News Project 2020: Orion

[warfelg]

http://coaster-nation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Kings-Island-BM-Project.pdf

So browsing around today, came across this. Looks like a ground up new B&M for KI.

Of note other than who's working on it (which includes B&M) are the years it will take to build (2018, 2019, 2020), a relative area (SOB area). No information that's going to give a style of coaster.

 

[Zachary]

No information that's going to give a style of coaster.

You mean the thousands of Kings Island fans yelling out "GIGA" in unison doesn't qualify as relevant information? ?

 

[Shane]

Oh it's wonderful that Warren County makes it public record all of the contractors you have hired for a job. Sounds like they can't hide what manufacturer they choose to go with from the public.

 

[Zachary]

I'm sure Kings Island doesn't think that policy is so great...

 

[warfelg]

So few thoughts here:
- Giga is obviously top of the list for what it could be For obvious reasons.
- Standard looper? I think they need something else.
- Wing coaster. Could be a high possibility. Bring back SOB name.
- I’ve seen some speculation of a whole new model.

Lastly I want to throw this out there:
Cedar Fair seems to have B&M really pushing the limits of a dive coaster. They’ve also been installing quite a few of them lately. Could they go for the first giga dive coaster?

 

[Shane]

Giga's are all about speed. Dive machines, not so much. I can't really see that happening, personally.

 

[Zachary]

I personally think that a giga is a shoo-in here. There seems to be a fair bit of correlation between Cedar Fair parks with B&M Hypers and Cedar Fair parks that get B&M Gigas (see: Canada's Wonderland & Carowinds).

Plus, like Carowinds, Kings Island has what I consider to be a tremendously bad B&M Hyper—mediocre layout, fairly forceless, and it runs those abominable staggered-seating trains. Adding a Fury 325 equivalent on the opposite side of the park from Diamondback makes a lot of sense to me. Plus, it won't step on the toes of anything Cedar Point has done recently (B&M Wing or Dive).

 

[Shane]

Kings Island confirms that they will be removing a roller coaster on 10/28/2018. I have to assume this is to make room for this future project.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[SLC Headache]

If Vortex is getting scrapped and B&M builds its replacement, please don't let it be a dive. Let it be a sit-down / floorless, heavy on the inversions. Sadly, if they use the Vortex plot, I'm not sure how they could build a giga from there.

 

[Shane]

A classic B&M looper would be quite lovely.

 

[b.mac]

Vortex floats at just under 1 million riders per year. Its ridership is too high and it is one of the more reliable rides to justify removal.

My money is on either Firehawk or Invertigo.

 

[Zachary]

Clearly the teasers are pointing towards Flying Ace Aerial Chase. RIP. ?

 

[b.mac]

I would not miss that one, either. Would be nice if they could get it to run in the rain.

 

[madmax]

Invertigo makes sense based on Stinger and Boomerang's removal but nor sure if that is enough to make room for a giga.

 

[Sly4Good]

As much as I would love for it to be Invertigo, i'm feeling Firehawk based on this picture: Aside from the fact that Firehawk is a maintenance nightmare, there's a couple things here that seem to scream Firehawk to me; 'The air is eerily calm', the colors of the wreath matching Firehawk's, the 11 chairs that correspond with Firehawk being at KI for 11 years, etc etc.

 

[Zachary]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[b.mac]

Cedar Fair did say they would be removing the more unreliable rides in parks to make way for future additions. No surprise Firehawk is biting the dust in all honesty.

 

[SLC Headache]

Firehawk confirmed to be the one being removed.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Still making the trip since the weather is nice and it's my birthday weekend. Batwing never opened for any of my SFA trips this year, so it'll be nice to ride a Vekoma Flying Dutchman this year.

Was also told KD was a madhouse last weekend and probably this weekend too due to discount tickets.

 

[SLC Headache]

Bumping:

I think the maintenance issues are only half the reason Firehawk is leaving. "#OneOfOurOwn" seems to be yet more teasing of a giga, and the Firehawk plot would be a better fit for a giga than the Vortex plot would. A giga going into the Vortex plot would most likely find itself tangling with the Beast and ruining the atmosphere. The Knott's hyper got scrapped for the same reason.

What the Vortex plot would fit nicely, however, is a dive machine. It's too soon and too close to Valravn, so no chance. Alternatively, they could use the Vortex plot to build a bigger-and-better B&M sit-down/floorless. But it's not Vortex's time yet to begin with, its ridership is still solid.

I'm not sure how reliable Nighthawk is, but it's gotta be better than Firehawk, I didn't see it break down when I was at Carowinds last year. On top of that, Nighthawk is easily the longest line at Carowinds and therefore a big seller of Fast Lane Plus. Unless Nighthawk's parts are significantly different from Firehawk's, I can see Firehawk being a parts donor, the same way Python BGT was a parts donor for Nessie.

 

[Gavin]

Incase any of you were wondering...

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

...Firehawk is definitely not being relocated.