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Reflection of Orion

Orion taking everyone by Storm

Just wanted to share a few things I have with the original KI logo...the glass and the salt and pepper shakers are vintage. The shirt was sold at Kings Island just a few years ago that lists original attractions. I've worn it to the park a few times. I've had associates ask me about it; a few thought it must have been vintage. it does have 70's vibe to it. Since the original logo was from the Coney/Kings Island continuation era, I scanned a Coney brochure that is from its final season. It doesn't have the KI logo, but it does reference the "new park".

Hey look ma I made it!

I made a solo trip to the park today. (The rest of my family didn’t feel safe attempting it.) My opinion...because I know everyone cares. I give the park credit, I think they have done ABOUT all that is possible to make the park reasonably safe...but in the end, you just can’t fix stupid...or arrogance. (It will be a job to enforce all of the rules if the park REALLY gets busy.) Here are 2 examples I saw today...I think the second one falls into the stupidity category...I’m not sure about the first one... Example A: I was next in line to enter the tent to have my temperature taken, I glance behind me...and I kid you not, a guy is within a foot of me! He couldn’t even make it through the “turnstiles” without breaking the rules...he did have a mask on though. (I swear, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve shaken my head at stupidity during my lifetime would have been able to outbid Cedar Fair for the parks back then. ) Example B: A mother and a daughter were walking down one of the “main drags” without masks on, drinking cups of water. An associate called them over to explain that they had to have their masks on. I felt so bad for the associate, what should have been about a 30 second conversation went on for about 3 minutes. The mom seemed to think that because they were drinking it was a “get out of jail free card”. (In my hometown, grocery store cashiers are receiving “hazard pay”...maybe the park should consider something like “stupidity pay”. ) I thought most people seemed to be wearing their masks properly...but I wasn’t purposely staring at everyone. Keeping masks on the little kids seemed to be the hardest thing...but it also seemed like parents were trying. I thought that most of the time people were doing a good job at social distancing...but, since the park wasn’t crowded it was easy. I did notice that people bunched up into a normal crowded line to collect their Orion ride tickets though...I just don’t know how many extra associates it would take to stop that from happening. My overall opinion, I wanted to be able to say that I experienced this COVID style Kings Island...and I don’t regret doing it...but, I didn’t think of something in advance that I should have...“this” Kings Island would be lacking one of the main ingredients of why I visit the park...escapism from the real world...unfortunately, it followed me to the park. I hope the park can make this work...I don’t envy them. I did pick up quite a few souvenirs...because as @BeeastFarmer said earlier “because you help people when they are down.“ (That, and I love all of the new pins! ) Out of everything I bought though, I thought this souvenir summed up a trip to Kings Island in 2020 perfectly! (The idea of getting a caricature now just seemed so ludicrous...something I’d expect to see in a “Naked Gun” or “Airplane” movie.

Just for fun, here is the data from Ride Forces, combined front and back row:

We were at the park today -- came thru gate at 1050, my 14yr old son and I bolted to grab Orion passes while my wife and 11yr old son went to wait for Mystic. Got my 11-12pm window pass for Orion, and thought we'd go ride Mystic first with the others before coming back to make our window -- and we managed two rides on Mystic, two rides on Diamondback, *and* got back to Orion at 1145 for a walkon to row 2. ( Also, FWIW: the 11 yr old has decided he has 'graduated' from Flying Ace Aerial Chase, and is now Team Banshee. He plans to write a farewell letter to the Flying Ace ride ops. )

I have now read dozens of comments around the internet on how Orion may have the best drop out of all the giga coasters. Everybody who has ever called Orion a "hyper" can officially insert foot in mouth now.

If we’re sharing our original logo souvenirs, I’ve had this for a few years now. I don’t remember if it came from an antique shop or eBay though.

I am not an expert on drinking glasses...is this one?

True. I just can’t see 7 days a week continuing like this. I mean it’s glorious for a park goers who doesn’t mind a mask, but this HAS to be killing overhead. I’m SO IMPRESSED they even swapped out the flowers on the flower carts and all the 4th decor from Monday. They aren’t “cutting corners” with a lot of this.

