Yet Another "Beast"

This past Tuesday, I had the opportunity to once again visit my favorite amusement park, Kings Island. I took my students up there to see a Red's game and go to the park. After watching perhaps the most inept baseball team ever get killed by the Cubs, the next day we went to Kings Island.

Now, let me explain the difference between Amusement and Theme parks. An amusement park is basically ride oriented, not too much emphasis on themeing or overall design. (although that is changing). Theme parks go with the idea of creating another world that you step into once you enter the gates. Just being in the park is every bit as cool as the rides themselves. Typically, amusement parks will have more thrill rides and theme parks will have more family oriented rides. That is why Islands of Adventure is the greatest park in the world. It combines the atmosphere of a theme park with the excitement of an amusement park. So, IOA is my fav theme park, but Kings Island remains my fav amusement park. Now that those things are understood. . .

The Beast is the greatest roller coaster in the world. Even better than the Hulk at IOA. Although it's counterpart, Son of Beast may be taller and faster, there is something special about The Beast that gives it the greatest coaster status. Let me outline just a couple of reasons why it is top in my book:

1. You cannot see the coaster. Yep, the only thing you can see is the lift hill. The rest of the coaster is hidden by the woods. Kings Island does a great job of building this up by advertising with phrases such as "lurking in the woods of Kings Island." I mean you literally can't see any part of the coaster except the lift.

2. It is the world's longest wooden coaster. It just keeps going and going. Half way through, when most coasters would be finished, you go back up yet another lift hill. Awesome.

3. The overall experience is unmatchable. The history, the tradition, the feeling. Even though Son of Beast is faster and taller, it doesn't have quite the charm of The Beast. It will always be the greatest coaster ever.