On Thursday, Knott’s Berry Farm officially reopened its classic Calico Mine Train after a major six-month renovation, restoration, and enhancement project. The top-to-bottom refurbishment included the addition of 46 new Audio-Animatronics figures along with dozens of new historically-accurate animals, the addition of new state-of-the-art lighting and special effects, restoration of the ride vehicles, and more. Today, we take a look at this newly re-imagined classic which now ranks among the best dark rides in Southern California.

Get a closer look at today’s update! Click on any photo in today’s blog to see a larger, high-resolution version.


Re-Opening the Calico Mine Ride

Knott’s Berry Farm hosted a grand reopening ceremony for the classic Calico Mine Ride Thursday morning in front of the attraction for season passholders and invited media. The ceremony started with some opening remarks from Knott’s Communication Manager Jason Soyster on the importance and history of the Mine Ride.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

A representative from Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva’s office presented Knott’s with an award
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Animatronics wizard Garner Holt and Garner Holt Productions’ Director of Creative Design Bill Butler spoke about their work on the Mine Ride and the importance of the attraction on theme park history.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Darrel Anderson, grandson of Walter and Cordelia Knott spoke briefly about his memories of the Mine Ride and spending time in the park as well.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Finally, the time to reopen the ride had come and a miner from deep inside the mine came out on a train to do the honors.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

The miner got the crowd ready, teasing us with stories of the treasures waiting inside…
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

…finally, with a blast of some dynamite, the Mine Ride reopened.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Below, a clip of the reopening blast:

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Some fun Calico Mine Ride ephemera given out at the grand reopening.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride:
A Re-Imagined Classic

Inside the Mine Ride, the Knott’s Berry Farm and Garner Holt collaboration really impresses. The attraction has been given attention in every corner and around every bend of railroad track and it really shows. But don’t think that the attraction was changed just for the sake of change. Knott’s has stayed true to the ride’s original educational intents, presenting a historically-accurate depiction of what a large mining operation like this might have looked like. Indeed, the ride is both educational and a whole lot of fun.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Inside and out, the attraction is a brilliant example of themed design, with gushing waterfalls and the first themed, hidden switchback queue weaving through the mountain side.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Naturally, riders load into newly restored mine trains for their trip through the mine.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Our friendly engineer. Engineers no longer live-spiel the ride-through — instead, the ride now comes with three different pre-recorded spiels, so you may hear a different one each time you ride.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Throughout the ride, there’s a ton to see, with great scenery, numerous miners, and new special effects. Below, the devil’s paint pots:
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

After the Devil’s Paint Pots, riders get their first look at the famed Calico Glory Hole, which features an amazing number of miners (as well as a mule!) working hard. We gave you an up-close look at the Glory Hole miners in a recent edition of In The Parks — click here.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

The underground lake is always impressive and now features some new miners, including this one doing some hydraulic mining.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Meanwhile, miners toil away in every part of the mine…
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Good thing the canary is still alive.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Up at the top of the mine, the cavern scene with its over 8,000 stalactites and stalagmites has been lovingly repainted and restored and it looks incredible.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Outside of the “Heaven Room,” miners are starting to strike it rich —
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

The train takes a rickety trestle out of the mine before heading back inside for an explosive finale.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

The big finale of the ride is, of course, the classic big mining explosion that we just narrowly escape from before heading back to the station. This effect has been thoroughly re-imagined and is better than ever. State-of-the-art projection mapping and fog effects transform the room into a live blasting zone that our train zips out of, bringing us all to safety.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

The effect is best viewed from the back of the train.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Disney fans may note some similarities here, but the Mine Ride had an explosive ending way before Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ever did and the projections and fog effects are a great way to bring the ride’s classic ending up to today’s standards.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Below, a full ride-through of the restored and enhanced ride.

Overall, the Calico Mine Ride has never looked better. The ride was already a great example of brilliant early themed design and it just needed some TLC to bring it up to today’s standards. Luckily, Knott’s recognized this and did just that — and then some. With all of the new animatronics, the excellent show lighting design, great new and restored special effects throughout; this ride is now easily one of the best dark rides in all of Southern California. My first impression after my initial ride-through was that Calico Mine Ride now ranks alongside the best of the best: Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. Subsequent rides didn’t change my first impression — this attraction is that good and is worth making a visit to Knott’s Berry Farm to see for any theme park fan.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

Congratulations to the teams at Knott’s and Garner Holt Productions for a truly impressive job well-done. I know there’s some dark ride space at the Farm, and I’m hoping that you can turn your attention there soon! I can’t wait to see what’s next for Knott’s.
Calico Mine Ride, Grand opening of a Knott’s Berry Farm classic: The Reimagined Calico Mine Ride

But wait, there’s more! Don’t miss out coverage of the reopening of the refreshed Camp Snoopy at Knott’s Berry Farm — Click here!

Andy Castro
Andy is a Southern California native and a life-long fan of Disney theme parks and animation. From 2007-2016, Andy wrote the weekly Dateline Disneyland photo, news and opinion blog here on MiceChat. Today, Andy continues to produce occasional Dateline Disneyland articles and additional special guest content for MiceChat.