VortexBFForever

I may vote differently, but I’m not sure. I enjoy it on occasion (much like how you enjoy Firehawk on occasion) but it’s not as high on my favorites list as Diamondback, Mystic Timbers, Invertigo, The Bat, Firehawk and Vortex. It’s definitely something to think about. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I picked Backlot because of its placement. I always wonder what it was like to be at the park during the ‘Tiques days (as I never went to the park until two years after Backlot came). I really enjoy Backlot as a ride, but I’m one of the folks who wish for it to have a different location.

^You would be correct! Brakes that rely on friction to slow/stop trains can only do so much (but enough, thankfully) when it rains, unless it is downpouring, in which then we would close Vortex. But when we do operate in the rain, two-train operation keeps the trains far enough apart that running in the rain won't pose a hazard, at least in terms of where a train hits the brakes at a high speed (at the end of the ride). There was a day this season, though, when it was drizzling but only in the slightest, and we were able to still run all three trains! Occasions like this are rare, though, at least to my knowledge.

^Ghost trains are always interesting. I was at Vortex one morning when it rained so hard it made the sensors at the MCBR think a train was there -- all while the three real trains were parked in the station and on the two brake runs. This happened twice! My supervisor was there on a day where it was so humid we apparently had 5 trains for a moment.

WindSeeker and Vortex both use PLC systems. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know the rides have computer systems that control their electrical components (sensors and the like) but I don’t know very many details. I want to, though! -BFF, who has geeked out over getting to see Vortex’s “brain” this summer.

It was definitely exciting and worthwhile! One thing I did not expect was just how quirky/temperamental Vortex can be. It may not be as temperamental as its predecessor (the original Bat) but that doesn’t mean it’s not moody every now and then (as I found out firsthand in July...absolutely crazy July ). I actually enjoy that part of it a lot because quirks are all part of a ride’s “personality.” Working (and driving!) Vortex is literally a dream come true. WindSeeker is cool too, and I appreciate it a lot more. I’m excited to learn to drive WindSeeker next season! I do not know anyone who would think that I would not want to return next year. Anyone who would think that is crazy. Apparently, I’m in a literal depression over the fact that the season is over, primarily because I have been at the park nearly every day instead of twice a month, which makes quite the difference. Plus I had faced Closing Day without a Vortex ride, something else I had never done before. (Stupid Ohio weather lol) At least I will still get to go to the park for WinterFest, as I am a conductor on the Train! Thanksgiving break and Christmas break will be so much more fun this year.

I think your article is well composed, @Ride On_17! Great job! I always love walking up the Coney Mall midway and inevitably noticing the massive Arrow megalooper and Mondial WindSeeker standing prominently over what would otherwise be a dead end, drawing guests past the numerous games, restaurants and other rides in the process. Not to mention Racer which nicely spans the ENTIRE LENGTH of the midway! And of course, it goes without saying that the instrumental music nicely complements International Street. I'm so excited to hear it again next year (and to hear Christmas music during WinterFest )!!!

Last night I dreamt that yesterday was Closing Day (instead of October 29) and how much different things would have been if that was the case in real life, as yesterday’s high of 65 was indeed warm enough for Vortex to open, unlike the 29th where it got no warmer than 42. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I worked upwards of 50, almost 60 hours a week this past summer. Even though there's no overtime at Kings Island, I personally don't mind as long as I have a job there. My main reason for working there is having fun working two of my favorite rides and getting to be at the park almost every day! ANYWAY, pertaining to the topic, I'm excited for WinterFest and the opportunity to get to walk through Tower Gardens/Candy Cane Lane as well as skate on the fountains and eat in the International Restaurant! I'm also excited to see the changes taking place in my personal favorite section of the park, Coney Mall.

The sledding hill is located in Action Zone, but I have no idea where in Action Zone. We shall find out in three weeks and three days (as it is November 1st! Happy November!). I may find out sooner since I work during WinterFest and will have a training day in the coming week or two, but even if I do find out, my lips are sealed.

