Banshee at Kings Island doesn’t pause at the top of the lift hill. The train crests 167 feet and immediately pitches into a 150-foot, steeply banked dive loop — inversions starting before riders have time to brace. What follows is two minutes and forty seconds of continuous, back-to-back inversion intensity across 4,124 feet of steel track, the longest inverted coaster layout ever built.
Designed by Swiss manufacturer Bolliger and Mabillard and opened on April 18, 2014, Banshee was the most expensive project in Kings Island’s history at the time, costing $24 million. The investment yielded a Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride in its debut year and a world record that has stood for over a decade. For anyone ranking the must-ride inverted coasters in the United States, Banshee belongs near the top of the list.
Quick Answer
Banshee is a Bolliger and Mabillard inverted coaster at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. It stands 167 feet tall, reaches 68 mph, delivers seven inversions, and runs 4,124 feet of track — making it the longest inverted roller coaster in the world. It opened April 18, 2014.
Stats at a Glance
Park: Kings Island, Mason, Ohio | Manufacturer: Bolliger and Mabillard | Type: Steel inverted coaster | Opened: April 18, 2014 | Height: 167 feet | First drop: 150 feet | Top speed: 68 mph | Track length: 4,124 feet (world’s longest inverted) | Inversions: 7 | Ride duration: 2 minutes, 40 seconds | Minimum height: 52 inches | Maximum height: 78 inches | Hourly capacity: approximately 1,650 riders | Cost at opening: $24 million
The First Drop: No Warm-Up Allowed
Banshee’s first drop is defined by what it refuses to give you — a moment to prepare. The 150-foot plunge is banked into a curve and flows directly into the first inversion, a dive loop, before the train has finished accelerating. On an inverted coaster, where your feet hang free in the air below the track, hitting a dive loop off the opening descent creates a combined sense of falling and rotating that is immediately disorienting in the best possible way.
A dive loop is not a standard vertical loop. Where a classic loop rises straight up and over, a dive loop sweeps sideways into the inversion, adding a banking rotation on top of the overhead flip. Experiencing one while still picking up speed from the first drop makes Banshee’s opening sequence one of the most aggressive starts of any Bolliger and Mabillard inverted coaster. Coaster reviewers consistently describe the drop itself as more forceful than expected for an inverted model — a pleasant surprise for first-time riders.
All Seven Inversions, In Order
After the dive loop, the second inversion is a full vertical loop positioned so that it wraps visually around the base of the lift hill structure — a distinctive design choice that gives riders a disorienting frame of reference as the large steel supports rush past during the inversion. The third element is a zero-G roll, a barrel-roll inversion where the centripetal force balances the effect of gravity, producing a brief floating sensation while fully upside-down. It is one of the more graceful moments on an otherwise forceful ride.
Inversions four and five are delivered by a single element called a pretzel knot — a rare Bolliger and Mabillard configuration that threads two consecutive inversions through a valley section of the layout. The train descends into this element and climbs back out, passing through two inversion peaks in rapid succession. This is the deepest point of the ride’s terrain interaction, and it is where Banshee reaches its maximum speed. Inversion six is a second vertical loop, and the sequence ends with an inline twist before the train reaches the brake run — seven inversions in total.
Why Banshee Hits Top Speed Mid-Ride
Most coasters reach their top speed at the bottom of the first drop — the most direct conversion of elevation into velocity. Banshee is an exception. Its peak speed of 68 mph occurs approximately midway through the layout, at the lowest point of the pretzel knot element, not after the opening descent.
The reason is terrain. Kings Island built Banshee into a hillside, routing the back half of the course into a valley that sits far below the lift’s starting elevation. The total vertical difference between the crest of the 167-foot lift hill and the valley floor is greater than the 150-foot first drop alone. Riders spend much of the ride’s first half descending in stages, with each inversion pushing the train lower before the terrain finally drops away entirely. The practical result is that the coaster feels like it never stops accelerating until that valley section, giving the middle of the ride an urgency that usually belongs only to opening drops.
How Banshee Compares to Other B and M Inverts
Bolliger and Mabillard built their reputation in part on inverted coasters, and Banshee represents the format’s outer edge in terms of scale. Its 4,124-foot track length surpasses every other inverted coaster from any manufacturer — not just other Bolliger and Mabillard models. The gap to the next-longest inverted coasters is substantial, which is why the world record has remained unchallenged since 2014.
On inversions, Banshee ties Busch Gardens Tampa’s Montu at seven — the joint record for inverted coasters. Where Montu spreads its seven inversions across a more varied rhythm with pacing breaks, Banshee’s layout keeps the intervals tight and the train moving quickly between elements. The intensity difference between the two is a common discussion point among coaster enthusiasts, with Banshee generally rated as the more relentless ride.
What to Know Before You Ride
Banshee is an inverted coaster, which means the train hangs below the track and there is no floor under your feet at any point during the ride. Riders sit in individual seats with over-the-shoulder restraints that lock down before dispatch. The minimum height requirement is 52 inches (roughly 4 feet 4 inches), and there is a maximum height limit of 78 inches. The ride operates three trains of eight cars each, with four riders per row and 32 riders per train, producing an hourly throughput of approximately 1,650 riders.
Seat choice affects the experience meaningfully. Front-row seats provide an unobstructed view of each inversion approaching with nothing between you and open sky. Back-row seats add whip through transitions and a sharper snap over the lift crest. For first-time riders, the middle of the train offers the smoothest averaged experience. Loose articles are not permitted, and paid lockers are available near the entrance. Wait times tend to be longest in the first two hours after park opening and on weekend afternoons during peak summer months.
Banshee at Kings Island FAQs
Is Banshee still the world’s longest inverted coaster?
Yes. Banshee’s 4,124-foot track length has made it the longest inverted roller coaster in the world since its April 2014 opening, and no other inverted coaster has surpassed that length as of 2026.
What are the 7 inversions on Banshee in order?
In order: a dive loop off the first drop, a vertical loop that wraps around the lift structure, a zero-G roll, a pretzel knot element (which accounts for two inversions), a second vertical loop, and a final inline twist.
How tall do you have to be to ride Banshee at Kings Island?
The minimum height requirement is 52 inches (4 feet 4 inches). There is also a maximum height restriction of 78 inches.
Who built Banshee, and when did it open?
Banshee was designed and manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard, a Swiss roller coaster company. It opened at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio on April 18, 2014, at a cost of $24 million — the largest investment in Kings Island’s history at the time.
Where does Banshee reach its top speed of 68 mph?
Banshee hits its peak speed of 68 mph not at the bottom of the first drop, but midway through the ride at the lowest point of the pretzel knot element. The park’s natural terrain allows the coaster to keep accelerating well past the opening descent before bottoming out in the valley.
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