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First look: Knott’s Pony Express

Pony Express roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm Of all the theme park rides making their Southern California debuts in 2008, I’m most excited about Knott’s Berry Farm’s Pony Express. The first pictures of the $10-million horseback roller coaster only whet my appetite further.

Screamscape scooped concept sketches for the Zamperla MotoCoaster-based thrill ride set to open at the Buena Park theme park in May 2008 (click here to watch video).

Harnessed aboard a galloping roller-horse by a T-shaped back restraint, Pony X riders will take a 36-second ride from launch to brakes on an elongated figure-8 track featuring hairpin turns, whoop-de-dos and 60-degree banks.

Now, if only the ride surpasses my high expectations.

Continue after the jump to see the entire coaster.

Pony Express roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm

— Brady MacDonald / Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

[Photos: Zamperla]

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 15, 2007 at 11:18 am by Brady MacDonald and is filed under Family & Kids, Knott's, San Diego, Theme Parks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.

5 Comments on “First look: Knott’s Pony Express”

Roger Says:
January 24th, 2008 at 10:19 am
After see the video this ride willturn out great. For Knott’s I was wonder what was going on with the moving of the buildins and the retro fit of the grave yard .
Kyle Peek Says:
February 8th, 2008 at 11:58 am
It’s a shame knott’s continues to remove everything that once used to make it charming and replace it with concrete and 30 second roller coasters. =/
Paul Pressler Says:
February 11th, 2008 at 12:31 am
That video is not representative of the Knott’s Berry Farm ride and in fact that video is the actual ride that is being installed at Darien Lake. The Knott’s version is going to be very different in all aspects, especially the layout.
Knotts famous quote... Says:
February 20th, 2008 at 7:44 am
As they say at Knotts: STUPID
Brady MacDonald Says:
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Westcoaster offers a virtual progress report on the Pony Express track and launch area with an extensive Knott’s Berry Farm photo gallery.

— Brady MacDonald / Los Angeles Times staff writer + theme park blogger