I know DL is always busy on Fridays and Saturdays, Sundays & Mondays always seemed ligter to me. But what's the best days to hit Knott's?

This will be our first time there, is there anything I need to know? We only have one day, so we'll go either Sat or Sun.. which would be best? I do know we're eating chicken there, I can't even talk about Knott's anywhere without people telling me to eat the chicken. :D

OH, I was thinking going Saturday would be best, we have had 3 lite days in the DL so far, if we hit Knott's on Saturday, then we'll have Sunday with NOTHING but pool and relaxing before we hit DL again Mon-Fri followed by a 8 hr drive home on Saturday :(

Mrs. Knotts Chicken Dinners used to have a special Sunday Brunch buffet. You need to call the restaurant to find out if they still have that going on, and whether or not you need reservations for it.

I always just pick up a bucket of Knotts chicken at Chicken-to-Go, which is their take-out window.

So, I don't know what your preference is.

Knotts tends to close up shop very early, even earlier than DCA, sometimes. Saturday's hours might stay open a little later.

Also, plan on getting wet on their wild raging river rapids ride, or Whitewater rapids, or whatever it's called. That ride is essential, but you will get wet, much more so than GRR at DCA. They have lockers, but again, call for the prices. Timber Mountain Log Ride is another wet ride, but not as much as their river rapids.

I can't believe their hours.. 10am - 5:30. Guess we'll be there the entire time they're open.

Is the Sunday Brunch a "must do" thing? I think we might end up eating lunch there, no use leaving the park for lunch when we're planning on eating Chicken there anyway. I would have taken some chicken home for dinner, but it just makes since to eat lunch there. SO.. since we'll plan on lunch, would the Sunday brunch be a better choice? (assuming they are still having it?)

I can't believe their hours.. 10am - 5:30. Guess we'll be there the entire time they're open.

Is the Sunday Brunch a "must do" thing? I think we might end up eating lunch there, no use leaving the park for lunch when we're planning on eating Chicken there anyway. I would have taken some chicken home for dinner, but it just makes since to eat lunch there. SO.. since we'll plan on lunch, would the Sunday brunch be a better choice? (assuming they are still having it?)


Wow, that's even earlier than I thought. I wonder if it's because that's a Halloween Haunt day?

I have no idea about the Brunch. I just know they used to have it and there were good reviews about the food. I checked it out one time, just to look it over. They had these low long tables with white table cloths set out. It was out in the patio of the California Marketplace. It didn't look all that sophisticated to me in terms of decor and ambience, if that's important to you.....yet I could sense the food was outstanding.

So, I just decided to meander on over to Chicken-To-Go and take out, instead. I always pick up a little something, petits fours/parfait etc, at the Farm Bakery, which is right next door to Chicken-To-Go.....Farm Bakery---as they have wonderful pastries and pies.

I don't know what to tell you. But, I do know the food quality and taste is always outstanding at Knotts, no matter where you go on their premises.

OH, I was thinking going Saturday would be best, we have had 3 lite days in the DL so far, if we hit Knott's on Saturday, then we'll have Sunday with NOTHING but pool and relaxing before we hit DL again Mon-Fri followed by a 8 hr drive home on Saturday :(


You know, on my vaction time, I like a day or so with nothing planned. It's nice to be able to sleep in and just relax. After 4 days od DL/Knotts it might not be a bad idea to rest for a day before attacking DL again.

Besides, that will give you a chance to write your trip reports (and tell us if youhid out in the park :) )

I hit KNOTTS about 3 weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon.
(It must have been before Labor Day, because they still had the ice show going on in the Charles M. Schultz Theater, which ended its run somethink like a week later.)

Was there any crowds? No!

From the parking lot, I saw more people walking toward SOAK CITY than walking toward the pedestrian tunnel (i.e., toward the entrance of KNOTTS).

The current 5:30 closings are due to the Haunt...

FYI, Knott's will be CLOSED on Saturday, November 5th for a private event.

well we decided to hit Knotts today so we can have a day off tomorrow before 5 more days at DL. We're getting ready to leave now, thought I would check this thread first.

Hopefully the park will be lite today.. I was there as a child for 1 day, but don't remember much about it. The rest of my family has never been.

So Darkbeer, why would the Haunt cause it to close at 5:30? You would think they would have it open longer, at least past dark??

I am kind of disapointed that it's themed for Halloween, this might be our only chance to get to Knotts EVER, and I would have liked to see it in it's "natural state".. but oh well.. I'll take what I can get. ;)

Haunt starts at 7 PM nightly, and is a seperate ticket.

During the day, they cover up some of the more "terrorfying" things, so they have to have some time to take them off, set up the maze queues, etc. Plus they offer a meal package that allows you into the park early.

well enjoy the visit at knots today. Halloween Haunt is great. I BEEN GOING to hit for 10 years

well enjoy the visit at knots today. Halloween Haunt is great. I BEEN GOING to hit for 10 years


Ive been goign for 2 years then i decided to work, if anyone is going look for a fat man dressed in all black wearing glasses in terrorvision...thats me :)

OK, back from Knotts and I must say, I am pretty discouraged. I have been spoiled rotten by doing DL for the last 5 years (6 trips).. and there wasn't much that impressed me about Knotts.

We hit the Silver Bullet first off, and I did like it, I was scared to death, and would have loved a second trip but it got busy and we had other things to do in our SHORT amount of time.

The park is DIRTY, full of bratty kids that had no consideration for others. Teens making out around every corner and in the tunnel that I took my daughter and even in the childrens play house. I don't think I have ever seen teens tounging it at DL in all the time I have spent there.

I will say it's a whole different inviroment. I think Knotts suits the teens more, where as DL is more of a "family friendly park". But nothing can tops the "magic" of DL... I should have been more prepared.

We did eat at the Famous Fried Chicken resturant, and it was very good actually.. but $68 worth?? It left me wondering.

All in all, I am glad we went, but wouldn't do that again even if it was free. Just my opinion, but I'll stick to DL. Guess I am just a DisneySnob?? :(

I have a whole theory about Knotts. It's not (!) supposed to be Disneyland. Knotts has never been immaculate in that way. It's supposed to be a ghost town, and as such, many Ghost Towns are a bit run down, and kind of creepy, that's why Knotts does Halloween so well.

The theme park part of Knotts was an afterthought. The main thing was the chicken dinner restaurant. That's what Walter and Cordelia cared about. I don't think they cared in the least what went on with the theme Park. I'm sure the children did, Ginny, and the other daughter, who ran the theme Park portion for years.

They have some signature rides that nobody else does. Did you go on the Calico Mine Ride? Timber Mountain Log Ride? Knotts really pioneered the whole thrill ride concept, even more so than Magic Mountain. Knotts rides have always been the scariest with no mercy.

I have the most astounding memories from Knotts, much more so than Disneyland. I was there, at Camp Snoopy the day Charles Schulz died. I just felt the need to be there, and it was so poignant. I'll never forget that in 2000. I can still remember being terrified on Montezuma's Revenge and being absolutely traumatized from The Corkscrew. Don't even talk to me about Revolution. They do thrills like nobody else.

Part of why it works is precisely because it is the antithesis of Disney. Disney is supposed to be fantsay and sanitized. I don't believe that was the original intent of Knotts. Knotts is all about reality, and great food. They've never skimped on that.