ginzo Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 They could try retracking it, but that would cut into CP's budget so that won't be happening anytime soon. Its such a shame at one time Beast was so good. Dick Kinzel seemed especially proud of the Beast when talking about the purchase of Kings Island in an interview earlier this year. But this is the same sycophant that described his bulldozed Geauga Lake "new and exciting". Bottom line is you're right. If they won't even put the money into properly maintaining the wood at the flagship park then this principle is doubly so for the lower-on-the-food-chain parks (aka everything but CP). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBru Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 I've found the second to last seat on The Beast isn't too bad. It's just those wheel seats that will murder you. Some of my friends made that mistake this summer....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 Unfortunately I didn't know about the wheel seats, my first ride on Beast was around 11am in the back row, and I swear I thought the drop and turn into the shed after the second lift hill were going shatter my ribcage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verticalzero Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 I love the Beast, it is suppose to be a hard bumpy-ish ride cos it's a woodie. Shame the brakes slow the ride down a bit, but it does pick up its speed again within the underground tunnel. Best ride for me was at night, hands up for the whole circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaparri Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 ^True, however, it wasn't but five to ten years ago that it was bumpy-ish without any full on jackhammering anywhere, and the only brakes on the thing were in that first long shed after the first two turns and at the end of the ride. It was so good back then that, if it were still in that state, a back seat ride would probably still be a contender for my top woodie, or at least in the top 5. Now, you'd have to pay me to ride it in the back seat. It's been trimmed to hell, and it's rougher than it was before. At this point, I'd almost rather see them bring a company in to completely re-track it, almost completely re-profile it so ALL the trims can be taken off while keeping it an awesome ride, and add new trains to it. More or less, pull a Phantom's Revenge on it. Take a formerly awesome ride and make it even better. I'd rather see that done than have a new coaster or major ride added anytime soon. But I'm also well aware that this will only occur in my dreams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgwfreak Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 ^ I totally agree. Hey, they could take Sonnys loop and put it on Beast too. I don't think Beast will ever be great again. But far be it from me to tell ACE that. They will forever claim it to be #1 forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steel Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 ^I don't know where people get that. If you asked pretty much any ACEr what their favorite woodie was, they would immediately reply "Voyage." I know. I told an ACEr that I prefered Beast at CoasterCon this year and I got my ass chewed for about ten minutes. And yeah, I do prefer Beast. The jackhammering is what makes it fun for me. It's like being five years old again. I can't get enough of it. It makes me giggle. It does get to be a little much in some seats, but it never hurts nearly as much as some parts of Voyage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnage Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 The jackhammering is what makes it fun for me. It's like being five years old again. I can't get enough of it. It makes me giggle. You might want to report that to the police if you were being jackhammered when you were five. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaparri Posted October 17, 2007 Share Posted October 17, 2007 ^I think I just peed a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verticalzero Posted October 18, 2007 Share Posted October 18, 2007 During a visit to the Park someone could ask a member of staff if they have heard of the trains gonna be replaced for the "Racer" and "Beast" in the next couple of seasons. Has the "Beast" ever had short trains say to carry 24 people instead of 36. KI have placed "brakes" on the Beast for a reason, they want to slow it down or people have complained about it's ride. On the next "BeastBuzz", ask the managment if the brakes can be turned off or removed for 1 season to see if anyone complains. We are all looking for the perfect coaster ride, no brakes, no roughness, no jackhammering, no slamming into the "Buzzbar".. The problem is there may not be a perfect coaster out there. As I have said in other topic's, it's the parks who needs to look after their coasters with TLC, if a woodie is bouncing down the drops or jackhammering, replace the tracks / wheels to make the ride smoother for their customers. If a park does not look after their coasters it's their own fault for loss of attendance and their coasters will get "ripped" on forums like this one. My near perfect wood coaster is "Colossos", it has prefabricated track, super smooth and tons of . Still don't know why there is so much of a loss of height from the top of the structure to the 1st drop. Height: 196' 10" Drop: 159' 1" While El Toro does not lose much height from the lift hill to the 1st drop: Height: 181' Drop: 176' Never had the pleasure of riding "Balder" yet, due to most people here loving it I can assume the Park looks after it properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PKI Jizzman Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Park News - (3/6/08) We’ve got some bad news today for wood coaster fans. According to Kings Dominion’s John Pagel, both sides of Rebel Yell will be switched to only run forward this season. According