The Beast 40th Anniversary

[DownInRivertown]

On 4/5/2019 at 7:13 AM, Magenta Lizard said:

I have too many fond memories of Beast to mention, but I’ll focus on three. 

Last season, I had a ride on an evening when there were distant storms. Although the lightning wasn’t close enough to close the ride, the random flashes of light and rolls of thunder made the ride disorienting and spooky. There was one bright flash that happened just as we exited the last tunnel before the second lift hill. I thought it was just possible I was going to exit the ride at Candlelight Park (like in R.L. Stine’s The Beast books).

When I learned The Beast was approaching its 50 millionth rider a few years ago, I rode a lot trying to be the “winner.” One evening, I entered the station and saw Don Helbig milling around on the exit side, so I hurriedly picked an empty row in the middle of the train rather than whichever row I had been planning to wait for (probably 14 or 17). After we were in our seats and checked, they announced the 50 millionth rider was on our train. He was a few rows ahead of me, so I guess I was the 50,000,005th or sixth but we ALL felt like the 50 millionth riders. Everybody was whooping it up during the ride, and continued celebrating on the brake run. It was very special. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to participate in several tours behind-the-scenes at Beast. There have been ones at Coasterstock, ones scheduled through Twitter or Snapchat, and ones from the KI Blog. One in May 2015 is the most special to me for two things that stood out: my husband, who doesn’t get to visit the park very often, was there too, and it is the only time I’ve gotten inside the helix. It happened that day that the group who showed for the weekday tour was fairly small, and the weather had been pleasant enough leading up to the day that there was not much mud. It was amazing just to be inside the helix but we also were allowed to stay and photograph while a train or two went through. 

 

I LOVE how you mentioned candlelight park... love that book!!  

[JCoaster25]

Ladies and gentlemen, THE PAW PRINTS ARE BACK!!! 

 

[Oldiesmann]

Great to see the park paying attention to small things like that. A perfect way to help celebrate the ride's 40th anniversary.

[MaestroJr]

3 minutes ago, Oldiesmann said:

Great to see the park paying attention to small things like that. A perfect way to help celebrate the ride's 40th anniversary.

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

[Phantom Theater]

This is awesome. Did the sign above the entrance change too? I can’t remember if it was still beast canyon cold drinks last year. 

[Magenta Lizard]

Yes, the sign is new too

[Italian Job 2005]

I wonder where the paw prints start? The old paw prints started at the Eiffel Tower right?

[TristinTargaryen]

1 hour ago, Italian Job 2005 said:

I wonder where the paw prints start? The old paw prints started at the Eiffel Tower right?

As of right now they only go from underneath where Diamondbacks turn before the splashdown is back to The Beast’s entrance. Of course they could end up adding more before the park opens.

[LuvingKI]

Would be great for some other form of FL entrance into The Beast, besides having to squeeze past the exit riders

 

Score a free Beast 40th anniversary t-shirt!

This year marks the 40th annivesary of the world's longest wooden roller coaster, The Beast, and Kings Island will celebrate in a special way. To kick off the celebration, riders on the first 40 trains after the park officially opens for the 2019 season on April 20 at 10 a.m. will receive a commemorative 40th anniversary Beast t-shirt.

[chad_1138]

This just in...

 

[Hampshire24]

I really like that t-shirt, I just hate the fact there will probably be a stampede from the front to the back of the park on opening morning. I always envision someone tripping and getting stepped on, leading to a bad time. I don’t think anyone should have a bad experience at Kings Island.

I do hope they sell the shirt in stores, though. I like the burnt orange color, really goes well with The Beast.

[chad_1138]

10 hours ago, Hampshire24 said:

I really like that t-shirt, I just hate the fact there will probably be a stampede from the front to the back of the park on opening morning. I always envision someone tripping and getting stepped on, leading to a bad time. I don’t think anyone should have a bad experience at Kings Island.

I do hope they sell the shirt in stores, though. I like the burnt orange color, really goes well with The Beast.

Kings Island replied on Twitter and stated they will not be selling the shirt in stores.

[canobie#1]

Give it time....They'll have something similar if not the same in the gift shop.  They'd be missing a huge opportunity if they didn't sell a shirt like that.  It would be incredibly successful for the retail. 

[chad_1138]

Yeah, I am sure they will have Beast 40th anniversary shirts for sale.  I am guessing just not that design.

