Kings Island's Beloved Failure: The Bat

[@PoxyBear]

I got to ride the original The Bat. As a matter of fact, it had broken down for about 45 minutes but I stayed in line because I wanted to ride it so badly. I loved the swinging back and forth. Wish I still had my Bat button that they sold back then.

[@MrHaaspaul]

I rode the original Bat with my wife the year it opened……we both loved it….it was a great coaster !

[@drwhorush246]

"and those who never got to wrote it, envied those who did" gotta love those captions!

[@SeanFlaharty]

Cool video! While I never got to ride the original Bat, I remember walking by it quite a few times. It was always closed and I also remember seeing welders on the track. Also, just to clarify, the trains anti-rollbacks and chain dogs were on top of the cars and not the bottom. The bottom of the train did have the brake fins but everything else was above the rider.

[@TheThemeParkFiles]

I realized that after the video was already published. Apparently some of the information I got from the article was incorrect. Live and learn I guess.

[@SeanFlaharty]

@@TheThemeParkFiles No worries. It happens to me as well.

[@PastimeCoasters]

Excellent info and footage from my home park! Well done!

[@tractorgt]

I was 7 yrs old in 1981 when I rode this thing on a cold September morning, my first thrill ride. Pants were suitably sh*t. 😂 Did the beast at night that same day too. Great memories! Thanks!

[@ParkPros]

Nice video! Good info and you literally have the perfect voice for this type of vid. Subscribed!

[@JCBro-yg8vd]

According to a book I read that had interviews from actual park staff, The Bat's failures had nothing to do with the decision to turn a train on The Racer backwards. They did it so they'd have something new to market for the 1982 season due to having a reduced budget.

[@WickedlyMe328]

Kings Island, Cedar Point & Carowinds were my home parks!

[@annmarie1569]

I grew up going to Kings Island and Cedar Point

[@randycunningham7318]

I got to ride it with my family, as a kid. It was so fun.

[@philipbiggs5883]

Met two people that rode The Bat. Both said the same thing about it. Some parts were so rough it would slam you hard you would get bruises.

[@skyslim3608]

I was 15 when I rode the bat and my shoulder slipped out the harness that kept me in, luckly I had my best there to help me and hold on to me, very scary still think about it too this day I got Lucky

[@nolanmiller186]

Hold, the heck up. There is still a bat at kings island right? I just ride it this season!

[@TheThemeParkFiles]

Yes! While The Bat is currently a coaster at Kings Island it is not the original. The current Bat was originally named Top Gun. Then after Kings Island was bought by Cedar Fair the coaster was renamed to Flight Deck. The name was finally changed to The Bat in 2013 in honor of the original of the original coaster.

[@GreatVibrationsAffirmations]

I just rode the new Bat for the first time and really enjoyed it! First time at Kings Island. I loved it. I'll have to go back when I'm not with a grown man who acts like a little bitch about roller coasters and getting splashed

[@elvisdezarn1452]

Me too... I've been going to Kings Island almost yearly and I never knew until (9-25-2022) that it re-opened, and I rode it for the 1st time.

[@gajdzik89]

Misleading considering it was rebuilt. I didn’t hear that anywhere in the video.

[@redxross]

I sprained my neck on the original The Bat. I appears to glide around those curves, but it didn't, at least not for a rider under 100 pounds. I swung from side to side inside the car! But I'm not mad about that. I'm really happy I got to ride The Bat.

[@hybridthedragon1128]

This is my fav ride

[@mikekinsella2822]

I think I goit about 7-8 rides on the Bat.

[@zenomorph8806]

I got to ride the original and it was awesome. It’s too bad that it was stressing the steel and breaking down so often.

[@hybridthedragon1128]

There’s a new bat if you don’t know

[@hybridthedragon1128]

I just rode it

[@deannawitt9376]

My sister got hurt on the bat

[@joshborgelt8583]

Someone died on the old Bat

[@noahr4951]

Is it in poor taste for them to have renamed Top Gun/ Flight Deck to The Bat? I feel like it is half hearted attempt to capitalize on this type of nostalgia.

[@squggglyboi3088]

False bat is still working

[@kylebrandon2009]

You're getting confused. The Bat you ride today was the former "Top Gun/Flight Deck".....this Bat was where Vortex once stood

[@michaelhammond6024]

The bat sucks. Tare it down. Vortex should have never been torn down

[@aprildouthitt3081]

The bat is still up dummy

[@bradykim8438]

No, they’re talking about the original one. If you watched the video you would know. The Bat that is still operating today is the original “Top Gun”.

[@EarthBoy2937]

There was a very old BAT That once stood Where the vortex was and now i dont know what is Standing there.