I stumbled upon this on YouTube just now:

 

 

Great commercial.  One question, though.  Since The Racer is being repainted this year, it has been brought up that the last paint job was in 1991, when it went to white structure with black track.  The commercial is from 1977, but it doesn't look like the track is red, rather it looks black to me.

What a fun commercial - I laughed out loud when I saw a tire going down the drop on Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal.

I'm intrigued by the inclusion of "And seatbelts on thrillers like these" at 0:23, showing Racer... I wasn't aware Racer had seatbelts in the 1970s? Did it, or is it just video editing and they actually showed the seatbelts on a different ride?

8 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

The commercial is from 1977, but it doesn't look like the track is red, rather it looks black to me.

Paint fades

I love seeing KCKC in that commercial. I have a very fond memory of riding that with my mom as a young child. Made my day!

Man, I miss those days.

 

17 hours ago, Oldschool75 said:

Man, I miss those days.

 

My scale, waistline and hairline miss those days

On 4/2/2022 at 12:10 PM, TombraiderTy said:

What a fun commercial - I laughed out loud when I saw a tire going down the drop on Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal.

I'm intrigued by the inclusion of "And seatbelts on thrillers like these" at 0:23, showing Racer... I wasn't aware Racer had seatbelts in the 1970s? Did it, or is it just video editing and they actually showed the seatbelts on a different ride?

I wonder how many times it took them to film that. 

On 4/2/2022 at 12:10 PM, TombraiderTy said:

 

 I wasn't aware Racer had seatbelts in the 1970s? Did it, or is it just video editing and they actually showed the seatbelts on a different ride?

I remember in the 80s riding it and always saying to my friends that you could totally fly out of it.  Maybe it had seatbelts, but I don't remember them! 

I remember the buzz bars, don't remember seat belts in the mid 80s but that was a long time ago

In the Timeline of Kings Island's History on KIC it show The Beastie got them in 2000.  So maybe that gives us a close proximity of when PTC recommended them??

 

2000 – The Beast`s sequel was unleashed, a massive new wooden roller coaster named Son of Beast, opened in Paramount Action Zone. The ride was designed by the Roller Coaster Corporation of America and was the world’s tallest, fastest, and only looping wooden roller coaster. It was the first wooden coaster built at the park since The Beast.

An upcharge helicopter attraction, Flight Team Aerial Helicopter Tours, was also added.

Kings Island introduced a new Halloween event, FearFest (today known as Halloween Haunt).

Kings Mill Log Flume remained closed for the 2000 season.

A WaterWorks entrance, from the parking lot for season pass holders, opened.

Seatbelts were installed on The Beastie.

2000 was the final season for Kenton’s Cove Keelboat Canal.

Also, in this 2007 post CoasterRZ explains that PTC recommended them.

https://KICentral.com/forums/index.php?/topic/9283-seat-belts-on-Vortex/page/2/

Also look up what happened to Raven around that time and you'll understand even more as to why.

A friend of mine and I were also trying to remember, and were pretty sure, The Beast only had a single, all the way across, flip down lapbar in the 80s as well??   No seatbelts, right?    

On 4/7/2022 at 11:43 PM, Driver8rws said:

A friend of mine and I were also trying to remember, and were pretty sure, The Beast only had a single, all the way across, flip down lapbar in the 80s as well??   No seatbelts, right?    

That fits my memory as well.  in bar, no divider between the seats.  Plenty of airtime room

 

I don't really mind the divider and seat belts.  I just wish there was a better option for the orange pull down bars.  They make riding The Beast and Racer a somewhat painful experience for me.  I wish the bar would go down between you legs.  But I guess the idea is to cram you against the side of the seat.  But it hurts!!