Cormaster

maybe so, but unless they have a plan for that land, and they can find away to get it running smooth again for cheap, then why not? People can either ride it or not, and if it proves unpopular and they decide they want the land for something else, then they can remove it. The more I think about it they just need to have some new trains made for it that are SPECIFICALLY designed to run on the SOB's track. Thats really the problem here right now as it stands. The back half of these trains give a ridiculously rough ride because they were made to ride on a Hurricane category 5 not Son of Beast!

Oh I know, i'm just saying I"m not suprised if anyone got a serious head injury from riding the Son of Beast. It was ridiculously rough in the back. I do have issues though with the park immediatly shutting the ride down. Basically I could call up tommorrow and say "yeah 2 weeks ago I rode Diamondback and had a heart attack" and the park will like ok HOld on... "OH CRAP SHUT DOWN Diamondback NOW" then next thing you know park employees will be going up and clearing out the line kicking everyone off the train, and putting a sign in front of Diamondback that says "closed". May sound ridiculous but its basically what the park did. Personally Son of Beast should of still been running until they ahd actual PROOF the ride caused an injury!

You know I was thinking about the Son of Beast and where it sits now and I came to the conclusion the park reacted the wrong way to the incident in '06. I mean 2006... 6 years after the ride opened it had a structural failure that caused non-life threatening injuries. When I think about it, it could be due to faulty design, or it could just be "stuff happens' and something that could of easily happened on any roller coaster! I think the park took it too far putting different trains and taking the loop out of it. Honestly it seems if they just do a thorough inspection prior to opening the ride every year it would of been fine. Instead they took out the loop and put lighter trains that were never designed to operate on it, and IMO made it a worse ride. Either that or hybrid idea should of been done at that point. Either way putting new trains and removing the loop was the wrong decision. It was a "quick fix". And while it hasn't broke since, it has caused another injury. I will be the first to say when I rode the Son of Beast in 2003 I got off pumped, excited and thought it was the best coaster I have ever rode. In '07 after reopening, it was still a good ride, but not near as awesome as it was before... and granted this is if your riding in the front. Naturally I wanted to ride the Son of Beast in the back so I gave it a try... I got off with a splitting headache and it was the worst ride I have ever had on a coaster in my life. It was obvious at that point that these new trains were never designed to run of the Son of Beast track. It really doesn't suprise me at all that someone would bust a blood vessel! Anyway I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they find a solution. I'm thinking at this point bringing the loop back is probably out of the question, especially since they scrapped the loop anyway, but they still can get some better trains that fit the bill better. Because honestly that is all that is wrong the the ride in its current state. The new trains quite frankley suck!

Honestly, as a smoker, the smoking areas aren't that great. I mean they are all on hot benches in direct sunlight, so as a smoker, I'm already being punished. However i respect the rule nowadays. IN the past I haven't, but now the way I see it, they could go completely smoke free, and I might as well just do what I'm told. Its really not that big of a deal for any smoker to go to a designated area even on benches in bright sunlight. Yesturday I smoked 2 cigs the whole time I was there, so it wasn't that big of a deal. Hopefully someday I'll quit... I came close last year, as I went 2 months without smoking.

I've actually found if you have regular pockets, however you will loose whatever you ride on Firehawk as the style it of coaster it is. One time I lost my locker key... yeah that sucked. I got a locker, had nothing in my pocket but the key, and after riding the ride, the key was gone. I had to run around to a bunch of ki staff to get maintenance to come out and get the locker open. EDIT speaking of Firehawk I'm actually starting to loose some interest in the ride between long ride waits and breakdowns. It broke down yesturday...seems it does at least once a day. I think the rides awesome, no doubt, but its not worth all the hoops you gotta go through to ride it. Also I'm not sure if they do it this year, but in years past they load the thing so inefficiently... I've watched them, they'll wait til both trains are in the station then launch one, and when one comes back they launch the other... A friend from work went and said he was completely unimpressed with it, and he got sunburnt and a headache waiting for it. I can see where he's coming from.

I'm referring to the locker... unlike other rides, they don't have bins. Never made much sense to me.

