Photo TR: Behemoth Media Day - Canada's Wonderland

[kennywood!007]

Thanks for posting these photos, and the video. The coaster looks great. I still don't know if I am a fan of the trains or not.

[Tanks4me05]

^Ruin the pacing? If you mean lack of speed, you are crazy, that thing pulls mad airtime on the bunny hops. If you mean lack of pacing as in lack of airtime, then I agree with you. All the hills provide airtime - the second hill gets floater and the rest are ejector, and I have been on SFNE's S:RoS so I know what airtime is, and this ride has about the same intensity of airtime as SFNE's version, except there aren't as many hills.

[niiicolaaah]

^By pacing I think he means how the elements are combined. For example - hill, turn, helix, hill. On Superman it's like... helix... STRAIGHT BIT STRAIGHT BIT STRAIGHT BIT hill. It's odd. Any straight, level section of track feels weird to me on a coaster. Most other coasters, it is either changing direction or elevation constantly.

 

BUT ANYWAY... thanks for sharing, Paul!

[Carnage]

So, Paul, which would you decide that is better? Behemoth or DL's RoS? Please discount the flat section of track.

 

I think I'd give the edge to Behemoth. Behemoth's first drop is better then on RoS. Plus I'm really not a fan of RoS' huge slow helicies. And I never really got any major airtime on DL's RoS. I actually found more air on SFA's version,even though they're just mirror images.

 

Both are fun rides, but I think I'd prefer Behemoth.

[thecoasterkid]

Pacing is more the flow of the entire coaster, not just a certain section in particular. And I'd agree with the bad pacing of ROS at Darien Lake. The elements seem forced together, there's no flow from one thing to the next. The entire return leg for example is just a perfectly flat, straight stretch of track, then a hill, then more flat straight track into the second oversized helix.

 

It feels very Roller Coaster Tycoon. It's got great speed and decent airtime, but I'm expecting Behemoth to be atleast equal, if not better.

 

*edit* there was a large gap (ate dinner) between when I read tanks posts and when I made my post, so I basically repeated what others said, but decided to keep this around anyways.

[RIP Psyclone]

Okay Paul, how about Behemoth vs. Nitro? Or any other hyper for that matter...

[Carnage]

Got a few pics tonight at season pass preview. Probably as good a spot to put them as any.

And another new name, new sign. Kind of.

Cedar Fair must be buying paint in bulk. Bat is in the progress of having it's supports painted.

New name, new sign.

More proof that Behemoth dwarves the rides around it.

And ends back here. I really think they should have built a larger queue.

And keeps going.

As expected, the line overflows the queue.

Skyline sure looks different now.

[Carnage]

Okay Paul, how about Behemoth vs. Nitro? Or any other hyper for that matter...

 

I think I'd prefer Nitro. Although it's been a few years since I've ridden it.

 

Let me think of how I'd rank the hypers I've been on. I've ridden Magnum, Nitro, Raging Bull, all 3 Ride of Steels, Millennium Force (not technically a hyper but close enough), Pepsi Max,Steel Force, Wild Thing and Goliath (SFMM). Hope I'm not forgetting any.

 

Ranking those I'd put Behemoth behind MF,Nitro, RoS (SFNE), possibly Raging Bull. (I find the ride fun, even disregarding the evil trim)

 

Steel Force,Wild Thing,SFA/DL RoS's I'd put behind Behemoth. Pepsi Max goes way behind.

 

Magnum and Goliath I'd probably put neck and neck. Magnum mostly due to nostalgia.

 

But as I've said before, these rankings could very well change once the ride warms up.

 

Edit: Added Steel Force and Wild Thing to the bottom of the list.

[coasterking2981]

lol good thing you got on Behemoth when you did.

[Millennium Force 44]

Nice pictures.

 

Check out this news clip:

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/top-picks/behemoth/#clip48428

Idk if it's just me, but from the helicopter views, Behemoth kind of resembles Goliath at SFMM with the new style trains and the helix after the MCBR.

[Jester08]

I hope they don't do that to the B&M Floorless Trains

[WildStangAlex]

That looks awesome! I hope (as planned) that I get to ride it this summer!

[Calaway Park]

I think my biggest problem with this ride is that... I thought I would *really* want to go to Canada's Wonderland because of it... and I just don't.

 

It looks forgettable.

[zano]

Well At least you have a B&M compared to us Australians

 

stop complaining...It looks like a great ride!

[downunder]

^It's all relative, in that area they have Rides of Steel and El Toro within driving distance to compare to Behemoth. Australia needs more Intamin.

 

Trust me, the big B & M hypers aren't a patch on the Intamins.

 

Maybe we'll see a B & M dive machine down in Melbourne in a couple of years.

[zano]

^ Well we can only hope we get one

[niiicolaaah]

^It's all relative, in that area they have Rides of Steel and El Toro within driving distance to compare to Behemoth. Australia needs more Intamin.

