Lights, Camera, Buena Park!

Buena Park is home to exciting tourist attractions like Knott’s Berry Farm, Soak City Waterpark, Pirates Dinner Adventure, Medieval Times and much more. But what you may not realize is that numerous Buena Park entertainment venues have been featured in your favorite movie and television shows.

One of the most recognized landmarks in town, Knott’s Berry Farm has been the backdrop of many feature films and television programs including “Knocked Up”, “America’s Next Top Model”, “Entertainment Tonight”, “The Next Food Network Star”, “Parenthood”, “Criminal Minds”, “Storage Wars”, “The Bold and the Beautiful”, “Hell’s Kitchen”, “CONAN”, “Jay Leno’s Garage” and “Bert the Conqueror.” In Season 15 of the CW television show, America’s Next Top Model, the prospective contestants were taken to Knott’s Berry Farm to test their modeling ability under a stressful situation. The models made their best attempt to be graceful for the built in camera system while riding the 55 MPH roller coaster, Silver Bullet. The 2007 film “Knocked Up,” a romantic comedy starring Seth Rogen, opens up with his character Ben Stone and his thrill-seeking friends riding Knott’s Berry Farm roller coasters Supreme Scream, Xcelerator and Silver Bullet. Live demos are a staple of every “Food Network Star’s” repertoire. Season 10 finalists take the stage to perform a food demo for hundreds of amusement park visitors at Knott’s Berry Farm. Across the street from the theme park resides Knott’s Independence Hall, a brick by brick replica of the original landmark in Philadelphia. This is the location of several scenes from the 2004 featured film “National Treasure” starring Nicolas Cage.

Another fan favorite is the 1996 film “The Cable Guy,” a comedy starring Jim Carrey featuring a scene at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament. In one of the most memorable scenes from the movie, Ernie and his friend Steven joined the performance as they faced one another in a humorous battle scene. Kevin Hart’s Youtube show, 'What the Fit', was also filmed at Medieval Times. Along with comedian Jason Sudeikis, Hart battled and jousted to see if he had what it takes to becomes knight. In a special celebrity season of ‘Cupcake Wars’ on the Food Network, four celebrity bakers - Yvette Nicole Brown, Brooke Burke-Charvet, Carson Kressley and Vanessa Marano - battled to prove that their cupcakes reign supreme. In this winner-take-all contest, they competed to have their cupcakes featured at a blowout party celebrating the 30th anniversary of Medieval Times. ABC's hit series, “The Bachelor,” filmed at Pirates Dinner Adventure in Buena Park for their 23rd season. Colton Underwood was 'captured' and had to be saved by his potential suitors aboard a pirate galleon.

CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS: Not only has Buena Park been a city captured on the big screen and television but it’s also a hot spot for celebrities and their families. Celebrity sightings around town include professional athletes like Shaquille O’Neal, David Beckham, and Tony Hawk. Recording artists such as Robin Thicke, Selena Gomez, Fergie, Vanilla Ice, Katy Perry, John Mayer, Demi Lovato and Gwen Stefani. And Television/Movie Actors like Chef Gordon Ramsey, Seth MacFarlane, Neil Patrick Harris, David Caruso, Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson, Molly Ringwald, Kevin Hart, Dylan McDermott, Bella Thorn, Chrissy Teigen, Chuck Norris, Kristin Stewart, Macaulay Culkin, Taylor Lautner, Bethenny Frankel, Chris Harrison, Dennis Quaid, James Marsden, Mario Lopez, Tori Spelling, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Pete Davidson, Ariana Grande, and Vanessa Hudgens have been spotted around town.