to John, “this is consistent with Kings Island and Carowinds for the 2008 season,” confirming the rumored changes to The Racer at Kings Island and Thunder Road at Carowinds. I'm not too happy about this, but I guess I will have to see if this is better or worse. At KI; Forwards is way rougher than Backwards. RIP Backwards Racer: 1979-2007 -JZ Hey CF...can we get that Paint-job back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfotkid Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Man, reminds me of when Judge Roy used to be backwards.. Good times. I always enjoyed this ride backwards better then forwards, Its gonna be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knottslover77 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I've never been on it, but that sucks that you don't have a choice now. --Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force 310 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Is there any specific reason that would make it better to run the trains forward-only? Maintanence, capacity, that sort of thing? Is running the trains backwards harder on the track or structure for any reason? Or is this just one of those inexplicable things like Flight Deck? I haven't been to any of those parks, yet, particularly KI, and I would've liked the chance to ride Racer backwards. My short list of "Worthwhile things to do in a future trip to KI" is getting shorter by the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolhandluke Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 So, is this a new credit?? Really, though, this is disappointing, especially after the lackluster name changes at these parks. I'm not super impressed with CF's tenure at the ex-Paramount parks so far. Farewell, backwards Racer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 At KI; Forwards is way rougher than Backwards. I will have to agree with you on that one. The forward side somehow in the middle of the ride managed to staple me down another notch into my man parts. It was like a minute long vicegrip on the balls. Tis a shame though, backwards coasters are always a lot more fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Too bad--KD's Rebel Yell is OK forwards, but rather terrifying backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecoasterkid Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 ^^ I agree too. Racer forwards was one of the roughest coasters I've ever been on. It'd be a toss up between it and SOB as to which one was worse. I rode in the back with Nathan and both of us were wincing and yelling in pain the entire circuit. Backwards was fine though. So if forwards is the only option, I'll probobly never ride it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coaster05 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Yet another decision that shows that CF runs the tamest parks in the country. I am so tired of parks catering to people who complain, as opposed to the millions who are happy with how it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carnage Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 Too bad--KD's Rebel Yell is OK forwards, but rather terrifying backwards. Agreed. Backwards Rebel Yell was my favorite ride at KD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffon Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 This is very disappointing and surprising news. I don't know about Racer or Thunder Road, but Rebel Yell has inconsistent lift speeds on each side which kinda defeats the purpose of racing them. But with one being backwards at least they were two unique experiences. It doesn't have anything to do with maintenance. I'm sure this is just so they can run only one side on weekdays. That way they can say they aren't 'closing an attraction' - although in reality they are. So that's 2 coasters down this season for KD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanks4me05 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 This is... sad. I simply do not understand. With the looks of it, if you have more than a dozen parks, the decision quality seems to go WAYYYYYYYYYY down to crap. (I'm going to call this "Big Park Chain Syndrome.") Does it really help with maintenance to place the ride forwards? Besides, if most people complain that the forwards version is rougher, (which could mean more money for maintenance) why switch to a potentially more expensive and less satsifying option? It just doesn't make sense. Imagine that Montu and Manhattan Express were in the same park, and Montu cost the same amount of money and has lower "operation" costs, AND is more popular, but Montu is torn down, even though it is more popular, AND is cheaper. It doesn't make sense. -Tanks "wow, Cedar Fair is really turning to something that comes out of a " 4me05. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LcHg5265 Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I believe the reason might be insurance costs. I know that a local park was planning on running a coaster backwards in October, but the insurance company wanted to hear nothing of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scruffy Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I have no idea what Cedar Fair is up too. I did ride the right side of the Racers before it was turned backwords. I will be at the park opening day and I take a lot of pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffon Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I think the answer is pretty obvious, it's just basic cost cutting. With both sides being the same they don't have an obligation to open both sides unless there is a demand for it. It saves on operational costs, maintenance inspection costs, and wear and tear of the ride. They've been doing it on Gemini for a while, and nobody really complains about that. But I still feel cheated in this scenario because technically they are removing an attraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now