1981 :: The original BAT suspended roller coaster, King's Island amusement park

The first modern day suspended coaster opened at King's Island in 1981. Plagued with problems from the beginning, the coaster ended up closing just 2 years later.

[@tractorgt]

God I remember riding this with my Dad in 81, I was 7 and it was the first time I was tall enough at Kings island to ride anything. Got on the beast for the first time that day too. Ahh memories

[@Gunners_Mate_Guns]

I rode it, too. I was 13 at the time. What spooked me most was how the cars would swivel away from the support stanchions in such a way as to make it feel as if we were going to collide with them. It wasn't a fast coaster, but damn, was it ever crazy scary!

[@mcstrangelove]

I loved The Bat as a kid and got to ride it two seasons before they started shutting it down constantly. Top Gun paled in comparison. I remember thinking, “That’s it?!”

[@CoasterDave]

i hope a new company takes a crack at the suspended swinging coaster so we can have more rides like this one

[@ArrowThrills]

Who vokome

[@preferredduck1]

Quinton Parchment I think the guy who does rmc was with arrow.

[@gavinbennett2302]

Yes, Alan Shilke was an amazing designer for Arrow and he designed some of my favorite rides. I believe he worked with S&S Worldwide after they absorbed Arrow, then he left for RMC when it became S&S Sanei.

[@ThemeParkCrazy]

May I use this footage in a video I'm making about the suspended coaster model (Big Bad Wolf specifically)? I will give your channel full credit.

[@CulinaryJoey]

I remember learn this is first suspended roller coaster in the world according to kings island history.

[@danhallas3546]

No it wasn’t the first one built it was the first one built inside an amusement park. The Bat was about 80 years too late to be crowned “first one in the world”. The “original suspended coaster” was Bisby’s Spiral Airship built in 1902 and operated till 1915.

[@danhallas3546]

But that’s marketing for yah and kings island knew they could get away with that BS marketing campaign 😂

[@CulinaryJoey]

@@danhallas3546 exactly 💯 KI fans thinks Bat is standing near Banshee is old Bat in reality is not because it's use to be Top Gun 🔫/Flight Deck had one chain lift and old Bat have two chain lift. I wish KI retheme The Bat 2.0 as Top Gun Maverick ride and repaint the track black and green. Oh will Cedar fair don't pay Viacom to use paramount movies or characters on rides .

[@CoasterWriter]

May I also use this footage? I am building a K'nex coaster inspired by this one.

[@joncappel1335]

wish I could've rode that coaster 4 Sure !!

[@joshuaanderson2767]

I LITERALLY SURVIVED The Bat!!!!!!!!!

[@Vulpovile]

What song is this?