Review Comments

Home > Ohio > Kings Island > The Beast > Review Comments

0 Rating Posted by: Timberman on 5/22/2006 1:08:00 AM

Look, I dont say this lightly, but this is a overrated ride in an mediocre park that treats its customers with the same contempt and condescension it heaps upon coasters that may once have been ground-breaking but have long since been surpassed in every respect but meaningless statistics. So what if The Beast is the longest wooden roller coaster in the world? No freaking wonder. It has two lift hills and a 1/4 mile staging area leading into the station. Maybe about 62% of its course does anything to entertain or amuse its riders. The rest is all transport and filler. Wow, a heavily-braked straightaway into a clumsily-executed right turn! And did you see how they put a shed over the helix? Geez, Louise. It sure was loud in there!

I didnt grow up riding this roller coaster, nor did I meet my sweetheart in its queue during Coaster Con II. I also freely admit that I missed its best days. I can only comment on what I experienced since October 2004 during a handful of rides, the last of which was on the 20th of May 2006. What I endured at that time was a badly-maintained relic whose greatest strengths are its marketing campaign, the residual loyalty of those who knew it when, and the ignorance and under exposure of the general park-going public, many of whom have simply never ridden a well-maintained and constructed wooden roller coaster.

During one of its interminable straightaways, the washboard quality of The Beasts ride was so exaggerated that it reminded me of footage Ive seen from a bicyle race called Paris-Roubaix. During this competition, masochistic Europeans ride over unevenly-spaced, breadloaf-sized cobblestones, typically in miserable weather. Its sort of the Continental equivalent of NASCAR. The fun comes when a gap or slick spot in this ancient paving seizes the spindly wheel of a racing bike and catapaults it equally spindly rider onto his face, setting off a chain reaction pile-up of bad teeth, shaved-legs, and garishly-colored racing machines and tight clothing. Since the Norman Conquest is over, these are the lengths that men must now go to in order to expend their useless, pent-up testosterone. Likewise, generations of Buckeyes now suffer from shaken coaster-buff syndrome from trying to convince themselves they still have a national treasure at PKI.

Im giving this ride a 7, because one of its overwhelmed ride ops somehow forgot to staple me into my seat with its indivdually-ratcheting lap bar. Consequently, I experienced a dramatic and scary moment of ejector air over the first hill while sitting in the back seat, until the retractable seatbelt finally caught and pulled me safely back down against the dunking-stool-like seatback. It was a rare glimpse into what could have once made this ride famous.

I know many of you have fond memories of The Beast. Thats fine. Far be it from me to gainsay your loyalty. Nevertheless, its not my job to justify it for you. I dont know what this ride was capable of in the late 70s or early 80s. I only know that its now coasting on a reputation it no longer deserves.

i happily gave your review a "good." although ouch, a "bad" after only being posted half a day. what a weenie move by a lurking no-doubt midwestern troll. you self prophesied timberman! i feel you on every point you make. right now i have beast as #2 on my "10". this is based solely on an experience i had in 1993. i was 18 years old at the time and i had dreamed through my adolescence staring at the iconic first lift photo of beast in the guiness book. my first few rides during the day let me down. my pilgrimage seemed somewhat zealous at that point. however i had a night ride that i can only discribe as immensely spiritual. it was early spring and damn cold. i rode in the front with a middle-aged woman from cincinati, whom i had just met in the queue. it was as forceful, tear-streaming, disoriented and up-lifting as any ride i have ever taken on any amusement device. more so. it was an even greater ride than any i have taken on the cyclone. sometimes i think we need to rate rides on singular experiences, because that "moment" of total sync is where the rubber meets the road. i trust your opinion fully on the current state of the ride, and i doubt i will go to PKI based on the price and reports of unpleasant mediocrity. but for now nothing can change the fact that my single greatest amusement park experience was on the beast, thus its not moving in my top ten until a ride can rip my soul apart in the same way.

The "bad" rating may also have come from a bicycle racer. I used to be one myself, and they have no sense of humor. Hrrytraver, Ive heard several such stories, and I dont for a minute discount them. Their common sincerity only makes me that much angrier for PKIs neglect of this ride. I hope people trust me enough to know that I dont come on here to bash beloved rides (although a "7" isnt really bashing), but Im willing to sustain a few "bads" as the price for speaking out against letting once great roller coasters go to seed. Clearly, the Beast is capable of greatness. I experienced it for a moment myself. On the whole, however, it is a ride that is currently not living up to its historic place in coasterdom.