Day 2: October 21 After working a fun open shift, plus staying an extra hour to help get things rolling again after a technical delay, I headed back into the park as a guest with my crew-mate and friend Kayleigh, who also worked an open. We originally planned to get Fast Lane Plus, but since this was the second-most-crowded day of the entire season, Fast Lane of both types had sold out by the time we entered the front gate just after 6. Knowing that many of the coasters would have long waits, we spent some time deciding which ride to ride first. Moments later, we were on our way straight back to Vortex, because 1. We love riding it, 2. We love visiting our fellow crew members, and 3. It always has a fairly short wait even with a full queue! The end of Vortex's line extended to about halfway between the gazebo (where the big, refurbished sign is) and the end of the black railing. It was then that I re-realized just how much fun waiting in line can be...without electronics. Kayleigh and I talked the entire time about various things related to work, which of our fellow crew members were working as we spoke, and our different experiences riding and working on Vortex, just to name a few. 23 minutes later, we excitedly hopped into the back row for a fun twilight ride to start out our evening adventure! Of course, we had to ride WindSeeker as well, so we entered its nearly full queue, talked some more and said hello to our other fellow crew-mates in the meantime. Half an hour later, we took Seats 47 and 48 for our flight together on a full 'Seeker cycle. "See You Tomorrow" played during the wonderful (and cold) night flight! After WindSeeker landed us safely, we headed down the Coney Mall midway to check out lines for the other rides. Zephyr, as always, had one of the shorter lines, even though it filled up one switchback. Even then, we had to wait only two cycles/ten minutes! And yes, our Zephyr flight was well worth ten minutes, even with the driver saying "It's faster and sleeker and better than WindSeeker" on purpose because he knew we worked at WindSeeker. During the ride I found it very thrilling to look down while leaning slightly forward. With the cool breeze, the red lights, and the cover of darkness, it definitely made for one of my favorite rides on Zephyr! We met the troll! I found him funny, especially when he farted out fog, lol. We were hungry, so we stood in the Subway line for about five minutes only to not move at all. Then we just decided to book it to the associate cafeteria, where there would be no line and we wouldn't have to pay an exorbitant sum of cash. But first, we decided to ride Dodgems, as one of our crew-mates (who was promoted to assistant supervisor for Dodgem, Monster and Scrambler) was working there at the moment and we wanted to say hi! So we waited twenty minutes to do just that. And we rode, of course. I always love riding Dodgem. Where else can you bump into total strangers and not have to apologize (and vice versa) than on a bumper car ride?!? For dinner, I enjoyed some barbecued ribs and apple cobbler...for only $3. I know, you're jealous. After we finished at 9:00, we wanted to ride Racer and then Vortex again. But we feared that Racer would take too long to wait for and ride for us to ride Vortex again by 10, so instead we opted to ride Vortex twice. Back to the back of Coney Mall we went! Vortex's line was longer, so much so that it spilled outside the queue. No surprise for a night like this. It was also no surprise that we waited 24 minutes! We decided to ride near the front this time, to add some variety. Intense as always! Vortex was really flying tonight. And I know the number of "selfies" is more than I usually take, but I was just making sure we got one with each train. I know, I'm weird, but even the LITTLEST details count! Peek-a-boo. Our third and final Vortex ride of the night was aboard Train #3, which is why we are both holding up three fingers in that photo I took right before our ride. Since there were four people now working on the floor instead of two, we had to wait only 16 minutes instead of 24 even with the line at the same length as the previous rides! We rode in the back row again for another epic, speed-tastic, ejector-airtime-filled night ride on our classic Arrow looper before it was time for us to head out. While we neared the front of the line, I was literally jumping up and down, and having flashbacks to the 2010 season, when I was 11 and I would wait in lines this long to feel the excitement well up as I realized I was next to ride and only seconds away from boarding the train that would take me and 27 other riders on my next inverting adventure! This extremely crowded night could not have been a better opportunity to value quality over quantity. We rode only six rides in four hours, but each and every ride was special -- living proof that on a crowded evening, one does not need Fast Lane to have a #KIBestDay, or in this case a #KIBestNight! +Vortex: 4 (including that morning's test ride) YTD: 175 Total: 492 +WindSeeker: 1 YTD: 35 Total: 115 +Zephyr: 1 YTD: 4 Total: 25 +Dodgem: 1 YTD: 2 Total: 8

^We even had a moment of silence for Dinos after it closed. The crew was feeling it today. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I ended the fall season with Mystic Timbers’ second-to-last train which I had all to myself! At the end of public operation (before the Rides Night), I and eight other crew members rode WindSeeker’s last cycle of the season. I had always thought “someday I ought to partake in WindSeeker’s last ride of the season!” and that day was today!

