Shane's Amusement Attic

Knott's Berry Farm

Souvenir Books

Today I share with you my most prized Knott's memoribilia...The Souvenier Books. So many great pictures, and the true essence of the Knott's hey-day is in these books. The first one I share (from 1977) is particularly my favorite. It is how I most fondly remember Knott's.

Through the years Knott's has really had some hits and misses but that seems to be the natural progression of parks. They must constantly change and reinvent themselves to keep guests coming back. As much as I loved the airfield section of the park I understand that a modernization had to take place to keep people interested. The same goes for many of the attractions that are sorely missed. In the nooks and crannies of today's Knott's you can still find little bits and pieces of old Knott's. It is what it is... and even though I miss the rides, charm and feel of "Knott's Old Time Adventures" I still have my memories and I still have a GREAT experience every time I visit.

Yay Knotts!!!

Here's Book #1

Knott's Berry Farm

Souvenir Book #2

Wow, so many memories. I was around later though. I remember the Wacky Soap Box Racers and being scared of them with the explosive fireworks factory. I remember the shopping cart sound of the windjammer. I was there with a ymca group one time when they had their POG tournament, and everyone else punched out their sheet of pogs but me, I kept mine in the cardboard. Loved kingdom of the dinosaurs. "You've gone BACK in time one MILLION years! How will I EVER get you BACK?"

I miss old knotts. Last time I was their It felt claustrophobic with so many coasters overhead. I was kinda lost trying to get around. At least the candy store was still pretty cool. I guess we all have to grow up.

I hope this thread shows the people who never experienced the old Knotts how great of a place it really was, and the reasons why we complain about its current state. It may not be a bad park for the people who never experienced it like we did, but trust us when we say how bad it is compared to 20-40 yrs ago. Every yr my parents let us open one present on christmas eve and it was always Knotts tickets for us to go to the day after Christmas. We always rode the log ride first and had some of the best times of my childhood.

Now that I have a family of my own and I live on the east coast I flew my family out to So Cal last summer and only had one day to do a park, we went to Disneyland instead of Knotts, something that I never did growing up, I always chose Knotts first. My wife asked me why Disney and not Knotts since I have told her about all my memories of the place, and I told her that I choose to remember it for what it was and not what it has become.

Thanks for all of the great pics of the old days. I actually have a lot of them packed in an attic somewhere also. It was fun

Roller Coaster Expert: Gary Kyriazi

Do you sometimes get confused between a steel coaster and a wood coaster? Well in case you do I have dug this out of my RETRO VCR to clear up any confusion.

Before Gary Kyriazi got a job as one of the Geico Cavemen he was all us coaster enthusiasts had in the way of an "expert". At the time he had ridden 80 coasters in 4 weeks (eat your heart out Big Mike) He also wrote books, produced documentarys and gave us the Top 10 list.

Enjoy this look back at coasters and parks in this rare interview from 1980. There should be no more confusion between wood and steel after you watch this riveting interview...no confusion at all unless you are Gary Kyriazi, who lists Gemini as his #10 wooden coaster.

Oh that's awesome! I remember Gary's pictoral history book; I used to check it out at the library all the time when I was younger!

That was pretty interesting. One thing I noticed though, although not necessarily pertaining to this video, was his classification of Gemini as a wood coaster. I've always thought the same, but I was just thinking, we refer to steel support/wood track coasters as wooden, so why isn't gemini considered steel?

Whosh...my comment went right over your head...

Gemini is a steel coaster.

Haha, yeah it did. I was thinking you were just saying it like gemini isn't good enough to be a top ten coaster.

The more I read from Shane (and others), the more I rue the fact that I never experienced the old KBF.

TOGO

Here is a company that burst onto the North America scene with the introduction of King Cobra at Kings Island, the first stand up coaster in the US. Well the same company pretty much disappeared with the removal of the same ride.

While Togo has some hits is Japan, most of it's North American installations have been misses. Manhattan Express, probably their most successful installation, is a big yawner. Viper at SFGAdv was lackluster and do I even need to mention the disaster that was Knotts' Wind Jammer.

The one innovative ride that I would really like to see one or two more of is the Ultra Twister. It is the best thing that has come out of the Togo factory. Look closely at the Ultra Twister in the catalog and you will see an unusual interpretation of it...A large turn around or "turn over" instead of the switch track.

