I recently visited Knott’s Berry Farm for the first time as part of a Southern California theme park marathon. While I was aware of the park’s diverse coaster offerings, several of them exceeded my expectations.
On paper, Knott’s Berry Farm’s coaster roster isn’t groundbreaking. But ranking them was more difficult than I expected.
So after much internal deliberation, this is my personal ranking of Knott’s Berry Farm’s roller coasters.
Note: unfortunately, due to heavy crowds, I wasn’t able to ride Coaster Rider, Sierra Sidewinder or Timberline Twister. Next time!
7. Pony Express
Earning the last spot on this list is nothing to be ashamed of. All seven of the Knott’s coasters that I rode offered something unique.
For instance, the family-friendly Pony Express was my first motorbike-style coaster. The seating position significantly enhancesd what would be a rather vanilla figure-eight layout with a relatively gentle (compared to Xcelerator) 0-38 mph launch. The themed trains and the tunnel at the end of the coaster were nice touches.
Had the line not been so long, I definitely would have ridden Pony Express a second (or third) time.
Pony Express Stats
- Length: 1,300 feet
- Height: 44 feet
- Speed: 38 mph
- Acceleration: 0-38 mph in 3 seconds
6. Jaguar!
Jaguar! (I can’t help but scream the name in my head when I see the “!”) is another family-friendly coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm. One of the older coasters at the park, it weaves through the Fiesta Village area of the park.
It was my first Zierer “Tivoli” coaster model. The long, 15-car train meanders through the 2,600+ feet of track with this ominous roar that I wasn’t expecting from such a small(ish) coaster.
For those who don’t like steep drops or sudden turns, this coaster is for you. The stretched-out train is limited in the maneuvers it can make. It was rough in spots, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
My favorite part of Jaguar! was the track “threading” Montezooma’s Revenge’s loop (see below for a photo). Our train was timed nearly perfectly so that we passed through the loop as a Montezooma’s Revenge train flipped overhead.
Jaguar! gets extra points for a relatively well themed queue and station.
Jaguar! Stats
- Length: 2,602 feet
- Height: 65 feet
- Drop: 45 feet
- Speed: 35 mph
5. Montezooma’s Revenge
Montezooma’s Revenge is the oldest coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm, but don’t let its age fool you. The increasingly rare Schwarzkopf shuttle loop model is nestled within the Fiesta Village section of the park.
One of three launched coasters at Knott’s Berry Farm, Montezooma’s Revenge is smack dab in the middle of the launch intensity spectrum of Pony Express to Xcelerator. It’s forceful but a great stepping stone for coaster enthusiasts who are working their way toward Xcelerator.
Like other shuttle coasters, the brief moments of floater air on both of the spikes were highlights.
Lastly, you can’t beat the lap bar-only restraints. It makes for such a smooth ride.
Knott’s seems to be taking good care of this gem. I hope it remains a staple at the park for many years to come.
Montezooma’s Revenge Stats
- Length: 800 feet
- Height: 148 feet
- Speed: 55 mph
- Acceleration: 0-55 mph in 4.5 seconds
- Inversions: 1 vertical loop
4. Silver Bullet
Even before my visit to Knott’s Berry Farm, I felt a connection to Silver Bullet. In 2004, I passed a piece of the coaster (likely from the vertical loop) on the interstate outside of Memphis, Tennessee. The section of track was en route to California, likely from the B&M track fabrication plant in Batavia, Ohio. I was hoping I would someday see the rest of the coaster. It only took me 15 years.
I’m a sucker for roller coasters squeezed into small spaces that prove “if there’s a will, there’s a way.” I think that’s why I found ranking Knott’s coasters so challenging. So many of them are creatively weaved into the park’s existing infrastructure.
I didn’t expect Silver Bullet to be as forceful as it was. The pacing was impressive. The over-banked turn following the vertical loop was a surprisingly fun element. I also enjoyed the two snappy corkscrews at the end of the ride.
