Vortex was a steel roller coaster located at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio, United States. Designed and manufactured by Arrow Dynamics at a cost of $4 million, the ride officially opened to the public on April 11, 1987. Vortex debuted as the tallest full-circuit roller coaster in the world with a height of 148 feet (45 m). It was also the first coaster to feature six inversions.
| Vortex | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Kings Island | |
| Location | Kings Island |
| Park section | Coney Mall |
| Coordinates | 39°20′27″N 84°15′51″W / 39.34072°N 84.2642°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | April 11, 1987 |
| Closing date | October 27, 2019 |
| Cost | $4 million |
| Replaced | The Bat |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Dynamics |
| Model | Custom Looping Coaster |
Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 148 ft (45 m) |
| Drop | 138 ft (42 m) |
| Length | 3,800 ft (1,200 m) |
| Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
| Inversions | 6 |
| Duration | 2:30 |
Max vertical angle | 55° |
| Capacity | 1600 riders per hour |
Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train. |
| Vortex at RCDB | |
Vortex occupied the same location in the park once held by The Bat, the world's first suspended roller coaster. Tied to the coaster's debut, attendance at Kings Island exceeded 3 million in 1987 for the first time. It accommodated more than 46 million guests throughout its lifespan, making Vortex one of the most frequently-ridden attractions in park history. The ride permanently closed on October 27, 2019.
History
editOn May 30, 1986, Kings Island announced that they would be adding a new roller coaster for the 1987 season. For the design and construction of the attraction, Kings Island turned to Arrow Dynamics, an industry-leading manufacturer at the time.[1] It would sit in the former location of The Bat, the world's first suspended roller coaster, which was removed after the 1984 season.[2] The defunct coaster's line queue and train station were retained and reused for the new ride.[3][4]
Construction began in early June 1986 when The Bat's area was cleared.[5] The following month, Kings Island announced that they would be naming the new coaster Vortex.[6] The park invested over $4 million in the ride, which required 750 tons of steel to construct.[7] It opened to the public on April 11, 1987,[8] and helped the park exceed 3 million visitors for the first time in its history.[7][9] At its inauguration, Vortex briefly set two world records among full-circuit roller coasters. It was the tallest at 148 feet (45 m) and featured the most inversions with six.[8] Both were surpassed the following year with the debut of Shockwave at Six Flags Great America.[8][10]
On September 27, 2019, the park announced plans to close Vortex permanently on October 27, 2019.[11][12] Area Manager Don Helbig stated that the coaster had reached the end of its service life.[11][12] Following its demolition, the trains were sent to sister park Carowinds for use on Carolina Cyclone.[13] The bodies of the trains were sanded, repainted, and then combined with the chassis of Carolina Cyclone's old trains.[13]
Kings Island later sold remnant souvenirs of Vortex that were sold in 1.5-inch slices, capped with metal plates and mounted in a display stand.[14] During its lifespan, Vortex accommodated over 46 million riders, ranking it seventh in Kings Island's history as of 2019[update].[11]
Ride experience
editInversions
editLayout
edit
After leaving the station, the train dipped slightly and turned right into the lift hill. Following a slow ascension to the top, the train dipped several feet into a tester hill, then immediately made a right-hand turn into the first drop. The 138-foot (42 m) drop was angled at 55 degrees, where the train would reach its maximum velocity of 55 mph (89 km/h). This was followed by an upward, slightly-banked turn to the left. After turning roughly 180 degrees, the track straightened briefly before descending into a sharp left turn that sent riders through two consecutive vertical loops.
Upon exiting the second loop, the train made a 180-degree ascending turn to the right into a mid-course brake run that nearly slowed the train to a complete stop. The train then dropped slightly into a pair of consecutive corkscrews, the second of which threaded through a gap between the previously-encountered vertical loops. This was followed by a downward right-hand turn into a boomerang element, inverting riders two additional times. An on-ride camera was located in the dip of the boomerang. The train then entered its final maneuver – a 450-degree ascending clockwise helix – which generated positive g forces. The final brake run immediately followed, and the train made a final right-hand turn as it returned to the station.
Incidents
editOn July 2, 2011, a computer detected damage to Vortex's chain lift as a train was pulling out of the station. The ride was stopped and all passengers were able to safely exit. The ride remained closed for several weeks while a replacement part was on order.[15]
References
edit- ↑ Neus, Elizabeth (May 31, 1986). "New coaster for Kings Island". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Kings Island saying 'bye bye' to 'The Bat'". Telegraph-Forum. November 7, 1984. Retrieved October 31, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Random Facts". KingsIslandCentral.com. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ↑ "KIExtreme.com". @2003-2012 KIExtreme. Archived from the original on 22 April 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
- ↑ "Kings Island begins work on new coaster". The Times-Mail. June 6, 1986. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ↑ "Park has name for newest baby". The Cincinnati Enquirer. July 20, 1986. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- 1 2 Richardson, Rachel (April 17, 2014). "Kings Island's biggest and baddest". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
- 1 2 3 "Vortex at Kings Island". COASTER-net.com.
- ↑ "Kings Island tops 3 million". Mansfield News Journal. Associated Press. October 6, 1987. p. 4-B. Retrieved October 7, 2018 – via newspapers.com
. - ↑ "Vortex at visitkingsisland.com". Cedar Fair Parks. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- 1 2 3 Helbig, Don (September 27, 2019). "Kings Island to Retire Vortex After 33 Seasons". Kings Island. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- 1 2 "Vortex roller coaster closing at Kings Island after 33 seasons". WCPO. September 27, 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- 1 2 Stilwell, Andrew (September 3, 2020). "Carolina Re-Cyclone: Creating new trains from an old classic". Carowinds.com. Coaster101. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021.
- ↑ "Kings Island's Vortex coaster gave its last ride nearly a year ago. Now, you can own part of it".
- ↑ Goldsmith, Ethan (July 13, 2011). "Kings Island Closes Vortex to replace part". Fox 19. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
External links
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