Top 10 favorite rides ever at KI?

[thegajone]

Please rank your top 10 favorite rides ever at KI, and if you feel like it, where you prefer(red) to sit on them. Feel free to include any defunct rides, upcharge attractions, waterpark attractions, etc. I'm almost 30 so I never got to ride the old Bat or Demon or several others, but I have been lucky enough to experience some great rides over the years.

I cheated and did a top 20, and even cheated on that also, but here's my list:

T-20. Phantom Theater - It was kind of cheesy and not very scary, but had great music and was a must-ride every visit up through the time it was converted to the Scooby Doo theme. It's a shame that it wasn't kept in better shape towards the end of its life though.

T-20. Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal - My 2nd favorite water ride ever at KI, it was taller than the other flume ride and floating at the top winding through the tree tops was very relaxing.

19. Flying Eagles - I'll admit I thought the Flying Eagles were lame until my cousin showed me how to snap them, then it became a must-ride and one of my favorites in the park.

18. Viking Fury (very back row facing Festhaus) - To this day I still love this flat, especially in that top row facing Festhaus. This was a favorite of mine, my cousins and my brother growing up, so this holds a lot of nostalgia for me and I'm glad it's still there.

17. Flight Commander - Looking back it was probably lame, but my brother and I couldn't get enough of this one. He would just hold the joystick to the left and do barrel rolls the entire time.

16. Skylab - This is my brother's favorite flat ever, so I got to ride it a ton. It's one of my favorites ever, too, and I can't really even explain why.

15. Delirium - I think this is an awesome flat, even good enough to be ranked ahead of some other great ones that have the nostalgia factor working in their favor, which shows just how much I like it.

14. White Water Canyon - If you haven't ridden WWC in a while, do it with a group of close friends or family. I guarantee the smiles on your faces and amount of giggles will exceed any other ride in the park. My cousins liked this ride more than any other. One of the best family rides I can think of anywhere.

13. Son of Beast - By now you've probably figured out that I'm a coaster/thrill ride junkie, so the rest of my list is going to be thrill rides. While I love some of the flats and water rides (and 1 dark ride) listed above, I go to amusement parks for the coasters and thrill rides. I desperately wish SOB wouldn't have been so rough, as the 1 or 2 times I rode it and DIDN'T feel like I had just gotten the crap kicked out of me were phenomenal experiences. This coaster was as thrilling as any I've ever been on anywhere.

12. Banshee - I'm sure I have this way lower than just about everyone else, but I've only ridden it once and while it's great, I just don't think I like inverts all that much. Maybe a few more rounds on it will make me change my mind.

11. Vortex (1-1) - I actually like the front row more than 5-1. I LOVE this ride from station through the bottom of the first drop, and from the drop into the corkscrews through the end of the ride, but the only thing keeping this from being WAY higher on my list is the section in between. I either get beat up or grey out every time, which is no fun. But the rest of the ride keeps me coming back each time.

10. Flight of Fear (no seat preference) - The blast-off is still one of the biggest thrills in the park for me. After that it gets a little rough at times. Removing the OTSR's helped quite a bit, but the new restraints are pretty uncomfortable on my legs. The theming and takeoff are what keep me coming back though. The fun certainly outweighs the discomfort.

9. Firehawk (front row) - There will be plenty of people who disagree with me putting this ahead of Banshee, Vortex, FOF, etc. but I really do like this coaster a lot. I don't find the restraints or anything about the ride to be uncomfortable. The "flying" sensation is really neat to me and it's a must ride every visit.

8. Top Gun (front row of back car) - The queue theming was really neat and I loved it when it had the fog. The Bat is still a must-ride every visit though. It's actually pretty surprising how much G force you feel towards the back of the train.

7. Adventure Express (middle row of back car, at night) - Even after being tall enough to ride the bigger rides, AE was still one of my favorites and remains so to this day. And the ride was even better when all of the theming and fog were functional. It's also one of the best night rides in the park.

6. Tomb Raider: The Ride - One of the best flats/dark rides anywhere ever. Great theming, great ride experience, great everything.

5. King Cobra (right side of any row) - It looked like a pretty simple layout and wasn't very long, but man I loved this coaster. I really liked the right side because there was no railing over on that side on the lift hill, pre-drop and drop, so it felt nice and open to the rest of the ride. Beside the drop and pre-drop (best pre-drop ever?), my favorite parts were the helix where it felt like you were laying down sideways, the twisty part, and the bunny hops. I miss this coaster dearly.

