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Kings Island....Release The Beast in you!

I think deep down inside, @Maverick44 wants another B&M at Kings Island.

Kings Island, where summer fun is never done.

Relive the excitement!

Drove by the park today, looks like the line for Mystic Timer is about 168 hours

I think "Crowded Night" might be a better name.

It looks like the line for the new ‘tiques is seven days and a few hours (somebody had to make the joke, why not me?)

Only ONE WEEK until we finally walk through the front gate and be awed by the majesty of International Street and the Royal Fountains. That is if you are going on Preview Night.

Nostalgia is a Beast

This video, perhaps? (The Beast is at 23:00 in the video)

To me, The Beast is a classic, unique wooden coaster. You definitely know it's summer when you smell the grease coming from both Beast and Racer! Hard to believe its turning 40 this year. I do have a few stories to share about Beast: the first being there was this one night where the park was open for midnight close and I got some surreal foggy rides on both Vortex and Beast. Going up the second lift was especially cool as I could only see those two lights at the top of the hill. Taken from my trip report from that day in 2014, I wrote this: "The second lift was especially memorable, where all you could see was the darkness of the forest, coaster track and 2 headlights at the top of the lift. All I could think of was: “Are we even on planet Earth?” Yeah, it was pretty cool! Also, there was that one time where @XGatorHead 8904 and I missed the group picture one Closing Day as we were riding Beast. I remembered on the second lift as it was 1:04 (and IIRC, the group pic was at 1). Finally, I remember singing the bridge from Linkin Park's 'Place for my Head" as the train crests the second lift and gradually gets faster while headed for the double helix. Speaking of the double helix, when riding over the past two seasons, I get major Son of Beast (and one time Legend?) vibes when coming out of the first double helix tunnel. To summarize, Beast is a classic mainstay that is still a good ride after all these years. EDIT: A few more things: Though I don't remember my very first Beast ride, I do remember watching a roller coaster video (VHS) that had an on ride POV of Beast (among other coasters) on it, so I knew exactly what was in the woods. Also, for all the time I've spent working/being at the park, I've never had a Beast tour. Yeah, I've been driven by Beast as an employee (on the way to the pumphouse), but I've never been on a Beat tour and would love to go. I'm sure there will be plenty considering it's the 40th anniversary. Also, I have never ridden the ride twice in a row, either because of the line or otherwise (I know you are no longer allowed to stay on the train, but still...).

Twists, turns, and airtime hills Kings Island has all the thrills.

The Autos in action!

^Maybe I've just been too focused on the track when I visited/viewed photos.

I'm pretty sure RMC is also in-house for both the Topper Track and Iron Horse.

That's the one @McSalsa!

Are you allowed to comment or say if the pedestals have been put back in or taken away? Yes I'm still holding hope.

I would love to see an S&S coaster at a Cedar Fair Park sometime in the future. If Steel Curtain does well, it could very well be possible we see them building a lot more non-free spin or pneumatic launch coasters. With that being said, their first go at an LSM coaster wasn’t exactly the greatest success. Cedar Fair does have to buy a lot of spare parts from them as it is, so the relationship is already there.

^ Are you sure? He's been fairly ambiguous about his feelings. I think he's probably either content with any manufacturer or else should probably make his preferences a little clearer...

Bring out your inner Beast, go for an antique drive, or see the timbers — only at Kings Island

I want to double vote for that ^^

I'd pay to ride The Beast one time at maybe 5 MPH all the way through to just really see all the details

I've got my brothers wedding to go to opening day, otherwise I would be there. I yelled at him for almost an hour about his horrible date.

That Kings Island received the model of rollercoaster Cedar Point added 20 years earlier. Magnum XL - Diamond back, Raptor - Banshee, both installments 20 years after Cedar Point. Now the theory is 2020 for a giga since it’d be 20 years since Mill Force.

I would have ridden it today if the park was open lol. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Just looked at Diamondback cam and saw the log flume is up and running. Banshee is running too

Some parks do this already...however, when you have parks like Cedar Point and Kings Island with ERT rides on different ends of the park it is kind of hard to do such a thing, especially with many different routes to those rides.

Kings Island in August: Hold my beer [emoji481] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I feel like the fact it is on early ride time is going to make the t-shirt giveaway a bit of a nightmare. Hope I get one tho!

"Your Adventure Awaits"

“Reliving memories that are fit for a king.”

That's a good looking Steam Train fellas.

Hey, just took a look at the cams and saw a crane near MT. Probably putting another train back on the track.

Where the Old is New Again.

Agreed, with the projected big ride announcement of next season, it’s nice to see small things being reintroduced into the park.

I love all the TLC that Cedar Fair is showing Kings Island this year. It's an easy solution to toss a new roller coaster in the park and bring in new people. It's a different beast (no pun intended) altogether to spend a year acknowledging the park's history and the role that nostalgia plays in bringing many back to the park. I get excited for a new coaster like anyone else. But to see a glockenspiel on the Festhaus, The Beast prints on the ground, the return of the Antiques...there's an almost chemical response that hits the same feelings I had when I was a kid in the '80s attending the park with my grandparents. This is what makes me want to come back year after year with my kids and why even though Cedar Point would technically be my "home park" (I live in the Detroit area), I go to Kings Island every year and haven't been to CP in about five.

Wow! Amazing return!

I would love this, but it won't be a part of the park entertainment this year.

With the new fountain design and since CF cycles their shows throughout the chain, I can see KI borrowing this show from Canada Wonderland sometime soon

@Hawaiian Coasters 325 Negative. Hopefully soon, before opening day. What I meant was, any pictures I took from the air during the off-season.

Wait, you flew today?

I'll upload my pictures once the park opens for the season. But it looks amazing from the air! @KIghostguy which department will you be working in?

I think you are right on the mark here. Also, welcome to KIC!

I think this whole makeover is going to bring such a great fresh feeling to those of us who try to go once or twice a year from out of state. Kings Island never gets old but it will be so refreshing to see these new beautiful changes added.

I had my training on Saturday and got to take in what they’ve done so far. While I won’t upload any pictures or delve into specifics, I will say it is definitely going to be an incredible final result. I think it will really put the “grand” into “grand entrance.” And yes, it’s a good thing that those trees were cut down; the forced perspective illusion has been restored!

I photoshopped this photo from the 2017 coaster stock. I felt like I had to since when our group was allowed to take pictures, it was getting ready to rain. But since I graduated from Stark State College with my associates degree in computer graphic design, I feel like I can accomplish anything now.

That dress’s print has roller coasters as part of the design

A look at the newly painted train going up the lift.