I've seen a lot of negative stuff about X-Flight on Coasterbuzz and was wondering how those of you who have ridden the ride felt about the ride experience itself.

Ryan

The ride itself is very smooth. I find the harnesses uncomfortable, probably because I have some (but not a ridiculous amount of) extra gut.

The experience of the ride is not what I would call overwhelming. It never really feels like it builds up much speed. From a Cedar Point perspective, I would characterize it as the elements of Raptor but at Iron Dragon speed. (I almost used Top Gun, but I think TG actually may go a little faster than X-Flight).

Begrudgingly, I admit there are some brief 'flying' sensations. I say begrudgingly, because the rest of the ride really doesn't feel like it's worth it.

Caveat: I really don't like flyers that much. Others I'm sure will have a much more favorable opinion than me.

Good question but I however never went to GL

I've said it before, I will say it again. The Vekoma Flying Dutchmen are, in my humble opinion, excellent. I am THRILLED this ride is currently in the Kings Island parking lot. If installed, I will be making more visits to Kings Island than I otherwise would have. I much prefer the Vekomas to the B and M Supermen at SFOG, SFGAm and SFGAd.

Borg is one of my very favorite rides anywhere...

It's gonna be fun!

I rode X-Flight in '01. I thought it was a pretty good ride, not rough and pretty thrilling.

The ride is a lot of fun! It should make for a great addition to the Island. Most people that I know truly like the ride so I think the general public will love it. I find B&M flyers to be more comfortable in regards to restraints but Vekoma are not that bad.

Ill give it a report card

Elements=7

Excitment=6.5

Restraints=3

Speed=5

Intensity=5.5

Looks=4 (not really a good looking coaster)

Overall=6

The loop is amazing, 2nd to dominator. I enjoy the horseshoe the most. The lift is bad. The ride was designed to recline on the lift hill, due to buss bar problems it did not. So you are on you back as it slowly reaches the top, in the sun its bad, in the rain its bad. It sucks when you get stuck on the lift too. By far the back is much better than the front. And If there is 2 trains 1 station it sucks to have stacking because you are on you back head lower than the rest of you body in the heat or the rain. Not good. Once again if everything goes right... its okay.

Something tells me you liked this coaster a lot more when it lived in Lake County, Ohio.

Also, on what scale are your number ratings? 7? 10? 100?

Its on the border of Geauga (or is it summit?). In 2 cites, brainbridge and aurora.

Liked it? Not much. I loved running it. I would rather ride dominator or steel venom. X-flight isnt on my top 10

The numbers are out of 10

The ride itself is usually smooth and exciting. It is a good coaster, especially for a Vekoma!

However, I do not like the restraints. I find them rather uncomfortable. When you are lying on your back, the metal behind you is not too comfortable. When you are flying, I sometimes feel like I am not secure in my restraints, but that is obviously an illusion because I was fine at the end of the ride. But you do not feel as secure as with the B&M restraints, which I find really comfortable and reassuring. (Some will no doubt love the less than secure feeling of the restraints. I just do not.) It does not always feel overly speedy, but there are some good forces on the ride and the layout is really good. It is quite a rush when you reach the top of the hill and are flipped over and see the ground below...

My girlfriend says that the restraints are not comfortable on her ankles. That does not happen with me, but may happen if you are a smaller person like she is...

I find that in general some of the Vekoma flyers (Batwing and Borg) have some shaking and vibration while flying, but I did not experience that with X-Flight. Hopefully it will remain that smooth after it is installed at Kings Island.

I ridden X-Flight probably around 20 times and I have found it to be a thrilling ride. The only complain that I have is the restraints can be a bit uncomfortable especially when a worker "staples" you.

I am thrilled that X-flight is sitting in the PKI lot right now. I moved away from the GLP area almost 2 years ago and I have missed the ride very much. I now live just east of Lexington and look forward to riding it again. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get PKI passes but this addition to the park has helped nudge me to that direction.

I rode X-flight back in 04 and thought it was a very thrilling and satisfying ride. It produces very different sensations from most other rides in that you experience the ride both on your back and on your stomach. I also thought that the ride was an adequate length. The two things that I did not really like were when the train is dispatched and you roll out and turn towards the lift on your back (which was pretty disorienting) and also going up the lift on your back with the sun in your eyes.

I have also ridden Superman Ultimate Flight. Like most of the other posts I felt that the trains felt slightly more comfortable on the B&M (not to say that X-flights trains were not comfortable and it was not smooth). However I thought SUF felt way to short and not nearly as thriling as X-flight.

