• Beast Retracking

    From Marshall@21:1/5 to All on Tue May 17 08:00:00 2022
    Just tried out the new and improved Beast.

    I have to say I'm both shocked and underwhelmed.

    Its SMOOTH! Minimal shuffling, no jack-hammering. For the first time in ages I didn't get off feeling like a punch drunk boxer. Yay!

    OTOH, I don't see why you would reprofile a drop to make it steeper and then just add more trim brakes to slow it down...
    The brakes at the top of the second hill hit harder than ever and the damn mid-course shed is still just a straight flat track with a sudden brake at the end. The train c-r-a-w-l-s thru the mid section of the course and barely gets car 1 to the first
    stairwell of the second lift. The drop into the helix is still heavily braked... even tho its back to being the highlight of the ride.

    All-in-all, its a just a pleasant family coaster on the thrilling side...

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  • From Ansley@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jul 28 22:25:27 2022
    I rode it in June and was severely disappointed, was just like the old Beast but a smoother. Same braking, lack of airtime, and disappointment as always. Sad really, they had an opportunity to actually make the coaster good, but didn't.

    Ted

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  • From Surf Dance Chris@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jul 29 13:54:15 2022
    Haven’t been to the park this year (and won’t, hopefully next year). Lack of airtime doesn’t necessarily mean a bad coaster in my opinion, Beast to me is about the speed and the lateral g’s in the helix. I’ve heard mostly good things other than
    this thread.

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  • From BaSSiStiStiSt@21:1/5 to surfd...@aol.com on Sun Jul 31 19:57:20 2022
    On Friday, July 29, 2022 at 1:54:16 PM UTC-7, surfd...@aol.com wrote:
    Haven’t been to the park this year (and won’t, hopefully next year). Lack of airtime doesn’t necessarily mean a bad coaster in my opinion, Beast to me is about the speed and the lateral g’s in the helix. I’ve heard mostly good things other
    than this thread.

    Just rode it in June and, as a Beast lover, felt like it was doing everything I wanted it to do, and it was fucking FLYING in the big helix. Solid 10 out of 10 from me, but I'm one of those weirdos that really likes The Beast.

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  • From Heather Kendrick@21:1/5 to All on Wed Aug 3 14:21:49 2022
    On Jul 29, 2022, Ansley wrote
    (in article<7eef5176-571e-4f20-827f-a227eac2c2d4n@googlegroups.com>):

    I rode it in June and was severely disappointed, was just like the old Beast but a smoother. Same braking, lack of airtime, and disappointment as always. Sad really, they had an opportunity to actually make the coaster good, but didnt

    "Just like the old Beast but smoother" is presumably exactly what they
    were going for. I know coaster enthusiasts are very mixed in their opinions
    of the Beast, but the locals love it and dont want it to be something
    else. And for what its worth, I feel the same way, though I have not had a chance to ride it since its refurbishment so I cant rate that.

    Heather

    --
    Heather, the Carousel Rabbit

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  • From Heather Kendrick@21:1/5 to All on Wed Aug 3 14:25:01 2022
    On Jul 29, 2022, Surf Dance Chris wrote
    (in article<6d91ebf0-6a11-4451-b33c-d6bd23dab84fn@googlegroups.com>):

    Havent been to the park this year (and wont, hopefully next year).
    Lack
    of airtime doesnt necessarily mean a bad coaster in my opinion, Beast
    to
    me is about the speed and the lateral gs in the helix. Ive heard
    mostly
    good things other than this thread.

    I agree. It seems like coaster enthusiasts have mostly decided the only thing that matters is airtime, but I dont subscribe to that philosophy. I
    dont think people used to be quite so convinced that airtime was the
    be-all and end-all, back when I first discovered roller coaster fandom in the early 2000s. Yeah, it was always one of the things people raved about, but I dont remember it being (just about) the only thing like it is now. I
    sometimes think Im the last person left who loves laterals and helixes,
    but I guess not!

