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    Calico Mine Ride

    4.1 (47 reviews)

    Calico Mine Ride Photos

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    Carson Hill Nugget
    Doug D.

    The Calico Mine Ride is a historic theme park ride at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It was originally built in 1960, and it might be the quintessential "dark ride." Disneyland took some inspiration from it, which subsequently influenced other rides throughout the world. They have beautiful animatronics; but frankly, theirs started it all. Walter and Cordelia Knott really popularized the whole Wild West theme park. All members of the family will enjoy it, from your thrill seeker, to your toddler, to your grandmother. It simulates the experience of riding a coal car through the mountain and viewing all the Wild West miners doing their job. There are no restraints. It might be somewhat claustrophobic for some people, but not for me. There is one big lift hill during the ride, but it rides slowly and carefully. The ride is also relatively high capacity, and the line moves fairly swiftly, despite the big crowds Knott's gets. Little kids could possibly be scared from the robot coal miners, but they might also think they are really funny and entertaining. The times I have gone through around Halloween, they tweak the ride to be all about candy. That's to keep it light-hearted.

    Beautiful pic opp - 10/12/22
    Margret C.

    Candy mine calico ride - for Halloween. Clever insertion of the candy theme. But the candy princess voice sounds creepy. But it is a better experience (no smoke smell). Hubby wanted to ride it again. Flash photography prohibited. Use your cell but be sure to turn off the flash. Pretty waterfall ideal for pictures (if there is a wait). Slippery walkway, be careful. Tight squeeze in the cars. Didn't notice a weight limit.

    Ethan G.

    Boring. Took forever to load and unload people. Animatronics look like they're from the sixties. There was only one modern special effect involved where projections were used. Cheap and generic carnival dark ride.

    Crystal L.

    Knott's Berry Farm We waited in line for about 15 minutes... were loaded up in an (uncomfortably full) mine cart and ready to go. When we were told to disembark and leave for technical difficulties. About an hour later, we saw that the ride was open again, so we waited in line, we're loaded up again in an uncomfortably full mine cart and then... were told to get out and exit as the ride wasn't working. So I don't think I'd trust this one. Seems to have some problems. Could have to do with those over-filled carts?

    Vultures eagerly watching us....not a good sign haha
    Eric S.

    MINE YOUR OWN BUSINESS Knotts pulled yet another western rabbit out of their cowboy hats with this charming dark ride. Although not a legitimate roller coaster, the Calico Mine Ride is essentially a powered train that chugs its way up and through a mountain façade. The speed it travels at is negligible (maybe 3-5mph) and there's no safety belts of any kind, which is perfect for families with lap children. I'd equate this to the Cedar Fair equivalent of "It's A Small World". Since this is technically a train, there is a conductor manning the helm who announces features throughout the ride. From start to finish, the attraction lasts a solid 7-8 minutes and usually has a short line. Some of the scenes reminded me of parts of the Indiana Jones dark ride at Disneyland, most notably the 'cave' rooms displaying stalactites and stalagmites. I estimated that there were three dozen animatronics inside the show building, but after doing some diligent research I found out that there are over FIFTY moving figurines and set pieces. Calico Mine Ride takes you past a number of scenes involving miners trying their damnedest to strike it rich, like a blasting room with animated TNT barrels. In early 2014, the entire attraction was overhauled across a five month period where numerous enhancements were made to the lighting and sound package. New motion figures were added and updated special effects include steam geysers, beautiful waterfalls, and glistening caverns. The largest scene takes place in the heart of the 'mine' which is a 90ft wide room that's 65ft deep! Attention to detail is what makes the Calico Mine Ride worthwhile, and very few parks outside of Disney or Universal can claim to have the immersive environment that Knotts does. Very highly recommended on a trip to the park. You'll be pleasantly surprised, I guarantee it!

    10/2016
    Noelle J.

    Noelle's Yelp Notebook 2016 Knott's Berry Farm's Calico Ride was a waste of time. We arrived at this ride in the mid-afternoon. There wasn't a line which was good. It was a long climb up to the top. We sat inside replica of an old mining car, no seat belts so in certain parts of the ride we were sliding in our seats. The ride is mostly in the dark or dim lighting, the wax miner figures are scary and creepy. My biggest complaint about this ride is that it's stuffy and hot for the entire duration of the ride. This ride isn't worth waiting for so I recommend trying it if there is no line. Also, this isn't a great ride on a warm day since the ventilation is poor. Noelle's Notes Skip it :) Try it once if there is no line

    Steve F.

