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Shots my Mom got of Orion from the Kings High School back parking lot:

Google Earth shows right where DB highest point is roughly 749 feet and Orion is roughly 746 so it is nearly the same. Now, the bottom of Orion's hill is for sure lower elevation than DB. Looks like roughly 717 feet around the bottom of Orion's first drop

The feeling of going down that drop wont seem insignificant though.

Here's another pic from my mom today. If you go to a Kings High School football game next year, you'll be able to get great views of Orion when it's light out. Hopefully Orion has a nice light package on the lift and maybe light up wheels so you can get great views at night too!

I’m guessing there’s about a 20-30 ft elevation difference (With Diamondback sitting on the higher land).

Did you visit the park this year? Theming is (thankfully) very important once more. Orion will be one of the most heavily-themed rides in Kings Island’s history.

I love seeing all of this old stuff in one thread. Here are a couple of my own photo trip reports from back in the day. (I can’t believe that the photos are still being hosted somewhere after all these years.) On another recent thread, @BeastForever was wondering why some people would throw around things like “this site ain’t what it used to be”...I think some of the above things, and these trip reports are an example of why some of us miss the “good old days”. I would count KIC Day as one of the best days of my (arguably pathetic) life...I made some friendships that day that have lasted all these years. KIC Day Photo Trip Report (2008) Then, with the relationship still going strong between the park, and this site we were given an off season event! standbyme’s Blues Party PTR (2009) And here is @Gordon Bombay’s excellent trip report for the same event...I wish the photos were still visible...hint hint!) Battling the Off Season Blues - The Day in Photos Good times! I miss a lot of our past members. For the record, I am not saying that we all got along back then...just like every “family”, people argued...but it did seem like we were at least more of a cohesive unit than we are now. And also for the record, I appreciate quite a bit of you “newer posters” that have tried to keep this spirit alive over the past few years. (I gave up for a few years and just lurked because I didn’t think it was worth trying to keep a presence going on here.) I am glad that your passion for the park has kept this site going... I really need my daily Kings Island fix! It would be nice if everyone could meet face to face again like this again..I think it’s a lot harder to be mean/disrespectful to someone once you can put a face to the name and know what they are actually like. One last “shout out”... I think Brad @IndyGuy4KI & @malem are doing an excellent job at moderating! It’s got to be a nightmare of a job trying to please both us and the park...I know most of us appreciate it. (At least the ones of us who aren’t jerks do...just kidding, just kidding. )

I think the same. The year will be focused on history for the 150th to a degree and they have confirmed a river expedition attraction. I wouldn't be surprised to see it include the return of the Paddlewheel. I'm guessingthe announcement will be more information on this attraction. Possibly the boat's return and what sort of story and theming it will have.

Anyone have any clue when they will finish the lift?

I drive past the park to and from work everyday. It's been amazing to watch this coaster being built. That first drop is going to be insane! I got to ride both Fury and Intimidator 305 this past summer. That drop looks comparable to both of those. I'm beyond happy that we have own own 300 foot drop at last!

Tell your mom I said Thank you.

I think a point that we all can agree on is that Oktoberfest NEEDS to stand out from the other areas of the park rather than to look like boarder zone between AZ, CM, and IS.

I broke it down somewhere earlier in this thread. I want to say that Diamondback’s lift hill sits on land ~30-40 feet higher than Orion’s. I honestly can’t remember.

I remember somebody saying that a while ago in this thread. Maybe around pages 40-50. I'm not 100% sure though.

That’s what she said

It's amazing how insignificant the ride looks from the front of the park compared to other gigas as It barely looks bigger than DB, but if you go back towards Great Wolf, it looks significantly larger than DB.

Hang time is ok... But compared to a big dive coaster like valraven or Yukon striker it's underwhelming and lacks the major thrill of a dive coaster. If they go dive, they should commit and stick with B&M. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No they are not down, they are up on the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Yes. Yes it is.

Just think though, Vortex at Canada's Wonderland is essentially a clone of The Bat and it's older (1987). So while I can't be certain, as long as it is around I'd say The Bat is safe.

Something has been on my mind lately re: Vortex... Since Vortex was built in 1987, I always thought of it as an 80's coaster (as in, oh, that was built in the 80's, as in a long time ago)... actually, it existed more years in the 90's than in the 80's. I often overlook this and I guess it makes me appreciate it even more; that in the 90's it was still a relatively new coaster (1997 was the 10th anniversary) and has always been a good standby coaster through the years. On a similar track (pun intended), this also concerns me re: The Bat's future as is was built only a few years after Vortex (1993)...