Thanks Togo for the memories....but not the migraines!

I rode this log coaster in Japan and thought it was quite good!

"Enjoyment and Pleasure...we produce"...that's what she said.

I really like Ultra Twisters. It is a shame that we have on here in the states just rotting away.

More Togo goodness...or badness???

model of the Kings Island version and a unique stand up sit down version located in Japan.

a couple different layouts

Togo introduces the stand up. Some like it...some not so much.

more lame flats

there is some Intamin goodnedss behind that one carousel

Togo also makes an assortment of rip off flat rides.

Here you can see the unique turn around on this one of a kind Ultra Twister.

The Bandit in Japan is a Togo winner!

Intorducing Togo, coaster builder from Japan....ouch!

I have been waiting for this brochure for a while now. Too bad that it didn't include the Wildstorm flat ride though

By the way, there is an installation of that Ultra Twister with a twist and dive at Rusutsu Resort on Hokkaido, link with info and pics > http://www.rcdb.com/id1259.htm

Holy crap, look how empty Canada's Wonderland looks in those pictures of SkyRider. There's no Vortex, or no lake under where Vortex will eventually go.

1. Awesome stuff as always, Shane!

2. The Engrish in the brochure is priceless:

Passenger's facial expression is multifarious. Girls enjoy the momentary space flight with their eyes opened, but boys do it with their eyes closed. The varied dynamic course leads you to the thrilling world.

Not at all dirty.

3. Does that Ultra Twister with the dive loop just send every other car out facing backwards?

^ On number 3, there is a turntable between the station and the tilt mechanism. so that the car will always face the same way during the ride, but would have been coll to go the whole thing backwards).

1. Awesome stuff as always, Shane!

2. The Engrish in the brochure is priceless:

 

Passenger's facial expression is multifarious. Girls enjoy the momentary space flight with their eyes opened, but boys do it with their eyes closed. The varied dynamic course leads you to the thrilling world.

 

 

I cracked up when this was mentioned in the brochure...

What does it mean if your a girl and you like it with your eyes closed?

What the heck? I thought that the Hang Ten flatride was made by SDC!

I was quite suprised to see that Togo manufactured flats such as the enterprise knock offs,not to mention some of the other flats in their brochure.

Is is just me or does the whole transverser shown on that stand up seem kind of pointless? Either way a train has to wait behind,or in this c ase beside the other train while it is loading so it would only seem to increase the load time especially if mechanical difficulties develop with the switch track.

That was very interesting. I've never really seen anything like that from TOGO. It was also fascinating to see all of the flats that they produced.

I never knew TOGO had a logo...

Holy crap, look how empty Canada's Wonderland looks in those pictures of SkyRider. There's no Vortex, or no lake under where Vortex will eventually go.

Hahaha, I love how there's a a giant path leading all the way from wonder mountain to SkyRider!

Looks so ridiculous!

Note the 'dragon coaster' model that looks a whole HECK of a lot like a tumble bug. And all those other rides ripped off from other manufacturers.

Holy crap, look how empty Canada's Wonderland looks in those pictures of SkyRider. There's no Vortex, or no lake under where Vortex will eventually go.

 

Hahaha, I love how there's a a giant path leading all the way from wonder mountain to SkyRider!

Looks so ridiculous!

That whole area was supposed to be another themed land when the park opened. It was supposed to be a Gold Rush Canadian Frontier Land. Only one ride from that section was built...The Minebuster, the rest of the area was value engineered...or cut for budget reasons.

When I worked for Paramount I saw the original plans for this section, it would have been really cool, I remember there was an Arrow mine train that was designed for the area also.

Is is just me or does the whole transverser shown on that stand up seem kind of pointless? Either way a train has to wait behind,or in this c ase beside the other train while it is loading so it would only seem to increase the load time especially if mechanical difficulties develop with the switch track.

We rode this coaster on the TPR Japan tour last year. Even though it is mentioned in the brochure that it is designed to speed up the operating process that DEFINATLY was not the case. But the transverser did provide two different riding experiences, one standing and one sitting.

The standing position was actually smoother than this sitting.

Awesome stuff Shane. Togo...maker of my favorite flat ride ever...Wildstorm. It was such a thrill to discover this gem of a ride on the Japan trip!