The Demolished History Of Son Of Beast - The Troubled Rollercoaster Sequel | Expedition Kings Island 

What wooden roller coaster would you like to see on the next Expedition?

I waited five hours with my dad on the first day it opened to ride this monster. It broke down almost immediately and they told everyone in line it probably would not reopen but three hours later they got it running again and two hours after that I got my first night ride on the SOB! I remember a coaster enthusiast who was next to us in line saying “look at the tears in their eyes as people were exiting the train, that’s how you know it’s good”. Even on day one it beat the crap out of you lol.

There are few sadder things in the world of theme parks than watching the demolition of a roller coaster, even a bad one.

Son of Beast: Hipper and more extreme than his pop by doing a flip

beast: *don't talk to me or my son again*

I rode this twice! Once with the loop and once without. I enjoyed it (I am a coaster enthusiast) but I admit it was very rough and while my younger self could handle the rough ride, my current self, my disabled old ass would have died... lol

Son of Beast would have worked if they didn't build it so sloppily.

I remember being too afraid to ride this, so my younger cousin went on it alone. When she got off, her entire sternum was already starting to bruise. No one could get me on this ride after that.

God it was such a fun coaster. I’m so happy I got to ride it with the loop. Edit to add: starting the season it was “temporarily closed”, during the Halloween event there was a tombstone and fresh grave by Beast that said “My Beloved Son.” I have photos, because we were like welp. That says it all.

I was so sad to see how poorly this turned out. It's my home park and the hype as a kid was so real. Everyone in Ohio was talking about it.

Roller coaster content and Face/Off appreciation are like chicken and waffles, an unlikely but beautiful combo

“You could say they tried to take the face of the ride...... off” 😂😂😂😂

We're just waiting for the prequel "Grandfather of beast".

This is the first I'd heard that ops had EStopped the ride due to injuries from a returning train, I'd always heard a train got stopped by the broken section. Great job on their part for noticing something wrong and stopping everything to check. They very well may have saved lives if that's how it went down. The more you know!

I flew from the UK in July 2000 & rode SOB, the trains seemed like they were bouncing along the track and the Rose Bowl was very rough. It's a shame nothing could be done to save this amazing woodie, RMC could of stepped in, I guess Kings Island was not willing to spend anymore money. Hope one day a Vertical Loop will appear on another wooden coaster. RIP SOB..

Fun fact - it took a staggering 8 hours for maintenance to walk the track every morning before opening, including a large cherry picker for the loop.

Great job, Sam! Son of Beast was a special coaster for me. I didn't care much for the actual ride experience, most of the time, but I loved to walk around it and see the ride doing its thing.

Sometimes failures can live on as a successful history lesson. I never got to experience you, Son of Beast, but I’ll always remember you.

I have learned two things from this video: 1) Son of Beast was terrible. 2) I need to rewatch Face/Off.

This was one of the best Expeditions ever! So much detail and very dramatic, and of course: Face/off. I'd personally like to see an Expedition on Colossos kamf de giganten the world's first Intamin Prefabricated wooden coaster!

I was lucky enough to be able to ride it when it had the loop. At the time, it was the roughest coaster experience I ever had. The ride experience wasn't great, but I do miss the impressive wooden structure. A ground up RMC wooden coaster would be amazing at Kings Island.

Thank you for giving the correct reason for the incident, most people seem to think the ride stopped suddenly in one section but that's not at all the case and it frustrates me mildly to hear people say it. Love your videos!

I remember the day I rode this so clearly: I was 10 years old and son of beast was that one ride I never wanted to ride in the park Bc it was so massive and intimidating. But after going up that lift hill and keeping my eyes closed tight, I finally opened them up and had the most wild ride of my life, this was the roller coaster that pushed me to ride bigger and faster rides

"Sequels will never be better!" Steel Vengeance: (no disrespect I love this channel)

There have been thrilling wooden coasters, terrifying wooden coasters, rough wooden coasters, and fast wooden coasters. Then, there was "Son of Beast."

CedarFair in 2012: This ride is a disaster. Why did Paramount build this? CedarFair in 2019: This ride is a disaster. At least people loved it... Maybe...

I was lucky enough to have a chance to ride it while the loop was in place. It was definitely an intense ride experience! Crazy enough though, the loop really was the smoothest part of the entire ride.

I vacationed to Kings Island in June of 2000, the ride had been closed for weeks, but was lucky enough to ride 4 times in the back. Never got to ride it again and I loved every second.

