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Top 10 favorite rides ever at KI?


thegajone
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Scrambler? Anybody??

1. The Beast (front seat of course)

2. The Scrambler

3. The Racer

4. BLSC

5. The train

6. Bumper Cars

7. Flying Eagles

8. White Water Canyon

9. (Name?) the yellow kid coaster

10. Woodstock Express

In my younger days I probably would have listed more coasters and spinny stuff but as I get older I tend to avoid things that might make me vomit or have a headache :) These (the rides still there) are what are in my usual ride rotation with my son.

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First of all, absolutely LOVE the topic!! It took way more thought then I was expecting before I could come up with ten.

In a very particular order...

10. The Beastie. My first ever roller coaster. I took my first spin on The Beastie at the age of 5 1/2 in 1991. This is the ride that scared me out of ever riding a coaster (with one exception) again for 16 years. How I wish I would have given them another chance much much sooner. To this day I have not set foot on this ride again. (Though I have ridden the clone at Michigan's Adventure). It makes the list at number ten due to my family's enduring memory of my face when exiting the ride that is still talked about today.

9. The Monster. My favorite ride as a child. During our yearly extended family trips through the 90's I would hound every single relative I could to ride this with me throughout the day. Sadly, spinning rides and myself do not get along very well anymore but I will always remember those summer rides!

8. Phantom Theater. The beloved Phantom Theater is the first ride I think of to this day when someone mentions Kings Island. It may or may not be as great as I remember it being but for me, it was the Diamondback of its day. THE ride you went to Kings Island for. If I could bring back one ride, this would be it (and I actually like Boo Blasters).

7. Flight of Fear. This is the one exception to my 16 year coaster hiatus. My cousins talked me into waiting almost 4 hours its opening year by telling me that it wasn't a coaster. Well obviously that was blown by the time we entered the station. To this day I have no idea why or how they got me on the actual ride. I spent the next 90 seconds convinced I was a split second away from death. Fast forward 12 years and my first return to Kings Island since 2000. Upon riding again Flight of Fear became my favorite ride at Kings Island (for a little less than a year anyways).

6. Drop Tower. This is the only ride in any of the parks that I regularly visit (KI, CP, MA, HW, IB) that still makes me nervous every single time I ride.

5. The Beast. What's not to love about The Beast? I remember my parents going off to ride the mythical Beast on those family trips and seeing the paw prints on the pavement. When I took my first ride in 2008 I was blown away. The double helix is still one of my favorite elements on any ride.

4. White Water Canyon. Another nostalgia pick for me. So many great memories of riding with a full raft of family members and trying so hard to make sure someone else besides yourself got soaked. This is the ride I hope is around for me to ride with my future children.

3. Banshee. This year's new toy and the first coaster at Kings Island who's construction I got to follow as it happened. It is a great ride and a great addition to the park. To me Banshee is the manifestation of everything Ouimet are doing right at Cedar Fair and standa as a shining beacon for the future.

2. Days of Thunder. As a huge racing fan I was super excited to ride Days of Thunder. It did not disappoint! Those 5 minutes of 'racing' action were an adrenaline rush like I'd never experienced. Riding Days of Thunder is probably my first real clear Kings Island memory and one I will always cherish.

1. Diamondback. Diamondback is the reason my family returned in 2009 after visiting for the first time in 8 years in 2008. It is the ride that convinced me to get a season pass for the first time and the ride that has kept me a season pass holder since. It is a ride that I could have very well come up with if I sat down to design my perfect roller coaster.

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1. Beast- This is pretty much my favorite ride of any park anywhere. A lot of it is nostalgia, a lot of it can be attributed to the legend status it has in the area. It just feels different than most other rides. It has the length to be sure, but on any given ride, it doesn't feel like you're at an amusement park, rather just a rambunctious ride through the Ohio woods. At night its just superb. Along with the helix, my favorite part of the ride is the set of drops upon exiting tunnel #2 in to that valley where it hits top speed.

2. Diamondback- I know a lot of people hark on Banshee being the best Kings Island has to offer, but I still prefer Diamondback. I'll take air time (no matter the type) over all those positive g's. I actually kind of prefer floater air as the weightlessness lasts longer than the suddenness of ejector air. The best floater air, in my opinion, can be found around the 5th and 6th cars on the train.

3. Banshee- I think I've said a lot on how much I like Banshee in it's thread. Great fast pacing, a nice dramatic first drop, and a great night ride.

4. Tomb Raider: The Ride- Original ride program- I have to be specific here as I only got to experience TRTR with the original program, and near the end of its life when it was basically an indoor Ferris wheel. Never rode it when they set it to ludicrous speed. Everything just worked out well, the way it held you above the water and up at the ceiling, the music certainly helped, and visuals that really showed off how big it was. It felt like a step up from what you'd see at a seasonal park. I wish it had been built and ran like it was originally intended so we'd still have it around.

