Kings Island's Orion roller coaster a story-driven attraction
Kyle Kruthoffer
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Alright Project X Volunteers, the time has come for orientation. Now that you’ve been briefed on your mission in my last Kings Island Blog, let’s get down to some of the nitty-gritty details of the all-new Area 72.
One thing we love to do here at Kings Island is tell a story. Whether it’s referencing the past or engulfing someone in a new atmosphere that they're traveling to, there are so many details that go into it. So let's talk about them.
As you enter Area 72 under The Racer, you’ll overhear a live radio feed broadcasting from WERD Radio. Conspiracy theorists have been well aware of some of the unusual occurrences taking place, so be sure to drop by and listen in once in a while to hear what they have to say about this "Orion Sequence."
When you first enter through the entrance of the Fort Mason Research Compound (Orion), you’ll notice that the building has been given a new life. This of course used to be the former Firehawk’s photo booth. Now you will see it decked out with thermal scanners and a new photo opportunity, praising and forever memorializing volunteers who are brave enough to embark on the mission.
As you walk along the queue, huge blue barrels are set throughout the area. Not only do these have some clever Cedar Fair park references on them, but the barrels had a former life as well. These were used as some of the bases for the International Street fountains before its major refurbishment in 2019.
Upon entering the quonset hut, you will once again be briefed on your mission by Project X personnel. By taking a look at the mission boards, a history of the Project X Initiative can be studied. In case you didn’t know, all previous nine sequences were actual attractions that existed at one point or another and have something to do with the park.
- Sequence I - Shooting Star - 1947 (operated at Cincinnati’s Coney Island)
- Sequence II - The Rotor - 1972
- Sequence II - Bayern Kurve - 1973
- Sequence IV - Zodiac - 1975
- Sequence V - SkyLab -1986
- Sequence VI - Vortex - 1987
- Sequence VII - Flight of Fear - 1996
- Sequence VIII - Invertigo - 1999
- Sequence XI - Firehawk - 2007
Without these tests and the research gathered from them, we would have never come this far to learn about the imminent meteor storm, and thus, there would be no Orion Sequence. Many historic, rare, and never-before-seen pictures hang on this wall. There are too many easter eggs to point out on these boards, so you’ll have to plan a visit and check them out for yourself.
Once you walk over to Flight of Fear, you’ll notice that a large meteor has crashed next to a security van overseeing the perimeter. It must have crashed pretty recently, as billowing smoke is coming from the crater.
At Flight of Fear’s photo-booth, there are many details to take note of. Clearly researchers have been hard at work, as they have put together an Off-Base “ATLAS” Substation Overview Map, pinpointing some of the less-than-natural occurrences that have been going on at Kings Island. Hopefully Mr. Christopher didn’t authorize the public to go through those areas, too (Major Jones would be pretty upset if that were the case).
I hope you’ve enjoyed this exclusive look into what makes Area 72 so extra(terrestrial). Have you spotted any easter eggs that didn’t make the blog? Share in the comments below some of your favorites!