After the Cedar Fair takeover goes into full affect, I have a feeling that this ride might get much worse.

To go with the flow... au contraire, mon frere! I shall speak up + take my abuse like a man - it is I who clicked "bad" for this review. Why? I shall elaborate. True, I gave this ride a 10, but I certainly would not question Timbremans rating - I rode the thing 20 years ago; if you say it has sadly gone to seed, I trust you. And as you mention, a 7 is hardly bringing the hate. So why did I have a beef? Well, firstly, this review seemed to veer off into the twlight zone. A huge chunk of it was an invective-filled slam on European bikers for reasons I just couldnt fathom. And also, frankly, it seemed a little mean spirited. Not against the Beast - hey, if you hated it so be it, if youre pissed off that its poorly maintained, so be it. Thing is, Timbreman, you kind of come out and declare "Anyone who disagrees with me must be an idiot!" You credit any popularity to the publics ignorance. I didnt dig the assumptions. For example: I did not grow up on this ride, didnt meet my sweetheart in the queue, Im not a bicycle racer, and I like to think Ive ridden a few good wooden coasters. (Does Boulder Dash count?) And sorry, hrrytraveler, Im not a lurking midwestern troll. See what I mean? I thought the review was less about the ride, and more a pre-emptive strike against those who might disagree for imagined reasons. Maybe there really are crazed fanatics who lambast anyone who dares speak ill of the Beast, its just Ive never encountered them, so the defensiveness seemed unnecessary. After some of your other, very fine, reviews, this seemed almost surreal. Am I making sense?

^sorry about that praxis. your comment #4 is very un-troll like. but id rather hear you speak up though, as you just did, than put a "bad" on somebodys review. also, your typo, "timbreman" is interesting. it suggests that timberman is a guy whos primary fixation in life is to listen to the texture of musical instruments. the typo "hrrytraveler" seems to imply a hairy traveler, which i am in fact. im going to russia this week, and i havent shaved in several months!

Praxis, you dont have to explain yourself, but I appreciate that you did. Actually, as I mentioned above, I was a bicycle racer (although I was hardly good enough to race with the European pros) so my comments about bike racers were somewhat self-effacing, if not in an obvious way. I only brought it up b/c being on the ride made me think of Paris-Roubaix, and I thought the metaphor was apt. You may be right that I got carried away with it. Where I take issue with your comment is that I dont declare or imply that anyone who disagrees with me must be an idiot. I actually go to some lengths to avoid doing that. I have sentimental attachments to roller coasters that affect my ratings, and I usually try to acknowledge as much when they do. Sentimental attachments are perfectly natural, and I dont discourage them, except when people allow them to cloud their judgment to the point that they invite exploitation. If someone loves the Beast and thinks it deserves a place in coaster history, or more importantly, if someone thinks it deserves to ride on into the future, then that person should be jumping up and down for PKI to pay some attention to it. My point is that since Im not clouded by nostalgia for this ride, I can see it for what it currently is. I believe that the ride was built primarily to set a record, and as a result, it has an uninspired layout that simply takes advantage of any chance to add length without adding any more quality to the ride. I also believe that its current state of maintenance gets in the way of its strengths, which seem to be speed and...well, speed. But to answer your question, you make perfect sense. Its not a polite, touchy-feely review. And Im not a diplomat. But I certainly dont begrudge people their opinions...or their memories.

i did notice a slightly violent defensive edge to this review and the voyage review. i commented as such regarding the voyage review. however, both were fun to read. maybe youre in a "nietzche" phase, wildly iconoclastic, yet quick to affirm that which affirms genuine beauty and using a "coaster"-like prosody in the process. incidentally, the night experience of the beast circa 93 gave much more than speed. even back then, i found the daylight version underwhelming.

Thanks for your cyber-courtesy, dudes! And hrrytaver... dagnabit, I do that kind of typo all the time when dealing with online names. :/ Since everyone abbreviates, I guess the ole noggin just fills in letters to make sense of things (I read "hrry" and "harry" the same) and I end up mangling things. The hazards of our IMing age, I guess.

