[MarkD]

So, after seeing others chiming in on The Beast I wanted to reply but not in that topic. Reads like I'm defending it but in actuality just giving my reasons for loving it. I put The Beast in a different category and not just in with the rest of the woodies because it is different.

To me the Beast is by all means a gradual terrain coaster, that picks up great speed, with the best helix's on a wooden coaster. Now, I've been riding The Beast since its opening so yea, it's more special to me than others, especially newer generations. Probably because of the hype is why it is so underwhelming to a lot of people. Kind of why I don't care for M.F. as I find it quite boring and always have.

What I love about The Beast involves several factors.
1. Home grown and built. Shows at one time parks had imagination.
2. Traversing through the woods and picking up speed is an awesome feeling for me.
3. After the "bridge trims" it just hauls non stop until the second lift.
4. That, what seems like a 90 degree turn before that 2nd lift, looks and feels like the train is just going to keep going straight.
5. The view from the second lift is awesome.
6. Going into the helix's, the way that track is angled is just sick.
7. The moment you hit those final 2 helix's it just an all out WTF moment. In a good way.
8. Night rides after a scorching hot day just amps up the excitement in the darkness.

Now, I have found out that who and how many you are with will make a difference. Just like when I go to Carowinds alone it ain't the same as when I'm with some of you here. I've just had a ton of crazy experiences on The Beast, In the Station with wild crowds, watching my kids ride it for the first time, etc.

[Jonathan]

I agree on all points. It took me a while to get The Beast, but I've enjoyed it more with each visit to the park. It's one of those rides that the more parks and coasters I visit, the more I appreciate it as I realize how unique it is. It has also really been given life over the last 10 years or so with the track work that has been done, and the magnetic brakes are less onerous than the old skid ones. The ride was in pretty rough shape under Paramount. I still think it's overrated by many and far from the best ride in the world, but it's deserving of its legend status and probably my second favorite ride in the park after Mystic Timbers. I think it even sneaked into my top 20 wood last time I redid my rankings.

[gabed]

The Beast remains to this day one of the greatest wooden coasters I have ever ridden. I still think it was better than both The Voyage and El Toro, which may not be the most popular opinion. It's one of the only rides I've ever ridden where I forgot I was actually in an amusement park. My second favorite ride in that park behind Banshee (haven't gotten on Timbers yet).

Also I'm glad I'm not the only one here who finds MF to be (for the most part) boring.

[Edwardo]

Currently Beast ranks 140 out of 335 for me, so, middle of the pack. For wood only, it ranks it ranks 39 out of 80. Again, middle of the pack. And that's what I think of the Beast. Average. And average is a good thing. It's a lot of fun. I like speed and laterals. Not every coaster was built to have major airtime. I like it as an out of control, fast ride in the woods. And at night, it's just amazing at doing that.

I don't get the hate, but I'm not gonna fanboy over it either. I think it's fun, has history, and runs better with the mag brake in the brake shed.