GhostRider — Attraction in Buena Park

This coaster is an insane experience. Definitely the best coaster at Knott's in my opinion. It's long, intense, has a load of airtime, and is really smooth for a wooden coaster (thanks GCI!).

As the ride is extremely popular, expect some really long queue times (about 30-40 minutes on not busy days, 60-90 minutes on an average day, 100/200+ minutes on busy days). The speed the line moves varies on its operations teams, so some days it might move really slow, and other days it may move at a steady pace. Remember the posted wait time can be either overshot or under estimated, so it's important to visually assess the queue. For me, if the queue goes outside of the main queue house then it's probably about a 75-80 minute wait, so I would save the ride for later (the line doesn't really tend to go down much throughout the day). If you're willing to wait in about a 90-minute queue, then GO FOR IT. It's totally worth it!

The ride experience starts off with a turn-around out of the station (it feels really fast) into the lift hill. It seems slow at first, but before you know it, you're cresting over the top of the 108-foot main drop. In the back row, you get pulled over and get some good airtime going down this drop. After the first drop, you make a swift left turn (this is where the camera is, so smile!) and then go into the first airtime hill. In the front, you'll get some fantastic airtime. In the back, you'll get a bit of floater going down the hill. You then make a beyond-180-degree left turn and then drop again (which you kinda get some airtime in the back, not so much in the front), and then you turn right, and then you make another turnaround before you reach the midcourse brake run. When you're dropping out of the midcourse, you'll get some great ejector airtime in the back. After that, it's a series of airtime hills and turns before you go into the ride's helix and then you go through a small airtime hill into the final brake run. If it's running well, this ride is insane, especially at night.

Overall, GhostRider is an incredible coaster with some fantastic airtime and a long ride experience. Although the queue time gets really long very often, I think it is worth the wait, as long as it is...

GhostRider is one of the best wooden coasters west of the Mississippi but is not worth the 3+ hour wait.

I visited Knott's Berry Farm on a decently busy Wednesday, and after sneaking a quick ride on Silver Bullet, I decided to join the line for GhostRider. The park had only opened about 10 minutes before, and yet the lines were already over 2 hours long. One issue with GhostRider is that a lot of the line is exposed. We waited over an hour in the heat, before even entering the station building.

Once we boarded the ride, the coaster leaves the station and heads right around a small turn to get to the lift. Once at the top, you plunge down the 108 ft. drop, and enter a series of airtime hills and turns. The best seat on the ride is 100% the back. You get yanked over the first drop, and the amount of ejector airtime you get is unreal. The whole ride lasts about 1:30, not including the lift hill.

Overall, ChostRider is an exceptional ride, with an unfortunate queue and long wait. Unless the line is short, I would skip it and look into a less exposed line, like Silver Bullet.

As for all of my reviews, this review was neither paid for nor endorsed by Knott's Berry Farm. All thoughts and...

Easily beats out other wooden coasters in CA, first half is solid, but after the mid course shit gets real. GhostRider is a CCI coaster that was refurbished by GCI a couple of years ago sine it used to be so rough. But ever since this thing hauls through its original layout, while being way smoother. There is a reason why this gets the longest line of the park, so do it first thing in the morning. After you exit the lifthill, you start out with a 5/10 drop but doesn’t ruin the ride, but then a few seconds later you get hit with some floater airtime. Very nice while going into a turnaround getting a decent view of Knott’s, after you enter into another airtime hill very solid once more, then you enter the mid course. Now after this is what makes this ride good, since the brakes don’t activate, you go into the drop with speed, followed by a crazy ejector airtime hill. I swear it feels like flying out of your seat followed by more ejector hills and turns until you hit the finale. With a helix, laterals hit you like a train here, but it’s a very fun moment, then the ride ends. I know a lot to take in but trust me by the time you get off, you’ll feel exited for the rest...