The countdown to summer 2015 is on and Knotts Berry Farm is racing to complete their latest attraction, Voyage to the Iron Reef.  The new 4D attraction is just one of the many projects happening inside the park as Memorial Day weekend looms just over a month away.  The Boardwalk Lagoon is enjoying a much-needed refurbishment and resealing, bringing that area of the park back up to par.  We round things out with a trip through the park, post Boysenberry Festival.  Things are quiet and it’s the perfect time for Season Pass holders to hit all of the rides.  Ready for the update?  Let’s go!

Voyage to the Iron Reef

The new 4D, interactive attraction, Voyage to the Iron Reef, is just under one month away from an official opening date.  That being said there is still plenty of work to be done just to get riders up to the platform to board.  That being said, what is there is turning out to be quite nice.

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The former retail location, Ride Warriors, is now behind walls to be re-themed.
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The new canopy above the loading platform has a lovely wavy pattern to it.

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The exterior of the show building is being painted in metal tones of blue and taupe.

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Could this be a ride operator booth?
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There will apparently be an indoor portion to the queue as well.
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At the same time, the arcade area below the attraction has been gutted. Rumor has it the games will return.

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Outside the rest of the building has received the Iron Reef treatment as well.

The ride vehicles are apparently also cycling through the attraction, going through the motions as crews work as fast as they can to get things done.  We wish the Knotts team the very best of luck in pulling things together for the May 15th opening date.

Timber Mountain Log Ride

Over at the Timber Mountain Log Ride, we are happy to see that things look great for the most part.  With over 60 new animatronics originally installed for the refurbishment a few years ago, it is great to see that the ride still appears to be functioning quite well.

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One downside though is that the banjo player in the second scene is now totally missing.  Granted it is much better this way, than with him covered with a blanket or totally motionless. But he should be back soon.

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Boardwalk Lagoon

The resealing of the Boardwalk Lagoon is coming along, slowly, but coming along. Though it is taking a bit of time, we are happy to see Knott’s refurbishing this water feature correctly, instead of filling it in.

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Knotts Berry Farm

Spring Break and the wildly successful Boysenberry Festival are now in the past.  Gone are the gallons of boysenberry barbecue sauce, the tons of boysenberry gummy bears, and saddest of all, the Fun Bun.  Yes, Knotts has wisely chosen to make the compulsively edible, deep fried block of sheer heaven, a seasonal item available only during the festival.  MONSTERS!

We would REALLY like to see Knott’s expand this festival next year for a full month or longer.

The upside is that now the park is literally a ghost town.  Season Pass holders would be wise to take advantage of the walk-ons to rides like Calico Mine Ride, Montezuma’s Revenge, Silver Bullet, Coast Rider, Supreme Scream, and pretty much every thing else.  It’s also a nice time to just stroll the park and enjoy the sights and tastes that the park offers year-round.

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What do you see hidden in this waterfall?

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There you have it.  Knotts Berry Farm is just about ready for a summer 2015 filled with amazing fun, a brand new ride, and the same classics that have made the park a Southern California institution.

Did you purchase a season pass this year?  Have you been using it?  When is your favorite time to go?  Share your tips here!  See you In The Parks.

Norman Gidney
Norman Gidney, also known as Fishbulb, has produced and edited many of the articles on MiceChat over the years.