Theme Park Discussion / Kings Island 2014

First time in a long time I've been excited about a B&M.

First time since Gatekeeper was announced I've been excited for a B&M.

Apparently I'm in the minority who loves those new restraints. I find them much more comfortable than the current ones on inverts. No headbanging!

The only thing I don't like about them is that the vests hold a lot of heat, whether from other riders or from the sun. Over-the-shoulder restraints didn't really contact you as much, so it wasn't as much of an issue. But that can be lessened by simply choosing an intelligent color (i.e. NOT BLACK) for the vests. And they did.

There's probably not a good way to make them not black if they're still making them black.

Apparently I'm in the minority who loves those new restraints. I find them much more comfortable than the current ones on inverts. No headbanging!

You're not alone. I like the looks of these restraints more than the previous invert restraints. Great Bear's restraints always annoy me and Montu was the same way. I'm looking forward to these restraints if I ever get a chance (unlikely) to head out to Ohio.

Haven't been to KI for a few years, looks like I'll have to be going soon!

this looks amazing. just what kings island needed. It feels like its what patriot at worlds of fun could have been if they had given it more than just a cookie-cutter layout.

Apparently I'm in the minority who loves those new restraints. I find them much more comfortable than the current ones on inverts. No headbanging!

I love this style of restraint too. On flyers they are incredibly comfortable, and on the wingriders they help make the ride feel so much more open.

Every element on this is perfect up until after the the batwing. They have this massive, badass batwing only to go into another vertical loop and turn around into another zero-g and end on a helix? It's like they panicked because they couldn't find a way to get the trains back to the station. That said, the first half of this ride looks gorgeous but the second half... I'm not that impressed right now.

Every element on this is perfect up until after the the batwing. They have this massive, badass batwing only to go into another vertical loop and turn around into another zero-g and end on a helix? It's like they panicked because they couldn't find a way to get the trains back to the station. That said, the first half of this ride looks gorgeous but the second half... I'm not that impressed right now.

That was my impression as well. I'm okay with the loop, but the zero-g roll seems half-assed.

It's not a zero-g roll. It's a barrel roll, like X-Flight's. It's a completely different feeling and is now only maneuverable because of the new restraints.

You're right, but it doesn't really change my opinion of it.

It's like they panicked because they couldn't find a way to get the trains back to the station.

So RCT-esque

It's not a zero-g roll. It's a barrel roll, like X-Flight's. It's a completely different feeling and is now only maneuverable because of the new restraints.

I love how B&M are like this. They are so dead set on creating a smooth ride that to maneuver through slow barrel rolls, they created new restraints. (When I say this i'm talking about when wing-riders where first developed)

Apparently I'm in the minority who loves those new restraints. I find them much more comfortable than the current ones on inverts. No headbanging!

The ride itself <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 Can't wait to ride this next year!

it's not the fact that they don't look cool or anything. They just annoy the hell out of my shoulder blades. When I went on Gatekeeper this summer the ride was great but it was taken down a notch because of the restraints digging into my shoulders. However if they fix that problem then I wouldn't have a problem. The Carolina Cobra (don't shoot me) has a similar type of restraint and the straps on your body give a little bit. If they did that with these then it would be much better.

How was it Mav?

Holy shit it was amazing.  Best invert I've been on, better than Montu, Afterburn and Alpengiest.  It has the perfect mix of old school B&M forces and new age B&M smoothness and comfort, basically it's really intense and smooth.  The new restraints are awesome as there is no head-banging and THE VESTS DO NOT LOCK AT ALL which made the ride so much more comfortable and enjoyable. Themeing is pretty good for Cedar Fair, there's even a 'shrine' to Son of Beast in the queue, and they play some theme music as you ascend the lift and the Banshee scream from the promo videos as you crest the lift.  

 

Now the ride itself.

 

The lift is fast much like Gatekeepers, you get up to the top in a hurry.  The lift also offers great views of the park and surrounding area.  The first drop is flat out awesome.  Back row offers airtime, especially in the back right, which is a very weird but great feeling on an invert.  The dive loop isn't to intense on the twist up, but you feel upside-down for a loooong time and then get to stare right down at the path approaching the rides entrance.  Then the intensity picks up a little bit for the loop around the lift, nothing to specially here force wise, but it's solid and is more intense than the dive loop.  Next comes a perfect zero-g-roll <3 Seriously, it's so much better than the old B&M zero-g's in my opinion.  Floating weightless as you rotate upside-down is incredible.  And after the zero-g is where the fun really starts.  The drop out of the zero g is MASSIVE and you really feel the ride pick up speed.  The bottom of the zero-g lets you know that the ride isn't playing around anymore, it's time to get intense.  The batwing is ENORMOUS there's wasn't an official way of telling, but I'm fairly sure the batwing is bigger than the first dive loop.  Not only is it big, it's intense, living up to the batwings of both Montu and Afterburn.  Then the second loop is even more intense than the batwing and has a nice footchopper effect with the track of the barrel roll.  Then comes the surprise of the ride.  No not the barrel roll, the rising turn into it.  Wow.  I could feel the blood rushing into my feet on this turn it's so intense in the front, just wow.  Even in the back the turn is crazy intense, but the front is something else.  For the barrel roll, I'm very glad B&M has these new trains on the ride because they make the barrel roll so comfortable and fun.  First you 'fall' into the left side of the seat, then you're upside-down and falling into the right side, great fun comfortable laterals.  Finally, the helix is strong and, if you're in the back, the most intense element of the ride.  

Overall I cannot commend B&M enough for getting back to making forceful rides.  Banshee is a winner and a very, very good addition to Kings Island.

 

Also, I plan on streaming sometime either tonight or during the day tomorrow so come stop by to talk about Banshee!

Hey all. I have Friday (May 9th) off with every intention of going to Kings Island, but my friend's reshuffled their day off to go to Cedar Point on the 10th instead. If anyone in Ohio/Michigan would like to do a Kings Island meet this Friday I'd be down.

If not I can probably still work... But that is LAME.

*BUMP*

 

Theme Park Review is holding an event that is open to all comers (at various costs):

http://www.themepark...p?categoryID=22

 

Lunch, ERT, behind the scenes tours, etc.  Any midwest NE'ers down for holding our own little meet-up inside of their event?  The TPR crowd seems like a good time, so I'm thinking about going either way.

 

Ride6

considered it, but I think I'm going with a friend for the GE family day later in the summer for less $