Regarding the Son of Beast Station

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

What sort of chance is there that this notorious building is reused for another roller coaster? Given the track layout of Banshee, it seems to me that the only way this relic could see use again would be after The Bat has given its last ride. It just seems bizarre to me that they've left it sitting there as an eerie reminder this long without the intention of some sort of reallocation, not to mention that there's still plenty of Lion Country Safari land available close by. I'm curious what sort of changes would have to be made to give the structure new life. We all know too well the prospect of the infamous coaster's resurrection. I'm just wondering if the old station is even capable of housing a 'reboot' or original ride at this point. I know not what sort of natural decay has occurred to the site over the past decade.

[CoasterJack]

I mean theoretically, I'm sure there's a way RMC could make a funky station exit and break run. I mean Gwazi was a freak of a recreation using old footers, and that station had been SBNO for years, but also in all honesty there's nothing super unique about the SOB station. Sure it's memorable, but it's not exactly unique like the Gwazi African themed station or heck even The Vortex/Old Bat station. I still think it's odd that they didn't save The Vortex station for events, yet the SOB station has stood SBNO for over a decade for a haunt event. So I'd say theoretically, there's a chance it could be revitalized for a new coaster, which would be awesome, but in reality, I think it would be more trouble than its worth to reuse the SOB station.

[purdude86]

I agree. It would probably need too much work and would limit them, even if only minimally, on layouts. Given how long it has sat there unused besides Haunt I feel it would probably need too much work to reuse for something as intensive as a coaster station and as you mentioned there is nothing special about the station itself to make it worth keeping. I do however think that they would easily build something there with both Bat and Banshee if they wanted, Bat gets pretty low at that turnaround so you could easily have a lift hill go over it and then have a break run/return track come back between Bat and Banshee. This layout could still work even with the SoB station.

 

As for The Vortex station, I do wish they had kept it as it was iconic. I hope that if they do build a new coaster there they recreate the station building or something similar to it.

[KIEagle33]

If they could build some sort of ride here, it would be nice if they created Action Zone into a sort of spooky theme, like Bat and Banshee, and then give the new ride a scary theme as well. Just a thought. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

They could do a drop out of the station and do a tunnel under Banshee and start the lift hill on the other side. That would require disassembling part of Banshee to dig the tunnel and putting the pieces back into place when that part of construction is completed similar to what Wonderland did with Vortex for Yukon Striker's tunnel. However, that would probably cost a lot of money to do and may not be worth it from a business standpoint. 

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

On 4/7/2022 at 1:04 PM, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

They could do a drop out of the station and do a tunnel under Banshee and start the lift hill on the other side. That would require disassembling part of Banshee to dig the tunnel and putting the pieces back into place when that part of construction is completed similar to what Wonderland did with Vortex for Yukon Striker's tunnel. However, that would probably cost a lot of money to do and may not be worth it from a business standpoint. 

Given that it's 30+ feet up I was wondering if they could exit with a sharp drop to the left.

[Tr0y]

Personally, I don’t like the idea of removing The Bat. It’s a unique ride and underrated one at that. I love the idea of a big coaster going in the space behind Banshee tho, the combination of SoB’s tall station with a sharp incline lift hill could clear Banshee. This space is honestly where I was hoping we would get a Giga Coaster. 

[MDMC01]

So, looking on Google Maps, if they wanted to re-use the old Son of Beast station, there could be a sharp left drop and then right turn under Banshee's turn the one (before the final inversion) and then that coaster could either go alongside Banshee's back half or away from the park (north, towards GWL). OR there could always be a steep lift to go over Banshee, but I feel like that would ruin the look of Banshee.

OR, another idea would be to have the coaster go in the opposite direction and make a right hand turn out of the station and have the track go above The Bat's furthest turn. The coaster could somehow weave around/through Banshee for the return trip.

Also, Fun Fact: Did you know Vortex is still there and Orion is in pieces (as in, under construction?)

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

1 hour ago, Tr0y said:

Personally, I don’t like the idea of removing The Bat. It’s a unique ride and underrated one at that. I love the idea of a big coaster going in the space behind Banshee tho, the combination of SoB’s tall station with a sharp incline lift hill could clear Banshee. This space is honestly where I was hoping we would get a Giga Coaster. 

I didn't like the idea of removing Vortex, but nothing lasts forever.

[Cedar Fair Fanboy]

If we gonna replace the wooden monstrosity with another wooden monstrosity, it's got to be RMC. (That is just my theory, plus it will make Kings Island, "the wooden coaster capital of the world.")

