Rate your KI Coasters

[SonofBaconator]

I created this poll because I wanted to see how people really rated the coasters at KI. I included every single coaster that has been at Kings Island. I also included coasters that went through name changes, theming changes or significant changes in ride experience ex: Italian Job: Stunt Track vs Backlot Stunt Coaster, Son of Beast Pre Loop vs Post Loop, etc. Ratings can change depending on personal preferences and users are more than welcome to update their ratings. You certainly don't have to list all the names like I have but I encourage it!

Current Rides

Adventure Express: 3/5

Backlot Stunt Coaster:  2/5          Italian Job: Stunt Track: 4/5   (Theming was significantly stripped in the later years) 

Banshee: 5/5

Bat (2014): 4/5 (Loved how they resurrected an old name to co-debut with Banshee                        Flight Deck:    3/5  (Poor theming)                  Top Gun: 4/5

Beast: 5/5

Diamondback: 5/5

Firehawk: 4/5

Flight of Fear: 4/5                         Outer Limits: Flight of Fear: 3/5 (OTS Restraints) 

Flying Ace Ariel Chase: 3/5           Runaway Reptar: 3/5

Great Pumpkin Coaster: 2/5          Little Bill's Giggle Coaster: 2/5         Top Cat's Taxi Jam: 2/5           Scooby Zoom: 2/5

Invertigo: 3/5 (Sucker for a good color scheme)                                    Face Off: 2/5 (McDonald's anyone?)

Mystic Timbers: 4/5

Racer: 4/5                                      Racer (Backwards): 5/5

Surf Dog: 2/5                                  Avatar: The Last Airbender: 2/5 

Vortex: 4/5

Woodstock Express: 3/5                Fairly Odd Coaster: 3/5                   Bestie: 3/5                                  Scooby Doo: 3/5

Defunct Rides (Based off of my own personal perspective)

Bat (1980): 3/5

Bavarian Beetle: 2/5

Demon: 2/5

King Cobra: 3/5

Son of Beast: 3/5                            Son of Beast (Post Loop): 1/5

 

[VekomaRulz]

Adventure Express, 3/5

Backlot Stunt Coaster, 4/5

Banshee, 5/5

Beast, 5/5

Bat (current), 4/5

Diamondback, 5/5

Flight of Fear, 4/5

Flying Ace Aerial Chase, 3/5

Racer, 3/5

Vortex, 3/5

Woodstock Express, 3/5

 

 

[Sythe]

I'm gonna do this by 10s because I find it a lot easier that way.

Adventure Express: 4/10

Backlot: 4/10

Banshee: 8/10

Bat: 7/10

Beast: 8/10

Diamondback: 10/10

Firehawk: 5/10

Flight of Fear: 6/10

Flying Ace: 3/10

Invertigo: 5/10

Mystic Timbers: 7/10 (by how it looks)

Racer: 6/10

Vortex: 6/10

Woodstock: 4/10

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[McSalsa]

^
You rode Mystic Timbers already!?!? WTH IT NOT EVEN BUILT YET!!!

As for my own ratings: (Scale: 5 Amazing, 4 Good, 3 OK, 2 Meh, 1 Bad, 0 Garbage)

(These are also sorted from my favorite to least favorite)

The Beast- 5/5 (Can drop to 4/5 if trains not fully loaded and trims biting hard, but night rides feel like 6/5!)

Diamondback- 5/5 (So...much...airtime...)

Banshee- 5/5 (Incredible pacing and fun inversions while being silky smooth)

Flight of Fear- 4.5/5 (Very forceful and fun, can be rough, becomes insane with MCBR off...)

Vortex- 4/5 (Not as bad as everyone claims IMO...great layout and forces)

The Bat- 4/5 (Very fast and intense but too short)

The Racer- 4/5 (Can approach a 5/5 if running at its absolute best and can also drop to around a 2.5/5 if running very bad...I have experienced both...same rating overall for both sides...)

Backlot Stunt Coaster- 4/5 (A Underrated little coaster IMO)

Adventure Express- 4/5 (Can be a 3/5 on a bad day when theming not working 100%, usually a very fun family coaster though)

Firehawk- 4/5 (I have not ridden this one in a while due to its crazy long lines, it can also drop to a 3/5 if it's running rough)

Surf Dog- 3.5/5 (Fun flat ride, I don't count it as a coaster but if I did this is what I think of it)

Invertigo- 3/5 (Super forceful, but not super comfortable and can headbang)

Woodstock Express- 3/5 (Have not ridden since a kid...remember it being OK though...)

