California Theme Park May Be Losing Value as It Powers Through Multiple Closures
Credit: Knott’s Berry Fram
2023 has been off to a rough start, as an iconic California theme park has been forced through multiple early closures and outright closures.
As the Golden State continues to grapple with severe weather conditions, with wind and flood advisories in effect across areas of Orange County and San Diego, operations at numerous theme parks in the area are still being affected, possibly hurting the value of seasonal permits.
Credit: Orange County Register
Earlier, Knott’s Berry Farm, the first theme park to open in California, announced that the Park will remain closed today, January 14, due to inclement weather, with several locations of California Marketplace – the shopping area and Park dining – places open until 20:00. This marks at least the third time the Park has imposed a full closure this year, in addition to an early closure earlier this month.
While this isn’t the first time Knott’s Berry Farm has been forced to close its doors due to inclement weather, today’s closure may be the most impactful yet, as today marks the first day of the Martin Luther King Day weekend Jr. And if weather conditions don’t improve, Knott’s Berry Farm could be forced to close all three days, putting the Park at risk of losing millions of dollars. Additionally, these closures may discourage visitors from considering purchasing a Knott’s Berry Farm season pass, as unanticipated closures may decrease the value of the pass, especially during holiday weekends, such as today.
Credit: Knott’s Berry Farm
While the closures are unfortunate for Knott’s Berry Farm, they are necessary to ensure the health and safety of all guests and employees, given the nature of the Park. Since most of the attractions and areas at Knott’s Berry Farm are outdoors, rain, high winds, flooding and other weather conditions can not only affect ride operation, but also create potentially dangerous situations for guests and employees. as we recently saw at a carnival in Mexico where a thrill ride went out of control endangering dozens of riders and witnesses.
It is unclear whether Knott’s Berry Farm will resume operations over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, as Park closures are being announced daily. As of this article’s publication, the official Knott’s Berry Farm website states that tickets purchased for today, January 14th, will be extended for use until February 26th, 2023.
Credit: LA Times
Six Flags Magic Mountain and LEGOLAND California Resort also announced that their theme park operations would be modified today due to heavy rains in California.
Have you been to Knott’s Berry Farm lately? How was your experience? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
