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What`s next for Son of Beast?


fighting31irish

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If a quote has already been submitted, the decision has already been made.

Not true. Just because I look into how much it would take to build a new house doesn't mean I've signed the contractor to do it. Its an estimate, meaning they looked into the costs are are determining if that money should be used to revamp the ride, or tear it down, nothing more.

I'm sure they have quotes on demolition costs floating around somewhere, and yet that decision hasn't been made. In fact, NO decision has been made at this time.

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^ How can it not be true? Mr. Kinzel said himself that for $20 million they could put in a "pretty good steel coaster."

Paramount's $35 -$40 million plus CF's $8 million and now an estimate over $20 million for the TG treatment? SoB would then be the 2nd most expensive coaster on the planet.

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I would really like to see a new area built where SoB stands currently, and connected to X-Base somehow. I would also like to see a revised SoB (everything redone after the first hill) built in that area a little farther back in the old WAH area. Although IIRC the land SoB is built on is unsuitable for guests.

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I would not like x base to be around Adventure Express. Sounds like Son of Beast days are numbered. You could get a new coaster and a new area where the coaster is today.

I agree the days are numbered, everyone has said their goodbyes and it's time for a change. There's so many ideas and thoughts as to what to do with the monstrosity, and I just thought of three quick ones

  1. Recycle all salvageable materials, build something else.
  2. Retrofit to accomodate another coaster
  3. Burn it down, nights of fire 2011

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Here's an exchange I had with a lady while walking through FD's queue last Monday:

Her: Do you know why Son of Beast is closed?

Me: (In my mind: Where do I start?) Um, its been closed for a few seasons now.

Her: This Sucks!! (and she continues to walk)....

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From the offices of Screamscape:

icon_STOP.gif2012 - Son of Beast Returns - Rumor Only - (6/14/11) While it is still too early to say for sure if this is true, we did get a rumor earlier this month claiming that work to possibly fix Son of Beast could begin before the end of the Summer season in an effort to reopen the ride for the 2012 season. As part of this process, I'm told we may see some major modifications to the track layout as well.

On top of this, another new attraction is also rumored to be on-deck for the 2012 season, but no more information was available. Anyone know more about either project?

.....we need to get the Dippin' Dots guy under control here.

EDIT: Also note the 'rumor only' tag in front of SOB Returns.

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Yes, it can be easily removed. So, why wouldn't you remove it unless you didn't plan on using the station again until next haunt? While I really hope Lance is right... his track record kills any excitement from this news.

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Need I remind everyone that the outside of Action Theater still had all it's urgent scare facade up until very very shortly before the new Dinosaurs Alive 3D movie opened? The park can easily remove that stuff. If they are going to do work on Son of Beast later this season, and need to remove the haunt out of it, it could be done very quickly. They are probably so busy with the other aspects of the park, that they figured they would leave it in SoB's station until they HAVE to remove it.

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I definitely agree with you. And since no one has mentioned seeing any signs of site work, idk about that new ride being a coaster like many people would hope (and I'd think an announcement would be late summer and we've seen no teasers). Idk...hopefully some part of that is true...I'm not getting my hopes up

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One thing this rumor may have going for it is that the only CF park that has shown any sign of 2012 construction is CW (and Dorney adding Invertigo) and there does not seem to be much hype surrounding whatever is going on up there. This MAY indicate that there are not going to be any large scale coaster projects this off-season, freeing up capital to overhaul SOB. Or we could see another year of general park improvements, flat ride additions, etc.

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I'm confused... This is Screamscape we're talking about, right? Fun to read, but hardly worth taking to heart...

Dick Kinzel spoke candidly about Son of Beast, saying that in his humble opinion, it defied the very laws of physics. He also mentioned that the Iron Horse treatment was very expensive, and that best-case scenario, they'd have to see how it held up after two or three years before seriously considering it at all. And in two or three years (God willing), he won't even be the CEO anymore... So unless he decides to "go out with a bang" by making a very costly, very risky decision concerning Son of Beast, I doubt anything will happen. Would you expect a new, fresh CEO to make a very costly, very risky decision concerning it? I'd hope not...

This is a time of (hopefully) massive change at a corporate level, and I can't see a Son of Beast decision being Kinzel's last, or a new CEO's first.