Alls I can say is that its a damned shame you missed out on the Beast in its glory days, Timber. Im not speaking out of a cloud of sentimentality for my youth and its halcyon days spent at Kings Island (this was about 1986-1992) - rather, Im coming from the viewpoint of a woodie lover who happened to cut her teeth on the Beast. Even after having ridden some real honeys (The Coney Island Cyclone, Boulder Dash, the Phoenix, etc), the Beast still holds a very, very special place in my heart. Its a huge shame that its been let go - excessive over-braking? Overall deterioration? I dont know - I havent been on her in over ten years. But back when, I can tell you as a real critic that the final double helix was once a thing of beauty - the covering shed helped to make it an extremely intense element. Sneaky and hair-raising. The covered brake run was a moment of respite, which, believe it or not, was needed by that point - a perfect transitional break before heading into the notorious two right shifts that led up to the second chain lift. Ugh. Just recalling these features brings incredibly vivid memories to mind - and makes the modern reality youve painted sting at me more and more. It really hurts to hear that that damned Paramount has let such a great coaster fall into disrepair... just sickening...

But anyhow, I have to hand it to you for posting an honest review - you didnt hold back - and you shouldnt. I appreciate your being so forthcoming, and I dont judge you for it - if anything, Im just pissed as hell at Paramount. The maintenance staff under Kings Productions was a team of masters, seriously. What in the hell happened, I dont know... but I am seriously pissed.

yknow, timberman, actually if you want to take this discussion deeper, i am curious. you seem to be arguing two things. one- current state of beast=sucky. two- uninteresting layout, built to break records, overhyped. if we dont want to continue laboring over these points, thats cool. however this IS a discussion board. here is timbermans quote- "Im willing to sustain a few "bads" as the price for speaking out against letting once great roller coasters go to seed." however, going to "seed" is not the only criticism you have. next i read from you "it has an uninspired layout that simply takes advantage of any chance to add length without adding any more quality to the ride." which argument against the beast is stronger for you? i cant agree regarding the layout. the design is quite unique, IMO. i remember reading that the fastest part of the ride was down before the second lift. the troughs of the hills coming off of the lifts are NOT even the fastest point of the design. the massive helix and the terrain and runaway minetrain vibe is totally inspired, i think. a record breaker could have been done out in a broad midway like the GASM (jersey) or kingda ka. those guys were really trying something bold and outta this world with beast. it really is a secret to you until you ride it. at night, you dont even know what hit you....

Ive never had one of the Beasts legendary night rides, although Ive heard much about them. Im tempted to say that a ride that is only great at night, under a full moon, in the rain, with a bag pipe accompaniment, etc., might be lacking something. But I wont, because I believe that loving the way certain rides shine under certain very specific conditions is totally valid. I love Schwarzkopf Jet Stars because I used to ride one by the ocean as a kid. I had some transcendent experiences on that ride, but I recognize its limitations. Youre right that Im selling the Beast short by saying its only about speed. It does offer a more complex "experience," and it does nicely interact with its environment. You know what sort of day I had at PKI before I wrote this review, so maybe Im lashing out beyond what is warranted. But even with my family there on a beautiful fall day in 2004, when all my coaster-loving receptors were at peak operational capacity, I wasnt really moved by the Beast. In fact I purposely didnt review it at that time, because I thought I might be missing something, and I didnt want to dismiss it prematurely. Maybe Im still doing that now. To answer your other points, Im not a big fan of the Beasts layout and I do think it "cheats" on length, but the roller coaster world is certainly big enough to encompass a ride that doesnt feature much airtime, steep drops, crossovers, tight curves, etc. Still, all that stuff is typically more my style. Above all I love intensity, however, and if I had caught the Beast at its frenzied best, then maybe Id be singing a different tune. Thats why I liked SOB when it was running well, even though its own layout didnt have all the Cyclone-style elements I just enumerated. I guess you could say then that my chief complaint is that the Beast, and certainly Son of Beast, cant cut loose and really shine because of their current maintenance issues. I honestly dont know if this due to neglect, age, faults in design or construction, or what have you. Based on what many have stated, and I certainly trust what everyone here has had to say, PKI seems to have lately dropped the ball. Or perhaps age just catches up to us all at some point. And then you have the age-old problem of how comparing different types of coasters is like comparing apples to oranges, but some highly-regarded coasters, including the Beast and Shivering Timbers, just havent hit me where I live.

