Guests visiting Knott’s Berry Farm know there are three major things that must be accomplished with each visit. First, they must ride the historic Ghost Town. Second, they must ride GhostRider, Knott’s iconic wooden roller coaster. Third, they must eat Mrs. Knott’s chicken!

Today, Knott’s Berry Farm released news of all three getting major enhancements for 2016.

If you know the history of Knott’s Berry Farm, then you know it all started around the boysenberry. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Knott’s realized the masses of people wanted to be entertained, and thus Ghost Town was born, featuring a variety of different shops with an old western theme.

Ghost Town 75th Anniversary

In 2016, Ghost Town celebrates its 75th Anniversary with some major enhancements.

The centerpiece of the summer 2016 celebration is the interactive entertainment experience, Ghost Town Alive!, which immerses guests in new stories and adventures in the familiar town of Calico.

In addition to new interactive storytelling with cast members, a new Calico Stage is being built with an all new show.

GhostRider Restoration

Back in September, the longest, fastest and tallest wooden rollercoaster on the West Coast, GhostRider, was shut down and the nine month restoration, re-profiling, and re-tracking began. When GhostRider returns in the spring of 2016, all of the coasters trains will be replaced with new state of the art Millennium Flyer trains designed to look like mining cars, each with gold, silver, or copper accents. As part of the construction, the mid-course brake run will be removed, allowing riders to enjoy a relentless, ride from the moment the train descends the first 108 ft. drop to the moment it returns to the station’s new, smooth magnetic brake run.

Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant Refurbishment

Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Restaurant started renovations on November 2, 2015 for a massive overhaul, and the improvements are spectacular! The restaurant will close on January 4, 2016 for the remainder of the improvements to be implemented.

Throughout the restaurant’s four main dining rooms and two banquet rooms, all furniture, flooring, lighting, and décor will be renovated. The large dining room to the right of the main entrance will be remodeled with a look inspired by Mrs. Knott’s kitchen pantry, as the room will be adorned with a potbelly stove and nods to Cordelia’s home kitchen, evoking themes of warmth, family, and togetherness. The main dining room accessible from the courtyard entrance will be divided into two smaller dining rooms, with a theme inspired by farmhouse motifs.

For the first time, a new outdoor seating area on the restaurant’s north side will allow guests to dine al fresco with beautiful and unique views of the MarketPlace fountain, the theme park’s Ghost Town, and the newly restored GhostRider roller coaster.

The busy kitchen that services one of the most popular restaurants in the world will also be modernized, while the culinary team carefully preserves the recipes and techniques that make the restaurant so special.

The restaurant will feature a new, welcoming lobby area, where diners who provide a cell phone number will be sent a text message when their table is ready, allowing more time and flexibility to explore the Knott’s Market Place or to grab a drink around the restaurant’s new full service bar, which will replace the restaurant’s Garden Room.

During construction, Chicken To Go, the counter service take out dining location that serves staples of the Chicken Dinner Restaurant menu will remain open. Brunches held on the first Sunday of each month, the “Winterfest” buffets, and the seasonal “Breakfast with Santa” will not be offered in 2015.

We are extremely excited to see the park enhancements to Knott’s Berry Farm in 2016. If you have not visited the park, it is a definite bucket list item as the charm and character of Knott’s is unbeatable! The park offers terrific food paired with rides and shows you can only find at Knott’s Berry Farm.

All photos ©Knott’s unless noted.

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