kirbias1

Of course we don't know. Don said he didn't as well. Just guessing that because of Vortex's station being iconic, in a prime location and much more aesthetically pleasing than SOB's station, that it will stay and be reused somehow for the next coaster. I hope it stays regardless.

Yep, and it's also back where no one really sees it and not in a prime location like Vortex. Plus, Banshee and Bat being in the way make it very difficult to build a coaster there.

I asked Don at the ACE Orion construction tour about The Vortex station staying or going. He said he didn't know, but he did say they will tear down the ride down in January. I think him saying that tells me that it probably stays and will be reused somehow for the next ride. If it does stay, that will indicate it probably won't be a dive coaster as they would have to widen that station a lot to get it to fit. Seems more likely that an RMC would reuse the station before any kind of B&M.

The wave turn really looks good. On another note....They really need to quit using Haunt's creepy house entrance theme for Winterfest. It looks like The Adam's Family decided to have Christmas.

With Vortex being removed and Orion's addition, KI's skyline will now mostly have their coaster lifts heading in the same direction, which is south. I have to say IMO, this doesn't look that good. It's almost like they keep designing their coasters so the lifts are easily viewed from 71. I think the skyline would look better if the lifts were facing in different directions. Hopefully with whatever replaces Vortex, the lift will approach a different direction.

Didn't they first say it was because of lights being installed, then IT upgrade? What its really about is that Cedar Fair probably saw KI web site was getting more hits than CP's because of Orion construction, then decided to pull the plug. This sounds like another "Reached end of service life". excuse to me!

It's amazing how insignificant the ride looks from the front of the park compared to other gigas as It barely looks bigger than DB, but if you go back towards Great Wolf, it looks significantly larger than DB.

Technically, Orion has a .9 foot longer drop. The engineers that were part of the last construction tour allegedly were predicting this to reach speeds of 93MPH on some days.

Ahh yes, forgot about RF. At least ours is steeper than Fury, though.

The KI construction manager said it will have an 85 degrees drop for 7 or so feet. I wonder if that will make Orion the steepest Giga?

Does anyone think KI is hinting in the Orion teaser posters that FoF, and Invertigo are also being retired soon?

Seems like channel 5 disagrees with Vortex's removal, too. https://www.wlwt.com/article/kings-island-killing-off-Vortex-roller-coaster-after-33-seasons/29260270

Thanks KIghostguy. I really don't think I " hit the nail on the head", as you say, but I do think it's a topic worth discussing. They haven't removed Beast and Racer yet, but removing iconic rides is a trend right now in the Cedar Fair chain and it seems a little suspect to me that they have or are retiring rides like Vortex, Volcano and others within the last year and keep telling us "it was the end of their service life" when there are other similar Arrows out there that have been operating much longer. I think cost is definitely a factor as to why Vortex and Firehawk are/were being retired, too. Can you explain why there are much older Arrows out there similar in size to Vortex such as Lochness Monster that haven't been retired due to "reaching end of service life"? Just wanted to get the facts from the fact master. Thanks again for your feedback.

Yep. Part of me thinks CF is slowly getting rid of these rides for other reasons, possibly to save money and to take out KI's iconic rides. Vortex was truly the last great Arrow looper. Why would CF not want KI to have it? The Viper and Lochness would be the other ones, but Viper is in horrible shape, but still up and running, nonetheless. Lochness Monster will be the last good one standing IMO, and that was built in the 70s. I hope they at least keep The Vortex's/ Bat's beautiful station, but i'm sure CF will probably want to rip that one from history as well.

Yes, Corkscrew is less dynamic, but Lochness Monster at BGW was built in the 70's and is similar to Vortex in height and speed, but that is still going strong, as is Viper at Six Flags MM. I just don't buy what they are telling us. I think it's more than that.

Yes, but this is including Winterfest. Vortex helped break the record for the summer season for the first time ever.

Interesting. Never read or heard that. Only 87.

I initially misread your post. I agree, and yet they still don't remove it.

25 -30 year service life? Corkscrew opened in 76 and Lochness Monster opened in 78. Nice try, though.

Back when KI dominated CP, Vortex was actually the reason Cedar Point was prompted to build Magnum. Vortex opened as the highest coaster in the world with the most inversions and first to have 3 types of inversions on one ride 1987. Magnum opened 2 years later as the highest coaster in the world beating out Vortex and Shockwave, thus, beginning Cedar Point's path to what it is now. Vortex was also responsible for getting KI over 3 million mark in attendance for the first time ever.

Viper is a huge old Arrow looper and still running at Six Flags MM and is in much worse shape than Vortex.

Odd how Cedar Fair won't retire Corkscrew when it is older than Vortex and CP having a lack of land to expand and KI has almost 400 acres of undeveloped land. I find this very suspect. "Reached End of Service Life". Yeah, right!

Very possible.

I'm really surprised they didn't use Adena construction to erect this. They used them for Banshee, DB and the Soak City expansion. I think they did some work at CP as well.

That's why they cleared that land out back there in March. Makes sense now.