TheBEASTunchained Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Considering that this year is The Beast's 35th anniversary, I thought it would be appropriate to make this thread as a place to discuss our memories of The Beast over the past 35 years, our first rides on The Beast, and photos of The Beast throughout its 35 years of operation. There is a few other topics already discussing this subject a little bit, but I wanted to make an overall topic regarding this, where we can come throughout this season and share memories, photos, 35th anniversary info, and more about The Beast and its legacy. According to Don Helbig / Kings Island, today marks the 35th anniversary of the naming of The Beast. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myklhicks Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Here is my sister and I ten years ago on The Beast. I had just gotten into coasters, as you can probably tell. I plan on redoing this photo on June 4th. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jla Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I think its the king of wooden coasters. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonofbeast2.0 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Son of a Beast! I can't believe it's that mature! Still a great ride! One of my favorite rides in the park. In my top 10 favorite rides overall too. My memorable moment is my brother was trying to get me to wear my roller skate shoes so I would be tall enough (not heelies), the wheels would of added at least another 2 in to my height. at the time I was just to short for the ride. The wheels fold up under the shoes so they look like normal shoes then fold them out and i'm taller, worst part is though, I never could work the shoes right... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveTheSmurfRide Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Son of a Beast! I can't believe it's that old! 35 is not that old!!!! *Runs away crying and snotting all over* 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonofbeast2.0 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Changed it now, hopefully more to your liking's? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violakat03 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 That's me with my hands up. This was either summer of 1999 or 2000, I can't remember for certain. I do remember that it was Cindy's (the girl next to me) first roller coaster! I really wish I could find my ORP from my first ride on The Beast in 1996. I looked like Cindy does in the picture above! An hour later, the ORP on Flight of Fear showed a very different story. My hands weren't up, but I was definitely smiling! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSalsa Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Here is a quick look back at everything that the park got when celebrating Beast's anniversaries:1984 (5 Years of Terror): King Cobra & Smurf's Enchanted Voyage 1989 (10 Years of Terror): Waterworks Waterpark (now Soak City) 1994 (15 Years of Terror): Days of Thunder (now Action Theatre) 1999 (20 Years of Terror): FACE/Off and Drop Zone (now Invertigo and Drop Tower), Son of Beast announced 2004 (25 Years of Terror): Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay waterpark expansion (now Soak City) 2009 (30 Years of Terror): Diamondback 2014 (35 Years of Terror): Banshee And since 35 isn't that old for a wooden coaster (they have been shown to live much longer if cared for), who knows how much crazy new stuff the park will get on future "Beastiversaries"... As for my personal memories with this ride, well, it's a bit of a biggie since this is the coaster that got me into other coasters and remains my personal favorite at the handful of parks I've visited... NOTE: I have told this story on KIC before so you probably have already heard it if you are a longtime KIC user. If not...enjoy!During my first trip to Kings Island in 2000, there was a lot of "Beast Hype" for obvious reasons- Son of Beast had just opened and was new that year. However, I was also interesting in seeing the original Beast, since I had heard about it before from friends and family members. To my suprise, while Son of Beast and many other rides were clearly visible from many areas in the park, I could not actually locate The Beast until a very late trip up to the Eiffel Tower, when I finally spotted the second lift hill, but wasn't smart enough to look behind Vortex to see the first lift hill at all during that trip. Also during that same trip, a ride on The Racer scared me, making me afraid of roller coasters...I didn't know what airtime was, and basically thought I was going to fly out, is the story there pretty much. Around 2008, upon hearing of school trips to Kings Island and such, I decided out of randomness to do a google search and see what the park had been up to. To my suprise, I learned a few things: #1-Cedar Point's parent company had bought Kings Island from Paramount, and had turned it back into simply Kings Island. #2-There was an accident on Son of Beast, and it's loop was removed. Then, my sister was invited to visit Kings Island in 2008 with a friend, and she rode big roller coasters, and spotted "mystery" construction in Rivertown. I didn't go, but she brought home a park map and all this made me a bit interested:"OK. I was afraid of roller coasters in 2000...but I was a little kid then. Perhaps that's no longer the case...And this mystery construction and all that seems pretty interesting." Another Kings Island google search led me to a new website: www.KICentral.com, where I read forums as a lurker and watched discussion over the new ride. Then, in August 2008... Diamondback. My reaction... "OK...enough is enough. Time to talk with my mom and sister and see about going back to Kings Island!" And so we talked and...approved. May 2009, we were going back to Kings Island, for me, it would be the 1st trip in 9 years (and 2nd ever). I began watching POV videos for all the big coasters, to try and see which one I thought I could take on first. Beast stood out- while it had big drops and all, most of the ride seemed very low to the ground. After a carnival trip a week before where I "forced" myself to ride some of the more thrilling flats they had (sadly there was