Guess kentucky kingdom is requiring face masks now. https://www.wkyt.com/2020/07/08/state-reports-400-new-covid-19-cases-6-new-deaths-on-wednesday/

The Kings Island "Crown" logo was used through fall 1971 to promote the park. By December the new, more familiar, "Disneyland font" logo was in place. (More about that in a minute...) Ads for the KI preview movie that played local theaters used the new logo as early as Jan 1st. However the movie itself was produced in 1971, and used the "Crown Logo" in it's title shots. Here are samples of the logo in the variations of the "preview" brochure that was distributed before KI opened. There were at least 3 variations of the brochure. The first (far left) was distributed at Cincinnati's Coney Island at the preview center in early summer 1971. The second version was also distributed at the Coney preview center late season/August 1971. (It names the Jack Nicholas designed golf course at Kings Island which was announced in August 1971.) The third brochure was distributed at the information centers after Coney closed (note the original planned opening date of May 6th which did not happen.) As you can see, the second logo was in place for this brochure. The new logo was developed, as I understand, in fall 1971. It utilized a variation of what's become known as the "Disneyland" font. It *may* have been suggested by Bruce Bushman, who did quite of bit of concept work for the park. (Mr Bushman was one of the original WED Imagineers responsible for the original design of Fantasyland for Walt Disney. He was instrumental in also designing Kings Island and, no doubt, patterned parts of KI on it.) The new logo could also have been a "nod" to the fact that Kings Island - when it was being announced/built - was being billed by many as Ohio's version of Disneyland. While the park was under construction, there were 2 different billboards placed by the interstate to mark the location of the park. The first billboard featured the "Crown" logo. The second also used the "crown" logo as well - but the Eiffel Tower had become part of the advertising campaign. Here are pictures of both billboards courtesy of KI50MOVIE... Its worth noting that ALL advertisements of Kings Island at Cincinnati's Coney Island used the "Crown" logo. Including the "Racing Coaster" billboard that sat adjacent to the Shooting Star's station. By the time KI opened in May, the "Disneyland" font version of the logo was the only one being used for advertising purposes. The confusing matter is, the "Crown" logo still cropped up on merchandise and shopping bags etc. That (very likely) included the "Tiki Mugs" mentioned here. The reason? Because many orders for merchandise and various items were placed prior to the logo change to meet manufacturing timeline requirements. BTW - the "Crown" logo still crops up as a "throwback" on merchandise from time to time. For instance, this season there is at least one item (a slinky toy) that features the "Crown" logo being sold in the shops on International Street. For posterity, I think the switch to the "Disneyland" font logo including the Eiffel Tower was an excellent decision. Its far more iconic and dynamic than the "crown" logo. Frankly, I still prefer it to any logo the park has used since - including the Paramount version and the current Cedar Fair version.

I do too beeastfarmer! I wish I had kept all the souvenirs and maps. My first trip was with my 8th grade class in 1973. Oh how I especially wish I had kept the maps. We would go over them for hours after each trip reliving every step and thrill. Great times

New this season, Afterburner fries. Deep fried jalapenos drizzled with a sauce heavily laden with California Reaper extract. It's sure to blow you out of this world one way or another!

According to the dictionary they should just shoot out of you quicker with increased thrust, but cannot confirm.

How does this compare to the other gigas?

This may be a great place to put this: https://www.visitkingsisland.com/blog/2020/july/kings-islands-orion-roller-coaster-a-story-driven-attraction

I haven't been through my KI stuff for awhile, and came across a couple more items with the original logo...two of everyone's favorite items to remember their Kings Island visit: a shot glass, and an ashtray. Also, it doesn't sport the first logo, but the map pictured is from, what I understand, the opening season.

Yep. And that's certainly intentional.

Not to go off topic too much, but regarding the different logos... does anyone remember in 2007 when the park just removed the Paramount's part of the fountain marquee and left the bottom half in place? I'm assuming @BeeastFarmer is referring to souvenirs with a similar set-up, which I think I saw a few of last year. Regarding the tiki mugs... @TikiDan151 thanks for sharing! I don't have anything to add that others didn't already cover - that logo wasn't used on park publications 1972 onward, but it's on some early merchandise. As @standbyme put it - it was "like the park just bought an item from a wholesaler and slapped their logo on it."