    Heather

    --
    Heather, the Carousel Rabbit

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  • From Marshall@21:1/5 to Heather Kendrick on Fri Aug 5 07:08:14 2022
    On Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 2:25:04 PM UTC-4, Heather Kendrick wrote:
    On Jul 29, 2022, Surf Dance Chris wrote
    (in article<6d91ebf0-6a11-4451...@googlegroups.com>):
    Haven´t been to the park this year (and won´t, hopefully next year).
    Lack
    of airtime doesn´t necessarily mean a bad coaster in my opinion, Beast
    to
    me is about the speed and the lateral g´s in the helix. I´ve heard
    mostly
    good things other than this thread.
    I agree. It seems like coaster enthusiasts have mostly decided the only thing
    that matters is airtime, but I don´t subscribe to that philosophy. I
    don´t think people used to be quite so convinced that airtime was the be-all and end-all, back when I first discovered roller coaster fandom in the
    early 2000s. Yeah, it was always one of the things people raved about, but I don´t remember it being (just about) the only thing like it is now. I sometimes think I´m the last person left who loves laterals and helixes, but I guess not!
    Heather

    --
    Heather, the Carousel Rabbit

    The Beast is designed as a woodie Millennium Force. Its a speed coaster not an air-time machine and without the excessive trims its amazing at it. Its hated because it runs like its dragging a boat anchor behind it, not that it doesnt have "air". If KI
    wants it to run this slow, why did they mess with the angle of the drop to start with?

    For sentimental reasons I'd hate to see it get RMC'd, but if it takes a Titan track or Topper track makeover to get rid of those damn trims, go for it.

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  • From Surf Dance Chris@21:1/5 to Marshall on Fri Aug 5 08:45:33 2022
    On Friday, August 5, 2022 at 10:08:15 AM UTC-4, Marshall wrote:
    On Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 2:25:04 PM UTC-4, Heather Kendrick wrote:
    On Jul 29, 2022, Surf Dance Chris wrote
    (in article<6d91ebf0-6a11-4451...@googlegroups.com>):
    Haven´t been to the park this year (and won´t, hopefully next year).
    Lack
    of airtime doesn´t necessarily mean a bad coaster in my opinion, Beast
    to
    me is about the speed and the lateral g´s in the helix. I´ve heard
    mostly
    good things other than this thread.
    I agree. It seems like coaster enthusiasts have mostly decided the only thing
    that matters is airtime, but I don´t subscribe to that philosophy. I don´t think people used to be quite so convinced that airtime was the be-all and end-all, back when I first discovered roller coaster fandom in the
    early 2000s. Yeah, it was always one of the things people raved about, but I
    don´t remember it being (just about) the only thing like it is now. I sometimes think I´m the last person left who loves laterals and helixes, but I guess not!
    Heather

    --
    Heather, the Carousel Rabbit
    The Beast is designed as a woodie Millennium Force. Its a speed coaster not an air-time machine and without the excessive trims its amazing at it. Its hated because it runs like its dragging a boat anchor behind it, not that it doesnt have "air". If KI
    wants it to run this slow, why did they mess with the angle of the drop to start with?

    For sentimental reasons I'd hate to see it get RMC'd, but if it takes a Titan track or Topper track makeover to get rid of those damn trims, go for it.

    Hmmm titan track or topper track…. Are you suggesting for the entire ride? That could be interesting… not sure how much if the Beast “feel” would remain… I feel like the Beast should remain as true as possible to it being a wood coaster. If
    small parts could use it to reduce/eliminate trims, then maybe though… I just feel like titan/topper may change the ride feel a bit too much.

