Anxious fans eager to climb aboard the oft-delayed Montezooma roller coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm that was days away from reopening will have to wait a little longer now that the ride’s return has been postponed yet again after four years of start-and-stop work.
An official public opening planned for Monday, July 20 of the $20 million Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress coaster at the Buena Park theme park has been postponed indefinitely, according to Knott’s officials.
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Knott’s had planned to host a media event on Monday with a public opening to follow — but those plans have been put on hold so maintenance and operations crews can address a few additional details.
The latest delay is expected to be days rather than weeks or months.
The 1978 Schwarzkopf flywheel-launch shuttle loop coaster that closed in 2022 for an extensive refurbishment has seen its reopening date pushed back on an annual basis from 2023 to 2026.
Knott’s employees who rode the new Montezooma coaster this week while production crews filmed a television commercial said the ride was fast, smooth and quiet.
The reimagined Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress boasts a new coaster train, electromagnetic launch system, track, supports and backstory. The station house remains the only original part of the ride.
The redesigned Montezooma coaster train departs 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 pass through a fanged-toothed portal with smoke and lighting effects.