Diamondback First Thoughts and Impressions?!

[BoddaH1994]

Don't forget to vote in Beast1979's poll about your impressions of Diamondback.

I guess I should throw in my thoughts at this point...

I thought the ride was spectacular. The interesting part is, and I think many of you will find this out in the near future, each row gives you a completely different sensation. I found that the first row and the last row -- although having their own unique and quirks were not the best seats. Oddly enough, I thought row 1 of the 2nd last car gave the best rides. Going down that second hill, the negative Gs almost force you into a standing position. The best part is that you get that floating air time like none other... not only do you float but it FORCES you up, and it just doesn't stop!

Does anyone else think the splashdown was horribly underrepresented in the animation? I could just sit there and watch that all day.

[kiruler102]

Ryan, that is awesome that they play your video you made while in line. KUDOS for that.

[Beast Man]

How did it run today? Was there much down time any e-stops? Sounds like most people only waited around 2 hrs. How long was the wait after you go under the sign?

DB was down for only about 10 minutes today.The wait from under the sign is about an hour.Maybe a little less.

I got in 3 rides today.I thought that the outside rows were better than the inside rows.Felt really different to be on a coaster that was open on all sides.Night ride was really awesome.You're just floating there in the darkness.Really gave it a different flavor.

[flightoffear1996]

I got in two rides today. Once in the front seat once in the back. I like the front seat much more. I can't wait for two more weeks until my next visit. This things capcity still amazes me. I wonder how much the line will over flow. What a great ride! The lift is fast and very quite along with the rest of the ride. The ride being there just still haven't sunk in with me. I was actually a little nervous when I got about 1/2 the way up the lift. The first drop just tosses you out of your seat along with the rest of the hills.

Great job Kings Island! Your hard work will surely pay off!

[Rollercoast19]

Does anyone else think the splashdown was horribly underrepresented in the animation? I could just sit there and watch that all day.

I totally agree! It is beautiful in person, especially with the waterfall running. When the grass grows in that area will look absolutely perfect!!

My impression of Diamondback: It is amazing!! I rode row 7 both times, first time on the left seat, second time on the right seat. That first drop is terrifying and spectacular at the same time. The second time down the first drop I didn't feel the seat at all, and I am not over exaggerating. Going over the second hill I didn't come back down in my seat until the bottom of the ravine. Also, on the hills after the MCBR I had loads of airtime. I also think that going through the splashdown is great even if you can't see the splash behind you. It feels like you are skimming over the water.

[ftskatie]

totally amazing,

but better at night

we were the third to last ride of the day,

and it was incredible

[Tom76257]

SIMPLY AMAZING! I'll start off with the capacity - I took a pic of the sign and met violakat03 and gigacoaster2k. I thought the line was horrible, but Kat said it was only an hour long. This was when it was stretching to the restroom in Nickelodeon Universe. The line really NEVER stopped moving that much. I rode it 3 times and I waited 20 minutes with ERT, an hour at 3:00, and about 30 minutes with the single rider line (great idea by the way). Queue line - it looks SO deceiving on kiDiamondback.com. It's larger than Firehawk's queue. I also like how you walk under part of the ride, can see people going up the lift hill with ease, and can actually see the chain link working in real time. Sign - spectacular! No other words for me to describe it. Asssigned seating - a disappointment, but you can request a seat as I found out. Lift hill - FAST! I timed it and it took about only 45 seconds from start time to drop. It was also steep (I felt like I was almost flat on my back.). First drop - VERY STEEP! This made the ride exciting from the start. Speed and G forces - obvious beyond all belief when you ride it. Airtime - I was not a fan of airtime before this ride. Diamondback actually made it fun for me. Watching - it's almost as fun to watch as it is to ride in my opinion. The fact that you can walk underneath it twice puts you amongst the action. The splashdown is simply breathtaking. Negatives - Sorry, but I found that there were obvious lulls in action on the three bunnyhills after the MCBR. One more is that I like to sustain speed when I reach it. This ride had constant changes in speed because of the many hills that it has. On a side note I'd like to point out that if at first you don't like it, ride it again. It only got better for me! I found the back more exciting, but also more nauseating (A weak-stomached coaster enthusiast is an oxymoron I know, but I digress.) I rode the front seat once then row 16 then row 14. A word to the wise - if you have a weak stomach, DON'T ride only 30 minutes apart from each other on the back of the ride. This ended up in a protein spill for me. Overall, Diamondback was a great experience that lived up to the hype of a year and a half's worth of anticipation for me. If you have a chance, RIDE IT! It's well worth it!

