Diamondback • Kings Island

Ok, I might be a bit biased, but this is my favorite ride in the park. Most people say this ride has a rattle, but I have never noticed it once when riding it. I think the clam-shell restraints are re...

Ok, I might be a bit biased, but this is my favorite ride in the park. Most people say this ride has a rattle, but I have never noticed it once when riding it. I think the clam-shell restraints are really good, especially since it allows you a lot of room for airtime and are pretty comfortable. Unlike most other B&M hypers, Diamondback has a really good out and back layout. Most B&M hypers have a pretty boring layout, usually just camelback hill after camelback and then a turnaround into more camelbacks. Diamondback does not have this issue. It has plenty of airtime hills but also other elements such as the hammerhead turn and the helix. Diamondback has some of the best flo-jector airtime out there, especially in the back row. Speaking of the back row, it's definitely the best seat, giving you the most airtime. In some cases, you even get wet on the splashdown in the back. This ride also looks amazing. It got a much needed repaint, and the ride is much more pleasing to look at now. The ride especially looks cool during the splashdown. Overall: 9.5/10 - Still an elite hyper, and also has a spot in my top 10.

Sure, my rating is based off the best ride I had on it - night ride with the fireworks going off as we were going up the lift - but even still, as a floater junkie I don't really have an issue calling...

Sure, my rating is based off the best ride I had on it - night ride with the fireworks going off as we were going up the lift - but even still, as a floater junkie I don't really have an issue calling this one of my favorites.

My second favorite B&M hyper is chalk full of sustained floater airtime. Had one of my favorite coaster memories on this when I got about 6 inches between me and the restraint on my last ride of the n...

My second favorite B&M hyper is chalk full of sustained floater airtime. Had one of my favorite coaster memories on this when I got about 6 inches between me and the restraint on my last ride of the night. Splashdown is a nice cherry on top. Can rattle a bit in the valleys but it's not bad.

Rode it 37 times on 11/2/24. This is my favorite ride of all time, having rode 163 coasters at the time of writing. This ride is beyond amazing, and delivers like few others can. It is a lengthy ride,...

Rode it 37 times on 11/2/24. This is my favorite ride of all time, having rode 163 coasters at the time of writing. This ride is beyond amazing, and delivers like few others can. It is a lengthy ride, and full of the most wonderful airtime starting with a first drop that absolutely yanks in the back row. The airtime hills are pure heaven. My only possible gripe can be the rattle, which is quite on theme for a rattlesnake but in all honesty, there is one portion of track directly after the turnaround that I believe KI should look to replace in the near future to keep this nearly flawless ride in excellent condition.

Diamondback is far and away the best B&M hyper I've had the privilege of riding. This layout is an absolute floater buffet that doesn't have a single dull moment. The first drop feels more like a giga...

Diamondback is far and away the best B&M hyper I've had the privilege of riding. This layout is an absolute floater buffet that doesn't have a single dull moment. The first drop feels more like a giga than most other B&Ms under 300ft, and the 5-second hill that follows is immaculate. Even the turnaround manages to be far more interesting than its contemporaries featuring a hammerhead turn, floater hill, AND a helix. The splashdown also has to be mentioned, of course, as it's one of the most cinematic finales of any coaster out there. My first ride on this coaster in 2023 was rather disappointing, but my back row and night rides really redeemed this one. 9.5/10 - this is easily the third best coaster themed to a reptile I've ridden

The floater airtime is exquisite and like every other ride at the park it gives a fantastic night ride. While the layout is a little more creative than other hypers it’s still simply one hill after th...

The floater airtime is exquisite and like every other ride at the park it gives a fantastic night ride. While the layout is a little more creative than other hypers it’s still simply one hill after the other.

Un de mes Hyper préféré, le layout est truffé d'airtimes offrant des longs moments de floating sur chaque bosses, les creux sont bien chargés, le rythme est bon sans temps mort avec une belle fluidité...

Un de mes Hyper préféré, le layout est truffé d'airtimes offrant des longs moments de floating sur chaque bosses, les creux sont bien chargés, le rythme est bon sans temps mort avec une belle fluidité, c'est confortable, bref une très belle machine.

Diamondback is an awesome ride and I rode it 3 times the whole park is amazing really because there are like no lines at all and I love the water splash and its so awesome no cons this is a masterpie...

Diamondback is an awesome ride and I rode it 3 times the whole park is amazing really because there are like no lines at all and I love the water splash and its so awesome no cons this is a masterpiece and it deserves a golden ticket award

Definitely has a rattle but for this ride I think it adds or at least doesn’t hurt the ride. Wasn’t expecting to fall for a B&M hyper so much but here I am. Goliath has stolen this rides glory slightl...

Definitely has a rattle but for this ride I think it adds or at least doesn’t hurt the ride. Wasn’t expecting to fall for a B&M hyper so much but here I am. Goliath has stolen this rides glory slightly but this is still a solid ride.

