TR: SOB Ride Report

[AZ Kinda Guy]

I made a visit to the park today and other than some minor improvements in the second helix, the ride still blows. I know wood coaster maintenance worked hard but the bottom line is the ride is still very rough and is very painful. I don't think it matters how much work you do on it, it's still going to beat the living crap out of you. Until next year...

[Gordon Bombay]

Thats sad to hear, I heard lots of good things and lots of bad things. Most people said its still no good. I atleast have to ride it once. It's a shame.

[PKIVortex]

I'm hoping I can find out for myself next Sunday. I plan on going to the park after I get off work at 2:30. I intend to ride SOB as soon as I get to the park.

[cincyboy0830]

Wood coasters are just not meant to go that high and fast...we need steel!

[CoastersNSich]

What seat did you sit in? Yesterday (Saturday) I had the very back seat, which made it a bit rougher, but it was still a better ride than last year.

[TOPGUN1993]

Back seat over the wheels is my favorite seat

[Gordon Bombay]

^Considering your younger and smaller than probably a lot of people on here. When I was your age SOB was my favorite ride and now (last year atleast) I can barely tolerate it.

[WooferBearATL]

See, I road SOB only one time in my life. It was such an absolutely horrible experience that I never got on again. I remember that after riding I couldn't ride anything else at the park and that my neck hurt for several days. (Yup, Cervical Strain) Hell, if I knew the things I know now I certainly would have put in an insurance claim against the park. <G>

But if they've corrected the problems, I'd almost consider trying the ride again.

[Captain Picard]

I think from what AZ is telling you, it's possible that you could strain your cervical again if you do.

[The Interpreter]

Well, given their phenomenal record with Mean Streak, we will now see what Cedar Fair LP can do to the world's largest, tallest, fastest and only looping wooden coaster...

[Reon]

If theres a day I dont work at Coney this weekend, I'll head on over and check it out.

Hmm. I've been reading a 2002 coaster book over the weekend. It claimed that SoB was SUPPOSED to be built rough, to fully emphasize its 'fury'. Just some food for thought.

[The Interpreter]

Ha! Reminds me of when Paramount Parks claimed that Grizzly at PGA is a "bumpy" thrill ride. Hey, they had to come up with some adjective.

The Interpreter, who did not find Grizzly to be bumpy, or much of anything else. Certainly not thrilling!

[PKIVortex]

I can't wait to give my own opinion on SOB. But a wooden coaster over 200 feet tall is not going to be B&M smooth. I just don't think a coaster should be rough that it beats the crap out of you. I'll see in a few days what I think of the new and improved SOB.

[flightoffear1996]

It is still rough but not so rough you can't ride it.

[KIBeast]

AZ, I know you have much disdain for SOB, but not everyone hates that coaster. Yeah, it's kinda rough but it's supposed to be rough. What do you expect out of a wood coaster that tall? People are so spoiled these days by Intamin and B&M that they forget that not all coasters are smooth as glass. Nor are they supposed to be.

[TheKlockster]

Son of Beast was like a 50% improvement over last year. Not totally better though. I will say it is WAY more smooth than Beast, and depending on the particular circumstance, possibly smoother than Racer. The last two Beast rides I had were so bad I almost had to go to first aid, but decided not to after the pain died down about 10 minutes later...

If I do ever ride that POS again - it will not be until 2007. I'll stick with the good rides, like Vortex, Flight of Fear, Son of Beast, Drop Zone and Delirium.

[pkikid]

when I rode it yesterday (5/21), I thought it was smoother than it ever has been, but I rode almost right in the middle of the train, so, that might have alot to do with it, but all in all, I thought they did an excellent job on redoing the whole layout.

[VortexQueen]

It is better but still a little rough.. i didnt expect it to be perfect.. its a woodie so its always going to be rough.

My Mother told me its because of the type of wood they used.. its different from that of The Racers and Beast.. its different from most kinds i've seen. SoB's wood looks WhiteWashed, even when it was new.

its just.. Weird

[Shaggy]

"Wood coasters are just not meant to go that high and fast...we need steel!"