    Date of visit: August 20, 2016 Another of the oldest attractions at Knott's Berry Farm - in fact, the park's first major ride - the Calico Mine Train is a bit more different than most dark rides at amusement parks I've been on. Here, it's depicting the lives of miners working the Calico Mine trying to strike it rich. During the eight-minute ride, you'll see the miners working the claim through different scenes, including underground lakes, waterfalls, and a beautifully lit cave full of stalagtites and stalagmites. Also, there's no scares in this dark ride; even the blasting room sequence near the end isn't that scary. The Calico Mine Train has been renovated; there's new animatronic figures and even a few animals interspersed throughout, and the "Heaven Room" (the brightly lit cave full of stalagmites and stalagtites) looks even more brighter... though the musical score still sounds a bit dated, despite the digital re-recording. A perfect ride for the kids and family, as well as those of you who want to take a break from the thrill rides. Oh, and try to get a seat behind the train's engineer - you get to see him operate the whistle, the bell, and the lights!

    The entire fam bam in one car!!!
    Mike B.

    As cheesy as it is, the Calico Mine Train ride has always been a favorite. One of the first, (if not THE first), amusement park rides I ever encountered, so for that reason alone, it holds a special place in my psyche'. This time, we got to see both of my grandbabies go on it for the first time and they absolutely loved it!!! But, that said... New and improved? Really? I didn't notice much at all. Maybe, MAYBE, one or two animatronic upgrades AND near the end of the ride (when they are "blasting"), it's a bit cooler but other than that... It's the same ol' ride. So don't go on it expecting some kind of major upgrade cuz it just ain't happenin'!!! That said, the eyes on my grandaughter's faces throughout the ride was freakin' priceless and worth more than a million bucks AND the cheesiest ride in the world!!!

    Craig Y.

    Back in the day this was my favorite at Knott's. I'm glad it's still around and running. Yup still the same from back then with some upgrades. The car you sit in is still the same ole slippery bench when the train climbs up you start to slide down. This is not a thrill ride this is a mellow ride good for killing time or when you want to rest. I was happy to go on this after many years. I'll still go back on it again.

    Couple of miners there
    John D.

    My brother and I were little boys the first time we climbed into the Calico Mine train ride with our dad. Ready to travel deep into the gold mine where miners from the 1880's were digging for gold. With a toot of a whistle and a clinging bell, the train chugs into a dark mine. Along the way we encounter waterfalls, caverns and rock formations. We even ride into an active blasting zone. The train picks up speed and gets out just before the blast. We got out of there just in the nick of time! The park's oldest attraction has been a family favorite since 1960. After millions of riders and years of deterioration, the ride is finally getting a well deserved renovation. Including 50 new animated characters, state of the art lighting system and new sound effects, while other classic effects have been restored. It will be exciting to ride the new 21st century Calico Mine train when it re-opens on June 14th this year.

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    8 months ago

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    7 months ago

    This is the classic train ride similar to the one at Disneyland in Frontierland that's now retired.

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

    This ride isn't what we thought it was years ago. The kids are getting to big for it. It's just kinda meh now.

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    9 years ago

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    I went here with Debra R and Jose R. It is a classic train ride that talks about mining. This ride was kind of fun.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Calico Mine Ride

    Review Highlights - Calico Mine Ride

    9-13 This was a favorite ride at Knotts Berry Farm I rode in ever since when I was young and I still love this ride.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Shanitha in customer service is fantastic at her job! We had a great time on the trip!!!read more