Great Pumpkin Coaster- NA (Have not ridden since a kid and barely remember it...)

Flying Ace Aerial Chase- NA (The one KI coaster I have yet to ride, besides Mystic Timbers of course...)

 

As you can guess by the lack of anything below a 3/5, I like nearly all of the coasters Kings Island offers so far.

 

 

[tuxedoman52]

Adventure Express, 4.75/5

Backlot Stunt Coaster, 2.5/5

Banshee, 5+/5

Beast, 5+/5

Bat (current), 5/5

Diamondback, 5+/5

Firehawk, 5/5

Flight of Fear, 5/5

Flying Ace Aerial Chase, 3/5

Great Pumpkin Coaster, 1.5/5

Invertigo, 3/5

Mystic Timbers, 5/5

Racer, 4/5

Son of Beast, 5/5

Vortex, 3/5

Woodstock Express, 2/5

Just because multiple rides got 5s for me, doesn't mean they're as good as other 5s. I love some rides a lot more than others do, I suppose.

[Reon]

Adventure Express 3/5 (one of the better mine trains I've seen, nostalgia/10 for 1st coaster ever)

Backlot Stunt Coaster 3/5-3.5/5 with more effects back in the day (fun ride with some hints of air, and that natural heat for a cool day)

Banshee 4.5/5 (Great invert, very reridable and fun, and I love how that last carousel-inline-helix element was something I had been using on RCT coasters for a while. I've just been on some other inverts like Montu that blow it out of the water, so I can't give a perfect score)

Bat 3/5 (fun but short, we need to give this thing some love since Suspendeds are far and few between these days)

Beast 3.5/5-4.2/5 night (The legend, but its basically a glorified mine train. Obviously amazing at night or during Haunt)

Diamondback 4/5 (same concept as Banshee. Fun/rerideable B&M, but I've just been on some more forceful ones and I'm a bit of an airtime enthusiast. That said, those 3 click rides are absolutely beautiful when done correct, and another great night/Haunt ride)

Firehawk 3.2/5 (Its okay for a Vekoma. Hate the long lines of X Base, but if you can bare the Vekoma pain and sun, its an interesting attraction.)

Flight of Fear 4/5 (our main launcher, and yet another prototype in the KI legacy. Can run as a very fun coaster with some great theming, especially with lights off. I miss the seizure-photo tunnel and more authentic looking base tvs though.)

Flying Ace Aerial Chase 2.5/5 (nice diversity on a kiddy coaster, just Vekoma is Vekoma)

Great Pumpkin Coaster Credit/5 (yes)

Invertigo 2.75/5 (Invertigo>Boomerang, the seating arrangement is fun, and I like the rush of the front/back seat rides. Just watch out for those occasional blackouts in the boomerang)

Mystic Timbers GCI/10 (probably amazing if any of the GCI's I've ridden are any indication. #whatsintheshed)

Racer 4/5 (very fun/EXTREMELY iconic. I miss the days of backwards RecaR, but still get some decent air in the front or back cars. Also, extra point for nostalgia and that station music....and it being one of my favorite crews back when I was a ride op)

Woodstock Express 3/5 (fun kiddy woodie, wants to be a baby Phoenix. Better with tunnel, but whatever)

Vortex 5/5 (should be a 3.5 realistically, but Vortex is love. Vortex is life. Its my 30 year old coaster twin, another record breaker (first 6 invert), an my proud to operate crew back from my days working in the park. Vortex is Nostalgia/1000000 for me, I can't not give it a maximum rating)

[TheBeast54]

Here we go.

Diamondback: 9/10

The Beast: 9.5/10

Vortex: 7/10

Adventure Express: 5.5/10

Flight of Fear: 7.5/10

Firehawk: 8.5/10

Racer: 3.5/10

Mystic Timbers: 9/10

Woodstock Express: 6.5/10

Great Pumpkin Coaster: 7.5/10

Flying Ace Aerial Chase: 8/10

Banshee: 9/10

Backlot Stunt Coaster: 6.5/10

The Bat/Flight Deck/Top Gun: 9/10

Defunct:

TR:TR: 9.5/10

The Crypt: 3.5/10

Son of Beast: 7.5/10

The Bat (1981/1984): 7/10

King Cobra: 6.5/10

SOB w/o Loop: 4.5/10

[McSalsa]

On 1/13/2017 at 1:54 PM, McSalsa said:

^
You rode Mystic Timbers already!?!? WTH IT NOT EVEN BUILT YET!!!