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

5 minutes ago, Cedar Fair Fanboy said:

If we gonna replace the wooden monstrosity with another wooden monstrosity, it's got to be RMC. (That is just my theory, plus it will make Kings Island, "the wooden coaster capital of the world.")

That's a title I think suits the park well with the legacy left by Racer.

[Tr0y]

53 minutes ago, Cedar Fair Fanboy said:

If we gonna replace the wooden monstrosity with another wooden monstrosity, it's got to be RMC. (That is just my theory, plus it will make Kings Island, "the wooden coaster capital of the world.")

RMC don’t make wooden coasters tho.. I wouldn’t be opposed to the Gravity Group making something on the likes of The Voyage tho. 

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

5 hours ago, Tr0y said:

RMC don’t make wooden coasters tho.. I wouldn’t be opposed to the Gravity Group making something on the likes of The Voyage tho. 

I wouldn't even mind another GCI to be honest.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

They could fit a large scale Gravity Group like Voyage or Hades 360 here. Came up with a little concept for the station/start of lift hill and brake run. The brake run would be long as the coaster would have to run 3 trains. The coaster would include an MCBR as well for that reason.

 

[silver2005]

I subscribe to the John Allen theory that no wooden coaster should be built more than 120ft or so, as evidenced by the failures of the many large scale wooden coasters like SOB, Texas Giant and Mean Streak. 

Intamin Plus N' Plays have their own issues altogether. 

Also, KI doesn't need another wooden coaster.

[Dan]

On 4/7/2022 at 11:19 AM, KIEagle33 said:

If they could build some sort of ride here, it would be nice if they created Action Zone into a sort of spooky theme, like Bat and Banshee, and then give the new ride a scary theme as well. Just a thought. 

Well in three years The Bat will reach the "end of it's service life", lol. So you're only going to be left with one ride with a "spooky" theme.

[purdude86]

12 hours ago, silver2005 said:

I subscribe to the John Allen theory that no wooden coaster should be built more than 120ft or so, as evidenced by the failures of the many large scale wooden coasters like SOB, Texas Giant and Mean Streak. 

Intamin Plus N' Plays have their own issues altogether. 

Also, KI doesn't need another wooden coaster.

I feel like nowadays they could build them better. All of those coasters were from the 90's (2000 opening for SoB but designed in the 90s). Designs have gotten much better and have been longer lasting with coasters like Wodan and Voyage topping out above 120' just fine. They might need to supplement some steel with the supports to make it sturdier as I do agree an entirely wooden structure isn't strong enough for the massive heights, I believe this is what the Voyage did as well.

And with us having a decent collection of wooden coasters right now I don't feel we need another right away but I wouldn't mind seeing KI get a Gravity Group/GCI coaster like Voyage and a ground up RMC to really cement us as the wooden coaster capital with having all types. Our current collection is great with the classic out and back racing family coaster, unique thrill coaster, modern woodie, and kid's/family starter coaster. But if we could add an intense hybrid and a tall, "out-of-control" out and back like Voyage with possibly a twister type section on the back end then we would hit all areas.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

7 hours ago, Dan said:

Well in three years The Bat will reach the "end of it's service life", lol. So you're only going to be left with one ride with a "spooky" theme.

Source on that? 

[CorkscrewMcPuke]

On 4/12/2022 at 9:46 PM, silver2005 said:

I subscribe to the John Allen theory that no wooden coaster should be built more than 120ft or so, as evidenced by the failures of the many large scale wooden coasters like SOB, Texas Giant and Mean Streak. 

Intamin Plus N' Plays have their own issues altogether. 

Also, KI doesn't need another wooden coaster.

Simplicity does bring reliability. That doesn't mean well planned innovation doesn't offer rewards. Son of Beast had a lot bigger issues than size.

[silver2005]

^As someone who read the 2006 accident forensics report, I would argue that most of its issues could be backtracked to it being built as bit as it was. 

[DoomPlague]

22 hours ago, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Source on that? 

I think he's just being cynical but there's good reason to believe The Bat may be the next coaster to get the axe such as it's location, its ridership, the fact that its creator is no longer in business, etc etc. And then when it happens "service life" will be the reason given (which is fine. They have to say something and that's about the only thing you can say).

 

42 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

^As someone who read the 2006 accident forensics report, I would argue that most of its issues could be backtracked to it being built as bit as it was. 

The size was definitely clearly a major factor but probably compounded by the manufacturer's incompetence. I'll be curious to see if either TGG's precut track or a mix GCI's titan track leads to some larger rides.

I agree that KI isn't needing another woodie. I wouldn't be against it if complements the others well enough but there are definitely bigger holes to fill.