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  • From Marshall@21:1/5 to surfd...@aol.com on Fri Aug 5 10:15:33 2022
    On Friday, August 5, 2022 at 11:45:35 AM UTC-4, surfd...@aol.com wrote:
    On Friday, August 5, 2022 at 10:08:15 AM UTC-4, Marshall wrote:
    On Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at 2:25:04 PM UTC-4, Heather Kendrick wrote:
    On Jul 29, 2022, Surf Dance Chris wrote
    (in article<6d91ebf0-6a11-4451...@googlegroups.com>):
    Haven´t been to the park this year (and won´t, hopefully next year).
    Lack
    of airtime doesn´t necessarily mean a bad coaster in my opinion, Beast
    to
    me is about the speed and the lateral g´s in the helix. I´ve heard
    mostly
    good things other than this thread.
    I agree. It seems like coaster enthusiasts have mostly decided the only thing
    that matters is airtime, but I don´t subscribe to that philosophy. I don´t think people used to be quite so convinced that airtime was the be-all and end-all, back when I first discovered roller coaster fandom in the
    early 2000s. Yeah, it was always one of the things people raved about, but I
    don´t remember it being (just about) the only thing like it is now. I sometimes think I´m the last person left who loves laterals and helixes,
    but I guess not!
    Heather

    --
    Heather, the Carousel Rabbit
    The Beast is designed as a woodie Millennium Force. Its a speed coaster not an air-time machine and without the excessive trims its amazing at it. Its hated because it runs like its dragging a boat anchor behind it, not that it doesnt have "air". If
    KI wants it to run this slow, why did they mess with the angle of the drop to start with?

    For sentimental reasons I'd hate to see it get RMC'd, but if it takes a Titan track or Topper track makeover to get rid of those damn trims, go for it.
    Hmmm titan track or topper track…. Are you suggesting for the entire ride? That could be interesting… not sure how much if the Beast “feel” would remain… I feel like the Beast should remain as true as possible to it being a wood coaster. If
    small parts could use it to reduce/eliminate trims, then maybe though… I just feel like titan/topper may change the ride feel a bit too much.



    Ideally it would be just on whatever portions those trims are protecting. Maybe bottom of the first hill, top of the second, top of the third hill, thru the after shed tunnels(or just better banking). The train should be flying thru the middle third.

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  • From Dave Althoff, Jr.@21:1/5 to Marshall on Sat Aug 12 01:43:56 2023
    Marshall <dpdlin71@gmail.com> wrote:

    : Ideally it would be just on whatever portions those trims are protecting.
    : Maybe bottom of the first hill, top of the second, top of the third hill,
    : thru the after shed tunnels(or just better banking). The train should be
    : flying thru the middle third.

    I've always wondered what those brakes at the top of the second hill are protecting, and the only answer I have ever been able to come up with
    (since the park won't tell us) is that right-hand turn at the top of the
    third hill, the entrance to the covered brake shed. Well, that shed is
    there because it needed to be there as a block brake to support four train operation, and it needed to be that long in order to bring those gigantic trains to a full stop. But since the conversion to fin brakes, that isn't a blocking point anymore, the train doesn't need to stop there, and even if
    it did, the new brakes don't need nearly that much space to do it. Why not
    fix it the right way: replace the third hill and quick turn with a much
    wider, swooping upward turn that would be more interesting, would rejoin
    the existing layout just before the trim brakes, and most important, would allow for the complete removal of the trims on the second hill?

    Not that I can really say that much about The Beast these days. I haven't ridden it in years because between the way the trains are set up and the
    way the ride is operated, the Racer and The Beast have the only seven
    PTC trains in all of Cedar Fair that I can't comfortably squeeze into. I
    think they really should fix that problem first. How about getting rid of those electric lap bars and putting in the modern mechanical ones?

    --Dave Althoff, Jr.
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  • From Surf Dance Chris@21:1/5 to All on Sat Aug 19 06:02:30 2023
    I got to ride the Beast this past June for the first time since the retracking last year. I enjoyed it, it wasn’t as rough as it was before but still felt like the Beast, in a good way. Got 19 rides on it over the 5 days I was there.

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