The Beast celebrates 40th anniversary this weekend at Kings Island

Cedar Point may not open until May 11, but, this weekend, guests can once again get their roller coaster fix by heading south to Kings Island. If you happen to have a Cedar Point platinum season pass, you can receive free parking and admission to Kings Island.And, at the amusement park near Cincinnati, it's going to be an exciting season with lots of new improvements.While Cedar Point offers both the Cadillac Cars and Antique Cars, Kings Island has not had a family-friendly, old-fashioned-car ride since one left the park after the 2004 season. New for 2019, guests will be able to bee bop along the Coney Mall section of the park in old-fashioned cars modeled after the 1911 Ford Model T.The Beast's 40th AnniversaryOne of Kings Island's most iconic attraction, dating back to 1979, is The Beast. The wooden roller coaster that dips in and out of the woods still holds world records to this day.It also happens to be the 40th anniversary of The Beast this year, and the park is pulling out all the stops and resurrecting the past. For instance, the Beast's trains have been repainted with their original paint scheme of red, orange and yellow.During the early days after the debut of The Beast, some might remember the footprints along the walk toward the Rivertown attraction. The enthusiast community was abuzz upon learning that Kings Island has repainted the footprints for the 2019 season.Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted also recently approved a special resolution acknowledging the The Beast's 40th anniversaryOn opening day, this Saturday, riders on the first 40 trains will receive a free commemorative 40th anniversary T-shirt.New International StreetWhen the Kings Island International Street was first realized back in 1972, anchored by the one-third-scale Eiffel Tower replica, the idea was to incorporate elements from five European countries representing French, Spanish, Italian, Swiss and German cultures. Though, over the years, some of the little details had been lost behind paint or removed.Kings Island will debut a completely revamped International Street in 2019, featuring new pavers, a reimagined Royal Fountain, new landscaping and little details representative of European architecture.Return of Festhaus Glockenspiel charactersA fixture of the Festhaus dining hall, adjacent to International Street, up until the 2009 season, guests may remember the Glockenspiel characters that adorned the clock on the outside of the building.After sitting in storage for a number of years, Kings Island has invested more than 100 hours completely restoring the iconic Festhaus Glockenspiel characters to their former glory.Guests will be able to once again experience the five fiberglass, animated characters every 15 minutes. It sounds like an ideal location to grab a famous Kings Island blue ice cream cone, sit and people watch.Returning and new special eventsWhile there are some similarities between Cedar Point and Kings Island since they are owned by the same company, Cedar Fair, one major difference is the special events offered at the Mason, Ohio, property.In 2018, we saw the debut of the Peanuts Celebration at Kings Island, and it was a great event for families. Not only will the Peanuts Celebration return in 2019, but we will also see the debut of a new event: Grand Carnivale.Running June 15 through July 7, guests will be able to experience a special Grand Carnivale party featuring a new Spectacle of Color Parade; specialty food from cultures around the world including India, China, Italy, France and Germany; and a nightly Street Party along International Street. We are really excited to experience Grand Carnivale in 2019.Miami River BrewhouseSure you may know Kings Island for the blue ice cream, or regional favorites like Larosa's Pizza, Skyline Chili and Graeter's Ice Cream. But Kings Island has been ramping up its food and beverage offerings substantially over the past several seasons.New for 2019, Kings Island will introduce the Miami River Brewhouse. This new concept will feature regional craft beers and a completely reinvented menu, custom designed by executive chef James Major. He's a two-time winner of the Food Network's "Chopped" reality TV cooking contest and a contender on Alton Brown's "Cutthroat Kitchen."Plus if guests have the Kings Island Dining Plan, they will see all new menu options for the 2019 season.If you do not see us at the Miami River Brewhouse, you can always look at the Coney Bar-B-Que or catch a ride with us on Mystic Timbers, the award winning roller coaster added in 2017.We are excited for the 2019 Kings Island season. With all the new additions alone, that make it well worth the trip down south.Editor's note: Justin Dietz is a Register correspondent representing CPFoodBlog.com and @CPFoodBlog on Twitter.The Beast at Kings Island, near Cincinnati, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The park opens Saturday for its 2019 season.