Banshee (roller coaster)

Last updated

Banshee
Banshee (KI) Logo.png
Banshee 07.jpg
Banshee's Logo (Top) Banshee's Lift Hill, First Drop, Dive Loop, First Vertical Loop, and Zero-G Roll (Bottom)
Kings Island
Location Kings Island
Park section Action Zone
Coordinates 39°20′44.39″N84°15′55.70″W / 39.3456639°N 84.2654722°W / 39.3456639; -84.2654722
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 18, 2014 (2014-04-18)
Cost$24 million
Replaced Son of Beast
Thunder Alley
General statistics
Type Steel  Inverted
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Model Inverted Coaster
Track layoutTerrain
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height167 ft (51 m)
Drop150 ft (46 m)
Length4,124 ft (1,257 m)
Speed68 mph (109 km/h)
Inversions 7
Duration2:40
Capacity1,650 riders per hour
Height restriction52–78 in (132–198 cm)
Trains3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
Cedar Fair Fast Lane availibility.svg Fast Lane available
Banshee at RCDB

Banshee is an inverted roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio. Designed and manufactured by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster opened on April 18, 2014. Banshee cost $24 million to build, making it the most expensive project in Kings Island's history at the time. With 4,124 feet (1,257 m) of track, Banshee was the longest inverted roller coaster in the world when it opened. [1] The ride includes seven inversions and travels at up to 68 miles per hour (109 km/h). Banshee operates with three trains, each with eight cars, giving it an hourly capacity of 1,650 riders.

Contents

Banshee was built at the former location of a wooden roller coaster named Son of Beast, as well as the Thunder Alley go-kart attraction. The ride was officially announced on August 8, 2013, although the "Banshee" name had been trademarked that April. The first track pieces were installed on August 27, 2013, and work continued through the following January. When Banshee opened, it was well-received, accommodating one million riders in less than three months. Amusement Today 's annual Golden Ticket Awards has consistently ranked Banshee among the top 50 steel roller coasters in the world.

History

Banshee replaced Son of Beast (pictured), which closed in 2009 before being demolished three years later PKI-Son of Beast.jpg
Banshee replaced Son of Beast (pictured), which closed in 2009 before being demolished three years later

Banshee was built at the former location of Son of Beast, a wooden roller coaster plagued with issues and demolished in 2012, and the Thunder Alley go-kart attraction that was removed the same year. A memorial for Son of Beast is in the queue line of Banshee. Following their removal, it was not immediately clear what would replace the attractions. [2]

Construction

Construction on a new attraction began on April 22, 2013, [3] and a trademark for the name "Banshee" was filed the next day. [4] [5] Owner Cedar Fair had previously considered using the name for a roller coaster at Cedar Point, though Cedar Point's coaster was ultimately named Mantis. [6] [7] Kings Island began teasing the new attraction on the first day of the 2013 season. Along the perimeter of the former Thunder Alley go-kart track, a fence was set up with a sign that read, "Due to the increasing occurrence of mysterious and bone-chilling screams, it has become necessary to close this section of the park until the cause of this evil phenomenon can be identified." During the course of the summer, several clues about the attraction were set up around the construction site. [8] On June 10, 2013, the park launched their social media campaign by posting a photo showing the construction site with the caption, "Field of Dreams". [9] The campaign continued with five scarecrows around the construction site and several Twitter posts about the future attraction. [10] [11] Then, at the beginning of July 2013, recordings of someone screaming could be heard by park guests near the construction area. [12] Two weeks later, farm owls were placed in nearby trees. [13]

On July 31, 2013, Kings Island detailed plans to reveal a new world record-breaking attraction at 10 p.m. on August 8. Media packages containing a silver comb, artificial hair, and a tag were sent out to media outlets to notify them of the upcoming announcement. [14] [15] A limited number of tickets were also made available to the public giving access to a tour of the construction site prior to the revealing and reserved seats at the event, with net proceeds being donated to breast cancer research. [16] [17] Blueprints for the project were leaked to the public on August 1, 2013. [18] One week later, on August 8, Kings Island officially announced that it was constructing Banshee, the world's longest inverted roller coaster. [19] [20] Banshee would feature seven inversions, including a pretzel knot inversion [20] and a vertical loop around the lift hill. [21] Banshee would be the second coaster constructed at Kings Island by Swiss company Bolliger & Mabillard (after Diamondback, which opened in 2009), [22] as well as the park's 14th operating roller coaster. [23]

