Joining the world-class line-up of coasters at the Kings Island in 2020 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 a 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. “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.
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.
Orion’s announcement coincided with the eve of National Roller Coaster Day, celebrated each year in August
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.