Trust me, I'd like it to happen... Especially if it were the Iron Horse treatment. Nothing would make me happier than to see Son of Beast succeed as a smooth, airtime-powered, crazy-transition, world's largest hybrid. Let's face it: We're going to need a new ride to replace Son of Beast no matter what. If its replacement utilizes some of its old structure and theme, then I'd be ecstatic that such a ride could find new life as a massive, steel twister. And I think that would be an appropriate use of money, too, since the Texas Giant seems to be doing incredible right now (with 3 hour lines being very typical, and on a ride that used to be considered one of the worst in the world)!

Pagoda, as for the haunted house, I think that if the ride were to be re-tracked and overhauled or anything like that, you would see the haunt stuff removed. Possibly the entire station, and probably more than that... Why would they tip-toe around haunted house props?

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...Pagoda, as for the haunted house, I think that if the ride were to be re-tracked and overhauled or anything like that, you would see the haunt stuff removed. Possibly the entire station, and probably more than that... Why would they tip-toe around haunted house props?

Yes, they would likely need to remove it at some point. But maybe not now, or soon even! There's a lot to do if they do something, so I don't think they'd be 'tip toeing' around :P Should a 2012 Rumor Thread be made? haha

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...as for the haunted house, I think that if the ride were to be re-tracked and overhauled or anything like that, you would see the haunt stuff removed. Possibly the entire station, and probably more than that... Why would they tip-toe around haunted house props?

Rivertown Mining Company was still standing until the last day of the 2008 season with a Haunt attraction in it (Red Beard's Revenge, now Cut-Throat Cove behind Outer Hank's) when Diamondback construction was in full swing. If anything, they could've bulldozed the building a week after the announcement was made, but chose not to for whatever reason. If they were to start doing an overhaul on Sonny at the end of the summer, chances are they'd probably start in a location that can't be readily seen by normal park guests, or a location that has probably been the source for all of the ride's problems and headaches (*cough*Rose Bowl*cough*).

That said, it's not too terribly complex to relocate a haunted house, particularly one with a small, square footprint that Wolf Pack has. As mentioned before, Cut-Throat Cove has underwent several transfers (it used to be where Diamondback's station is now when it debuted in 2004 as Sleepy Hollow Horror), cornSTALKERS used to be next to the former Swan Lake, and CarnEVIL even used to call the Festhaus home.

EDIT: Lance has done it again:

icon_STOP.gif2012 - New Coaster - Rumor - (6/15/11) While I don’t have a lot of information just yet, an early rumor going around claims that Kings Island may have another steel coaster in the works for 2012. The park’s last new coaster was Diamondback, which opened back in 2009 which followed Firehawk in 2007 and Backlot Stunt Coaster in 2005. So historically speaking, the park is about due for a new one. With a fairly well rounded collection however, it’s hard to pin-point just what the park may be looking to add, so stay tuned.

New ride for KI's 40th anniversary? Most likely.

New COASTER for KI's 40th anniversary? Perhaps...

Edited by RingMaster
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Lance is the Nostradamus of Amusement Parks. Extremely vague statements that can be interpreted literally a thousand ways and in the end people may look back and say...

"ZOMG NOSTRA DAMUS LANCE WAS RIGHT!"

As far as Son of Beast, I don't think they'd start in a spot that has the most trouble or where guests couldn't see, they'd start in wherever makes the best sense for construction. However, it's been pointed out in this thread before what Kinzel said about the Iron Horse treatment.

Lets look at something that has been repeated ad nauseum throughout the multitude of SOB threads on this website:

- Texas Giant closed in 2009, took the entire 2010 season to be converted and then re-opened in 2011.

- Signs of Son of Beast construction showed up early in the 1999 season.

- Signs of Diamondback construction showed up early in the 2008 season.

What signs are people seeing at Son of Beast? None. The station is now a haunted house. True, it could be taken down quite quickly.

Lets not kid ourselves folks, nothing significant is happening to that ride anytime soon, especially for 2012. The writing is on the walls of Wolfpack.

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^ Actually, signs of DB construction popped up at the end of '07, as land clearing began right behind the Showplace Stage (most of the trees were gone and Swan Lake started to be drained out by mid-November).

In other speculative news, I wonder what the new Haunt attraction will be for this year....

