I got to KI around 12:15. Went straight to Son of Beast....it was testing! Video will show line and stuff, but to tell it short, we waited an hour before it opened, then got on the last car front seat.

Son of Beast Review

I was very nervous....the G-Trains are comfortable and the lap bars are PADDED! The train rolled out of the station and it bumped a bit as we headed to the lift. It seemed just a bit better than the old Son of Beast before. As we climbed the lift, it was still loud as usual....maybe even louder! So we go down the small drop and inch over to the 200ft drop. There was some airtime! I was really shocked at that point because it was also smooth! Smooth and airtime! After the drop, you speed up the second hill (FLYING over it compared to the old trains) and some floater air on the second drop! But here is where the ugly side shows. The first helix is very rough at the bottom, don't get me wrong it is a HUGE improvement, but still! It was rough....then you head into some brakes and down the drop to where the loop would be. Well, instead, there is a small speed bump (see Thunder Dolphin!) and curve to right. It didn't do much, but you could fell a gentle push out of your seat...nothing really. As you head up to the second helix, there are some more head choppers! Yay! The second helix was fun, a few bumps...then up and over a hill to turn around, then dive down and up into the really hard brakes! All and all it was a fun ride! I'm glad it was back open, but I'm going to stay in that seat for a while :lolr: Too afraid to see what the other seats are like. So lets review.

+The new trains! More leg room, padded bars and seat belts!

+Airtime on the first drop!

+Not as rough as it used to be in a LOT of places!

+They crew was really good with running the trains! No stacking!

+New credit

+These seats are kind high, you down sink into them like the old ones...better views!

-Loud, odd squeaks and screeches all over the ride

-Still rough areas

And I got to go on The Racer, it was running AWESOME today! There was airtime all throughout the ride! Ops were allowing re-rides! (9times)

Vortex was good today! Front is very forceful through the loops and batwing!

Firehawk learned a new trick today! It was able to keep a 2 hour line while running one train op with an empty train! Yup, the only train running was empty, it ran empty for like....5 circuits! It later got the second train on the track because they stopped running the other one. I love you, Firehawk [/sarcasm]

Oh, and I rode Skyflier. That drop nearly beats Firehawk, pure freefall.

Skies weren't too promising when I arrived...

....but got sunnier as we waited for SoB to open!

Garuntee you haven't seen this before!

A lot of important looking people are here

My first look at the new logo...no more loop!

Some more detail

Oh boy...time to ride...

Firehawk and its single ghost-train operations

Racer (Forwards in the back car) has the best airtime at KI!

My #2 wooden coaster...would have been a cool pics of the trains were there, but I would have only caught one since the ops never raced them. Did I mention it's through the trees?

Mmm...I like fast, non concussion-inducing helixes

Yea, I'll take the double loop with side of corkscrew, please

Racer <3

Since everyone loves Delirium, I will leave you guys with this! Thanks for reading!

Really nice TR!! And, I will take some heat for this, but, I actually really like the coloring of that Blue train and how it looks on the track with the logo. I personally believe that it looks VERY sharp, and wouldn't mind the other train being that blue as well!

Those are magnificant pictures. And I agree yes the SOB has its wooden rollercoaster roughness but that is part of the Son of Beast. Much improved.

Really nice TR!! And, I will take some heat for this, but, I actually really like the coloring of that Blue train and how it looks on the track with the logo. I personally believe that it looks VERY sharp, and wouldn't mind the other train being that blue as well!

haha I agree when I saw it doing test runs on the track I was like what the heck BLUE?! but up close in the station with the logo it actually looks quite sharp!

Thanks guys, but I think I will have to stick to that red train, though I do like the blue still.

Awesome TR and pics.

SOB looks even better now.

=]

Nice trip report...thanks for the photos!

Thanks guys! More pics may come tomorrow.

Is it me, or do those Gerstlauers look almost pathetic for a 218 foot wooden hypercoaster?

I'm not so sure about these trains holding up to the brunt of the ride like those Premier trains did.

Nice photo TR, by the way.

I love the Delirium photo.

^The first or last? Or both?

Can't speak for him, but I think the last one is one of the coolest photos I have ever seen of any ride in any park!

Thanks for the great TR!

Can't speak for him, but I think the last one is one of the coolest photos I have ever seen of any ride in any park!

Thanks for the great TR!

I agree, that last pic of Delirium is awesome!!!

Should I post a wall-paper version? And if you think that pic is good....oh boy...haha.

What the heck, here is a desktop size for the picture!

awwww....but the picture reminds me of how Delirium just does not go that high anymore with no semi-invert!!!!

Take it away!....take it away!!!!!!

^What on earth are you talking about? Delirium is still running the same circuit it has since it opened. You still go about 65-70*, that's almost upsidown, and plus...you do that four times! So you must need some vision correction...or somthing else.

Proof's in the puddin' unfortunately!!

Post of Delirium being not as high anymore

And having ridden both Delirium and MaXair several times each this season, I can vouch for the fact that the latter goes much higher than the former now does. They used to be the same. (The latter also swings more times than does the former...sigh).

Proof's in the puddin' unfortunately!!

Post of Delirium being not as high anymore

You are wrong

^That was the first day KI opened...it was warming up.

Proof's in the puddin' unfortunately!!

Post of Delirium being not as high anymore

You are wrong

Then so is Interpreter who is rarely wrong!!!

And having ridden both Delirium and MaXair several times each this season, I can vouch for the fact that the latter goes much higher than the former now does. They used to be the same. (The latter also swings more times than does the former...sigh).

I agree. At least it *seems* MaXair swings quite a bit higher than Delirium. I DEFINITELY has a longer cycle and has a few more swings. To me, Delirium just hasn't been the same since the incident a few years ago. It sure doesn't ride the same, with the jerky transitions going from swing to swing.

- Todd

Yea, Cedar Point runs its flat ride cycles way shorter than KI.

I believe we are saying that Cedar Point actually cycles MaxAir more than KI cycles Delirium...

And they do. And yes, Cedar Point typically has much shorter flat ride cycles than Kings Island. But not on MaXair. Go figure.

I can not wait to ride SOB again, does any one know what the top speed is now???

=]

I have heard 72, but I don't know felt just as fast yesterday.

To me it seemed a little slower. But I bet u it go's 78 still.

If it hits 72, it's only for a split second now!!

I can not wait to ride SOB again, does any one know what the top speed is now???

=]

78.4 was the speed before Son of Beast had the July 9, 2006 incident.

On July 4, 2007; the opening day for Son of Beast this year, the ride ops were spieling that it does 72 AND at the same time saying it was the tallest, fastest wooden coaster in the world. Yes, something IS inconsistent there...

Since the new trains are MUCH lighter than the old (which is why they were installed) , AND hold six fewer people (and thus less weight) than the five old car configuration last year, I see no way it can still be doing 78.4.