This will date me. But my favorite memory is riding Zodiac and hearing the music from the Coney Island Disco. Every time I hear a disco song to this day I think of that ride and Kings Island.

Yes. It overlooks the Diamondback splash pond. It’s obviously not air conditioned but has some umbrellas. I don’t like the idea of eating indoors during COVID, so we are outside there today. Just tell them when you arrive that you will be eating outside and they will deliver your food out there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

See also: Taken today, right outside the park gates. My guess is they abandoned the project because of the ‘Rona but haven’t updated all of the signage yet.

Worlds of Fun and Dorney down to 4 day weeks and HersheyPark, with it's brand new coaster, is cutting 3 hours from its operating day. We just got back from 3 days in that area with 2 at Hershey and 1 at Great Adventure and it was shockingly slow at Hershey. They had a lot of small attractions closed in addition to Storm Runner which is down for the year. We walked on Candymonium 8 times out of our 10 rides over 2 days. I could see Kings Island dropping days as the other CF parks have. Sad. It's a dangerous time for all of us, but if 2021 goes like 2020 it's going to challenge the very existence of a lot of parks, not just small ones either.

Seeing it in person now I suggest nothing but a lake and green space. It’s beautiful seeing from Beast load across open space all the way to coney. There is undeveloped land all over this place. I’d hope they finish clearing, create a water feature that brings Beast station back to its original design AND gives that marque ride the visibility it has earned. OR incorporate a flume ride into the lake going back into the woods trying to keep as much or the tree line as possible as a nod to Kentons. It would be cool if they could make it look like it connects to the Diamondabak lake and really make water the centerpiece of (wait for it) RIVERtown. Enough coasters for now. Really, didn’t we just get one????

Corona cases skyrocketing in Hamilton & Butler counties may have something to do with it. This is not Indiana.

https://www.coaster101.com/2020/07/02/the-hidden-easter-eggs-of-orion/ This article has pictures of all of them, and it also points out what they reference!

Just wear one,

Does anyone have any pics of those barrels in Area 72?

For the moment the order has been blocked by a judge. https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/09/politics/kentucky-circuit-judge-coronavirus-orders-masks/index.html

I beleive the order also bans screaming and chewing ice. (While wearing a mask)

I heard of that too! All of those big barrels in Area 72 (I think there are four) are supposedly repurposed old fountain pedestals.

I can’t recall Cedar Fair ever reusing the Paramount Logo for nostalgic merchandise purposes prior. Perhaps enough time has passed allowing Paramount Parks monikers to to fall into public domain. Either that or the rights to the logo fell to CF as a part of the buyout... and they’ve simply chosen to suppress its reuse until now.

Having ridden Orion a few more times, the ride really is the best in the world, in my opinion. It’s neat that the ride is built 287 feet tall on top of a berm, so that the ride towers over everything else. In fact I think the vertical distance between the top of Orion and the lowest part of Kings Island is larger than the respective values for Fury 325. That being said, the ride is intense in the pull-out sections of the drop. I feel the wave turn is neat as it provides some floater airtime with lateral g forces. The reverse treble clef has a good pop of air with stronger airtime. The speed hill is intense, and the camelback hill is absolutely insane. To put it into perspective, the fifth hill of Orion is as tall as the second hill of SFOG’s Goliath. The helix is intense, and the final off axis airtime element before the brakes is intense. The ride is a world class addition to a world class park!

If the term giga coaster is just a marketing term from Cedar Fair, then I guess we should start calling them what they are per manufacturer. Which if I’m not mistaken per B&M’s website that would make Orion a hyper coaster. -Troy running for the exit.

