The Interpreter Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Probably breath-taking. For 1902 that is. Terpy, who did not ride that ride personally.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSalsa Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 As far as length is concerned, The Beast holds up well today even against Steel Coasters: 1st-Steel Dragon 2000 8133 feet 2nd-Daidarasaurus 7677 feet 3rd-Ultimate 7442 feet 4th-The Beast 7359 feet 5th-Son of Beast 7032 feet 6th-Fujiyama 6709 feet 7th-Millennium Force 6595 feet 8th-Voyage 6442 feet 9th-California Screamin' 6072 feet 10-Desperado 5843 feet Source: http://rcdb.com/rhr.htm?statistic=3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 The day will come when Beast will lose its longest wooden coaster status. It is only a question of when. I doubt it will be a US park that builds the longer one, though... I doubt it is for a long time. The Beast survived the Second Coaster Wars (Which lasted from when Racer was built to, what, 2003 with Top Thrill Dragster?), without loosing it's status. It's 7,359 feet long. That is huge. Even for today's status. Maybe, if there happens to be a Third Coaster Wars, The Beast could fall victim. But I don't see that happening in a while. Probably breath-taking. For 1902 that is. That doesn't say much. In the 1960's Blue Streak was the equivilant of Millennium Force today. Imagine a 1902 ride. Nostalgic, yes. Intense, hevans no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Blue Streak does not even begin to operate in 2009 as it did in 1964. Nor does Racer operate in 2009 as it did in 1972. From re-profiling to slowing lifthill speeds to hard urethane foam cushioning to individual ratcheting lapbars to seat dividers, all have contributed to greatly changing the ride experience. I didn't get to Cedar Point until 1989 for Magnum's opening, but I am reliably told by older riders I know and trust that even by then the Blue Streak ride experience had changed...a lot. And I can personally attest it has changed greatly just since 1989. Back then, the coaster still had two stop unloading and loading, big old brake levers, skid brakes and soft cushioning in the old single flip down lapbar trains. I'd love to have ridden it in 1964, but such was not to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 As far as length is concerned, The Beast holds up well today even against Steel Coasters: 1st8133' 2"Steel Dragon 2000Nagashima Spa LandNagashima, Kuwana Mie 511-1135 Japan9/3/2006 2nd 7677' 2"DaidarasaurusExpolandSuita, Osaka 565-0826 Japan12/10/2007 3rd7442'UltimateLightwater ValleyRipon, Yorkshire HG4 3HT UK7/17/1991 4rd7359'BeastKings IslandKings Mills, Ohio 45034 USA4/14/1979 5th7032'Son of BeastKings IslandKings Mills, Ohio 45034 USA7/4/2007 6th6708' 8"FujiyamaFuji-Q HighlandFujiyoshida, Yamanashi Japan7/1996 7th6595'Millennium ForceCedar PointSandusky, Ohio 44870 USA5/13/2000 8th6442'VoyageHoliday WorldSanta Claus, Indiana 47579 USA5/6/2006 9th6072'California Screamin'Disney's California AdventureAnaheim, California 92803 USA2/8/2001 10th5843'DesperadoBuffalo Bill's Resort & CasinoPrimm, Nevada 89019 USA1994 BTW, I know the SOB opening date is wrong...it opened in 2000, but these guys are using the 2007 re-opening date for SOB. But, only 3 coasters in the world are longer than The Beast, according to this. Keep in mind, as far as I know, Guinness doesn't recognize Diadarasaurus in the length category as they simply took a Dueling coaster and connected the tracks to make one really long ride. In addition it's been SBNO since 07. Notice how they simply crossed over and under to connect the two tracks. Also as far as Bisby's Spiral Airship, I'll bet that was a huge deal in 1902. Just think, this is a year before Orville and Wilbur made history, this is a year before the first silent movie aired. If 60 years later Blue streak was a big deal, just think what that ride meant at the turn of the century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Man Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Wow. The more you think about it, KI has done a lot for roller coasters over the years: 1972: The Racer revives the wooden roller coaster from sure death. 1979: The Beast sets a new standard for roller coasters, and breaks all kinds of records. It still holds the Wooden & US Coaster length records 30 years later! 1984: King Cobra, the first stand-up coaster built to be so. (RIP) 1987: Vortex, the first coaster with 6 inversions. 1996: Flight of Fear, the first LIM launched coaster. 2000: Son of Beast, the first wooden hypercoaster, and the first looping...for a while...(RIP Loop) 2001: Rugrats Runaway Reptar, the first suspended coaster for kids. 2009: Diamondback takes the record for most airtime on a roller coaster. These rides all pushed roller coasters to new heights in many different ways by breaking records and/or being unique... UPDATE: I have removed The Bat from this list as further research has shown it was actually far from the first suspended coaster. Sorry. Kings Island has been a great place for firsts.They've twice had the world's biggest coaster(Racer and Beast). http://www.rcdb.com/ig69.htm?picture=11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterboy22101 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 As Terpy said, The Beast will be exceded. Quite honestly, I could see that happening at our very own Kings Island. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 As Terpy said, The Beast will be exceded. Quite honestly, I could see that happening at our very own Kings Island. Where exactly do you expect said longest wooden roller coaster to go at KI? KI already had the opportunity to surpass The Beast with SOB. I say it's extremely unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomkatt7 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I'll be amazed if The Beast is passed. In todays world, whatever CEO decided to kill that many trees in the name of pleasure would be strung up by his feet!!!! LOL We live in a "green" world now. Gotta behave, or the "tree huggers" will get you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 http://www.rcdb.com/ig69.htm?picture=11 As always, that sign exaggerates a bit. 1 1/3 miles is both of them combined, 61 MPH has got to be without the trims (Maybe that's how it ran back then), and The Racer is 88 feet high, not 94. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Uh, that sign was done the year before Racer opened. It may well have indicated what was planned...as opposed to what got built. It was a different world, planning was not so extensive, budgets got overrun even more so than today. Remember that even years later, The Beast was constantly redesigned to miss a tree here, a tree there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 The Son of Beast is great to look at but thats about it. It sucks in every other way. I used to enjoy the ride but there is too many helixes. Yes the Rose Bowl was prob. one of the most G intesive parts of any ride the 2nd helix seemed to be there to make the ride longer. Come on! Put an airtime hill in the ride do something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Man Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 http://www.rcdb.com/ig69.htm?picture=11 As always, that sign exaggerates a bit. 1 1/3 miles is both of them combined, 61 MPH has got to be without the trims (Maybe that's how it ran back then), and The Racer is 88 feet high, not 94. RCDB lists it at 61 MPH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Man Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Uh, that sign was done the year before Racer opened. It may well have indicated what was planned...as opposed to what got built. It was a different world, planning was not so extensive, budgets got overrun even more so than today. Remember that even years later, The Beast was constantly redesigned to miss a tree here, a tree there. Uh,well excccuuuuuussseeeeee mmeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(he said in his best Steve Martin voice) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback FOF Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 As Terpy said, The Beast will be exceded. Quite honestly, I could see that happening at our very own Kings Island. If The Beast's length is surpassed by another woodie, I doubt it will be at KI. SOB was specifically designed to preserve The Beast's record length. Why would they decide to go and build another wooden coaster and surpass that record this time around? I don't see it happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 And Diamondback itself is pretty good evidence of that. It is not longer than all other B & M hypercoasters...it isn't even as long as many of them. Yet, it is fun. Records do not get people to parks...at least not most normal people, as opposed to people like us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Man Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 It just seems to me that the woodie that would take over The Beast's length would be a prefab laser cut model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 It just seems to me that the woodie that would take over The Beast's length would be a prefab laser cut model. Why is that? They're not necessarily popping up all over the the place. Heck hybrid coasters are a lot more common that prefab wood. Also in the event that a prefabricated wood coaster surpassed The Beast's record, it would likely do so with an asterisk next to it's name due to the new category of coaster that creates. Kind of like Barry Bonds, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I happen to think El Toro is just as much a wooden coaster as any other wooden coaster. That being said, it sure as heck does NOT ride like one. It rides like a smooth steel coaster...not wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I guess it goes back to the old "What defines a coaster type" debate. Is it simply based upon the material, or the actual experience associated with a material? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Well I won't be asking Kings Island what is and isn't a coaster. They count Racer as one coaster, while also counting Avatar: The Last Airbender! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterboy22101 Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 As Terpy said, The Beast will be exceded. Quite honestly, I could see that happening at our very own Kings Island. Where exactly do you expect said longest wooden roller coaster to go at KI? KI already had the opportunity to surpass The Beast with SOB. I say it's extremely unlikely. They actually have a lot of land left. They could make it a terrain coaster, and a great one at that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 I will never understand why they built Son of Beast where they did. Let's build a huge wooden hypercoaster, and hide it in a hole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterboy22101 Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 AE is a hybrid, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast Man Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Some people consider the prefabs a true woodie while otehrs do not.I'm not sure why I feel like The Beast breaker will be a prefab.Just a theory I guess.Anyways this is years in the future.Just how many years no one knows.And if you did you should play the lottery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 AE is a hybrid, right? Not in my book. Adventure Express is what I consider a steel coaster, mine train type... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterboy22101 Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 AE is a hybrid, right? Not in my book. Adventure Express is what I consider a steel coaster, mine train type... But it's supports are made of wood and the track is steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 So? Many wooden coasters have steel supports, and many of them are older...from The Coney Island Cyclone to The Comet at The Great Escape... I reserve the hybrid term for pre-fabricated wooden coasters...but as has been noted, terms in the park business are not necessarily defined with uniform agreement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BavarianBeatle Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 Gemini and AE are steel coasters with wooden supports, just as The Voyage is a wooden coaster with steel supports. And my children and I like riding them all, which, IMO, is what really matters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beast1979 Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 As Terpy said, The Beast will be exceded. Quite honestly, I could see that happening at our very own Kings Island. Where exactly do you expect said longest wooden roller coaster to go at KI? KI already had the opportunity to surpass The Beast with SOB. I say it's extremely unlikely. They actually have a lot of land left. They could make it a terrain coaster, and a great one at that! As if we don't have a coaster that already does that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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