The foundation work for the supports was done by R.E. Middleton, and the rest of the ride's construction was performed by Adena Corporation. [24] The first pieces of track and supports were delivered to the park from Clermont Steel Fabricators on August 16, 2013; [7] [25] the first track piece was erected on August 27, 2013. [26] The lift hill was completed on September 29, 2013, [27] and by the end of October, other elements such as the first drop, dive loop, and vertical loop were installed. [28] [29] Work on the station commenced that November, [29] and the ride was 40 percent complete by the next month. [30] The final piece of track was installed on January 23, 2014. [31] [32] Workers began installing the ride's trains that February, [33] and testing began on March 15. [34] [35] [36]

Operation

Kings Island hosted a preview event for Banshee on April 17, 2014. Several hundred journalists and members of the public, coming from 28 U.S. states as well as Canada and the UK, gathered at the park at as early as 4:00 a.m. [37] The ride officially opened to the public the next day, April 18, 2014. [38] [39] At a cost of $24 million, the ride was the single biggest investment in Kings Island's history at the time. [37] [40] [41] Banshee's opening coincided with increased ticket sales at Kings Island, which opened for the season on the same day. Kings Island officials reported that more people visited the park during the weekend of April 18–20, 2014, than on any other opening weekend in the park's 43-year history. [41]

Banshee had attracted one million riders by July 10, 2014, less than three months after its opening. [42] [43] On that day, Kings Island gave the ride's millionth guest a gift package and a commemorative sign. [44] At the time, Banshee was projected to be Kings Island's most popular new ride in 25 years; by comparison, Vortex had given 2,183,642 rides the year after it opened in 1987. [44] The ride recorded its two-millionth rider on November 2, 2014. [45]

Characteristics

Banshee stands 167 feet (51 m) tall and features a first drop of 150 feet (46 m). [46] [47] With a length of 4,124 feet (1,257 m), the ride was the world's longest inverted roller coaster when it opened; [48] [49] Banshee maintains this record as of 2024. [48] [50] The ride includes seven inversions: two vertical loops, a dive loop, a zero-g roll, a pretzel knot, and an inline twist. [46] It is also tied with Montu at Busch Gardens Tampa for achieving the most inversions on any inverted coaster. [51] Riders experience speeds of up to 68 miles per hour (109 km/h) on the ride, which lasts two minutes and forty seconds. [46] Due to the terrain underneath Banshee, the highest point of the lift hill is 208 feet (63 m) above the lowest point of the ride, which is at the bottom of the pretzel knot. [3] [29] As a result, Banshee reaches its maximum speed approximately halfway through the layout, rather than after the first drop, as is the case in most roller coasters. [3] [47]

A view of Banshee from the Eiffel Tower Banshee overview.jpg
A view of Banshee from the Eiffel Tower

Banshee operates with three trains made of steel and fiberglass with eight cars per train. In each car, riders are seated four across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train. [46] The configuration has a theoretical capacity of 1,650 riders per hour. [29] [46] Riders are secured by flexible, over-the-shoulder restraints and interlocking seat belts, known as vest restraints, similar to those used on Bolliger & Mabillard's Wing Coaster models. [52] Each train is painted a different color: blue, green, or purple. [24]

Banshee's tubular steel track was manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators in Batavia, Ohio. [53] The first vertical loop on Banshee wraps around the lift hill. This element can be found on two other Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters, which are The Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Kumba at Busch Gardens Tampa. [54] At night, the ride is illuminated and features fog effects. [55]

As the name suggests, the ride is themed after the mythological female spirit of the same name. The ride's backstory details sightings and screams of the banshee dating back to when the construction of Kings Island began in 1970. [56] The ride features its own plaza area, with its station being themed appropriately. [57]

Ride experience

The station of Banshee Banshee station.jpg
The station of Banshee

After departing from the station, the train makes a left turn towards the 167-foot (51 m) chain lift hill. [46] After reaching the top, the sound of a banshee screaming is played as the train drops into a heavily banked right turn. After reaching the bottom of the drop, riders enter a dive loop immediately followed by a vertical loop around the lift hill. Continuing down the valley, the train enters the third inversion, a zero-gravity roll, where riders experience the feeling of weightlessness. Next, the train makes an upward left-hand turn into a "pretzel knot" (an element where the train enters a dive loop, followed by an Immelmann loop). Upon exiting the pretzel knot, the train enters a second vertical loop before making a right turn into an inline twist. Following a downward left hand helix, the train makes a final banked right turn into the final brake run leading back to the station. [58]

