The Beast reprofile will extend its length by two feet

A couple of years ago, a friend I was staying with during a coaster tour asked me, "If you could only ride one more coaster in your life, what would it be?" I had to think a moment, but pretty solidly landed on The Beast.

My #2 would be Disneyland's Space Mountain, and my #3 would probably be either Cedar Creek Mine Ride or the Blue Streak.

I don't know that I would claim any of those as the "best" coaster, all I can say is they're my favorites, for a whole host of reasons I can't untangle. Every second on them gives me joy.

Beast was credit #6 for me – and my first ever ride on a wood coaster – so it has some sentimentality for me too.

Shades said:

I always think back to a Consumer Reports article from a long time ago in which they judged the flavor of potato chips. With everyone's tastes being so different how can you possible declare a best tasting chip?

Because Utz is clearly that much better than the competition. I’m sure it’s peer-reviewed somewhere. ;)

hambone said:

"If you could only ride one more coaster in your life, what would it be?"

Man, I'm not sure I could pick anything other than Scooby-Doo at Kings Dominion. It was my first coaster and possibly the one I've ridden most in my life--I was never a marathon rider, with this one exception as a young kid.

My only coaster would be Magnum, I am absolutely certain that I have ridden that roller coaster more times then any other coaster. I’ve always said that would be my backyard coaster if I could fit one, and my helix wouldn’t even have trims installed on it.

^Magnum still beats out any B&M or Intamin hyper/giga - in my book. Love that thing, including the screwed up trains. It's what makes it. That third seat!

^^My first woodie was Scooby Doo. I loved that it was that light green color.

sirloindude said:

Because Utz is clearly that much better than the competition. I’m sure it’s peer-reviewed somewhere. ;)

Take it from a nut - Utz are better than nuts!

Staring into television in a Pennsylvania hotel in the middle of the night. My hand going between a bag of Utz and my mouth. Covered in grease. Friend wakes up "gimme some of that sh*t." Good times. This was one of the fried in lard bags, are they all like that? Totally gross but still a golden memory.

Nostalgia and relative experience definitely make a huge difference. I was in my 30's the first time I rode Beast and liked it, but didn't LOVE it. I respect it and enjoy hearing people talk about how much they love it; always makes me happy to share that joy. :)

My last coaster would probably be Mindbender at SFoG, and for a lot of the reasons I mentioned above. It was my first "grown up" coaster, first loop, and I think the pacing and landscaping around it are just perfect. Are there better rides? Of course, but I will always love that old Schwarzkopf.

^Mind Bender had been at the top of my list since my first ride on it in 1990. One of my favorite things about it was those old trains, those seats - where you get to move with the laterals - and a seat like a "straight back chair." I know I don't like the new trains with bucket seats and reclined (with high vibration) head rests. It's better I just avoid it if I'm that emotional about it.

You aren't off about Schwarzkopfs, they are that good. They flex like a smooth woodie, even B&M can't replicate that level of smoothness - or laterals.

Beast on the other hand, still love it. Yes, I definitely loved it more with the old-style trains. I remember flying out of my seat on the 2nd drop and the last car hurtling up to the "booth" on the 2nd lift in a low-brake situation. I had rides on it in 1988 and 89 that scared the crap out of me. It's not gonna happen again, I get it. But I stll love the ride. I also love slow lifts and straight track - underrated features in my opinion. Looking forward to the new version.

I’d call this version Beast 5.0. Or something. I’ve never missed a season riding it and I’ve seen all the variations and “improvements” from subtle to major.
I haven’t been on the new version yet but I can guarantee I will. I was there the first day and will continue to call it a top favorite in spite of other rides constructed in the meantime.
I’m having a hard time trying to decide if I have more tallies for The Beast or Cedar Point’s Blue Streak. Blue Streak probably wins as I rode it just about every day when I worked there, but they’re both dear to my heart.
Comparing The Beast to other rides is a fool’s errand. It’s probably the most unique of all the wooden rides. Nowhere else can you say you’ve ridden a coaster of such length. And it has a finale that packs such a punch- if you refuse to admit that drop into the tunneled helix is one scary thrill then there’s something wrong with you.
I’m with Travis when he says the ride is worth preserving “as is”. Those that clamor for an RMC overhaul or worse need their heads examined.
I’d bet everyone in the tri-state area has a story about The Beast. He’s notorious, like a good roller coaster should be.