As for my own ratings: (Scale: 5 Amazing, 4 Good, 3 OK, 2 Meh, 1 Bad, 0 Garbage)

(These are also sorted from my favorite to least favorite)

The Beast- 5/5 (Can drop to 4/5 if trains not fully loaded and trims biting hard, but night rides feel like 6/5!)

Diamondback- 5/5 (So...much...airtime...)

Banshee- 5/5 (Incredible pacing and fun inversions while being silky smooth)

Flight of Fear- 4.5/5 (Very forceful and fun, can be rough, becomes insane with MCBR off...)

Vortex- 4/5 (Not as bad as everyone claims IMO...great layout and forces)

The Bat- 4/5 (Very fast and intense but too short)

The Racer- 4/5 (Can approach a 5/5 if running at its absolute best and can also drop to around a 2.5/5 if running very bad...I have experienced both...same rating overall for both sides...)

Backlot Stunt Coaster- 4/5 (A Underrated little coaster IMO)

Adventure Express- 4/5 (Can be a 3/5 on a bad day when theming not working 100%, usually a very fun family coaster though)

Firehawk- 4/5 (I have not ridden this one in a while due to its crazy long lines, it can also drop to a 3/5 if it's running rough)

Surf Dog- 3.5/5 (Fun flat ride, I don't count it as a coaster but if I did this is what I think of it)

Invertigo- 3/5 (Super forceful, but not super comfortable and can headbang)

Woodstock Express- 3/5 (Have not ridden since a kid...remember it being OK though...)

Great Pumpkin Coaster- NA (Have not ridden since a kid and barely remember it...)

Flying Ace Aerial Chase- NA (The one KI coaster I have yet to ride, besides Mystic Timbers of course...)

 

As you can guess by the lack of anything below a 3/5, I like nearly all of the coasters Kings Island offers so far.

 

 

2018 UPDATE!!! NOW FEATURES Mystic Timbers!!! 

The Beast- 5/5

Mystic Timbers- 4.5/5 (Lots of pops of moderately strong airtime and good intensity!)

Banshee- 4.5/5

Diamondback- 4.5/5

Flight of Fear- 4/5

Vortex- 3.5/5

The Bat- 3.5/5

The Racer- 3.5/5

Backlot Stunt Coaster- 3.5/5

Adventure Express- 3.5/5

Firehawk- 3/5

Woodstock Express- 3/5 (Re-rode this one in 2018, pretty good kids coaster)

Surf Dog- 3/5

Invertigo- 2.5/5

Most rides drop about half a point, due to the fact I got out to Cedar Point in both late 2017 and this year and rode a TON of new rides, so I had to toughen up my ratings scale (only Beast kept a 5/5 and that's due to night rides), and Mystic Timbers has become my #2 coaster at KI after The Beast. Besides that, though, my ratings remain the same in terms of rankings. Still can't rate GPC or Flying Ace.

 

[silver2005]

I'll do this per the style I use in my trip reports. 

In alphabetical order of course. 

Adventure Express- This is the most exciting mine train coaster I've been on.  Its a bit more fast paced and has more comfortable Arrow-style jerking in the turns.  It also uses the terrain quite well, especially that plunge down the 3rd tunnel.  Its ending might be a bit anti-climatic, but its something that gives it its own character.  

Backlot Stunt Coaster- For a family launch coaster, it's alright.  It feels too segmented, and if it weren't for the helicopter scene still in use, it'd would be off even worse.  The first half is fun though.  The helix gets a grey out from me every time, the s-curve section is pretty exciting, and I'm always surprised by that forceful pop of air before the 'stair' section. Not worth more than a 20-30 minute wait though.  