Day 1: October 20 Since the beginning of the school year, I have been able to go to Kings Island one day per weekend. However, an exception was made during my Fall Break allowing me to go Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! With that came a great balance of work and play. I spent the entirety of Friday's visit as a guest, worked all day Sunday, and did both on Saturday. Friday was my first guest visit since Labor Day, and my first full-length guest visit since August 13. I felt super-excited, especially since Friday night would be my designated "binge-ride night" on Vortex and WindSeeker, as I wanted to boost my count on Vortex as part of my special plan and get a few more flights in on WindSeeker since I don't ride it often enough. I arrived at the park just after 6, headed through the group of monsters roaming the entry plaza inside the gate (and watching my back, as one or two had their eye on me should I let my guard down) and went straight for the back of the park. The perks of your favorite ride being at the back of the park? No line for at least the first hour after opening! I began my night with a great early-twilight ride in the front row, as there literally was no line for that row! This happened on my second ride as well. Since I rode on the different trains, I figured it would be fun to see how many times I would ride each train, so the Notes app on my phone became very handy tonight. I noticed WindSeeker was at the point where several of my favorite tracks were playing, so I mixed a few 'Seeker flights into my already fun binge-riding. After my third ride on Vortex, I headed over there and rode in Seat 58 to the tune of "The High and the Mighty." I don't think I had that song play on any of my rides since 2013! Needless to say, I LOVED hearing it once again as I soared 256 feet above Coney Mall and the park. I returned to Vortex and rode it a few more times, all while a beautiful sunset painted the sky and the line began growing to almost a full station wait. Meanwhile, Train #3 and I apparently had a five-ride streak, as Rides #6-10 tonight were all aboard Train #3, which in my opinion is a bit smoother than the other two trains. It may be a small difference, but I noticed. I returned to WindSeeker to fly again, this time in Seat 51 to "Test Drive." The sun had just set and it nicely complemented the view, breeze and soundtrack for a fabulous twilight ride. I always seem to underestimate twilight rides, as I always appreciate them! Back to Vortex. The wait was now five minutes. On my way back around, I noticed the "Sliders" were making an appearance down at our end of Coney Mall. One of them tried to sneak up on me from behind but I was watching. After several more rides, I returned for my third and last 'Seeker flight for the evening. I flew in Seat 12 to my still-favorite track, "Flying." But "Cody's Flight" and "Ollo" aren't too far behind; they're my favorites too. In addition, this was a full-blown night ride. Do I even have to recap why night flights are so cool?!?!? The fog in the park below, and the chill that had me shivering, added to that effect! Vortex's line kept growing, so I returned and kept riding. I made the most of the photo opportunities during the ten-minute wait, especially since I have no idea when I waited up on the bridge last! What better game to play than RCT Classic while waiting in line at an amusement park?!? I rode my way to my fourteenth ride of the day in various sections of the train. By the time 9:30 rolled around, I still had not yet reached 18 and with a fifteen-minute wait, I wouldn't be able to before I had to leave at 10:00. That is, if I didn't walk all the way to the front of the park to purchase a Fast Lane, which is actually exactly what I did! With fifteen minutes to spare, I used it to ride Vortex several more times before leaving. And it obviously goes without saying from my perspective, but I definitely got my fill of dark, chilly, and wild night rides, for one of which I decided to keep my eyes closed. It was really fun, but the sensory conflict made me feel queasy, as I was feeling and hearing everything but saw only the inside of my eyelids! Fortunately, with fifteen minutes in between that ride and my next one, I no longer felt queasy in a matter of minutes. I had just learned (thankfully not the hard way) how easily I could get motion sick, even with my stomach of steel, if I rode with my eyes closed enough times and closely enough together! By the end of the trip, I had tied with October 14, 2012 for most Vortex rides in one day (18). It is safe for me to say I may break it next year. For the individual trains, I rode Train #1 seven times, Train #2 five times, and Train #3 six times. +Vortex: 18 YTD: 171 Total: 488 +WindSeeker: 3 YTD: 35 Total: 115

^Apparently they consider 40 degrees to be hot.

Any rides still closed because of the cold? I'm guessing the three Arrow coasters (Vortex, Adventure Express, and The Bat) haven't moved at all so far today, as the current temperature is just a few degrees shy of their minimum to start up (45F). According to the hourly forecast, the temperature may not hit 45 at all today... -BFF, hoping with all her heart that tomorrow's temperature will eventually hit 45F, as she is still seven rides shy of half a thousand!!

Those who know me can guess mine as well!

Proudly representing the Rides Department and particularly the WindSeeker/Vortex crew, I agree with both of you! I’m probably going to cry on the last day, but at least there’s WinterFest! And call me crazy but I’m already really excited for next year’s location training day because I will actually be able to make it! Working in Rides is very fast paced and sometimes high-stressed, but I still highly recommend it...especially if you want to learn more about how your favorite ride works. I have learned so much more about Vortex just by working there!!

@Xdog42 You came during the one hour I was not at Vortex. I was washing out trash cans with two other crew members over by Dinos and Racer that hour. I was at Unload the previous hour (4:00) and at Drive the last hour (6:00). So I did not see you, unfortunately. But I am still glad that you had a better ride on Vortex!

Glad you had fun on Vortex, @Xdog42! I was there the whole day so I may have seen you at some point. Today was definitely a great day (especially for what would be the last day that had virtually perfect weather!)!

^Scrambler is one of my favorite flat rides and I ride it fairly often. A no single rider policy would discourage me from even riding it.

One of my co-associate friends and I went as guests after work today. Fast Lane (both Regular and Plus) were SOLD OUT. We were able to ride 6 rides in 4 hours: 3 rides on Vortex (23, 24, and 16 minutes) plus WindSeeker (31 minutes - 3 cycle wait), Zephyr (10 minutes - 2 cycle wait) and Dodgem (20 minutes - 4 cycle wait). Tonight definitely taught a lesson in valuing quality over quantity. We weren’t able to get many rides in but each ride was really fun!!