The only problem with the cedar fair purchase is that they removed the face off theme and named it “Invertigo”. Face off was better than invertigo ever could have been. Ugh...

23:24 The Hurricane at the Pavillion in Myrtle Beach is the scariest coaster I’ve ever ridden. The last time I rode it was a year before it closed, and it genuinely felt unsafe. With how near the track ran to the street, it felt like the train was going to jump the track and hurl us into the middle of traffic. The coaster itself was only so-so, but sometimes a small, rickety track is way scarier than a huge drop and 10 inversions.

It wasn’t bad the first time I rode it, but it got worse over the years. It’s still cool to see my home park on this channel. Banshee is one of my favorite rides.

If GCI had built Son of Beast instead of RCCA it probably would have been a success

Finally we can get a Expedition Kings Island shirt

Imagine 2022 they give us "SON OF BEAST RETURNS" in place of where Vortex was and it's an RMC just like Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point!!!!!!

RIP. Still the most intense roller coaster I’ve ever ridden, before and after the loop. Glad I rode it as a teen, I can’t imagine riding that thing today. The Rose Bowl literally shook the structure. Also love the homage of planting a tree in place of the box, when hundreds of premature trees were used.

Expedition Theme Park: " Sequels never beat the original! " Ravine Flyer II:

So glad I got to ride this as a child before it closed. King's Island was my "home park" as a kid but I didn't work up the courage to ride Son of Beast until just before it closed. Even now, after I've ridden dozens and dozens of coasters, that one is by far the most intense I've ever ridden.

For Halloween, Do a history of Phantom Theater from King's Island

I lived 60 miles from King’s Island for years. I would visit the park 3-4 times a year, in that time every time I visited the park The Bat was shut down. I loved SOB, the air time, speed and G pulls were amazing.

"mAn I wIsH I cOuLdVe RiDdEn iT!!" No, no you don't. It was terrible.

I rode it several times in the first 2-3 years it was open. The comment about it being a Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde type of ride is true. Some rides were pretty good and not all that rough while other rides forced you to take a break afterward to recover. What isn’t really talked about with this ride is the uninspiring layout. Going in I thought the rose bowl helix would be incredible, but didn’t feel much of anything. Outside of the first drop and loop, the ride was honestly pretty boring (besides causing pain). I will say the loop was probably the best vertical loop I’ve ever experienced though. Smooth, big and intense...the highlight of the ride not just from a gimmick perspective but from a ride experience too. While I’m disappointed it didn’t work as we all hoped, overall I’m glad it’s gone. KI is my home park and what sits there now (Banshee) is far and away the better ride.

“A ground Up RMC” Technically Outlaw Run was ground up along with Goliath SFGA.

I actually did get to ride Son of Beast, and rode it many times. It was a mean, rough ride for sure, but when you were in the bowels of the ride, looking up at the hills during an oddly quiet moment of it...it was scary and beautiful. I miss it dearly, but I understand why it’s gone. I appreciate Cedar Fair and Kong’s Island not shying sway from it existing and hiding little Easter eggs here and there as reminders of it.

Fantastic video with so much much info! Thanks for taking the time to put that together

This is your best video. As a past Cincy resident and one-time rider of Son of Beast, this video brought back so many memories. Great work.

I was lucky enough to ride. I mostly remember the speed and coming around a turn after the lift hill. Felt like you were up there forever before it made it was around and entered the first drop. Lots of shaking and bumping. Wish it could of been saved. Hopeful for a revival

This looks like something I’d build in planet coaster

Very well spoken. You go into in depth detail about the ride and how troublesome it was. Great job!

Thank you for making this! I have heard a lot about Son of Beast but I was so excited when you first teased this episode because you do such an amazing job researching and presenting topics!

This was the most uncomfortable coaster I have ever ridden in my life- I was praying for it to be over! :o Thanks for the great content!

Wicker man, we’re waiting... 🔥🔥🔥

I grew up going to Kings Island and Cedar Point multiple times a year every year for most of my life growing up so watching these always feels crazy. I remember when they first put the Son of Beast box out with the growling sounds.. rode it on day one as well. Awesome video

YESSSSSS!!!! My favorite channel covers my favorite defunct ride! Thank you so much!

It’s always a good day when you upload a new video, excellent content as always! I completely agree with you on KI building a ground up RMC to redeem the demise of Son Of Beast. Given the opportunity, I think Mr. Schilke would create a truly demonic and worthy successor

Thank you for this. I have been obsessed with Son of Beast lately and I'm so sad I never got to ride it. Watching the ending history of this infamous coaster made me so sad. Lol. I'm not sure if there is any history behind Psyclone from Six Flags Magic Mountain. Colossus probably be a better choice.

