Knott's Berry Farm closes loophole on unlimited dining pass

A roller coaster rising above a theme park

Knott's Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain have slashed prices on season and dining passes during a limited-time sale. Meanwhile, Knott's has moved to close a policy loophole regarding its popular all-season dining passes.

Six Flags has overhauled its dining pass program for the 2027 season, introducing substantial price hikes on unlimited meal options at Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Introduced during a promotional sale that ended Sept. 7, the restructured pricing aims to reduce financial losses caused by high-frequency usage. Under the new lineup, the top-tier Unlimited all-season dining pass is priced at $499 for both Knott’s and Magic Mountain. For Knott’s visitors, this represents a 214 percent increase over the 2026 price of $159, while Magic Mountain passholders face a 404 percent jump from the previous $99 rate.

The adjustments follow extensive online discussions among parkgoers who leveraged previous pass rules to secure cheap daily meals, frequently visiting nearby parks during evening commutes. According to industry website Theme Park Insider, the changes represent a concentrated effort by the theme park operator to manage expenses by curbing meal redemptions on standard options.

Along with higher rates, Six Flags revised the rules governing its Unlimited dining tier. Under the 2026 policy, passholders were capped at two meals per day with a mandatory four-hour interval between orders. The 2027 Unlimited plan removes the daily meal cap entirely, allowing passholders to claim a meal every two hours during any visit, while expanding coverage to all theme parks throughout the Six Flags chain.

To accommodate guests seeking lower-cost alternatives, Six Flags added two tier-restricted options valid only at a passholder’s home park. The Access Dining Pass includes 20 meals per year, costing $139 at Knott’s ($6.95 per meal) and $95 at Magic Mountain ($4.75 per meal). The Plus Dining Pass includes 30 meals per year, costing $179 at Knott’s ($5.97 per meal) and $135 at Magic Mountain ($4.50 per meal).

Despite the initial price jump, the $499 Unlimited plan can still deliver significant per-meal value for frequent visitors. Because Knott’s Berry Farm operates 364 days a year—compared to Magic Mountain’s seasonal calendar—a passholder attending Knott’s daily could theoretically redeem more than 725 meals annually, dropping the average expense to under $1 per meal. At Magic Mountain, dedicated visitors could claim between 400 and 500 meals per year, bringing the average cost to less than $3 per meal. The plans are accepted at participating food locations inside the parks, including 14 eateries at Knott’s Berry Farm such as Prop Shop Pizzeria, Papas Mexicanas, Fireman’s BBQ, and Coasters Diner.

Reported for The Park · The Orange County Register · August 13, 2026 · Read the full story on The Park