Knott's Berry Farm loads new Montezooma coaster train on track
The oft-delayed makeover of Montezooma's Revenge at Knott's Berry Farm moved one step closer to a summer opening with the arrival of an Aztec-themed train that will transport treasure hunters to a hidden fortress.
Knott's Berry Farm has loaded the new Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress multi-launch roller coaster trains on the shuttle loop track in the Fiesta Village station, according to Knott’s officials.
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The new coaster train for Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress has been designed to look like a mythical creature made from rocks with fang-like teeth, reptilian scales, spiked armor and glowing red eyes.
Knott's plans to start testing the reimagined Montezooma coaster in the coming weeks now that the new train is on the track. The revamped ride will open this summer or sooner, according to Knott's officials.
Netherlands-based ride renovator Kumbak is working on the Montezooma renovation. Kumbak has previously teamed with European theme parks Efteling, Walibi and Bakken.
Screamscape was disappointed the Buena Park theme park went with a “strange” Kumbak train design with unnecessary over-the-shoulder restraints.
"It looks like we're getting a lap bar with new-style comfort collars," according to Screamscape. "Lets just hope this rides better than what I've heard about previous efforts from Kumbak elsewhere."
Montezooma's Revenge has sat partially disassembled since 2022 when the Buena Park theme park announced plans to update the historic flywheel launch coaster with a new randomized launch sequence.
The new version of the coaster is expected to rotate through three randomized multi-launch sequences with a fourth launch profile taking place on every 100th ride, according to Screamscape.
The redesigned Montezooma coaster train will depart from a rethemed station that has been reimagined as an architectural cousin of the Mayan stone temple housing the Jaguar coaster next door. Montezooma riders will pass through a fanged mouth-like portal with smoke and lighting effects.
A new station and queue experience will take riders through the exploration camp of Montezuma's hidden Aztec fortress filled with boobytraps and the remains of treasure hunters.
Montezooma's Revenge was originally built by Germany-based roller coaster manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf based on plans developed by renowned coaster designer Werner Stengel.
The 1978 Schwarzkopf flywheel-launch shuttle loop coaster has been designated a historic landmark by American Coaster Enthusiasts as the last operating ride of its kind in the United States and the longest standing in its original location.
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