Park Thoughts

In 2007, Knotts Berry Farm introduced Sierra Sidewinder, a fast paced, spinning famil adventure.  Winding through the woods of Camp Snoopy, this one of a kind spinning coaster features sharp curves, helixes, and even a few drops that all come unexpected due to its spinning nature.

The ride begins with a turn out of the station and up the lift hill.  From here, guests are facing another rider (with the expception of the front and back rows) as they anxiously await their fate.  Slowly, the coaster crests the hill and begins a 270 degree, banked, helix.  It goes up and down before dropping and spinning wildly into a 40 foot drop.  The train whips around an overbank before heading into two high speed helixes one right above the station.

Finally the ride comes to the stop, your cars return to their positions and you wait, and wait, and wait.  The problem isn’t with the ride itself here but with the ride operations.  Knott’s Berry Farm generally does terrific operations with coasters like Silver Bullet and Ghostrider pumping out trains left and right but that is certainly not the case here.  The gates for loading don’t even open until the next car has arrived at the station.  I have been to the park numerous times since its opening and I do not think it is a single ride operator problem but instead the nature of the ride.

I wish that Knotts could improve the speed of the line however, it is a nice family ride.  The spinning is much more prevelant on certain cars then others so as you wait in the slow moving line, be sure to examine the trains and see which car seems to spin the most.

What do you think of Sierra Sidewinder?  Leave your comments and park thoughts!