Reception

Following the announcement of Banshee, Screamscape amusement park enthusiast Lance Hart called the new roller coaster "The perfect addition to an already great coaster line-up" at Kings Island. [59] Brian Krosnick from Theme Park Tourist said that though he was excited for Banshee, he questioned why the park did not choose to add additional theming throughout the layout of the ride. [60] In a poll conducted by CoasterRadio.com, respondents ranked Banshee as the best new roller coaster for 2014. [61] The same year, Banshee received a Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride from Amusement Today magazine, [62] as well as a Golden Ticket Award for being the 16th best steel roller coaster worldwide. [63] [64]

Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride for 2014
Ranking
2 [62]
Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year20142015201620172018201920212022
Ranking16 [64] 20 [65] 13 [66] 22 [67] 29 [68] 33 [69] 37 [70] 37 [71]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kings Island</span> Amusement park in Ohio

Kings Island is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park located 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, United States. Owned and operated by Cedar Fair, the park was built by Taft Broadcasting and opened in 1972. It was part of a larger effort to move and expand Coney Island, a popular resort destination along the banks of the Ohio River that was prone to frequent flooding. After more than $300 million in capital investments over the years, the park has grown to feature over a hundred attractions including fourteen roller coasters and a 33-acre (13 ha) water park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Beast (roller coaster)</span> Wooden roller coaster at Kings Island

The Beast is a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio. Designed and manufactured in-house for approximately $3 million, the ride opened in 1979 as the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world. Decades later, it is still the longest, spanning 7,361 feet across 35 acres (14 ha) of hilly terrain. Two lift hills contribute to the ride's duration of more than four minutes, which also ranks as one of the longest among roller coasters. A refurbishment in 2022 increased the angle of the first drop and lengthened the ride by 2 feet (0.61 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Son of Beast</span> Defunct wooden roller coaster

Son of Beast was a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Built and designed by the now-defunct Roller Coaster Corporation of America (RCCA), the ride opened to the public on April 28, 2000, as the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world. It became the first wooden hypercoaster – a height class of 200 feet (61 m) or more – with its record-setting height of 218 feet (66 m). The coaster was also the first in the modern era to feature a vertical loop, and it reached a record-breaking maximum speed of 78 mph (126 km/h). Son of Beast was themed as a sequel to one of the park's other signature attractions, The Beast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpengeist</span> Roller coaster

Alpengeist is an inverted roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, Alpengeist has an Alpine mountain region theme and opened in 1997 as the tallest inverted coaster in the world. The name "Alpengeist" is German for "Ghost of the Alps" or "Alpine Spirit", and the ride is themed to a runaway ski lift. It has the records for the tallest complete circuit inverted coaster in the world, tallest inverted roller coaster in the United States, and the longest complete circuit coaster drop in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rougarou (roller coaster)</span> Steel roller coaster at Cedar Point

Rougarou, formerly known as Mantis, is a floorless roller coaster located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard, the roller coaster originally opened in 1996 as a stand-up roller coaster called Mantis, which at the time was the tallest, fastest, and longest of its kind in the world. Cedar Point had planned to name the ride Banshee, but due to negative publicity following the announcement, the name was later changed to Mantis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Riddler's Revenge</span> Stand-up roller coaster

The Riddler's Revenge is a steel stand-up roller coaster located at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened as the park's eleventh roller coaster on April 4, 1998, setting multiple world records among stand-up coasters. Originally located in the Movie District section of the park, which later became Metropolis in 2017, The Riddler's Revenge was also the park's single biggest investment at a cost of $14 million. It features a height of 156 feet (48 m), a maximum speed of 65 mph (105 km/h), six inversions, and a track length of 4,370 feet (1,330 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nemesis Reborn</span> Inverted coaster at Alton Towers

Nemesis Reborn, previously Nemesis, is an inverted roller coaster located at the Alton Towers theme park in Staffordshire, England. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the ride was designed by Werner Stengel, while overall development was overseen by attraction developer John Wardley. It opened in the Forbidden Valley area of the park on 19 March 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumba (roller coaster)</span> Ride at Busch Gardens Tampa

