New Orion Giga Coaster Coming to Kings Island In 2020
Thrill-seekers will experience a new level of excitement when they visit Kings Island in 2020. Joining the world-class line-up of coasters at the park is Orion, one of only seven giga coasters in the world, a class of coasters having a height or drop of 300-399 ft.
Orion will plunge riders down an exhilarating 300-foot drop before sending them on a high-speed journey over seven more hills at speeds of up to 91 mph. Racing along 5,321 feet of track, it will be Kings Island’s tallest, fastest and longest steel coaster.
“Orion reflects Kings Island’s commitment to providing top notch thrills and value to our guests,” said Mike Koontz, Kings Island’s vice president and general manager. “Beginning today, coaster enthusiasts from around the world are adding Orion to their list of must-ride coasters in 2020.”
Orion was exclusively designed for Kings Island by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard, which also designed the park’s popular Banshee and Diamondback coasters. They also designed the extremely popular and highly regarded Leviathan and Fury 325 coasters found at sister Cedar Fair parks.
Kings Island revealed the new giga coaster to a live audience during a special announcement event at the park. The announcement took place with a packed crowd in X-Base, which will be renamed and re-themed to “Area 72” for the 2020 season. Watch the full announcement event below.
Orion’s Backstory
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.
The ride’s stats will place it among the tallest and fastest coasters in the world:
Height of First Drop: 300 feet
Length of First Drop: 447 feet
Top Speed: 91 mph
Track Length: 5,321 feet
Total Number of Hills: 8
Height of Hills: 287 feet, 174 feet, 202 feet, 56 feet, 147 feet, 125 feet, 90 feet, 83 feet
Ride Manufacturer: Bolliger & Mabillard
Duration: 3 minutes
Trains: 3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are seated 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train
Capacity: 1,650 riders per hour
Minimum Height Requirement: 54 inches
Can’t wait to ride? Take a virtual ride right now!
Orion’s announcement coincides with the eve of National Roller Coaster Day, celebrated each year on August 16. Kings Island is one of the best places in the world to celebrate the day, as guests can experience the world’s longest wooden (The Beast) and steel-inverted (Banshee) roller coasters, plus award winners Diamondback and Mystic Timbers. Below, Dan Hower and Alyssa Schipani take a ride on Banshee.
To celebrate National Roller Coaster Day,beginning August 15,the park has a limited time 2020 Gold Season Pass offer valid only through this Sunday, August 18. Guests who purchase a 2020 Gold Season Pass, or renew their 2019 Gold Season Pass, will be able to skip the regular lines when they receive a free Fast Lane Plus ticket to use one time on select dates through October 2019. And, passholders will enjoy unlimited visits to Kings Island for the rest of the 2019 season in addition to all of 2020.
For tickets and more information, visit the official Kings Island website by clicking here.
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