I’m going to put my two cents in on this matter. Once again, Cedar Fair is refusing to take responsibility, just like they shrugged off a guest being fatally stabbed on their property, (albeit in the corner by the toll booths) and they won’t say where this associate worked. i was very concerned about KI reopening, consider I was a Halloween Haunt maze usher at Wonderland. My job was to keep the flow running, when guests won’t listen to me there and laugh at me, who’s the say guests won’t react with the same hostile attitude when they are told to put their masks on. I got in trouble at wonderland for putting my foot down when a big logjam was created with guests and I sternly told them to leave. im not going to point fingers and name the person, but it’s unacceptable when I learned that three current Kings Island associates had spent a day earlier this week goofing off at Holiday World. Yes, a trip that would require crossing over two state lines. I think many understand the risk of that here and personally I am disgusted by that behavior. Obviously, Wonderland isn’t opened, and the province of Ontario is still reporting slightly north of 100 new cases each day, our population is 14.5 million so you can do the math. Cedar Fair’s greed to reopen the parks could care less about public safety.

Please don't leave your house either.

I'm glad they went with the other logo. The one pictured looks too much like a 60's field party or early 70's disco.

I would not want Six owning it. Competition probably a little too close for comfort. I have long thought that Herschend Family Entertainment would be a good fit. Or a local Cincinnatian that wants to see the park flourish and is not afraid to invest some money to bring it back. It will never be a mega park like Kings Island. But given the right owner and resources, it could be a small family park. Heck, given the resources, you could make an indoor FEC on top of a parking garage in the west lot (to elevate it out of the flood plain), and add some restaurants, etc for year round operation. Imagine having a Scene 75 type place adjacent to an actual amusement park. Combine it with a hotel, and you could have people staying on property. Wishful dreams on my part. But they could at the very least add in a campground and add back in some kiddy rides. The sister company to Coney is Leisure Systems, which licenses the Jellystone Campgrounds across the country. I would not be surprised to see a campground built in the coming years.

Yes, they lost a lot of company picnics when they decided to remove the rides. I still work down there doing some scheduling and assisting with things here and there. The rides side is currently very sad. All the ride pads are still there, just without any fencing in place. Storybook Pedal boats are still there, and open Friday, Saturday and Sundays. At the time the rides were removed, I heard a number that they had projected Group Sales to decrease by. I thought at the time, and still think that the number was overly optimistic. As Ryan said, most companies don`t want to book a company outing to just a pool. Obviously we will never get a true comparison because of COVID. The decision to remove the rides apparently came from ownership. I was certainly blind sided by the news when it was announced. In fact, the main reason they started adding rides back in the early 1990s was to increase the group sales business. That portion had tailed off in recent years compared to when I started at Coney in 2002. They have done some very silly things over the years, that if I owned/was in charge of the place I would not have done. For example, they came close to installing a Gravity Group wooden coaster way back in 2012. They decided the price was too high. You have to spend money to make money. It would have been a great ride. The ride would not have taken up parking spots under most circumstances. The station would have been where Eurobungy was located, with the lift heading out towards Gate 2, right along Lake Como. The ride would have turned, running parallel to Kellogg, right along the shore of Lake Como. The only time the park uses the grass between Kellogg and Lake Como is for sold out shows, or if they want to park people there instead of parking them in the West lot. Yes, they may have lost some spots for the coaster and its turn around for peak capacity events (and they would have had to find a new location to launch the July 3 fireworks), but it would have been a great ride. Some of the later ride installs were questionable. Como Cruisers, battery powered boats that cannot run if they get wet! Wipeout was an intense ride, but it didn`t really fit the target demographic of Coney of kids and families. Same goes for Topspin (which was a great ride, and I actually preferred it to Delirium), but it was did not appeal to families. I think had Coney received the coaster, and added things like a Flying Scooter ride, and a Zephyr type ride, things would be drastically different. My hope, and it is just that, that Coney can hold on a couple more years, and that the ownership decides to add rides back again. Or current ownership sells to someone that will be a good steward to the park and start to add rides back in.

I'd love that, but ain't gonna happen.

...and that last break run. Wowzers.

Sigh. All of your information is outdated by about 3 months. Masks are difference makers, even when it's cloth masks. It's literally proven at this point.

I am still sad that the rides were removed. I personally think it was the wrong decision. But Coney survived the rides being removed once before. The saving grace is the pool (and next door Riverbend, where Coney actually operates the concessions and receives parking revenue, although with all the canceled shows this year, that will be substantially less than in past years). I would like to think that Coney will be able to expand the water park aspect and add in some unique water slides to the market. Stuff that Kings Island does not have at Soak City. Time will tell though.