As our little theme park Duo family was driving home from Buena Park, California after spending a fun-filled day experiencing all of the festivities for this year‘s Peanuts Celebration; we couldn’t help but discuss our day and how much Knotts Berry Farm and the Peanuts characters have grown synonymous in our minds. We can hardly imagine a visit to Knotts Berry Farm without wanting to get a picture with some member of the Peanuts gang or visiting the park at Christmas time and not seeing Snoopy glide across the stage on his ice skates. Like peanut butter and Jelly (of the Month Club): they just go together! And it is fitting that Knotts Berry Farm dedicates a whole park-wide event in celebration of this wonderful partnership.
There is so much to do (and eat) at this year’s Peanuts Celebration, and we couldn’t fit everything that we wanted to do into one day. I think a second trip for us will definitely be in order! But for now…come with us as we take you through our day, and then discuss all the other wonderful offerings of this year’s event.
We started our day bright and early and arrived at the front gates just as the National Anthem started to play over the speakers. Our first stop was, of course, Camp Snoopy! Even though a good portion of this area is currently under construction, we still love this area during Peanuts Celebration! We love that every pole is adorned with cartoony word bubbles with some classic Peanuts phrases, and we absolutely love the recorder that gives you a “peanuts grown up voice”! They even put some of the photo-op comic strip squares in this area! There are two others located at the entrance of the park, and our Kiddo absolutely loved them all! All of this was back-up with the wonderful music of Vince Guaraldi, recognizable to anyone who’s watched any of the classic Peanuts specials.
After perhaps one too many rides on Lucy’s Tugboat, it was time to leave Camp Snoopy in search of some grub. We really had our hearts set on trying the Schroeders Fluffy Breakfast Mac and Cheese Pancakes, but the line at Sutter’s Grill was just too long for our hungry tummies. Not really sure why it was so long, maybe others had the same idea! Hopefully operations can smooth out these small issues. We, instead, made our way over to Papas Mexicanas and grabbed Jose Peterson’s Swedish Meatball on Top of Mac and Cheese and French Fries. This turned out to be a satisfying snack! Although we do suggest opting for the Waffle Fries as the base to add a bit of crunch to the dish.
As you have probably picked up, the food theme for this years Peanuts Celebration was very… Mac and Cheese centric. So much so that they made an entire tasting card for it! We definitely think that grabbing one of the “It’s the Great Mac and Cheese, Charlie Brown!” tasting cards during your visit is a great move. At a price of just $45 for 6 tastings, this is a great deal! With a variety of offerings at 9 different locations around the park, this is a great way to snack your way through the day.
Up next, we went over to Ghost Town to check out Pig Pen’s Pig Pen! This attraction is always a hit with us, and this year was no exception. The baby piggies were adorable, the horse in his stall was absolutely loving all the pats on the head, and meeting Pigpen is always a blast. Our Kiddo lit up with excitement when Pigpen twirled her like a princess… and doubled over with giggles when Pigpen pretended to wipe boogers all over her and her us! These type of top-notch guest interactions are what we have come to expect from any trip to Knott’s, and ended up being a common theme throughout our visit!
Just around the corner from the Livery Stable was our next stop, Town Hall! This year the Town Hall Peanuts exhibit was dedicated to Franklin! It was nice to see this character get some attention, and we had another stellar meet and greet. Another amazing part of this exhibit, and a favorite of our kiddo, was the light box where you could trace your favorite Peanuts characters and create your own little comic strips. Such a simple thing, and yet we saw so many kids (and adults) loving this activity.
Next, we made our way down towards the former Mystery Lodge entrance to meet everyone’s favorite Beagle, Snoopy! Once again, this was another fantastic meet and greet! Snoopy was being so silly with our kiddo, and you can tell that is just made her day.
Winding our way past Pony Express, we found ourselves at our next culinary destination, The Prop Shop Pizzeria. This is where we had, hands down, our favorite food item of the day! We cannot recommend enough that you try Marcie’s Alfredo Pasta Pinwheel! Of course, this Duo added a sprinkle of pepper flakes to the top of ours to give it that little extra… kick. This dish was so delicious, we are both still thinking about it days later. Crispy bread on the outside with creamy Alfredo pasta on the inside… this delicious treat is a must in our opinion!
One thing that Knotts does very well, and something we appreciate so much, is having different small activities and interactions happening throughout the park. We were coming out of Cordy’s Corner and walked straight into the “Peanuts On the Go” Cavalcade around Charleston Circle! Our little girl ran straight over to learn some dance moves straight from Lucy herself! We even snagged a picture before Lucy, Charlie Brown and Sally hopped back in their cars and made their way backstage.
One of the highlights (it seems like there have been so many highlights) of our day would undoubtedly be the Cowboy Jamboree in Calico Park! Here, throughout the day, Linus and Schroeder will lead guests in some fun and games! We happened to catch the egg relay game, and oh boy did our kiddo have the time of her life! All of the employees helping out were so unbelievably friendly and inviting as well. Especially the host of all the fun and games. She was able to balance the hosting of the show while being able to connect with the kids playing the game. We wish we remembered her name because she was killing it! This is one more perfect example of how Knott’s excels at creating an engaging and diverse guest experience. We could seriously spend a whole day at Knotts, not go on a single ride, and have the time of our lives!
One thing that our daughter always looks forward to during a Knott’s visit, and although not Peanuts Celebration related…we have to give a quick shout out to the Cowboys roaming around Ghost Town. She showed up to the park so excited to show the cowboys her brand new Cowgirl boots and, later in the day, her pink Cowgirl Hat! They were so engaging and kind to our little one, it really made us so happy to see it. She was talking about her interaction with the cowboys her whole drive home!
One more treat to end our visit, and our kiddo’s favorite treat of the day, was the Snickerdoodle cookiewich! These delicious desserts are always a favorite no matter what cookie- ice cream combo is being served up. This simple combo of snickerdoodle and vanilla hit the spot, and we found ourselves fighting over the last bite! (the 5-year-old won) It was suppose to come with graham cracker bits along the outside, but at the time they had run out of that item. So, we’ll just have to go back and try it again!
Like we said, there is SO MUCH that Peanuts Celebration has to offer; we couldn’t fit it all into one visit. Some things that we missed and plan to do on our next visit include:
- Peanuts Sketch School/ Charlie Brown Trivia (Birdcage theater)
- James Street Trio in Calico Park
- Its Your Life Charlie Brown- show on Calico Mine Stage
- Snoopy’s Legendary Rooftop Concert- show on Calico Mine Stage
OVERALL
While at a glance, the activities during Knott’s Peanuts Celebration seem to be mainly kid oriented, it’s a fantastic opportunity for those to remember we are all kids at heart. Nothing is stopping parents from engaging in some silly dancing along side Charlie Brown, having an endearing interaction with Snoopy, or bring out their inner artists at the Sketch School. As we’ve said time and time again, Knott’s has a way of entertaining it’s guests without the need for a screen. Which, in our minds, is significantly harder to accomplish. Peanuts Celebration, and the many other events at Knott’s throughout the year, are a prime example of how to engage kids and families on a similar level.
Aside from entertainment, this trip met all our expectations for a Knotts visit. Good food, great interactions with characters and employees, and so many opportunities to build lasting memories with those you love. Knotts Peanuts Celebration will always hold a dear spot in our theme park hearts, and this year just made those feelings grow. We thank Knotts for continually being a source of memories and laughter for our family, and for so many others.
FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING KNOTT’S AND PEANUTS CELEBRATION, CLICK HERE
Theme Park Duo 