Cedar Fair writes a new book

“Each of our parks has their own story to tell, their own personalities and experiences,” Semmelroth says. “We had to understand and define each park’s identity, and what their brand promise is going to be to their market.”

Knott’s Berry Farm’s promise, Semmelroth discovered, is to provide a unique Southern California experience for its guests, “where fun comes easy.”

“We had definitely lost our identity out there. Folks didn’t know what we were anymore, and they stopped going,” she says of Knott’s, which joined the Cedar Fair system in 1997 and is approaching its centennial in 2020. “It’s not a thrill park, necessarily—this one is more about celebrating California’s roots.”

In 2013 and 2014, Knott’s didn’t install any flashy new roller coasters. Instead, it lovingly refurbished its classic log flume and mine ride, while also spending time and money on various beautification projects throughout the park. 2015’s “Voyage to the Iron Reef” dark ride was the capper, an immersive, interactive experience whose story was built around the park’s iconography. All of these improvements came straight out of the market research, company officials say; it’s likely no coincidence, then, that last year also proved to be Knott’s Berry Farm’s most successful in its history.

“We now know what Knott’s is, and we can stay true to that,” Semmelroth says. “It is Southern California’s theme park, and we just needed to embrace that and be who we were meant to be.”

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