splash Mountain on both coasts are always in various states of disrepair, to the point where safety nets are up due to a crumbling mountain?

Disney really needs to step up their game.

Splash Mountain at TDL was in excellent condition when I visited in 2011. We can only hope attendance drops at both Florida and California Disney parks once the Universal parks get their respective new Potter offerings, and Disney then realizes they need to step it up in order to keep guests coming back.

From Tony Perkins on January 3, 2013 at 2:24 PM
This is great news and a big step in the right direction for Knott's. I hope the Calico Mine Ride gets the full treatment next, the audio on that ride is practically inaudible. And then, hopefully, a new dark ride for Knott's is in the cards.
From 98.21.200.25 on January 4, 2013 at 12:03 AM
It is the ride with the most ridership in the park at Knott's..... yet Cedar Fair ripped the log flume ride out of Carowinds. And many other places keep loosing these classic rides.... makes me sad. Glad to see that Knott's is keeping theres and investing into it's future.
From Eric Fisher on January 4, 2013 at 3:40 PM
I'm going to Knott's for my 60th birthday in January - and the log ride will be closed - BUMMER. I remember riding the mine train in 1962 - that will have to suffice. To a kid living at Fort Leonard Wood, MO but being from So Cal, our vacations always included the "big four": Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Pacific Ocean Park and Marineland. If I have never thanked my parents, grandparents and Uncle Homer: Thank you. With all my heart.

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