[PKIDelirium]

The main thing now is getting a large multi-looper back. Without Vortex, there are no sit-down multi-inversion coasters other than FOF. Vortex plot is prime for a large B&M floorless or S&S Steel Curtain-type ride. Something with a major visual statement like Vortex was.

[Shaggy]

I personally hope that if KI chooses to re-use the vacant land on which most of SOB existed for another attraction, then they completely re-think the entry/access & queue to that ride (no matter if the station is used or not.)

One of the worst things about SOB - that most people dont recall - was it's queue and lead-up to the station.  It was not well thought out, completely esthetically un-pleasing and poorly conceived.  You had to enter the "exit" of a ride, then stand in a que that was squeezed into a former observation area. The wait through those full queues then up the ramps to the station took much longer than what you expected.  There was zero shade.... and it was excruciating.  Once you entered the station, there was a 2-row set of switchbacks before you entered a free-for-all loading platform - jam packed with people. 

It's queues created a bottleneck for those exiting Top Gun... and it also afforded those exiting Top Gun the ability to line-jump.  Fights were known to break out over this, so it ultimately led to park security having to regularly staff the area to keep an eye on things.

With all the time they spent designing and building SOB - it amazed me that they literally threw together a queue at the very last minute.  It was an obvious mis-step.

Below is a picture taken (by myself) of the queue on Passholder Preview night April 28, 2000.  The media preview had been held earlier that day and then SOB opened late that night (with one train - and sporadic - operation)  Entry to the line was cut off around an hour or so after it opened.  It operated that night, then It closed the next day and did not re-open for another month.

[DonHelbig]

8 hours ago, DoomPlague said:

I think he's just being cynical but there's good reason to believe The Bat may be the next coaster to get the axe such as it's location, its ridership, the fact that its creator is no longer in business, etc etc. And then when it happens "service life" will be the reason given (which is fine. They have to say something and that's about the only thing you can say).

Its ridership? The Bat annually ranks among the top attractions in the park for rides given. 

[MDMC01]

Wow @Shaggy, that's a lot of people! I can definitely see why it created a bottleneck situation for those exiting The Bat (Top Gun at the time). Reminds me of (pre-Covid) Haunt where you have the start of Wolf Pack, Blackout and The Bat's line all starting in the same place (as The Bat's entrance path was taken up by Blackout's line). Also, I never thought of line jumping being an issue, but you are exactly right. And I do remember that line being slow moving...

EDIT: And I'm guessing that yellow flag is part of Top Gun's theming? Also, this situation (long lines and not very operational) reminds me of the time I went to Kings Dominion back in 2001 and Hypersonic XLC's line was 4 hours and it kept breaking down (I never got to ride as I was way too scared back then - guessed I'd already pushed my limits with Volcano earlier in the day (which I enjoyed!))

[DoomPlague]

26 minutes ago, DonHelbig said:

Its ridership? The Bat annually ranks among the top attractions in the park for rides given. 

Does it? I must do well at avoiding crowds because it's the most reliably short line in the park for me. But I'm happy to hear that because I love The Bat.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

Is it just me, or does it feel off that the ride operated with the crane still up? If I were part of the GP and even today, I would feel pretty hesitant about riding when the crane is still up. Maybe that was an early sign the ride was doomed lol. 

[silver2005]

Here's a thread from 2014 which shows the ride counts, Bat's near the top.

 

[Dan]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:11 AM, Hawaiian Coasters 325 said:

Source on that? 

"MASON, OHIO – It opened in 1987 as the tallest, full-circuit roller coaster with the highest drop in the world and the first roller coaster in the world with six inversions, but next month, Kings Island’s Vortex steel roller coaster will be closing for good.

While still popular, the 33-year-old ride has "simply reached the end of its service life," Don Helbig, the park's digital marketing director, said in a blog post announcing the ride's closure."

The Bat (formerly Top Gun) opened in 1993, 6 years after Vortex. Both rollercoasters were designed and manufactured by Arrow Dynamics.

[matt112986]

1 hour ago, Dan said:

"MASON, OHIO – It opened in 1987 as the tallest, full-circuit roller coaster with the highest drop in the world and the first roller coaster in the world with six inversions, but next month, Kings Island’s Vortex steel roller coaster will be closing for good.

While still popular, the 33-year-old ride has "simply reached the end of its service life," Don Helbig, the park's digital marketing director, said in a blog post announcing the ride's closure."

The Bat (formerly Top Gun) opened in 1993, 6 years after Vortex. Both rollercoasters were designed and manufactured by Arrow Dynamics.

He asked for a source on The Bat not Vortex. You don't know when it will reach the end of it's service life or if that will be the stated reason for closure. Unless you have a source to prove otherwise.