McSalsa Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I have done some research about The Bat recently (see the Son of Beast thread and look around pages 75-78 or so) and have started to piece together a timeline about this legendary and ill-fated ride. Here it is. Oh, and I used Wikipedia(not all info came from them however), so some of this MAY NOT BE CORRECT. (If it isn't please comment below. If you were at KI in '85 or '86 and Bat was being torn down, or already gone, LET ME KNOW SO I CAN UPDATE THIS TIMELINE!) Sometime in 1979 or 1980- Kings Island decides to add another innovative coaster to follow up their last one, which was The Beast. April 13th, 1981- Testing on The Bat begins (Source: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_2ELA...q=kings-island) (Thanks for this TombRaiderTy!) April 21st, 1981- The Bat opens (Source: Wikipedia) July 11th, 1982- The Bat closes. It would never run again. (Source: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pH0UA...q=kings-island) November 9th, 1984- Park officals decide to remove The Bat. (Source: Wikipedia) Sometime in 1986- The Bat is finally removed. (Source: Wikipedia) (Update: I highly doubt this date, but have no proof otherwise, if you do please comment about it) April 11th, 1987- Vortex opens where The Bat once stood. (Source: Wikipedia) April 22nd, 1990- McSalsa is born! From these dates, I conclude The Bat only ran for about a year, and was SBNO for 4 years. I also assume Vortex was built rather quickly from these dates! If Wikipedia is wrong on any of these dates, please inform me. Otherwise, enjoy this otherwise useless info. Only in the the time peroid between "normal" KI and Haunt would a topic like this arise... If you don't like, click back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dbfan Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 So once it was closed, it still stood for 2 yearas before being taken down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSalsa Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 So once it was closed, it still stood for 2 yearas before being taken down? That's what Wikipedia said. And you spelled years wrong. I doubt that date a little bit myself, though...I think it was gone by 1985 but have no proof otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TombraiderTy Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I can't find any news articles on The Bat after the one about its closure in 1982. However, I do know that RCDB.com is wrong about it supposedly having ran for a media event in October 1980 though... Click Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSalsa Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 I can't find any news articles on The Bat after the one about its closure in 1982. However, I do know that RCDB.com is wrong about it supposedly having ran for a media event in October 1980 though... Click Added this date to the timeline. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dvo Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 First, 2 links. http://database.thrillnetwork.com/ride_view.php/59 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5...pg2.html?cat=27 Finaly, the most important link... http://lmgtfy.com/?q=the+bat+roller+coaster+history Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McSalsa Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 First, 2 links. http://database.thrillnetwork.com/ride_view.php/59 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5...pg2.html?cat=27 Finaly, the most important link... http://lmgtfy.com/?q=the+bat+roller+coaster+history Thanks, these are good pages for anyone looking for information on the ride itself. And here are two "Bat Videos" Includes TV stories, commercials, etc... A music video featuring the ride in action. Most of us have already seen it, but here it is again for those who haven't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD Reynolds Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Thanks for the info, but I am always suspect of Wikipedia. No joke, it's declared me dead like three times. Seriously, I had people calling my wife to make sure I was alive. RD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD Reynolds Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 A question about The Bat, BTW...I know that it had a lot of problems, but what, specifically, were those? Thanks, RD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Primarily, the track was not adequately banked and the suspensions on the coaster trains took a terrible beating, day after day.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron88stang Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 The Bat was SBNO on my first visit to KI when I was 5 back in 1984. It looked so ominous to me then. All coasters were scary to me then but one that had to be shut down seemed really scary to me at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbeast1968 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Does anyone have the "joy" of riding this coaster? I was lucky enough to ride it twice in I believe the opening year. I do remember it being a little rough but, I do not remember the Quote "Whiplash" it had on some riders.Also, I think somewhere in all the junk that I have collected over the years, I think I still have a button that reads I survived The Bat. How ironic is that? Reply with any of your ride stories of The Bat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbeast1968 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Sorry my last post should say: Did anyone, not Does anyone. SORRY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamondback FOF Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 There is an edit button at the bottom right hand corner of your posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I know that everyone and their mother knows this bit of info, if you look around the bottom o Vortex's supports you can still see old footers from The Bat, very well actually. Also, if you look at the transfer track on The Vortex you can still see where they had sections cut out to fit The Bat's track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron88stang Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I was actually observant enough at 8 years old to notice the black walkway on Vortex and correctly assumed it was re-used from The Bat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bc9755 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 Does anyone have the "joy" of riding this coaster? I was lucky enough to ride it twice in I believe the opening year. I do remember it being a little rough but, I do not remember the Quote "Whiplash" it had on some riders.Also, I think somewhere in all the junk that I have collected over the years, I think I still have a button that reads I survived The Bat. How ironic is that? Reply with any of your ride stories of The Bat. I missed out on the legendary Bat since I was born in '82, but my parents managed to grab 2 rides on it total. For what it's worth, they seemed to think it was a great ride. I remember hearing about how there were 2 lift hills like The Beast. Though I was never on it personally, I can gather it was intense. Vortex is too, but probably nothing compared to The Bat. I need a time machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I got to ride it 3 times. It was very good. The swinging effect was 90 degrees+. It was not as fast as Top Gun/Flight Deck. The fin brakes were on the bottom of the cars and I was told that caused problems - no MCBR. Yes, there were two lift hills. You have to remember that momentum is the reason for that - the coaster was not that tall and the "swooping" effect required deep drops, leaving the trains low to the ground. You also have to remember that it was the first suspended coaster, so there was nothing to compare it to. Since then, there have been others, and they never seem to quite match the "remembered" experiences of The Bat. If it were still around, I don't think it would have the legend status it now carries. And yes, the shock absorbers needed to be replaced quite often because the track was no banked (underenginered). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveStroem Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I rode it in both years that it was open. While I don't remember the rides specifically, I do remember it being one of my favorite rides at the park. One night we got over 6 walk on laps on it. They made us run around and wouldn't let us re-ride it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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