[Beast1979]

It looks to me like Diamondback was a sucess, but what do I know?

[Jess]

totally amazing,

but better at night

we were the third to last ride of the day,

and it was incredible

Agreed. Better at night!

[Dvo]

Great ride. I was able to get on the last train of the night. It's so cool how they don't light up the area in the back section of the track. Pitch black! I agree that the ride does give very different rides depending on the seat. My first ride from the auction was in seat 4, and to be quite honest I wasn't impressed at all. It seemed pretty slow in the morning, and I didn't get much air at all. However I went back later in the evening after it had warmed up all day, and riding in the back gave some AMAZING air time. Row 14 (car 7, row 2) is an awesome seat, but I gotta say the back is the best

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

Does anyone else think the splashdown was horribly underrepresented in the animation? I could just sit there and watch that all day.

The splashdown is great . It's fun just to watch it. I do have a concern though. The land just past the splash where a lot of the water lands seems like it's going to be a great muddy mess all year. It looked like they had hay down in an attempt to perhaps grow some grass, but I don't see how anything will grow there with that amount of water slapping it every 2 minutes. Is there a plan to extend the rocks out there or something? I think that would look nicer than mud.

[LongLiveTheSmurfRide]

I did have a good day though. You notice that the nick restrooms near DB had new hand dryers.lol

Sorry you didn't get to ride. I got stapled because of the thighs but just made it. I did see the Dyson dryers. Those things are weird.

[Zorba]

My first impression is that it was a very fun ride. However, in my opinion, the restraints reduced the airtime too much.

Just don't pin yourself in. I kept some room between my legs and the bar. Going down the first hill for a split second I thought I was falling out there was so much floater airtime, I was not expecting so much on the first drop.

[gigacoaster2k]

It slams your stomach into your spine as it dives with eye-watering speeds down every drop, and at the top of every hill you literally float up completely out of your seat for like 3 straight seconds. It really pulls you through the hammerhead and helix too. I too did not staple myself. The ejector/floater air on every hill was spectacular. I love how it would throw you out of your seat and then you just hover there. AMAZING.

I have to say my favorite seat is the very very back on the far outside (just don't do what I did, and put your arm all the way back directly over the water scoop as the train enters the splashdown.. my arm was dripping wet and I was wringing water out of my shirt sleeve! )

I agree about the splashdown. The animation does not do it justice. I got lucky enough to get a photo of it in the sunlight and it threw off a rainbow.

In closing: I'm sorry, Millie.

[Beast1979]

I can't stop thinking about Diamondback

I've got Diamondback on the Brain.

[Diamondback FOF]

How did it run today? Was there much down time any e-stops? Sounds like most people only waited around 2 hrs. How long was the wait after you go under the sign?

Actually, only waited about 25 minutes for my second two rides. It is only about an hour wait after you go under the sign, unless you go in the single riders line. There was little downtime and no e stops that I'm aware of.

My first impression is that it was a very fun ride. However, in my opinion, the restraints reduced the airtime too much. I like coasters that are rough, though, and this one is as smooth as silk. So, I like Magnum and The Voyage better. But if you like smoother rides, then this coaster is a gem!! If I was to make a comparison to other coasters, I would call DB a cross between MF and Magnum. I also agree that they need to make changes the assigned rows policy. The dispatch times were fast and the person trying to keep up was having trouble doing so. I think they should add a second row of numbers and a second person going back through the line assigning people to rows . Or figure out a way to paint numbers on the ground in the que similar to Skyhawk at CP (this would be difficult because of the steps though). But these are minor and fixable "growing pains." Overall, DB is a fabulous addition to the park and I'm looking forward to riding it for many years to come.

I don't think the restraints reduced air time. All you have to do is leave a little space. I left about an inch and I floated over ever hill.

[skaterboy22101]

Great ride. I was able to get on the last train of the night. It's so cool how they don't light up the area in the back section of the track. Pitch black! I agree that the ride does give very different rides depending on the seat. My first ride from the auction was in seat 4, and to be quite honest I wasn't impressed at all. It seemed pretty slow in the morning, and I didn't get much air at all. However I went back later in the evening after it had warmed up all day, and riding in the back gave some AMAZING air time. Row 14 (car 7, row 2) is an awesome seat, but I gotta say the back is the best

So that was you with the lanyard and like 5 olther peopple with you. Wll I rode on the last train of the night with you

[skaterboy22101]

I did have a good day though. You notice that the nick restrooms near DB had new hand dryers.lol

Sorry you didn't get to ride. I got stapled because of the thighs but just made it. I did see the Dyson dryers. Those things are weird.

