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The Beast needs to be updated


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The Beast is a great ride, don't get me wrong. I've loved the ride since my childhood, but after being able to go on other great woodies and terrain coasters, I realized how bad The Beast needs some updating. It is much rougher than Gwazu was, it's trimmed to death and there are a couple of brutal turns. The helix I don't believe should be modified at all, except maybe making the entry less jerky. The PTC trains are terrible as well. I would love to see really long millennium fliers on it or something. Maybe even add an airtime hill or double down, such as The Legend fro this past year.I would absolutely love to ride a version of The Beast with no trims, some airtime, millennium fliers, and possibly given the Ghost Rider treatment with GCI stripping the track and redoing it.

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I would be totally fine with a complete retrack renovation by GCI or what RMC did to Thunder Run in 2013 (NOT Iron Horse...) and new trains. 

 

But if you mess with anything else about the ride thats great about it, I will be very angry and disillusioned.

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Honestly, I'm starting to view The Beast as I view Magnum at Cedar Point. Was once one of the best rides ever, but is becoming more overrated and possibly worse each year, but if work is done to it, can potentially be a much better ride than it ever was.

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It's hard to say how I feel about this. When I was younger I actually loved that it was a rough coaster - it made it feel like it fit the theme of "there's a big scary monster out there and you have to avoid/escape it." Now, after decades of coasters and other trials I've put my body through, I do wish it would be a little less rough of a ride.

 

I do enjoy the layout, the terrain, and pretty much everything about the ride, but it's not one I can ride multiple times per visit like I used to. There are some stretches in the ride (not sure if the sections have names/designations)that are mainly just straight/level track through the woods (like the part under the wooden roof shortly before the second tunnel). I'd like to see some sort of change there, maybe a slight drop and airtime hump or something. Anything other than that, and I think you change the ride too much from it's original form and risk making it no longer The Beast. It might also impact the momentum/speed of the trains too much to be feasible. 

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The Beast has had trims since before it opened.  The reason that they are so obvious today is because the trims were replaced by magnetic brakes which are much more aggressive than the old skid brakes.  The question needs to be is the ride actually going slower?  According to the park the new trims are in the same locations as the old trims.  The park also claims you leave the trims at the same speed as the old trims just the distance over which you are slowing down is shorter so you feel it more.  Personally I have no way to verify this.

 

I would be totally fine with replacing the track and trains, and would love for the park to do so.  I am not a fan of the PTC trains and when I ride The Beast I either ride in the front row or ride in a middle bench so I am not over the wheels.  I have been wondering what GCI could do for The Racer as well.  I would keep the design just replace the track itself and the trains, I would think this would also allow the park to run one side backwards again as well, but I doubt Cedar Fair would be willing.

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The Beast has had trims since before it opened.  The reason that they are so obvious today is because the trims were replaced by magnetic brakes which are much more aggressive than the old skid brakes.  The question needs to be is the ride actually going slower?  According to the park the new trims are in the same locations as the old trims.  The park also claims you leave the trims at the same speed as the old trims just the distance over which you are slowing down is shorter so you feel it more.  Personally I have no way to verify this.

 

I would be totally fine with replacing the track and trains, and would love for the park to do so.  I am not a fan of the PTC trains and when I ride The Beast I either ride in the front row or ride in a middle bench so I am not over the wheels.  I have been wondering what GCI could do for The Racer as well.  I would keep the design just replace the track itself and the trains, I would think this would also allow the park to run one side backwards again as well, but I doubt Cedar Fair would be willing.

 

Getting backwards racer back would be amazing

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somebody on here did a POV v POV comparison of The Beast from when it first opened, to The Beast when they did a fresh POV prior to the opening of Banshee.  Once you drop over the first hill, the POVs were fairly in sync with each other thru each section of the track.  The Beast is just as fast as it always was (save perhaps a post rain run prior to the newer trims) and in my mind, just as enjoyable.

 

The Beast needs a major overhaul like I need a hole in the head.  Its a legend w/ a great, fairly unique layout that is greatly enhanced when the sun drops.  It may not be the greatest wooden coaster in a head to head competition with many of the newer woodies, but it stands quit well on its own.  To come in and RMC it or any other major alteration would be a huge shame.

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I'm not saying it isn't as fast as it ever was. I'm saying make it better and faster than it ever was.

 

I seriously doubt the ride can be made much faster. There's just a lot of physics and forces involved that would require too much.

 

There's only a few things that I believe could be changed to improve the ride for me that I mentioned in a previous comment.

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Without the trims, the forces are unacceptable--on the ride and the riders.

Thus why they have been there from day one.

And how would you market the changes?

The public doesn't see it as broken, and changes would irk as many as they pleased.

To me, the jury-rigged PTC's are the biggest change--individually ratcheting restraints that intrude on rider legs, hard polystyrene foam, head rests, seat dividers...

Still, I don't see the current trains leaving any time soon.

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Seeing how I just rode this Saturday and have been riding it since 1981, I feel the need to chime in. Absolutely nothing about this ride needs to be changed. I loved it from the first time I rode it. It has changed only in a sense of the skid brakes to the magnetic. I don't think it slows down any more than it used to. My 7 year old son rode it for the first time and he loved it. Said nothing about it being rough or boring. I think I will always be partial to it because of the unique experience of it being secluded and the helix finale that never gets old. 