4. Drop Tower (facing anywhere towards the park and away from the parking lot/I71) - This is my favorite flat anywhere. I have a fear of heights so this is the most thrilling ride in the park for me. I can't get enough of it. The best part of course is the anticipation at the top right before the drop.

3. Backwards Racer (back row) - FWIW, regular Racer would either be 3rd or 4th on my list. It's one of my favorite coasters that I've ever ridden, and the back row of the backwards train took it up to a whole new level.

2. Beast (the middle row of any car, at night) - The Beast at night is about as good as it gets IMO. While the magnetic brakes feel like they "grab" more than the old brakes did, you still fly through the woods at a high rate of speed, and the double helix at the end is pretty much an unbeatable element.

1. Diamondback - I really like every seat on DB, but if I had to pick a favorite I guess it would be 1-2 on the left side. I love floaty air-time and DB crushes everything else in that department. I never thought I'd like any ride more than Beast at night, but DB surpasses it IMO.

[faeriewench]

1.) Phantom Theater

2.) Top Gun/Flight Deck/The Bat

3.) Adventure Express

4.) The Beast

6.) WindSeeker

7.) the train

And rides I just like but have a hard time considering them a "favorite" there or just don't remember much details

8.) Banshee

9.) Diamondback

10.) apparently I liked the Smurf ride but I don't remember it except for the videos, lol

I never put too much emphasis on where to sit or where not to sit except for wooden coasters (unless you're talking Ghostrider where every seat is a wheel seat).

[Bennett]

1) Diamondback

2) The Beast

3) Banshee

4) Flying Eagles

5) Der Spinning Keggers

6) King Cobra

7) Vortex (Even though I can't hardly stand to ride it anymore)

8) FOF

9) Son of Beast - Considered it a badge of honor that me at 6'6" and my 6'4" brother rode in the same car...though we needed a can opener to get out

10) Viking Fury - Less filling....tastes great!

[McSalsa]

Well OK...here's mine, in reverse order...

Honorable Mentions (rides that I enjoy a lot but they missed Top 10) in no order: BLSC, White Water Canyon, Firehawk, Monster, Viking Fury, Zephyr, Eiffel Tower, Surf Dog

Also Note: I have yet to ride WindSeeker, or many of the past now-defunct KI rides since my first visit in recent years was in 2009 and only Son of Beast (never rode) and The Crypt (sucked) have gone defunct since then. So they won't be on this list.

#10. Adventure Express

While I am mostly a thrill junkie now, Adventure Express- while a family ride- does pack solid thrills for a mine train coaster. Add the great scenery and theming, and the ending which I actually do enjoy (it is basically a joke ending in my eyes) and you have a ride I do have no problem riding over and over- which can likely also be said of the rest of this list. The high capacity is also a positive, as waits are rarely more than 20 minutes, making this a ride I'll hit up 90% of the time when I visit KI.

#9. Racer

Racer is a fun ride, but only ranks #9 due to the fact I have kind of found it inconsistent at times. It's never given me a truly horrible ride, but the amount of airtime seems to vary from "none" to "lots" and the roughness is just as unpredictable- it can be butter smooth or (almost) painfully rough. However, when Racer is running at its best- which was the case on my ride on Red Racer on May 5th, 2012- it is truly an awesome ride. I kinda wish it'd run like that a bit more often. Red Racer, BTW, is usually smoother and more consistent IMO.

#8. The Bat

A ride buried all the way on the far side of Kings Island and a long walk from the next closest ride, which'd be Banshee, The Bat is still worth the walk. While it's not incredibly tall (78 feet according to RCDB), it feels a lot faster than it's claimed 50mph thanks to its intense and violent swinging. It is also located in fairly wooded terrain with good scenery around it, and the view from right before you drop is incredible since it is on the edge of the park and thus you can see everything- if only for a second. The ride's only real flaw? It ends too quickly, and the station still looks like an aircraft carrier even though that is no longer the ride's theme.

#7. Drop Tower

And we come to the first flat ride to make this list! Drop Tower is a really simple concept. You get on, you go up, and you drop. What makes this ride intense and scary, however, is its sheer size. When a 200-foot drop would make many squirm, this ride is 315 feet tall with a 264 foot drop- and that's NOT counting the 30 or so feet of brakes, so riders are actually closer to 290-300 feet up at the top! And with a max drop speed of 67mph, you drop fast. The view is also incredible.

