KIBeast

Apparently, 700,000 was not nearly enough for a park of that size. The rides had to be removed because it was over-developed to begin with. You can blame CF all you like, but the truth of the matter is SF ruined GL. If SF was making so much money off of GL, then why would they even try to unload that park to someone else? What insane line of thinking made SF management think to build all of those coasters in such a short time? Weren't there like 5 coasters built in a very short span? They thought that GL could compete with CP and were way off on that guess. The time has passed for build it and they will come.

My vote is for Little Bill's Giggle Coaster. Seriously, a lot of "scary" rides missing from this poll.

But, the skid brakes failed, hence the change. The magnetic brakes in the shed stop you abruptly whereas the skids were, for lack of better word, eventual. You'll notice how you pretty much fly through the shed right up until the end. The skid brakes were there on the first hill as well for many years, although I don't know if from the beginning. So, since I have been riding The Beast since the early 80's, I'm going to have to politely disagree with your view that The Beast has been neutered. It is still basically the same ride. No bs.

You think those places are expensive, Hard Rock Park's gate is $50.00. Not that many rides either.

^Really? Not according to the animation or discussion ensued soon afterwards at Pointbuzz. This thread was back in 2006, well before Maverick opened. Or, try this one on for size Maverick Brakes

Fat bottom girls...they make the rockin' world go 'round! Are there any western movies that have kinda generic names that could be used? Like Hang 'Em High? Not necessarily my suggestion, just an example.

^That's probably the truth. Unless you buy into any of the conspiracy theories. Why leave it open one more year? So that they can lose even more money? If the people of that area were so passionate about Geauga Lake, then why was the attendance so low? You're not showing much appreciation for a park if you don't go there and support them.

When, and HOW were you so friekin' lucky. Any time I ride it, it seems that they slam the brakes on to almost a crawl. Or even stop it in the case of Tuesday, though I'm not implying that one time was intended. Plus, that's not quite possible, because there is a small magnetic brake up there that undoubtedly did a little damage, but I'd take what I could get. I'd love to know how you got to skip the trim. YLB. Not that I'm defending Cedar Point, and on that point I must be clear, but to whoever brought up the issue of Mean Streak turning back some of the trims. Those also are not magnetic. And to another post, there could not have been a magnetic brake on Maverick last season or I would have noticed that much braking. Unless of course it was much, MUCH less of a brake. I'm not talking about the brake right before the second launch. There is a magnetic brake just out of the tunnel and around the corner on the way up the hill that puts a great big yank on the train on its way past. There was no yank there last season, and the second part of the ride was much faster. And....wouldn't it be easier to just dial the launch down than stick a trim immediately following the launch? As to Mantis, I must have been on it during the portion of the season that they turned off the trim, as I certainly would have noticed that, being of the "Forums Against Ridiculous Trims" or "FART" ilk! I'm sorry to tell you, but the brake right after the launch on Maverick has always been there. Now, I have heard that it's doesn't appear to be braking as hard as it did last year, but I assure you, it's always been there. I saw many threads over at Pointbuzz last season where people were complaining that it was a waste to have a 70mph launch followed by a brake.

^Now that's funny! Ok, they were 350 dollar posts, but how much could you possibly scrap them for? Scrap yards don't pay that well unless they were copper posts.

Oh, my mistake. The theming inside the gondola room wasn't all that to begin with.

I have seen pics of the theming of the Crypt and it is hardly just a black room with a giant top spin in it. Either you're blind or you don't know what theming is. There are even pics in the KIC gallery.

Firehawk went down a couple of times throughout the day when it was at Geauga Lake. Usually, it was back up within an hour or so.

I say take a chance and ride The Beast. I know what you are feeling, though. I didn't ride The Beast in its' first few years. Really, I can't remember why now. It must have been the height of the lift hill, because that's about all you can see from the midway. Don't feel bad. My mother had to bribe me with a dollar to ride The Racer when it was the premier coaster at KI. I always wanted to ride Racer until we got into the station. At that point, that's when I started to panic.

There is no way that CF is going to sell Big Dipper and the plot of land it stands on to ACE. If they really wanted to preserve it, they should have looked for outside help to relocate it. Who is going to build something on that property, but around the area where BD stands? Answer: No one

Crowds generally head for Action Zone first, so I say head to the back of the park to The Beast, where the line should be fairly short.

I'd like to see Club Blood return.