Banshee- This is my favorite B&M inverted coaster.  B&M really smoothed out from their old snappy transitions and with the way it paces, it still doesn't slack in the slightest.  Also some incredible positive G's with all the loops and helices.  The 0g roll and inline roll add some much needed weightlessness to it.  Even better that its designed with 3 train ops and no MCBR.   The crews are also always on caffeine pills and Red Bull as its chews through lines without any milk.  The station, queue theming, and light package round out a superb ride. 

Bat- I've only been on 2 suspended coasters, the other being Iron Dragon, and this is the better of them (hopefully, I get to Ninja before it bites the dust).  The lift gives me a lot of nostalgia for the old campground where you could see and smell the camp fires.  The layout is pretty good as well.  The low high speed s-curves really play to the swinging cars well and the seclusion in the woods makes it a really good night ride as well.  The 2nd hill over the station is probably my favorite moment.  Also one of the coasters that got me over my fear at an early age and one of the ones that got me hooked. 

Beast-  The myth, the legend.  Now, the ride does lack in some things that most woodies have, like adequate air time and sharper curves, but this animal makes up for it in its truly unique layout.  It feels as if you've left the park entirely and are out for a venture through the Ohio woods.  The view from the first drop is priceless.  There are some bits of good laterals though, especially in the section between the first brake shed and the 2nd lift.  The set of drops after the 2nd tunnel with the way it gradually increases in drop angle and banking with that awesome vicious curve up to the 2nd lift is my favorite part of the ride.  It feels like you're fighting from dropping down the hill into the river valley below.  It finishes with one of, if not, the best finale of any coaster, a 18  degree drop into a double helix.  That tunnel really helps set it apart from most other helices and the laterals, the shuffle and the noise just blend together into one incredible element.  Also the best night ride on any coaster ever.  

Diamondback- One of my favorite steel coasters.  The V-trains don't pace as well as the typical 4 across, but its only a slight complaint.  Has the air time and other forces you'd expect from a B&M hyper, and I would say the slightly worse pacing makes it a bit more re-ridable as well.  The front does have a bit more ejector air and the back has more sustained floater air.  The way it sets up for the splash by soaring over Rivertown is a really good moment from the ride. 

Firehawk- I like this more than the B&M variant, at least Superman: Ride of Steel.  There isn't really a way you can do a flying coaster with completely comfortable seating arrangements, but at least Firehawk spends a decent amount of time in flight mode.  I really like the vertical loop on your back, the overbank turn really plays to the flying nature of the ride, and I really like the 2 barrel rolls.  I'm not too keen on the helix in that seating position, and it comes to a furiously hard stop on the final brakes.  A fun coaster, but quite forceful.

Flight of Fear- This combines a bunch of elements very well.  The launch is powerful and it just flies from one element to the other.  With the indoor nature, its easy to get disoriented and that means its working well.  The MCBR is a bit annoying though, especially now that it brings the train to a complete stop.  Thankfully, the 2nd half is still just as good with that added stop, the way it slowly gets lower and lower, keeps picking up speed, increases in the banking, throws some snappy s-curves to keep you guessing, and then throws a corkscrew at the end to finish nicely.  

Invertigo- This is probably the most intense coaster in the park.  The 2 hills have some weightlessness, but the loops are all positive G's.  The thing pulls 5 G's, and it sustains that through the inversions.  I always grey out and even get black outs at times.  It does bang your head a lot though, but there are some circumstances where its smoother.  If you want your face peeled off, this is the ride to do it. 

Mystic Timbers-  Its not my favorite GCI, but its still a really fun wooden coaster.   The Millennium Flyers tear through the entire layout.  Every bit has some sort of strong lateral, airtime, and it never lets up.  It'll be even better once the trees around it start to grow back in.  The shed is kind of the same situation as Adventure Express' ending, gives the ride its own character.  Pretty decent theming as well.

Racer- The ride has potential, and if KI took a bit better care of it, they'd have a winner.  However, as is, while it is still fun, its pretty rough on more times I've ridden it than not.  It has a fair amount of air, but with its layout, it just has missed potential with how its in dire need of re-tracking.  It is running the best this season that it has in years though. 

