Kings Island renames Flight Deck to The Bat
Posted
[Ed. note: The following is an excerpt of a press release. -J]
Thirty-three years to the day it was first introduced in 1980, The Bat will fly again at Kings Island.
The 364-acre amusement and waterpark is changing the name and colors of the Flight Deck roller coaster to The Bat. The change will take effect for the 2014 season.
“There was a lot of passion and enthusiasm around this name change by our guests,” Kings Island’s vice-president and general manager Greg Scheid said. “They told us this is a name they wanted us to bring back. We listened and we’re excited our guests will again be able to fly The Bat at Kings Island in 2014.
“The name also fits the characteristics of the ride. Similar to a bat in flight, riders soar through the air, swooping, circling and diving unexpectedly as they enjoy this ride.”
The newly named Bat is similar to its predecessor as a suspended roller coaster with the tracks above the trains. When the coaster train turns a corner, the cars are designed to swing out to the side, sometimes swinging the riders parallel to the ground.
The new color scheme for The Bat will feature orange track with two shades of charcoal for the columns and structure. Black will be the featured color of the trains.
Designed by the Arrow Dynamics Company, The Bat was custom designed for Kings Island when it debuted as Top Gun in 1993. Riders soar over the tree tops and through a hilly wooden terrain and a series of sharp turns on this seventh generation steel roller coaster.
The attraction celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013, giving its 20-millionth ride in June. The Bat is one of 15 roller coasters at Kings Island, including the new world record-breaking Banshee set to debut in 2014.
The original Bat operated for parts of three seasons from 1981 to 1983, giving 1.8 million rides.
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RCMAC: I only know of one person who has an original head, and I'm sure he'll take it to his grave with him. However, there were three trains, 7 each, so there were potentially 21 + any extras.
You never know what you'll find around farms and homes in SW ohio.
There used to be a yellow "Enchanted Voyage" boat that sat on a pond on a large country estate in West Chester for many many years. :)
I think reusing a coaster name is kind of like naming your new pet the name of one of your previous pets. At least it's better than Flight Deck. Heck, Top Fun would have been a better choice than Flight Deck.
I wish they'd stuck with the fighter jet theme. But I understand fitting it into the area.
I too am excited about this change. Fits the type of coaster? Check. Fits the theme of the adjacent, new mega-attraction? Check. Fits the presumed retheming of the land? Check? Pays homage to a semi-legendary, beloved but long-deceased coaster? Check. Name fits on a tee shirt? Check.
It's my hope that Ouimet's Cedar Fair will continue with this precedent and treat parks' existing attractions as living, evolving creations, much the way Disney has done with so many of its E-ticket rides. How about putting the mountain on Snake River Falls? Voila. You've added fifteen years to the ridership-sustaining life of the ride. And don't even get me started on what could be done with Knotts.
My author website: mgrantroberts.com
Well hopefully they can re-do some of the theming and paint in the station to match the new name.
In the meantime, allow me to reminisce a bit about Top Gun...
First coaster built after the Paramount buy out. Aircraft Carrier theme high above the ground. Lots of cool looking gadgets (which would break soon after). Fog machines when the trains left the station simulating a jet take off. And "Danger Zone" blasting in the station on a loop.
It was fun while it lasted...which wasn't that long to be honest. That's probably the motto for this ride and it's 1:45 ride time.
Pagoda Gift Shop said:
First coaster built after the Paramount buy out.
But purchased before the buyout. And you can read Shaggy's recap of the various names they (supposedly) went through before it became Top Gun here:
http://coasterbuzz.com/Forums/Topic/pki-history#269420
Raven would have been an awesome name for this one.
That link just brings me back to here.
I'm sorry...I know this is terribly off-topic, but I can't help myself . Every time I look at Gonch's avatar pic, I feel like he should be playing for the WORLD SERIES CHAMPION :) Boston Red Sox.
The amusement park rises bold and stark..kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
http://support.gktw.org/site/TR/CoastingForKids/General?px=1248054&...fr_id=1372
Good Point. Fixed it...sorta.
The amusement park rises bold and stark..kids are huddled on the beach in a mist
http://support.gktw.org/site/TR/CoastingForKids/General?px=1248054&...fr_id=1372
matt. said:
But purchased before the buyout. And you can read Shaggy's recap of the various names they (supposedly) went through before it became Top Gun here:
http://coasterbuzz.com/Forums/Topic/pki-history#269420
Raven would have been an awesome name for this one.
Which is very impressive, because it sure seemed like a Paramount decision from start to finish. Large movie displays while in the queue, huge aircraft carrier painting, etc.
Also, kudos for referencing a thread from 2002, that's some serious memory skills.
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