14 Facts About Knott’s Berry Farm

Everybody in Orange County knows Knott’s Berry Farm as the place to do some of the most fun things to do in Orange County. With that being said, there are plenty of secrets that this theme park holds that the general public has no idea about! Today, we want to put your knowledge to the test. So how much do you really know about America’s first theme park? Let’s find out!

1. The slogan is true: Knott’s Berry Farm is indeed the oldest theme park in the country. It opened in 1920.
2. Walter and Cordelia Knott, the founders of the original farm, were high school sweethearts. The couple had three daughters and one son. 
3.  Knott’s Berry Farm is currently the 12th most visited theme park in the United States.
4. Knott’s Berry Farm is open 364 days a week, being closed on Christmas Day.
5. In 1934, Walter convinced his wife to start selling her homemade fried chicken to guests. At first, she was not sold on this idea because she didn’t want to use her fine China, but within a few years, people were waiting in line for hours to get some fried poultry. This would become Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant, which you can still visit today.
6. Due to the restaurant’s popularity, the Knotts decided to set up attractions to amuse guests while they wait for Cordelia’s winner-winner chicken dinner.
7. In 1940, Walter opened up a replica of a ghost town that stands as a part of the park today.
8. Decades later, the Knotts family decided that they wanted to have a family-friendly mascot to greet guests when they visited the park. That’s when the legendary cartoonist Charles Schultz, the creator of Charlie Brown, struck up a deal with Knott’s Berry Farm in 1982 to incorporate his characters into Knott’s Berry Farm’s image age as we know it today.
9. Knott’s first official “ride” opened in 1949. It was the stagecoach!
10.  Xcelerator The Ride® is the fastest coaster in the park, launching at 82 miles per hour.
11. Ghost Rider is the most popular ride in the park, so if you want to beat the crowds, head over there first thing in the morning!
12. All of the buildings and rides in the park are earthquake-proof.
13. Disney almost bought Knott’s Berry Farm in the 1990s. Instead, it was sold to Cedar Fair Entertainment, which owns its own original theme park in Sandusky, Ohio.
14. In February 2022, The Los Angeles Times reported that SeaWorld was looking to purchase Knott’s Berry Farm. However, The Orange County Registrar revealed later that month that Cedar Fair turned down the offer.

Now you have even more reasons to get excited about returning to Knott’s Berry Farm if you’re still looking for things to do in Orange County. Are there any fascinating secrets we missed? Let us know by sending us a message on Facebook or Twitter! Until then, have a blast at The Friendliest Place in the West!

This blog is brought to you by Toyota of Orange, the berry place for used cars near Tustin Toyota.