nothing that went upside down, so I couldn't get any practice for that) we headed home, and then a few days later, it was off. An hour and a half later, the Eiffel Tower and Diamondback came into view...I was back. Our first ride, as suggested by my best friend, was...the Eiffel Tower. Eh, considering this was my first trip in oh-so-long, it was a good choice- I'd need to get an overall bearing for the park again, after all. Found Beast very easily from up there this time, thanks to online pictures I had seen. After that, due to the rain that had started up, my sister suggested we ride The Crypt, since it was indoors. After a 45-minute wait, I was on...got flipped upside down for the first time in ages...and then the ride ended, and I wasn't scared at all. I was angry! What a freaking dissapointment! We exited The Crypt, and it was done raining, so I suggested The Beast as our next ride since it was my original pick and right there. After about a 30-minute wait, I sat down on my first coaster in 9 years..."At least this lap bar holds you in nice and...what? Seatbelt? OH...I feel so stupid..." Thankfully, the ride-op fixed it and was very nice. Then..."all clear"..."Enjoy your ride on the longest wooden roller coaster in the world!"The cars slowly exited the station and headed for the lift. The bumps of the track were clearly noticeable..."Uh-Oh. If it's this bumpy at low speeds..." I thought. Then we hit the chain lift. All of my coaster fears were rising up...to calm down, I joked to my mom sitting next to me: "Look mom! We are higher than the trees!" Then came the top of the lift and that legendary view. "Here goes nothing..."We dropped into the tunnel, and screams were heard of other riders...but not me. This wasn't scary, actually, I realized seconds in by the brake shed run...this was awesome! The train jolted and heaved as it raced through the woods into the 2nd tunnel and out...a few moments later, we were on the chain lift, and I was loving it. "That was awesome!" Then my sister said something that suddenly brought all the fear back for a few more seconds: "Oh, the ride hasn't even done anything yet."The Double Helix Finale. Beast's trademark move. I ducked due to the tunnels, and boy was my sister right, compared to this the previous section of the ride was nothing! However, seconds later we were back in the station..."Wow." I thought. I was no longer afraid of roller coasters, as what I said next clearly shows...(exits Beast)..."Let's ride Vortex now!" A few days later, I joined KIC. And here I am....as a bonus, here is the trip report I wrote for that visit: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php/topic/17880-a-very-very-late-may-16th-tr-by-mcsalsa/ And that's pretty much it. Well, save that later that day I got my first night ride, and in 2010's Halloween Haunt got the most epic Beast night ride of my life... 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveTheSmurfRide Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 1984 (5 Years of Terror): King Cobra & Smurf's Enchanted Voyage 1989 (10 Years of Terror): Waterworks Waterpark (now Soak City) 1994 (15 Years of Terror): Days of Thunder (now Action Theatre) 1999 (20 Years of Terror): FACE/Off and Drop Zone (now Invertigo and Drop Tower), Son of Beast announced 2004 (25 Years of Terror): Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay waterpark expansion (now Soak City) 2009 (30 Years of Terror): Diamondback 2014 (35 Years of Terror): Banshee Wait....is The Beast a terrorist? 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyGuy4KI Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Here is a quick look back at everything that the park got when celebrating Beast's anniversaries: 1984 (5 Years of Terror): King Cobra & Smurf's Enchanted Voyage 1989 (10 Years of Terror): Waterworks Waterpark (now Soak City) 1994 (15 Years of Terror): Days of Thunder (now Action Theatre) 1999 (20 Years of Terror): FACE/Off and Drop Zone (now Invertigo and Drop Tower), Son of Beast announced 2004 (25 Years of Terror): Crocodile Dundee's Boomerang Bay waterpark expansion (now Soak City) 2009 (30 Years of Terror): Diamondback 2014 (35 Years of Terror): Banshee And since 35 isn't that old for a wooden coaster (they have been shown to live much longer if cared for), who knows how much crazy new stuff the park will get on future "Beastiversaries"... At least the park spares no expense when celebrating The Beast's anniversary! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoaster Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 To The Beast its a great coaster, indeed, and to many more years of great ride time! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterMyths79 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The Beast has been my favorite coaster ever since I first rode it in 2008. It made me into the coaster-loving enthusiast I am today. Happy 35th The Beast! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterOhio Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Who knows, if the park survives long enough, the same with The Beast. we could even see 100 years of Terror.What coasters are around that are 100 years old? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffear1996 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I probably wont see that I will be 92 and If I am still alive Im sure I wont care. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestar92 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 The better question is, if we reached 100 years of terror, how much of what makes up Kings Island today will remain? 