[Honorarius]

11 hours ago, Hampshire24 said:

I really like that t-shirt, I just hate the fact there will probably be a stampede from the front to the back of the park on opening morning. I always envision someone tripping and getting stepped on, leading to a bad time. I don’t think anyone should have a bad experience at Kings Island. 

I do hope they sell the shirt in stores, though. I like the burnt orange color, really goes well with The Beast.

It's one of the things I dispise about theme parks... The push-shove rush of the herd at rope drop, who cares if someone gets tripped and trampled... Would it be so wrong to walk the rope back in an orderly fashion???

[Creed Bratton]

2 hours ago, Honorarius said:

It's one of the things I dispise about theme parks... The push-shove rush of the herd at rope drop, who cares if someone gets tripped and trampled... Would it be so wrong to walk the rope back in an orderly fashion???

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.

[fyrfyter]

Give it time....They'll have something similar if not the same in the gift shop.  They'd be missing a huge opportunity if they didn't sell a shirt like that.  It would be incredibly successful for the retail. 

 

They’d be nuts to pass up on said opportunity. I’m sure a similar shirt will appear in the store. I don’t expect exactly the same but something similar. If they opt not to, then I won’t buy anything this season. I didn’t buy anything last season. It’s the exception rather than the rule to find a shirt or hat I actually like and am willing to buy while at the park.

 

That design needs help... too many black thick lines. I think the logo without 2” of all black ink surrounding it would be better. Had they done more of a wooden background like the sign, I think it would have made for a big improvement.

 

I wonder what the stats are for single visit vs season pass holders for mercantile purchases?

[McSalsa]

(Sees what day it is...)

Oh...HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY BEAST!!!

 

[MDMC01]

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...).

[LuvingKI]

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

[McSalsa]

55 minutes ago, MDMC01 said:

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.

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

 

[silver2005]

For The Beast trains- did they only re-paint them in-house or did they send them to PTC for a bit more of a rehab?

[MDMC01]

That's the one @McSalsa!

[PKIVortex]

For The Beast trains- did they only re-paint them in-house or did they send them to PTC for a bit more of a rehab?

KI does all of its own rehabs on its ptc trains.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[DeltaFlyer]

On that topic, I found out something interesting when visiting the PTC booth at IAAPA. The steel cables that run across the back of KI’s PTC trains are not a manufacturer recommended practice. When talking with the folks there they hadn’t ever heard of a park doing that, and thought it must be something the park decided to do. Perhaps someone here has an idea of why the park maintenance department came up with that? Here is a photo of what I am talking about:

 

[Creed Bratton]

I'd guess it has something to do with a rigging to lift the trains onto the track and off the track during off season? 

[fyrfyter]

I'd guess it has something to do with a rigging to lift the trains onto the track and off the track during off season? 

I thought they just used a forklift and pulled them off the end of the maintenance track?

I figured it had something to do with aging trains and original designs not holding the sides completely tight, so this keep them from blowing out.

[BeastForever]

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2019/april/state-of-ohio-recognizes-the-beast’s-40th-birthday

"STATE OF OHIO RECOGNIZES The Beast’S 40TH BIRTHDAY"

Quote

The Beast, which officially opened to the public on this date 40 years ago on April 14, 1979, was recognized by The State of Ohio with a resolution by Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor John Husted which read, in part, “Whereas, The Beast since its opening in 1979 has had more than 53 million riders take its twists and turns, and still holds the record for world’s longest wooden roller coaster in both length and time. The Beast has 7,359 feet of track and takes a total of four minutes and 10 seconds to ride, and whereas, gut-churning roller coasters like The Beast make Ohio the premier destination in the world for amusement parks."

Kings Island will celebrate The Beast’s 40th anniversary season in a special way. To kick off the celebration, riders on the first 40 Beast trains after the park officially opens for the 2019 season at 10 a.m. on April 20 will receive a 40th anniversary Beast t-shirt. Limit one (1) t-shirt per guest. 

 

[Creed Bratton]

9 hours ago, fyrfyter said:

 

I thought they just used a forklift and pulled them off the end of the maintenance track?

I figured it had something to do with aging trains and original designs not holding the sides completely tight, so this keep them from blowing out.

 

Dunno...was just making a guess.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Another great read on the KIBlog.  Some history in that post. 

https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2019/april/the-beast-40-years-of-terror