...which is insane that Indiana probably has the best collection of wooden roller coasters in the country west of Pennsylvania.

Beast was designed right before wooden coasters really started to see early innovation. Its original trains had cars that were 4 rows long. The axes did not have the ability to pivot so the trains couldn't change bank very quickly. Hence the very slow entrances to turns all over the ride.

 

The ride was also designed before pneumatic brakes were used on wooden coasters. The original method was the skid pads found on classic coasters. That gigantic, long shed was the mid-course-brake-run that could stop the train if the train in front hadn't yet cleared the second lift. Stopping a bulky old school train from that speed takes a ton of length. Hence the awkwardly long shed that is now just a spot for a magnetic trim brake so its function is nonexistent.

 

The ride, if untrimmed, could be really out of control, but the fact of the matter is that every turn and hill was designed around clunky old trains that they replaced shortly after opening. They also made a few modifications not long after opening including banking the hill into the double helix. You originally entered that helix without any banking whatsoever. There's a video on youtube from before the ride was actually finished and the POV shows this since the tunnel over the double helix isn't done yet.

 

Ohio really does have a wood coaster problem. Mostly because up until recently big corporate parks all had no idea what to do with them in terms of maintenance so they all sucked. Thankfully companies like GCI are changing that with relatively easy rides to maintain that are really well made and good fun.

 

In the 80s and 90s there was no access to historical information.  Rumors swirled around specific rides and the various parks.  The places had a lot of mystique, even new parks like King's Island.  The Bat was the single-most mysterious ride in King's Island history.  I don't remember actually seeing it even though I first went to the park as a kid when it was there (but probably not running).  Top Gun always sucked and renaming it The Bat added even more confusion to The Bat's story. 

 

The Beast had a mystique that went far beyond that of any ordinary ride because so little of it was visible from the park.  I remember being too young to ride and having to sit at the side of the pond that used to surround the station and cue lines for over an hour waiting for my parents and aunts and uncles to get off.  Watching train after train inch up that hill and disappear into the woods was unbelievably frustrating.  Trainload after trainload of people came out of the exit fired up and shouting the Beast's praises.  I remember that wait vividly because I saw a very impressive snake swimming across The Beast's pond.  Somebody waiting nearby claimed it was a water moccasin, so I'm going to say it was a water moccasin. 

 

In English 101 or 102 I wrote an essay about The Flying Eagles ride.  I wish I had kept it.  I wrote about how its primitive appearance belied its status as the most obnoxious ride in the entire park.  In the right hands, an eagle could be made to nose dive and hit the pavement.  It made a pretty awesome sound and every time the lady running the ride would get on the speaker and scold whoever did it.  The guy would act like he didn't mean to do it.  It went on like that for decades.  Meanwhile, none of us boys could ever figure out how to make it do it.  We rode the ride repeatedly trying to get it to hit the concrete and could never make it happen.  Meanwhile, some smug 60 year-old would board the thing with a smirk and his 4 year-old granddaughter by his side, and nail that concrete.  He'd act innocent when the lady yelled at him.  You'd get off the thing and he'd give you a glance.  He knew you were trying to do it but couldn't figure it out.  And he wasn't going to share the secret. 

 

 

 

 

^ when did they get rid of the Eagles? I thought they were gone by the time you were in college

^ when did they get rid of the Eagles? I thought they were gone by the time you were in college

 

I last went to King's Island in 1996.  They were definitely still there.  I missed the entire Son of Beast era.

^ when did they get rid of the Eagles? I thought they were gone by the time you were in college

 

I last went to King's Island in 1996.  They were definitely still there.  I missed the entire Son of Beast era.

 

Pretty sure they were still there when I worked there in ~2001.... weren't they replaced by that Italian Job thing? That movie didn't come out until 2003....

What you're referring to is called, "snapping" and is forbidden at every single park with those rides. I've only ever ridden one once but it was at Knoebel's in PA (which has one of the best wood coasters around, Phoenix) but they are very much against it to the point of modifying the ride to not be possible anymore. So I still don't know what that experience is like since so few parks have these rides anymore.

Snapping the cables was a different phenomenon than scuffing the concrete.  It was relatively easy to snap the cables but only the true pros could hit the concrete.  It pissed of the girl running the thing even more than popping the cables. 

I remember trying to touch the trees from the Eagles ride, and actually being successful a couple times! I loved that ride- definitely a shame it was removed.

Kings Dominion brought back their Eagles (KI did too but put them in Planet Snoopy), but these new models just aren't as good as the old ones. The only "old school" one I ever went on was at the now-gone Erieview Park on Geveva-on-the-Lake's "famous resort strip". Erieview also had a great classic Pretzel dark ride that was unfortunately lost to time like the rest of the place.