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Seeing how I just rode this Saturday and have been riding it since 1981, I feel the need to chime in. Absolutely nothing about this ride needs to be changed. I loved it from the first time I rode it. It has changed only in a sense of the skid brakes to the magnetic. I don't think it slows down any more than it used to. My 7 year old son rode it for the first time and he loved it. Said nothing about it being rough or boring. I think I will always be partial to it because of the unique experience of it being secluded and the helix finale that never gets old. 

 

I started riding it 1-2 years after you. I loved it then and still do. but...

 

Keep in mind that it is perfectly fine to be critical of something you enjoy.

 

This...just because something is loved and is excellent does not mean it is perfect and immune to being improved. I'm not saying it NEEDS it, but the portion I mentioned above being changed slightly wouldn't destroy the integrity of the ride (unless there's a structural/physics issue that would cause it to, literally, destroy the ride).

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Any changes to The Beast in my opinion would be a mistake. The Beast seems to have a mind of it's own sometimes. It runs different speeds on different days, it's long stretches of straight track keeps it fast throughout the ride, the banked drop into the tunnel off of the second lift, is iconic. While I agree that it's a rough ride, the roughness adds to the out of control feeling The Beast gives riders.

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Perhaps I'm a minority here, but I've learned how to "ride" the coaster over the years. At a young age I would often tense up while riding it, but as time has wore on I've been able to anticipate and just go with the flow. I don't fight back while riding, if that makes sense... I haven't considered The Beast to be so rough it's not enjoyable. It's all part of the experience.

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Seems to be a theme in the comments regarding the roughness along with a mind-set of "when I was younger I could take it...but now..." <my interpretation, NOT a direct quote from anyone>

 

Something to think about, if you smooth out the ride significantly it will likely speed up.  A non-trivial amount of energy is lost due to the cars banging around the track.  

 

Without the trims, the forces are unacceptable--on the ride and the riders.

Thus why they have been there from day one.
 

 

I agree with Terp's comment, so imagine a smoother ride with more trim to keep the forces/speed in check.  I think this would take a lot of the excitement out of the ride.

 

 

On the other hand, if you could keep the restraints/padding from interpreting the roughness directly onto those bodies pinned into the seats we might be getting somewhere.  I wouldn't mind some effort into restraint/car redesign.

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You guys aren't getting it. Millennium Fliers are much lighter and can navigate turns easier, as well as reprofiling turns to allow The Beast to be able to navigate the turns more quickly and gracefully. And, as I daid, don't mess with anything after the second lift other than the sudden snap into the helix.

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Start adding double downs and other nonsense and it isn't The Beast anymore. I love those elements but they don't fit the ride. It would be like giving Diamondback loops. The Beast has its own unique layout going and doesn't need to be more like other coasters. Count me among those who would be upset about changes.

If you want that stuff build a new woodie, like a GCI or something...

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If they could find a way to remove the trims on the first drop and before the helix, while maintaining laterals I would be all for changes to The Beast. While keeping traditional wooden track of course. I still thoroughly enjoy the ride at night but I'd be lying if I didn't say I despise drop trims on any coaster. It's probably also why I felt blah about I305 because I only got to ride it with the trims on the drop. I'd rather cut height than add trims, easier said than done I know.

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Just to clarify my response/opinion from above:  DON'T change the layout or track!  If you want to improve the lap/"leg crusher" bar I'm all for it, maybe some better foam padding to help those who need more "meat" on their bones!

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Still, I don't see the current trains leaving any time soon.

Wouldn't it be great if they got a GCI and as part of the deal they purchase Millennium Flyer trains for The Beast? I know that would be very expensive, but it would be great.

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This has been a topic I think about a lot, and I realize people do not want to talk about it. Something will have to happen to The Beast in the future. Is that a complete overhaul of the ride? Is that a retracting? Is it an update to a newer style woodie? Or is it even demolition? Something will have to eventually be done to change the well-being of the ride. I do not know what that is, but I enjoy thinking about it. 

 

I know currently they replace a track section here or there, but I do not know the extent to which that occurs. It's interesting to think about.

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I'm all for new trains.  The ride might even seem less rough if you are sitting in a comfortable train instead of wedged into the current seats.  As for the rest, I don't think the layout or track needs any modification at all.  It's not like removing the trims is going to add any air time.  It would just make the turns more violent.

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What do you mean something will have to happen to The Beast? Like following an accident or age or something?

I believe it's been talked about on these boards that the track and supports are replaced as needed.

That long shed was also a brake run if I recall my Beast history. When I was little it still had the kicker tires and could be used as a blocking section as needed. That's why it's so long straight and covered. Plus wasn't there someone who stood out there?

The ride is still immensely popular.

Lastly I think the trim thing is such a big thing about his ride is because there was a story or truth that the designers of the ride ride it once and decided the speed and such had to be adjusted. But the only time I read about this story was then the ride was just finished not even open so unless you were a park higher up you never rode it that way (from what I remember of old foster stories).

And just because the majority don't agree with you doesn't mean we don't get it. It means we don't agree

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