When I was 11 years old I road this twice with the loop and it was my first and only time at Kings Island. The ride literally kicked ass and it didn't matter how many times you ride it, its still awesome and scared the shit out of me. This, The Beast and the Vortex were the best coasters, but there was no question the Son of Beast was the best. I'm going back to Kings Island in 2 weeks!
So glad I rode this ride when I was 18 years old. I remember this was a good ride but when I got off felt like I got into a wreck. R.I.P. Son Of The Beast!
i rode this ride after they took the loop out. it was my first real roller coaster and it was amazing. the worst thing that ever happened to me was a moment of not breathing going down the first hill.
I was lucky enough to visit Kings Island back in 2004 and got to ride this coaster with the loop in it. This year I went to Kings Island for the first time since '04 and it's sad to see this coaster just sitting there not operating.
This was my favorite coaster at kings island. I'm sad to see it gone but it makes sense considering all it's issues. As for people complaining about how it hurt and whatnot stop being such a wimp, it was not that bad.
they should open this back up! its the only ride that extends your vacation! well gotta drive home tonight so i can be back at the office by 8. better get on the Son of Beast =)
I remember fondly, the beast is rougher than this, injury wise, I have hit my ear on the tunnel so many times because I wasn't leaning with the ride I've lost count, yet I haven't gotten a scratch on son of beast, RIP Son of Beast :(
they havent said anything about what they are goin to do about it yet, they will be releasing the information during this off season, I for one hope they keep it, its a great ride.
I remember when I rode this ride when I was 10. Although this was about 9 years ago I still remember the experience. I ended up hating it because the bar kept on pressing down on my lap making the ride feel very uncomfortable. It was also very rigged & shaky to where it hurt my head. I am glad it was taken down.
My mom's friend's uncle worked on it or helped with this ride, and apparently they skipped a lot of safety steps. Also the wood wasn't the best wood. But I love this ride. I really hope they don't get rid of it. I hope that they can atleast upgrade it. Also Kings Island did something with their insurance so if you look on the "you must me this tall signs" they changed the heights, they moved them up. You can see how far they moved them.
@Jezla Correction: Numerous people have been severely injured, and almost every other rider came off with aches and pains. This thing was so god awfully engineered, and it just hurt like hell.
Sure, it WAS a rough ride, what would one expect on a wooden coaster with a 214ft drop! However, it was as much fun as you could get and I'm proud to say I rode it twice while it still had the loop. I also rode King Cobra, another ride gone at Kings Island. My first coaster was the Big Dipper at the now defunct Geauga Lake. It sucks when great coasters go, it makes me feel old.
The New TX Giant is classified as steel though. It's all about the track concerning what makes a coaster steel or wood, the supports don't matter. Wooden coasters have flatten steel strips mounted on laminated wooden track. Steel coasters have all steel top track like the NTG.
No, the Beast is a different coaster in the park and it is still open. It is smaller than the Son of Beast and is the longest wooden coaster in the world.
@TheCalhounboys no they are not! there were guys walking on the track, testing it for weaknesses, and bad points, they are gonna redo the wood to make it less bumpy
It wasn’t, Ive also never Ridden it, it sent a total of 31 people to the hospital, was super rough and from a bad manufacturer, the loop at to be removed because it paralyzed someone, was impossible to maintain, and it’s widely considered the worst amusement ride ever built
@pokesnorlax1 -- Sure is. It's a damn shame that such an awesome, intense ride is just sitting dormant like that. Taking out the loop pretty much castrated it to begin with. Wish they had the sense to put it back in operation for everyone who misses it. It's so sad to see it at the park and know that nobody can ride it.
No one got seriously hurt from this. People get minor injuries from roller coasters all the time (bruises, whiplash, etc...). I rode this one time though (I think it may have been day 1, I know it was early in the first year season though) and even as safe as Kings Islands history is I would never ride it again if it was still open. A wooden coaster has wheels on top and inside (or outside) the track which means when it did the loop it was all gravity. had it slowed down ever it would fall off.
I got to ride it with the loop a dozen times, I rode it 1 week before the accident in 06 and It seemed fine to me just a bit rough like all wooden rollercoasters. Friends of mine that work there said it would cost too much to tear down so they are trying to find a way to fix it.
DC* games oh yeah, I know. Now that I know what actually happened with this coaster, I’m glad it’s gone and replaced with something safer. I love Banshee!!
@MrWalrusGuy2 it needed heavy cars to go through the loop and the heavy cars splintered the wood and when the train hit the splinter they rocked really hard and gave ppl whiplash
They should do what they did to the new texas giant to this Some people say they shouldn't but if they do, they can bring the loop back and reopen it!!
@JasmineWilson4890 Yes there was a loop!!! And yes the frame of the loop was steel but the track was still wood. You must have rode it when they took the loop out!
What a shame its no longer in use. Just setting and rotting. I say either open it or take it out and put something that will make the dimondback look like a childs coaster. 500 ft+ 150mph + standing up and backwards.
They're taking it down, it's so sketchy.. i would always pray that it didn't break when i was on it because it's so poorly made.. it was extremely fast and fun though with the loop
It seems that you people who condemn this rollercoaster for being wooden & having a loop fail to realize that the loop it self is STEEL...not wood. If you look, the track visibly changes. Aside from the track before/after the loop, this part of the ride is no different than any other steel looping coaster.
Frankly, I would rather ride Son of Beast WITH the loop than ride the Flip Flap Railway -- which was a 19th century looping coaster that pulled a PAINFUL 12 g's! The reasons were: 1. the loop was way too small (i.e., too tight); and 2. the loop was perfectly circular.
Rode it with the loop and without and it was better with it. If they are not going to remove the ride they should really think about modifying the ride into a hybrid coaster like the Texas Giant. They spent way too much money to let this thing just sit there for years.
They're actually not going to reopen it. Son of the Beast has been closed for 3 years. Even if they did want to reopen it, they would have to do safety checks, as well as get it inspected. If they were doing that it would be going on right now in late MAY, less than a month before they "reopen it". And I was at King's Island yesterday and Son of the Beast showed no trains moving AT ALL... As it always was and as it always will. Even if they did reopen it, it would surely not be THIS season.
@hdvoyagerfan yeah it is closed for being dangerous but the people who built it did not really built it right. So it started causing problems so a fun ride dystroyed :( They better fix that ride.... so many fun trips to Kings Island but Son Of Beast open for one of those many times.
jeese that sucks i mean that was like the only WOODEN COASTER in the world that had a loop in it and then the loop was taken out because of people and then it was completely closed because of ignorant people who got on with problems and sued KI for it knowing they should've payed more attention! ruining the fun for others... i only rode it once and i was so young i dont even remember it .... :'( that sucks but i do know that this coaster was freaking awesome!!
I rode this thing a thousand times, the last time was in 2009 1 week before it closed for good and sure it was rough but that is how wooden coasters are. and if it was still standing I'd ride it a thousand more
NO....the car would not fall. ALL modern day coasters are built with the same basic wheel assembly of a top, side, and under wheel(s) to prevent the cars from coming off the track.
Damn look how high this Son of a Bitch was in the air at the top of the first drop! I was told this thing was insane and you would be insane from riding it because this monster of a coaster was not for the faint of heart! I never got a chance to ride Son of Beast because I never have been to Kings Island.