I'll say it.

I DETEST the pretzel element on the B and M Supermen. It doesn't work, it is not thrilling, and it is PAINFUL. Also, the B and M's seem to be down much more than the Vekomas.

And I still think the Vekomas offer a superior ride...

Except, of course, Tatsu!

I have rode x-flight several times and enjoyed the ride very much. The restrainst's were very comfortable for me

and i had a great ride. I do have a question-When does everybody think,the ride will be completely

rebuilt,tested and open for riders?

I think it's logical to say we could see an opening similar to Italian Job's mid- to late May.

Living in Cleveland, I hate to see it go. However, I am glad it is not going far. Only thing that will stink riding it at PKI is I will have to stand in line for it.

"Them there boys south of Cincy aint never saw a coaster like this here before!!"

The ones in the Carolinas, Virginia and Maryland certainly have...and many of those places are south of Cinci!

It is a great ride, I find it the best of the three Vekomas. I also find it as the best vekoma ever built. The only wish is that they can quiet the lift so it is not autable throughout the park. For the know-it-all part, the coaster sits total in Bainbridge Twp and Geauaga County. Does anyone know what state borg sits in?

South Carolina

I have rode X-flight many times, and it's twin Batwing once. Havent got to ride Borg yet. I wanna see if the corkscrew is any better than the inline twists. The loop is awesome!!

Ill give it a report card

Elements=7

Excitment=6.5

Restraints=3

Speed=5

Intensity=5.5

Looks=4 (not really a good looking coaster)

Overall=6

I'd have to say

Elements 7

Excitement 8

Restraints 9

Speed 7

Intensity 9 (The hill and the loop did it for me)

Looks 7

Overall 8

I have been on a flight, but not on X-Flight; However, I have been on Batwing at Six Flags America, and Superman: Ultimate Flight at Six Flags Great Adventure. Batwing was a crappy experience, the restraints were uncomfortable, and that took all the fun from the ride. Ultimate Flight however was a grand ride. While not worth the hour wait for a one-minute ride, I did enjoy it.

I personaly think X-Flight is a great ride. I have probably ridden X-Flight around 10 times and I find the ride to be very disorenting because it is hard to see what is coming next in the flying position. To me that adds to the excitement. Also the fact you climb the lift backwards and on your back makes things a little more interesting as well. When the train rolls from lie to fly and you hang in to the restraints that is something you dont experience in most coasters. Over all I think its a great ride, very smooth, thrilling, and if opperated with 3 trains will be a very substantial addition to KI.

Put your arms out and Fly...

Yes it's hard to see what is coming next in the flying position. It's like riding Raptor and looking down at your feet the entire ride.

I think X-Flight is a good ride that did not quite make my "excellent" list. I like X-Flight more so than SUF at SFoG or SFGAm. I have not been on Tatsu, Batwing, nor Borg. The strangest sensation is the lift hill. The Helix at the end followed by inline roll was very disorienting element. Yes, the ride is quite smooth.

I rode X-flight back in 02 while it was still under six flags. The ride itself was fantastic, the wait was not. The capacity for this ride is not very good. I waited 45 min for a ride that under normal ride wait time would be around 15. Knowing how smart people are from southern Ohio, I don't think that the loading time will change.

So you were waiting for a one year old coaster and thought the wait should be 15 minutes.

Sheesh.

"I rode X-flight back in 02 while it was still under six flags. The ride itself was fantastic, the wait was not. The capacity for this ride is not very good. I waited 45 min for a ride that under normal ride wait time would be around 15. Knowing how smart people are from southern Ohio, I don't think that the loading time will change."

But, being as that I know you and that I know you have no real evidence to back up your claim, nor know how the ride will be run/its procedures and stuff, you cant really say what the capacity will be. However, yeah your probably right, its going to be low capacity.

I think he is in part referring to the fact that the coaster is difficult to load, and the public (anywhere) has problems figuring out how to get in and how to close the restraints (at Borg, they have fixed this by having you NOT close the lower restraint...more work for the ride ops, but quicker overall).

I question why anyone would think the wait for a very popular, what was then one year old coaster should only be fifteen minutes. That's like saying lunch lines should never be over five minutes, even at noon on the Fourth of July.

I think Kings Island operations will be able to give Firehawk a pretty good run for its money in terms of capacity.