 

...which is insane that Indiana probably has the best collection of wooden roller coasters in the country west of Pennsylvania.

 

The most offensive part is that Indiana has FIVE Custom Coasters International wooden coasters (some of their best work too), and Ohio has zero... and CCI was headquartered here!

Watching patrons do those little tricks made you think those guys went there a lot and really knew their way around. I remember there was some ride involving riding small rafts down steep sheetmetal chutes that was removed from Wyandot Lake (now Zoombezi Bay) by 1990 or so. The 16-year-old dudes that had mullets and mustaches were the only ones that knew the trick to go really fast down the chutes. They were the closest thing Columbus had to surfers in us kids' minds.

One feature of The Beast that always stuck out to me were the lurches in the middle of the second helix. I haven't ridden it for over 20 years so it may have been remedied. Almost as if there's a bit of a design issue in the tracking. Anybody ever noticed it.

Seeing as it was built in-house and not by an outdoor engineering firm, plus the fact that it was the 70s, the lurches don't surprise me haha. Also, all of these old wooden coasters run very heavy PTC trains, which "steer" only when the train slams into a curve and the weight of the train causes the bar-linked wheels to turn into the curve, which coupled with the weight of the trains leads to a tendency to "shuffle" around turns and degrades the smoothness of the track relatively quickly. Modern wood coaster trains tend to have articulated bogies so they're able to actually steer through the turns, which is a big factor on why these newer rides stay smoother and require less maintenance.

That and rides like Mystic Timbers have trains where the individual cars only have one axel. This was a general design that was introduced in the 20s by Prior and Church. Somewhere along the line the benefits of these articulated trains was lost and everybody went with the clunky PTC type trains for decades. They're great for out and back coasters but anything with twists or banking immediately gets beaten up by them.

 

I think GCI's trains, the Millennium Flyers, just might be the most comfortable coaster trains of any designer. They're so heavily padded it's like riding in an overstuffed armchair. They're fantastic.

^ I still give the slightest "coolness" edge to Dayton's own NAD Century Flyers for the Art Deco styling and the buzz bars, but seeing as Millennium Flyers are essentially spiritual successors to the Century Flyers and the Prior and Church design and actually ride amazingly well, I have to say that they're definitely more successful and "useful".

 

If people haven't picked up on it, Ohio actually was/is a huge hotbed of roller coaster design. Pretty much every company that builds wood coasters today can be traced back to Charlie Dinn, King Island's head engineer who built The Beast.

 

... I think I'm having a relapse into my theme park forum posting days, I might be getting a bit too into the nerdy technical weeds... haha.

Haha. I haven't posted on any theme park forums in years. Back in middle/high school I posted often on Coasters2k and Themeparkreview. I got banned permanently from Themeparkreview though for pointing out Robb Alvey's hypocrisy by merely quoting him when he claimed someone was being obnoxious yet they were repeating something he had said previously. I guess he didn't like that haha. That site has gone downhill though recently. Every single thread is filled with Robb calling everyone dumb and telling them to get off his site. It's sort of pathetic. They do produce really nice videos but the fun of posting left that place years ago.

 

I'm still bitter that I'll never get to ride Big Dipper's NAD trains again. I loved going to Geauga Lake every summer. It was only about 25 minutes from my house so it was super quick to go for half a day or whatever on a weekend and get some rides in.

 

I think in terms of most intimidating trains though I have to go with sitting on the right side of Jack Rabbit at Kennywood. The fixed lap bar cuts back to allow people to get into the train so only your left leg is truly underneath the lap bar. And obviously that ride has, "I just crapped my pants" airtime on the double down. It's like when John Miller came up with upstop wheels he just thought to himself, "I wonder how many negative Gs are okay?" and then proceeded to wildly overestimate.

^ Haha what in thaaaa ....

Kings Island teases new coaster may be coming

Some say it will be Son of Beast II

 

The teasing has begun.

 

Cedar Fair, owner of Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, has begun to drop hints that something big may soon be announced, possibly even a reborn Son of Beast, according to coaster enthusiast groups, the Kings Island Central Forum, and a Reddit forum.

 

The Instagram group Emotional Rollercoasters has just posted a photo of a flier its members say was put up in the past few days around the Cedar Point amusement park in Northern Ohio.

 

"Number 5 is alive!"  That's what cryptic poster says, apparently referencing the defunct Son of Beast, which was torn down in 2012 after a decade of troubles and injuries to riders. The launch building for Son of Beast (which still remains and is used for Halloween Haunt) was called "Outpost 5."

