VortexBFForever

Thank you Don! Merry Christmas to you as well. I too, eagerly await the 2021 season!

In addition to the 1019 engraving, I have noticed how one of the cards that comes with the piece says Vortex featured two “verticle” loops. I think it’s funny, yet also a turnoff, especially for someone who’s a grammar perfectionist like me! But all that matters in the end is that many of my fellow Vortex fans were able to get a piece of a ride so special to us.

I really hope Viper at SFMM makes the cut. That coaster is on the top of my bucket list and I still have never ventured to the west coast!

Where do I even start?!? Like with most coaster-related matters, I have multiple favorites, so here are my favorite Vortex moments: September 30, 2007 - my first ever Kings Island visit. As soon as I laid eyes on Vortex I wouldn't stop watching it for a solid 15 minutes. It looked so cool, yet I was too scared to ride it. I promised myself I would eventually ride it with my saying, "Someday I'm going to ride this...just not today." July 23, 2010 - after enjoying familiar favorites Diamondback and Troika, I felt just adventurous enough to take the first of many steps into Vortex's queue. Thanks to a nonexistent line and it being 15 minutes before park closing, I did not have time to second-guess before I stepped aboard in the front row. Going up the lift hill, I dared not look down at the inversions that lay below, but rather fixed my eyes on the chasing lights, mentioning, "At least the lights are going faster than me." The first drop was fun as were the following hills, but the next thing I saw was the loops getting closer and closer! I ended up looking at the train's floor in my first two inversions because of the forces. The corkscrews were what won me over, as their hang time felt just like Diamondback's airtime, and for a while they were my favorite part of Vortex for that reason. The batwing proved a fairly disorienting mix of the loops and corkscrews, plus the camera's strobe light. As soon as I got off, I told my mom, "I can't believe I just went upside down SIX TIMES!!!...Can I ride again?" I had just enough time to get a second ride on Vortex before the park closed for the night. September 26, 2010 - my first rerides! Not only did they say I could stay on if I wanted, but I ended up being the only one who did. To eleven-year-old me, having my own train on my favorite ride was the coolest thing in the world. That and maybe even getting to operate it someday. My curiosity about Vortex's operation grew with each following season, until... April 15, 2017 - my first day of my first job, at a place no more fitting. For the first time, I showed up to Vortex in uniform as a Vortex/WindSeeker ride op! I thought I knew what was to come, but I immensely underestimated the plethora of waiting opportunities, including... July 4, 2017 - I dispatched my very first Vortex train! Between this day and July 29, I would slowly but surely learn how to drive Vortex in hour-long increments. A dream came true, as I not only wanted to work at Vortex in general, but also drive it! June 19, 2018 - my Vortex ride count permanently gained a fraction when I got to enjoy an extended view from the crown of Vortex's lift in the front seat of a train I had all to myself before being evacuated by my own crew! October 11 and 18, 2019 - my windiest and foggiest Vortex rides were enjoyed on those nights and will be fondly remembered. On the former, 40-mph wind gusts were coupled with drizzling rain and a low- to mid-30's wind chill, while on the latter, a thick blanket of fog covered the entire park and appeared otherworldly when viewed from above on Vortex's lift or any other tall ride. Diving in and out of the fog that night was magical! October 26, 2019 - my last shift as a ride op. I ran startups one more time, sent my last test riders, and worked each position at least one more time before ending my shift with an extra few minutes of driving Vortex. It was a surreal feeling saying my last "All Clear" and pushing Vortex's dispatch button for my last time. Thanks to the washout that became of this day, the line stayed short. I made the most of the nonexistent line after my shift by riding Vortex 18 times between 7 and 11pm (the park closed early that night)! October 27, 2019 - I had some family visit for the first time, and I met up with a few of my friends to ride Vortex at the beginning and end of the day. I shared a Vortex ride with my brother, who used to come all the time but stopped by the time I started going. I and my friends got into the massive line by 7:00 with no idea how our last public ride would work out, but that changed when we, 2019 Vortex crew members, met the six 1987 Vortex crew members who were present! They invited us to ride with them on the last public train, and we chatted about work and how different it was for them in 1987 versus us in 2019. I was so star-struck; as an Arrow nerd and a Vortex fan, it was an absolute dream come true to meet people from the original crew PLUS ride Vortex's last public train with them! From having no downtime all day to the attention it received from the many of us in attendance, Vortex had a best-case-scenario last day! This day was so fun and so bittersweet. Yes, it had its should-have/would-have/could-have-been moments, but I am so grateful for what did happen! I wrote a trip report about this day: Of course I can't forget my milestone rides, which were celebrated on September 3, 2012; September 22, 2013; November 1, 2015; July 13, 2017; May 4, 2018; July 30, 2018; May 4, 2019; June 13, 2019; July 8, 2019; August 2, 2019; August 9, 2019; and October 26, 2019! I immensely enjoyed having one of the best Arrow loopers just a 45-minute drive from home. I took great pride in Vortex and made sure it was loved. It was a huge blessing to me and played a huge role in who I have become, with all the friendships and memories made and lessons learned, and I will make sure to remember it every April 11 and October 27!

