In this guide, we willcoverour bestKnott's Berry Farmtips to ensure that you arrive to the park extremely prepared, and know all of the 'hacks' to maximize your time and money.
1. Go During the Week
To deal with less crowds, go during the weekday! Sounds simple right? Not quite.
The best days to go to Knott's Berry Farm areTuesday-Thursday as these are typically the least crowded days.
Most families have their days off on the weekends, and this is why weekends are usually the most busy at the park.
You'll alsowant to make sure that you're not going near a holiday or an event, for example, Spring break, 4th of July, and Christmas.
Spend less time waiting in lines, and more time riding your favorite rides.
2. Invest in a Fast Lane Pass
Are you a big fan of thrill rides? Do you hate waiting in lines?
AFast Lane Passmay be perfect for you.
This pass allows you to skip the regular line by going through a separate, and faster line.
After purchase, you'll be given a wristband and you'll be able to ride your favorite rides as many times in a row as you'd like, without needing to wait in long 1-2 hour long lines (on busy days).
You should also know that Fast Lane passes are very popular and sell out quickly, so don't miss out.
3. Check the Crowd Calendar
There is something called a 'Crowd Calendar' that major theme parks have.
It pretty much works like this.
It's a regular calendar that shows each day, and how busy they expect the park to be each day of the month, based on previous historical data.
The calendar will use color coding along with phrases to give you a better understanding of what you can expect.
This is a huge resource as it can help you plan a vacation around crowd levels.
4. Don't Pay Full Price
Save Money and Receive Your Tickets Instantly
When you purchase with us, you can Save $30+ per ticket, and you'll also be able to skip the line by going straight to the gate.
You can learn more about our process and how we're able to do this through our Authorized Theme Park Ticket Reseller page.
5. Ride the Busiest CoastersFirst & Early
Certain coasters in the park are ultra popular meaning there will always be long lines for these rides.
For these rides, you'll want to make sure you get to the park early and knock these out first!
By doing this, you'll not only encounter shorter lines early in the day, but you also will not have to deal with the long lines later in the day by getting them out of the way early.
The most popularKnott's rides include:
- Hangtime
- Timber Mountain
- Ghost Rider
6. Consider a Season Pass
If you love Knotts and are planning on visiting more than 2-3 times in one calendar year, you may want to consider purchasing a season pass.
Not only can it save you quite a bit of money in the long run, but you'll get season-long access to the park along with additional perks.
There are a few different options that you can choose from that vary in perks, access, and price.
Depending on which one you choose, perks can include discounts on food and merchandise, discounts on Knott's hotel stays, all-season parking, and photo upload options.
7. Bring Extra Clothing
Whether you're planning on riding some waterridessuch as the Timber Mountain Log ride, or if you're going on a hot day and are prone to sweating heavily.
Bring an extra pair of clothes and even a poncho!
Lockers are available in the park and you can dropyour clothes and bagsoff there,go on with the rest of your day, and conveniently return to change whenever you need to.
If you're planning on riding water rides, you'll want to ride these in the morning or afternoon, but definitely before the sun goes down.
You do not want to get caught in wet clothes while the temperatures drop!
8. Rent a Locker
Lockers are availableat both Knott's and Soak City and can come in extremely handy.
Instead of carrying your bags & clothes around for an entire day, store them in a locker!
You can conveniently come back and pick up your stuff, or change into your spare clothes whenever you'd like to.
If you're planning on riding water rides, traveling with kids, or just normally traveling with a lot of things in general, this is a must.
9. Arrive Early to Knott's Shows
Shows at Knott's Berry Farm are very popular and a big deal.
You'll want to arrive 30 minutes before,not only to ensure that you get a good seat but to get a seat in general!
10. Big Appetite Tip
Do you have kids with a big appetite? Avoid having to deal with them getting 'hangry' by considering an All Day Dining Plan.
Here's how it works.
You pay a one-time fee, then you can enjoy an entreè and a side every 90 minutes at different restaurants throughout the entire day.
This helps you avoid gettinghungry,on top ofsaving a ton of money on food!
11. Unlimited Refills
Craving something other than water at the park?
Purchase a refillable drink cup for 1 low price and then you'll have unlimited refills for the rest of the day.
A neat feature is that you can bring that same refillable cup any other day and refill that same cup for $1 per refill.
12. Get Your Caffeine
If you're like most of the country, chances are that you need your caffeine in the morning.
Getting ready to go to theme parks can get very stressful, in terms of making sure that you have your ticket, and appropriate clothing, getting in there early, etc.
It's not uncommon that through all of the commotion, someone forgot to drink their coffee!
No worries.
Visit Charleston Circle Coffee at the park.
Conveniently located next to the Charleston Circle water fountain next to Johnny Rockets, you'll be able to purchase lattes, coffee, teas, and even pastries.
13. Traveling With Kids
VisitCampSnoopy!
Camp Snoopy is an area specifically designed for kids and families to have maximum fun.
Featuring 40 total attractions including 10 roller coasters and 2 water slides, kids that aren't tall enough for the 'normal' rides at Knott's can have their fun in their area.
This is an extremely popular area with kids and families and you'll even catch Snoopy and friends walking around the area to say hi.
14. Know What to Wear
Wearing the wrong outfit or even shoes at a theme park can affect your visit negatively.
You'll want to dress comfortably butwith ahint of athleticism.
We've created aWhat to Wear to Knott'sguide that explains why we recommend these items, and where you can easily purchase them.
Light clothing will go a long way in enduring an entire day of walking, sweating, and possibly even getting wet (from the rain orKnott's Soak City Water Rides).
Typically you'll want to wear and bring the following:
- Athletic Shortsor Khaki Shorts
- Short Sleeve Athletic Compression Shirt/Dry Fit Shirt
- Walking/Running Shoes
- Spare Change of Clothes
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Sunscreen/Sunblock
- Extra Pair of Socks
15. Avoid Bringing Cash
Knott's is currentlymaking an active transition for guests to use cashless payment options.
They currentlyonlyaccept cash in their parking booths, California Marketplace, and Knott's Hotel.
Guests will be able to use a 'Cash-to-Card Kiosk' in the park to load their cash into a pre-paid card that they will be able to use at the park.
We've createdKnott's Cashless article that goes into detail into how all of this works, and what type of cashless options are accepted.
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