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Orion Reviews


IndyGuy4KI

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Went to KI earlier this week, Monday and Tuesday. Orion was actually the first ride we were able to hit. 

I have to admit that on my first ride, I had fun with it, but felt slightly underwhelmed. That first drop is great, but I didn't feel like I had experienced anything I couldn't experience on Millennium Force. It was fun, but the lack of airtime (we were sitting in the middle) just made me miss Diamondback -- I love how on DB, you spend half the ride out of your seat. 

Rode it again late on Tuesday and we were placed in the very front car, and it was a completely different experience. That first drop was amazing. But I think, with expectations out of the way, I was just able to enjoy Orion for what it is. The speed is incredible, and I love that you are constantly turning, constantly changing course. The airtime was better in that front car, and I was amazed at how propulsive the whole thing felt. I probably still prefer MF, but I might end up putting Orion slightly ahead of DB (although Beast and Banshee are my two KI favorites). 

I think Orion is going to age like GateKeeper seems to have aged at CP. I haven't ridden GateKeeper (I haven't been to CP in about six years), but I remember many friends telling me how underwhelmed they felt when it opened. Now, however, it's acknowledged as a fun, can't-miss experience at the park. I think Orion is going to be the same. It might not be the most terrifying or daunting coaster in the world, but it's a heck of a lot of fun. 

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2 hours ago, cdubbs727 said:

I think Orion is going to age like GateKeeper seems to have aged at CP. I haven't ridden GateKeeper (I haven't been to CP in about six years), but I remember many friends telling me how underwhelmed they felt when it opened. Now, however, it's acknowledged as a fun, can't-miss experience at the park. I think Orion is going to be the same. It might not be the most terrifying or daunting coaster in the world, but it's a heck of a lot of fun. 

Part of the problem, both with Orion and GateKeeper, is that enthusiasts generally want to see something new and innovative.  Something they haven't seen before that blows them away, or at least combines the best elements of other recent rides.  Reality is that it's difficult if not impossible to keep pushing the limits, and it's not always necessary.  Take each ride for what it is.

Millennium Force, Top Thrill Dragster, Maverick, Steel Vengeance, etc. may be the stars at the park, but they need a supporting crew of fun rides, too.  I still very much enjoy Gemini and Magnum, for instance, even though they're primitive by modern standards.  Same thing with Adventure Express at KI.

GateKeeper was never intended to be a boundary-pushing extreme thrill ride.  It's a nice, relatively tame and approachable ride with some cool features that interacts nicely with the main gate plaza.  The keyhole towers make an excellent first impression as you approach and enter the park.  The ride itself is fun, too.  I'm particularly fond of the in-line twist behind the towers.  :) 

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The thing is, though, that the GP (the more centered demographics parks are trying to get) are fine with these additions and innovation isn't that big a deal as long as parks are meeting their ROI.  

I think many here have their visions of the park and the industry at large clouded by not seeing that. 

The GP is more easily impressed than we are. 

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21 minutes ago, silver2005 said:

The GP is more easily impressed than we are. 

Ding, ding, ding.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  GateKeeper, Orion, etc. are still great rides and great additions.  It doesn't have to be the most mind-blowing ride.  It just has to appeal to the demographics at that park.

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19 minutes ago, jsus said:

@coaster sally, what exactly has you confused about the last two posts from @silver2005 and myself?

Its what they do. Whenever you say something that they don't agree with, they'll react all confused and not contribute. When they do, they'll make a one or two sentences argument "B&M is boring." "Intamin is the past, present, & future." Try not to get too annoyed with it, they've been doing it for months. Don't let them discourage you from posting your opinions.

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9 hours ago, jsus said:

Part of the problem, both with Orion and GateKeeper, is that enthusiasts generally want to see something new and innovative.  Something they haven't seen before that blows them away, or at least combines the best elements of other recent rides.  Reality is that it's difficult if not impossible to keep pushing the limits, and it's not always necessary.  Take each ride for what it is.

I think park goers both enthusiast and normal, ;) more than anything want something:

1. EnjoyableThis is important because why else would you ride it?

2. Different- This is important because why would you need to go to ride coaster x if it's very similar to coaster y?

Orion is a good coaster, probably better than Firehawk or Vortex. However, I don't think Orion is that different than Diamondback in terms of ride experience. I don't think it will be just enthusiasts that say that either. Sometimes casual park fans lump rides together more than enthusiasts. They don't care if B&M or Premier made a coaster, but I'm sure they can notice differences in how they feel just like we can.

DB and Orion are the two most similar coasters in terms of ride experience I can think of at KI at a single time.

Over it's history, KI has done a great job at making their coasters distinct from the existing ones. Even the three wooden coasters are remarkably different.

Over the last few seasons, whether you like Orion or not, it's hard to argue that KI's coasters are more distinct than in 2018. One park that has done an even better job at keeping all their coasters different tmis Cedar Point. All 14 adult coasters are quite different from each other.

 

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1 hour ago, IceePirate said:

I really kinda wish Orion featured a super massive zero g roll instead of the wave turn, or at least put an inversion somewhere. I actually am starting to get slightly bored with the coaster now that I've ridden it a bunch, just lost it's luster to me I guess.

Would have needed a different manufacturer.

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5 minutes ago, goettablitz said:

The piece that i feel Orion is missing is the quick direction changes found on Fury before the trebble cleff.  To me that was the most distinct part of Fury and was really hoping to see something like that on Orion.

I initially had the same thought. It seems they wanted it to fit in a pretty tight space which I think it pretty unique in it of itself. It could've been lower to the ground but I feel like they didn't want to take up anymore land than they had to. Maybe I'm wrong. Nevertheless its unique and different that Fury and Leviathan!

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3 hours ago, flightoffear1996 said:

Correct

Glad I passed the test! :lol:

3 hours ago, flightoffear1996 said:

but are the songs available for purchase?

No, but there are snippets of the source audio here, here, and here. They released a longer section of the Mystic Timbers score on YouTube a few months after that ride opened, so I imagine they'll release a longer section of Orion in the near-future.

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2 hours ago, flightoffear1996 said:

Its crazy how you can't see the ride at all at night.  Very disappointed though the star attraction closes early for the fireworks

Do they at least let people still get in line up until 10:00 and let them ride after the fireworks are over?

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I rode Orion for the first time a few days ago. Rode once in row two and once in row one. Honestly didn’t have super high expectations for it and came off underwhelmed. I really enjoyed fury 325 and leviathan so I was hoping Orion would match leviathan. Hopefully Orion will speed up when it runs full trains next year I’ll definitely be giving it more runs. The first drop and wave turn are fun as are the the last turn and pop into breaks. The middle portion of the ride really did nothing for me. 

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1 hour ago, FUN&ONLY! said:

Do they at least let people still get in line up until 10:00 and let them ride after the fireworks are over?

Can't speak for yesterday, but on the 4th we cut the line off early in order to cycle everyone off by 945. I'd expect this trend to continue honestly since KI might not want to pay the additional labor to essentially have employees sit and watch the fireworks.

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