i havent posted a review of beast myself. the reason is because a "TR" type review of one particlar ride i had 13 years ago doesnt seem appropriate for a board like this. it seems like the most useful reviews are slightly "zoomed" out from the dead center of the subjective mind. i figured one day i would return, partly on your previous recommendation of SOB! mixing my earlier experience with a fresh one would be balanced and probably more interesting (me blathering about great "touch down at the big game" may read quite heavy-handed) review, and certainly a more helpful one at that to people planning trips. but it seems less and less likely ill ever go back to KI. my memory may just stand there forever. but, i recall a thread by coasterglxy, "what makes a 10." i think the criteria can vary and that apples and oranges both get "tens" from same people. top tens on this board often have flats mixed in for instance. i argue that an ultra sublime ride experience, however singular, can be its own criteria for high rating. that means that a persons top ten can contain rides with extremely holistic reasoning behind its rating and while others may have the narrowest imaginable excuse for high praise.

Its interesting how much this string of reviews parallels the comments on the former "Riverside Cyclone," now just The Cyclone at Six Flags New England. I had the immense pleasure (pardon my age) of having ridden both the Beast and the Riverside Cyclone in their rookie seasons. Then both were regarded as "Top 5," and perhaps "Top 2," coasters in United States. Both also featured extremely long wait lines that added to the drama of the moment when you finally got to ride. Both also had a certain element of danger, the Beast because it was creepy how long it took to get to the top of the first lift hill (remember it was the biggest coaster then) and the Cyclone because it had caused (I seem to remember) two deaths in its rookie year. Overtime, the Riverside Cyclone got neutered by Six Flags as is well documented on its reviews on this site. I have not ridden the Beast in twenty years, but it sounds like it may have suffered a similar fate at the hands of Paramount Parks. The Coney Island Cyclone, on the other hand, still performs great. Is the difference that it has a steel frame that takes less work too maintain? Or is it that Astroland is not run by a big corporation like Paramount or Six Flags that are possibly too concerned with litigation? Or maybe there are simply too many big rides at Paramount and Six Flags parks, so the owners kind of lose interest in "last years attractions," as they try to figure out how to make the newer rides work right? For example, is SF management even thinking about the Cyclone when they cant get Kingda Ka at SFGA to even operate most days. Now that we have a new generation of star woodies, I am hopeful they will fare better. For example, the Boulder Dash at Lake Compounce is built into a hillside and thus may age better because the wooden structure is less massive and thus easier to maintain. Also, because there are fewer big rides at Lake Compounce perhaps the owners will see a commercial danger if they tone down their main attraction overtime? In any event, I would welcome thoughts about why the Riverside Cyclone and the Beast appear to have met similiar fates while the Boulder Dash and Coney Island Cyclone still kick butt.

It wasnt opening day, but I too rode it when it was "the Riverside Cyclone". It definitely was cooler. Boulder Dash still kicks butt --- but its way newer.

Praxis, in regards to your earlier comments about Timbermans pre-emptive strike, I get what youre saying but trust me his defensiveness was by no means unnecessary. Ive had the pleasure of being hammered with "Bad" review ratings for coasters by people who werent just fans of the coaster (Volcano, Hypersonic), but probably hadnt even ridden the coaster (SheiKra)! When I posted my unpopular 7 with a pretty detailed review right after it opened last year. Everyone has made some great points above its been a very interesting discussion. I just wanted to say that the fanboys, haters, and blind homers are among us. I know exactly where Timberman & hrrytraver were coming from with their midwestern troll comments. At least you explained your "Bad", it should be mandatory to do that.

Meh, folks - in a way it is annoying, but dont let the "Bad" ratings get you down. They might feel like something of an insult (believe me, I know - Ive got my share of them, to say the least), but they dont hurt your status on the site - as well, I think that the more intelligent and/or responsible critics dont look at them as having anything to do with your level of common sense or experience regarding coasters and flats. They suck, sure - but you cant let them get you down.