#6. Vortex

Kings Island's answer to the coaster wars in the 1980's, a time when how many inversions a coaster had seemingly determined its thrill factor. With 6 inversions, Vortex sends riders upside down numerous times, and it also boasts still-impressive-in-2014 height and speed, standing at 148 feet tall and reaching 55mph. Capacity is also a huge plus, as waits usually are less than 30 minutes even on peak weekends. The one downside to this ride would be the jerky transitions- a common problem among nearly all Arrow looping coasters of the era- but if you can handle those, you will get a great ride. Also, sit in 5-1.

#5. Delirium

A HUGE twist on the classic "frisbee" carnival ride, the world's first giant frisbee is nothing less than huge. With a capacity of 50 riders per cycle, and a maximum swing height of 138 feet, Delirium also offers its riders a comfortable ride and even has airtime. With the addition of Banshee in 2014, riders now get to "kick" the new B&M Invert as it is located right next door. My favorite flat ride in the entire park- and also my current favorite flat ride period since I've only also been to Holiday World recently. So #4 and higher are all roller coasters...

#4. Flight of Fear

The world's first LIM launched coaster is a very thrilling ride. The experience seems to begin even before the ride, as the Q-Line is themed very well and a cheesy-yet-fun video plays. Then you have the ride itself- 0 to 54 in 4 seconds flat, with 4 inversions and numerous turns, dips, and bunny hops in near total darkness (save some dim colored lights in the building). The last inversion- a corkscrew- catches riders off guard for a epic finale. It's easily the most "violent" of all the coasters in the park. It's too bad the low capacity and the fact it's next to the also-low-capacity Firehawk often drive the waits past 90 minutes, but since it has that pre-ride video and great theming, I'll wait it out every now and then. Hope the ride recovers from the recent incidents it seems to be having and can re-open.

#3. Diamondback

The "popular" and mainstream choice when you usually ask someone- especially the GP- their favorite ride in the park. I can kinda see why too- it has fantastic airtime, is usually smooth, and has the most comfortable seats in the entire park. It's also HUGE at 230 feet tall, and fast at 80mph. Though I do find 2 other rides in the park to be slightly better- it's pretty close though.

#2. Banshee

The new-for-2014 coaster was hyped up a lot this offseason, and while many rides don't live up to the hype when they open...this one did, at least IMO. After waiting 4 1/2 hours for my first ride on opening day, I got off thinking "DAT WUZ AWESOME!!!". Though I would perfer to never have to wait that long again. Banshee packs 7 awesome inversions, and with a 68mph top speed, it flies through its course- except for the slow roll, which offers a great change of pace and is a awesome finale- which means you get good G-Forces in seemingly every one. The theming is also pretty good here. Banshee is a incredible ride, but falls short of #1 for 1 reason only...it kinda has to go against a 35-year legend...

#1. The Beast

35 years is a LONG time for a roller coaster. By that point, most steel coasters have been torn down, and it's rare for a ride to still be ranked among the world's best even 10 or 15 years after its debut. But The Beast opened in 1979 as one of the top-ranked wooden coasters in the world, and it remains one of those in 2014. It even still has a world record as the longest wooden coaster in the world! Let's see if Banshee has that inverted coaster length record in 35 years...likely not. Beast is a great ride during the day, but if I was basing this on day rides alone, to be honest I'd probably rank Banshee and Diamondback higher than Beast and FOF would be really close. But what pushes Beast to the #1 spot? Legendary Night Rides. The ride's location makes for a very dark, fast, intense-feeling ride through the woods where you usually cannot see 5 feet in front of you for most of the ride. The tunnels become pitch black. And the helix goes from awesome to incredible. For a Beast night ride, there is no line too long I won't wait through (2 hours? HA! ME GET IN LINE ANYWAY!)- I love the experience that much.

Well, that's my Top 10 rides at Kings Island...

[Banshee Back VII]

1) The Beast

2) Banshee

3) Flight of Fear

4) Firehawk

5) Diamondback

6) Invertigo

7) Backlot Stunt Coaster

8) Vortex

9) The Bat

10) The Racer

I wish KI had better flats

[Guest dtk1376]

1. Beast - I know, people think it's not as great as advertised because it's not a giga or hyper coaster or whatever. It was the first large rollercoaster I ever rode, and I just love the ruthless aggression it has at the beginning and the end.

2. Diamondback - Just had my first ride on this ride this year and will say I absolutely love it, what an awesome ride.

3. Banshee - Excellent ride, nice smooth ride and fast load times. Oh, and it goes upside down, a lot.

4. King Cobra - My first ever ride to go upside down on, and of course the source of my avatar. Delirium is a great ride, but I wish King Cobra was still there.

