...and as safe as it is supposed to be. I'm sure THAT is Cedar Fair's MAJOR priority, as it should be.

I have heard reports from the IAAPA convention that mention Gravity Group has been involved in numerous retracking and repair projects this off seasson. That would lead to the theroy that they are the ones who are performing the repairs to SoB.

Should be interesting to see what the remainder of the offseasson brings.

Well its good to hear that SOB will be open next year. Does anyone have a link to Gravity Group?

Here are the links for GCII's webpage and Gravity Groups webpage.

Great Coasters International

The Gravity Group

Tear it down! Spare the rest of the world of that god awful coaster. Its better seen than heard. Ive had more fun looking at it closed than actually riding it when its open.

^

Your opinion, I disagree and will be the first in line to ride SoB when it opens.

I think Maureen should be first in line with a group of PKIC for the first ride. That will show the gp that it's good to go. Maybe Dick could come down and have a ride on it too.

^That would be awesome if members of PKIC were the first to ride it upon re-opening.

I'll definity ride it when it opens. Just to see if anything has actually changed.

I'm so glad to hear its opening. I think its an awesome ride. I also hate to see a large part of KI's resources standing by being unused.

I also think its a good statement that they are standing by it and opening it back up. I am looking forward to the improvements, though, that will hopefully smooth it out while still keeping its character.

You all should expect a VERY different SOB when the park opens. Sure, everyone can be like; WTF are you talking about, but just wait.

And your possitive I can see these changes from the air?

Actually, I am not sure how significant the changes are at this point in time.

I was told by a friend that on a recent flight through the area it looked the same as it does every offseason comparing it to the ariel pictures from the past two offseasons.

Well, I guess the changes have not been made as of yet. Be patient my children, the time will come.

Yes, the time will come. When we will all be told....something.

Haha, I bet if whoever flys over that thing now and zooms in on the loop with a camera will notice a HUGE and not so great change

^Well, what changes are they?

You'll find out next year

In a earlier post they gave a hint that if someone zoomed in on the loop they would notice a difference. Did they remove the loop? I hope that they didn't do this but I guess we will have to wait until 07' to find out. I hope that it reopens in the Spring when I go to get my season pass renewed. I want to be one of the first people to ride it. I missed riding it all season last year. I only got to ride it in May and July before the accident. The park wasn't the same without it being open. When I visited in October for Beast Bash Maureen mentioned something about the trains maybe being changed or redone. I hope they change them to something safer and more comfortable and I hope they didn't change the coaster design in anyway.

Like I've said before, I'm no structural engineer (yet) and I don't work at the park, but it seems like the loop has been the least problematic component of the ride since its opening. The accident took place before the loop, and on a structure completely different from that of the loop. Unless GCII (or Gravity Group) really has designed new trains, and those trains cannot navigate the loop, I can't imagine why it would be removed. Then again, I can't imagine why the park wouldn't necessitate that new trains be able to handle the inversion.

In my personal opinion, the loop is the only redeeming quality of the entire ride.

Two thoughts about the possibility and the reasons why they would remove the loop on the Son of Beast.

1.) They may want to slow the attraction down to give a more smother ride and need to eliminate the loop to make this happen, as it takes a certain amount of speed to accommodate for the loop.

2.) If they felt that the current restraints were to confining and led to a rougher ride or increased the level of injury due to the constraints. They may have decided to go with a different type of constraints in the existing cars or in a new design style of car. Either way it’s possible that the new constraints may not be suitable for any inversions, there for the need to eliminate the loop on the Son of Beast would be necessary

Disclaimer: I not saying that either one of these ideas have any truth to them but I am only putting them out there to give possible credence to the suggestions of the removal of the loop.

If I had to guess as to the possibilities on one of the two above choices I would say the second choice is a more possible choice. Just my opinion let’s hear others idea’s as well.

They wouldn't remove the loop on Son of Beast cause I feel that is the reason alot of people ride it and its the smootest part of the ride. I really enjoy the loop and if they did take it out I would have no reason to take the 2:00-2:30 beating the Son of Beast loves to deliver.

For this entire time I have been convinced that they would never remove the loop on SOB, especially considering the fame it has recieved for that feature. The only reason I could come up with would be for new trains that couldnt handle an inversion....like has been mentioned earlier. But I have thought in my head the whole time....No, PKI wouldn't remove one of the major elements of the ride.

However.....today I am forced to wonder about the possibility of this happening, especially since when I drove by the park today at Lunch I noticed a boom crane up and parked right near the vacinity of the loop.

I will almost guarentee that they will not remove Son of Beast's loop. The only way I could see this happening is if GCII or whomever is redoing the ride said there was no way that they would do that. Not to mention they would have to shift the angle the drop takes to meet the track in the right spot. If they do remove it, they better add an airtime hill in there somewhere.

Yea if they take out that loop they might as well tear the entire ride down.

Haha, I bet if whoever flys over that thing now and zooms in on the loop with a camera will notice a HUGE and not so great change

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Cy, are you an employee of KI or CF? If not, then why not tell?

I think the big change is that SoB is sinking.

Cedar Fair has great experience with rides sinking and being able to prevent them sinking all the way to China. See Magnum at Cedar Point.

Bye bye loop!

I would hate to see the loop go...Without it, SOB is just a really really big, rough ride...I would still ride it...but it wouldn't be anywhere near as fun...