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Dufunctland: Son of Beast


BoddaH1994
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The only rollercoaster that I ever got a bruise riding.

They removed the loop to try to make the ride better. IMHO, it actually made the ride way worse.

The fact that there wasn't enough of a circuit to run through, and those two giant helices, made for a fast but rough ride.

Had it been more of a terrain coaster and less of a record setter, it might still be around today.

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I consider myself very lucky that I got to ride Son of Beast 3 times before its closing. All 3 came 3 days before its final operating date. What a ride. Still to this day, it is my favorite wooden coaster I've ever ridden. Rough, yes, but it had its great moments. I was sad to see it go, and its too bad that its construction was so rushed.

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This ride was quite something.  I rode it several times, each ride scaring the heck out of me, and each ride beating me up pretty bad.  It was crazy!  It was like riding an out of control train.  The thing took off down the hill and from then on it was a wild ride til the end.  There was not one time riding it that I didn't come off sore.  I tried to like it, I really did, but it just hurt too much lol.  If not for the pain, it would've been a great ride.  At some point I decided to quit riding it on my visits to the park because as good as it was, it wasn't worth getting beat up over.  When they created this ride, they really did create a "beast" but it was a beast they couldn't tame regardless of how hard they tried.

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I rode Son of Beast in August 2007, not long after it reopened from the 2006 accident. I rode it again later that year in October. And then again in June 2008. I personally enjoyed the coaster a lot, much better than Mean Streak. I'm just glad I got the credit. I would have rode it again with no hesitation had it reopened again.


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Too bad they did't use a different manufact for SOB. I am sure another company would of crushed it and it would still be around!! I am just not sure what wooden coaster comp would take on such a project. Also too bad Cedar Fair didn't own the park before to design and pick a better manufact.

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I was fortunate to have rode Son of Beast several times. I never felt beat up by it in the least. The only part that bothered me, but only mildly, was the brake run at the end. I loved the speed, the helixes, and the loop. I never understood the complaints. I do agree, however, that had this project been done by Intamin, it would still be around today. 

Maybe one of these days, I will get to ride Banshee, it's predecessor. The reason I haven't is, I don't ride anything that my son, who is just shy of 52" cannot.

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Rode it the first time in June of 2000; last time was during Haunt 2007.  Was always extremely rough and painful.  An awe-inspiring structure, though.  If someone never got to see it in person, pictures won't do it justice.  It was absolutely massive.  Still a real shame that it had to go down.

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^

Maybe, but RMC would probably have had to rebuild/add a ton of support structure to Son of Beast before they could Iron Horse it given the state the structure was in. Probably would have been crazy expensive (Banshee at $24 million might have actually been CHEAPER than what it could have cost to RMC Son of Beast- and RMC SOB would still have SOB's old baggage to overcome in the GP's eyes), and it's possible very little of the original Son of Beast would have remained, structure-wise. I could see RMC leaving only the pre-lift section and lift hill, a modified version of the first drop (likely steeper and maybe with a Storm Chaser style inversion, if RMC went bonkers) and then giving the rest of the ride a entirely different and new layout (with brand new structure and everything). What they may have designed is anyone's guess.

As for Son of Beast itself, I am old enough to remember it, but when I finally got up the courage to ride it in 2009...it broke down as we were walking up to ride it after riding Diamondback. Then all the stuff happened, and it was closed for good. I do vividly remember the structure and it was very cool looking, which makes me wish I had at least gotten to try it once or so, especially since I love its "father", The Beast. However I have ridden Banshee, and that coaster is awesome so I'd say it got a good replacement.

Also it kinda saddens me that I may well have missed the boat on nearly all the big bad woodies of the late 80's to early 2000's from companies like Dinn and RCCA. I know the reviews on nearly all of them usually began with "THIS RIDE SUX" but I'd still have wanted to try at least of them. However, in North America at least, it seems none are left. I guess stuff the The Voyage (which I have been on and it can get really rough on a bad day- though it's also usually very awesome at the same time- however it is also more modern opening in 2006) or The Boss (Which I have NOT ridden yet- does Boss fit in with the likes of Son of Beast, Rattler, Texas Giant, Mean Streak, and Hercules? It was built in 2000, same year as Son of Beast, and is pretty huge...) are the closest ones still around. The rest have all either been demolished or RMC converted it seems. 

 

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I still think It would of been awesome if they RMC'd SOB. Just imaging what kind of coaster KI would have now if they did. Banshee may be where Mystic Timbers is now. MT may not be here. SOB was massive and seeing those Iron Horse tacks going through that structure would be insane!!!

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20 minutes ago, McSalsa said:

The Boss (Which I have NOT ridden yet- does Boss fit in with the likes of Son of Beast, Rattler, Texas Giant, Mean Streak, and Hercules? It was built in 2000, same year as Son of Beast, and is pretty huge...) are the closest ones still around. The rest have all either been demolished or RMC converted it seems. 

 

I wouldn't really put it with those coasters IMO... The Boss is rough but far more enjoyable than those ever were.

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Mean Streak was fun. It wasn't overly rough until the last couple years of existence. That's just my opinion though. There are some steel coasters that were worse then MS ever was. Example: Carolina Cobra's at Carowinds is terrible. Sorry I kinda went off topic.

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5 minutes ago, Maverick44 said:

Mean Streak was fun. It wasn't overly rough until the last couple years of existence. That's just my opinion though. There are some steel coasters that were worse then MS ever was. Example: Carolina Cobra's at Carowinds is terrible. Sorry I kinda went off topic.

I never liked Mean Streak because it was as bland as it was rough...

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