5. Vortex - The first time I rode this, did not feel good at all after getting off of it and had to go home (probably didn't help I just ate pizza beforehand). A few years later I tried it again, and now it's one of my favorites.

6. Son of Beast - I remember the build up to this ride being built. I thought the ride was really rough, but I was also a teenager during it's heyday so that never bothered me.

7. Racer - Oh how I miss the backwards Racer. I didn't get to ride the backwards Racer until I got older and my cousin got me to ride it, my mom refused to ride on the backwards side.

8. Flight of Fear - One of the best queue lines in the business, it's been over 5 years since I rode it for various reasons, but none of those reasons have anything to do with the joyfulness of riding the ride. Being so dark and so disorienting it's an extremely fun ride.

9. Adventure Express - I know, not the most extreme ride at Kings Island, but there is a lot of sentimental joy I get out of this ride. The queue line used to have a spiel about no explosives being allowed on the ride and my dad used to always crack jokes about that which I still remember to this day. And then I remember going to Kings Island on Senior Night in high school and constantly riding this with one of my best friends. And who doesn't get excited about seeing the high council at the end of the ride with the most anti-climatic ending ever?

10. Tomb Raider - Only flat I included on this list, for good reason. The ride did not feel like a classic flat ride and the theme that with the ride was just amazing. i remember riding this ride after Paramount left and they were in that awkward transition from Paramount to Cedar Fair and the ride lost all of it's theme and it just took all the enjoyment out of the ride.

[Hank]

Beast at 10 am

Beast at 11 am

Beast at 1 pm

Beast at 2 pm

Beast at 3 pm

Beast at 4 pm

Beast at 6 pm

Beast at 7 pm

Beast at 8 pm

Beast at 10 pm

(the hours missing are for meals and snacks because of my diabetes)

[Banshee Back VII]

It seems like everyone liked SOB, Backwards Racer, TRTR and King Cobra. I wish I was big enough to ride them when they were at the park.

[Nick_Plummer]

(NOTE) I am keeping names from when Paramount owned the park for a couple of these because those were my favorite.

10 - Fairly Odd Coaster

9 - Runaway Reptar

8 - Congo Falls

7 - Shake, Rattle and Roll

6 - Flight of Fear

5 - Vortex

4 - Italian Job Stunt Track (Backlot Stunt Coaster is not in my top 10)

3 - The Beast

2 - Banshee

1 - Diamondback

[tuxedoman52]

1. Banshee
2. Diamondback
3. The Beast
4. Son of Beast
5. Flight of Fear
6. Firehawk
7. Invertigo
8. The Bat
9. Racer
10. Vortex

[LoraX]

1. Banshee

2. The Beast

3. Diamondback

4. Enchanted Voyage

5. Flight of Fear

6. Backward Racer

7. The Bat (original)

8. Tomb Raider

9. Flight Commander

10. Flying Eagles

[Gplez90]

1. The Beast

2. Diamondback

3. Banshee

4. Slingshot

5. The Racer

6. Tomb Raider

7. Flight of Fear

8. Xtreme Skyflyer

9. The Bat (at night)

10. The Beast

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MDMC01]

I'll start by saying this list was a little tough to come up with, not only because of having to narrow it down to only 10 rides, but I wasn't sure in which order to rank the rides or if some rides I chose should even be included at all. That being said, here is my current list:

10. Delirium

-I remember the first time I got on Delirium and was a bit nervous to ride because it looked really intense. To my surprise, it wasn't that bad and I loved how high you went. Although I do enjoy riding it, I also like watching it from the midway as it looks like a giant UFO thing.

9. Pineapple Pipeline (formally known as Bonsai Pipeline when the water park was known as WaterWorks)

-When I was younger, I always liked the straight down (now teal) slide, but I now prefer the intensity of the left (orange) slide that spirals downward

8. Thunder Falls (formally known as Sidewinder under WaterWorks)

-This one's a fun tube slide in Soak City. The last time I rode, I preferred the left side (green) because it seemed longer.

8. Firehawk

-This was my first flying coaster and (in my opinion) a great addition to the park. Even though we now have Wing Coasters and B&M flyers, I think about how revolutionary this ride's technology was back in the early 2000's and enjoy the ride that much more for it.