Kumba is a steel roller coaster located at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened in 1993. It stands 143 feet (44 m) tall and has a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Kumba features a total of seven inversions across the 3-minute ride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montu (roller coaster)</span> Inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa

Montu is an inverted roller coaster at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida. Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard, it is the park's second roller coaster designed by that company following the success of Kumba, which opened 3 years prior. When the ride opened on May 16, 1996, it was the world's tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster, a title it has since conceded to Alpengeist at sister park Busch Gardens Williamsburg. The ride stands 150 feet (46 m) tall and reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twisted Colossus</span> Roller coaster at Magic Mountain

Twisted Colossus is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. Originally designed and built by International Amusement Devices, the roller coaster opened as Colossus, a dual-tracked roller coaster, on June 29, 1978. It was the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world and the first with two drops greater than 100 feet (30 m). Colossus became well known after appearances in film and television, including the box-office hit National Lampoon's Vacation and the made-for-TV movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park. For 19 years, it was the park's main attraction until the opening of Superman: The Escape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volcano: The Blast Coaster</span> Defunct roller coaster at Kings Dominion

Volcano: The Blast Coaster, or simply Volcano, was an inverted roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, United States. Designed by Werner Stengel, it was the first launched roller coaster manufactured by Intamin and the first of its kind in the world to be inverted. Its launch mechanism utilized linear induction motor (LIM) technology. After a series of delays, Volcano opened to the public on August 3, 1998. A portion of the ride was enclosed inside an artificial mountain, constructed in 1979, which previously housed other attractions. Following nearly two decades of operation, Volcano abruptly closed a few weeks into the 2018 season, and the closure became permanent during the following offseason.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Riddler Mindbender</span> Steel roller coaster

The Riddler Mindbender, previously named Mind Bender, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta, Georgia. Billed as "the world's first triple-loop roller coaster" when it opened on March 31, 1978, Mindbender has maintained its popularity since its opening. In its 30th anniversary season in 2008, Mindbender was ranked #15 by Amusement Today magazine in its annual Golden Ticket Awards, and was one of only two roller coasters built before 1980 on the list; the other was its "fraternal twin," Shockwave, at Six Flags Over Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Bullet (Knott's Berry Farm)</span> Inverted roller coaster

Silver Bullet is a western-themed steel inverted roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard located at Knott's Berry Farm, an amusement park in Buena Park, California. The $16 million roller coaster was announced on December 1, 2003 and opened on December 7, 2004. A first rider auction was also held where people would bid on seats to be the first riders. The track is approximately 3,125 feet (952 m) long and the lift hill is about 146 feet (45 m) tall. The ride lasts two minutes and thirty seconds and features six inversions including a vertical loop, cobra roll, zero-g roll, and two corkscrews.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Behemoth (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Canadas Wonderland

Behemoth is a steel roller coaster located at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario. Designed and developed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), Behemoth opened to the public in May 2008 as the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada, a claim it held until 2012 when Leviathan opened at the same park. Behemoth is similar to Diamondback, Intimidator (Carowinds), Goliath and Nitro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diamondback (Kings Island)</span> Steel roller coaster

Diamondback is a steel roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, United States. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), the ride opened in 2009 as the first hypercoaster to feature a splashdown effect and the first B&M roller coaster at Kings Island. It is located in Rivertown just behind International Street and the Eiffel Tower. Diamondback was the biggest investment in Kings Island’s history at the time, costing $22 million to build, but that figure was surpassed in 2014 by Banshee. The coaster features a 230-foot (70 m) lift hill with a 215-foot (66 m) drop and a maximum speed of 80 mph (130 km/h). It is similar to Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland in statistics, layout, and seating.