Aside from the ride itself, I loved how visible the coaster was from inside and outside of the park. From the cobra roll that towers over the park entrance to the twisted mess of steel above the small lake, there are plenty of vantage points for onlookers.
Silver Bullet Stats
- Length: 3,125 feet
- Height: 146 feet
- Drop: 109 feet
- Speed: 55 mph
- Inversions: 6 (vertical loop, cobra roll, zero-g roll, 2 corkscrews)
3. GhostRider
GhostRider is arguably the most popular ride at Knott’s Berry Farm, at least if wait times are the metric. Between its location near the front of the park and the nearly 3-minute ride time, it maintains a long line throughout the day. I highly recommend riding it first.
We opted to wait in the single rider line, which crawled at a snail’s pace (and that is a generous comparison). I typically don’t sit in queues, but after three full days of walking around theme parks, my legs were weak. To the stair step I went.
But it was so worth the wait.
By the time we boarded the train, the sun had set. The coaster’s compact layout actually leaves the park’s boundaries, crossing over Grand Avenue, which parallels the park’s entrance plaza.
The nighttime ride wasn’t pitch-black, but I had a hard time bracing for whatever element was ahead.
The pacing is relentless. The airtime is plentiful. And since Great Coasters International refurbished the ride in 2015 and 2016, the coaster is very smooth. The new Millennium Flyer trains race through the coaster’s dense structure with more “head-chopper” moments than I could count.
GhostRider Stats
- Length: 4,533 feet
- Height: 118 feet
- Drop: 108 feet
- Speed: 56 mph
2. Xcelerator
I don’t normally “gray out” on roller coasters. Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion is one of a few that comes to mind. But something about Xcelerator gave me fairly intense tunnel vision, which I was not expecting.
That confirmed my suspicion that Xcelerator is an incredible Intamin launched coaster.
The 0-82 mph launch in 2.3 seconds was exhilarating — by far one of the most intense I’ve experienced.
The view from the pinnacle of the 20-story top hat element was short but mesmerizing.
The two over-banked turns that followed were where the tunnel vision set in.
Xcelerator is a can’t-miss coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm. Ride it as soon as you can as it typically only operates with one train.
Xcelerator Stats
- Length: 2,202 feet
- Height: 205 feet
- Speed: 82 mph
- Acceleration: 0-82 mph in 2.3 seconds
1. HangTime
Again, I’m fascinated by large coasters that are crammed into small plots of land. HangTime occupies a space formerly occupied by a Vekoma boomerang. Yet you’d never know it while your train is careening through the coaster’s nearly 2,200 feet of track at 57 mph.
The coaster’s teal blue track nearly blended in with the clear sky on my visit. The vertical lift towers 15 stories above the Boardwalk area of the park. The 96-degree, beyond-vertical drop is one of the steepest I’ve ever experienced. The pause at the edge of the drop brought out the whitest of whites in my knuckles. The drop was fast, even with the holding brake. The negative-g stall loop was funky and fresh — unlike any other inversion I’ve experienced in recent memory.
Sure, the coaster was short. But the fact that coaster manufacturer Gerstlauer was able to do so much with such little real estate is an impressive feat. I hope we see more of these “Infinity Coaster” models in the U.S. soon.
The coaster also gets extra points for its jaw-dropping light package. Seeing the coaster’s track come to life at night is worth sticking around for.
Don’t miss our full review of HangTime here.
HangTime Stats
- Length: 2,198 feet
- Height: 150 feet
- Speed: 57 mph
- Inversions: 5 (negative-g stall loop, corkscrew, cutback, cobra roll)
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my day at Knott’s Berry Farm. And the park offers so much more than roller coasters. I could have easily spent another day at the park exploring the smaller attractions. It is overflowing with history — you owe it to yourself to learn more about the park’s past.
How would you rank Knott’s Berry Farm’s roller coasters? Share your list in the comments section below.
What about coast rider and sierra sidewinder
Sierra sidewinder is fun but on coast rider the shin gaurds ruin the ride.