I like to say that this is WindSeeker's taking its first fall without Vortex extra hard. After all, WindSeeker was paired with Vortex from its debut all the way through last year. Also, I was one of the lucky ones. It was cold, but the view was excellent.

My vote would be for either a Mack multi-launch (I honestly have never ridden one but I have heard nothing but good comments on Copperhead Strike) or next-gen Vekoma looper since they really improved their design and have come a long way since their using Arrow's track design. I hope Vortex's successor isn't a B&M especially since we just got our third, but if it ends up being one then I won't complain about it since it would be better than having nothing in that spot at all. As long as it has inversions and at least one element that interacts with the midway in some way (like Vortex's batwing did), I will be fine with whatever Vortex's successor ends up being. Bonus points if it breaks a record.

^ Express was my original favorite night ride, and is in my opinion the most underrated night ride in the park. It feels totally different from its daytime experience!

This weekend also happened to be Columbus Day weekend, which is notorious for being one of the busiest, if not the busiest weekend of Cedar Point's season. I always avoid that weekend like the plague, and usually go the weekend after Labor Day or any other Sunday in September. I'm glad you at least got a few rides in even though the day was far from ideal.

That's what I always did while riding Vortex! People always say to keep your head back on rides with OTSRs, but from my experience, it is best to hold your head forward. I actually tried riding while holding my head back and it did not work as well! Now if only everyone else knew so that headbanging complaints would substantially decrease...

One of my favorite memories was my getting to ride Vortex's last public train with six 1987 crew members on Closing Day last year. I had always thought about what it would be like to meet just ONE person from Vortex's original crew, and I met SIX! Needless to say, I was star-struck. Working at Vortex and WindSeeker for three years was a big highlight. It was my dream to operate Vortex and be the one saying "All Clear," and that dream came true in July 2017. And of course, I can't forget my first Vortex ride in 2010. I remember feeling so proud of myself for experiencing my first six inversions and asking my mom if I could ride again immediately after I got off! This past weekend, my friend @Daisy1380#faced his fear of heights and rode Drop Tower and Orion for the first time. I got to witness those occasions and it was fun seeing his reactions during those rides! But in all seriousness, I'm really proud of him!

I am also very happy for @Vortex1987! Thanks @IceePiratefor stepping in to help! I know the feeling of desperately hoping to get a piece of my favorite ride (and yes, I bought one too )!

The golden hour of what would turn out to be an extremely foggy October 18, 2019.

Vortex's final Haunt is underway on October 26, 2019. Also peep Orion behind 3-Point Challenge's New Era Hats sign.

Following up on @JCJTheHurricane’s post, I can attest that the app isn’t always accurate but we ride ops try to approximate the best we can. I too wonder how the app works for wait times. I have lately been timing my waits and noting how long the line is, while also including factors like cleaning time. I have been fortunate to experience very few ride downtimes while noting such lines, so hopefully the notes I take will provide a fairly accurate reference of wait time under current protocols. My personal testament to the app not always being accurate comes from last October, when on crowded Haunt Saturdays, the app would say a 60- or 90-minute wait for Vortex, yet I clocked no more than 45 minutes in line. I kept my fellow ride ops updated on how long I waited in line (and I rode multiple times) so when the aforementioned rides office call would come, they could reply with the most accurate wait time estimate.

