The Bat is a suspended roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Built by Arrow Dynamics, the roller coaster originally opened as Top Gun in 1993, themed to the 1986 film Top Gun.[1][2] It is the second suspended coaster to open at the park following an earlier prototype from Arrow Development — also called The Bat – that briefly operated at Kings Island from 1981 to 1983.[3]
Following Cedar Fair's purchase of the park in 2006, the ride was eventually renamed Flight Deck for the 2008 season. In 2014, it was renamed again to The Bat to pay homage to the original Arrow suspended coaster that opened in 1981. As with other suspended coasters, the layout is designed to give riders the illusion they are narrowly missing track supports and other elements while swinging freely through sharp turns.
History
The 660 ST structure was planned years in advance, long before Paramount Communications purchased the park in 1992.[4]