Afterburn (roller coaster) Inverted roller coaster at Carowinds

Afterburn is an inverted roller coaster located at Carowinds amusement park in Charlotte, North Carolina. After more than two years of planning and construction, the roller coaster opened on March 20, 1999. The ride previously operated as Top Gun: The Jet Coaster, before it was renamed following Cedar Fair's purchase of Paramount Parks in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Project 305</span> Steel roller coaster at Kings Dominion

Project 305 is a steel roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, United States. Manufactured by Intamin, the ride opened to the public as Intimidator 305 on April 2, 2010. Themed to racing, the coaster was originally named after the late NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, who was commonly known as "The Intimidator". It is located in the Jungle X-Pedition section of the park near Anaconda on the former site of the Safari Monorail ride. Standing at 305 feet (93 m) tall and reaching speeds up to 90 mph (145 km/h), it is the second giga coaster to be built in North America, following Millennium Force at Cedar Point. The $25-million investment was the most expensive of any ride in park history and the 14th coaster to debut at the park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outlaw Run</span> Roller coaster at Silver Dollar City

Outlaw Run is a wooden roller coaster located at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. Designed by Alan Schilke, Outlaw Run is the first wooden roller coaster manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and became the first wooden coaster with multiple inversions. It features a 162-foot (49 m) drop, three inversions, and a maximum speed of 68 mph (109 km/h), making Outlaw Run the sixth-fastest wooden coaster in the world. Its 81-degree first drop is also the fourth steepest in the world among wooden roller coasters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragon Challenge</span> Defunct inverted roller coaster at Universals Islands of Adventure

Dragon Challenge, formerly named Dueling Dragons (1999–2010), was a pair of intertwined inverted roller coasters in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area of Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida, United States. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard of Switzerland, the ride was a dueling roller coaster featuring two tracks – one side was called Chinese Fireball and the other Hungarian Horntail – that were themed as two chasing dragons. Its layout involved two trains sharing adjacent lift hills, with each traversing unique courses. Trains on the Chinese Fireball track reached a maximum speed of 60 mph (97 km/h), while trains on the Hungarian Horntail reached 55 mph (89 km/h). Both tracks featured five inversions and an identical ride duration of 2 minutes and 25 seconds.

