Jump to content

Vortex Is Leaving After This Fall Season


THE_BEASTmaster

Recommended Posts

On 10/7/2019 at 4:58 PM, TOPGUN1993 said:

Not sure if Vortex ever utilized the under station switchbacks.

Image 5 55queue.jpg

Bat Construction - Shows the under station queue house (notice how originally you were forced to go all the way to the bottom level before station level.)

VortexCon871.jpg

Vortex Construction 1987 - Switchbacks appear to be there.

Thank you for posting these pictures!  I'm completely confused now. Are there still two levels in the station house and one is not used? I have never noticed it if that is the case.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/19/2019 at 1:06 PM, silver2005 said:

Given how long the line used to be on Vortex in the 90s, I'm really, really glad they never opened those up.  

Good googly moogly that would have been a long line. 

The Vortex line used to spread half way across the midway when new and I've been told that is why line ques for Top Gun was made so crazy long.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish they kept using those switchbacks for Vortex, especially later in its life. I can't tell you have many times someone jumped ahead of people approaching the ride by hopping the fence right at the station's entrance. Plus, it's better wait in a long line in the shade rather than direct sunlight. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would agree with TG/TB just being long due to its random setback at a far location.

Got my last ride in on Vortex today. It’s getting harder on me as I get older. I’m still going to miss it though. It just won’t feel like KI without it, unless by chance we get Vortexed, then it might be ok...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember waiting in shorter lines like that, but I also remember waiting in those switchbacks near The Bat (now used for Wolf Pack). IIRC, one of the last chances I had to ride it when it still had the loop was one year during SpiritSong when the line was only in the station house. I ended up opting out.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had to wait a good while for yesterday's ride; the line went past the queue rails and spilled out onto the midway (towards Jukebox). It was good to see it crowded, but at the same time, I know why. Come to think of it, a few of the lines seemed longer yesterday; the line for the HalloTween edition of Madame's went outside (when on the 6th it was a good ways into the cave) and The Bat's line was decent as well.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Well, my wish was granted yesterday. We went to KI for a day, with me hoping quietly that my daughter had hit 48 inches. She loves coasters, and I knew that Vortex would be awesome for her and that she'd love it. Well, luck had it, she got her purple wristband for the first time yesterday, so we marched from there straight to Vortex. I made sure to let her know when we were in line that it was going to be the single most intense roller coaster she'd ever ridden, and it was ok if she didn't want to try it. She insisted we go on it. We rode it once, she got off and said she wanted to do it again, later telling my wife she needed to ride it at least 2 more times. We did. We rode it 3 times yesterday, and she was smitten with the ride. On the second time through, we were hanging upside down in the second loop when she said "daddy, I thought you said this roller coaster goes upside down 6 times, I don't count 6". At that point, I knew I had a coaster fanatic on my hands. She wasn't remotely frightened by it, and was having a conversation with me on it. Terribly sad that she only got the one day to ride it, but glad she got the opportunity before it's gone. I teared up a bit when after the 3rd time through I told her that was the last time ever we would get to ride that ride. It was a sad moment, but one that I was glad we got to have. 

  • Like 11
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cedar Fair hasn’t properly paid any respect to any ride that they’ve retired in my opinion other than the ones they’ve retired at Cedar Point. Last year they did what they did for Firehawk so as to raise buzz for what was coming in it’s place. Volcano got no notice, and we can even go back to Geauga Lake there was no notice that the Amusement Park side would never reopen even though they had put season passes on sale. I took my niece and nephew this year to Kings Island, both were very much intimidated to ride Vortex but they also loved it, more than some of the newer rides in the park. My nephew sent me a text after learning that Vortex was leaving and his appreciation that he got the courage to ride it, but then also his disappointment that it was leaving. We knew Mean Streak was leaving well in advance, we knew Mantis was changing well in advance, Disaster Transport and Space Spiral well in advance, even Demon Drop we knew was going. I hope that this is some type of modification to the ride (new layout, track, trains, rmc, etc) other than just a blank plot of land for a couple years to come. I’m my mind Orion won’t really fill the void of Vortex, and Firehawk, 2 unique rides for something that’s just Taller and Longer than Diamondback.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I mean to be fair with the whole Volcano situation, the ride went down in May of last year (never to reopen).They didn't fully know yet whether they were going to close it until well into the off-season. There was nothing they could really do to give it a proper send-off. Similiar situation for Son of Beast (Except that was 3 agonizing years of waiting for an answer).

