Thirty years ago today, a legend was born. In the lush green forest behind Kings Island (north of Cincinnati, OH) a monster of a roller coaster began its record-breaking existence. The Beast opened as the longest and fastest roller coaster in the World on April 13, 1979. It has also been cited as the first roller coaster to generate a big media buzz.
The $4 million terrain roller coaster sends riders on a 4 minute journey so long it requires two lift hills. The ride is packed with hills, turns, pitch black tunnels and helices. It was quite revolutionary at the time and to this day, still ranks highly in enthusiast polls and top tens. In fact, this 30 year old ride is sitting at 4th on my top ten coasters, narrowly edging out younger wooden standouts like The Voyage and Boulder Dash.
- A 7,400-foot long track (1.4 miles) and ride time of four minutes, 10 seconds
- Vertical drops of 135 feet (at a 45-degree angle) and 141 feet (at an 18-degree angle)
- A 125-foot long underground tunnel at the bottom of the 135-foot drop.
- Eight banked turns, some to 45 degrees
- A massive 540-degree helix tunnel near the end
- Speeds up to 64.77 miles per hour
- Three tunnels
Source: Kings Island Insider Blog
Take the journey! Read my full review of the Beast at Kings Island.
What’s Your Take?
Have you ridden the Beast? What’d you think? Leave a comment below.
April 15, 2009 at 12:07
The Beast is at it's absolute best after dark, especially the last train of the night!
April 15, 2009 at 18:26
Good to hear from you Judy. You're right, Beast at night was unforgettable! Everyone should experience it at least once.
July 10, 2009 at 05:15
I have absoloutley fallen in love with the Beast! I'm obsessed with the ride though I'm afraid to ride it at night because of the ghosts
July 10, 2009 at 12:34
haha wow the ghosts. Ive always wanted to go on this ride. For a ride this long i would love to go on it
July 11, 2009 at 03:13
Rode this last Monday….once in very front and once in very back…it is not overrated for sure…..still packs a punch!
July 11, 2009 at 03:47
hey daniel is it more intense in the back
December 18, 2009 at 00:12
Yes it is much, much more intense/more fun in the dark. Riding the Beast at night is my favorite coaster experience. I haven't found anything better, yet. I'm glad you rate it as your #2 wood CC. I'm sick of enthusiasts/experts bash it like robert niles listing it as overrated. It's absolute rubbish and I'm not a homer seeing as how I rode it for the first time in 2008 after I had 100+ credits under my belt. Anyways, thanks for the good Beast review! Much appreciated!
December 23, 2009 at 07:33
I rode the Beast after 30 years of buildup and wondered what all the fuss was about. After being braked to a near stop in the shed run after the first drop, I turned around and asked my friend (who loves the Beast), W##?! He just shrugged…
Without breaks I'm sure its much better, but after a couple of rides I was pretty bored. Too many long, flat straightaways and trim breaks for me.
The Voyage, on the other hand, was by far the most extreme wood coaster I have EVER been on…
January 13, 2011 at 18:38
I'm in love with the Beast. I've only rode 4 wooden roller coasters ever but the Beast is better than many steel roller coasters I've rode. That ride is long, fast, and fun…….ALWAYS!!! I was the last person to ride the ride last decade as I rode closing day; Oct. 31,2010.