Neat find on WCPO's Facebook page this morning.

For some reason it will not let me embed in this post.

https://www.facebook.com/wcpovault/

That is a really interesting video and nice find!  Thanks WCPO for sharing!  

Amazing how close everyone was standing to the tracks when the train came into the station!

I merged the 2 threads. All under one topic now!

When that one guy they interview in the video said it was a smooth ride, I was quite surprised. I thought The Beast was always a bit on the bumpy side, but I guess not when it was brand new back in 1979.

Interesting to note. The reporter at the end of the video is Tom McKee, who today is still with WCPO.

They put a full on News Camera onto Beast when it opened, haha. Great find!

Yep.  And then had to protect it, because it rained the day they opened the ride to the media.

Well, on my Youtube suggested videos, these came up a day or so ago. They are more classic WCPO Beast videos, and some general park footage from 1979. (All Videos are from WCPO's Youtube Channel- there are probably more, if you click the link to Youtube button and click their page)

I think WCPO got some years wrong though, I'll link the videos then comment further on that one.

The Beast Construction, 1978

Kings Island Footage from 1979 (1980?)

Aerial View of Kings Island in 1979 (1980?)

Riders on The Beast in 1979 (1980?)

I also think some of this footage is from 1980 though, especially the "Aerial View of Kings Island" one- The Beast has all its current tunnels (the helix tunnels have been added and the 2 short tunnels mid-ride have been combined), Scooby Doo/Beastie has its tunnel (which was also added in 1980 from what I have read), and the Sky Ride & Bavarian Beetle, both of which were removed after 1979, are both gone. That kinda screams "1980" to me, based on what I have heard about the park that year.

Also seeing how Carl Eichelman just hopped onto Beast, sat down, pulled the lap bar down and was dispatched almost instantly without even a lap bar check made me LOL. That would be so no-go in 2017.

 

 

Awesome vids. Thanks for posting. Brings back memories everywhere.