Orion (roller coaster)

Orion /ɒrˈaɪˈɪn/ is a steel roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio. Manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, Orion became the seventh giga coaster in the world when it opened to the public on July 2, 2020. It is the largest investment in park history, costing Cedar Fair an estimated $30 million.[2][3] The coaster stands 287 feet (87 m), features a 300-foot drop (91 m), and reaches a maximum speed of 91 mph (146 km/h).[2][3] It is situated in the Area 72 section of the park on a site formerly occupied by Firehawk.[2]

Orion
Kings Island
LocationKings Island
Park sectionArea 72
Coordinates39°20′33.84″N 84°15′45.82″W
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateJuly 1, 2020 (2020-07-01)
Opening dateJuly 2, 2020 (2020-07-02)
Cost$30 Million
ReplacedFirehawk
Dinosaurs Alive!
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelHyper Coaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height287 ft (87 m)
Drop300 ft (91 m)
Length5,321 ft (1,622 m)
Speed91 mph (146 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration3:00
Max vertical angle85[1]°
Capacity1,650 riders per hour
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Trains3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
Orion at RCDB
Pictures of Orion at RCDB

History

In early 2019, Kings Island submitted construction blueprints to the City of Mason for approval.[4] Dennis Speigel, a former park executive who helped with the transition from Coney Island to Kings Island in the early 1970s,[5] speculated that the blueprints revealed a likely height estimate of at least 300 feet (91 m), qualifying it as a giga coaster.[4] The plans were approved on April 24, 2019.[4] Cedar Fair also applied for national trademarks for the names Orion and Polaris as a marketing teaser tactic to keep enthusiasts guessing between the two.[4] On August 15, 2019, Kings Island held an evening event open to both the media and public that officially announced the new coaster as Orion.[6] It was confirmed to have a 300-foot drop (91 m), making it the seventh giga coaster in the world.[2][3] The announcement also stated that the unofficial X-Base section of the park would be revamped and renamed Area 72 for the 2020 season.[6]

In November 2019, Orion's train design was revealed at the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Amusement Expo in Orlando.[7][8] Unlike previous train configurations from B&M that feature staggered, two-seat rows, Orion's trains were designed to seat four across in a straight line.[7][8]

In February 2020, Orion successfully completed its first test run.[9] It was originally scheduled to open on April 11, 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening was postponed to July 2, 2020.[10][11] A media preview event was held the previous day on July 1, 2020.[12]

On December 30, 2020, it was announced that Orion won the 2020 "Best New Amusement Park Attraction" in the USA TODAY 10Best National Readers' Poll.[13]

References
  1. "Kings Island's new giga coaster uses rolling terrain to its advantage". daytondailynews. October 8, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  2. Glaser, Susan (August 15, 2019). "Kings Island announces new space-themed coaster Orion, with 300-foot first hill". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved August 16, 2019. Koontz said the coaster represented “the single largest investment in Kings Island history.”
  3. Mitchell, Madeline (August 15, 2019). "Kings Island announces newest roller coaster, Orion, park's largest and longest coaster". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  4. Matarese, John (May 9, 2019). "Kings Island files blueprints for new coaster". wcpo.com. WCPO Cincinnati. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  5. Keeter, John (May 20, 2019). "Kings Island rolled out the carpet for some of its biggest fans at Coasterstock 2019". Kings Island. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  6. "Orion: Kings Island". Kings Island. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  7. Ozana, Rus (November 21, 2019). "Kings Island Orion Train Cars Revealed". ACE Online. American Coaster Enthusiasts. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  8. MacDonald, Brady (November 19, 2019). "11 best roller coaster and thrill ride reveals at massive Florida theme park expo". The Orange County Register. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  9. King's Island PR [@KingsIslandPR] (22 February 2020). "After months of construction, Orion completed its first test run at 5:29 p.m. today. Video just released from park officials shows one of the ride's three trains climbing the lift hill and plummeting down the 300-foot first drop" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 February 2020 – via Twitter.
  10. Schwartzberg, Eric (March 20, 2020). "Kings Island postpones opening day for more than a month". Journal-News. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  11. Schwartzberg, Eric (June 14, 2020). "Kings Island opening will finally debut the planet's seventh 'giga' coaster, Orion". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  12. Glaser, Susan (July 1, 2020). "Taking flight on Kings Island's new Orion coaster (and yes, you can scream through a mask)". cleveland.com. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  13. "Best New Amusement Park Attraction Winners (2020) | USA TODAY 10Best". 10Best. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
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