Kings Island announces Orion roller coaster
Posted
From the park:
Thrill-seekers will experience a new level of excitement when they visit Kings Island in 2020. Joining the world-class line-up of roller coasters at the park is Orion, one of only seven giga coasters in the world, a class of roller coasters having a height or drop of 300-399 feet.
Themed to the park's new Area 72, 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.
Read more from Kings Island.
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Couple of thoughts:
- I love how close to the ground the first drop pullout is. I’m hoping they plant some trees in this area and after a few years (okay, maybe 10+) the sensation of speed will be heightened. I think about Maverick and how at first the ride area was barren, but now that the trees have grown in the landscaping has become really beautiful.
- Looks like the train powers through that helix pretty quickly. I think this ride will once again prove that you can’t judge a coaster based on an animated video.
Chris Baker
www.linkedin.com/in/chrisabaker
Also keep in mind that it's a first run in cold temperatures.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
About the music, every time I hear music in a Kings Island promo video, I imagine Don Helbig in his KI office, wearing sunglasses in a darkened room, bouncing up and down under a disco ball, with a serious face, fiddling with Garageband on his iMac.
When the reality is that he probably buys it online somewhere.
I'm not knocking it either. The music in KI videos is usually really good.
-Travis
www.youtube.com/TSVisits
Well, KI's social media have been pretty dormant the past few days - no statement yet on COVID-19.
At this point, I'd be shocked if Opening/Media/First Rider Auction aren't pushed back until further notice, and rightfully so.
Even if it does go on as planned, I sure as heck am not going. I'll ride it when I ride it. There are bigger priorities now...
Cedar Fair commented about it, and did not mention KI. From just a few days ago...
As we continue to monitor developments surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to provide you with another update regarding our parks. We will be temporarily closing Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA and both Schlitterbahn Waterparks in New Braunfels and Galveston Island, Texas effective Saturday, March 14. The parks will remain closed until the end of this month. In addition, we will also be postponing the opening of California’s Great America in Santa Clara, CA, Kings Dominion, in Doswell, VA and Carowinds in Charlotte, NC until the first weekend of April. We believe this decision is in the best interest of our associates, our guests, and our communities.
-Travis
www.youtube.com/TSVisits
I’ve been looking forward to this freaking coaster for eight months. Attending the pass holder preview event to ride Orion was the only reason I renewed my season pass. Now the ride is built, testing, and a month from opening then.... GLOBAL PANDEMIC. WTF?!
The health and safety of everyone on the planet is obviously way more important than going to a theme park. Not to mention, all the other ways most are having to adapt their are way more disruptive and difficult.
But I'm taking this one super hard. This is just another way the universe is telling me not to look forward to anything. Only disappointment and tragedy beyond imagination are certain.
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