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BeastForever

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Everything posted by BeastForever

  1. I'm with agreement a great much. Hoping also I am of a lot and more post come from the user!
  2. ^ To answer your question, I wouldn't think so... Or at least, I don't envision a coaster coming to any of the other top 7 parks next year except KI. 2018: CP - Steel Vengeance KD - Twisted Timbers KBF - Hangtime CGA - Railblazer 2019: Carowinds: Copperhead Strike CW: Yukon Striker 2020: KI - B&M The timeline is fully in our favor atm.
  3. But herein lies the problem. I don't think that what you're suggesting is nearly as simple as it sounds... First off, IIRC, hasn't RMC stated they only do topper-track ground up? (ie. if they're going to alter an existing ride, it has to be I-box) I'm skeptical as to whether 'partial RMC treatment' even exists. Or at least, if it does, it has not come into fruition, and for good reason. If you have woodie with some rough patches but is otherwise well-functioning , that's what GCI is for... Even if they were to reprofile certain areas with topper track, they would likely need to significantly alter the design of it in order to fit the guaging and style of the conventionally built track all ready there. It would also need to conform to the PTCs too instead of RMC's own specially designed trains. AND, this isn't even considering the added speed potentially putting undue stress on the structure and/or throw off the calculus of the rest of the layout. We can only imagine...but as you may have heard, Dennis Spiegel, along with a select group of park higher-ups/managers/engineers can tell you EXACTLY what the hill after the first drop was like without the two sets of brakes beforehand. Lest we forget, those brakes are there for a VERY GOOD REASON. This isn't about "preserving the integrity of the ride" as much as it about what's wise from an investment standpoint. It doesn't make sense to try out all these risky alterations in an attempt to "fix" something that isn't truly broken in the first place. As has been mentioned time and time and time again, the park likely would be better off just building something ground up - whether that be an RMC or something different altogether.
  4. https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2019/april/state-of-ohio-recognizes-the-beast’s-40th-birthday "STATE OF OHIO RECOGNIZES The Beast’S 40TH BIRTHDAY"
  5. Ugh. Anything but green. Raptor...Hydra...Hulk... All BLECH! (In my opinion, especially when they fade...) And Ka is no looker either. Personally, I'm hoping for some kind of blue. Either a tried-and-true MF blue, if not... (No offense to UC fans out there, but I think these colors would look awesome )
  6. ^ Um, aren't we forgetting a certain coaster? There was a "TTD" (lol) built in the US just two years later after the "orginal TTD" which has OTSRs.... What's it called again? hmmm..... But with that said though, restraint tech has come along way for seemngly all manufacturers, Intamin included... The third "TTD" (Red Force) went back to having lap restraints only (albeit not in the US.)
  7. Personally I'm not completely ruling out floorless, wing, or dive, but I just don't think they're as likely as the Giga (per GM Koontz request to Cedar Fair board), and other reasons. I am ruling out flyer though, for the reason stated below....
  8. So I guess I'll spare you the romantics (well, for now at least ) as you know obviously know where I stand... and just cut to some of my favorite shots I've taken...
  9. Don't skip out on Cedar Downs! Fun and very unique carousel.
  10. ^ I would say that depends really on how its designed/how the strong the links are. Steel Dragon for example, switches to another chain midway up its hill. But evidently, B&M has been able to make it work for 300+ feet in height using just one. Or at least, let's just say that if Fury can be 325 ft tall with just one chain, I would imagine that they could make it work for 326 ft. (But preferably 330 ft so it can be a whole 100ft taller than DB )
  11. Not be blunt, but I cannot for the life of me understand why some are thinking that a flyer is within the reasonable realm of possibilities. If this means anything, the flying concept has been available for nearly two decades now, and Cedar Fair has yet to originally install one (X-Flight opened under Six Flags). I'd think it be even more unlikely that they start on this concept at a park that just removed one. (And for this same reason, I'm skeptical as to whether we will see a flyer (albeit a B&M one) installed at CP or any CF park for this matter). Personally, I give the chance of a flyer at KI about the same chance of a stand-up. Which is to say - practically zero. Banshee - while there was just a modest increase in attendance (+0.9) seen from its debut year, as far as ridership goes, it actually performed incredibly well - took in over 2,000,000 riders. Also there was a huge jump in attendance in 2015 (+2.9). While that year also saw the additions of Woodstock Gliders, and Snoopy's Space Buggies, I can imagine a good amount of those extra attendees were going to experience Banshee for the first time after perhaps not having been able to make it out to KI the year before. Either way, the situation is most certainly not "stagnant" Mystic Timbers - As noted above, 2017 was a particularly strong year for KI. While there were other factors at play, I would surmise based on how well-received the ride was by the average guest, it was a driving factor. And its intectually dishonest to call it "one of the most expensive wooden coasters" (Do you mean in park history, or industry-wide?). First off, as of a few