Fantastic video as always! I've been looking forward to this one for a while now and it did not disappoint!

Your videos are fresh broski! Thanks for all the info and details!! Keep doing your thing💪🏽📈

I don’t know why but this video really gave me the feels. SoB will always have a special place in my heart and I’ll never forget my first ride on it. I just wish I could go back and ride it again (with the loop of course) just one more time as a way to pay my respects to the coaster that made me an enthusiast.

Kings Island is my home park, and I remember all the drama around the ride.

Seeing my local News on your video from 11 years ago really brings back some nostalgia. So does the coaster. Amazing video. I live about half an hour from this park and used to go all the time as a kid.

Yes I rode it several times. Was rough, but great, and yes the loop was the smoother part of the ride. Thank you for sharing this and other videos, brings back lots of great memories!

No rollercoaster should have this many world records

I'm a rare breed that's ridden the Beast, the Son of Beast and the Beastie!

Thanks for putting out all this great content, allways a highlight in my day when you upload

You are the best, most well-rounded channel on RU-vid convince me otherwise

I remember seeing this ride on a Travel Channel show and thought it was cool to see a wooden coaster with a loop. If it was made better, it could of totally worked. I do think it could be done now since RMC exists. Or it could be something like Hades 360 at Mt. Olympus

Great program. Thanks for creating this quality show.

I've been waiting for this for so long! Glad to see it become a thing!

Son of Beast should have a successor that will be an RMC. It needs to have a vertical loop, and it should have an airtime hill on top of the loop, similar to Full Throttle. Do you think it should be over 300ft?

Ah here we go! My home park gets some love‼️ now only if RMC was a prominent company back in 2009! Oh man would Kings Island have a winner! I’m thankful to have banshee though

Wow! Great video. Good on those ride operators for stopping that incident waiting to happen! You don’t get many people like that nowadays sadly :(. So many accident cause by ignorant ride ops. However there are mostly great ride ops too. Great video

I remember seeing the giant box that roared. The last time I was there was in 1999, the year before the ride opened. I said I would come back next year to ride it, but never went back. Glad to see some footage from the ride since I missed it. Great video!

I letting you all know right now. If I ever have the opportunity to own and operate a theme park one of our headliner attractions will be a Nicolas Cage themed dark ride. Completed with animatronics and peepers ghost holograms all of Nick Cage.

"Number Five is alive" is a line from the movie Johnny Five. but I really don't see why that would be referenced in the announcement you featured in this video, so it's probably a coincidence.

I've been a ride enthusiast especially roller coasters since before I was able to make memory folds in my brain. SOB was one of my fondest memories in the years following Cedar Point's Magnum and the start of the coaster wars. CP is my home park being shortly an hour from home. KI is my second fav though I've had more than one occasion that I've questioned their due diligence on safety protocol. I rode SOB and would rate it's discomfort about the same as Mean Streak post first season. Others at the time I rode it reported what appeared to be more serious ailment. Ironically, my best friend and I rode Banshee which sits in the foot print of SOB and it had a piece of the train come off during an inversion. I felt the serious jarring and when returned to the holding position before the station the staff left us stalled on the ride for over one hour with no immediate urgency by the staff to do an emergency evac of the trains. Even with ride techs walking over our heads they said it was "nothing serious" even though I definitely saw something fall off in my peripheral on the ride. I also had a serious three corner tear of my right hand happen on The Beast mid ride which ended in a quick removal from the scene and 14 sutures and nerve damage to my hand. The ride closed and inspectors claimed they never found anything. I called the safety manager numerous times before a call back. The night it happened I stood on the ride platform gushing blood to which ended in a very rushed exit from the premises and a long battle of financial responsibility with the park. The customer service during normal operations at the place has always been great but anytime I've ever had an unusual incident within the park the response has weighed questionable in my mind.

I've never heard of this ride until now, but the face off references really got me and drew me in. Watching this felt just as good as eating a peach.....and I could eat a peach for hours. Bravo.

Hey, Expedition Theme Park! Please do the history of Twister: Ride It Out at Universal Studios Florida!

Can we talk about Motel William's dull reading at the announcement?

