The Bat: Kings Island’s Failed Suspended Coaster

Uncover the incredible story of The Bat Kings Island’s legendary, but doomed, suspended roller coaster. From its ambitious design to its unexpected demise, The Bat was a bold experiment that pushed the boundaries of roller coaster innovation.

Unveiled in 1981, The Bat was a groundbreaking prototype that promised riders the thrill of flight with its swinging, suspended cars. However, behind its innovative design lay a host of challenges, including structural issues, high maintenance costs and design flaws that plagued its operation from the very start.

Join us to explore the origins of The Bat, its groundbreaking suspended design, and the excitement it generated among thrill seekers. Learn about its turbulent three-season run, the engineering challenges it faced and why Kings Island ultimately made the difficult decision to scrap the ride.

Discover how its legacy lives on, inspiring more reliable suspended coasters like Big Bad Wolf and paving the way for new attractions at Kings Island. Despite its short lifespan, The Bat left a lasting legacy, paving the way for modern suspended coasters and earning a place in theme park history.


00:00 - Falling Darkness
01:01 - Kings Island
02:34 - Suspended Thrills
03:47 - Arrow Development
05:26 - A New Coaster
09:24 - The Flight Begins
12:02 - Problems Emerge
15:34 - A Decision Is Made
19:16 - Ongoing Legacy
20:22 - Paying Homage


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🎢 Personal Coaster Count: 471 🎢


📺 Video Credits 📺

Behind The Thrills -    • Kings Island Commercial for The Bat Roller...  
BK Pictures -    • 1981 Roller Coaster Documentary  
CoasterBob62 -    • Paramount's Kings Island 1993 from WCMH-TV  
CoasterForce -    • Flight Deck off-ride HD Kings Island  
Cincyborn -    • Kings Island Aerial footage from  1979  
Eric X Aventura -    • 🎥 (5/6) | Entrevista con Arrow Development...  
John Hunsaker -    • 1981 King's Island  
JPMcFly1985 Retro Videos -    • 1987 Vortex Kings Island Opening clip (and...  
JPMcFly1985 Retro Videos -    • WKRC 1987 - George Ciccarone at Vortex Kin...  
Hbvideos -    • Matterhorn Ride Film Old 1970s Disneyland ...  
Kevin Hulme -    • The Bat (Kings Island) - April, 1981 full-...  
Kevin Hulme -    • The Bat - Arrow Huss promo video (1980-1981)  
Kevin Hulme -    • The Bat (Kings Island) - Eyewitness 12 New...  
Kevin Hulme -    • The Bat - Kids World roller coaster clips ...  
Kings Island -    • Grand Opening 1972 - 50th Anniversary Arch...  
Kings Island -    • The Early Years: Kings Island in the 70s -...  
Kings Island -    • The Bat Kings Island (POV)  
Kings Island -    • Step into the Danger Zone with Top Gun - 5...  
Kings Island -    • Fly with The Original Bat - 50th Anniversa...  
Kings Island -    • Rewind with the Backwards Racer roller coa...  
Lila Violet -    • EASTER ON SHIPLEY GLEN 1912  
Michael Foster -    • XLR8,  
Pedro de la Rosa Film -    • Zeitreise zum Oktoberfest 1974 – München d...  
psyclonesteve -    • King Cobra,Stand Up Roller Coaster at King...  
shanehuish -    • Kings Island The Bat  
Shawn Haas -    • Kings Island 1972 - Fun in the Making  
swampfoxer -    • 1981 :: The original BAT suspended roller ...  
Sweven State -    • Corkscrew at Knott's Berry Farm  
the3jake2 -    • The Kings Island Bat  
Vampire Robot -    • Inside Kings Island theme park in 1972  
VideofromGeorge -    • Vintage 1980 Kings Island Top Of Eiffel To...  
VideofromGeorge -    • 1980 Kings Island Home Video - random view...  
WCPO 9 -    • Riders on The Beast at Kings Island, 1979  
WCPO 9 -    • Shots from Kings Island amusement park, 1979  
WTVR CBS 6 -    • CBS 6 Video Vault: 1984 - the Big Bad Wolf...  

📷 Photo Credits 📷

newspapers.com
Don Heldbig
Kings Island
Kings Island History