The Beast is Unleashed in 1979 - 50th Anniversary Archives Kings Island

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On July 10, 1978, ABC-TV premiered “World News Tonight” with anchors Frank Reynolds, Peter Jennings and Max Robinson, “Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb topped the billboard charts, and in southwest Ohio, something happened that would change the world forever. Well, at least the roller coaster world.
Officials at Kings Island announced the park had begun construction on a major new attraction that would open as America’s champion roller coaster in the spring of 1979. The new coaster would break all existing records as the longest and fastest with the two greatest vertical drops. Not only were the statistics of the coaster impressive with a top speed of 65 miles per hour, a total track length of 7,359 feet and vertical drops of 135 feet and 141 feet, but the use of the rugged natural terrain ensured that no other roller coaster anywhere would top the thrills the ride would deliver as it weaved along steep cliffs, down ravines, into four tunnels, through nine sharply banked turns, among a forest of trees and often at tree-top heights.
Another feature that made the coaster different than any other was the fact the park had designed it and constructing it themselves.
Two-hundred and 11 days following the announcement, on February 6, 1979, Kings Island unveiled the name of America’s champion roller coaster. The biggest, baddest, tallest, fastest wooden roller coaster in the world would be known as The Beast.
Watch the video below to see POV footage of The Beast as the ride was unleashed for members of the news media on Media Day April 13, 1979.
#kingsisland #rollercoaster #amusementpark

[@VBaskin2010]

The animated commercial for The Beast was created by the legendary team of William Hanna & Joseph Barbera in 1979! And FYI Nickelodeon made it's debut on April the 1st also in 1979!!

[@camrynjoyce4998]

ii

[@stevepallante8962]

NOTHING compares to a night 🌙 ✨️ ride on BEAST!!!!!

[@timothykaczmarek5871]

Absolutely love night Beast rides!! Scary as SHIT!!

[@expo1403]

Any day on the Beast is a good day

[@pipepicasso8112]

Please bring back the pond under the station plus the water mill feature. It was great theming, and watching the fish gave something to do while in line.

[@timothykaczmarek5871]

But then people would throw litter and crap in the water so someone would have to keep it clean. More trouble than it's worth unfortunately.

[@CMA_Editor]

This season I finally rode the beast after sticking on the Racer for quite a while, after I rode it, it became my new number one, the tunnels are amazing, the first drop, I have no words, its so good, ii go with my dad every other Saturday and we have season passes and the yearly meal plan. (Both are amazing, me and my dad are able to split a meal.) Edit: I rode my first night ride on Beast, AHHHHHHHH I CAN NOT!!!!!!!!!! My dad bought the picture, it's so sad that the people in front and behind us didn't have there hands up.

[@Joypyf]

The forces on that final helix 🤤

[@blitz7819]

most legendary wooden coaster ever period

[@KingsIslandPR]

ikr

[@bradykim8438]

Haven’t been able to ride it yet, but if all goes well I will in a couple days! So excited.

[@itsmiiist]

such a great and classic coaster, been on it almost 100 times throughout my life! thank you kings island for making such a great roller coaster :)

[@MrTromaking]

I would love to see this video run side by side with a current run to see how it has changed.

[@sleepdeep305]

I just finished riding the beast when this video was uploaded

[@thefeeblesheep]

Crazy how different it was back then

[@JDEverything]

This is my favorite wooden coaster there

[@Legoandstarwarsguy]

yeras later the legend still stands

[@bradykim8438]

Can’t wait to ride it for the first time in a couple days! It looks epic.

[@angelakottner7560]

King island I love you I will never forget you you’re the best and the love you get I will never ever never Forget you

[@darrenschreiber1725]

Enjoyed this video.. it takes me back in time to when I was in high school in the eighties being a king’s island season pass holder.. ( side note I think the narrator of this video is Glen “skipper”Ryle)

[@average_person09]

Lol, I just thought about going to KI to ride it and this video popped up

[@logo115]

The Biggest, Baddest, Longest roller coaster in the World is calling…

[@TheBobcat1978]

The commentator in the video of the ride in 1979 reminds me so much of legendary WWF commentator Gorilla Monsoon.