Vortex- For all the rides faults, I still like this a lot.   I think most of that has to do with the first drop.   Its an insane first drop, especially in the back.  The 2nd hill also has a nice pop of air.  I will give you that you need to be able to brace yourself a lot to enjoy it.  As long as I can do so comfortably, I will keep riding it.  It is my favorite Arrow looper though.  The inversions are pretty comfortable, especially since it, thankfully, takes the corkscrews and batwing at a slower pace.  The way it gets up to the MCBR could have been better, as in a curved hill up instead of the straight hill and then the level banked turn that we got from Mr Toomer.  The ride looks fantastic though, and as our friend @VortexBFForever shows in the random photo thread, a very picturesque ride as well.  If they stack trains though, that brake run is a super hard stop.  

Woodstock Express- Its good for what it is.  Just a fun little woodie to ease up from the more intense rides.  Still in really good shape.  

 

[Rifleman]

Here is my ranking of the coasters at Kings Island :

 

1. Diamondback

2. Banshee

3. Beast (jumps to #1 on a hot night when the trains are running fast)

4. Mystic Timber

5. Vortex

6. Flight of Fear

7. Bat

8. Firehawk

9. Adventure Express

10. Racer

11. Backlot Stunt Coaster

12. Woodstock Express

13. Invertigo

14. Flying Ace Arial Chase

15. Great Pumpkin Coaster

[DiamondBeast]

Here's my ratings. Please note that I will not give a kiddie coaster over a 5( It's not like I don't think there fun, but they aren't very intense) and that just because I rank a coaster at 5 or lower doesn't mean I think of it as a kiddie coaster/ tame ride. A 5 or below rating can mean two different things depending on the coaster's targeted audience.

The Bat/Top Gun: 7/10

Adventure Express: 6/10

Invertigo: 7/10

The Beast: 10/10 (My number 1 at the park)

Diamondback: 10/10 (My number 2 at the park)

Banshee: 9.5/10 (Tied for my number 3)

Mystic Timbers: 9.5/10 (Tied for my number 3)

Flight of Fear: 8.5/10

Backlot Stunt Coaster: 6.5/10

The Racers: 6.5/10

Woodstock Express: 5/10

Reptar (I know it has a new name, but it's super long): 4/10

Great Pumpkin Coaster 3/10 (Honestly I'm guessing. I haven't ridden it in years)  

Defunct Rides

Vortex: 8.5/10 (I'd usually rank it lower, but it was actually pretty smooth last season. When it's smooth enough the ride is actually really fun)

Firehawk: 5/10 (I actually think the ride was a 7, but the restraints were a bit uncomfortable so it knocked it down a few numbers)  

Scooby's Ghoster Coaster: 2.5/10 (another guess since I don't remember this coaster and I know I have the credit, but I was very little when I got it)  

 

[silver2005]

Here are how I rate my KI coasters within my rankings including defunct coasters (I separate wood and steel BTW)  Full rankings on my About Me page.

Steel (out of 81 total)-

4. Diamondback

6. Banshee

23. Vortex

32. Flight of Fear

38. Bat

39. Firehawk

43. Adventure Express

55. Invertigo

69. King Cobra

74. Backlot Stunt Coaster

79. Flying Ace

80. Great Pumpkin Coaster

Wood (out of 33)

3. Beast

7. Mystic Timbers

18. Racer

28. Woodstock Express

32. Son of Beast w/loop

33. Son of Beast w/o loop

[SonofBaconator]

37 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

28. Woodstock Express

32. Son of Beast w/loop

33. Son of Beast w/o loop

Ouch dude

[silver2005]

Other tidbits about the rankings-

-Diamondback is 4th out of 6 hyper coasters I've ridden and my 2nd highest ranked B&M behind Nitro

- Banshee is my highest rated inverted coaster and 2nd highest for coasters with inversions (SV is highest in the later), also my 3rd highest B&M

- Vortex is my 3rd highest ranked Arrow (2nd if you don't count the fact that Phantom's Revenge is only very partially an Arrow now)

- Flight of Fear is about my middle ground for launch coasters and my highest ranked indoor coaster

- Firehawk is my current favorite flying coaster

- Beast is ranked above every GCI I've ridden and is my favorite CF woodie

- Mystic Timbers is 3rd out of 4 for GCI's for me (hi Thunderhead and Lightning Racer! beats Wildcat though)

[ki95]

2019 Season Coasters

1. Banshee

2. Mystic Timbers

3. Diamondback

4. Flight of Fear

5. Beast

6. The Racer

7. Adventure Express 

8. The Bat

9. Invertigo 

10. Backlot Stunt Coaster

11. Vortex