In 1977, Kings Island unleashed a Demon

Have you ever seen an old picture of the Eiffel Tower standing in the middle of a roller coaster loop? No, that’s not Vortex. What if I told you that the Vortex wasn’t the first roller coaster at Kings Island to take you upside down? 

The Screamin' Demon (sometimes referred to as “The Demon”), debuted April 16, 1977 in the Wild Animal Safari (now Action Zone) section of Kings Island as part of a $5 million upgrade, becoming the first Arrow Dynamics Launched Loop to open.

The Screamin’ Demon was the country’s first forward-and-backward looping roller coaster, with a track length of 635 feet. With a top speed of 45 mph, riders were sent screamin' through a 54-foot tall loop, given a second to breathe, and sent back through the loop backwards!

This new technology utilized an electric winch motor system to progressively push riders down a drop and through the loop, and again in reverse. The attraction was situated behind Monkey Island, where actual monkeys could be seen swinging from vines. It had a fiery red-to-yellow paint scheme going through the loop, and later was changed to a brown color.

Climbing the five stories and 150 steps to get on the Screamin’ Demon made it memorable to riders. Guests wanted there to be a line so they didn’t have to walk straight to the top and almost be out of breath when they got there.

The ride was removed from the park at the end of the 1987 season after Vortex debuted earlier that season, making the ride obsolete. It had also become a noise complaint to the nearby Timberwolf Amphitheatre as its launch was so loud, it had to be shut down during concerts. Congo Falls now sits on the land formerly occupied by The Screamin’ Demon. The attraction was sold to Camden Park in Huntington, WV where it ceased operation in 2004. 

Over the ride’s 10-year history at Kings Island, a total of 9,292,615 rides were given.

Enjoy the latest entry to our 50th Anniversary Archives series, exclusive to Kings Island’s official YouTube channel.

Did you get to brave the Demon?