Ever since people found out I had a blog, many have asked my thoughts about Kings Island’s 2020 addition – Orion. People know me and know how much I value and appreciate Kings Island –Â so I thought I’d put my official thoughts here so I can direct people here next time they ask. I also covered announcement day for the ride as well on August 15th – I highly recommend that you check that video out here:Â Orion Announcement Recap
To start off – WOW – what an exciting and massive attraction! I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this at all. We are BLESSED! The size is perfect, the speed is fantastic, and the drop is gonna be SWEET. Exactly what I hoped it would be. This will do wonders for the park, I believe, as it has something for everyone:
- A cool apocalyptic-space theme to appeal to the younger generation
- Speed (91 mph) and height (300 ft drop) for those adrenaline junkies
- Something to rival the park’s main attractions – Diamondback, Banshee, The Beast, and Mystic Timbers
- Something new for the locals to conquer
- A rare and unique experience for out-of-town travelers to take on
- A new coaster to photograph for photographers like me 🙂
I remember thinking a few years ago what a Giga coaster may look like at the park, and I remember thinking something with that solid darkish blue track. Fast forward a couple years later, seeing its exactly that makes me very excited as it will add some awesome photography opportunities to the already photogenic Kings Island skyline.
I’m almost just as excited for X-Base getting some love, too. Now being called Area 72 (a sweet but subtle reference to all the recent viral craze with Area 51, but putting a KI twist on it with adding 72 – the year Kings Island opened to the public), I do hope that the area will feel a little more separate from Coney Mall, and more like it’s own area of the park. Keep in mind, however, that this is just a rendering and things can always change.
I have been asked a lot the same question: “Isn’t it just a taller and faster Diamondback?” No, no it is not. If you think about it, Diamondback focuses more about those little moments where you float out of your seat. Even though it is the fastest coaster in the park, it does not utilize the speed as much as it could with a max speed of 80 mph. Orion has less of those big hills (although it’s third hill is 202 ft, almost as tall as DB’s max height 230 ft) and focuses more in the area of speed and g-forces. Every turn and dive on this ride you will feel in your body, just like a space-simulator.
I love the theming to it: It’s The End of The World As We Know It. If you were living under a rock the past month and a half, Kings Island started their brilliant teaser campaign for the ride (led by Chad Showalter, Director of Communications) by putting up these posters along the wall where the former Firehawk once stood, each a ride relating to a part of Kings Island’s past. 
It started with Invertigo and Firehawk, and as time went on, more and more went up. Once guests were able to decipher the hidden behind TEOTWAWKI, a hashtag poster went up, with QR codes that led to a Change.org petition.
The petition reached over 2,500 signatures in just a matter of two weeks. The park eventually “gave in” and announced that they would be making the biggest announcement in the park’s history on Thursday August 15th, 2019, with coordinates set to X-Base. Media and guests flocked to the park all day, trying to see if they could find any last minute information.
^(Chad Showalter taking interviews with media on announcement day)
It seemed that about 2,000 people were on hand for the announcement, and it was one they were sure never to forget. The part of the ride I’m most excited for? The mini-ampersand.
“The ride features the latest prototype vehicle developed by the Project X initiative. Scientists are in a race against time to develop technology capable of weaving transport vehicles through a coming meteor storm and traveling to a new planet within the Orion constellation. For the program to be successful, it needs volunteers to help with testing. Riders on Orion will plummet down an exhilarating 300-foot first drop, sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills and 5,321 feet of track at speeds up to 91 mph on Kings Island’s tallest, fastest and longest steel roller coaster.”
I’m definitely ready to volunteer for the Project-X initiative when testing begins in Spring 2020. Are you?
Thomas Kyle Creative 