[@kaleighbreedlove7159]

It's so odd to see without the vegetation around... The atmosphere to the ride is completely different now than what it was back then.

[@thecrazydisneyparksfanatic921]

I remember having a book based on this ride, it was like a junior novel or something like that, I might still have it

[@logo115]

Pretty sure it was Goosebumps book actually

[@logo115]

So it was a Junior novel

[@thecrazydisneyparksfanatic921]

@@logo115 it definitely wasn’t a goosebumps book, it may have been by the same author but it didn’t say goosebumps on it, The cover art was an drawing of two kids on the as mentioned ride and the whole book was about two kids who rode the as mentioned ride who went back in time and they make sure of it that it’s the same ride in king’s island

[@thecrazydisneyparksfanatic921]

Or at least I’m pretty sure of it

[@logo115]

@@thecrazydisneyparksfanatic921 I just know it was by R. L. Stine or whatever the ghost writers were. I assumed it was a Goosebumps book but I might be wrong 🤷‍♂️

[@chrisanimator2092]

I’m exited to ride it on Wednesday

[@WillyJoeFilms]

Yes!

[@aerickmccullough350]

Such a great ride and a classic!! Fact: The train from 1979, the colors from that train actually faded in from red, to orange, to yellow, which I wish that you guys could do again.

[@tanishav.6066]

They did that last year. It's been Red, Orange, and Yellow.

[@wesleydraves1281]

I should have ridden it yesterday when I went because I stopped there for a few hours to ride a few rides after a long drive back home from a vacation

[@KubatheChangeling]

Ah yes, the ride on the Beast! The Beast was a pretty awesome roller-coaster ride ever. It is one of the most fastest, and longest roller-coaster ever. :D

[@abbleshawce]

oh i see they didnt have that brake on the second hill going down originally. thats okay it still feels like your busting through time and space.

[@ul7185]

Various KZbin Recordings from WGN Morning News

[@slepowron2973]

Looks incredible, I wonder if its still standing.

[@thecrazydisneyparksfanatic921]

The beast is still there

[@timothykaczmarek5871]

They did a massive retrack over the off season. It DEFINITELY is still there 😂

[@owenschmitz5171]

Not only is The Beast still there, it broke its OWN world record for being the worlds longest wooden roller coaster!

[@tobiasj2455]

good ride that is still good. too many trims now

[@percy9705]

i would like this coaster a lot more if it weren’t so bumpy, just went to ki about a week ago and i got the worst whiplash ever 😭 love it tho

[@abbymay2009]

sameeee i was just there but the way it threw me around scared me ngl 💀

[@DDKidsPlace]

I think it got faster

[@thomasnourrisson7984]

Et je veux a kings island au usa un startacoaster pour remplacer top trill dragster et kingda ka le nom superhigh les mètres de haut 195 mètres les km’h 127 de vitesse

[@sergioplays628]

mr beast

[@logo115]

Please stop. No one’s laughing

[@timothykaczmarek5871]

​@@logo115 Everyone is laughing, party pooper. 😢

[@logo115]

@@timothykaczmarek5871 The amount of distaste I have for his comment is unbearable. It’s near existence makes my future dead body roll in his grave

[@thomasnourrisson7984]

Je veux en 2026 un formule coaster a holiday park en Allemagne le nom long formule 9 il atteindra les 348 km’h et de longueur 459 de longueur et la hauteur 174 mètres de haut

[@timothykaczmarek5871]

What the hell does that have to do with The Beast?😢

[@thomasnourrisson7984]

@@timothykaczmarek5871 relax je vais rien faire c’était une blague mais le big air sera dans un autre endroit de kings island

[@timothykaczmarek5871]

@@thomasnourrisson7984 What is that in English??

[@Runnamuka]

While it is a classic coaster it is still the most overrated coaster of all time.

[@timothykaczmarek5871]

It is NOT overrated. It is a GREAT RIDE that is historic being all designed and built in-house, has a place in the record books and is a legendary ride. Frankly it doesn't get the recognition that it so much deserves. Top Thrill Dumpster at Cedar Point is overrated, and THAT thing is a major maintenance headache and POS. The Beast is definitely a ride to be honored.