SOB Strategies

[ssdd1970]

I believe that the SOB accident could've been avoided but on the other hand who would've known? Maybe certain details were overlooked by the engineers? Could Computer ride scenario analysis if any could've calculated for the accident? In my humble opinion I wish that KI would've opted for another steel coaster of big proportions,. I dunno maybe a floorless? We didn't need another super wood coaster my god The Racer & The Beast was holding it down! What's done is done and it's a dreadful shame it happened but the show must go on. I have faith in KI and whatever becomes of the SOB is destiny.

[Aves]

SOB is fine as is, it just needs a 3rd train.

IN MY OPINION: SOB IS ONE OF THE BEST RIDES AT KI!

[ssdd1970]

SOB is fine as is, it just needs a 3rd train.

IN MY OPINION: SOB IS ONE OF THE BEST RIDES AT KI!

But do you agree old dad is still better?

[AZ Kinda Guy]

Maybe certain details were overlooked by the engineers? Could Computer ride scenario analysis if any could've calculated for the accident?

No and No and.....

[AZ Kinda Guy]

SOB is fine as is, it just needs a 3rd train.

....No

[kjkjkj]

...Yes SOB should have a third train if they could get the ride to run with three. Anyways Sob acciden't probably couldn't have been avoided. SoB is one of the most fun rides in the park! Next to The Beast of course!

[BavarianBeatle]

At the end of the year, SOB was wonderful. It is a GREAT ride and my childrens' favorite. But "Dad" will always be my favorite ride anywhere on the planet.

Hmm...Dad likes "Dad" and sons like "Son"....imagine that....

[The Interpreter]

Hmmm. That's fairly odd.

[BavarianBeatle]

"Fairly Odd"... Aren't those words blasphemy to us old schoolers who remember "Scooby Doo" and "Beastie"?........LOL!!!!!

[Browntggrr]

SOB is fine as is, it just needs a 3rd train.

The last thing SoB needs is a 3rd train.

Even when SoB first opened and the majority of the known World did not know SoB was like going through traction, it only ran 2 trains.

Why would it need a 3rd now if it didn't need it then?

[Ki Man]

We need an Ultimate SOB Super Thread. So alll the posts of opinions and useless posts can go in there!

"IN MY OPINION: SOB IS ONE OF THE BEST RIDES AT KI!"

Ugh. Sadly, yes... :'(

[RWildman424]

"IN MY OPINION: SOB IS ONE OF THE BEST RIDES AT KI!"

Ugh. Sadly, yes... :'(

Why is that a sad thing? I love SOB too.

[PKIVortex]

The only reason I could see why they need a third train is just for increased capacity. The G trains don't hold as many riders per train as the Premier trains did.

[Keysersoze]

SOB needs a third train, I was there many times this summer and SOB's line was long and moving slow, and many times they would have 2 trains on a run while the station was empty, where they could of easily loaded a third train.

I still say it needs a tunnel at the old loop spot, and I would even say tunnel the rosebowl at the bottom, a little bit like Daddy. You wouldn't be able to tell that your getting shaken so bad you can't focus if there was a tunnel there! Daddy can beat ya down pretty good, your just in the dark so you don't notice, maybe.

I don't know, I like Kings Islands woodies, and I like them rough! That's the whole point of being on a woodie.

[neo8820]

I agree a third train and tunnel would help a lot.

[TH13TEEN]

SOB needs a third train, I was there many times this summer and SOB's line was long and moving slow, and many times they would have 2 trains on a run while the station was empty, where they could of easily loaded a third train.

I still say it needs a tunnel at the old loop spot, and I would even say tunnel the rosebowl at the bottom, a little bit like Daddy. You wouldn't be able to tell that your getting shaken so bad you can't focus if there was a tunnel there! Daddy can beat ya down pretty good, your just in the dark so you don't notice, maybe.

I don't know, I like Kings Islands woodies, and I like them rough! That's the whole point of being on a woodie.

That tunnel idea could be the trick Hmmmm.

[The Interpreter]

Cedar Fair has limited capital investment while it pays off its debts (same, maybe even more so at Six Flags). Even if that were not the case, investment money is a finite pot---spend something over here, you don't spend something over there. So, the question facing those making these decisions is this:

Would you give up a significant coaster installation at some point in the future in order to finance tunnels on Son of Beast?

Which do you think would bring more people to the park?

Which do you think would get more people to renew their season passes?

Which do you think would attract NEW visitors to the park?

Questions like these are truly the ones that park managers, marketing people and corporate all look at when making these decisions.

Some of you speak confidently of a B and M hypercoaster in 2009. Would you give that up for Son of Beast tunnels? Delay it a year or so for Son of Beast tunnels?

[Keysersoze]

Cedar Fair has limited capital investment while it pays off its debts (same, maybe even more so at Six Flags). Even if that were not the case, investment money is a finite pot---spend something over here, you don't spend something over there. So, the question facing those making these decisions is this:

Would you give up a significant coaster installation at some point in the future in order to finance tunnels on Son of Beast?

Which do you think would bring more people to the park?

Which do you think would get more people to renew their season passes?

Which do you think would attract NEW visitors to the park?

Questions like these are truly the ones that park managers, marketing people and corporate all look at when making these decisions.

Some of you speak confidently of a B and M hypercoaster in 2009. Would you give that up for Son of Beast tunnels? Delay it a year or so for Son of Beast tunnels?

I couldn't see how the cost of tunnels could be anywhere near the cost of a new hypercoaster.