 

Cont.

B&M giga re-using Son of Beast's station would be incredible. Based on past Cedar Fair names could be Steel Beast, Beast Vengeance, Iron Beast, or some other cheezy name like this...

Is the station still there?

I'm hoping more for topper track RMC which makes extensive use of the terrain.

 

I could see using the old SoB station, going up a hyper sized lift hill (reclaiming title as the only hyper wood coaster) then immediately heading directly out away from the park as quickly as possible.

 

In my dream it would have the massive first hill then basically never leave the ground from there forward. An 80+ mph hyper woodie that travels through the woods towards and using the Little Miami River valley and essentially entirely along the ground.

 

Maybe as homage to Beast and SoB it could have a mid ride launch into a crazy ass double helix or something to get its way back to the rest of the park.

Yes, it still gets used as a haunt location every year for Holloween. Kings Island never throws away anything (still have old King Kobra laying in a field) and never destroy old stations (still have Tomb Raider and Son of Beast standing, as well as the Flight Commander pad/queue).

wonder why they closed Tomb Raider, I know it sucked as a ride but it had to be cheap to operate at this point and good for keeping lines at other rides short.

This thing used to be called The Octopus.  Why the name change?

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/rides/monster

 

What happened to Skylab and the Dutch Flying Shoes?  The Flying Eagles?  The French Taxis?  The completely redundant log flume/keelboat canal 1-2 combo?

 

Who can forget the ear-numbing 2-stroke engines that propelled those crap taxis?  Honestly, they were probably still running on leaded gas. 

 

 

There is a really interesting youtube series called Defunctland about attractions at theme parks that no longer exist. Most of the episodes are about rides from Disney or Universal, but they have done a couple on Kings Island, including the Son of Beast and the Tomb Raider ride. Worth a watch if you're interested.

This thing used to be called The Octopus.  Why the name change?

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/rides/monster

 

What happened to Skylab and the Dutch Flying Shoes?  The Flying Eagles?  The French Taxis?  The completely redundant log flume/keelboat canal 1-2 combo?

 

Who can forget the ear-numbing 2-stroke engines that propelled those crap taxis?  Honestly, they were probably still running on leaded gas. 

 

Dutch Shoes were horrible and needed to go.

 

Skylab was a good ride but it was always broken.

This thing used to be called The Octopus.  Why the name change?

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/rides/monster

 

What happened to Skylab and the Dutch Flying Shoes?  The Flying Eagles?  The French Taxis?  The completely redundant log flume/keelboat canal 1-2 combo?

 

Who can forget the ear-numbing 2-stroke engines that propelled those crap taxis?  Honestly, they were probably still running on leaded gas. 

 

The Flying Eagles were cut way down in size and are in the kiddie area.  I was a master of those things and loved them!  As far as I can remember, The Monster has always been "The Monster".

 

This thing used to be called The Octopus.  Why the name change?

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/rides/monster

 

What happened to Skylab and the Dutch Flying Shoes?  The Flying Eagles?  The French Taxis?  The completely redundant log flume/keelboat canal 1-2 combo?

 

Who can forget the ear-numbing 2-stroke engines that propelled those crap taxis?  Honestly, they were probably still running on leaded gas. 

 

 

 

 

 

2-strokes have no need for leaded gas since they don't need hardened valve seats to run on unleaded... from having no valves

 

 

 

Dutch Shoes were horrible and needed to go.

 

Skylab was a good ride but it was always broken.

 

The wooden shoes were actually plastic, or maybe fiberglass. 

 

Yeah, Skylab was always mysteriously broken down, for long periods of time.  Months and months.  There didn't seem to be anything particularly unusual about it, unlike Flight Commander.  Which was both unusual and a lousy ride.  Basically the only thing it could do is spin.  The up-down was maybe 5 feet.  So basically all it was was a ride that could spin left or spin right.  Plus, you had to fight over the controls with whoever you were riding with. 

 

King's Island would actually be pretty retro cool these days if they had kept the monorail, the French Taxis, and The Smurf Ride.  I get that kids don't know what Smurfs are anymore but adults would love it. 

 

 

Just an FYI, the Flying Dutchman that used to be in Oktoberfest at Kings Island moved down I-71 to Kentucky Kingdom.

 

^road trip. 

Just an FYI, the Flying Dutchman that used to be in Oktoberfest at Kings Island moved down I-71 to Kentucky Kingdom.

