A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE HISTORIC BEE MONORAIL AT SKYPARK AT SANTA’S VILLAGE!

SkyPark at Santa’s Village is excited to announce the opening of a thrilling new attraction: The B Rail. This first-of-its-kind ride features a self-powered, single-rider mountain bike suspended on the park’s historic 62-year-old Bumble Bee Monorail track. Designed to create the feeling of flight, the ride allows guest to pedal through the treetops and enjoy amazing views.

“We’re in the business of bringing family and friends together,” says Bill Johnson, the ride’s lead creator and park co-owner. “For the first time in many years, the famous monorail track at Santa’s Village is alive again. As a kid, I worked on the monorail ride, and as a grown-up, I’ve had the honor of re-imagining it and bringing it into this timeline. Like every part of restoring and reimagining this historic theme park, it’s been a lot of work and an absolute dream come true.”

The original Santa’s Village opened in 1955, just six weeks before Disneyland, as a charming roadside destination featuring fairytale characters and carnival-style rides. One of its most memorable attractions was the Bumble Bee Monorail- a bee-themed ride with carts that traveled as high as 45′ above the park. Built in 1961 by American Crane & Hoist, the Bumble Bee Monorail was a prototype for the larger suspended monorail at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The original cars were black and yellow striped with bulging eyes and flapping wings (the wings were later removed due to clearance issues).

After delighting visitors for four decades, the park closed in 1998 and sat abandoned for 16 years, enduring severe weather, squatters, and even a historic wildfire. In 2014, local husband-and-wife team Bill and Michelle Johnson (specialists in real estate and design) purchased the property and began the daunting task of restoring it to its former glory. They planted hundreds of new trees, added a world-class mountain bike park, and re-opened in 2016 with enough fun activities to entertain visitors year-round. Today, the park continues to enchant a new generation of children and adults, offering adventure and camaraderie in the mountains.

RIDE DEVELOPMENT

“When we bought the park, we knew we had to keep the original monorail track,” says Bill Johnson, “It was an iconic part of the park’s identity, plus, it was still in good condition and we wanted to make something special with the ride infrastructure.”

Bill developed the ride with long-time friend Mat Caracaburu, who runs a successful fabrication business Milling and Turning Tech. Eventually, the reproduction and detail design work was outsourced to Carter Read at CJ Read Engineering.

“We wanted to give guests a bee’s-eye view of the park,” Bill explains, “We knew the days of high-powered electric rides were futile and a self-powered coaster style ride is what the park needed. The B Rail rolls high above the park as if you are flying on a bicycle . . . and there isn’t much to separate them from the feeling of actual flight. It’s a very open ride that’s unlike anything else out there. You pedal the ride and are able to choose your level of speed, just like riding a bike.”

The monorail bike component is hand-built by Fat Chance Bicycles, as well as a group of industry professionals, including KS Suspension, who wanted to help bring an eco-concept to the thrill ride/theme park industry. The ride has been thoroughly tested and adapted to enhance public safety, and approved by the Department of Industrial Relations, like a rollercoaster or other mobile amusement ride found at California theme parks.

RIDE DETAILS AND REQUIREMENTS

The B Rail is an open concept rider-powered thrill ride, where solo riders are suspended, seated atop a mountain bike. The monorail track varies in height, upwards to 45 feet above the ground. Riders must be willing and able to complete the entire ride safely while sitting upright and pedaling with both feet.

  • Riders must be between 75 lbs – 265 lbs in weight, and between 5’0″ – 6’7″ in height.
  • No loose clothing or accessories. Long hair must be securely tied.
  • Closed-toe shoes and helmets (provided) are required.
  • Ride is not suited for those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, neck or back issues, dizziness, seizures, pregnancy, and/or a fear of heights.

Paid admission is required for entry to SkyPark at Santa’s Village. All guests entering the park must complete a waiver, regardless of participation in activities.