I don't know if it's allowed or not, so I won't link to it directly, but I made a short video about the ride's reopening. You can find it on my YouTube channel, which I have linked in my signature below.

RCMAC said:

Nowhere else can you say you’ve ridden a coaster of such length.

You were doing well up until that point :)

I've ridden Daidarasaurus, Steel Dragon 2000, and Ultimate – all three of which are longer.

If I had to rank the four, Beast would slot in in second place behind SD2K. It is iconic, it doesn't hurt like Ultimate, and it's considerably less boring than Daidarasaurus was.

Sorry, I should have been clearer. In that thought I was referring to and including only wooden coasters, of course, as The Beast established and continues to hold the record for wooden rides.

What is length if it doesn't do much with it?

I like the Beast, primarily at night though... A bit of a snooze, otherwise, for me at least... 75% of it's length is brake runs, lift hills and trim brake sections. The helix of course is great, about it's only strong moment. But again, at night going through the dark woods and such is a great time.

Personally, Beast is one of the few rides I'd be happy to hear RMC doing work on (and I'm not even really a fan of RMC to be honest). I would be much happier with GCI working their magic to liven things up a bit, though, without question. Some hefty reprofiling, removal of trims, some more pops of air/dips/banking fun... How fun that would be!

Beast doesn't need anything. Why must it have to have elements that every other coaster has? I never even rode it at night and I thought it was perfect the way it is.

It's a wild, out of control train ride through the woods with one of the most incredibly designed finales in existence. I'm not talking strictly the physical design of the coaster elements, I'm referring to the abstract design...the "plot", if you will: careening a 3rd of the way up the lift, the slow climb to the top, revealing what's next...and then absolutely crawling around the turn, building up speed, seeing the impossibly tiny tunnel entrance ahead and then the crazy relentlessness of the entire helix.

It's perfect as is.

That notion of "plot" is a really interesting one, and something that we only sometimes talk about here. But I think it really matters.

It's not a coaster, but it reminds me of the two versions of Disney's Soarin'. Most people agree that the first is much better than the second. Some of that is just bad CGI and trying to project a Long Straight Line on a curved screen, but part of it is plot and pacing. The "Over California" one has a variety of pacing, majestic scenes interspersed with quiet beauty; it ebbs and flows. The "Around The World" one hits you over and over and over again with "Wow! This is Big!" The latter just leaves me cold somehow.

Vater said:

Beast doesn't need anything. Why must it have to have elements that every other coaster has? I never even rode it at night and I thought it was perfect the way it is.

As Linus once said...

There are three things I've learned never to discuss with people... "Religion, politics and the Beast or Magnum... If you don't have a favorable opinion of them".

Or something like that :)

Vater said:

It WAS a wild, out of control train ride through the woods...

Fixed it for you. Hopefully the updates brought that experience back because it's been very much in control the last couple times I've ridden it.

I like Soarin' Around the World if only because I rode Soarin' Over California first during a soft opening at WDW and the cuts were so jarring I didn't know if something was wrong.

I do think pacing is really important and B&M's without MCBRs tend to rate higher in my book. So many B&M's with an MCBR just have a pair of corks or a couple of hops to get back home and it feels like the ride is mostly over at that point. The worst paced ride I have ever ridden was Powder Keg at SDC. The initial launch and first couple of hills and elements are magnificent, but once you hit that lift hill? It just kind of meanders back to the station and I was left wondering what the point was.