Knott's Berry Farm - Knott's Bear-yTales

Knott's Bear-yTales "Welcome one and all! Ya ‘all come have a ball! Things are very fine, ridin’ on the ol’ Knott’s Berry Line." Knott's Bear-yTales opened at Knott's in 1975. It was a slow moving dark ride that took riders past various adventures of the Bear-y Family. Along the way, you’ll see Frog Forrest, the Candy Company and bakery where everyone is making boysenberry pies and preserves, the Gypsy camp, where Sara tells your fortune, and the spiders and creatures of Thunder Cave. And you can’t forget the Weird Woods, home of Crafty Coyote, or the trilling conclusion at the Country Fair. The popularity of Knott's Bear-y Tales stems from its catchy theme song, boysenberry smell throughout the attraction, and the campy, black-light look through the entire ride. Knott's Bear-ytales wasn't a mass-produced dark ride. It was 100% Knott's Berry Farm, back before thrills ruled the day and rides were restricted to last only as long as the MTV attention span. It was a unique and cherished attraction that closed in 1986 to make room for Kingdom of the Dinosaurs. "KOD" used the exact same ride system, vehicles, and track as Bear-yTales. It was a decent ride, one that I enjoyed quite a lot. In a park solely lacking dark rides, KOD filled a niche. However, time marches on and this too has since closed. Currently, the Bear-yTales show building is unused, except for an arcade at the lower level. Word is mixed as to what will become of this space in the future. Below are pictures of Knott's Bear-y Tales acquired from various sources. I've done my due diligence to give credit where credit is due. If you have pictures of Bear-y Tales in your collection and would like to see them here, please email me to make arrangements. I'd like to see this site be the place to come for Knott's Bear-y Tales memories, but I can't do it alone. We'll start with a Bear-ytales.net exclusive - (Knott's Bear-y Tales theme - mp3 - 40sec)
Knott's Bear-y Tales © Knott's Berry Farm	Knott's Bear-y Tales © Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Bear-yTales Frog Forrest, picture by Barry Wallis	A family gets ready to ride through the Frog Forest and other destinations in Knott's Bear-y Tales.