Silver Bullet

Silver Bullet is an inverted steel roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard and built as part of an investment program undertaken by Cedar Fair, the park's then-owner. The attraction was publicly announced on December 1, 2003, after construction had begun, and opened to the public on December 7, 2004. Its design and presentation are integrated into Knott's Berry Farm's western-themed Ghost Town setting, while the track travels across or near several other themed areas, including Fiesta Village and Indian Trails. The ride is approximately 3,125 feet (952 meters) long and has a lift hill about 146 feet (45 meters) high. After climbing the lift, riders descend through a 109-foot (33-meter) drop and pass through six inversions: a vertical loop, a cobra roll, a zero-gravity roll, and two corkscrews, connected by turns and helices. A complete cycle lasts roughly two minutes and thirty seconds. Its inverted configuration places the track above the riders, with the trains suspended beneath it, producing a distinct visual profile and a ride experience centered on rapid changes in direction, inversions, and open exposure. Silver Bullet was manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators and erected by Coan Construction Company. Its track uses a color scheme of yellow track with red rails and white supports across most of the layout, with red track and supports on the second brake-run section. The track was filled with sand to reduce operating noise. The ride was also notable within Bolliger & Mabillard's inverted-coaster portfolio for using magnetic braking on its brake run. The attraction operates with steel-and-fiberglass trains made up of eight cars. Each car has a single row of four seats, giving each train a nominal capacity of 32 riders. Two trains are used in regular operation, with a third retained for maintenance purposes. The restraints and train components were given a bright color treatment, including light-blue seats and orange over-the-shoulder restraints. Before opening, Knott's Berry Farm promoted the attraction through a First Rider Auction. Sixty places were offered for early public rides on opening day, although only 13 received bids. The auction raised $1,643 for the Speech & Language Development Center of Buena Park; the highest individual bid was $200. Silver Bullet opened first for media guests and then for the general public. It was one of four attractions introduced at Knott's Berry Farm during 2004. The ride has received favorable commentary for its smoothness, comfort, and sustained sequence of inversions. It has also appeared regularly in Mitch Hawker's steel roller coaster poll, reaching its highest recorded position of 99 in 2010. It has not placed in the Golden Ticket Awards. As a named attraction rather than a standalone apparel or consumer-goods company, Silver Bullet's brand identity is tied to Knott's Berry Farm's guest experience, western theming, and the technical reputation of its Bolliger & Mabillard ride system.

Silver Bullet was developed for Knott's Berry Farm as a new signature thrill ride during Cedar Fair's investment program in the early 2000s. A trademark for the name was filed by Cedar Fair on May 28, 2003. Construction began in September of that year and involved relocating the Church of Reflections to make room for the attraction. Cedar Fair announced the project publicly on December 1, 2003, presenting it as a western-themed inverted roller coaster for the park. Bolliger & Mabillard designed the ride. Clermont Steel Fabricators manufactured its steel track and Coan Construction Company carried out the erection work. The completed layout measures approximately 3,125 feet and rises about 146 feet to the top of the lift hill. The final section of track was installed on September 30, 2004. The layout moves through or alongside multiple areas of the park, beginning in Ghost Town and extending toward Fiesta Village and Indian Trails. Its principal elements include a vertical loop, cobra roll, zero-gravity roll, two corkscrews, helices, and multiple brake sections. Knott's Berry Farm used a charitable promotional event to build interest before the attraction opened. On November 5, 2004, the park launched a First Rider Auction, allowing bidders to compete for one of the first public rides scheduled for opening day. Sixty seats were made available, but only 13 attracted bids. The highest bid was $200, and the event raised $1,643 for the Speech & Language Development Center of Buena Park. Following testing, Silver Bullet opened to media guests and the public on December 7, 2004, earlier than the initially planned Christmas Eve opening. It was one of four attractions added to Knott's Berry Farm during 2004. The ride uses two eight-car trains in normal operation, with each train seating 32 people in single-row arrangements. A third train is held for maintenance use. The attraction's inverted format suspends the trains below the track and uses over-the-shoulder restraints. Silver Bullet's technical features include sand-filled track intended to reduce noise and magnetic braking on the brake run, a feature noted in relation to Bolliger & Mabillard's inverted coasters. Its visual identity combines yellow track, red rails, and white supports over most of the course, with a separate red track-and-support section near the second brake run. The attraction has generally been described as smooth and comfortable while delivering a sustained sequence of inversions and turns. Since its debut, Silver Bullet has appeared regularly in Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Steel Coaster Poll. Its best reported position was 99 in 2010; no poll was held in 2011. It has not placed in the Golden Ticket Awards. The attraction's continuing identity is primarily experiential: it functions as one of Knott's Berry Farm's prominent thrill rides, combining the park's western setting with the engineering and ride characteristics associated with Bolliger & Mabillard.

