An 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 when the historic roller coaster returns next year.
The reimagined Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress launch roller coaster will debut in 2023 at the Buena Park theme park.
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Netherlands-based ride renovator Kumbak is working on the Montezooma renovation, according to Knott’s officials. Kumbak has previously teamed with European theme parks Efteling, Walibi and Bakken.
Montezooma’s Revenge was built by German roller coaster manufacturer Anton Schwarzkopf based on plans developed by renowned coaster designer Werner Stengel.
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.
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The recently revealed coaster train for Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress has been designed to look like a mythical creature made from rocks with fang-like teeth, reptilian scales, spiked armor and glowing red eyes.
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 new Montezooma coaster train teaser video gave the first hint that Knott’s will replace the historic ride’s lap bar with new over-the-shoulder restraints — much to the displeasure of ride enthusiasts.
Knott’s is moving away from Montezooma’s lap bar-only restraints and switching to over-the-shoulder restraints to meet current requirements by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), according to Knott’s officials.
“The rebuilt looping coaster doesn’t have any lateral moves or forces, so that should alleviate what seems to be the most common complaint about these restraints,” according to Theme Park Insider.
The new restraint system could hamper load times on the Montezooma coaster that had a capacity of 1,344 riders per hour and operated with only a single train before the ride closed for renovation.
“This shuttle coaster is a single-train operation, so capacity is already going to be an issue,” according to Theme Park Insider. “We will have to wait for its debut next year to see how the new trains factor into whatever the new wait times for this coaster will be.”
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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.
“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.”
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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.
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 the Montezuma’s hidden treasure and those who have tried to find the Aztec emperor’s riches over the years.