DIAMONDBACK

DIAMONDBACK
KINGS ISLAND

Like Apollo’s Chariot, this B&M coaster goes straight up the lift hill from the loading area, and with surprising alacrity.  I could be mistaken, but my impression was that it took less time to reach the top than it did on Nitro.  The first drop of 215 feet at a 74-degree angle is phenomenal and that was followed by a second, lesser drop.  This ride has some interesting elements such as a hammerhead turn similar to the one on Nitro and a spectacular splashdown.  Unfortunately, from the front seat I was unable to see the huge plumes of water which rise up during the splashdown although maybe riders at the back of the train can see this – I would hope so because it looks quite impressive to spectators.  One thing which struck me as unusual was how the seats are arranged.  Diamondback seats 2 across and whereas the seats in the first row are side by side, the seats in the second row are spaced apart, and staggered that way throughout the train.  As to other elements of the ride, the helixes were not as intense as those on other coasters I have ridden but all in all, Diamondback is an excellent and exciting ride.  (Be forewarned that  because this a very popular ride, the wait time to get on it was 2 hours.)  4 ½ out of 5 stars.  .   For more information about rides at Kings Island, go to www.visitkingsisland.com/

THE BEAST

THE BEAST
KINGS ISLAND

It isn’t the biggest, fastest or wickedest wooden coaster but it is the longest – and in my opinion one of the best.   Although I would not classify it as a high thrill ride and would have to agree with those who find it lacking in airtime, I think it has enough going for it to merit the popularity it has achieved.  Particularly noteworthy is the length and duration of the ride – 7,359 feet and 4 minutes 10 seconds or 4 minutes 50 seconds, depending upon which version you believe (website with stats says 4:10 but printed material given to me at Kings Island says 4:50 so take your pick).   And The Beast manages to pack a lot into those almost 5 minutes.   From the loading area it makes a right turn, proceeds up the lift hill and drops 135 feet into a tunnel. This is followed by a number of twists and turns and a couple of excursions into total darkness.  One of the tunnels is underground, which would explain why everything was pitch black.  After the second lift hill, the train goes around a curve and then descends 141 feet into a covered helix.  For me this was the best part of the ride because the train is banked sharply left and in the darkness this is a blast.  Rarely have I had so much fun on a wooden coaster.   When I’m enjoying a ride this much I tend to laugh – and on The Beast I laughed my head off.   OK, so it isn’t as ferocious as it used to be but it’s still worth riding.  I would have ridden it over and over except for the fact that the wait time to get on it was just over 2 hours and as I had also had to wait 2 hours to get on Diamondback, this simply wasn’t an option.  (Note that on weekends, the ride lines and food lines tend to be very long at Kings Island.)  Kings Island does offer Fast Lane passes to avoid the long wait but those are pricey - $55.00 as of May 2012.  So one ride on The Beast was all I got and I couldn’t get a decent photograph of it because it’s not out in the open like Diamondback – although the fact that it’s mostly hidden from view actually adds to its allure, because you don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for.  4 ½ out of 5 stars.   For more information about rides at Kings Island, go to www.visitkingsisland.com/  Last but certainly not least, the three good photographs of The Beast are courtesy of coasterimage.com, a fabulous website for coaster pictures: www.coasterimage.com/