 

 

This ride is just like the Zephyr which game about 15 years later and does a few additional things to make for more an exciting ride.

I think the wooden shoes and the Zephyr were there at the same time.  Also, I remember there being a giant thing on Coney Mall with these sort of bird cages that you sat in with 4-6 people, and you could manually spin by turning the bird cage around a center grip thing.  It was like a giant see-saw, with one arm loading and unloading while the other one was up in the air.  They got rid of it sometime in the 80s, along with the Coney Mall chair lift. 

Here it is...it was called The Zodiac:

http://www.wonderlandhistory.net/media-gallery/detail/1457/1092

 

I have vague memories of visiting King's Island with my extended family in the early 80s, and that ride for some reason making a big impression on me.  Also, the chasing lights going up the lift hill of the Racer, and then not being tall enough to ride The Beast but sitting with my grandmother at the lift hill pond (which was drained sometime in the late 80s) and seeing a water moccasin swimming an inch below the surface. 

^Yeah, the Zodiac was one of those huge "double Ferris wheels", I don't think there are all that many left any more.

 

I remember that ride when I was a kid. It was where the old Flight Commander sat. It was a Ferris Wheel meets Teacup ride in the sky. I know I would never ride something like that today because the spinning would make me sick.

^Haha I used to play this game I called "spin 'til you barf" when I was a kid, which simply involved spinning in a circle. It drove my folks nuts.

 

Nowadays I barf at the slightest provocation.

This thing used to be called The Octopus.  Why the name change?

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/play/rides/monster

 

What happened to Skylab and the Dutch Flying Shoes?  The Flying Eagles?  The French Taxis?  The completely redundant log flume/keelboat canal 1-2 combo?

 

Who can forget the ear-numbing 2-stroke engines that propelled those crap taxis?  Honestly, they were probably still running on leaded gas. 

 

The Flying Eagles were cut way down in size and are in the kiddie area.  I was a master of those things and loved them!  As far as I can remember, The Monster has always been "The Monster".

 

Our old flying eagles actually went to Carowinds outside Charlotte and the ones in camp snoopy are new, and as you rightfully state, much tamer.

Also, why was there both the log flume and the keelboat canal?  They were like the exact same ride and right next to one another.  The final "flume" was like the exact same height on both. 

I never got that. I guess one held more people?

Kings Island bringing back family-friendly attraction after 14 years

By Andy Brownfield  – Reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier

 

 

Kings Island is bringing back a classic family friendly ride that's been missing from the park for the past 14 years for its 2019 season.

 

Kings Island is bringing back its antique cars by spring 2019. Mike Koontz, vice president and general manager of Kings Island, rode one of the vintage automobiles, based on the 1911 Ford Model T, into the park's Festhaus for Thursday's announcement.

 

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2018/08/16/kings-island-bringing-back-family-friendly.html

So are they going to be where the Dinosaurs Alive exhibit is? it seems as if that exhibit has run its course

Somebody actually recorded these things.  I totally forgot about the iconic "Do Not Bump!" bumper stickers!

 

you know some kid named Spike was constantly ramming the shit out of everybody

Ramming people and chinese fire drills were part of the excitement as a kid!

 

you know some kid named Spike was constantly ramming the shit out of everybody

 

No it was some guy named Sean who wished he was named Spike.  What happened to all of the Seans, btw?  What about Jeremy and Jared?  What about Scott and Kevin? 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, why was there both the log flume and the keelboat canal?  They were like the exact same ride and right next to one another.  The final "flume" was like the exact same height on both. 

 

Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal was a little bit taller at 50 feet and was technically an "Arrow Dynamics Hydroflume", which is a subtle difference from a regular log flume that most people wouldn't recognize unless they're mega theme park nerds. The other log flume was moved to Kings Island from Coney, I believe. A lot of parks used to have more than one log flume because they were very popular rides. Cedar Point also had two flumes.

you know some kid named Spike was constantly ramming the shit out of everybody

 

No it was some guy named Sean who wished he was named Spike.  What happened to all of the Seans, btw?  What about Jeremy and Jared?  What about Scott and Kevin? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Seans all would up in prison or dead as far as I can tell

you know some kid named Spike was constantly ramming the shit out of everybody

 

No it was some guy named Sean who wished he was named Spike.  What happened to all of the Seans, btw?  What about Jeremy and Jared?  What about Scott and Kevin? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Seans all would up in prison or dead as far as I can tell

 

And Jeremy ended up on UrbanOhio

Kings island is teasing the removal of a coaster, any guesses? A lot of clues point to Vortex but that would make me very upset so I'm hoping for Firehawk.