7. Drop Tower

-This is a great ride that is one of the only rides in Action Zone that hasn't been given a repaint or complete rebrand since the area's debut in 1999. This is one ride I don't mind standing in line for, not just for the ride experience, but because over the years, I've gotten great views of Action Zone's other all-stars like Xtreme Skyflyer, Son of Beast, and more recently, Banshee. EDIT: Here's a tip that I learned before launching up on Power Tower the last time I was at Cedar Point: Put your hands up (like you're riding a roller coaster) on the drop- it's a crazy awesome feeling!

6. Son of Beast

-This ride was my first looping coaster, and despite its issues, was a pretty awesome ride. I mean, talk about revolutionary technology of the new millennium. It broke so many world records including the first (and currently only) wooden coaster to go over 200 feet and the only modern wooden coaster have a vertical loop. Although we now have Rocky Mountain Coasters that can invert wooden coaster track with ease, back in 2000, a loop on a wooden roller coaster was a groundbreaking technological breakthrough. Unfortunately, the awesomeness didn't last as it got rougher and rougher and eventually was closed for a few years before being completely demolished to make way for Banshee.

5. Adventure Express- at night (last car, 2^nd row)

-When I was little, this and the ride that is #4 in the countdown were my go-to rides. I really liked it during the day and enjoyed racing through the jungle with the occasional jerkiness. Nowadays, I love it at night with its pitch-black tunnels and the speed you get from sitting in the back.

4. Top Gun (under Top Gun/Flight Deck)

-As was Adventure Express, this was my go to ride when I was younger. I loved everything about this ride: the walkback to the ride itself, the layout, the turn over the lift, and, during the Paramount years, the theming and cool Top Gun soundtrack music in the queue. When I heard the rumors that my beloved Top Gun/Flight Deck would become The Bat, I rode it in the front seat on Closing Day to get one last ride on it before the eventual retheme. Although I did ride it as The Bat once this season, it just wasn't the same without that gray track hanging above me.

3. Tomb Raider: The Ride

-I rode this ride twice in its original state and it blew my mind. I remember being both freaked out and amazed by what this ride was and could do. At the time, I'd never been on a Top Spin (much less a Giant Top Spin) and have never ridden another since. As years past and it became The Crypt, it was still a good ride but just a shell of what it was. I remember always wanting to ride The Crypt when I went because it was just a unique ride, even though it wasn't in the form that it once was. I will say that this is only higher than Son of Beast because of SOB's continual roughness in the Rose Bowl.

2. Banshee

-I decided to take my first spin on Banshee on April 25th, 2014 and after that ride, I tweeted that it was "crazy awesome". 13 more rides later, I still think it's crazy awesome and currently my favorite roller coaster at Kings Island. The speed and the barrel roll at the end make it the park's finest coaster. Long live Banshee!!!

1. The Beast

-Ok, so I know I just said Banshee is my favorite roller coaster at the park, but The Beast is just a great classic ride. It's a Kings Island icon and still gives great rides 35 years later! Because of it's reputation and great ride experience, it totally deserves the #1 spot on my list.

Before I end my list, I'd like to give Vortex an honorable mention just because experiencing that first drop while sitting in the back seat is amazing. Plus, it's a classic coaster with a lot of inversions.

[NoChickens]

1.Banshee

2.Diamondback

3.The Beast

4.The Bat (original)

5.The Bat (current)

6.King Cobra

7.Racer(s)

8.Vortex

9.KCKC

10. FoF

Must haves on list, no particular order:

Enchanted Voyage(sorry for everyone to young to have rode this), Phantom Theater, Giant Slide, Shake Rattle and Roll, Wheel of Fortune, and the KIMVRR with the "show".

[JTW]

This list will never be set in stone and it changes regularly depending on how nostalgic I feel.

10) Phantom Theater

9) Shake Rattle and Roll

8) The Bat (current)

7) Flight of Fear

6) Racer

5) Flying Eagles

4) Adventure Express

3) Diamondback

2) The Beast

1) Banshee, barely

[Gplez90]

1. Beast - I know, people think it's not as great as advertised because it's not a giga or hyper coaster or whatever. It was the first large rollercoaster I ever rode, and I just love the ruthless aggression it has at the beginning and the end.

2. Diamondback - Just had my first ride on this ride this year and will say I absolutely love it, what an awesome ride.

3. Banshee - Excellent ride, nice smooth ride and fast load times. Oh, and it goes upside down, a lot.

4. King Cobra - My first ever ride to go upside down on, and of course the source of my avatar. Delirium is a great ride, but I wish King Cobra was still there.

