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Finally got to go up.

Oh yeah, last weekend I went to get some pics from the telescope and....

Vortex rode like a champ yesterday, this photo was eerie though. You can barely see the loop in the back.

I am extremely excited to officially announce Kings Island: A Ride Through Time, authored by yours truly! This will be the first book ever written about the history of Kings Island! It will be released in early May 2020 by Theme Park Press to coincide with the opening of Orion and will feature exclusive interviews with the executives that have shaped the park through the years. I am very excited to share this news with you all, and to keep you updated through this process. I really can’t wait to share this book with the public next year!

I think the employees are starting to have fun with this. Yesterday as I was leaving the station on Diamondback, the dispatcher said "Enjoy your ride on Diamondback, at Kings Island owned and operated by Cedar Fair" haha.

I wish there was some special merchandise for Vortex since it's closing

My heart.... it cannot take it.

Welcome back! Say, I think I actually do remember you from awhile back. Cormaster being you're name ( but I don't recall any "stupid" posts, lol! ) As for Terp, no unfortunately he is not still around (on the forum). A couple years ago I believe it was an issue that arose where his employer does not want him having an online presence. But last I've heard about him he's doing well otherwise!

It makes me wonder, but I wouldn't say it makes me worry...

Great pictures @Enchanted Voyage Lover!

Found this video on YouTube. it shows how they are put together, kinda neat.

I know the outriggers on our aerial truck on my department spread out 20’, and our Bronto is 114’ tall. I hate to see what their spread is.

It will have pictures and text throughout, but it will be more information than photos. It will not be like one of those Images of America books.

Glad to see that the Undertaker is back in the front of the park.

I think its appropriate to bring this thread back up considering the recent news of Vortex's removal. I'm saying this because I think after Orion, The Vortex land will be the next area of focus. I wonder if the park has basically put this building on the back burner for future development and have just accepted it as a haunted house for now.

btw I used to be on here many years ago. younger, dumber, and made a lot of stupid posts I later regretted. Couldn't remember my un and pw so I just created a new account. Only guy I remember being on here is interpreter...is he still around?

With Vortex's removal, it makes me wonder about The Bat...

By general standards, yes. These rides will leave much to be desired in the capacity realm. But by launched coaster standards, I'd say 18-20 riders per train is about par for the course. That having said, if a new multilauncher would come to KI sometime in the forseaable future, I hope it doesn't have the spike/switch track element. While they definitely look like cool maneuvers, I am not sure its worth having less than three-train operation.

I just got my first and last ride on Vortex.... it doesn't deserve the hate it gets (although I can see maybe where it comes from) and it will be missed I feel like in it's own time it's a smooth coaster but it's rough compared to what we're used to from rmc and b&m and whoever else these days. Put it this way I never considered it rough until Diamondback was built lol.

That’s a nice looking sign, love the use of the classic logo

Hello @FUN&ONLY! I just wanted to let you know before you read this, if that earlier post of mine in this thread made you tear up, well then get the kleenex ready for this one! List of Premier Rides Innovations: - Developed the first LIM to be successfully implemented onto a coaster, seen as a major breakthrough from the earlier Schwarzkopf systems of propulsion (flywheel, weight drop etc.) - Pioneered the first lap bar restraints capable of handling inversions (OTHER than just vertical loops a la Schwarzkopf) - Utilized the "sliding station" as seen on the Mr. Freeze rides, in order to make it possible to run TWO trains simultaneously on a shuttle coaster - Held the record for largest vertical loop for a short time time with Full Throttle, as well as having track run on both sides of the same structure (crest of the loop) - Developed the one-of-a-kind "Ferris Wheel Lift" as seen briefly on Round About at the now long-defunct Freestyle Music Park (I know, I know - maintenance nightmare but points for trying I guess!) - Created Speed - The Ride, which I believe was the longest shuttle coaster in the world at the time, Mr Freeze still the longest non-complete circuit shuttle - Revenge of the Mummy rides and Italian Job: Stunt Tracks - among the first family and themed launched coasters - First quasi-mobius launch coaster in West Coast Racers (well, when or IF that opens this year!) Waterworks in 3...2...1... :P

Thank goodness this didn’t happen. It would have been worse than Paramount. Six flags parks are dirty, poorly operated, poor customer relations, poorly landscaped and little live entertainment or theming other than cheesy superheroes. Cedar Fair is currently doing an amazing job with the Taft parks. I would not have renewed my pass if Six Flags was the owner.

Here are some more pictures from WildGravity Travels FB page: I am an editor and photographer for them now, so feel free to request pictures for their page!

Yes, it will be on Amazon. I am also hoping to sell it in the park!

Can't wait! Are you going to be selling it on websites such as Amazon or Kindle or something like that?

I like to be blown away by a coaster when riding one the first couple times. I'm more than willing to put up with downtime in exchange for a fantastic ride. RMC and CCI/Gravity Group are my idea of what a coaster should be. They don't let up (and sometimes get more intense), until they hit the brakes. Examples of their brilliance are the seemingly 20 straight seconds of reverse banking on Legend and the "top gun stall" on Twisted Colossus.

