A couple of months ago I posted a blog asking for your donations to A Kid Again to support a great cause, and help my dad and I be among the first to experience Orion at Kings Island. You all delivered and helped my dad and I raise over 500 dollars for the event and put us on one of the first 3 trains of the coaster! The event was originally scheduled for mid-April, but due to COVID-19, was postponed indefinitely. After months of waiting, we finally got to ride on July 1, 2020. We arrived at the park around 4 pm and hopped in line to get our credentials. Along with our ID badges, we also each received a t-shirt, pen, magnet, drawstring bag, and first riders certificates. We then made our way into the park and were held about halfway down International Street. At 5 o’clock they walked us back to Area 72.
The transformation of this land is unbelievable. Before, it was run down, cracked slabs of concrete, with very little color or anything appealing to look at. Now, the land is full of vibrant blue color, and very nice set pieces to fit the theme. Area 72 is the Fort Mason Research Compound, a midwest counterpart to the infamous Area 51 research Facility. There are signs all around warning civilians to stay away and saying that photography isn’t allowed (totally ignored that lol). There is also an old station wagon sitting just before the racer that is themed to a radio station car and broadcasting about the weird things happening in Area 72. Once crossing under the lifts of Racer, guests are greeted by a set of gates that act as the main entrance to the area. Flight of Fear’s building has received a complete facelift to go along with the new story. A meteor crashed in front of the building leaving scorch marks all over the hanger. Guests can actually walk up to a fence and see the impact zone and the meteor itself, which is glowing and steaming. There are also several vans placed around the land that are Area 72 research vehicles which greatly add to the whole experience. There are tons of super small details and set pieces as well that just help tie the whole thing together and make the area feel super cool. There where even a few nods to Cedar Fair attractions around the country. And now the thing you’ve all been waiting for.
My dad and I were called up to ride and headed through the queue. The park has done an amazing job of making this line look good. There are set pieces and posters littered throughout to give guests something to look at. The pre-show building is insanely well done, with theming everywhere you look. There are references to all of the 10 rides from last fall, plans for Orion, and of course a small preshow that is played on TV monitors. (I sadly was never able to see the video so I can’t talk about it more than saying it exists) From there, you make your way up into the stations and prepare to board one of three trains: Turquoise, Blue, or Silver. Throughout the event, I managed 5 rides on Orion; 2 in front, 2 in the middle, and 1 in back. Overall, Orion did not disappoint. What I kept saying to myself all night is that it did nothing wrong and everything right. The pacing was phenomenal, forces were great, airtime was surprisingly good, and speed was relentless. Some highlights where the wave turn which is just perfect zero-g, the speed hill which is a great moment of heavily sustained floater, and the little dip into the brake run which completely caught me off guard with a great pop of ejector. I preferred the front over the back, and like the seat closest to the exit in any row the best. Overall, Orion is an amazing coaster that is well worth a trip to Kings Island to experience.
I have it ranked 7 out of 229 coasters, mainly because I just had so much fun on it! I can not thank the park enough for having us and allowing us to experience this amazing new coaster. If you want to read all about my opening day experience click here, if you want to look at all of my Orion and Kings Island pictures, click here, and if you want to listen to my thoughts about the coaster and opening day, click here for the Twisted Travelers Podcast. Thank you for reading and ride on!
