I was just at Knott's yesterday, saw Montezooma running and ran straight to that coaster first. Ride in the back row! Amazing airtime on the last spike
Yeah man, my dad told me a lot of wrong things when I was a kid, but at least one important thing he taught me was that the front row on Montezooma’s Revenge is for suckers.
Montezooma was a right of passage in SoCal. Nothing made a 6th grader feel like a MAN than going on Montezooma. Soon you'd be staying up late, dating and paying bills. :D The real genius of the ride is its location. For those who have never been, Montezooma runs parallel to Beach Blvd ending at the cross street La Palma. From the street all the way to the freeway you can see it in operation. And if you stopped at the light you hoped to see a train zoom past before it turned green. You always knew fun times were going on at Knotts even if you weren't going. Most parks put the thrill rides in the back behind facades and shrubs, but Montezooma advertise its thrills up front.
@@foxyrinoa I think my first looping coaster was Revolution. I remember doing Batman, Revolution, and Viper for looping coasters that day. When I went to Knott's the next time I had to put on my brave face cause they wanted to do all the scariest rides. We did Corkscrew, followed in short succession by Montezuma's Revenge, Xcelerator, Silver Bullet, and Ghost Rider (of which the last listed traumatized me as a small child).
SO TRUE!! I grew up in La Mirada just up Beach near Beach and Rosecrans, Knotts is by far my favorite amusement park.. the others are great for their own reasons but Knotts holds a special place in my heart. I am old enough to remember the dinosaur and soapbox derby rides ;)
@@jamesporter6288 I'm not that old and I remember the dinosaur ride. I live in SoCal but have only been to Knott's once as a kid. I was probably around 8-10 years old and was scared of everything but "the Jaguar" which had no real drops. Even the fake miners in the log plume ride scared me, and I was so timid about the constant motion loading into the dinosaur ride that they had to stop the whole ride for me to get on. My dad tried to get us to go on "Ghost Rider" or "Montezooma's Revenge" but I insisted I was a "Chicken to Go!"
I remember when I was a little boy about 10 years old and my grandmother being in her early 90s. We went to Knotts berry farm and I was scared to go on Montezuma‘s revenge but my grandmother at approximately 92 years old couldn’t wait to get on it. I stayed off while she rode the ride and when it was all over she had the biggest smile on her face and wanted to go again. I always thought it was crazy that my grandmother at such an old age was always a wild thrill seeker. She was awesome. I miss you Graham
I remember being there during the opening month of Montezooma's Revenge. They ran TV commercials for it throughout the summer of '78. I was there on 09/01/2001 when someone died on the coaster. The paramedics took her out through a side gate by the Mexican Village. Later that week the news reported that she was an actress/model who intentionally underate and had issues with bulimia. Her aneurysm was most likely self-inflicted by poor eating habits. It was never the coaster or park's fault.
Mainly because it takes a whole team of Rides Maintenance to collectively figure out what its doing wrong. This thing is just like a German Sports Car. Works great till it doesn't. Its had days where its gone down over 13 times.
@@badatgaming his point is that even though it is old and breaks down, they care enough to keep it going. Maintenance on it is expensive and they don't have many spare parts. Some stuff they have to have custom made. Everyone got rid of theirs in america because it became a pain. Knotts does their best to keep it going and I 100% respect them for that because my guess is it is the most expensive coaster to maintain in the park. Needs custom parts, and needs special mechanics that specifically know about it. Aka $
Patrick Gilbert sounds like drop of doom at mm. I am an op there, used to break down almost that much but maintenance finally was given the budget to get it in tip top shape now. It’s the cables man, any ride with cables goes down a lot. Cables are so easily affected by temperature where they expand and contract, and it messes with positions of mechanical systems because cables shorten and lengthen because of temperature. Probably why mm took dejavu out. That was always breaking down. I miss that ride, probably still to this day the scariest thing I ever went on with the first vertical drop. Haha.
As a Knott’s pass holder I get to ride it often and it’s still just as fun as the newer coasters. Thanks again for your interesting information and research.
I always love watching these because I work at the farm and I get to see this amazing ride every day. I even get to walk by the flywheel mechanism as well and it’s amazing.
I know I am and I take pride in the fact that I work at a theme park with such rich history. Love your content and how in depth it is. Can’t wait to watch the next expedition :)
Great video! Montezuma’s Revenge was the first looping roller coaster I ever rode. I’m glad Knott’s takes good care of it and keeps it running. It’s a classic and I ride it every time I visit Knott’s.
I hope they don't change it too much. Montezoomas was my absolute favorite. Went on it 16 times in a row once when the park was absolutely empty one August. Best day ever.
SO Cal resident here. I'm at Knotts at least once a year and Montezooma's Revenge is ALWAYS a must-ride. 41 years old and the ride not only holds up, it still kicks major butt. Its a classic and must be preserved at all costs.
Corkscrew was the first looping coaster I rode. I cried hysterically while in the queue as my dad forced me on. I loved it. Montezooma followed quickly thereafter. It shows us that simplicity can still yield excellent results over 40 years later.
If I'm not mistaken, you can get a view of Monte's flywheel when you exit Jaguar. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you do not want to stand that close because it gets loud.