I remembered another one from this past weekend: I / Sam the Butcher was letting groups into Slaughterhouse and a couple with two small children, about 3 and 5 years old, came up with the children wearing No Boo necklaces. I told the mom, "Just to let you know, the No Boos aren't valid in the houses and you have to turn them off." The mom proceeded to turn the daughter's No Boo off and told her "Don't worry, they won't scare you, they'll still be able to see it." I told her "No, they WILL scare anyone who comes into the house, the No Boos don't work in there." The mom then told the girl again "No, they won't scare you." I let them in... I said "Well, I warned them..." to the two groups of guests that were next in line in the regular and Fright Lane lines. That then started a conversation between us about the No Boos. We don't purposely target those with No Boos, we target everyone, but a lot of times we'll go easy on the little kids. However, with the pop scares it can sometimes be impossible to tell who you're popping out at in a group. Needless to say, the kids came out crying.

Cedar Fair as of late has been theming their queues quite a bit (Copperhead strike, Yukon striker & Mystic), I doubt Orion would be an exception.

Which B&M flyer have you ridden? I'm surprised you rank Vekoma's above B&M's too - in my opinion, the B&M ones are far smoother, appear to have a much higher capacity, and just look a lot prettier.

I don't think we're going to see a new flyer come to any CF park in the forseeable future, B&M or otherwise... They tend to have some of the slowest dispatch times, cost more to operate, less reliable, and for a lot of people, are just plain uncomfortable. While I enjoyed Firehawk, I can't say I particularly cared much for the B&M flyer I've ridden. Starting and ending in the flying position I found to be incredibly uncomfortable, and not rerideable in the slightest. One of those rare times that a Vekoma greatly outshines a B&M...

Now this is were it would be nice to have the webcams. The lift hill is done and we can’t see anything else that is going on. Right now they could be doing the head chopper section but the great members of this site can’t take pictures of that which sucks.

Anyone know the elevation change from DB's lift to Orion's? I tried to find a topography map and it didn't go very close.. but it seems like it might be a 50ft ish difference?

Just wait til you see it up close!

From looking at the weatherbug this morning I don’t see Zeus... I wonder if he is getting moved or being broken down to be shipped away.

I hope we get to see the 2nd hill done while WinterFest is going on! This is going to look awesome!

It simply makes almost no sense to add a rollercoaster this upcoming year. They’re already going to have a lot of growth next year with the success of the Gold pass. Adding a rollercoaster wouldn’t do that much in increasing the attendance more. Also it’d make much more sense for them to have already announced it & attempt to advertise it with Orion to boast platinum pass sales.

There has been land clearing. EDIT: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2019/08/cedar-points-150th-anniversary-in-2020-features-new-river-ride-nighttime-midway-celebration.html%3foutputType=amp Paddleboats were already confirmed.

Yeah, if they were adding something like a roller coaster, there would have been land clearing and stuff during the 2019 season: I went during Halloweekends in September and there was none of that. The big rumor I have heard is that in 2020, the beloved former family boat ride Paddlewheel Excursions is supposed to return. I would also not rule out some sort of dark ride.

Any RMC would be cool as heck!

Man, the sarcasm is real

They're just really, really sad.

Are the webcams still down?

Congo Falls left?

I was born in 87 and makes me feel super old

You really want a windchill produced by going 90+ mph in winter? Myself? I'm already annoyed by 53 mph windchill on Timbers. You can have your hypothermia, thank you very much.

I may be way off base here, but I just don't see Vortex going away?? Well maybe the name, track and trains. The announcement that Vortex was closing for good, reminds me what Cedar Point did 3yrs ago when it was announced Mean Streak was getting the Axe and closing for good. Not using the words "being torn down". The same thing has happened to Vortex, and I can see it being the 1st All Steel Coaster to get an RMC Makeover with the remaining structure being outfitted with the 1st T-Rex Raptor Track and Trains where the passengers sit side by side with RMC Trains restraints found on Steel Vengeance etc. I think the current layout of Vortex, some of it could also get re-profiled especially the quick 180 U turn into the mid-course brake into the corkscrew. As mention, I maybe way off base on this subject, but we all have quickly learned the Great magic RMC can do. I see Alan Schilke and the RMC Crew heading to Kings Island, and making Vortex the very 1st all Steel Coaster getting an RMC makeover. T-Rex Raptor Track and Trains. RMC hasn't built that kind of model yet. Also it will save Cedar Fair A lot of money instead of building a new coaster from ground up. Orion I think has a price tag of 35 Million.

2007

Yeah you might be able to see The Beast more easily now, unless if the trees have grown taller now.

It was warmer that evening than it was on opening day this year.

IDK. But I do know IT FINALLY GOT TOPPED OFF!

It might be funny how misinformed they are, but it's sad the way they're all in on that misinformation... Odds are you could have explained it and they'd think you were the one who was wrong... They'd rather not learn than appear wrong in front of their friends...

Today I figured out that not only is Orion over 500 ft tall but it’s also the tallest in the world. If only they knew that it wasn’t even tallest in the State. Where do they hear this stuff?

Just heard a guest say that they're building "The New Beast" and it should be ready by next year. Why did no one tell me this?!? I should listen to the Dippin' Dots guy more often.

I was thinking 12 Days would be perfect for the antique cars. The train is just to big an synonymous with Christmas for a throw-together attraction like that. I feel like the train really is the only thing that didn't exceed my expectations with Winterfest.