I'm being a bit hypercritical with this review, but Diamondback just didn't do it for me. The aesthetics, operations, water feature and location within the park are all stellar. Beyond these elements,...

I'm being a bit hypercritical with this review, but Diamondback just didn't do it for me. The aesthetics, operations, water feature and location within the park are all stellar. Beyond these elements, I found Diamondback to be underwhelming. Two things are likely skewing my pov: 1. I went on Diamondback immediately after Orion and everything felt slightly subdued by comparison (I did this with Leviathan and Behemoth last month with similar effect.) 2: I think the B&M hypers are a format that's begun to fatigue for me. I love the concept and have come to appreciate the airtimes more and more, but when the trims are hitting hard (as they were on my ride), it feels like the ride is deliberately trying to throttle back levels of intensity and enjoyment and I just can't get my head around this. Ensuring safety and finding a reasonable accessible level of intensity for a broader set of riders makes sense to a degree, but knocking 20+ mph off the pace of things and bringing things to a near standstill are another thing altogether. Wanted to love this ride more than I did...next time I go to KI, I'll ride it first and hopefully that will allow me to appreciate it more.

This ride is the best ride in the park in my opinion. I was really scared, but it was great! The track was butter smooth, the seats were free and open, really accentuating the sense of speed, and it d...

This ride is the best ride in the park in my opinion. I was really scared, but it was great! The track was butter smooth, the seats were free and open, really accentuating the sense of speed, and it doesn’t suffer from downtime! My one con is that there isn’t any hangtime, which could be changed by a good overbank. I like balance in layouts, and some more forces (other than airtime) would be welcome. I love airtime, but I like balance more.

This is like a smaller version of Shambhala at PortAventura in Spain. I think Diamondback is better composed than Orion as the second half doesn't disappoint here. There is some nice airtime, a great ...

This is like a smaller version of Shambhala at PortAventura in Spain. I think Diamondback is better composed than Orion as the second half doesn't disappoint here. There is some nice airtime, a great first drop and no real dead spot. The only negative aspect of this ride is the slight rattle in the last rows but it doesn't really disrupt the riding experience.

Now this is the king of B&M Hypers. This mogs Mako hardcore. Blessed floater. And, because Kings Islands is run by competent human beings, the line was virtually nonexistent due to running 3 trains an...

Now this is the king of B&M Hypers. This mogs Mako hardcore. Blessed floater. And, because Kings Islands is run by competent human beings, the line was virtually nonexistent due to running 3 trains and a lightning-fast ops team.

Rattling often makes my head hurt, seemingly more or at least in a different way than a lot of other people. Knowing that, I wasn't sure how I was going to like Diamondback. However, it blew me away...

Rattling often makes my head hurt, seemingly more or at least in a different way than a lot of other people. Knowing that, I wasn't sure how I was going to like Diamondback. However, it blew me away. It definitely rattles, but really only in the back and not in a way that hurts my head. The first drop is better in the back, but in my experience the rest of the airtime was actually better in the front, along with being a much smoother ride. In the back, it starts gently lifting you out of your seat as the train crests the hill and then transitions to a stronger force as the train descends the hill, before slamming you back into the seat in the pullout. In the front, it pops you out of your seat as the train crests the hill before transitioning to a more gentle float on the way down and gently putting you back down in the pullout. The first camelback is one of my favorite airtime elements period. I find that the pacing is decent. The splashdown is a nice effect, but if you're sitting in the back row, make sure you don't turn around and try to look at it or you will be hit in the face. Oh, and forget The Beast, this is the best night ride in the park. I was on the second-to-last train before close in the front row and it was one of my favorite coaster experiences ever.

A solid hyper. Far from my favorite but it's pretty good. The first few hills are very strong but the longer the ride goes on the weaker the air gets to me. I do like going out into the woods and the ...

A solid hyper. Far from my favorite but it's pretty good. The first few hills are very strong but the longer the ride goes on the weaker the air gets to me. I do like going out into the woods and the splash down, but it isn't the best-paced ride in the world.

My first ride on Diamondback in 7 years and my first ride in the front row has provided me with a new perspective, as now with the knowledge that I prefer front row on most coasters I can confidently ...

My first ride on Diamondback in 7 years and my first ride in the front row has provided me with a new perspective, as now with the knowledge that I prefer front row on most coasters I can confidently say this is no longer my least favorite B&M hyper, and one of my favorites at Kings Island. Every hill gives great airtime, there are impressive moments of positive gs, and the setting and theme further elevate the experience. As always the ride is very comfy and accommodating. No complaints, but the second half's airtime is noticeably less intense.

It’s a bit more fun than Orion and the night rides I got in the back were so much fun looking at the moon going up the second hill. There’s lots of airtime but Goliath at SFoG is still my favorite B&M...

It’s a bit more fun than Orion and the night rides I got in the back were so much fun looking at the moon going up the second hill. There’s lots of airtime but Goliath at SFoG is still my favorite B&M hyper.