So after yesturdays trip a couple things I've decided are #1 I'm sick of the $2 charge to ride Firehawk. I'd like to just be able to get in-line and not worry about my stuff #2. I'm sick of having to avoid water rides on hot days because I don't wanna ruin my cell phone, keyless entry keyfob, or important stuff in my wallet The solution: A special pair of shorts. I'm thinking something with zipper pockets that are somewhat water resistant. something where I wouldn't have to worry about my stuff flying out of my pocket on Firehawk, and also I ciould get on Congo Falls or White water Canyon without worrying about the stuff in my pockets taking water damage. Any Suggestions? The whole shorts don't have to be water resistant just the pocket area. Maybe a special pair of swim trunks?

I got no complaints thus far, which is odd for me, though I'm trying to work on that.

I think right now the park is honestly weighing its options. LIke i said earlier I'm sure worst case the Son of Beast will sit and rot till they can come up with something to fill the spot. No sense in spending money on removing it if you have nothing to put there. It would cost the park more money to remove it than let it rot. Hopefully they come up with something. If they do heavily modify it and reopoen it, retheming wouldn't be a bad idea. I mean it's named after The Beast but its nothing like The Beast! In design, its more similar to Mean streak at CP, and its clear across the park in a different section. Also its name has been associated with "bad coaster" at this point so I could definitly see them retheming it. They could pretend its a new coaster for '11 or '12.

carbon fiber is a good subsititue for car panels to make the car lighter for racing purposes... and thats really about it. its basically a form of fiberglass, and wouldn't support the weight of a rollercoaster train running over it full of guests. Carbon fiber shatters, aluminum bends. neither would make a good coaster track material.

While I was standing in line for Diamondback the announcer kept saying "its the tallest, fastest and meanest coaster KI has ever built"... I had to correct that. Tallest and fastest yes, but meanest no that goes to the Son of Beast... Diamondback hasn't injured anyone...yet. Hopefully it never will. So far it seems to be the best one built. Every coaster seems to have kinks that need to be worked out, but when I went last year Diamondback was running smooth, never broke down (during my visit anyway) and even when the line was long it went quick. Its definitely a people mover.

I know I'm anxious to hear something from the park about the future of this ride. The less they say the worse it is... there are many coasters that have had problems where parks have said nothing, just left it SBNO...and eventually after several years have had the ride removed. Hopefully Son of Beast won't share the same fate.

oh never mind you said "you wouldn't be crazy"... ok we're on the same page I just misread your post. Sorry. Funny thing was the park said the ride was going to be a smoother and safer ride with the new trains and the loop removed, but I can tell you when I went in '03, I rode in the back and i don't remember it being much harsher than the parks other wooden coasters. In '07 when the ride re-opened after being "neutered" I rode in the back and I got off the ride with a splitting headache. Didn't last long, but it was a painful enough I never rode it in the back again. with the new trains the rides ultra smooth in the front, about a normal wooden coaster in the middle, and a coffee peculator in the back.

I'd love to see them bring the loop back, though I don't think it would happen. They already heavily modified that section of the track, me thinks they'd probably just do what they had to do to get the ride running good again. But heres to hoping they would consider this idea, as well as bring the loop back!

Yeah I know... just didn't know how to word it...B&M built Diamondback.

but heres the thing: Wouldn't heavier trains make it smoother anyway? The original trains were heavier. I think like cars, how something like a smart car tends to have a rough ride in comparison to a Ford Crown Victoria.

I've missed the loop ever since they removed it. The ride was awesome in its original glory, and I still swear to this day the original trains were smoother. I could be wrong but I do NOT remember the ride being that rough when I First rode it... of course I was 23 when I rode it with the loop and 28 last time I rode it without the loop...could just be age I guess. Alot of rides are harsher than I remember, for instance Invertigo gets me nauseous now.

yeah she's not done loosing weight either so hopefully Diamondback will become even easier with her overtime. Main thing is her legs are a tight fit and the harness left some bruises on her legs... lol Diamondback bit her. BTW Did I mention how much I love Diamondback? I do literally think its the best coaster KI has ever built!