 

Trust me, the big B & M hypers aren't a patch on the Intamins.

 

Maybe we'll see a B & M dive machine down in Melbourne in a couple of years.

 

Just to be nit-picky... The Ride of Steel that is 3 hours away from Behemoth sure, a lot of people from our side of the border have been to Canada's Wonderland. But Ride of Steel is several years old so Behemoth will probably automatically seem better. Plus El Toro is a 9 hour drive from Behemoth, I seriously doubt most of the GP in Southern Ontario have ever been to SFGAd.

 

But that's just me being a b!tch before drinking any coffee in the morning.

 

I look forward to riding Behemoth. I doubt it will crack my top 10 but it will be fun for sure.

[downunder]

^I'd forgotten how far it was (and I will be reminded in August) but many people who like coasters may have made the journey. Of course the GP are going to think something that is taller and newer will be better.

 

I think it will be fun too, I enjoyed Nitro but was a little less enthused about Raging Bull, so I will see what B & M hyper number 3 for me will be like (and later # 4 at BGE) in August.

[Carnage]

^It's all relative, in that area they have Rides of Steel and El Toro within driving distance to compare to Behemoth. Australia needs more Intamin.

 

Well, Nicole mentioned how far SFGAdv is. But really, I don't consider Darien Lakes Ride of Steel all that awesome. Good ride, but nothing I would go out of my way for. I'd definetly say Behemoth is better then it.

 

It's about 9 hours to SFNE's RoS, which I doubt many people from this area have done. About 5 hours to Cedar Point, which some people around here get to do, but definetly not the majority.

 

So there really isn't anything close by that compares.

 

This is the main reason why CW has always topped out attendance at seasonal parks. They have virtually no competition.

 

As enthusiasts we are very spoiled. The average guest around here just wouldn't even consider a 10 drive to get to something better. Most don't even know that these bigger US rides exist.

[ginzo]

But really, I don't consider Darien Lakes Ride of Steel all that awesome. Good ride, but nothing I would go out of my way for. I'd definetly say Behemoth is better then it.

 

One thing is sure: Behemoth has better restraints.

[Carnage]

But really, I don't consider Darien Lakes Ride of Steel all that awesome. Good ride, but nothing I would go out of my way for. I'd definetly say Behemoth is better then it.

 

One thing is sure: Behemoth has better restraints.

 

Oh, definetly!

 

The seats were definetly really comfortable. The extra arm room is probably the main thing I like about the new trains. Sitting in those outside seats you have as much room for your legs and arms as you need.

 

No fighting for a space to put your arm like on the inverts.

[haux]

Did anyone notice the magnetic brake at the beginning of the block brake? This ride has brakes all over the place, and the sad thing is, even if all the brakes are off, that magnetic one will still trim some speed off before the finale.

 

I just hope the three (THREE!) trims on the airtime hills don't get turned on really high as the season goes on.

[dandaman]

^^What are your thoughts on the clamshell restraint itself? It seems like it'd be a lot like MF's hydraulic (and equally yellow) restraint-on-a-stick.

[Carnage]

I just hope the three (THREE!) trims on the airtime hills don't get turned on really high as the season goes on.

 

Honestly I don't even see the 2nd and 3rd one's being used. Either the first one grabs, or none of them will. If the train is going fast enough to be trimmed, then the first one is going to be used. I just don't see it getting through the 1st one, and then picking up enough speed to get trimmed again.

 

In the media day runs, the 2nd and 3rd trims were never used.

 

^^What are your thoughts on the clamshell restraint itself? It seems like it'd be a lot like MF's hydraulic (and equally yellow) restraint-on-a-stick.

 

I've always thought the B&M clamshell restrains allow more movement. Where as the Intamin restrains pin you into the seat a bit more. The clamshell restrains have always freaked me out a bit more, almost giving a feeling of rolling forward over the bar.

 

In the front seat in particular provides a weird sensation as you pretty much hang off the restraint while cresting the hill.

[rollin_n_coastin]

Paul, great review and update! The pics are awesome!

 

I was with the charity auction and was able to ride a full train in the very back seat. Amazing! We were able to ride twice so I tried the front seat the second time and both offer two completely different but amazing experiences.

 

The ride looks spectacular and in all honesty, I love the new trains compared to the standard B&Ms. Every seat has a great view because no seat has another directly in front of it. Oh, and lots of room to kick, raise arms, fling them to the side, etc etc. It's not Intamin-intense, but it is well-rounded and really is a lot of fun! I think the ride, along with everything else there, makes visiting the park very worth while.

 

After we were done, they dropped the rope and let 'em all in:

Picture 2 - Hopefully, everyone made it safely. After Media day and the auction, this was the first official lineup with Seasons Pass holders.

Picture 1 - Just after the rope dropped. Notice Wonderland exec in black coat running to the entrance before the mob arrives to make sure everything was under control. Not sure how it all went, but it looked pretty insane.