[The Interpreter]

It isn't...but it takes money from a project that, if it exists, already takes up most if not all of the capital investment projects planned....see what Kings Island has announced so far this year?

[Keysersoze]

Well maybe tunnels is part of it, I'm sure they must of heard that from many people, cause it seems to me many folks have said something about it. SOB is fine just the way it is, but us fans of it feel it should get a little love being that it lost it's loop. This summer it seemed SOB was already bringing crowds so I could see that coaster becoming something big again. Maybe shed that bad carma a little more.

[Gordon Bombay]

Id rather see any money set aside to build a tunnel go to the maintenance team to help keep the ride smooth.

[TH13TEEN]

^ good idea keep it smooth and enjoyable and some $ to repaint Delirium and Top Gun

[hausty1983]

I don't think that tunnels would be added the track work though would be the most important part for keeping it around any longer and doing inspections for the most part. I understand why people are so demanding about tunnels.

[BoddaH1994]

Cedar Fair has limited capital investment while it pays off its debts (same, maybe even more so at Six Flags). Even if that were not the case, investment money is a finite pot---spend something over here, you don't spend something over there. So, the question facing those making these decisions is this:

Would you give up a significant coaster installation at some point in the future in order to finance tunnels on Son of Beast?

Which do you think would bring more people to the park?

Which do you think would get more people to renew their season passes?

Which do you think would attract NEW visitors to the park?

Questions like these are truly the ones that park managers, marketing people and corporate all look at when making these decisions.

Some of you speak confidently of a B and M hypercoaster in 2009. Would you give that up for Son of Beast tunnels? Delay it a year or so for Son of Beast tunnels?

Don't forget that we're in a different boat here. The Cedar Fair people are park people. They do what they can to improve the guest's experience. I can see that mentality under Paramount, but I really think that CF would do it just if they thought it was a good idea rather than only installing it if they feel as though they can make a good basis for a TV commercial out of it.

[Browntggrr]

The only reason I could see why they need a third train is just for increased capacity. The G trains don't hold as many riders per train as the Premier trains did.

Capacity was an issue on how many days?

Those few days do not justify the money needed to modify the blocks for the additional train as well as the money needed to retrofit the train.

Will CF do it? Perhaps.

But I would rather see the money put to better use in the park.

[coaster_junky]

SOB is fine as is, it just needs a 3rd train.

The last thing SoB needs is a 3rd train.

Even when SoB first opened and the majority of the known World did not know SoB was like going through traction, it only ran 2 trains.

Why would it need a 3rd now if it didn't need it then?

1) increase capacity

2) make line shorter

3) there will always be a train in the station insted of waiting 30 sec. for the next train to enter

and besides the run time on the old Son of Beast was shorter than it is with the new trains

[adventure2007]

I could care less about tunnels on the Son of Beast. I say leave it the way it is. Id rather have a new coaster from the money that would be invested into that. I know it would be cheaper than building a new coaster but save the money!

[Gordon Bombay]

Cedar Fair has limited capital investment while it pays off its debts (same, maybe even more so at Six Flags). Even if that were not the case, investment money is a finite pot---spend something over here, you don't spend something over there. So, the question facing those making these decisions is this:

Would you give up a significant coaster installation at some point in the future in order to finance tunnels on Son of Beast?

Which do you think would bring more people to the park?

Which do you think would get more people to renew their season passes?

Which do you think would attract NEW visitors to the park?

Questions like these are truly the ones that park managers, marketing people and corporate all look at when making these decisions.

Some of you speak confidently of a B and M hypercoaster in 2009. Would you give that up for Son of Beast tunnels? Delay it a year or so for Son of Beast tunnels?

Don't forget that we're in a different boat here. The Cedar Fair people are park people. They do what they can to improve the guest's experience. I can see that mentality under Paramount, but I really think that CF would do it just if they thought it was a good idea rather than only installing it if they feel as though they can make a good basis for a TV commercial out of it.

The CF people are Park people and do what they can to improve guest experience? Like raising food prices without increasing the quality of the food? Maybe the old Cedar Fair not under massive debt. I seriously doubt they're going to waste any money on frivilous things like tunnels on the SOB at this point when they're still in a tricky financial situation. I could see them justifying it if the tunnels did something signifigant to improve ride experience and further its identity as a fixed ride that is no longer like it was back in 06 during the accident, but that window of opportunity has somewhat already passed, if they wanted to do something like that they should've done it when they added new trains and removed the loop.

In regards to what other posters said about tunnels distracting you from the jackhammering and roughness of the Rose Bowl....sit in the very back seat of The Beast on a wheel and see if you notice the roughness going through the double helix.

[AintNutinElse2Do]

I'm definitely not saying it will happen in truth I doubt it will. But why would you not want to improve the ride experience on a coaster that is the tallest and fastest of it's kind in the world. It would just seem to me that the potential is there why not flaunt it. SOB may not have the most interesting layout and yeah it's as rough as many other wooden coasters. Could be worse it could be as rough as the Georgia Cyclone at SFOG. I personally feel that SOB is a great coaster I do think it has it's share of problems but I think the majority of the problems are one's that can be fixed. So why not fix them why not make the coaster what it was intended to be in the first place.

[Gordon Bombay]

I'm not saying its problems shouldn't be fixed, if you check my earlier post in the topic I said I'd rather see any money for tunnels go to wood coaster maintenance to help maintain the ride. A tunnel, while it is definantly a nice aesthetic feature to the ride, will not improve the smoothness of the ride and right now is not something the park probably wants to waste money on.