I disagree... wood coasters are just not meant to go around and around.

The rough parts of SOB are the turns. Had this been an out and back, then the roughness would likely be a non issue.

Heard any roughness complaints about HW's newbie?

Shaggy

[cincyboy0830]

"Wood coasters are just not meant to go that high and fast...we need steel!"

I disagree... wood coasters are just not meant to go around and around.

The rough parts of SOB are the turns. Had this been an out and back, then the roughness would likely be a none issue.

Heard any roughness complaints about HW's newbie?

Shaggy

Yeah the turns (helixes) are pretty overused in SOB. They should have made it like an adventure type coaster like The Beast.

[kjkjkj]

^ I think you mean a terrain coaster...............

[Snake Attack!]

well it is called the Son of Beast now so shouldn't the son of the father also be a terrain coaster?

[kjkjkj]

maybe the SON takes after his MOTHER!

[kjkjkj]

speaking of trip reports, i overheard these girls talking about how they went to PKI recently. and they were saying that PKI lied, and that they didnt add any new rides to NU, and that the Atom Ant Airway was just rethemed to Avatar, and Avatar wasnt new..... some people are just plain dumb

[AZ Kinda Guy]

In response to PKIBeast:

Kinda rough? Are you effn kidding me? SOB beats the living crap out of you....I expect it NOT to give me back pain which it unfortunately does....I don't expect any wood coaster to be smooth as glass but again, nor do I expect to get off with back pain and a headache.

It doesn't matter. I have a feeling that SOB's days are now numbered.

[The Interpreter]

Should that be true, a bunch of people will show up here and start crying about how Cedar Fair took out a wood coaster. Which is fine. Except one thing.

Many of them will be the same people who now gripe and complain about SOB!

[AZ Kinda Guy]

Haha. Not me. I'd be the one lighting the match for the bonfire.

[RingMaster]

In response to PKIBeast:

Kinda rough? Are you effn kidding me? SOB beats the living crap out of you....I expect it NOT to give me back pain which it unfortunately does....I don't expect any wood coaster to be smooth as glass but again, nor do I expect to get off with back pain and a headache.

It doesn't matter. I have a feeling that SOB's days are now numbered.

So how's The Beast treatin ya then? Is it good?

PKIBeast was right; people are so spoiled over all the B&Ms and Intamin steel coasters being made, yet one wooden coaster is built and people flip out about it being rough. I thought these were the same people that wanted a coaster that went over 200 feet? I'd rather take a good woodie like SOB (or the Thunderhead, Legend, Voyage, Raven, Shivering Timbers, and Zeus) than a B&M like Raptor or Mantis.

Come to think of it, I'd rather have a coaster under 200 feet running through the woods or in a very well-themed environment, than a 200-400 hyper steel coaster in a dry patch of land in the middle of nowhere (harsh, I know, but I just had to make an attempt to prove a point).

(....which, of course, no point was made. )

[KIBeast]

It doesn't matter. I have a feeling that SOB's days are now numbered.

I wouldn't bet on that. I read over on coasterbuzz that some have been on SOB and they seem to have thought that it greatly improved. And, that the jackhammering has been nearly alleviated. Also, I had a terrible ride on the Big Dipper at Geauga Lake...a very painful ride. But, that doesn't mean it's going anywhere.

[Browntggrr]

Yeah, it's kinda rough but it's supposed to be rough. What do you expect out of a wood coaster that tall? People are so spoiled these days by Intamin and B&M that they forget that not all coasters are smooth as glass. Nor are they supposed to be.

Well here is a poll from coaster enthusiasts, and it is just a wood coaster poll:

http://www.ushsho.com/woodpoll12yeartable2005.htm

SoB is near the bottom of the list. If the enthusiasts believe that it is too rough, imagine what the general public feels about SoB.

With any luck, the modifications will make it a better ride. But it is intresting that KI has not really made it well known that SoB has had modifications made to it that (I'm guessing) had a price tag of a couple million bucks. With that kind of investment I would think that there would have been some press releases about the improvments- Unless even KI is unsure of the improvments themselves.