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Existential Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 My favorite ride was back in the late 80's when me and a friend would go with my parents. We would usually all go to whatever was new to the park first and wait together to ride. Then we would split off and meet back at the Eiffel Tower every 3 hours for food and just so they knew what we were up to. At the end of the day, my parents and I would all get in line to ride The Beast, which was usually a 2 hour affair as everyone in the park ceremoniously heads to that section of the park for their last ride. It had rained this particular day after 5pm, off and on, until about 8:30 or so. The temperatures dropped quite a bit for a Summer evening. Then the fog rolled in while we were in line for The Beast. And it got thick. Piano Man always seemed to be playing in the station when I think back of the 80's Beast. When we finally got on the trains and rolled around the curve to the hill, you could hardly see more than 3 feet away from the track. The first hill had no peak. You could not see behind you to estimate how far you had ascended. It was dead quiet until the first trains began to realize they were peaking and it was to start. Then that familiar sound of screaming began and we were off. That surreal darkness of the woods was highlighted by ten with that fog. And I have never really got to experience it again under these conditions. I just pray for fog every year that I am there. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrill_Biscuit Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 The better question is, if we reached 100 years of terror, how much of what makes up Kings Island today will remain? I know, right? Take a look around, now. These are the good years. These are the days in which we can apply all the warm emotions of joy and excitement, and not the ones of wistfulness and longing, as is known all-too well by those who loved Geauga Lake, Lesourdsville/Americana, Joyland Park, Opryland USA, Myrtle Beach Pavilion, (the list goes on and on) . Beast is an anchor -- something unique that helps keep KI on the map, for now. Live it and love it to the fullest. Experience slips away. I hope it is around in 2079, thrilling our great grandchildren as it thrilled us. I'll be 110, and I don't think they'll let brains-in-jars on the ride even then. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Best Beast ride was this past fall for myself. My sister and I hit up the Halloween park and went through KI together for the first time in about 10 + years. We left our significant others at home (husband for her, wife for me, along with our kids). It was like we were 12 years old again. Well we rode Beast at 10 pmish. And we got the Fog ride. It was awesome! Couldnt see too much into the valleys, and The Beast is so much faster at night! At one point, we couldnt tell if we were in the tunnels or not. Part of the great park of this ride was because my sister and I had not gotten to ride roller coasters together for what seemed like years and it brought us back to the first time we rode a big coaster together back when were 6 or 7 years of age. So for one evening The Beast made a 27 year old brother and his 26 year old sister 20 years younger! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJSkyFoxx Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I started getting into roller coasters when I was 14 years old and I can remember in those early formative years, I was not particularly a fan of The Beast. I didn't find it scary, I just found it rough. I learned over time though that there are better seats than others and I learned with each ride, more and more, I loved it. I was absolutely determined to find out the hype around it and I have. Over the last several years it is hands down one of the best, if not thee best night ride out there. It's in my top five night rides. I think anyone can agree that its a wonderful coaster overall, and anyone who rides it for the first time during the day is sorely missing out on what it was truly built for-night. Flying through the woods, the night air grabbing hold of your soul...the pitch black of the tunnels...I feel like words will never fully convey the awesomness of a night ride on The Beast, but many of you already know what I'm talking about. Its simply a beautiful rush. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveTheSmurfRide Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I hope it is around in 2079, thrilling our great grandchildren as it thrilled us. I'll be 110, and I don't think they'll let brains-in-jars on the ride even then. Haha, your great grandchildren will be grumbling because they have to rent a locker to store you in while they ride. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiocolts Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 In 2079 I'll be... 79. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXDrummerKiDXx Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I'll be 82-83. The first time I conquered The Beast was 2004. I was about 7 years old, and had just gotten into roller coasters the year before (Vortex and Racers and Son of Beast being the only 3 I rode). It was such a journey for me. I really hope this ride is around when my children's children have children. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinserman11 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 My first ride on The Beast was in August of 1990, I was 8 years old and it's been my favorite ride ever since. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bennett Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 In 2079, I'll have long since been worm food, or 106. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveTheSmurfRide Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I'll be 100 along with The Beast. Hopefully I'll still have nuts and bolts holding me up too. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysticsTimber Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I'll be 82 in 2079. I don't wanna grow up!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I'll be 92 in 2079. I hope I'm 1) still alive at that time, and 2) still able to ride thrill rides at that time. As for having children that have children that have children, I don't want to get married and so probably won't ever have children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoraX Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 I will be 109 in 2079. I wonder what is the oldest age someone has rode a roller coaster. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 A friend of mine, now deceased, rode Racer at Kennywood at 93... 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoraX Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 That is impressive. If I live that long I hope I can still ride coasters! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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