I only visited Knotts as a child but distinctly remember the flywheel being visible, perhaps it was the noise or the speed but something about it definitely conveyed the power it provided to the ride. Once I was old enough to ride it definitely lived up to my expectations
Unfortunately I’ve never made it to The Farm, but the Tidal Wave at Great America was my very first ’upside down’ roller coaster when I was a kid. I always loved listening to the flywheel launch the train, and the lights that made the ‘wave’ go in both directions. To this day, still one of my favorite memories ☺️
My heart dropped when I first scrolled down and saw the title of this video. I was thinking that it was closing soon. It may not be the biggest or fastest coaster out there, but it’s a whole lot of fun!
It sucks that knott's might be removing the flywheel, but as long as we can still ride old monty for years to come, I'm glad that they're going through the trouble of updating the ride instead of removing it entirely.
I love Montezooma's Revenge!! This was my first looping coaster ever! Even though it's only about 30 sec. long, it's so addicting that you immediately want to ride it again. Plus the Aztec temple theming is the cherry on the cake! Can't wait for your next Knott's video!
I love Knott's Berry Farm for a variety of reasons; great food, great rides, wonderful atmosphere and amazing events like the Boysenberry festival and Knott's Scary Farm. As a season pass holder I go as often as I can
fantastic memory, thanks so much !!! I rode this several times in the early 80's as a teen... I haven't been back to Knott's since then... maybe I'm overdue :-)
I’m 41 and this ride is special to my in was my first coaster with a loop I ever went on my dad even stuffed napkins in my shoes to make the height lmao !!!
My favorite thing about knotts is its incredible history and faithful nods to its past while continuing to pave the way for an innovative future. It always puts storytelling first and Ghost Town Alive has to be hands down my favourite event of all times. In my heart, I'll always be part of the Mayfield family. Happy hundredth anniversary Knotts! To the next 100 years.
Well you are also supposed to constantly tighten screws on your car too. Vibrations slowly make screws loose. They check screws everyday. Some parks put paint pen marks to show where the screws should line up so they know if something moved. Safer on a rollercoaster, than in your car. They check the rollercoaster daily and are on a set track with no obstacles. Do you check your car thoroughly every day? And you don't have a set track, and you have other human obstacles
I would feel more assured that the screws indeed being tightened and maintained. Be sure to thank those hardworking folks taking care of the coasters every now and then.
I have great memories of this and Tidal Wave at Marriott's Great America when I was a kid and my father explaining to me how the fly wheel worked. I always give this one a ride when I go to Knott's!
I want to tip my hat to the maintenance team at Knott's for keeping Monte running like new for all these years. It's nothing short of remarkable they've been able to do so. I also think it's really cool that CF hasn't allowed this coaster to fall into disrepair, remove or dismantle it. Revolution was a mess for a long time until MM came to their senses and rehabbed it, which I'm thrilled they did and it's once again awesome. But Monte has always been Monte and that shows the team at Knott's really loves this coaster and recognizes its significance. Here's to another 40 years!🎢
Revolution was my first coaster ever, and montezuma’s is the one I’ve been on the most. One time, pretty sure I was in high school? There were no lines. Me and my friends just kept going through the ‘out’ gate into the ‘in” gate- we must’ve gone on it again and again 7 or 8 times right before closing. Ah childhood!
Montezooma's Revenge has been and always will be my favorite ride at Knott's. Nothing comes close to the feeling going backwards though that loop. I sit at the back.
I’m so glad I got to experience this amazing ride back in summer of 2019. It truly was an awesome experience and I would’ve been absolutely gutted if I never got to ride one of these models.
I rode this in the early 90's. It was my first coaster that did a loop. Its one of my favorites to this day. You cant help but see it as you enter the park. I hope they never replace it.
Anton and Werner are absolute legends. I'm so thankful those guys teamed up and revolutionized the industry. This video is awesome! Thanks for all your research and gathering of footage!
Montezooma was my very first roller coaster! I think I was maybe 10 or so when I first rode it. Thank you so much for this video; it's so interesting to learn the history of it.
Grew up in Pittsburgh but spent summers in SoCal with mom's side. As a kid I was always mixing up the Laser Loop and Montezooma's Revenge. People would be like huh? and I'd get all frustrated cause it was THE SAME. So neat the Loop is in Mexico.
Knotts is my home park and I think montezoomas is definitely underrated. If the brakes weren't so loud I might even put it over silver bullet. Definitely make sure to grab this credit, it's a great ride.
Fantastic video! This was probably my first roller coaster - I remember waiting while my parents rode it soon after it opened. Years later, my sister and I would keep getting back in line, riding it over and over again. I think 14 times in a row was our max! Such good memories. Brilliant that you had a picture of its construction in Germany.
You should really do a series on Magic Mountain. That park has had a crazy history, from record breaking coasters and rides to gang turf wars and large riots and to almost being closed because the land was worth more than the park! Truly fascinating and a great park too!
Thanks for making me feel old. I remember when this ride opened up and my sister couldn't wait to ride it. I was far too young and tiny to do so, just yet. The moment I could, you better believe I did! Thanks for sharing this with us. It's good to remember.
OMG. I didn't realise that Katapult was the first Schwarzkopf Shuttle Looper ever made :0 I live in São Paulo, Brazil and that coaster is one of my favorites one
Love this ride, it was my first inverted loop, made the mistake of leaning forward and spent the whole ride unable to sit straight with the g-force and had to stare at the floor lol
I was at Knott’s Berry Farm when Montezooma’s Revenge was awarded the ACE coaster landmark. It truly is a landmark coaster. Also, I’m glad to give you some footage for your video. It’s nice to share an audience with you and I would love to get in touch with you for any future endeavors in the world of coaster enthusiasm. If we ever cross paths at a park, let’s catch a roller coaster ride together. It would be nice to have a shared experience with you and afterwards, hear about each other’s channel origins.
