The reimagined Montezooma coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm feels like a familiar old friend and brand new thrill all bundled into one zippy and fun ride that’s just fast enough and over before you know it.
I rode Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress three times — in the front, back and middle rows — on opening day of the new $20 million multi-launch coaster on Thursday, Aug. 6 at the Buena Park theme park.
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Montezooma is back with a vengeance after four years of construction and delays with a retro ride designed for tweens and teens looking for throwback thrills.
The reimagined Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress boasts a new coaster train, launch system, track, supports and backstory.
But the new coaster still retains some of the charm of the original 1978 ride that served as the first looping roller coaster for generations of kids.
I rode Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress just after it opened without any fanfare at lunchtime on Thursday when there was only a 20-minute wait time.
The station house remains the only original part of the ride — but even that won’t look familiar after it was reimagined as the dig site of the Mayan temple housing the Jaguar coaster next door.
Riders stare at an imposing fanged-toothed portal that should look better at night when the smoke and lighting effects are more noticeable. The puff of smoke from the track signalling the ride’s launch was fairly meager and unimpressive in the midday heat and light of the day.
The 55 mph electromagnetic launch felt similar to the flywheel launch of the original — only smoother and less jarring.
The forward spin through the loop made me feel like a kid again — reminding me of the mix of excitement and fear I felt as a tween going upside down on a roller coaster for the very first time.
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The front row row is the place to be for the first half of the ride as you navigate the 76-foot-tall loop and head directly toward the afternoon sun up the forward spike. It looks like you’re going to run out of track, but of course you’re not.
The back row is more fun on the second half of the ride as you enter the loop backward without any way of knowing when the inversion will start or stop.
That’s when the old familiar Montezooma you remember from your childhood delivers a few new surprises.
Unlike the old flywheel launch ride, the new Montezooma doesn’t slow down as you head back into the station. Just the opposite happens as you accelerate backward through the station, up the reverse spike and forward through the station again.
The final unexpected jolt happens just as you relax and think the ride has finally come to an end. Then the train rockets backward into the station.
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As an old guy reliving my youth, I liked the middle seat almost as much as the front and back rows because it let me sense what was coming next in both directions while also enjoying the reactions of everyone else on the train.
The whole experience lasts just over 30 seconds and is over before you know it.
One bit of advice. Don’t be shy to ask the ride attendants to adjust the overhead restraint if it’s too tight. The unique seatbelt-style shoulder restraints can lock in place and press tightly on your shoulder blades. The trick is to lean forward just a bit as the over-the-shoulder restraint is lowering so the straps adjust properly to your height.
Just say something if you don’t like how it feels. The ride attendants will be happy to adjust the restraint for you until it feels just right.
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Coaster fans have been anxiously waiting four years for the return of Montezooma’s Revenge and the new ride repays their patience with a fun and exciting family coaster that perfectly blends the new and old.
After nearly 50 years in service, Knott’s Montezooma coaster is once again a great ride that will hopefully deliver thrills to new generations of riders for another 50 years.