For All You Banshee Veterans.....

[presto123]

 I haven't been to KI since before they added Banshee, so all of you that are veterans give me the rundown of your experience. How does it rate among the KI rides and how does it compare to other park's rides? What was your first ride like?  Is it a top 10 like coaster?   Has it slipped with you after all the initial excitement wore off? Any info appreciated:)   I hope to make it to KI soon to experience this and hopefully the new coaster...

[The Interpreter]

Search is your friend.

There are DOZENS of threads about this.

[VekomaRulz]

It's my favorite coaster in the park, my #5 ranked steel coaster and my 2nd favorite B&M invert of the 9 different ones I have ridden. I like everything about the coaster, the comfortable restraints, unique layout with the dive loop and it's just an overall fun coaster.

[presto123]

It's my favorite coaster in the park, my #5 ranked steel coaster and my 2nd favorite B&M invert of the 9 different ones I have ridden. I like everything about the coaster, the comfortable restraints, unique layout with the dive loop and it's just an overall fun coaster.

 

 What is your fav invert?

[VekomaRulz]

Raptor, I have them ranked like this:

Raptor

Banshee

Montu

Talon

Dragon Challenge Chinese Fireball

Dragon Challenge Hungarian Horntail

Great Bear

Silver Bullet

Batman The Ride (Great Adventure)

[ruffbn]

I've probably been on Banshee more than any ride this year at KI because it's about the best return on investment as far as time goes haha. It's about 15 minutes for me to go from my couch to sitting on the ride. My wife and I love to head up to KI on week nights for the last few hours or so. For us, Banshee has been the go to. It's typically a walk on type wait on most days because the crew really does a good job of moving people through.

I don't have a huge list of Inverts like some of the guys on here, but I've ridden Raptor at CP, Batman at SF St Louis, and one of the Dueling Inverts at Universal Florida.

Out of those rides, Banshee is the only one that is not constructed on a typical flat plot of land. I find it pretty awesome that after the zero G element at the top half of the ride, you find yourself diving further down into the terrain. It's almost as if the coaster gets its second wind. It's pretty cool. They seats and restraints are very comfortable IMO and lead to me enjoying the ride more than most.

Hope this helps!

[King Ding Dong]

^ 15 minutes? You live in the parking lot?

[freaks76]

I've rode Banshee more than 80 times. And I enjoy it each and every time. One of my favorite coasters. But still not my favorite, even at KI.

Although, there was one time I went and set down on the coaster and they came and gave me a sign, a glass prism (for lack of a better word) type thing, and for free tickets to get in the park.

It was pretty cool.

[presto123]

I've rode Banshee more than 80 times. And I enjoy it each and every time. One of my favorite coasters. But still not my favorite, even at KI.

Although, there was one time I went and set down on the coaster and they came and gave me a sign, a glass prism (for lack of a better word) type thing, and for free tickets to get in the park.

It was pretty cool.

 

 

 Let me guess. Your avatar has something to do with those free tickets:)

[freaks76]

Yes. I was on the same train as jcgoble3 on closing day 2014.

[ruffbn]

^^^ Ha! Not quite the parking lot. A few stop lights down on Columbia. Close enough to swing by 4 or 5 evenings a week.

[jcgoble3]

Yes. I was on the same train as jcgoble3 on closing day 2014.

 

Wait, wasn't it the other way around? I thought I was on the same train as YOU!

[malem]

^^^ Don't forget ohiocolts photobombing you from the next row back.

https://twitter.com/CincySnappening/status/529257412277317633

[freaks76]

Yes. I was on the same train as jcgoble3 on closing day 2014.

Wait, wasn't it the other way around? I thought I was on the same train as YOU!

That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Yes. There seemed to be a few of us there. Someone (I think DiamondAceExpress??) took a picture of me and her.

It was my lucky day.

[malem]

By the way, for anyone looking for reviews on Banshee, here's the thread created specifically for that: http://www.KICentral.com/forums/index.php/topic/29253-your-Banshee-experience/

[jcgoble3]

Someone (I think DiamondAceExpress??) took a picture of me and her.

 

Yep, I remember that. She did the selfie with you in the gift shop.

[SonODiamondback]

Banshee is good but if I had a choice between Banshee or Diamondback I would take DB

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[presto123]

 Does anybody thin that with the 24 million investment, KI would have been better served building a giga highlighting a new entrance to the park (which is sorely needed). That's what I wanted them to do, but I can't put down Banshee because I've never been on it. I do prefer high gigas with airtime to rides that do multi inversions though.

[Rustbucket]

Banshee is my favorite B&M invert over Talon and Alpengeist.  Over all, Banshee is my 11th favorite steel coaster.  A relentless twists all throughout and the twist drop is very unique in B&M coasters in the US.

[Maddog]

I'll have to disagree with another poster regarding Banshee vs. Raptor. Banshee is better hands down, the restraint style makes all the difference. I hate riding between two ear knockers.

But that's a personal opinion...

[Sebastien6221]

Does anybody thin that with the 24 million investment, KI would have been better served building a giga highlighting a new entrance to the park (which is sorely needed). That's what I wanted them to do, but I can't put down Banshee because I've never been on it. I do prefer high gigas with airtime to rides that do multi inversions though.

