The oft-delayed makeover of Montezooma’s Revenge at Knott’s Berry Farm has started showing signs of life again with the delivery of track that has stirred hope among ride enthusiasts who have waited three years for the historic roller coaster to reopen.
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 and rechristen the reimagined ride as Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress.
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New track for the Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress roller coaster has arrived at Knott’s Berry Farm, according to Knott’s officials.
Existing track that had been cleaned and recoated locally was recently delivered to Knott’s Berry Farm, according to Knott’s officials.
Eagle-eyed fans recently spotted Montezooma track pieces on the back of a flatbed big rig truck just outside Knott’s Berry Farm on La Palma Avenue, according to an Instagram post.
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Knott’s Berry Farm is still waiting for additional parts to be delivered for Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress, according to Knott’s officials.
An opening date has not been set for Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress.
“We look forward to sharing all of the details of the new ride soon,” Knott’s Berry Farm Vice President and General Manager Jon Storbeck said in a statement. “But please know, we are just as anxious as our fans to debut Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress and complete the reimagined Fiesta Village.”
Concept art of the entrance to Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress roller coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm. (Knott’s)The Montezooma makeover has been marked by fits and starts right from the beginning.
Knott’s Berry Farm closed Montezoom’s Revenge in January 2022 with little notice or fanfare only to be forced to reopen the ride the next day so fans could get one more ride on the classic coaster. At the time, the remade ride was expected to return in 2023.
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The updated Monty was supposed to be the centerpiece of the refreshed Fiesta Village, but the Knott’s themed land returned in May 2023 without the star of the show. Construction delays were blamed for the ride remaining unready for the reopening of Fiesta Village. During the festivities, a construction wall stood at the entrance to the Montezooma coaster that was missing large segments of track including the signature loop.
Montezooma’s Revenge was built by Germany-based roller coaster manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf based on plans developed by renowned coaster designer Werner Stengel.
Brady MacDonald / Orange County RegisterMontezooma’s Revenge at Knott’s Berry Farm. (Brady MacDonald / Orange County Register)The 1978 Schwarzkopf flywheel-launch shuttle loop coaster has been designated a historic landmark as the last operating ride of its kind in the United States and the longest standing in its original location.
The extensive renovation of Montezooma’s Revenge at Knott’s Berry Farm will introduce a backstory about doomed treasure hunters along with Aztec-themed trains, randomized launch sequences and new rider restraints.
A new coaster train for Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress has been designed to look like a mythical creature made from stone with fang-like teeth, reptilian scales, spiked armor and glowing red eyes.
Concept art of the Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress roller coaster via the official Knott’s Berry Farm YouTube channel. (Courtesy of Knott’s)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, according to a new teaser video.
The first flywheel-launched roller coaster in the world will offer riders a new twist as Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress. 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.
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“Imagine the surprise in store for riders while they wait for the launch, not knowing if the coaster will launch forward or backwards at first,” according to Screamscape. “Talk about adding a re-rideability factor.”
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.
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The nearby Jaguar coaster next to Montezooma is set amid an archeological dig in a Mayan temple. The rides are already connected with Jaguar’s track passing through Montezooma’s loop.
The theming of the reimagined Montezooma coaster will be separate from the Jaguar coaster and will tell the story of Montezuma’s hidden treasure and those who have tried to find the Aztec emperor’s riches over the years.
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