years ago, Cedar Fair no longer releases official investment numbers on rides, as they consider it propriety. There is a number floating around on Wikipedia claiming "$15,000,000" but I take with that with less than a grain of salt as there was not a reference attached to that claim. Based on similiar rides and with inflation, I'd estimate MT to have cost somewhere between $10-12 million. Prowler for example, which opened in 2009, cost about $8 million. Typical GCIs are relatively inexpensive to large B&Ms such as DB ($22m) and Banshee ($24m). As for 2018? Yes, the park did have a disappointing year. However, this was not unique to KI, but chainwide - even at CP amidst opening Steel Vengeance. Barring the economy retracting significantly this upcoming summer, I'd predict a bounce-back year, particularly at KI with the long-awaited return of Antique Cars. While I will not deny there has sort of been an 'entitlement' aspect to all of this - almost to the point where it feels like were "owed" something (even though were not "owed" anything) - I'd say there's been plenty of legitimate circumstancial evidence to hypothesize a giga. I mean after all, there's way to have "legitimate proof" until its announced or if/when blueprints get leaked. Let me put it this way... Suppose that GM Mike Koontz didn't say at Coasterstock last year that he recommended a giga to the board, and there weren't NOC documents filed listing B&M for years 2018-2020, and that it wasn't true that KI outranks both CW and Carowinds (parks which both have a hyper and giga each) by a large margin in revenue ? Then yes, I guess you could see it as being 'built up by the fans more than legitimate proof'. But this simply isn't the case... Hype surrounding SOB 2.0 last summer? Now THAT was built up entirely by the fans. But project giga? Not nearly as much... Well, the thing is Mr. Koontz already had said that he recommended a giga to Cedar Fair. Therefore, you're implying the GM was unwise in doing so!
  12. ^That would be another one. But there's not many of them, and like I said I think that has to do with parks wanting to have the marketable floorless concept instead. Really, I'm indifferent to sitting and floorless. Like I said, I'm pretty sure they're the same coaster - just with different trains. A plus of having sitting trains is that you don't need the large mechanical floor to drop from under the train and come back again repeatedly.
  13. Ugh, tell me about! I heard a certain Youtuber (not gonna name names) refer to MT as a good ride, "but more of a family-style GCI", which really doesn't even make sense considering that compared to its GCI contemporaries, Mystic actually stacks up very well stats-wise. In fact... So there you have it. Despite the often spouted rhetoric of Mystic being a statistically underwhelming coaster... its actually the second tallest GCI to date, and among the fastest. So my question is if MT is "just a family coaster" then what does make of Gold Striker, Prowler, Renegade, Lightning Racer, Apocalypse etc.? Because MT is right up there with the biggest and fiercest of them. To those who found MT underwhelming, that is fine that's your opinion. But I take you're just not impressed by GCIs in general? If so, then you could probably consider yourself apart of a quite slim minority - of both GP and of enthusiasts - that doesn't love a tried-and-true GCI.
  14. These are all the B&M coaster models. The ones X'ed out are what I'm personally ruling out beyond reasonable doubt... Reasons to rule out: Invert: See Banshee Sitting: While I certainly wouldn't object, I'd be surprised if they went with this model and forgo the marketable "gimmick" of floorless trains. They're practically the same type of coasters anyway, just with different trains. Stand-up: HA! That's a good one... Family [Invert]: See Flying Ace Flying: Just removed Firehawk. Possibilities still in play: Wing or Dive: Many are ruling these out because of the presence of GateKeeper and Valravn, but I will ask this... Does anyone else feel like we take too much stock in the supposed proximity "issue" so commonly cited. After all, the presence of Raptor didn't stop Banshee. And if GK and Valravn would supposedly stop a wing or dive from happening, why wouldn't Rougarou then rule out a floorless? Is it because GK and Valravn are both still "too new" for KI to receive something similar, while Raptor and Rougarou are/were "old enough"? Is it because Inverts and Floorlesses are more of staples while Wings and Dives are more of novelties? Or am I answering my own question? Floorless: While you can't go wrong with a floorless, it just wouldn't seem like the blockbuster addition that KI would want. And if this means anything, the park's lineup currently features 20 total inversions, which puts them at being among the most in the world (https://rcdb.com/ib.htm). Any looping coaster would just be adding more to something we already have plenty of. Hyper [Giga]: This remains to me as the most likely candidate.
  15. That's funny you mention that, because in a way, they actually did do joint work at one time. Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard were former Intamin employees! Which helps to explain why Intamin track used to look like this, and why B&M track looks as it does today... https://www.google.com/search?q=batman+the+escape&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjnqJ-pmPvgAhWEMd8KHbr1A74Q_AUIDygC&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=ptYZEIRw8UfL8M:
  16. Based on how much an improvement Fury was upon Leviathan - coming just three years later - we can only wonder what Beautiful and Magnificent has in store for their third giga - five years after their previous one!
