How to spot a coaster enthusiast:

Italics make everything official.

Absolutely perfect timing, Gonch. lol

Yeah, that was awesome. :)

Wait, so does that mean your first post on this page *isn't* official?

This statement is false.

I can't get off this version of the site fast enough.

First rule of coaster enthusiasm:1. Everything used to be better. It sucks now in comparison.

Lucky for the reader then...that I'm not a recognized "enthusiast." Which explains why I was able to recollect that The Bat was actually a very boring ride, and The Gemini was fairly tame in 1978. Had I earned the "enthusiast" card, I might have misrepresented these ride experiences.

Back to The Beast and my recollection of how superior this ride was in the early years...

Inaddition a bunch of the turns aren't as banked as much as they aretoday (probably changed also around 1980), which is probably why youremember the strong laterals. The trains were originally four cars withfour benches each, with a fade from red to yellow to green(?).

Thanks for the information Lowkae. I knew there were major changes to the ride from early inception. I've forgotten my physics...but I know that changing bank angles and car lengths are not insignificant changes. I'm guessing that these 2 factors alone explain why the "ride experience" is not what it used to be.

I was only 7-8 then. But my father took us to a lot of parks. All I can tell you is that AT THAT TIME there was not another ride even close in intensity to The Beast. In my honest opinion, I've ridden nothing close since. To this day, I suspect The Beast is the reason I prefer wooden coasters to steel.

Ghostrider was intense before they braked it...but nothing like the early Beast. I've not done Holiday World's...except The Raven...same story there. I did all the Dells...same story.

I suspect track angle is a more realistic explanation than memory inflation. If not, why aren't all the coasters built from 1975-1985 or so remembered so fondly? There was really just one ride that had such an influence.

Any 1979 veterans that can back up or denounce my recollection?

Good, Good memories!

Jeff said:
I can't get off this version of the site fast enough.

What, and ruin the fun? ;)

I will say that memory inflation of their first hyper is rampant among my non-enthusiast friends (and probably for me, seeing as AC was my first hyper in 2001 and I've never gotten back to ride it). Every non-enthusiast friend I have swears their first hyper is better than every other hyper (one of my friends swears Raging Bull is better than S:RoS SFNE).

I had one of the ladies from my church try to convince me that Vortex (PKI) is taller and faster than Titan.

LostKause said:
I know you are being fictitious, Gonch, but the unintentional italics just make you post seem that much more true for some reason!

Yeah Gonch, stop being fictitious and get real!

HA! I need to pay more attention to the word I approve from spell check. Facetious.

Gonch is always fictitious.

Are train changes from 4 bench to 3 bench cars and increasing bank angles considered minor?

I guess an enthusiast spends hours finding circa 1979 coaster photos of his favorite ride in quest to determine if memory inflation or track angulation are responsible for fond feelings.

I found this photo of the 4-bench trains absent the dividers, headrests,etc. It is pre-logo during the testing phase 1979. Notice there is indeed a small skid at the top of hill #1.

This construction photo, as well as this one, show how tight the curve after drop #1 was navigated. It also shows how quickly the angle transitioned to flat. I remember curve #1 and the subsequant drop to the forest floor as the most intense part of this, or any other ride, ever. I was smashed against my dad one moment and flying out of my seat the next. I could not breath until the shed. The only modern experience similar is Thunderbolt...in terms of laterals. But the intensity was tenfold on the Beast ala 1979. Keep in mind that there was no trim before the second hill those days.

It takes a little studying, but this modern photo shows how turn #1 has been re-profiled with increased track angle. This photo shows about the same.

It is little bit of work, but there are photos out there that show the massive changes that have been made to the ride "in the name of maintenance."

Imagine, if you can, what that first turn might have felt like with 4 bench cars (not exactly known for their tracking), tight radius, and flat track angulation shown in the construction photos. Think about the speed built up to the drop to the forest floor.

While I agree with the concept of memory inflation, and admit there might be SOME here...those pictures are not evidence of an imagination gone bad. Those photos are evidence of a poor coaster/track design that fortunately (unfortunately depending on perspective) led to an everlasting intensity that is burnt into the minds of all of us who were lucky enough to ride it year #1. By today's standards, nobody in their right mind would put a relatively unbanked 90 degree curve immediately following a 130' plus drop...let alone immediately follow that up with another drop to the ravine floor. But in 1979, for a few months, or years (depending on who you believe), that is exactly what Kings Island did.

Once maintenance bills, insurance, etc led to wiser minds...the track was angled/reprofiled and the 2nd drop was braked, etc to bring The Beast in line with modern standards. I preferred the old standards. But I'm a thrill seeker.

I went to Indiana Beach, back when the Cornball Express was the latest ride, and there was an older couple wearing ACE shirts, who claimed that they had already ridden Cornball 18 times in a row, and that was the only ride they had been on all day. They were also very critical of Hoosier Hurricane to people around them who were saying that Hoosier Hurricane was better than Cornball. But, really didn't know the name of either coaster. But, the acers didn't waste a second in breath to explain it to them in every detail.

Other people who you can tell are not coaster enthusiasts refer to Top Thrill Dragster as that really tall yellow ride in the middle of the park. Or refer to the Raptor as the Batman ride. Or Iron Dragon as that flying coaster thingy. Just call it Dragging Iron, and some coaster entusiast will chime in and correct you...or agree.

But, SOME coaster enthusiasts and the GP have something in common when it comes to a certain roller coaster at Cedar Point. You know that gigantic piece of Crap Streak? My brother went on it once, and he said they should have called it S##T Streak! NOT a coaster enthusiast! LOL!!