Papa1958, you ask a good question about why some wood-tracked coasters fare better than others. I really dont know enough about materials, construction methods, and maintenance to provide any sort of intelligent information about the relative long-term prospects of coasters built with wood support structures versus those built with steel. My guess is that, given proper maintenance, either should maintain their ride quality for many decades. My own reflex is to blame the "corporate mentality" for the deterioration of any number of great wooden roller coasters at the big chain parks, but I dont have much more than anecdotal evidence to back up this supposition. With regard to thrill rides, I think all the big corporations care about is the cost/benefit analysis. They want to spend as little money as possible for as big an increase in gate receipts as possible. Ride quality, in the sense of what appeals to a purist, probably isnt even on their radar screen. Instead, theyre interested in breaking records so they have something to put in their press releases, as well as capacity, safety, maintenance and insurance costs, and "synergy," those ridiculous product tie-ins that give us rides like the Italian Job Stunt Track. Surely 95%, if not more, of the people who go to a park like PKI wont have ridden more than a handful of roller coasters in their lives. If you tell them something broke a record or that its a "classic," theyll believe you, and theyll dutifully wait two hours to ride it so they can brag to their friends later. When a wooden roller coaster stops being the star attraction that pulls people in, it will get only the minimum amount of attention necessary to keep it running without it becoming an outright liability. You could get ACEs entire membership flying in to visit a certain roller coaster in a given year, and that will mean less to a big park than something that appeals to 75% of 12-year-olds (the American Idol effect). If PKI can pull in 34,000 in one day, who cares what 3,000 or so cranks think? Interestingly, Beast and Son of Beast are still considered big attractions at PKI, and yet theyre both running poorly. My guess is that PKI is simply betting that its bread and butter customer wont know the difference. Thats why I say theyre treating them with contempt and condescension. Yet the harsh ride quality of these coasters is bound to catch up to them sooner or later, at which point PKI (or Cedar Faire) will simply do whatever is most cost effective, whether that means neutering them, fixing them up just enough to stem the complaints, or replacing them. Personally, I would rather see a ride torn down than operate like the late Hercules, as that only makes the general public think wooden coaters are obsolete and should be avoided. The family Beast is not quite that bad, but theyve taken a long step in that direction. Smaller parks, and parks that maintain National Historic Landmarks like the Cyclone, will also, of course, be looking at the bottom line, but they may have the luxury of paying attention to other considerations, like pleasing a core audience, maintaining a tradition, or indulging in a passion. They also may depend on a small number of the same roller coasters year after year as their big draw, giving them more of an incentive to maintain them. One of the reasons Im so big on roller coasters like Hades and Voyage is that they artfully combine both mass and enthusiast appeal. I dont care who else likes a roller coaster, as a long as I do; fact is Im more than happy to share the joy.

Didnt Cedar Fair own Geauga Lake in 2005? If they did then kudos to them because, Raging Wolf Bobs got a beautiful re-tracking and Im pretty sure it happened last year. From reading some reviews it seems like it wasnt aging well and offered a rough ride, but when I rode in Oct. of last year it was one of the most enjoyable woodies Ive ever climbed aboard. I was still shell-shocked from horrible my ride on the Cyclone @ SFNE a few months earlier, so I expected the worse, but I was pleasantly surpised with a really fun ride. Maybe Cedar Fair will re-track some of Paramounts rough woodies. Can anyone confirm if CF owned GL when RWB was re-tracked?

I rode the beast this week and it was the first time in several years. For some reason i enjoyed it less than the first time rides. Myself primarily a steel coaster fan finding wood coasters fun but not my cup of tea. I do respect anyone elses opinions on wood, but even after riding the Voyage which was good in a lot of ways the roughness just seems to turn me off as time has gone by.

While I dont agree with Timbermans comments on the contempt that PKI treats its guest with (I liked the park and thought the operations were top notch), but I do agree with his thoughts on the Beast. If it were not for its legendary status with its devotees, this coaster could easily be given the "Hercules Treatment" (i.e. "Tear... or burn... it down!?) Come to think of it... with CP taking over Paramount parks, I wouldnt be surprised if it actually would meet the same fate as Herc in the next few years. Steel floorles anyone?

You guys are physically hurting me, here... I hate, hate, hate reading that this coaster has slipped - but, as a woodie devotee, I still believe deeply in my heart that the slip is due to lack of maintenance and/or addition of trim brakes. This coaster, at least when I was riding it, was poetic - no kidding.

Like Adriahna, I am either a romantic or just stubborn. Although I have not ridden The Beast in decades, I am keeping The Beast on my Top 10 list based on memories from my teen years.,

Dunno, papa, I honestly dont think its a matter of being a romantic, or even stubborn - I believe that what it really boils down to is the possibility that this legend isnt what it once was, due to either neglect, trim braking, or both. I remember some seriously life-stirring rides on the Beast, and this was after Id become hugely passionate about coasters. Maybe it really isnt what it once was - but in my many, many times riding it, the Beast was one hell of an experience.

Post Review Comment
You must login or create an account to post a review comment.

The Premier Online Theme Parks Guide

Review Comments