I went to Knott's Berry Farm in early September of 2014, and rode Montezooma's Revenge. It's short but very intense. I would definitely ride it again, and sure hope I do. 👍🏻
I got to got to knotts for the first time and ride this the second week of January. Knotts is an amazing park. My favorite thing about the park is the corkscrew over the water on silver bullet
One of my absolute favorite coasters ever! One year, at an event hosted by Theme Park Review, I rode this thing 9 times in a row without ever getting off! 🤪
The last time I was at Knott's was at Christmas time and the lines were all well over an hour long. The only coaster I ended up doing was Montazuma's Revenge. I absolutely LOVE this coaster!!
I've been on this ride numerous times as a Southern Californian. Granted I don't go to Knott's very often because I'm an AP holder for Disneyland and have a Six Flags membership for Magic Mountain (I can't afford a Cedar Fair pass at the moment). But every time I go, Montezooma's always on my list of must-rides for me. I love Schwartzopf's roller coasters and I hope to ride many of the ones remaining in the US before they're moved or scrapped. I'm glad that Revolution at Magic Mountain is still really well maintained.
I got a chance to watch the flywheel when I rode this, long before I saw this video and what it really was/its history!! Can't wait to go ride it again. Doing a loop backwards is such a crazy experience
This was my first rollercoaster with a loop. I was so proud of myself the first time that I rode it lol. I'm glad that it is still around. I love Knotts, such a fun theme park.
Yep! AstroWorld had Greezed Lightnin' . I was a ride operator on that one. That one also opened in 1978. By 2005 the year the park closed, it had been "launched" over 1 million times!!! I remember when they were building it. When the park closed, I was allowed inside to film it's demolition. I "pinched" a few bolts that held the loop together. LOL!
My first inversion also my brothers. When I first took my little brother, there was no line so we rode it over and over until he puked. I was very pleased. He loved it.
Montezooma’s Revenge was always a great coaster. I haven't been to Knott's Betty Farm in decades but this and the long gone Corkscrew left fond memories in my mind. The Fiesta Wheel (shown early in this video but also long gone from the park) was also fantastic.
The Corkscrew is still twisting the night away after all these years. Knott’s sold the Corkscrew to Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho in 1990. The Corkscrew is Silverwood’s crown jewel just like Montezuma’s Revenge is to Knott’s. I go to Silverwood every July for a week to catch up with an old friend. Corkscrew was my 1st roller coaster I EVER rode when I was 5 years old in 1981. My record for riding the Corkscrew is 75 times in one day, I have not been able to beat that record in almost 10 years. Hello from Phoenix Arizona!
Love the vid! This is my home park and have logged over 137 rides on this beautiful steel creation. I've heard recent rumors the park might remove this piece of history! I will be heartbroken!! Cheers! Mike The Roller Coaster Guy
@@ExpeditionThemePark Oddly enough, the thing I miss most from Knott's when I was a kid is the Haunted Shack. It wasn't big or flashy and I think most people just walked right past it but it was a super cool experience
As a local growing up, this was the coaster that got me to become a big coaster fan. I rode it in 5th grade as a dare with my friends, and I don't regret it. I had no idea just how much history this coaster alone had behind it though! Edit: forgot to mention, you should do a video on the Timber Mountain Log Ride next! (If you haven't mentioned it already)
Glad I got a ride on it this past summer. I hope they keep it forever. With where it sits and the interaction with jaguar, it doesn't make sense to get rid of it. Brought back so many memories with six flags over GA's Viper. Great vid as always.
I rode it in 1978 and either there were no real height requirements or I was just tall enough to ride. I was 8 years old. I also was so excited when an identical ride opened closer to my home near Chicago at Great America.
I worked at Knott's Berry back In the late 70's when ride supervisors wore red badges, and rank & file ride ops wore white. I would only date red badges, so once a long time ago, I got to ride Zoom facing backwards with my knees in the seat, holding onto the headrest. Fun! And I'd like to confirm that Knott's rides maintenance staff was and still is second to none. They wrote a lot of the code for their rides that would improve and expand on what the factory had delivered. Before I was hired, I was the first person to be cranked down from the top of Sky Jump. (I didn't weigh enough.)
Shwarzkopf coasters are my favoriete coasters ..period. As an coaster enthousiast you can always make me happy with these classic full of punch smooth old lady's. I am from Belgium And we have a shuttle loop @ Walibi belgium Wich name was "Siricco". But after a couple of incidents it is totallly covered (inside a building) the flywheel is Removed and it is now a lsm launch shwarzkopf shuttle loop named "psyche underground". So whenever the flywheel propulsion becomes too maintenance heavy or costly. These loopers can be overhauled with lsm's. Hope they keep these Classics running! Because there is never an equal experience like These almost perfect round loops. That's why Olympia looping is still my nummer 1 all time coaster.
This coaster holds up. It's has been a rite of passage for every kid in Southern California. It was the first time I went on an upside-down coaster, and it started a lifelong coaster obsession.
I miss Tidal Wave/Greased Lightning (Great America in CA) sooo much. :( It was sad the way they obscured the entrance more and more over the years to discourage people from riding it to justify taking it out. I have a memory of going to the park with my family back in the 90s. I wanted to ride it SO BAD but I was slightly too short, and my brother (5 years older) was too scared to ride it. I tease him about that now since coasters no longer scare him.