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icon_STOP.gif2012 - Son of Beast Returns - Rumor Only - (6/16/11) While I don’t know exactly what may be involved in the rumored “fixing” of Son of Beast for 2012, I’m told that whatever takes place will be the ride’s last shot. If it doesn’t work, we can expect to see Son of Beast demolished to may way for a new ride in the future.

This was just posted on Screamscape. This tells me that it is just going to be some kind of minor fix. Nothing too drastic. So I would say Iron Horse is out of the question.

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Son of Beast cannot be "fixed" with a re-tracking. I think that those in power at Cedar Fair have made it clear that Son of Beast will never operate with any substantial semblance to its most previous form. The ride needs re-evaluated in most all departments - layout, structure, and tracking. I think that those in power would sooner create (forgive me for saying this) the world's largest bonfire than to re-open Son of Beast with a simple re-tracking or new trains.

Lance (by his own admission in that very post) says that he "doesn't know exactly what may be involved in the rumored “fixing” of Son of Beast for 2012." That is the most important thing on that entire page. I would bet money that Son of Beast will never re-open unless it looks, feels, and is constructed very differently than the ride we recall from 2009. Really. From a legal point of view, to re-track this thing (even thoroughly) and open it up is absolute madness. Really. Some of the people at the company's helm might be more book smart than street smart, but anyone with any common sense at all would know better than to re-track this thing and then open it.

What he is saying is literally the most vague thing he could possibly say. "Whatever they try now will be their last attempt"? Well no **** Sherlock. But if you ask me, Son of Beast will open completely re-created, or will not open at all.

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I'll go with the latter. Take a real hard look at the track this year. The structure itself is not looking too good and after sitting for 2? years, it would take a lot of work to get it going again. My opinion is it's done.

I'm not so sure about that. I had a conversation with Don not that long ago and he told me that they could have the state come certify the ride for operation and it would pass, just as it is.

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From the offices of Screamscape:

icon_STOP.gif2012 - Son of Beast Returns - Rumor Only - (6/14/11) While it is still too early to say for sure if this is true, we did get a rumor earlier this month claiming that work to possibly fix Son of Beast could begin before the end of the Summer season in an effort to reopen the ride for the 2012 season. As part of this process, I'm told we may see some major modifications to the track layout as well.

On top of this, another new attraction is also rumored to be on-deck for the 2012 season, but no more information was available. Anyone know more about either project?

icon_STOP.gif2012 - New Coaster - Rumor - (6/15/11) While I don't have a lot of information just yet, an early rumor going around claims that Kings Island may have another steel coaster in the works for 2012. The park's last new coaster was Diamondback, which opened back in 2009 which followed Firehawk in 2007 and Backlot Stunt Coaster in 2005. So historically speaking, the park is about due for a new one. With a fairly well rounded collection however, it's hard to pin-point just what the park may be looking to add, so stay tuned.

icon_STOP.gif2012 - Son of Beast Returns - Rumor Only - (6/16/11) While I don't know exactly what may be involved in the rumored "fixing" of Son of Beast for 2012, I'm told that whatever takes place will be the ride's last shot. If it doesn't work, we can expect to see Son of Beast demolished to may way for a new ride in the future.

At least National Enquirer Screamscape has covered all the bases.

In time, one of these will come true.... and then the others will disappear and Screamscape will look like a prophet again...

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I'll go with the latter. Take a real hard look at the track this year. The structure itself is not looking too good and after sitting for 2? years, it would take a lot of work to get it going again. My opinion is it's done.

I'm not so sure about that. I had a conversation with Don not that long ago and he told me that they could have the state come certify the ride for operation and it would pass, just as it is.

That's foolish-and the park will only say what they want us to hear. Whether one dollar is spent, or another 20 million, it will still be the same unpredictable coaster it is now. I can't believe they would take the chance on that liability-and that's what it is at this point.

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Personally, I don't think they'll ever tear down Son of Beast. I Think it will stand the way it is until KI absolutely has to tear it down because they ran out of expansion room. You have to admit, when driving past KI, seeing a giant wooden coaster makes you say, "Ooh! I wanna go there!" So the son is a liability, but also free publicity. Have you seen the 'Bred to Shred' commercial? It shows SOB with the loop. That is kinda false advertisement. Let's just hope Son of Beast's mother isn't mother nature.

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