5. Vortex - The first time I rode this, did not feel good at all after getting off of it and had to go home (probably didn't help I just ate pizza beforehand). A few years later I tried it again, and now it's one of my favorites.

6. Son of Beast - I remember the build up to this ride being built. I thought the ride was really rough, but I was also a teenager during it's heyday so that never bothered me.

7. Racer - Oh how I miss the backwards Racer. I didn't get to ride the backwards Racer until I got older and my cousin got me to ride it, my mom refused to ride on the backwards side.

8. Flight of Fear - One of the best queue lines in the business, it's been over 5 years since I rode it for various reasons, but none of those reasons have anything to do with the joyfulness of riding the ride. Being so dark and so disorienting it's an extremely fun ride.

9. Adventure Express - I know, not the most extreme ride at Kings Island, but there is a lot of sentimental joy I get out of this ride. The queue line used to have a spiel about no explosives being allowed on the ride and my dad used to always crack jokes about that which I still remember to this day. And then I remember going to Kings Island on Senior Night in high school and constantly riding this with one of my best friends. And who doesn't get excited about seeing the high council at the end of the ride with the most anti-climatic ending ever?

10. Tomb Raider - Only flat I included on this list, for good reason. The ride did not feel like a classic flat ride and the theme that with the ride was just amazing. i remember riding this ride after Paramount left and they were in that awkward transition from Paramount to Cedar Fair and the ride lost all of it's theme and it just took all the enjoyment out of the ride.

I cannot imagine how high your tolerance for pain has to be to have Vortex, Son of Beast, and King Cobra all in your top 10.

[Banshee Back VII]

Adventure Express as well.

[TombRaiderFTW]

10. Eiffel Tower. I realize there's an identical model in Virginia, but you seriously can't beat the Eiffel Tower. There's nothing at any other park I've been to that's nearly as iconic as Kings Island's Eiffel Tower. It looks awesome on the skyline, can be seen for miles, and catches your eye no matter where you are in the park. Ever since I was little, seeing it just gets me excited to go to the park. Finding it on the horizon while driving to the park is a quintessential part of the drive. It's great! (And, on that note: the farthest I've ever been able to see the tower from is the north side of Lebanon. Anyone ever seen it from farther away? And no, before some snarky little punk speaks up: webcams do not count! )

9. Baba Louie's Buggies. When I was really little (as in kindergarten-aged), roller coasters--and most everything else in the world, if we're being honest--scared the pants off of me. One of the very few things that didn't was Baba Louie's Buggies. I thought that was the coolest dang ride ever. To be honest, I'm a little surprised that a "grown-up" equivalent doesn't exist at somewhere like Kennywood, because I still think it's a neat idea, even if it probably wouldn't be wildly popular. The only place I've been that had them since KI removed them is Camden Park, and I'm a little too big to ride them now, I think.

8. Viking Fury. When I kinda-sorta started warming up to rides as I got older, I would ride Viking Fury... and then get really freaked out by it and regret that decision. I never really liked it. Now, I think it's great. Part of its placement at #8 is because of how much I like it, and part of it is because of the memories I have of riding it (and hating it) with family when I was younger. It's half fun, half nostalgia on this one.

7. Phantom Theater. I rode Phantom Theater a resounding one time in my life. At the time, I was something significantly less than ten years old, and it absolutely scared the bejabbers out of me. Never rode it again. Now that I'm older, I look back at this ride and kick myself for not riding it more when it was around. Licensed property-themed rides can be interesting, but original themes that you can't find anywhere else are a lot of I LOVE about amusement parks. It's why I love things like Monster Mansion at SFOG and Noah's Ark at Kennywood and Haunted Mansion at Knoebel's. Not to mention that this ride combined a lot of classic funhouse ideas (e.g. Laffing Sals seem like inspiration for the Maestro's laughter) with a unique idea (ghosts inhabiting an abandoned theater.) If Kings Island ever gets a new dark ride--and I really hope they strongly consider doing so--I really hope they'll consider at least acknowledging Phantom Theater in the theme of it. It's really a gem of an idea that's dying to be redone with modern effects.

6. Banshee. The marketing and excitement around this ride was unique and had everyone guessing what the ride was right up to the announcement. The announcement was incredibly well done (and to this day, I can't listen to "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark" by Fall Out Boy without thinking of August 8, 2013.) The theme actually played off The Beast "family" by having a Banshee actually be the creature that "kills" Son of Beast. And that's not even mentioning how awesome of a ride Banshee is--and it is awesome! It's the best B&M inverted coaster I've ridden, and it even has--gasp--theming! It's really a quality experience.

5. Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown. It's just a classic. That's really the whole explanation. I just really like this log flume. It makes me wonder how well I would have liked Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal if I had gotten the chance to ride it when I actually liked amusement park rides.

4. Antique Cars. These types of rides are more common than I thought, but the ones that Kings Island had had the best placement out of the ones I've ridden. That area also needs something relaxing that doesn't go in circles; spinning can and does alienate members of the family who aren't into intense rides. The Antique Cars filled that niche, and they added a lot more atmosphere to the park than The Italian Job Stunt Track/Backlot Stunt Coaster ever did. It would be awesome to see them take the area beside the International Showplace, around the floral clock and BLSC, and behind the Juke Box Diner and put in a nice, long antique car course with covered bridges and LOTS of foliage. The could even use the Juke Box Diner building as an air-conditioned queue, as far as I'm concerned.

3. Flying Eagles. This ride was just a wonderful classic, and it's something I rode a lot when I was younger. I think I hit them up on a bad day at Carowinds this year since I couldn't quite get them to snap, but I vividly remember what they're capable of. (If they ran them at Knoebels speeds, I think they'd be easier to snap, but that's beside the point.) They looked much nicer in their last location at Kings Island than a basketball games does in that spot. I'd even settle for Larson scooters back at KI, because those are still decent rides even if they don't snap easily.

2. Adventure Express. Without repeating myself for the thousandth time, I was probably most afraid of this ride out of all the ones I rode when I was little. I probably have the most memories of riding this ride than I do of any other. Now that I'm all growed up (hah), I enjoy it as being one of the most well-rounded rides I've ever ridden. It's not the most intense ride, but what it does, it does well and it does it well consistently throughout the ride. It's not my favorite ride in the world, but it's doubtlessly the best ride in the park right now. Banshee's very, very good, but Adventure Express still has the lead as far as I'm concerned. I just wish the theming would get more love.

1. Tomb Raider: The Ride. Don't look so surprised. This ride has given me unreasonably high expectations for anything I ride that has a preshow video, and just about every ride I dream up in my head tends to follow an "increasingly themed queue -> preshow room that separates next group of riders from rest of queue -> preshow that warns riders not to proceed -> ride that features a clash with a numinous entity" procedure. It's also why I like HUSS Top Spins so dang much and a lot of the reason why I ever made it to Kings Dominion for the first time. That ride was amazing, and I have yet to start missing it any less than I did the day it left.

Somewhere out there on the interwebs, it is possible to find full queue walkthrough videos. I once compiled several queue walkthrough videos, a preshow video, and a POV back when MySpace was a thing, but I made the really, really stupid decision once to delete my account without downloading those videos. I've never found them since. If anyone ever happens to run into video of a TR:TR queue walkthrough, PLEASE let me know.

[The Interpreter]

#9. Idlewild. For adults.

Go enjoy!

[TombRaiderFTW]

WHAT. I am so there. Planning a trip to Idlewild now...

[The Interpreter]

Verify they are still there. It's been several years since I've been there.

Rollo Coaster is worth the trip, as is the park in general. Caterpillar, too.

[kblanken]

The handcarts are still there, but I think the Caterpillar is currently under long-duration maintenance.

[The Interpreter]

The Vekoma Wild Mouse is simply amazing, too.

[Banshee Back VII]

I didn't know Vekoma did Wild Mice.

[shark6495]

My top 10 is highly influenced by the people I rode the rides with. Which I think is the point of amusement parks is to help spark memories. Before getting into the list I have to agree that seeing the Eiffel Tower as you drive up 71 and pull into the lot, only to have t disappear in the parking lot, ride the team, and walk through the gates to have the Tower welcome you, is just a glorious glorious memory.

1) Beast: first real adult ride. I remember growing up on that ride and I knew the moment I was no longer was just a little kid was when my mom or dad didn't keep an arm draped over me to keep me from flying out. Not sure why but Beast has memories associated with my mom and her riding it with me.

2) White Water Canyon: standing in an hour long line with my aunt and grandma as try told me about the gum trees. You know where thy pick chewing gum to go in the packets! But this ride is the only ride I have a memory of riding with my aunt and grandma.

3) King Kobra: walking into the queue line beneath the station and it was lined with the tall wood fences added a mystery to the ride.

4) Racer: fun air time, enjoyable every time

5) Kenton Keelboats and Race for Your Life Charlie Brown. Growing up we would hit these back to back. I associate this ride with my dad. He would be in charge of making sure my sister an I didn't fly out of the boat.