Ahh, yes, the humble Shuttle Loop. So far I only rode the one it Walibi Belgium which got upgraded to a LSM Launch, though they have the original Flywheel sitting under the Station as theming, visible from the queue line. With Gold Reef City being on top of my Bucket List Parks, I really hope they have their Drop Weight Shuttle Loop still operational when I get down there.
The surprising thing is that it really hasn't lost it's edge with age. Even though Xcelerator has a far stronger launch, Montezuma's roaring loop and airtime moments on each spike still hold up for any coaster enthusiast. Given it's relatively small footprint and historical value, I really hope Knotts keeps it in service for decades more. I can't think of any other ride that would fit that footprint that would be as enjoyable to ride.
Whenever I go to knotts, 1-4 times a year, I always ride this a lot of times. So underrated at the Park, it’s sometimes just a walk on so you can marathon it. Although they have ghost rider I’d ride this more
Rode Montazuma for the first time three weeks ago when my family went to Knotts for vacation. Even in the middle, that coaster will take the breath right out of you. Great coaster. Super intimidating when you wait in the load area and you see the coaster rip through the station! Would definitely ride again.
Bittersweet video, considering its current state. They had the backstage area open as a walkway one Haunt when Camp Snoopy was closed for the zombie hunt maze and I stood by the flywheel, just watching. Eventually an employee came and told me to "move along" since it really was just open as a convenient corridor and we weren't supposed to loiter, but that flywheel really was magic. Its launch still delivered, even after Xcelerator opened.
I live in Lubbock and I was SO hyped for the looper to open in Joyland as a kid! Sadly it never happened.. On the plus side, we did get a Freak Out type ride years later
I have been going to Knott's for a long time. I started going when this was the ONLY ride like this they had. I prefer Silver Bullet, Hang Time and Xcelerator but still ride this because of how many memories I have riding it
We actually have one here in Mexico called “Cascabel”, in “La feria de Chapultepec” sadly it’s been closed for 3 months now since one of the rollercoasters in the park killed three people.
As a kid in the 90s I remember this ride being a benchmark of whether or not you were "tough".. it was terrifying to s youngster and every time I rode it I was so proud of myself lol ..
I loved greased lightning as a kid at Astroworld and this is still one favorite coasters at knots. I know it is simplistic in design but man it is still awesome.
The best part of Knott's Berry Farm is the fried chicken. This best fried ever cooked by human hands, at least in the 70's and 80's. God damn I miss that chicken, FML!!!!!!!
I grew up near Knotts, and rode that maybe a hundred times. I was always told that it was a retired WWII aircraft carrier steam catapult and believed it! Thanks for going into the detail about the flywheel. As an adult at 43, im kinda embarrassed that I still thought it was a steam catapult till I saw this video. Thats why I love your channel, and keep up the great work!
I think this was a pretty prominent myth in the area. Grew up a block away on Grand Ave. and thought the same thing. Of course, my father- who served in the Navy on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam war- told this to me, and I figured he knew what he was talking about :).
I’ve only been on two Arrow Shuttle Loop coasters which were the Zoomerang/Daredevil/Double “O” at Circus World/Boardwalk and Baseball and the Sidewinder at Elitch Gardens. Hopefully I’ll be able to make my way over to Knott’s before it is retired.
I was just at Knott's yesterday, saw Montezooma running and ran straight to that coaster first. Ride in the back row! Amazing airtime on the last spike
such a classic!
Especially the loop backwards. Best feeling
Yeah man, my dad told me a lot of wrong things when I was a kid, but at least one important thing he taught me was that the front row on Montezooma’s Revenge is for suckers.
Thats the best part of the ride isn't it? Hoping it doesn't fly off the end.
back or front
Montezooma was a right of passage in SoCal. Nothing made a 6th grader feel like a MAN than going on Montezooma. Soon you'd be staying up late, dating and paying bills. :D
The real genius of the ride is its location. For those who have never been, Montezooma runs parallel to Beach Blvd ending at the cross street La Palma. From the street all the way to the freeway you can see it in operation. And if you stopped at the light you hoped to see a train zoom past before it turned green. You always knew fun times were going on at Knotts even if you weren't going. Most parks put the thrill rides in the back behind facades and shrubs, but Montezooma advertise its thrills up front.
Exactly
It was many of us Southern California kids first big coaster/loop. It was a right of passage.
@@foxyrinoa I think my first looping coaster was Revolution. I remember doing Batman, Revolution, and Viper for looping coasters that day. When I went to Knott's the next time I had to put on my brave face cause they wanted to do all the scariest rides. We did Corkscrew, followed in short succession by Montezuma's Revenge, Xcelerator, Silver Bullet, and Ghost Rider (of which the last listed traumatized me as a small child).
SO TRUE!! I grew up in La Mirada just up Beach near Beach and Rosecrans, Knotts is by far my favorite amusement park.. the others are great for their own reasons but Knotts holds a special place in my heart. I am old enough to remember the dinosaur and soapbox derby rides ;)
@@jamesporter6288 I'm not that old and I remember the dinosaur ride. I live in SoCal but have only been to Knott's once as a kid. I was probably around 8-10 years old and was scared of everything but "the Jaguar" which had no real drops. Even the fake miners in the log plume ride scared me, and I was so timid about the constant motion loading into the dinosaur ride that they had to stop the whole ride for me to get on. My dad tried to get us to go on "Ghost Rider" or "Montezooma's Revenge" but I insisted I was a "Chicken to Go!"