I only rode Son of Beast twice and the experience was drastically different both times. The week before it the 20 passenger incident my mom and I went as a last hurrah before we moved to Florida. The first ride was awesome! It was smooth, and thrilling. I loved it so much that we immediately ran back around and got back in line to go again. Unfortunately the second ride was horrible. It was so rough I felt sick when we got off and I had a migraine from how shaky that run was. It was so bad that after 2 hours of doing nothing but sitting in the shade with light food and water we were still in pain and sick to the point we had to cut that trip short. It was extremely disappointing because The Beast was and still is my wanted to love the Son of Beast but I just couldn't.

The ride kicked your butt. The structure was super impressive. I remember seeing all the wood and cross braces. Great video.

Yooooo the commercials for this absolutely TERRIFIED me as a kid!

I’m actually tempted to watch Face Off after this 😂

Great video! I must have rode the Son of Beast during the 2000 season as I used to have a season pass from 1996-2002. I would have to agree with most people that I remember the ride being bumpy AF, but I know that I was still super pumped to ride it for the first time despite the long line!

YES after much teasing it has arrived we have been gifted with the video we've all been waiting for since the OG Beast, guess sleep can wait!

To be fair, it doesn't sound from this like they should have won that suit in the first place, so it's only justice that they didn't get the money.

I went to KI for the first time the year after the ride had closed. Glad I missed it, sounds like Mean Streak but worse. If it had been built by like Intamin (who did El Toro) or GCI it might still be standing. Really I think it was a combination of choosing the wrong company and trying to cut corners to keep the project within budget that did Son of Beast in.

Another great video! My best roller coaster memory was on Son it Beast. I was in high school with a best friend of mine during exam week. We saw a store was coming and got on the ride before it came. We just got to the top of the hill which didn’t go straight down right away but had a short ride before you hit the big drop and I saw this huge lighting bolt in the distance. It was like a sign saying here comes the thrill.

Great informative video. I remember going to Kings Isand in the late 90's and early 2000's and riding Top Gun and The Beast. Loved it.

This was a great coaster. RIP Son of Beast.

The one and only time i rode SOB was incredible. I regret always being scared to ride it when it had the loop but however i was on the last train to ever leave the station. I remember coming back into the station and it was empty and park matancince was there. So all in all i really loved SOB and was heartbroken when i saw it get torn down my senior year of HS and i still to this day don't tgink Banshee is a great replacement dont @ me Raptor at CP is so much better.

My friend showed me your channel after we talked about me going to PKI often as I grew up near there. Really love all your videos so far (I'm working my way through you're catalogue slowly 😂) and find them super interesting. I had no idea about any of the history of these things, just know I loved being close to somewhere where I could run around and have fun, loosly supervised lol. Of all the coasters I've ridden, the Beast is my second fav (first is corkscrew at cedar point) and I rode Son of Beast in 2001 not long after the two riders had neck injuries (my mom flipped out on me when she found out that I rode it lol). It was really rough and not at all as enjoyable as its daddy. I never really thought about Son after riding it, as that ended up being the last time I ever went to PKI. I remember seeing Banshee's commercial on the tv years later, but never recognized that was the Son in the background until now. Kind of sad how the Son went but not at all surprised it happened. Even back when it opened I thought the loop being steel while the rest was wooden was just asking for something to happen.

BEST INTRO EVER. This video made my day! Thank You.

Thunderbolt at Kennywood!

Can we get an Expedition Face Off soon?

I loved riding SOB. Would hit Kings Island every summer on my annual visit to my family and as soon as we got thru the gates I was hooking a left heading to it first thing. Cant remember ever having to wait very long. One year got lucky and went on a slow day, rode it 4 times back to back as there was no one waiting to ride. It was a rough ride but I loved it. Did front car front row many times. Still remember the view from the top of the first lift as you circled around for THE drop. Man the memories you brought back to me with this episode!!! Thank you

This video is fascinating. I've been to Kings Island many times over the years and I even had the chance to ride Son of Beast before and after the loop was removed. My older brother and father were on the same train as the first rider to report a broken neck way back when.

I rode this in 2005 with the loop, and I don’t care what people have to say about it. Son of Beast will always be my favorite wooden coaster. A lot y’all claim to like it rough in bed, but couldn’t handle this ride. 🙄

Should've gotten a B&M. Oh wait

I am sure you know by now... but they are indeed making a Face/Off sequel. The director is the guy that just released Godzilla vs. Kong.

i remember being at kings island not long after son of beast opened. i couldn't believe what i was looking at..it was such a beast of a structure..hehe. i was blessed to have been able to ride this in its original form with the loop. to me it was the greatest coaster in the world. i still get chills watching video about it.