Our many recent family outings climaxed yesterday, Saturday, with an afternoon and evening at Knott's Berry Farm, a rival of geographically nearby, Disneyland. I don't know how well each is doing in their competition, but it sure got more and more crowded at Knott's as the day wore on, so that by 10 pm navigating through the crowds became a chore. My personal preference, based only on experience not at all on research, everything about Knott's is superior, especially safety. People have been killed and maimed on Disneyland rides in the past couple of years, and to my knowledge nothing similar has occurred at Knott's, and that in spite of the fact that the rides at Knotts are far more ambitious, higher, faster, and theoretically more dangerous. Plus, patrons are not harrassed anywhere near as much about safety at Knott's, as they are at Disney.
There is live entertainment at Knott's, and has been for many years. At Disney there are robots, animated Abe Lincoln, for example, jerky-moving dummies. The contrast in mind-sets is most fascinating and revealing. On one of several cave-mine rides, in an 1800s passenger train, armed robbers leaped into our carriage, pistols drawn, yelling, "Put your hands up." To encourage our children to enter the spirit of the action I raised my hands in mock horror exclaiming, "Oh my God!" The robber-actor, in character, stared down the long barrel of his weapon and said, as if to amuse his 'terrified' captive audience,"If I'm your god you better get another religion." No such comic play acting, in fact no play acting of any kind, takes place at Disneyland (endless board meetings would have to be held regarding any mention of god) except by far removed cartoon characters, Mickey Mouse and equivalent, figures who are seen as lonely pedestrians 'mingling' with the crowds but without interaction. They'll condescend to pose with you, and that's it. Patrons are treated as invited guests asked to pay for every dish, and to pay plenty, while having advertising stuffed at all one's senses, loud, blaring, repetitious, condescending and insulting. No wonder the French won't buy it.
Dancing, dancing by the ordinary patrons takes place at Knott's, recruited by a genuinely down home, perhaps carnival-trained country dance performer, former, who was so relaxed, humorous, kind and funny, fifty people were following his comic directions called out loudly to the delight of everyone, 'dancers' and audience. Later there was a cowboy lasso (lariat) act worthy of Cirque de Soleil! Ha! Such fun!
It's been a long time. Never have I seen, way back when, such dangerous looking rides. One soars into the sky like a Saint Louis arch gone crooked, and higher! I set out to prove to my children I was no coward. 'What if I burst a blood vessel and have to wait for the completion of the ride before I could be taken to the hospital?' I asked myself. Sure, I can easily withstand strain I inflict on myself, running and swimming distances, but what about a machine subjecting my body to enormous pressures? I did, yes I did, I chickened out. Quickly I compromised and went off to the boat that gets taken up high, then 'dropped' in a waterfall shute and 'crashed' into a mini-lake sending up huge waves of spray. I was totally soaked, and loved it: I could look my watching children in the eye.
We drove home dead tired and full of 'carnival' food, with many a tall tale to tell, tales of fright and happiness, with only the latter true.
Barry
2 comments:
There is live entertainment at Knott's, and has been for many years. At Disney there are robots, animated Abe Lincoln, for example, jerky-moving dummies. The contrast in mind-sets is most fascinating, in fact no play acting of any kind, takes place at Disneyland and revealing.
We drove home dead tired and full of 'carnival' food, with many a tall tale to tell, tales of fright and happiness, with only the latter true.
Barry
My dear Barry,
again we seem to see differences in places of fun and endulgins.
I just came back from Disney world and found no jerking dummies. Yet I did found plenty of play acting in the streets of Disney world.
But than I guess, Disney land must be different than Disney World.
I did not see a wild west show, but I saw plenty of the present and the future that still spins my head and mind with wonders, on how they did it.
The animation of all aspects are great.
I found my self seated in a boat of the Pirates of the Caribbean, moved along in a haunted mansion, thrown with g-forces onto Mars and dropped 13 flights in an elevator in the tower of terror. (A ride I rather not do ever again, LOL)
I was led through time back into the land of the dinosaurs to relive that period.
With the light effects and wonders of electrinc technical stuff, I was believing to go through it all in one day.
Disney World is really a land of magic.
It might cost more than the other adventure places but it filled us with excitement and full fillment none the less.
The characters of Disney interacted with people in many ways and from 3-D shows to real stage acting , it all can be found there.
With amazement and a belly full of good food we have wonderous tales to tell from Disney World.
BEA
As I said Bea in my email I erred by damning Disneyland
in trying to elevate the underdog, Knott's Berry Farm
which I have loved for 25 plus years. Another thing that
moved me, something i didn't want to put in my actual entry,
was the very large number of Hispanic Southern Californians
whose company I enjoyed so much during the stay at Knotts.
Prosperous New North Americans whose population is growing
rapidly. Everyone, of all backgrounds, was gracious and kind to
our children. It's hard to define, but IMO visitors to Disneyland
are slightly snobby. Disney dictates far too much to its employees
what kind of earrings they can wear, for example, so that individuality is somewhat erased. Not so at Knotts, no Ma'am.
Barry
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