Actaly every restroom got those. I think those dryers are great! They dry my hands really fast.

[flightoffear1996]

I love the front of the ride and thought it was much much better in the back. I can't wait till the rest of the season.

[Diamondback FOF]

I did have a good day though. You notice that the nick restrooms near DB had new hand dryers.lol

Sorry you didn't get to ride. I got stapled because of the thighs but just made it. I did see the Dyson dryers. Those things are weird.

Actaly every restroom got those. I think those dryers are great! They dry my hands really fast.

Actually, not every restroom got the new dryers. I think it is the really small 'boys' restroom by the Central Grill that didn't have them. but one of the men's restroom I went in didn't have the new dryers. Also, I asked my mom about them and she said some of the women's restroom didn't have them. But anyways, I do love those dryers. They do dry my hands really fast.

[skaterboy22101]

I did have a good day though. You notice that the nick restrooms near DB had new hand dryers.lol

Sorry you didn't get to ride. I got stapled because of the thighs but just made it. I did see the Dyson dryers. Those things are weird.

Actaly every restroom got those. I think those dryers are great! They dry my hands really fast.

Actually, not every restroom got the new dryers. I think it is the really small 'boys' restroom by the Central Grill that didn't have them. but one of the men's restroom I went in didn't have the new dryers. Also, I asked my mom about them and she said some of the women's restroom didn't have them. But anyways, I do love those dryers. They do dry my hands really fast.

Well they have them at the main entrance men's restroom, Nick U restrooms, and I think the Rivertown restrooms?

[MillenniumBeast]

My last two rides weren't as fun because the worker pushed the restraint down for me and made it quite tight, so it was much harder to feel airtime. I liked it when I could pull it down myself to leave a lot of space between myself and the restraint. (I sat in the front row all 5 times)

[skaterboy22101]

My last two rides weren't as fun because the worker pushed the restraint down for me and made it quite tight, so it was much harder to feel airtime. I liked it when I could pull it down myself to leave a lot of space between myself and the restraint. (I sat in the front row all 5 times)

I was stapled the first time I rode and I still got a buch of air time. Now, when I rode on the last train of the night, I literly had about 1 1/2 inches of room. I felt like I was going to fall out but I loved it!

[MillenniumBeast]

My last two rides weren't as fun because the worker pushed the restraint down for me and made it quite tight, so it was much harder to feel airtime. I liked it when I could pull it down myself to leave a lot of space between myself and the restraint. (I sat in the front row all 5 times)

I was stapled the first time I rode and I still got a buch of air time. Now, when I rode on the last train of the night, I literly had about 1 1/2 inches of room. I felt like I was going to fall out but I loved it!

The 1 1/2 inches is what I was talking about. That is the feeling that I really loved! Flying over the second hill, I was out of my seat for so long and I found myself laughing that whole ride afterwards!

[markr]

I would put DB with at least my 5 favs. The airtime on that ride is absoulutely outstanding, especially on the second drop-couldn't believe that we were still floating all the way to the bottom of the second drop. Rode it 5 times yesterday and am going to keep a tally.

[Braves0511]

Each end of the train has it's own "perks" to offer. I rode in rows 2 11 and 13 yesterday, the front gave an amaaaazing view, and some decent air. But for the best air, the back is where it's at. The trip i took in 13 I was almost forced into a standing position. Also, try riding with your eyes closed, I'm not sure what made me do it, but I tried it, completely changed the experience.

[iChase]

After a certain amount of coaxing by some very persuasive people here, I got in line despite not being able to fit in the test seat. Well, it was worth it. We waited 48 minutes. I got on and still couldn't really fit. Luckily, my friend Cory Butcher was there to give me push. (Thanks, Cory.)

The ride was absolutely incredible! I'm thrilled to have it in KI.

[Go Browns]

Not sure if any of you visit coasterbuzz.com, if not here is some very cool footage from the webmaster Jeff.

Anyone else notice how much the lift hill shakes when the train goes down. I thought I was looking at an Intamin for a second.

*make darn sure you click the HD button. It takes longer to load but its well worth it.

[iChase]

Nice video, thanks for positing it!

I didn't realize how much the drop shook. Incredible.

[DropZone99]

On my first ride of the day, I got seat 8- The VERY middle... It was a good ride, and the best at KI but I thought Goliath was better. I tried 2 More times throughout the day to get the back seat and I got seat 8 two more times. On my fourth and fifth rides I got the very back seat. AMAZING! It's so fun during the splashdown too turn around and the water sprays Right into your face! It kinda hurts, but it cools you off alot.