  17. As it pertains to people assigning Mystic Timbers the denigrating status of "tweener" or "just a family coaster", these labels really do irk me... First off, while I know that some of you may roll your eyes at me making a Maverick comparison, but it is true that GCIs are similar to Blitz and Mega-lites in the sense of despite not being anywhere close to tallest and fastest rides in their parks, their compact elements compensate for their relative lack of speed and height, thus upping their intensities to a level comparable to the biggest coasters. "But Maverick has a 70 mph launch and a 95 degree drop!" Correct. However I'd argue the most intense part of the ride occurs on the first series of turns and first airtime hill - a part where I can imagine its not going much faster than 50 mph (based on 100ft drop). All I'm trying to say, stats or lack thereof, DO NOT necessarily translate into intensity. Think about how forceful Backlot's opening helix, despite it reaching a top speed of "only" 40 mph. Sigh. I bet there's some already writing off Copperhead Strike as a "family-style" launch coaster, because of going "only" 50 mph. But like I said, based on how compact and tight the layout and transitions on CH are... Don't worry, I don't think there's going to be any shortage of intensity on Carowinds' new launch coaster.
  18. Installing a flyer right after removing a flyer would be a bad, bad, move IMO. For multiple reasons: 1. Why offer your guests the exact same concept that most of them have already experienced? And no, I don't buy into the sentiment of a giga being "redundant" upon DB. If its designed anything like Leviathan or Fury (hopefully more like Fury), then it should offer an experience entirely different from DB. 2. While B&M flyers tend to have better capacity than their Vekoma counterparts, that isn't to say that their capacities are good. Or at least, they're not on par with what KI would want. Even when they're capacities are increased by features such as the dual station like on Manta, that requires extra resources in terms of staffing, which would up operating costs. High operating costs (along with maintenance issues etc.) was one of the reasons to axe Firehawk in the first place. And with regards to B&M flyers' reliabilities (or lack thereof) while I cannot speak on all their flyers, I would infer from my anectodal experience there not that reliable either. Or at least not by B&M standards. In each of the four trips I've made to NJFTP, Superman was down for an extended period of time at some point in the day (or worse, when I was stuck on the final brake run for 20 mins! ) Again, I can't speak on to how reliable their other flyers are, but my experiences at Great Adventure I feel were to frequent to be a coincidence. There are also just so many more moving parts on flyers as opposed to other B&M models, which likely requires more $$ in maintenance. In other words, a B&M flyer would bring with it many of the same issues Firehawk had, but just to a lesser degree.
  19. To be honest, I actually like them about the same (which, needless to say, is A LOT) Just in very different ways. One of the reasons why the MT was such a home-run IMO, is that its not just another great wooden coaster for the park, its one whose ingenious mix of twister and out-and-back elements makes it truly distinct from the woodie found just a stone's throw away. So in other words, the answer to this question is "yes". They both go so well together. A journey in Rivertown is ever-incomplete, unless you take a ride on both.
  20. And going off what @IndyGuy4KI said, I think its important to remember that, as with many things, all it takes a few bad eggs to give a community a "bad reputation". I'd say the vast majority of enthusiasts are well-meaning, and positive. I'm happy to say that every time I've met up with people from here for example, whether at KI or at other parks, the experience has been great. Some of my most cherished memories at the park have been had with fellow KICers. -- Also, with regards to those "enthusiast" comments on Gwazi, I would say that YouTube commentary is not necessarily a good representation of overall sentiment, nor is it something that brings out the best in people.
  21. Or to Cedar Point, Dorney Park, Valleyfair, SF Great America, Discovery Kingdom. But if what you meant was full-circuit Intamin invert, then yes, that would require a trip overseas.
  22. I'm not quite seeing why Cedar Fair would want to systemically rid themselves of coasters/rides from a certain manufacturer, especially when said manufacturer is still fully in business and selling replacement parts. I believe Invertigo, Michigan's Thunderhawk, CW's Flight Deck, Bat etc., as with any other ride, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. They will be will removed if their operating cost to rider ratio rises too high or face existential mechanical issues. Remember, the last thing a park wants to do is remove a ride, so there'd need be to a reason much more compelling than this "no more Vekoma" initiative that some think Cedar Fair is pushing.
  23. Agreed. And on this note, has anyone else ever taken a step back and realize how actually crazy it is to hear someone regard a 310 foot tall, 93 mph roller coaster as a "total snoozer"?
  24. And on a somewhat unrelated note, has anyone else ever found it ironic that wood coaster trains built by primarily-steel coaster manufacturers have been on the some of the notoriously rough/violent wooden coasters in history? B&M on Psyclone Premier on SOB w/loop, Bandit @ Movie Park Gerstlauer on SOB w/o loop Intamin on Coaster Express, Magnus Colossus Morgan on Texas Cyclone @ SF Astro World, Riverside Cyclone @ SF New England (In the 90s I've read) But to be fair, five of the eight instances mentioned above had/have a rather important characteristic in common...
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