Knotts Berry Farm Extending All 2020 Annual Passes Through 2021

Like all theme parks across the United States, Knott's Berry Farm is currently closed due to the efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus. It's undoubtedly a necessary precaution, but it does short change those customers who purchased annual passes for 2020. Thankfully, Knott's Berry Farm is going the extra mile to make sure their annual passholders don't get screwed by what will likely be several months of closure. The 2020 Knott's Berry Farm annual pass is being extended through 2021.

Here's the letter posted to the theme park's website for Knott's Berry Farm annual pass holders.

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As we all continue to navigate this unprecedented situation, we want to thank you for your continued patience and support of Knott's Berry Farm.  Our team would like nothing more than to open our park and welcome you back.  Clearly that is not an option for us right now, and our priority is to keep everyone safe — our valued guests, our amazing associates, and our cherished communities.

Given the uncertainty around our park reopening, we want to share how we will manage 2020 Season Passholder benefits:

2020 Season Passes and purchased 2020 Season Pass Add-On Products (if applicable) will be valid for the remainder of 2020 when our park is able to reopen.

Additionally, 2020 Regular, Gold and Platinum Season Passes (as well as purchased 2020 Season Pass Add-On Products) will remain valid through the 2021 Season, ending December 31, 2021. *

For 2020 Passholders participating in our Easy Pay Program, we have automatically suspended monthly billing as of today, April 4, 2020, and will continue to do so while the park is closed.   When the park reopens, billing will resume.   Passholders will need to be current on payments in order to receive both 2020 and 2021 Season Pass admission and associated benefits.

Our Season Passholders represent some of our most loyal guests, and we want to ensure that you receive a full season of fun as promised when you purchased your 2020 Season Pass.  This is a very unusual time for all of us, and we again thank you for your understanding and loyalty to Knott's Berry Farm.

*Scary Farm Pass Add-On will be valid during 2020 only.

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This is an extremely generous offer for Knott's Berry Farm to make. It means that there's an entire group of customers who won't be paying for their annual passes next year. That feels like a lot of revenue to give up, especially when they're already going to lose a ton of money from not being open for at least two or three months this year, maybe more. But at the same time, it's probably the best decision to keep annual passholders happy when the park won't be accessible for a decent chunk of the year. This could be an indicator that the theme park is planning to stay closed for longer than anticipated, maybe through the summer.

Meanwhile, Disneyland and Walt Disney World offered refunds for the time that they're closed and they're halting payment plans for annual passes until they re-open again. That's pretty much the least they could do in this situation, and it's exactly what customers would expect. There's always a chance they'll change their mind if they end up having to be closed through the summer, but that's doubtful. Considering the size of both Disney resorts, the number of employees who work there, and the amount of money they bring in for The Walt Disney Company each year, they probably can't afford to extend annual passes through 2021.

Many are hoping that theme parks and other assorted businesses will be able to re-open late this summer, but at the rate the spread of coronavirus is going, especially in the higher populated states and their cities, that may not be in the cards. It all depends on how the next month or two goes.