Xcelerator is a hydraulic launch roller coaster at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, built by Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel. It opened on June 22, 2002, as Intamin’s first hydraulically launched coaster, replacing the short-lived Windjammer Surf Racers and giving the park a signature high-speed thrill ride styled after a hot rod launch down a drag strip.
The ride’s hook is its opening move: a hydraulic launch system rockets the train from a standstill to 82 mph in just 2.3 seconds, sending riders straight up a 205-foot vertical top hat tower before a quick twisting drop leads back into the brake run. At $13 million to build, it was one of the more expensive additions to Knott’s at the time and remains one of the park’s marquee attractions.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, California
- Manufacturer: Intamin
- Opened: June 22, 2002
- Height: 205 feet
- Top speed: 82 mph
- Length: 2,202 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Riders board a hot-rod-themed train and are launched from a dead stop to 82 mph in about 2.3 seconds using Intamin’s hydraulic launch technology. That launch carries the train straight up a 205-foot vertical top hat tower, over the top, and back down before the layout curves through a short twisting section on the way to the final brakes. The entire ride lasts roughly a minute, but the launch and top hat make it feel far more intense than its short length suggests.
History and Maintenance
Since opening in 2002, Xcelerator has gone through several closures for maintenance and upgrades, including restraint modifications in 2004 and a cable-related closure in 2009 that kept it shut until April 2010. Its most significant hiatus ran from October 2021 into the summer of 2023, when the ride was closed for repainting and replacement of key parts before reopening to guests in late 2023.
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Xcelerator FAQs
How fast does Xcelerator go?
Xcelerator launches riders to a top speed of 82 mph, reaching that speed in about 2.3 seconds using a hydraulic launch system.
How tall is Xcelerator’s top hat?
The ride’s top hat tower, the first element after the launch, stands 205 feet tall.
Who manufactured Xcelerator?
Xcelerator was built by Intamin and designed by engineer Werner Stengel, opening in June 2002 as Intamin’s first hydraulic launch coaster.
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Photo: Jeremy Thompson / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.