I remember when I was a little boy about 10 years old and my grandmother being in her early 90s. We went to Knotts berry farm and I was scared to go on Montezuma‘s revenge but my grandmother at approximately 92 years old couldn’t wait to get on it. I stayed off while she rode the ride and when it was all over she had the biggest smile on her face and wanted to go again. I always thought it was crazy that my grandmother at such an old age was always a wild thrill seeker. She was awesome. I miss you Graham
I remember being there during the opening month of Montezooma's Revenge. They ran TV commercials for it throughout the summer of '78. I was there on 09/01/2001 when someone died on the coaster. The paramedics took her out through a side gate by the Mexican Village. Later that week the news reported that she was an actress/model who intentionally underate and had issues with bulimia. Her aneurysm was most likely self-inflicted by poor eating habits. It was never the coaster or park's fault.
Wow, dude. That's dark.
This ride brings back so many memories of riding this with my grandpa. RIP ✌ 1955-2019
RIP to him. Glad you could share those memories together.
I love how much Knotts care about the ride. It broke down while I was there and they had a whole team of engineers fixing it.
Mainly because it takes a whole team of Rides Maintenance to collectively figure out what its doing wrong. This thing is just like a German Sports Car. Works great till it doesn't. Its had days where its gone down over 13 times.
@@badatgaming his point is that even though it is old and breaks down, they care enough to keep it going. Maintenance on it is expensive and they don't have many spare parts. Some stuff they have to have custom made. Everyone got rid of theirs in america because it became a pain. Knotts does their best to keep it going and I 100% respect them for that because my guess is it is the most expensive coaster to maintain in the park. Needs custom parts, and needs special mechanics that specifically know about it. Aka $
@@benisjammin626 to your point, these models weren't designed or built to last for more than four decades.
@@badatgaming you mean it takes that many to push the train lol
Patrick Gilbert sounds like drop of doom at mm. I am an op there, used to break down almost that much but maintenance finally was given the budget to get it in tip top shape now. It’s the cables man, any ride with cables goes down a lot. Cables are so easily affected by temperature where they expand and contract, and it messes with positions of mechanical systems because cables shorten and lengthen because of temperature. Probably why mm took dejavu out. That was always breaking down. I miss that ride, probably still to this day the scariest thing I ever went on with the first vertical drop. Haha.
As a Knott’s pass holder I get to ride it often and it’s still just as fun as the newer coasters. Thanks again for your interesting information and research.
I always love watching these because I work at the farm and I get to see this amazing ride every day. I even get to walk by the flywheel mechanism as well and it’s amazing.
Lucky!
I know I am and I take pride in the fact that I work at a theme park with such rich history. Love your content and how in depth it is. Can’t wait to watch the next expedition :)
I rode this ride when it first opened. Its amazing they've taken such good care of it. That's probably why it's still operating.
Great video! Montezuma’s Revenge was the first looping roller coaster I ever rode. I’m glad Knott’s takes good care of it and keeps it running. It’s a classic and I ride it every time I visit Knott’s.
Thank you!
I hope they don't change it too much. Montezoomas was my absolute favorite. Went on it 16 times in a row once when the park was absolutely empty one August. Best day ever.
i love knotts this is the park i grew up going to and i can tell this is their pride and joy it is rarely ever closed
SO Cal resident here. I'm at Knotts at least once a year and Montezooma's Revenge is ALWAYS a must-ride. 41 years old and the ride not only holds up, it still kicks major butt. Its a classic and must be preserved at all costs.
Corkscrew was the first looping coaster I rode. I cried hysterically while in the queue as my dad forced me on. I loved it.
Montezooma followed quickly thereafter. It shows us that simplicity can still yield excellent results over 40 years later.
I love Knott's Berry Farm.
Knott's is my HOME park I've been riding Montezooma's Revenge since 1996 !
It's great they payed tribute to such a classic coaster with even repainting the original track, the air time is amazing when going on the back hill
If I'm not mistaken, you can get a view of Monte's flywheel when you exit Jaguar. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you do not want to stand that close because it gets loud.
I only visited Knotts as a child but distinctly remember the flywheel being visible, perhaps it was the noise or the speed but something about it definitely conveyed the power it provided to the ride. Once I was old enough to ride it definitely lived up to my expectations
Unfortunately I’ve never made it to The Farm, but the Tidal Wave at Great America was my very first ’upside down’ roller coaster when I was a kid. I always loved listening to the flywheel launch the train, and the lights that made the ‘wave’ go in both directions. To this day, still one of my favorite memories ☺️
My heart dropped when I first scrolled down and saw the title of this video. I was thinking that it was closing soon. It may not be the biggest or fastest coaster out there, but it’s a whole lot of fun!
It sucks that knott's might be removing the flywheel, but as long as we can still ride old monty for years to come, I'm glad that they're going through the trouble of updating the ride instead of removing it entirely.
I love Montezooma's Revenge!! This was my first looping coaster ever! Even though it's only about 30 sec. long, it's so addicting that you immediately want to ride it again. Plus the Aztec temple theming is the cherry on the cake! Can't wait for your next Knott's video!
I love Knott's Berry Farm for a variety of reasons; great food, great rides, wonderful atmosphere and amazing events like the Boysenberry festival and Knott's Scary Farm. As a season pass holder I go as often as I can
Such a great park
fantastic memory, thanks so much !!! I rode this several times in the early 80's as a teen... I haven't been back to Knott's since then... maybe I'm overdue :-)
I think you are!
I’m 41 and this ride is special to my in was my first coaster with a loop I ever went on my dad even stuffed napkins in my shoes to make the height lmao !!!