I had a blast today. ME and my wife got season passes again and had alot of fun. I haven't posted in at least a year, maybe longer so I'm not sure many remember but I often complained about my wife not being able to ride rides because of her weight. Well last December she had Gastric-bypass Weight loss surgery, and now that she's going to KI its paying off. She's lost 80 pounds since, and she was able to ride about everything! Diamondback was a tight fit, but she managed to pass the KI staff approval. We tried to ride them all but there were issues with X-base both times we went. All and all it went like this: Arrival time: 11:30am Diamondback The Beast Backlot Stunt Coaster Vortex First attempt at X-Base: We were going to ride Firehawk first but I had brought only $.75 with me (I usually charge everything on my debit card) and we had no cash. Not sure if they raised the price but I could of swore it was cheaper than $2. My wife said it was 75 cents so thats what i brought and it wasn't enough so we got in line for FoF. Just as we got to the door, the line stopped for 10 minutes, an announcement was made that I Couldn't hear over the other guests, and then guests started walking out of the line. Assuming the ride was having issues, we decided it was break time and headed to the festhaus. We shared some frys and chicken fingers, watched "too much TV", then back to the rides Delerium Drop Tower Flight Deck Invertigo Adventure Express Racer Second attempt at X-Base: Firehawk was shutdown for unbeknown reasons (and I Didn't even bother asking a KI Staff member...they usually know about as much as me when it comes to that stuff) and Flight of Fear's line was ridiculously long as it usually is when Firehawk breaks down (Seems everyone migrates over to it). I didn't feel like waiting, and we were getting hot and tired so we decided it may be time to leave...but I wanted to ride Diamondback one more time, so... Diamondback Boo Blasters and then we enjoyed some funnel-cake and headed home. We're going back June 1st-2nd and staying the night at GWL. Overall it was a pretty good trip, and I am glad that for once my wife can ride everything. She's skeptical about FoF but she rode it once right after we were married with help from the KI Staff..should be an easy fit now, especially if she can ride Diamondback and Drop Tower which IMO are the 2 most unforgiving rides there! It wasn't a bad day, really dead earlier, got to about what I would consider normal as far number of guests go, but never unbearable.

They were real slow in the morning... I got there about 11:30a.m. and literally walked right on Diamondback and beast. By about 1 or so it was about normal busy. Honestly probably should of hit up Xbase first since those rides seem to be the hardest to ever ride.

I've heard this one a million times over the years... don't see it going anywhere anytime soon. I've heard it a million times and its true: Unless the park is planning on putting something there or someone whats to buy Flight Deck, its going no where. IT does need a paint job, and a shorter line queue

I was at the park today, and I tried to ride everything, though I was too impatient to wait at X-base... that being said it didn't feel right that I couldn't go ride Son of Beast. Felt like a part of the park was missing. I hope they re-open it eventually. I know wikipedia originally had a quote about its future from one of the big wigs at Cedar Fair saying "demolition was never considered an option". however the quote has been deleted now, so who knows whats going on. My guess is if they dont' plan on re-opening it they aren't going to get rid of it unless they plan on putting something in its space. And considering they just spent a big chunk on Diamondback I don't see them bringing any major new attractions in the near future.

I've heard the rumor about Nick Universe going away since 2007. It ain't happening. Next year the I'll go to Kings Island and I'll see Nick Universe once again!

I really don't care if they remove it now. its not going to break my heart one bit! Cedar Fair took what was an awesome ride, and neutered it, and now its just a piece ol' crap! Good Riddance!!

I would say Son of Beast, but take away the maintenance issues, injuries, the addition of lighter trains, and removal of the loop and it was awesome. I took a visit to KI in Spring of '03, and rode the Son of Beast twice, and honestly believed it was the best roller coaster ever made. However, since removing the loop, and adding the new trains the coaster still kicks ass in the front, but its unbarebly painful in the back. But the original concept of the Son of Beast lived up to everything it promised IMO, as far as a single ride from a roller coaster.