Kings Island announces Banshee

The midcourse on Raptor is almost immaterial these days, but because if the long break run is essentially blocked similarly to Banshee. If there's a train on the lift and one in the helix, you're doing it right.

Yeah the location of the non-MCBR has me excited.

If I had more time on my hands I think it would be interesting to go on Youtube and time B&Ms from MCBR to final brakes. Rides like Kumba, Medusa/Bizarro, Apollo's Chariot, Raging Bull, Raptor - lots of stuff after the MCBR. And then about 10 years ago they seemed to start getting shorter until we got to rides like Shambala and GK where it seems like the stuff after the MCBR is more of an after thought. Good for capacity I suspect but IMO pretty crummy from an orchestration of elements kind of perspective. So I think this and the few other B&Ms that do this are the next logical step - just put that sucker on the end and stretch out the ride to the station a bit.

Other thoughts on the layout are that it looks pretty much awesome. I do wish they could have packed in some more low to the ground swoopy stuff at the lower parts of the terrain, but then again I wish for that on pretty much all coasters.

If it's at the end, then by definition shouldn't it be an ECBR?

I disagree about it not being stacking if it's designed that way... stacking is stacking no matter where the brakes are. If there are multiple trains stopped while not in a position to load or unload, then they're stacked.

Not sure how the station is set up, but I would imagine the ideal situation would be: one train on the course, second unloading/loading, third positioning in to the station. That would then move to one train nearing the end of the course, second on the lift, third unloading/loading. Then back to the first. Ideally even with the brakes at the end they shouldn't need to stack up.

If it were MY ride and I had "extra blocks" at the end....the first would be unloading, the second would be loading. Seems to pump people thru MForce pretty well....

Question: I don't see Slingshot in the renderings and videos. Is it artistic license or is Slingshot history? My guess is the former.

Yeah, gator. Ideally it's course/load/unload then course/lift/load then back again, but I was assuming this ride didn't have a separate unload station. I haven't looked at the prints or anything, so maybe it does.

In an ideal world, all stations would be like MFs with a separate loading and unloading station. But with floorless and inverted coasters this isn't an option due to loose fitting shoes and such. unless they do some sort of "bin" under the seat to put those.

Or lockers.

rollergator said:

"The first female-inspired thrill ride at a Cedar Fair Entertainment amusement park."

Wouldn't that be Prowler?

Oh, wait, that's "cougar"....nevermind.

;~P

Female-inspired? Does that mean Banshee is going to be temperamental and moody for five days every month? ;)

LostKause said:

The video showing the Son of Beast falling to the ground made me a very happy coaster enthusiast.

Me too. Banshee shrieks and SOB falls to the ground like toothpicks. LOVE it! It looks insane!

-Tina

Something I just noticed I haven't seen mentioned yet.

The train got a bit more of a redesign than just the use of the wing coaster restraints. In the short ride vehicle video there are only two vertical columns attaching the seats to the wheels. Compare to, say, Raptor, where are four (one per seat). Seems this would be a major visibility improvement over previous B&M invert trains...

kpjb said:

If there are multiple trains stopped while not in a position to load or unload, then they're stacked.

Not sure how the station is set up, but I would imagine the ideal situation would be: one train on the course, second unloading/loading, third positioning in to the station. That would then move to one train nearing the end of the course, second on the lift, third unloading/loading. Then back to the first. Ideally even with the brakes at the end they shouldn't need to stack up.

Ok, I was using a more liberal term for stacking. If a train isn't on the course or in the station, then I was calling it stacked. Mea culpa.

I was referring to the 'positioning' phase as a stack. But now I see the difference.

sirloindude said:
Or lockers.

that works fine for loose articles, but what about flip flops. make people wait in line for hours standing on hot concrete, i don't think that's going to happen

It was a half-serious, half-humorous response that was meant to be followed by an "Or Maverick" response in a glorious Coasterbuzz alley-oop. It wasn't, though, and I must carry on with my disappointment. ;)

That said, Dragon Challenge at IOA manages with separate load and unload stations, so it's been done before.

Or Maverick.

(too late?)

Or volcano?

James Whitmore said:

Question: I don't see Slingshot in the renderings and videos. Is it artistic license or is Slingshot history? My guess is the former.

Considering it didn't have a tombstone in the graveyard, Slingshot is probably safe.

Why is it that coaster enthusiasts seem to be the "stacking" police? I am always seeing comments about this, no matter the site. I understand the desire for fast and efficient operations but some coasters are just going to always have a train waiting outside the station, there is no way around it. What's worse is we have become a society where park guests feel the need to bring everything with them onto rides, including the kitchen sink it seems.

I am surprised more has not been said about the redesigned trains. This might be our first inverted coaster with an on-board electronics to monitor the "go/no-go" positioning of restraints and locking/unlocking. Will be interesting to see them in action.

mlnem4s said:

Why is it that coaster enthusiasts seem to be the "stacking" police?

Because we're a bunch of giant f'n nerds. That's why.

...some coasters are just going to always have a train waiting outside the station, there is no way around it.

I tend to agree.

If they're always going to have a train waiting, they were either designed badly or have a craptastic crew running them.

Agreed about the nerds, though.

Vater said:

LostKause said:

It's great that they didn't go for a height record, because we all know that is the biggest problem with Alpengeist.

While I'm probably not the best person to question this, I rarely, if ever, hear that its height is the "problem". Besides, the drop is only 20 feet higher than Banshee's, and is arguably the best part. If I had to list negatives, I'd say cobra roll, mid-course brake, meandering finale. None of that has to do with height.

I mean, the rest of the ride would have to be "stretched out" if the lift was any higher. The elements and inversions would have to be bigger, which is one thing about Alpengeist that many enthusiasts complain about.

I don't know why I don't like Alpengeist as much as the other inverts. And the drop is really cool.