Could Intamin have done better w/ SOB?

Anyone ever think about that? What if Intamin had came up with the concept of SOB? With the new breed of wooden coasters (such as "El Toro", "Colossos", and "Balder"), do you think that Son of Beast would be more enjoyable? I'd like to hear what you all think.

If it had been done with their milled wood design I think it would have been a hit. We wouldn't be complaining about any roughness...we'd just be complaining about how boring the layout is and how there's no air. (It would have likely been the same design since Werner Stengel designed the layout)

I agree. But Intamin is all about airtime in my opinion. As huge as the rollercoaster is...I'm pretty sure Intamin would've really had fun with the airtime factor. Layout however....you may be right about that. The layout is beautiful IMO, however, riding it...it would be quite boring.

Given Intamin's reputation for their wooden coasters I think that Son of Beast would certainly be smoother and more enjoyable. I'm just speculating, but maybe the precision of Intamin's process would have allowed the current layout to be better executed (maybe a few pops of air over the hills).

Even if PKI wanted to use Intamin, it might not have been feasible since Intamin was busy with a rather large project up the road that year.

Agreed....beautiful layout...but the only thing that keeps me from yawning at many times is the savage, inhumane beating.

And I also agree about airtime being Intamin's forte, but had this been the design if Intamin did it (for the reason I stated above) I doubt there would be much air (and we'd all be complaining)....there's only the one little hill at the end that has the potential, and I've never had any air there.

I blame all SOB's problems on the celebrity they chose to promote the ride....who else remember's who it was?

buckeye brad...I believe you're correct, because they were working on Millennium Force that same year. So I definitely agree.

Wait a minute, Son of Beast did debut in 2000 right? or was it 2001?

2000

Yeah, but people complain about how boring MF's layout is..and they're just plain WRONG! ;)

Seriously, though. Having not ridden SoB or any Intamin Plug n' Plays, it's quite possible that it could've come out like MF - more focused on sensation of speed than on air or turns.

Stengel worked with RCCA, and he works with Intamin....the difference would have been negligible, IMO. Likely most of the *damage* done by the ride would have been more to the steel running plate (and trains, and riders), but with that *atrocious* layout, the dive into the Rosebowl was never going to be anything less than devastating.

Replacing running rails (2x6 *ledgers*) with laminated beams would HARDLY make the ride suddenly "acceptable".

So I guess my short answer is "no, Intamin would not have made THIS Sonny any better".

It would be hard to do worse.

Perhaps Intamin would have suggested AGAINST the ill-advised first half of the layout? Dunno, doubtful though, I think that was what PKI wanted...

"Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it"... ;)

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Peabody said:I blame all SOB's problems on the celebrity they chose to promote the ride....who else remember's who it was?

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ack, who is it?!

Umm, what is this so-called "rosebowl"?

Anyway, y'all are just a bunch of lily-livered wimps. I can't believe that you get your panties all up in a Frist just over a little jostling. And RGW, with your recently acquired "extra padding", a ride on SOB should be nothing.

However, I will agree with you on this, the asshat that came up with that slanted-floor train design should be given a swirly.
toodles, jeremy

LOL, j, I still ride the stupid thing whenever I find myself in Cinci (which, lately, hasn't been often). Remember, though, it's "not about me"....it's about the reactions of Joe Sixpack and all the little Sixpacks...

NOT having ridden since...'02-'03-ish...I find Sonny laughably abusive to the rider...my head felt like it was being crushed, and my spine wasn't too much better.

Call me a wimp when it comes to Mission:Space, because clearly, on that ride, I'm in the minority opinion (and I readily admit that, but given the givens, i.e., at DISNEY), even the meek-of-heart EXPECT to be able to ride. The wimp tag FITS, I'll wear it...

Sonny is at a park for the more serious rider, the more hardcore fans, and it's SUPPOSED to be the most intense ride there...I can deal with that, demographically-speaking. But when the "hardest of the hardcore" (LOVE me some TrEmOrS and Tx. Giant) say it's TOO rough for the intensity level, then that MIGHT be something where it's not me, it's the ride. Also, MOST enthusiasts seem to agree with ME on this one...I *crave* intensity, just don't like being beaten...

P.S. The "rosebowl", that's the first helix, that's where the "Bad Things"(TM-DA) happen...;)

*** Edited 5/5/2006 3:44:45 PM UTC by rollergator***

Call me crazy, but the wife and I like the SoB beatings. We have headed right for the last row everytime we ride. Although we've ventured towards the front before and found it to be a little boring.

Could Intamin have done better with it? Like most are saying on the board, you'd be seeing the same ride but smoother and quieter. It would be about as boring as MF's layout. Give me SRoS or Magnum over MF anyday!

~Rob Willi

^ You're crazy....so's the wife. Hope the little Willi is doing well... :)

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DorneyDante said:

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Peabody said:I blame all SOB's problems on the celebrity they chose to promote the ride....who else remember's who it was?

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ack, who is it?!

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"Montel" How's that for a celebrity! :)

Montel loves his coasters!

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rollergator said:
^ You're crazy....so's the wife. Hope the little Willi is doing well...

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Little Willi is doing great, but he's a chucker now. Here's a recent pic if you'd like to see...

Clicky

But yes, this is the same wife that loves the backseat of Vortex, now I know I have found my match ;)

~Rob Willi