6) Phantom Theater: air conditioning, an enjoyable story, and made me feel younger it was a great mix

7) Days of Thunder Action Theater: from the theme of the queue with race cars to the actual ride it was fun. Hone table mention goes to the James Bond replacement

8) Top Gun/Bat: the theming of the ride was so cool to the young me. This was also the only ride I have ever chickened out at. At the last minute I freaked out (after waiting in a full line when it first opened) and was left to sit in the child jail . I also remember camping and hearing the lift hill motor go off in the middle of a severe electrical storm.

9) Antique Cars: rode this when I was little and have the memories of my cousin letting me drive. I really do miss those cars

10) the Jetson Orbiters: if my memory recalls you could push on a bar and it would raise/lower the car (or at least that's what they told us).... Tied at this spot would be the Flintstone bumper cars

Banshee/Diamondback/FOF/SOB/BLSC are all nice coasters or unique coasters in their own way, but it's something about memories that change the way you look at things.

Now ask me this question when my son asks me to take him on big rides and these listings are sure to change

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Banshee Back VII]

I assume you mean King Cobra.

[Existential]

10 House of Cards

09 Witches Cauldron

08 Zodiak

07 Der Spinning Keggers

06 Flying Dutchman

05 Adventure Express

04 Diamonback

03 Shaggy's Silly Stix

02 Enchanted Voyage

01 The Beast

Nostalgia reasons mostly...

Nowadays I feel beaten with a sock-full of quarters after a non-stomp romp there.

[Guest dtk1376]

1. Beast - I know, people think it's not as great as advertised because it's not a giga or hyper coaster or whatever. It was the first large rollercoaster I ever rode, and I just love the ruthless aggression it has at the beginning and the end.

2. Diamondback - Just had my first ride on this ride this year and will say I absolutely love it, what an awesome ride.

3. Banshee - Excellent ride, nice smooth ride and fast load times. Oh, and it goes upside down, a lot.

4. King Cobra - My first ever ride to go upside down on, and of course the source of my avatar. Delirium is a great ride, but I wish King Cobra was still there.

5. Vortex - The first time I rode this, did not feel good at all after getting off of it and had to go home (probably didn't help I just ate pizza beforehand). A few years later I tried it again, and now it's one of my favorites.

6. Son of Beast - I remember the build up to this ride being built. I thought the ride was really rough, but I was also a teenager during it's heyday so that never bothered me.

7. Racer - Oh how I miss the backwards Racer. I didn't get to ride the backwards Racer until I got older and my cousin got me to ride it, my mom refused to ride on the backwards side.

8. Flight of Fear - One of the best queue lines in the business, it's been over 5 years since I rode it for various reasons, but none of those reasons have anything to do with the joyfulness of riding the ride. Being so dark and so disorienting it's an extremely fun ride.

9. Adventure Express - I know, not the most extreme ride at Kings Island, but there is a lot of sentimental joy I get out of this ride. The queue line used to have a spiel about no explosives being allowed on the ride and my dad used to always crack jokes about that which I still remember to this day. And then I remember going to Kings Island on Senior Night in high school and constantly riding this with one of my best friends. And who doesn't get excited about seeing the high council at the end of the ride with the most anti-climatic ending ever?

10. Tomb Raider - Only flat I included on this list, for good reason. The ride did not feel like a classic flat ride and the theme that with the ride was just amazing. i remember riding this ride after Paramount left and they were in that awkward transition from Paramount to Cedar Fair and the ride lost all of it's theme and it just took all the enjoyment out of the ride.

I cannot imagine how high your tolerance for pain has to be to have Vortex, Son of Beast, and King Cobra all in your top 10.

Haha, Son of Beast and King Cobra are remembered from when I was at a younger age, much higher pain tolerance at that time. I have never been one to feel pain from Vortex, I'm in the minority for that it seems.

[faeriewench]

It seems like everyone liked SOB, Backwards Racer, TRTR and King Cobra. I wish I was big enough to ride them when they were at the park.

Not everyone..

[MadMaverick]

1. Son of Beast ( front seat )

2. Beast ( front seat )

3. Diamondback ( front seat )

4. Flight of Fear ( front seat )

5. Racer ( front seat )

6. Banshee ( front or back seat )

7. Tomb Raider ( not The Crypt ) ( anywhere )

8. Drop Tower ( anywhere )

9. Adventure Express ( front seat )

10. The Bat ( front seat )