I was wondering what a "pork lion" tastes like too

From my experience, Invertigo and Banshee are noticeably more intense/have more positive G's. Orion is not very intense outside of its helix, a.k.a. "Orion's Belt," where you will likely gray out to some extent.

Cedar Fair themselves coined the term giga, so they have the authority to modify that definition as needed. As of 2020, they define a giga coaster as any coaster with a height or drop of at least 300 feet, the latter of which Orion has. If Orion is not a giga, then that means Phantom's Revenge at Kennywood (168 ft tall; 228-ft second drop) is not a hyper. I have not heard anyone question whether Phantom's Revenge is a hyper.

I have never been to Carowinds and this is finally pushing me to make my first trip! I can't wait to pay those two Vortex trains a visit. It will be so cool for the same trains that gave my very last Vortex rides to give my very first Carolina Cyclone rides!

On July 15, I replied to this topic saying I will pick an answer...eventually. I pondered this question during many a wait for Orion. My answer? Keep Orion. *everybody gasps* "But...but you love Vortex!" you all say. "Do you not want Vortex back?!?" Kindly let me explain. As much as I would absolutely love having Vortex back or at least having it co-exist with Orion, the entire process of slowly letting Vortex go would start over entirely. Last fall and winter, as fun and memorable as they were, also proved very rough for me emotionally and mentally. After months of facing a fear of letting go, I finally made it as far as letting Vortex go and moving on without it. While Vortex fell, Orion rose above Kings Island's skyline. After being initially excited at its announcement and then not caring for it at all during Vortex's last months, my interest in Orion returned and my anticipation for my eventual first ride rose with each placed piece. How could I not get excited for the ride that I wished Kings Island would get? Eventually I would witness Orion's very first cycle, assist in its construction by helping install its sound equipment, and take in the view from its 287-foot summit with my own eyes for the first of many times. While weighed down with grief over losing Vortex, I could always look over at Orion and see what was new as its construction progressed. Multiple times I would be looking over Vortex's old stomping grounds when right on cue I would hear Orion's lift ramp up and see a train rise above the trees. Seeing it take shape was definitely a highlight of my early 2020, and I knew that quite well by the time my first opportunity to ride it finally rolled around. Now, about two months and another 176 rides after my first 300-foot plunge, Orion has a solidified place in my group of favorite rides and I make sure to ride it at least once a trip, just like I did Vortex. Dare I say it, but I'm beginning to appreciate Orion as much as I appreciate Vortex, among other classic favorites including WindSeeker, Diamondback, the other Arrow coasters, and yes, Invertigo. Do I still miss Vortex? Absolutely. Will looking at photos, videos, and my personal accounts of Vortex still hit me right in the feels? Always. Vortex helped me face not only my fear of inversions, but also my fear of letting go of something special. At some point, someone or something you love can no longer move forward with you, and you must leave them behind with only their memory to accompany you into the future. Getting to ride Vortex even one more time would be AMAZING, but having to let it go all over again? Not so amazing...

About to board Orion after waiting 5:38-6:30 (52 min). Queue isn’t quite full, yet it is still filled up through all of Outpost 20.

While I do like that I-Street has retained the instrumental music, I much prefer the songs that played in the 2017-2019 seasons, as they are orchestral pieces and not covers. I will say that it’s still miles better than straight up pop, yet I dearly miss hearing Rhapsody in Blue, La Vie En Rose, Gabriel’s Oboe, Aquarium, Somewhere in Time, Theme from Reivers, and the like. Nothing like walking onto I-Street right at an instrumental climax...

^Yesterday’s storms (and chances of such) scaring people away are my guess. I was there yesterday and all lines I saw were shorter than other days!

I rode Carousel twice on Saturday! This ride is extra special to me as the first ride I ever rode at Kings Island.

I love Orion, yet at the same time I could do almost anything to get Vortex back. In my nonexistent perfect world, the two would coexist. I’ll pick an answer...eventually.

I must add that the ride references in the Quonset hut contain even more Easter eggs, namely in the captions of the Polaroid pictures adjacent to each ride's poster. Since that theming is by the Fast Lane queue, those smaller Easter eggs are much more difficult to notice from the slower-moving regular line, especially since that's where one would actually have time to look at those photos and references more closely. We haven't seen them all just yet!