The backwards loop on this still gets me! Thanks for giving Montezooma some love!
My favorite thing about knotts is its incredible history and faithful nods to its past while continuing to pave the way for an innovative future. It always puts storytelling first and Ghost Town Alive has to be hands down my favourite event of all times. In my heart, I'll always be part of the Mayfield family. Happy hundredth anniversary Knotts! To the next 100 years.
The first rollercoaster I went on was this and jaguar! holds a soft spot in my heart!
A good first one!
"Screws always need to be tightened." Well, if I wasn't already terrified of roller coasters, that didn't help.
Ha!
Well you are also supposed to constantly tighten screws on your car too. Vibrations slowly make screws loose. They check screws everyday. Some parks put paint pen marks to show where the screws should line up so they know if something moved. Safer on a rollercoaster, than in your car. They check the rollercoaster daily and are on a set track with no obstacles. Do you check your car thoroughly every day? And you don't have a set track, and you have other human obstacles
What part of coasters are you afraid of?
I would feel more assured that the screws indeed being tightened and maintained. Be sure to thank those hardworking folks taking care of the coasters every now and then.
My first rollercoaster with a loop when I was 12 years old. Rode it a few days ago for my 30th Bday. Same great experience I remember as a kid.
The first coaster that I was able to keep my eyes open while going through the loop.
I have great memories of this and Tidal Wave at Marriott's Great America when I was a kid and my father explaining to me how the fly wheel worked. I always give this one a ride when I go to Knott's!
I want to tip my hat to the maintenance team at Knott's for keeping Monte running like new for all these years. It's nothing short of remarkable they've been able to do so. I also think it's really cool that CF hasn't allowed this coaster to fall into disrepair, remove or dismantle it. Revolution was a mess for a long time until MM came to their senses and rehabbed it, which I'm thrilled they did and it's once again awesome. But Monte has always been Monte and that shows the team at Knott's really loves this coaster and recognizes its significance. Here's to another 40 years!🎢
Tom L, Amen to that
Revolution was my first coaster ever, and montezuma’s is the one I’ve been on the most. One time, pretty sure I was in high school? There were no lines. Me and my friends just kept going through the ‘out’ gate into the ‘in” gate- we must’ve gone on it again and again 7 or 8 times right before closing. Ah childhood!
With Knott's doing major rework on the ride we might need an updated video soon. Can't wait to see what it's store next for this historic ride
I first rode this when I was a preteen, and it scared the HELL out of me. Now, it's a fun, simple ride that I can enjoy.
A classic
I'm so glad to know this one's still around. I think I must have rode it ten times in one afternoon once back in the early '90s.
This was my first looping coaster I rode! I was 11 or 12 yrs old then, and I’m 51 now. Glad to see it’s still going!
Montezooma's Revenge has been and always will be my favorite ride at Knott's. Nothing comes close to the feeling going backwards though that loop. I sit at the back.
We have a rollercoaster like this in Walibi Belgium. It's called 'Psyké Underground' and its one of my favourites! Love it!
Montezooma's is so short yet such a fantastic ride. I love that you have a video dedicated to this legend.
I’m so glad I got to experience this amazing ride back in summer of 2019. It truly was an awesome experience and I would’ve been absolutely gutted if I never got to ride one of these models.
I rode this in the early 90's. It was my first coaster that did a loop. Its one of my favorites to this day. You cant help but see it as you enter the park. I hope they never replace it.
Anton and Werner are absolute legends. I'm so thankful those guys teamed up and revolutionized the industry. This video is awesome! Thanks for all your research and gathering of footage!
Growing up in Houston I can't tell you how many times I rode Astroworld's Greezed Lightnin'! It was awesome!
Montezooma was my very first roller coaster! I think I was maybe 10 or so when I first rode it. Thank you so much for this video; it's so interesting to learn the history of it.
Grew up in Pittsburgh but spent summers in SoCal with mom's side. As a kid I was always mixing up the Laser Loop and Montezooma's Revenge. People would be like huh? and I'd get all frustrated cause it was THE SAME.
So neat the Loop is in Mexico.
Knotts is my home park and I think montezoomas is definitely underrated. If the brakes weren't so loud I might even put it over silver bullet. Definitely make sure to grab this credit, it's a great ride.
Fantastic video! This was probably my first roller coaster - I remember waiting while my parents rode it soon after it opened. Years later, my sister and I would keep getting back in line, riding it over and over again. I think 14 times in a row was our max! Such good memories. Brilliant that you had a picture of its construction in Germany.
You should really do a series on Magic Mountain. That park has had a crazy history, from record breaking coasters and rides to gang turf wars and large riots and to almost being closed because the land was worth more than the park! Truly fascinating and a great park too!
Thanks for making me feel old. I remember when this ride opened up and my sister couldn't wait to ride it. I was far too young and tiny to do so, just yet. The moment I could, you better believe I did! Thanks for sharing this with us. It's good to remember.
OMG. I didn't realise that Katapult was the first Schwarzkopf Shuttle Looper ever made :0 I live in São Paulo, Brazil and that coaster is one of my favorites one
Love this ride, it was my first inverted loop, made the mistake of leaning forward and spent the whole ride unable to sit straight with the g-force and had to stare at the floor lol
I was at Knott’s Berry Farm when Montezooma’s Revenge was awarded the ACE coaster landmark. It truly is a landmark coaster. Also, I’m glad to give you some footage for your video. It’s nice to share an audience with you and I would love to get in touch with you for any future endeavors in the world of coaster enthusiasm. If we ever cross paths at a park, let’s catch a roller coaster ride together. It would be nice to have a shared experience with you and afterwards, hear about each other’s channel origins.
