The Hat Dance is a spinning teacups ride located at the Fiesta Village area of Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.
History[]
The ride originally opened as The Happy Sombrero with the then-new Fiesta Village area in 1969.[1] It featured fiberglass chili bowls / cuencos topped with sombreros that were designed by Bud Hurlbut and manufactured by Arrow Dynamics.[2][3][4] In the 1970s, it was also advertised as the Spinning Sombreros.[5]
In 1987, the ride was renamed to Mexican Hat Dance. In 1998, the name was shortened to its present form, "Hat Dance".[6][7] In 2023, the theming around Hat Dance was updated as part of a larger renovation of the Fiesta Village area, with the addition of an alebrije (spirit animal) in the landscaping by the ride.[8] These incorporate the Mexican folk art style that had been popularized by the 2017 Pixar film Coco.[9]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Every ride at Knott’s Berry Farm, ranked by Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times. 2024-06-20.
- ↑ Knott quite the way I remember it by Thinking of Design, Arrow Development - Building Disney's Dream Rides. 2014-07-28.
- ↑ Knott's Berry Farm Postcards, 1970's by Major Pepperidge, Gorillas Don't Blog. 2017-03-15.
- ↑ Arrow Dynamics Brochure 1990 - Arrow Ride List by oldcolorimages.com, Flickr. 2008-11-01.
- ↑ History of Knott’s Berry Farm: See the Southern California amusement park as it used to be, Click Americana. 2023-08-25.
- ↑ Hat Dance by Mark Eades, The Orange County Register. 2015-05-15.
- ↑ Antique Auto Ride by Werner Weiss, Yesterland. 2020-02-07.
- ↑ ¡Viva la Fiesta! This Summer at Knott’s Berry Farm, the reimagination of Fiesta Village comes alive with refreshed rides, new cuisine, live entertainment and a nighttime street party, Knott's Berry Farm. 2023-05-09.
- ↑ Wrapping up the "Halloweekend": Knott's Berry Farm, the landmark theme park in Buena Park, reimagined Fiesta Village in May 2023. by SoCal Landmarks, Facebook. 2024-11-02.