References

  1. Marden, Duane. "List of Inverted Coasters". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  2. McClelland, Justin (July 27, 2012). "Kings Island to tear down Son of Beast". Dayton Daily News . Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 Tan, Lot (August 8, 2013). "Kings Island to offer new coaster for 2014". WHIO-TV . Cox Media Group. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  4. "Banshee". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  5. Richardson, Rachel (August 2, 2013). "Kings Island wants record breaker to replace Son of Beast". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  6. "Cedar Point changes coaster's name". The Bryan Times . September 14, 1995. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  7. 1 2 Haidet, Ryan (November 3, 2013). "Kings Island: Banshee roller coaster rises". WKYC . Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  8. "Kings Island to announce 'record-breaking' attraction next week". WLWT. July 31, 2013. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  9. "Field of Dreams". Kings Island. June 10, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  10. "You Want Me On That Wall". Kings Island. June 14, 2013. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  11. "Nothing To See From Up There". Kings Island. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  12. "Shhh! … Did you hear that?". Kings Island. July 1, 2013. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  13. "Owl Pacino". Kings Island. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  14. "Kings Island to announce "world record-breaking" attraction". Mason Buzz. July 31, 2013. Archived from the original on August 2, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
  15. "Kings Island will unveil a new attraction". WHIO-TV. August 1, 2012. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  16. "For The Cure". Kings Island. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  17. "KI For The Cure". Kings Island. Archived from the original on August 8, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  18. Jackie, Congedo (August 1, 2013). "Kings Island new attraction appears to be a coaster". WLWT. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2013.
  19. "Kings Island unleashes Banshee, world's longest inverted coaster". Amusement Today . April 17, 2014. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  20. 1 2 Richardson, Rachel (August 9, 2013). "Kings Island unveils plans for world record-breaking coaster Banshee". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  21. Stevenson, John (October 30, 2013). "Banshee Loops Around its Lift Hill". Coaster101. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  22. "Kings Island unveils Banshee roller coaster". The Advocate . Gannett Company. August 8, 2013. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  23. Marden, Duane. " (Kings Island)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  24. 1 2 Helbig, Don (December 3, 2013). "Don Speaks Live" (Interview). Interviewed by Christopher.
  25. "Track Pieces For Banshee Arrive". Kings Island. August 21, 2013. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  26. "First Piece of Track Installed on Banshee". Kings Island. August 28, 2013. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  27. "Lift hill columns and track up on Banshee". Kings Island. September 29, 2013. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  28. "Banshee construction progress". Kings Island. October 31, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  29. 1 2 3 4 Haidet, Ryan C (November 3, 2013). "Kings Island: Banshee roller coaster rises". wkyc.com. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  30. Seltz, Amanda (December 8, 2013). "Coaster fans get Banshee sneak peek". Springfield News-Sun. p. 18. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  31. "Kings Island completes work on Banshee". Dayton Daily News. January 24, 2014. p. 15. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  32. "Track done on Kings Island's Banshee roller coaster". INDY. January 23, 2014. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  33. "Banshee coaster on track for debut at KI". The Journal News. February 15, 2014. p. 9. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  34. Haidet, Ryan (March 17, 2014). "Kings Island begins testing Banshee". WKYC. Archived from the original on March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  35. "Banshee Passes First Test Run". ABC 22. March 17, 2014. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  36. "Banshee makes first test run at Kings Island". WHIO. March 15, 2014. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  37. 1 2 Richardson, Rachel (April 18, 2014). "Riders: Banshee Is a Screaming Success". The Cincinnati Enquirer. pp. A17, A19 . Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  38. Schwartzberg, Eric (April 18, 2014). "Record-breaking Banshee roller coaster debuts at Kings Island". The Journal-News. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  39. "'Theme park trifecta' causes long lines at Kings Island Friday". WLWT. February 26, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  40. Drury, Jill (August 8, 2013). "Kings Island unveils the Banshee". WDTN . LIN Media. Archived from the original on August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  41. 1 2 Levingston, Chelsey (May 17, 2014). "Kings Island exceeds mark". The Journal News. p. 9. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  42. "Banshee gives 1 millionth ride at Kings Island". The Journal-News. July 11, 2014. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  43. "Banshee gives 1 millionth ride at Kings Island". Dayton Daily News. July 11, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  44. 1 2 Richardson, Rachel (July 28, 2014). "Kings Island: Racer coaster tallies its 100 millionth rider". IndyStar. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  45. Molski, Henry (November 3, 2014). "Banshee gives its 2 millionth ride". Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Marden, Duane. "Banshee  (Kings Island)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  47. 1 2 Schwartzberg, Eric (April 18, 2014). "Coaster debuts at Kings Island". Dayton Daily News. p. 17. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  48. 1 2 Marden, Duane. "Record Holders  (Statistic: Length; Design: Inverted)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  49. Haidet, Ryan C (April 18, 2014). "Banshee brings haunting screams to Kings Island". wkyc.com. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  50. Clark, Michael D. (April 9, 2022). "Kings Island has led the way in thrilling firsts for amusement parks". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  51. "Throwback coaster coming to Ohio's Kings Island". Los Angeles Times. March 1, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  52. "The one with Banshee". The Coaster Crew. August 12, 2013. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  53. Dailey, Alyssa (August 9, 2013). "Coaster war? Is King's Island competing with Cedar Point for the most coasters?". WEWS-TV. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  54. Stilwell, Andrew (March 17, 2014). "A-Z Coaster of the Week: Kumba". Coaster101. Archived from the original on April 24, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  55. Schwartzberg, Eric (April 18, 2014). "Record-breaking Banshee roller coaster debuts at Kings Island". Dayton Daily News. Archived from the original on April 23, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  56. "Legend of the Banshee". Kings Island. August 8, 2013. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  57. "Ride Renderings". Kings Island. August 8, 2013. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  58. "KI Banshee POV". Kings Island. YouTube. August 8, 2013. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  59. Hart, Lance. "Kings Island". Screamscape. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  60. Krosnick, Brian (August 9, 2013). "Preview: Banshee roller coaster at Kings Island". Theme Park Tourist. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  61. "Kings Island home to best new attraction". Springfield News-Sun. December 27, 2014. p. 10. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  62. 1 2 "Park and ride winners". Amusement Today . September 2014. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  63. "Kings Island receives top honors at 2014 Golden Ticket Awards". WLWT. October 8, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  64. 1 2 "2014 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today . 18 (6.2): 46–47. September 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  65. "2015 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today . 19 (6.2): 49–50. September 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  66. "2016 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards . Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  67. "2017 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards . Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  68. "2018 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards . Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  69. "2019 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards . Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  70. "2021 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards . Amusement Today. September 2021. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  71. "2022 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards . Amusement Today. September 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
Preceded by World's longest inverted roller coaster
April 2014present
Current holder