Definitely gonna follow you both
@@taradale3220 Thank you. I appreciate it.
Loved the Greased Lightning in Astroworld.
One of my all time favorite coasters
I went to Knott's Berry Farm in early September of 2014, and rode Montezooma's Revenge. It's short but very intense. I would definitely ride it again, and sure hope I do. 👍🏻
I got to got to knotts for the first time and ride this the second week of January. Knotts is an amazing park. My favorite thing about the park is the corkscrew over the water on silver bullet
I agree!
One of my absolute favorite coasters ever! One year, at an event hosted by Theme Park Review, I rode this thing 9 times in a row without ever getting off! 🤪
Living the dream!
The last time I was at Knott's was at Christmas time and the lines were all well over an hour long. The only coaster I ended up doing was Montazuma's Revenge. I absolutely LOVE this coaster!!
I've been on this ride numerous times as a Southern Californian. Granted I don't go to Knott's very often because I'm an AP holder for Disneyland and have a Six Flags membership for Magic Mountain (I can't afford a Cedar Fair pass at the moment). But every time I go, Montezooma's always on my list of must-rides for me. I love Schwartzopf's roller coasters and I hope to ride many of the ones remaining in the US before they're moved or scrapped. I'm glad that Revolution at Magic Mountain is still really well maintained.
I got a chance to watch the flywheel when I rode this, long before I saw this video and what it really was/its history!! Can't wait to go ride it again. Doing a loop backwards is such a crazy experience
Tidalwave was my first coaster I was tall enough to ride at Six Flags in Illinois, couldn't get enough of it.
This was my first rollercoaster with a loop. I was so proud of myself the first time that I rode it lol. I'm glad that it is still around. I love Knotts, such a fun theme park.
Yep! AstroWorld had Greezed Lightnin' . I was a ride operator on that one. That one also opened in 1978. By 2005 the year the park closed, it had been "launched" over 1 million times!!! I remember when they were building it. When the park closed, I was allowed inside to film it's demolition. I "pinched" a few bolts that held the loop together. LOL!
My first inversion also my brothers. When I first took my little brother, there was no line so we rode it over and over until he puked. I was very pleased. He loved it.
Montezooma’s Revenge was always a great coaster. I haven't been to Knott's Betty Farm in decades but this and the long gone Corkscrew left fond memories in my mind. The Fiesta Wheel (shown early in this video but also long gone from the park) was also fantastic.
The Corkscrew is still twisting the night away after all these years. Knott’s sold the Corkscrew to Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho in 1990. The Corkscrew is Silverwood’s crown jewel just like Montezuma’s Revenge is to Knott’s. I go to Silverwood every July for a week to catch up with an old friend. Corkscrew was my 1st roller coaster I EVER rode when I was 5 years old in 1981. My record for riding the Corkscrew is 75 times in one day, I have not been able to beat that record in almost 10 years. Hello from Phoenix Arizona!
Rode this last month ! Knotts and Disney are my home parks, I miss living there 😭
Better go back!
Great video! I rode it as a 10 year old in 1985, then took my 10 year old on it in 2015. Such a classic!
It really is!
I love that they named this ride after a band named after a bout of violent diarrhea
Love the vid! This is my home park and have logged over 137 rides on this beautiful steel creation. I've heard recent rumors the park might remove this piece of history! I will be heartbroken!!
Cheers!
Mike The Roller Coaster Guy
The skyjump footage takes me back to the day
A classic!
@@ExpeditionThemePark Oddly enough, the thing I miss most from Knott's when I was a kid is the Haunted Shack. It wasn't big or flashy and I think most people just walked right past it but it was a super cool experience
As a local growing up, this was the coaster that got me to become a big coaster fan. I rode it in 5th grade as a dare with my friends, and I don't regret it. I had no idea just how much history this coaster alone had behind it though!
Edit: forgot to mention, you should do a video on the Timber Mountain Log Ride next! (If you haven't mentioned it already)
My favorite log ride and now, my son’s
this was my first roller coaster I've ever ridden. Love this ride.
My first loop ride!! Still love this ride.
Glad I got a ride on it this past summer. I hope they keep it forever. With where it sits and the interaction with jaguar, it doesn't make sense to get rid of it. Brought back so many memories with six flags over GA's Viper. Great vid as always.
I rode it in 1978 and either there were no real height requirements or I was just tall enough to ride. I was 8 years old. I also was so excited when an identical ride opened closer to my home near Chicago at Great America.
I worked at Knott's Berry back In the late 70's when ride supervisors wore red badges, and rank & file ride ops wore white. I would only date red badges, so once a long time ago, I got to ride Zoom facing backwards with my knees in the seat, holding onto the headrest. Fun! And I'd like to confirm that Knott's rides maintenance staff was and still is second to none. They wrote a lot of the code for their rides that would improve and expand on what the factory had delivered. Before I was hired, I was the first person to be cranked down from the top of Sky Jump. (I didn't weigh enough.)
