Speeddeamon128 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Which is rougher Ghost Rider or Son OF Beast? I haven't been on any of these coasters but will most likely ride them both this season so which coaster should I look least forward to riding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Disneylander Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Being an ardent Knotts fan, it saddens me to see how far Ghostrider has diminished in stature. Every time I go, I give it one ride, 'for respect', and then I spend the rest of my time at Xcelerator or Sierra Sidewinder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalMAN123 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Here we go... Â Knott's is just so terrible that they don't decide to keep up their rides. They spend all their money building mediocre "family" coasters and let the once amazing coaster that is Ghostrider fall into disrepair. I'm pretty sure that Knott's will not spend any more money than they need to on Ghostie just because they are cheap and the public apparently still enjoys it. They may do a small re-track here in there because if they didn't re-track that part, it would probably just shatter into many tiny pieces the next time they ran a train through. Â I really wish that they did completely redo this ride and restore it to its original quality, but I just have to suck it up and except the fact that Knott's will never do it. Unless Cedar Fair has some sort of amazing revival and gets rid of Dick Kinzel and hires a decent president for Knott's, Ghostrider will just continue to get worse and worse until they pull a Psyclone on it. I really hope it doesn't get as bad as Psyclone was, but it sure is nearing that point. Â I'm one of those weird people who give Ghostrider maybe multiple rides a visit mainly because of some of those insane moments of airtime. The pain is horrendous, but the airtime almost makes up for it. Sure, I take a severe beating every single time I ride it, but to me it's worth it. I'm also one of those crazy people who goes and sits in the last car to get the most out of the airtime. Let's just say I don't venture to Knott's without Advil anymore... ---Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebl Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Like some of you have said, at one time, GhostRider was one of the best. But it has really gotten rough over the last few years. My last ride on it (May 2008) was perhaps the worst ride I've ever taken on it. Â I really can't suggest a solution to it. It's just big and rough, which is too bad because it has a nice layout and was a good ride once. Â Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satchboogie3 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I rode Ghostrider back in 2002 and the ride was amazing, not in the least bit rough. It is terribly sad to hear that the ride has gone to hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCody Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I was so disappointed after I first rode it last year. I was blown away by the layout and overall grand scale of Ghostrider, but the ride itself was just brutal. And I am generally tolerant of rough woodies. Â This could be such a treasure if it was properly maintained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brilinjo Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 It was like finding out Santa Clause wasn't real He's not real?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Which is rougher Ghost Rider or Son OF Beast? I haven't been on any of these coasters but will most likely ride them both this season so which coaster should I look least forward to riding  I rode them both in August 2007 and I thought Ghostrider was rougher, this was post loop removal Son Of Beast, and The Beast back row after the second lift hill - I thought going to be seriously injured.  I don't know what's causing the problems with Ghostrider, whether it needs re-tracking and/or new or rehabbed trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjeerr Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 A GCI complete retrack of Ghostrider? With new trains, it will cost nearly as much as Terminator's 10 million, but we can dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vffreak07 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Let me just say, Ghostrider is like a B&M compared to SOB when it comes to smoothness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downunder Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Let me just say, Ghostrider is like a B&M compared to SOB when it comes to smoothness. Â My experience in August 2007 was the opposite, post loop SOB with different trains wasn't too bad but Ghostrider was please make it stop rough. I haven't been on SOB with the loop so can't compare that to Ghostrider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blnkgttrst Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Ghostrider was what got me into coasters. I went to Knotts with my middle school and the park was empty so my friend and I rode Ghostrider 34 times that day. That ride was what made me realize how fun rides could be. After my next two trips to Knotts my GR count was to 113. Two summers ago I went back out there went on Ghostrider ONCE. That thing used to be a marvel. Now it's a death trap. Feels worse than Psyclone or the Georgia Cyclone. (I won't even ride the georgia cyclone anymore) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 This doesn't rest exclusively on Knott's shoulders, CCI's seem to get rough without absolutely dedicated maintenance, ESPECIALLY the taller ones. Quite a few parks don't have the luxury or budget to dedicate an insane amount of resources to upkeeping one single coaster. CCI's really seem like they were designed like crap for the long haul. Look at Mitch's 15 year breakdown, you'll see a lot of CCI's really high up on the list for the first few years of life, and then they start plummeting. http://www.ushsho.com/woodpoll15yeartable2008.htm  Look at Megafobia, Tonerre De Zeus, Shivering Timbers, Legend, etc. There's an insane drop off that can't just be blamed on newer coasters opening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunslinger Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I haven't ridden this since I was in 7th grade, and it was really fun then. As of now, how would you guys rate it compared to Psyclone? [r.i.p ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechanic Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Reading this thread makes me wish I'd ridden Ghostrider in its heyday. I've had a mixed bag of ride experiences on it over the last 5 or 6 summers. The really rough, spine-jarring rides have outnumbered the more