Recently I visited the Disneyland Resort (consisting of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park) and Knott’s Berry Farm on two successive days during the winter holiday season (now through Jan. 6, 2025). Let’s compare them.
Disneyland Resort is much larger. Even though I did not arrive there until nearly noon, I was thoroughly exhausted by the amount of walking that I had done by the end of the day.
Both parks have plenty of rides: high-speed, themed roller coasters; low speed “dark rides” that are much less physically demanding, gentle kids’ rides and even old-time trains pulled by steam locomotives. Disneyland Resort is usually much more crowded, and so are its ride lines. Its newer rides are state-of-the-art, but tend to suffer from recurring reliability issues — especially STAR WARS: Rise of the Resistance.
The family-friendly Calico Mine Ride at Knott’s Berry Farm opened in 1960. Its train chugs along on railway tracks through a dark, whimsical, multi-stories tall, highly immersive artistic recreation of an old-time working mine, complete with busy miners. You can even take a ride around Fiesta Village and Camp Snoopy on an authentic 1800s Butterfield Stagecoach, pulled by a team of four horses.
Both parks have a variety of live entertainment. Disney’s is arguably more spectacular, whereas the live entertainment at Knott’s is more intimate. The large crowds at Disneyland Resort make it necessary to get to where the entertainment is really early, and then stand around and wait if you want to get a good view. Disney California Adventure’s multi-story Hyperion Theater has been dark most of the time for the past few years.
Knott’s Berry Farm includes, at no extra charge, a professional ice-skating show in the Walter Knott Theater, and live stage shows. I thoroughly enjoyed two performances by “Stone Soul” — an “8-piece, horn-blowing, foot-stomping Classic Soul & Motown tribute band that has built a reputation as one of the hardest-working, most entertaining Classic Soul & Motown bands you’ll ever see!” Several park visitors were literally up on their feet and dancing spontaneously! It isnot uncommon to arrive at the live entertainment venues shortly before their start times, and yet still find a good seat or place to stand.
Almost all of the merchandise that you’ll find for sale at the Disneyland Resort is highly mass-produced and expensive. At Knott’s, especially during this holiday celebration, independent vendors have set up numerous booths with many hand-made items. I was particularly fascinated as I watched glass blower Myles Freedman create the unique works of art that were for sale. Elsewhere, I spoke with Rachel Walker about her beautiful drawings.
There really is no comparison between the heavily commercialized western-themed area of Disneyland Park, versus the much more authentic and significantly larger wild west Ghost Town at Knott’s Berry Farm. In the summer, during Founder’s Day, dozens of costumed Knott’s actors and actresses portrayed town folks, performing in an ongoing and engaging story throughout the day, and ending with park guests and performers alike dancing in a hoedown, to the music of a live band.
At Knott’s the simulated snowfall is heavier, and it remains on the ground well after it falls — enough for kids to pick up and play with.
As they were when I purchased my Knott’s season back in the summer, the incredibly low-priced Knott’s season es are valid for the remainder of 2024 and all of 2025, and available, modestly-priced add-ons, including General Parking, are also good for the same extended period of time. I also bought the meal plan add-on, valid for my choice of two entrées per day (at least four hours apart), available from a wide variety of themed restaurants throughout the park.
Disneyland Resort is very expensive, all levels of its Magic Key es have blackout dates and — unlike at Knott’s Berry Farm — reservations are required (and often unavailable).
So, which theme park is the better choice for you? To further help you decide, visit Knott’s Berry Farm online at: https://www.knotts.com , and visit the Disneyland Resort online at: https://disneyland.disney.go.com.
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