• 2010

  Highest Mitch Hawker poll position

  [1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  The coaster reached position 99 in Mitch Hawker's steel roller coaster poll.

• 2004

  Final track installation

  [1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  The final piece of track was installed on September 30, 2004.

• 2004

  First Rider Auction

  [1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  The park held a charity auction for early rides before the attraction's public opening.

• 2004

  Public opening

  [1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  Silver Bullet opened to the public on December 7, 2004.

• 2003

  Trademark filing

  [1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  Cedar Fair filed a trademark for the Silver Bullet name on May 28, 2003.

• 2003

  Construction begins

  [1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  Construction began in September 2003, including the relocation of the Church of Reflections.

• 2003

  Public announcement

  [1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  Cedar Fair announced Silver Bullet on December 1 as part of a broader investment program across its amusement parks.

A major thrill attraction combining western theming with a smooth, high-capacity Bolliger & Mabillard inverted-coaster experience.

• Inverted steel roller coaster · 2004

  Silver Bullet

  The core and namesake offering is a Bolliger & Mabillard inverted roller coaster in Knott's Berry Farm's Ghost Town area. Its approximately 3,125-foot layout includes a 146-foot lift hill, a 109-foot drop, six inversions, helices, and multiple brake sections. The attraction crosses the visual and thematic boundaries of Ghost Town, Fiesta Village, and Indian Trails, using a western presentation alongside a high-intensity ride profile.

• Roller coaster vehicles · 2004

  Silver Bullet trains

  Silver Bullet operates with steel-and-fiberglass trains consisting of eight cars. Each car seats four riders in one row, for a total of 32 riders per train. Two trains are used for normal operations and a third is retained for maintenance. Light-blue seats, orange over-the-shoulder restraints, and multicolored wheel coverings contribute to the ride's visual presentation.

• 2004Silver Bullet First Rider Auction

  United States

  Knott's Berry Farm auctioned 60 places for some of the first public rides on Silver Bullet. Only 13 places received bids, with the highest bid reaching $200. The event raised $1,643 for the Speech & Language Development Center of Buena Park.

  Outcome. The promotion generated charitable funds and public attention before opening day.

  Source

• 2003

  Commissioning of a new inverted coasterProduct launch

  Background

  Cedar Fair was investing in attractions across its park portfolio, and Knott's Berry Farm planned a major new thrill ride with a western theme.

  Action taken

  The park selected Bolliger & Mabillard to design Silver Bullet and began construction in September 2003.

  Aftermath

  The attraction opened in December 2004 and became one of Knott's Berry Farm's principal thrill rides.

  Reported project cost. $16 million (2003-2004 project)

  Source

• 2004

  Silver Bullet opens at Knott's Berry Farm[1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  After construction and testing, Silver Bullet opened first to media guests and then to the public on December 7, 2004.

• 2004

  First Rider Auction raises funds for Buena Park speech and language center[1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  Knott's Berry Farm auctioned early-rider places for Silver Bullet. Thirteen winning bids generated $1,643 for the Speech & Language Development Center of Buena Park.

• 2003

  Cedar Fair announces Silver Bullet roller coaster[1]Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Knott's Berry Farm publicly announced the new Silver Bullet inverted roller coaster as part of a broader Cedar Fair investment program across its parks.

1. 1Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)en.wikipedia.org