5. Vortex- This can be a rougher ride, but I've ridden it enough to know how to brace and know where to ride (5th car or back depending if I want more air or a smoother ride). My only complaint about it now-a-days is that the mid course brakes and the first set of brakes at the end really have some bite to them. They're both rather hard when slowing or stopping. I always like to look to the side on the loops and the slow corkscrews really let you enjoy being upside down.

6. Phantom Theater- I liked how this ride proved you don't need mainstream characters or brand names to make a good dark ride. Everything felt so original, there was a nice storyline, and I simply loved the soundtrack. I was really, really torn when Scooby took its place.

7. Delirium- I actually find this relaxing if that seems possible. It does press you into your seat a bit when it bottoms out through the swings, but when it peaks, it feels really graceful to me. I like looking straight up the entire time and see the world spinning around, similar to Vortex, though on Delirium, it does it slower for more appreciation of the view.

8. Drop Tower- I admit, I used to never be a fan of freefall, but I learned to start to love it. Above anything else on the ride is the anticipation at the top. I know it holds for 7 seconds and I try to count it down, but fail miserably every time. Its also a nice panoramic view of the area before plummeting. One of the few rides at Kings Island along with Banshee and Invertigo that give me a true adrenalin rush.

9. Racer- One word- classic. A simple out and back design with another track to race with as the cherry on top. I love riding it when they're racing at night, especially when they had more of the chaser lights working. It feels so nostalgic racing by Coney Mall with everything lit up (I like Comet at Hersheypark for the same reason).

10. Flight of Fear- Being indoor certainly helps, especially in the front seat with a nice AC breeze. I don't like how it comes to a complete stop on the mid-course brakes, but it still holds up. Aside from the launch, my favorite bit is pretty much the entire second half; the way it curves back and forth, acceleration increasing, and the banking gets wild until you bank all the way around for the final corkscrew. I would love to ride one of the bigger outdoor versions like Poltergeist where there's no mid course brakes.

Runner ups- Top Gun/Flight Deck/Bat for being the coaster that made me an enthusiast, any film except Spongebob and Hanna Barbera 3D in Action Theater, KI&MVRR, WWC, KCKC, any of the Coney Island classic flat, Grand Carousel (especially with closer friends, family), Antique Cars, and Adventure Express.

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  • 1 month later...

1. Beast. What can I say that's not been said? Best nighttime ride ever. Can't wait to ride after midnight this fall.

2. Diamondback. Everything I like in a coaster. Tall and lots of ups and downs

3. The Adventure Express. Even with the theming almost gone these days, it's still a fun ride and great at night.

4. The Racer. Great nostalgia. First non-kiddie coaster I rode.

5. Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad. I still ride this on almost every visit. I miss the scenery of how it was when I was young (80's).

6. Kings Mills Log Flume. I love the ride through the woods.

7. Flying Eagles. I miss snapping the cable.

8. Grand Carousel. Classic

9. Top Gun. I remember when the now-way-too-long queue line was actually packed ha!

10. Smurf's Enchanted Voyage. I enjoyed the seasonal change during the ride. I wish camera phones were around then so I could revisit how it looked.

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Guest dtk1376

1. Beast. What can I say that's not been said? Best nighttime ride ever. Can't wait to ride after midnight this fall.

2. Diamondback. Everything I like in a coaster. Tall and lots of ups and downs

3. The Adventure Express. Even with the theming almost gone these days, it's still a fun ride and great at night.

4. The Racer. Great nostalgia. First non-kiddie coaster I rode.

5. Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad. I still ride this on almost every visit. I miss the scenery of how it was when I was young (80's).

6. Kings Mills Log Flume. I love the ride through the woods.

7. Flying Eagles. I miss snapping the cable.

8. Grand Carousel. Classic

9. Top Gun. I remember when the now-way-too-long queue line was actually packed ha!

10. Smurf's Enchanted Voyage. I enjoyed the seasonal change during the ride. I wish camera phones were around then so I could revisit how it looked.

I have several pictures from inside Smurf's Enchanted Voyage that my parents took when I was a child, I'll try and get those posted here later this week. You can also find a few on the internet via Google Image Search.

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1. Beast. What can I say that's not been said? Best nighttime ride ever. Can't wait to ride after midnight this fall.

2. Diamondback. Everything I like in a coaster. Tall and lots of ups and downs

3. The Adventure Express. Even with the theming almost gone these days, it's still a fun ride and great at night.

4. The Racer. Great nostalgia. First non-kiddie coaster I rode.

5. Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad. I still ride this on almost every visit. I miss the scenery of how it was when I was young (80's).

6. Kings Mills Log Flume. I love the ride through the woods.

7. Flying Eagles. I miss snapping the cable.

8. Grand Carousel. Classic

9. Top Gun. I remember when the now-way-too-long queue line was actually packed ha!

10. Smurf's Enchanted Voyage. I enjoyed the seasonal change during the ride. I wish camera phones were around then so I could revisit how it looked.

I have several pictures from inside Smurf's Enchanted Voyage that my parents took when I was a child, I'll try and get those posted here later this week. You can also find a few on the internet via Google Image Search.

I have seen some pictures but I would love to see an HD-POV haha....look forward to seeing your pics.

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