As someone who loves the history of Kings Island, I am looking forward to reading this book. I can't wait to see it!

Very cool

But to be fair, we are customers and Kings Island is a business. If customers complain to any business that produces a product that the customers are for any reason not pleased with.... I guess thats just capitalism and an expression of free speech. Though with all due respect, I am super excited for the new coaster it's literally such a huge step up from Diamondback. Also if we want more things to come we have to support Kings Island when they treat us well!

The “feet” on the sides of the crane are known as outriggers or jacks. The crane will usually check all of them for contact before allowing a heavy lift since the crane is only at its strongest when all of them are touching a solid surface.

Vortex is closed as of now. They don’t know if it will be open tonight or not.

From WildGravity Travels Facebook!

I still love that blue.

Everyone on KIC, you just can't see it!

I did not even know you were done with it @KIghostguy. Congrats and I look forward to getting a copy!

I want a signed hardcopy! Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Should have told them it doesn't matter as it is down for the day. Probably would have been right anyway.

Haha, DERAILED, roller coaster humor.

This threads become so derailed I forgot it was The Vortex thread and thought it was the Orion construction thread...

This M&A talk might shed some light on the timing of the CP pass fire sale. My hope is that cheap passes this fall proved that the Six Flags model of giving away the gate to fill the park doesn't necessarily work as well on the Cedar Fair side of things. Especially with CP, families accustomed to paying $300/night to stay at Breakers are likely to demand much more from their vacation than guests used to paying $59.99 for an entire season at their local Six Flags park, with all the other SIX parks included free. Kings Island, Cedar Point, Carowinds, Knott's Berry Farm, Canada's Wonderland and Schlitterbahn really deserve to remain premium destinations regardless of who owns them.

To be fully honest guys, I don't care about height Orion height. The part of this coaster that annoyed me was length. Undeniably, this Giga is short and has an extremely long break run. I don't think you can argue that... I think we could have done better with Orion honestly, It's just when I see the Layout out of this coaster combined with the length of it, I feel like we could have done better. Orion will be a good coaster and I won't give my final judgment until I ride it. Though, compared to other Gigas, Orion simply looks underwhelming. Maybe budget was too extreme of a term, but every time I look at Orion, It doesn't feel complete. I can't go on and state all the things I feel could have been done better with Orion, but simply I'm not the biggest fan of the layout. The most frustrating part about this is that it feels as if there is no right way to express disappointment in this coaster without someone thinking your unappreciative or a person who only cares about stats. There is a lot more I want to say, but for now I'll leave it at that..... (sorry I know this is still A Vortex thread)

I was thinking more along the lines of 170-175ft. Also Vortex was 3,800ft in length so they could possibly beat out Dominator for longest if they make the lift higher and have bigger elements.

Dammit Don....

White crane is right by the base of lift footer. Also, since we call the large red crane Clifford, how about we call the yellow crane "T-Bone" and the white one "Cleo"

I know I got one to many pieces in it but we will run with this until it gets a little more exciting If y'all throw it on the gram tag me: jonah.williamson tryna grab that follower count ya feel

Considering how many people from CCI went on to work for GCI and Gravity Group, I always considered them de facto part of the same family anyway. All three without question have been the most integral for traditionally-built wooden coasters over the past several decades. That having said, by no means would I consider Premier to be the "best" manufacturer, but they've always been one of my favorites. They might not have the BEST coasters out there, but they're very good at making "solid" rides such as the various Sky Rocket Coasters, "Mad Cobra" (FOF) clones, Backlot Trio, Revenge Of the Mummies etc. They're the king of themed coasters IMO... Their crowning achievement being the first to utilize LIMs, they've also made some very unique coasters in their history such as Speed - The Ride and The Chiller.

Working in KillMart in 2016 or 2017, we had a line that was about 2 hours long. I was in the first room with the registers and the carts. Midway through the night there were a couple of girls standing outside the entrance, already looking frightened before even entering the attraction so I decided to tease them a bit by slowly walking closer and closer to the entrance. Upon entering the maze, as soon as they got their first look around in the front room, they both yell "WAIT THIS IS A HAUNTED HOUSE?!", and ran back out of the entrance. I never saw them again. Somehow they waited two hours in a line for a haunted attraction, hearing all of the screaming and various zombie noises, and the thought never crossed their minds.

I heard someone in line for Diamondback a couple weeks ago telling his family how much more reliable Intamins are than B&M. I wanted to correct him, but refrained. Haha

It’s pretty cool that it appears costumed stiltwalkers will be on International Street. I realized the spooky potential of that when I happened to walk up International Street one evening during Carnivale starting off somewhat ahead of one of the German stiltwalkers going the same way. Even when it’s just a nice young guy in lederhosen, the sound as those long steps get closer and closer is exceedingly ominous! I think I have the possibility of being genuinely spooked some at this year’s Haunt