That having said, it sure would have been nice to know about the Crypt's closing in advance...

Could be worse I suppose. Would've hated to be a Great Adventure guest during the summer of 2007, where they all but had to witness The Chiller dismantlement right before their very eyes, and in peak season no less.

I believe Hypersonic was closed without giving proper notice as well. Somewhat off topic, but man, those three launched coasters. They sure helped in paving one of the many paths amusement innovation hath travelled, as all three of them now have successful versions operating today, but my goodness the combined issues those rides resulted in.

But like I've said, failed rides seem to happen less and less anymore across all manufacturers, as their technologies become ever more refined and exciting as ever.

And as for all the flak Intamin received for Volcano, lest we forget Hypersonic and The Chiller - neither of them a product of the hot-button manufacturer in question.

Groundbreakedness naturally incurs more risk...

 

 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, jj20coloh said:

Cedar Fair hasn’t properly paid any respect to any ride that they’ve retired in my opinion other than the ones they’ve retired at Cedar Point.

While this is true for some Cedar Point rides.  It is not the case for all of them.  Wildcat was removed just weeks before the park opened in 2012.  Space Spiral was announced to be open through Labor Day 2012, but closed mid-August and never re-opened (that one hurt a lot of lifelong park goers).  Shoot the Rapids was removed prior to the 2016 season with no formal announcement.

I think ideally, parks would have a good idea of the time to remove a ride due to "end of life" and plan for new additions accordingly, but as is the case with rides like Volcano and Vortex, things don't always happen that way.  Closing a major ride with no direct replacement is not a positive thing for a park.  I don't think anyone in park management loves the idea.

We will have to wait a few months, but I will bet that more information about Vortex will be shared at Coasterstock next year.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Pagoda Gift Shop said:

While this is true for some Cedar Point rides.  It is not the case for all of them.  Wildcat was removed just weeks before the park opened in 2012.  Space Spiral was announced to be open through Labor Day 2012, but closed mid-August and never re-opened (that one hurt a lot of lifelong park goers).  Shoot the Rapids was removed prior to the 2016 season with no formal announcement.

I think ideally, parks would have a good idea of the time to remove a ride due to "end of life" and plan for new additions accordingly, but as is the case with rides like Volcano and Vortex, things don't always happen that way.  Closing a major ride with no direct replacement is not a positive thing for a park.  I don't think anyone in park management loves the idea.

We will have to wait a few months, but I will bet that more information about Vortex will be shared at Coasterstock next year.

Yep. I can only assume based on what I have heard is that the closure was not known internally for long before we knew. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking back on everything, I suspect this message came from above KIs control. I suspect they were told to lose the coaster that costs money but was lacking in attendance and sadly that’s the oldest one we have that fit that profile.

I hope we don’t get the SBNO treatment on it. That would hurt more than just being gone.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, fyrfyter said:

Looking back on everything, I suspect this message came from above KIs control. I suspect they were told to lose the coaster that costs money but was lacking in attendance and sadly that’s the oldest one we have that fit that profile.

I hope we don’t get the SBNO treatment on it. That would hurt more than just being gone.

Hard to say whose decision it was.  Likely the park has a budget to work with and would have to make some major sacrifices in order to do whatever would be needed to be done to keep it going, so in a way the "blame" is kind of spread out amongst all parties, although I'm sure that no one in the company was happy that this needed to be done.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Pagoda Gift Shop said:

While this is true for some Cedar Point rides.  It is not the case for all of them.  Wildcat was removed just weeks before the park opened in 2012.  Space Spiral was announced to be open through Labor Day 2012, but closed mid-August and never re-opened (that one hurt a lot of lifelong park goers).  Shoot the Rapids was removed prior to the 2016 season with no formal announcement.

Maybe I wasn’t paying much attention at the time, but did Disaster Transport get any kind of send-off before it was removed?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, TheBEASTunchained said:

I’ve ridden it quite a bit this season but honestly can’t seem to remember paying attention to whether or not Vortex still has on-ride photos? Was wanting to get a few Sunday. Can anyone clarify? 

Through Funpix yes, but the booth is no longer ran at the rides exit. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...