Actually incredible. One of the best B&M hypers easily. The floater is exceptional and extremely sustained. It's a very long ride with many very nice and sustained floater moments throughout the entir...

Actually incredible. One of the best B&M hypers easily. The floater is exceptional and extremely sustained. It's a very long ride with many very nice and sustained floater moments throughout the entire ride. The splashdown is awesome, too. The first drop is the best of any B&M hyper. The rattle doesn't take away from the ride at all, either. Best ride in the park.

Still one of the best hypers ever built. The first drop is excellent and only second to Orion in the park in that category. Diamondback seems to feel a little faster as the day goes on. I personally p...

Still one of the best hypers ever built. The first drop is excellent and only second to Orion in the park in that category. Diamondback seems to feel a little faster as the day goes on. I personally preferred the back row for the best riding experience. There is a tiny rattle in the valley between the first turnaround and the next airtime hill, nothing that effects the ride though.

Amazing hyper, elite ride. Getting morning and night ERT during Coasterstock was absolutely magical. I've never had airtime this consistent and good before, every rode hit the same. Ride ops were also...

Amazing hyper, elite ride. Getting morning and night ERT during Coasterstock was absolutely magical. I've never had airtime this consistent and good before, every rode hit the same. Ride ops were also fast and the new repaint is looking pretty spiffy. Wish I could have this coaster way closer to me because it's set the new standard for what I want out of a hyper.

I love this ride. I’m proud my home park has an elite coaster like this. If you couldn’t tell, diamondback is a B&M hyper and has loads of floater airtime, maybe the most floater in the world. It’s so...

I love this ride. I’m proud my home park has an elite coaster like this. If you couldn’t tell, diamondback is a B&M hyper and has loads of floater airtime, maybe the most floater in the world. It’s so sustained that, in the back row, you sustain airtime on the first hill from the start of the ascent all the way to the valley of the hill, and your butt is in mild pain. Speaking of mild, this ride is not intense. It may look intimidating, but on the ride it’s pure fun. There are no extreme positive or negative g’s, nor shoulder breaking laterals *cough cough backlot.* If heaven was a ride, this would be it. You go deep in the woods in the middle and glide along and on top of the midways in the start and end, and it’s a great experience off-ride because of that splash down. It is super picturesque and a staple of off-ride footage at Kings Island. I give it a 4.5 because I wish it could have a little added intensity. Maybe make that turn into the mid-course tighter, but that’s my only minor complaint. Over all a great ride.

B&M Hypers are pure fun, and Diamondback is no exception. Floater airtime on every hill, and you get to enjoy every second of it with the clamshell lap bars. Plus, the splashdown looks cool. My only p...

B&M Hypers are pure fun, and Diamondback is no exception. Floater airtime on every hill, and you get to enjoy every second of it with the clamshell lap bars. Plus, the splashdown looks cool. My only problem is the helices don't do a whole lot. SFOG Goliath really stands out with its helix halfway through to mix things up. Regardless, Diamondback gets 5 stars because intensity is never the main focus of a B&M Hyper, but airtime, and Diamondback does that very well.

Un Hyper B&M comme on en voudrait plus : Des airtimes relativement puissants et longs sur chaque bosse, un parcours long joliment posé entre les arbres et plutôt complet. La machine à airtime par exce...

Un Hyper B&M comme on en voudrait plus : Des airtimes relativement puissants et longs sur chaque bosse, un parcours long joliment posé entre les arbres et plutôt complet. La machine à airtime par excellence.

Diamondback is an amazing B&M Hyper Coaster is for sure the best B&M Hyper Coaster I've Ridden. The ride has amazing airtime. Especially on the first drop if you're sitting anywhere towards the backro...

Diamondback is an amazing B&M Hyper Coaster is for sure the best B&M Hyper Coaster I've Ridden. The ride has amazing airtime. Especially on the first drop if you're sitting anywhere towards the backrow. The first 3 hills give very strong ejector airtime if your in the front row. Towards the back its very strong flojector airtime. After the mid course brake run the drop off the mid course is actually pretty good as in the front you get some solid floater going off of it and some good flojector towards the backrow going off of it. The final hills deliver amazing floater airtime before the splashdown. Diamondback is an amazing B&M hyper coaster and in my opinion. Probably the best B&M hyper coaster in North America

This is one of the best B&M hypers out there and for very good reason. This has some of the most sustained floater ever in the back on those big camelbacks and the drop which are helped by the extra d...

This is one of the best B&M hypers out there and for very good reason. This has some of the most sustained floater ever in the back on those big camelbacks and the drop which are helped by the extra drag of the staggered seat trains. The smaller hills in the second half give some solid floater too and the valleys and turns give some of the better positives on a B&M hyper. The splashdown is also a super unique touch to finish out an amazing coaster. Diamondback even has some almost ejector level airtime in the front on those big camelbacks but I think I still prefer the back. The wooded setting also gives this a super dark and excellent night ride. Honestly this isn't too far off from being the best in the park, it's that good.