pleasant circuits. It's definitely worse in the back of the train, but that's where I seem to prefer to ride most coasters as I really like the feeling of being whipped over the drops. It would be nice to see the coaster restored to even a semblance of the glory spoken of in its early years. Â edit: ^ Pscyclone, in my experience, was considerably worse in the last couple seasons before its ultimate demise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WFChris Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I rode SOB without the loop this past summer with fairly low expectations, and it was easily the worst coaster experience of my life. I am fairly tolerant of pain (I MISS Flashback and Psyclone!) but SOB was totally ridiculous. Â Ghostrider last summer for me was rough but after riding SOB, it was fairly acceptable. I think the problem with SOB is the fact that your jackhammering at 85 miles an hour as opposed to 50 on Ghostrider. Â I agree that Ghostrider needs to be retracked, but I disagree with Wes's comment about going to the midwest. Sure, they HAVE some good coasters, but the majority of the woodies I rode were crap!!!! Sooo disappointed; perhaps it was the high expectations I had for CP and KI Â chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollerman87 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 First, stop blaming Knott's! Cedar fair is running the park into the ground. Â Second, I too hate that ride, but I talk to so many that love it still. But then again, these are the same people who say Silver Bullet is the greatest coaster ever built (roughest B&M I've ever been on). Ghostrider is rough as hell, but after the rehab back in November, it got some smoothness back. Apparently it warped again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursemelis374 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I remember my first time, even if it was many years ago. The ride was great, we were laughing and screaming the whole time! It was a great time and I couldn't wait to go back for more. . . . Â Oh wait, are we talking about Ghostrider? Â Seriously, it used to be my favorite and now it sucks. I refuse to ride it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJJman Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I was one of the ones who proclaimed GR was one of the best for a long time!! I stopped counting at 1400 rides. (nerd) Â Last May (Elissa can attest to this) I rode GR for the first time in over a year (decided I didn't need a CF pass last year!) and I texted her immediately afterward, and told her that that was my last ride on GR EVER!! Â I had to eat my words, when I had a friend out here over New Year's. We went on the 2nd. I absolutely dreaded it. We rode first in the front seat. It was about 50 degrees. Â I was pleasantly surprised! The COMPLETE circuit had been greased! There was NO squealing on both of the Beach Blvd. turnarounds. (I never remember that happening in the last 5+ years.) It was like they actually did something to take care of it!! It sure felt like it. Â We then took 2 more rides in my favorite seat, 7.1. It was amazing to me!! It hadn't run this well in over 5 years!! Â On a scale of 10, I would actually have given it an 8!! (The 10 out of 10 rides were in Jan of '99, and the first "Coaster Solace" that Dave mentioned.) Â After reading this TR, it really doesn't surprise me at all, that even after a month, it's back to crap again. Â I am glad that I did get those great 3 rides last month. I may stay away for good this time and just remember it for what it was. Â Â JJ Â Â (For the record - In Mitch's poll for 2008, I put it in the grouping #100, out of 146 woodies. Yes, it did suck that bad. Had I been able to vote after my rides last month, it probably would have been in the grouping of 30's.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfmmrules! Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I went on Roar at SFDK & disliked it but I'll go on it again since it's nowhere near as bad as Ghost Rider especially since I have experienced Ghost Rider & Ghost Rider is much worse. Now Roar can't be that bad. Aren't the two both GCI's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldJJman Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Aren't the two both GCI's? No. GR was made by CCI (Custom Coasters Int'l.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebl Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 "I agree that Ghostrider needs to be retracked" (WFChris) Â You can retrack a coaster all you like, but it'll return to its former self fairly soon. Colossus at SFMM has replaced most of its under layers with steel I-beams with a layer or two of wood on top. Still a bit rough, but tolerable (I just rode that on Super Bowl Sunday). Â I think the problem is that today's wood isn't as hardy as older wood. In GhostRider's case, as well as SOB, Mean Streak, and other taller woodies, that translates into rougher rides a lot sooner. It'll be interesting to see how the Intamin woodies (El Toro, Balder, etc.) hold up over time. Â Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I agree that Ghostrider needs to be retracked, but I disagree with Wes's comment about going to the midwest. Sure, they HAVE some good coasters, but the majority of the woodies I rode were crap!!!! Sooo disappointed; perhaps it was the high expectations I had for CP and KI If all you did was CP and KI then you didn't ride any of the awesome woodies that Wes talked about. Â I'm sure he was speaking about Raven, Kentucky Rumbler, Cornball Express, Cyclops, Viper, Hades, Voyage, and many others... Â It'll be interesting to see how the Intamin woodies (El Toro, Balder, etc.) hold up over time. Colossos at Heide Park in 2008 was pretty much the same as it was when it opened in 2001. So it's latest 9 seasons with no difference between my 3 visits to the park over 7 years. Â --Robb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartnz Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I rode Ghostrider back in... '03, and I don't think I found it too rough. But then again, I was pretty young so it could have been terrible and I don't remember it. Â I remember being afraid of getting mugged in the Ghost Town area of the park though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the ghost Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 I was so disappointed after I first rode it last year. I was blown away by the layout and overall grand scale of Ghostrider, but the ride itself was just brutal. And I am generally tolerant of rough woodies. This could be such a treasure if it was properly maintained.  I rode it during first year operation. And it was a GREAT ride. It was awesome. 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