Expedition Theme Park + Screwy Loops = Banger
this is one of my favorite coasters to ride when I go to knotts. I could if given the chance ride it all day. it never gets old
Shwarzkopf coasters are my favoriete coasters ..period. As an coaster enthousiast you can always make me happy with these classic full of punch smooth old lady's. I am from Belgium And we have a shuttle loop @ Walibi belgium Wich name was "Siricco". But after a couple of incidents it is totallly covered (inside a building) the flywheel is Removed and it is now a lsm launch shwarzkopf shuttle loop named "psyche underground". So whenever the flywheel propulsion becomes too maintenance heavy or costly. These loopers can be overhauled with lsm's. Hope they keep these Classics running! Because there is never an equal experience like These almost perfect round loops. That's why Olympia looping is still my nummer 1 all time coaster.
Olympia is so good
This coaster holds up. It's has been a rite of passage for every kid in Southern California. It was the first time I went on an upside-down coaster, and it started a lifelong coaster obsession.
I remembering riding Tidal Wave at Great America in Gurnee IL as a kid. It wasn’t the fanciest of the coasters there but always one of my favorites.
A classic
Expedition strata coasters?
Like a expedition about intamins unreliability and then the American intamin drought
Eventually yes
I miss Tidal Wave/Greased Lightning (Great America in CA) sooo much. :( It was sad the way they obscured the entrance more and more over the years to discourage people from riding it to justify taking it out.
I have a memory of going to the park with my family back in the 90s. I wanted to ride it SO BAD but I was slightly too short, and my brother (5 years older) was too scared to ride it. I tease him about that now since coasters no longer scare him.
Ahh, yes, the humble Shuttle Loop. So far I only rode the one it Walibi Belgium which got upgraded to a LSM Launch, though they have the original Flywheel sitting under the Station as theming, visible from the queue line.
With Gold Reef City being on top of my Bucket List Parks, I really hope they have their Drop Weight Shuttle Loop still operational when I get down there.
This is such an interesting and historical coaster
It is!
The surprising thing is that it really hasn't lost it's edge with age. Even though Xcelerator has a far stronger launch, Montezuma's roaring loop and airtime moments on each spike still hold up for any coaster enthusiast. Given it's relatively small footprint and historical value, I really hope Knotts keeps it in service for decades more. I can't think of any other ride that would fit that footprint that would be as enjoyable to ride.
@@ViperThreat Agreed, I rode this a few weeks ago and had no idea how old it was until I saw this video.
Whenever I go to knotts, 1-4 times a year, I always ride this a lot of times. So underrated at the Park, it’s sometimes just a walk on so you can marathon it. Although they have ghost rider I’d ride this more
Montezooma got his revenge
He did!
The joke that my family likes to say about this ride is this: What is Montezuma Revenging to? Answer: Scaring white people.
@@Emplordxiii my response is whatever you just ate
😂
Rode Montazuma for the first time three weeks ago when my family went to Knotts for vacation. Even in the middle, that coaster will take the breath right out of you. Great coaster. Super intimidating when you wait in the load area and you see the coaster rip through the station! Would definitely ride again.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Bittersweet video, considering its current state. They had the backstage area open as a walkway one Haunt when Camp Snoopy was closed for the zombie hunt maze and I stood by the flywheel, just watching. Eventually an employee came and told me to "move along" since it really was just open as a convenient corridor and we weren't supposed to loiter, but that flywheel really was magic. Its launch still delivered, even after Xcelerator opened.
I live in Lubbock and I was SO hyped for the looper to open in Joyland as a kid! Sadly it never happened.. On the plus side, we did get a Freak Out type ride years later
I have been going to Knott's for a long time. I started going when this was the ONLY ride like this they had. I prefer Silver Bullet, Hang Time and Xcelerator but still ride this because of how many memories I have riding it
We actually have one here in Mexico called “Cascabel”, in “La feria de Chapultepec” sadly it’s been closed for 3 months now since one of the rollercoasters in the park killed three people.
Damn good coaster y’all have. It really is a shame they haven’t found a operator yet
As a kid in the 90s I remember this ride being a benchmark of whether or not you were "tough".. it was terrifying to s youngster and every time I rode it I was so proud of myself lol ..
I always remembered waiting for my seat and watching the shuttle slowly pull back in front of me. A great coaster.
I loved greased lightning as a kid at Astroworld and this is still one favorite coasters at knots. I know it is simplistic in design but man it is still awesome.
Sometimes simple is better!
Rode it multiple times opening year in '78 when I was 11 years old. I was so fascinated by the technology and trying to understand how it worked.
The best part of Knott's Berry Farm is the fried chicken. This best fried ever cooked by human hands, at least in the 70's and 80's. God damn I miss that chicken, FML!!!!!!!
I grew up near Knotts, and rode that maybe a hundred times. I was always told that it was a retired WWII aircraft carrier steam catapult and believed it! Thanks for going into the detail about the flywheel. As an adult at 43, im kinda embarrassed that I still thought it was a steam catapult till I saw this video. Thats why I love your channel, and keep up the great work!
Thank you!
Also grew up a block away and somehow got the same carrier catapult idea stuck in my head - maybe it was watching that little launch hook connect.
I think this was a pretty prominent myth in the area. Grew up a block away on Grand Ave. and thought the same thing. Of course, my father- who served in the Navy on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam war- told this to me, and I figured he knew what he was talking about :).
I’ve only been on two Arrow Shuttle Loop coasters which were the Zoomerang/Daredevil/Double “O” at Circus World/Boardwalk and Baseball and the Sidewinder at Elitch Gardens. Hopefully I’ll be able to make my way over to Knott’s before it is retired.
I rode the tidal wave at great America so many times. It was so much fun.
Who else was here before he realized there’s an extra space in the title?
But really, this is awesome! Props for giving this little coaster some love.
me :D thank you