Me personally, not at all Banshee is amazing. But never ridden a giga either.

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[presto123]

Banshee is my favorite B&M invert over Talon and Alpengeist.  Over all, Banshee is my 11th favorite steel coaster.  A relentless twists all throughout and the twist drop is very unique in B&M coasters in the US.

 

 

 Sounds like you prefer gigas to inverts as well.

[silver2005]

Going by coasters similar to Banshee- I've ridden on 4 B&M inverted coasters- Banshee, Raptor, Great Bear, and NJFTP's Batman: The Ride.  I've also ridden 2 from other manufactures- Volcano: The Blast Coaster and T3.  It is my favorite among all of those, though, for me, Great Bear, Raptor and Volcano still give Banshee a run for its money.  I will admit there are few steel coasters that are as good as or top Banshee going by my own experiences.  

[freaks76]

I have to say I like Volcano over Banshee. I just do. And I prefer B&M over any other company. DB is my favorite at KI.

But the Banshee/Raptor comparison, Banshee all the way. I like Raptors layout, I just don't like the cramped feeling of the trains.

[Logan Goddard]

I think I was either in the train before or train after you on closing day 2014. I still remember all the people standing at the exit ready to celebrate 2 million riders, it was pretty awesome.

 

Banshee is my #1 invert and in my top 5 coasters with the likes of Maverick and Fury 325, So IMO it was very much so worth the investment. Also for anyone getting their hopes up about a gate coaster, Mr. Ouimet has said that the Kings parks will see no roller coasters for their front entrances.

[The Interpreter]

Somebody tell Invertigo.

I don't have the Hart.

[Rustbucket]

 

Banshee is my favorite B&M invert over Talon and Alpengeist.  Over all, Banshee is my 11th favorite steel coaster.  A relentless twists all throughout and the twist drop is very unique in B&M coasters in the US.

 

 

 Sounds like you prefer gigas to inverts as well.

 

Yes, I do.  Only giga that I have not been on is Steel Dragon 2000.  Fury 325 is my favorite giga.  Millennium Force is my least favorite giga.  

 

I have been on 16 B&M inverts.  Banshee is my favorite.  Great Bear is my least favorite.

[medford]

 Does anybody thin that with the 24 million investment, KI would have been better served building a giga highlighting a new entrance to the park (which is sorely needed). That's what I wanted them to do, but I can't put down Banshee because I've never been on it. I do prefer high gigas with airtime to rides that do multi inversions though.

Somebody?  Yes, of course, but not this guy.  While I agree that they need an updated, fresher front entrance, I don't think they need a coaster sweeping across the entrance at KI (Invertigo is nice to look at leaving the park, often at night as it hangs just to the edge and gives you the sense that you are still emerged even as you head for the big Dino).  Generally speaking, KI already has that great "impact" at their entrance.  Walking under the restaurant and having the sounds of the fountains and full view of the tower hit you square in the face is one of my favorite memories each time I go.  I've probably been to the park several hundred times thru the course of my life, and it still gives me an uplifting experience.  Sadly that is often quickly ruined by having to tell some random person that "no I don't want a photograph, no really, really please leave me along..... but that is another story.

 

In many ways, Banshee was the perfect coaster at that time.  1st its visually stunning, and the theming was very well done.  2nd, the ride experience itself is very good.  As has been pointed out by many, its one of the best, if not the best inverts in the world.  3rd, speaking of inverts, it filled a void as KI's first full circuit "adult" invert, a hole that most major parks had filled long before.  4th, and perhaps most important, it helped erase the bad feelings that SOB left on that part of the park, it breathed new life into that part of the park.  Action Zone had become a part of the park that was easily "skippable" if you were not looking to do "everything" on any particular visit.  Banshee gives many a reason to head towards that part of the park and enjoy the other attractions, including the one with the best air time in the park (this guy's personal opinion, perhaps not fact)

 

A giga would have been a hint, but when did Leviathan get built as B&M's first giga?  CF's relationship w/ B&M is pretty strong, and obviously the relationship w/ Intamin is all but dead, so KI going the B&M Giga route would have meant it would have been B&M's first adventure into that area.  While Leviathan got good reviews, B&M's second attempt at a Giga has received superlative reviews.  Like any good company, they are going to examine what worked, what didn't, what can be improved, etc... to improve the whole experience.  B&M already had experience at the invert, and as mentioned, KI got a top shelf model.  B&M is now just figuring out the best features for their Gigas, best construction practices, etc.. and when KI eventually gets their Giga, it will likely rank among one of the best in an attempt to top the experience that Fury provides.

[tuxedoman52]

It's definitely up there in my all-time favorite rides. I'd say it's tied with Afterburn, though the two are different types of inverts. Afterburn is more intense, but Banshee has GIANT inversions that seem to take forever to get through. Each time I ride Banshee, I'm guaranteed to have a smile on my face when we hit the final brake run. 

[secondson]

The inversions on Banshee are pretty amazing, but that's also my disappointment with it, because it's basically just an inversion machine without some sweeping curves in between.