    The Bishop Amat High School Regiment and Choir had an opportunity to visit Knott's Berry Farm as…read morepart of the "Music in the Park" program. This is a project in which elementary, middle, and high school choirs and bands performed at Valencia High School in the city of Placentia, CA, in the morning, and were then invited to visit Knott's Berry Farm for fun and the award ceremony in the late afternoon. We were thrilled that both our Bishop Amat Choir and Bands took home four first-place trophies across four categories. Back to Knott's Berry Farm, this amusement park is so much fun. It is a large property, and there is so much to see, do, and enjoy a great, memorable time. On this day, when we visited the park, it was a bit crowded (but fun nonetheless) as numerous school-aged choirs and bands were there, and it was also opening day for Knotts' Soak City water park. Knotts had a promotion for ticket holders who visited both parks on the same day. The crowds were no problem whatsoever as we ALL managed to get on numerous rides, listen to music, eat ice cream, and have bartered fish tacos for dinner. The park is well-maintained, employees were all extremely friendly and helpful, and security can be seen throughout the park to ensure everyone's safety. My family and I chose to purchase standard annual passes, which were very affordable at $120.09 per pass. Interest-free monthly payments are a great option if you prefer not to pay for your season pass in one shot. Now that my family and I have annual passes with parking included, we will definitely visit often, if only to have lunch or dinner at the park.

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    This is just a review of the mini golf. Sprawling! Tons of fun holes, a wild layout that requires…read moremultiple plays to see where each path goes. I've played all of them and enjoy all of them. The further you get from the main office, the less control there is and if you go at peak times, you'll deal with a lot of unattended kids. But the courses are fun, the layout is unique and it is definitely a fun date night. Bonus points for a cameo in Wreck It Ralph.

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    Great Wolf Lodge

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    I booked online and used Applepay to pay for the room, which turned out to be a big mistake that…read morecost me 40 minutes in line. Use a credit card to book your room, so you can use their quick check in line. Either way, make sure you take the exact card you use to book for checking in. Before you go, buy the discounted dining deal. You can only buy it in advance, and the food and drinks are pretty pricey, so you will spend $$$. I also suggest attaching your credit card to your wristband for convenience. We really enjoyed the pizza place onsite. We checked in on a Sunday and it was a bit crowded, but we managed to do it all in three hours. The kids loved the bunk bed, and my only complaint about our room is that the tub faucet leaked. The next day, we packed a bag with a change of clothes that we fit into a small locker for $12, and went back into the waterpark for a couple more hours. I recommend packing travel toiletries for a quick shower before leaving. They have plenty of showers, changing rooms, and a swimsuit dryer, but no toiletries in the waterpark bathrooms. Waterpark towels are provided and must be checked out and in or you'll be charged, so don't lose them. There's a water bottle refill station in the waterpark near the bathrooms. We didn't try many of the activities offered except for the arcade that offered packages starting at $35. Lastly, be sure to pay for parking before you leave. That was also $35. All in all, we got a deal on the room but spent more on food, drinks, games, and parking combined. My kids are 5 and 10, and they were able to go on just about everything that was open. One day was plenty of time if you don't plan on doing all of the activities.

    Our experience trying to plan my son's birthday event at Great Wolf Lodge in Garden Grove was…read morebeyond frustrating and honestly one of the worst customer service experiences I've had. The issue is not necessarily that every employee was rude -- the real problem is the completely broken system and lack of communication between departments. We booked THREE rooms for 18 guests for a birthday celebration and simply wanted to reserve and pay for a place where everyone could eat lunch together and celebrate with cake. Something that should have been straightforward became an exhausting process filled with confusion, conflicting information, and endless transfers between departments. The front desk had no idea about the policies of the events department. The front desk also had no clear understanding of pool policies. Every single question required someone to "leave a note" for another department and wait for an email response that never came. No callbacks. No follow-up. No accountability. The most frustrating part was trying to contact the front desk directly. First, you are forced through an AI system. Then you finally reach someone in the "reservation department," who is not even onsite. Despite politely asking multiple times to be transferred directly to the front desk, they refused and insisted they could help. They could not. Instead, they placed me on hold supposedly to ask the front desk themselves -- and after 11 minutes on hold, they never came back. At that point, yes, the reservation department representatives themselves became part of the problem: rude, dismissive, unprofessional, poorly trained, and completely incapable of resolving even simple questions. This company has far too many unnecessary departments that clearly do not communicate or work together. Planning an important family event here became stressful instead of enjoyable. I will never host another birthday event at Great Wolf Lodge again, and I would strongly caution families against wasting their time and money here for important celebrations.

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    Calico Mine Ride - amusementparks - Updated May 2026

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