Diamondback POV is up!

Well here it is...looks like a pretty darn good ride. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p60EvWgUa3Q

OK, let me be the technical geek for once....

Although it looks like a great ride, I wouldn't call this the "official" POV, as the riders have their hands up.

We all know that to be a definite CF "no-no"....

I am looking forward to riding it though.

The hands-up barring was lifted a year or two ago. I don't have a copy, but I'm sure this is the official POV since no one else but the park can strap a camera to the ride, obviously.

In any case, I'll post a news item eventually, but here's some HD porn of the ride that I shot today (more to come)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8zlgXL46uU

edit: You have to click the "HD" button to view it in high definition.

I just realized how stupid people look when they put their hands up on a roller coaster..HAHA.

Cool POV video! It's not Apollo's Chariot, but it still looks really fun! I'll be riding it a week from tomorrow!

Thanks for the video that you shot too, Jeff. I love that water feature!

Apollo has nothing on Diamondback. Nothing.

Diamond back is sick. Really sick.

The two highlights of my day were:

1. Riding with the mayor of Cincy (and the reaction of his assistant to the first drop)

2. This photo of Jeff scoring pr0n for all the kiddies.

That looks like a lot of fun.

I'll be there tomorrow, suffering with the GP, but as early as possible. ( I wasn't paying attention to the auction well enough and missed it with my low-as-possible bid by about 30 minutes. Damn.)

The reverse POV seems to indicate a good amount of air time- am I wrong? The dude on the right seems to have real trouble keeping his seat and keeping his shirt down! OMG, I can't wait to try this ride -and I believe this is what KI has needed for a long, long time.

Jeff? Gonch? ...Review?

I counted seven seconds of continuous out-of-the-seat airtime on the second hill with a cold mostly-empty train. Real life was more like four or five seconds. I think I was in row 6. Regardless, the air is there on every hill, including the hit to the final brakes if you're near the front on a loaded train.

My guess is that if you see people lurch forward when they hit the brakes, the ride is running exceptionally well, and it runs well "slow" in the first place.

The negative/positive G cycle is ridiculously intense. After six straight laps, I had to stop because it was messing with my stomach. I've stopped marathoning rides because I was bored or tired, but never because the forces were messing with me. I think the B&M naysayers will be very surprised at this ride. It has something no other B&M I've been on has: personality. Every ride is different.

Jeff, I completely understand what you mean with the G's. And agree with you on all your statements (saw you cycling in and out of seats (dedication!)).

I was also there for media day. My thoughts:

The midway looks great. The sign looks amazing, especially with the adding of more to the sign.. The queue line TVs are a nice touch, though hard to see in harsh sun. The gift shop has a nice setup and really has the western feel. The exit back to the midway seems to be solely a handicap entrance. Everyone must go through the giftshop (at least today).

The ride itself: Front is full of airtime! It's an odd sensation to get airtime, then get shoved as rest of the train catches up. The best seat IMO, and I'm not usually a front seat guy. The middle is fairly tame, not too much G's in either way, but still a fun ride. The back has lots of airtime too. It's a little more intense in the positive G category it seemed. The ride was running great, even with mostly empty cars, and it seemed to speed up as it warmed up. Also, sitting in the back seat during the splash is very intimidating! IT'S HUGE! The back also gives you that yanked feeling over the first hill!

The third hill was definitely a huge pop of air, and rather surprising. The first drop felt very similar to MF's. All told, I rode 8 times, in scattered rows, and the front was my favorite.

The trim break after the hammerhead didn't affect much, and huge airtime still soon follows. The MCBR wasn't grabbing too much either.

My only disappointment of the ride was the final helix. It seemed very tame and not very intense, yet somehow there was still a nice pop of air dropping into the lake, so I can't complain.

The cars look AWESOME with the eyes and teeth! And the seats are amazing. A trick I heard previously, and held true today. The SECOND row is basically a front seat, yet the wait is MUCH less than the actual front. Just a thought for ya all tomorrow.

The buffet provided was also very nice, and I want to say THANK YOU to KI for making such a nice day out of it. Weather was perfect, and the ride is VERY photogenic. Thanks for a great day KI!

Just watched Jeff's footage of the ride.

Kind of a bummer that CF didn't set something up where the splash element can get bystanders wet. I am used to Sheikra at BGA with the same element and they have this setup.

Otherwise, looks like another winner. The later made Beemer hypers kick ass.

I disagree that the middle isn't intense. I'd say that it feels like the G's are more sustained there, and I had the little gray out phenomenon that I've only had on Millennium Force's first drop.

Jeff said:
Apollo has nothing on Diamondback. Nothing.

That's exactly how I felt when I first rode Goliath at SFOG. Raging Bull has nothing on Goliath.

Thank you Jeff, and thank you pyrocoasterkid. I have to go to bed now, - that is if I can sleep!

Jeff said:
The negative/positive G cycle is ridiculously intense.

Just want to repeat this.

The negative G's are in abundance on every hill and the positive G's in abundance on every pull out. The ride is a repeating series of the forces taking turns with your innards.

Much more intense over several rides than any of the other B&M hypers I've experienced.

After several rides (did I stop at 9 laps, Jeff?) I think I preferred the rear of the train. Seemed like it did everything the front did, but did it more agressively.

EDIT -got some diamondback pictures online

Jeff said:
I disagree that the middle isn't intense. I'd say that it feels like the G's are more sustained there, and I had the little gray out phenomenon that I've only had on Millennium Force's first drop.

My comment may have been somewhat misleading. The middle is definitely intense (it is everywhere), but in relation to the negative G's of the front, and the combo of negative and positive G's in the back, the middle is a little less intense IMO (still intense however).

Wow! Now I REALLY can't wait! Thanks for the reviews.

Jeff's camera is HUGE! lol

The ride is by far is more intense than the other B&M hypers. After 15 rides, I was really just torn up! It is an amazing ride though, I just wish the midcourse was a *little* less effective as those last two hills lost the same intensity as the first half. But wow, the ejector air on the first half was incredible! KI has a big winner on their hands that is for sure!

As far as best seat goes, back and front both win. Front has the visuals and the ejector air on every hill in the first half, but the back yanks you down all of those same hills. Both offer about the same amount of airtime I think, just in different places. Either way, I think we counted like 17 seconds of air time, in the middle seats! Really, not a bad seat on the train!

Chitown said:
Kind of a bummer that CF didn't set something up where the splash element can get bystanders wet. I am used to Sheikra at BGA with the same element and they have this setup.

Completely agree here. It looks pretty, but where is the fun in that?

I just read that the line for Diamondback is wrapped around Stunt Job at this time and they are estimating a 3-4hr wait. Crazy!