Perhaps the brakes are pre-Cedar Fair. I'm in doubt as to whether the strength is as well. Example: I do not remember the mid-course brake on Flight of Fear ever stopping you before Cedar Fair took over, but rather more like a typical mid-course brake. There is no way you can doubt that the strength of the Son of Beast brake was turned up after loop removal, which is again post-Cedar Fair. This completely screws up the second half of the ride...but at least there's the first half. In fact, the MCBR on FOF has been causing the train to nearly stop before CF. It's been doing this for years now The Beast has seemed more sluggish for the past couple of seasons also. I've heard the spiel so many times...they didn't add any more...blah, blah, blah. (BTW, the video of The Beast testing back in 1979 that is now readily accessible on You Tube shows NO brakes on the helix, so there went that arguement.) Either way, this isn't the point. The point is the strength to which the brakes have been dialed up. Most times than not, if you find a Beast enthusiast, the first thing they complain about is how much they brake it these days. On any coaster, I will never understand the point of building a big tall hill and then slowing it down on the way to the bottom...duh...does that make a shred of sense? That one must leave. The Beast has no airhills (or even potential ones) except for the second hill, which is trimmed as well. This sends the ranking to the toilet for me, and it could be such a world-class coaster. (And is, really anyway.) I could live with the mid-course (at its current strength at max) if they would get rid of the others. I cannot see why in the world it would make that much difference maintenance-wise to a park of KI's caliber just to ditch those trims. If they leave the one in the brake shed, that will slow it enough to not get your back broken on the back curves. And pointedly, if you want to ride a slow-moving smooth coaster, ride The Beastie (which also has a completely pointless non-original trim). If you want to run with the big boys, expect big boy forces. I'd also like to see this video of The Beast testing with no brakes before the helix. Also, when The Beast was built, they didn't have the technology to compute the forces, it was human calculation, so I'm sure brakes may have been added afterwards to deal with those forces. Therefore, the coaster was already built, why shorten it? Not true. Maverick did not have a magnetic brake just out of the tunnel during last season. Actually, Maverick has always had a brake right after the launch since it first opened. Also, this is the first season I have ever seen Gemini reduced to a crawl before its spectacular final helix. Mantis' trim brake on the first drop has not been there for long. I think that appeared last season. Wrong again. I have been going to CP since 2000 and Mantis had a brake on its' first drop at least since then, more than likely since its' first couple of seasons. Mean Streak's trims were cranked up more last season as well. The others...you're probably right. Meaning, does the snapping of a vertical timber have anything to do with CF's nerve in letting coasters live to the fullest. Similarly how Magnum's accident from last year influenced the policy to close for the slightest sprinkle. (Or I'm told that's the reason.) Either way, it's a little on the dumb side, though I wouldn't be as upset if they didn't wait until the pavement was dry before re-opening. Yes I quite agree with you as long as they are kept in the off position unless needed, which is NOT the way any coaster I've ridden belonging to Cedar Fair operates. That IS however the way Voyage is running this year. (And just look at its intensity factor! You note it's #1 on the planet! Apparently not everyone is turned on by a slow running ride that plods and crawls around the track!) Also, the mid-course brake defense only works if they run enough trains to use it. I know of no coaster at KI besides Vortex that meets that requirement (unless you coun't Backlot, but it's designed differently). (Don't even try to use SOB and Beast as back up. Neither is equipped at this point to serve such a purpose. Beast does not crest the 1st lift until there are no trains on the first part of track or lift hill #2, and SOB only runs two trains. Note the kicker tires have also been removed from both.) As a final thought, I would like to respectfully disagree with any statement that trim brakes make the ride better. I quite agree with what was said by someone at the Coastermania question and answer session. "Can we get the brakes off The Beast and return it to its former glory?" Conisdering the brakes were always there, I am confused what you mean by former glory.

so would that mean that mantis at Cedar Point has only half a corkscrew? Yep, I'm confused about that one too. I would say that Vortex should be counted as two corkscrews considering that they boast six inversions...two loops, two corksrews and boomerang loop. RCDB lists it as a double corkscrew.

Didn't make it this past weekend, but, I will definitely be going on a Sunday now. That's one thing I never complained about with Camden Park...food prices. Gotta get me one of those Pronto Pups!

The trims are not turned up or down in any fashion. They are the same on any given day.

^To add to that, GL had to be scaled down as it had become severely over-developed. Had SF installed these coasters with some years in between as opposed to nearly all at once, they may have been able to maintain or possibly increase the attendance needed to justify the installations.

Now I have found the link in a trip report posted at CB. A user who goes by LdScotsman posted the TR and here's what was said about MD attendance.

Here's a link to the KDA report, appendix 34. KDA Report This particular section discusses the condition of the rope and possible cause of rope failure. Dave Althoff, Jr. is the original poster of the link from CB.

^Coach Bombay would know something as well about how fast The Beast travels.

Seems I remember reading on another coaster site that attendance was really low for Memorial Day weekend. Of course, now I can't find a link to the discussion.