fryoj

Smiler at Alton Towers does this but its a sit down. I think the center of gravity on an invert makes it tougher. You'd have to have a significant drop out of the station to pull it off,

If it were a launched invert, they could launch you into a sidewinder out of the station and then perhaps into a helix before arriving at the first lift hill. They could also go straight from the launch into a vert loop or a cobra roll and would eliminate the need for a lift at all.

I knew they didn't build the actual launch mechanism, but they did design the coaster as a launched coaster.

Well hulk is a B&M, but I agree they wouldn't use it here. Really, looking at the footer layout, I'd expect this to be a traditional lift hill.

It worked well on Hulk

?? Why would it be the end for Vortex? The Bat was a suspended coaster. If we get a new B&M invert, it would be a different coaster experience than Vortex. Regardless of the name of the new coaster, I don't think Vortex is going anywhere anytime soon. Honestly, the biggest reason I expect a looper in 2014 is that Vortex is most likely approaching the end of its useful life. Its creeping up on 30 years old. Its already been too rough of a ride for a few years now. It really needs overhauled or scrapped and I don't see them dumping bunch of money into rehabbing a 30 year old ride. Just my opinion, but we see an inverted this year. Maybe a giga or some other type of looper in the rest of the SOB area in the 2016-2017 range. Then after that, by 2020 Vortex will be gone and they will put something in that spot. I could even see them dumping The Vortex and replacing it with a sit down or floorless looper in the same spot in the 2016-2017 range.

I think the two coaster idea is impractical. Unless one is a kiddie/throwaway/cheap coaster, there is almost no reason to open two in one year. Look how many years it is after Diamondback before we are getting a new one. These things take time to pay off and they need repeat visits to pay them off. If you live a long way away and they put two in the same year you can get them both with one trip. Build them a couple years apart and enthusiasts make two trips. If they are indeed going to build two, they more likely would open one in 2014 and the second in 2015 or 2016. Maybe thats where these three year rumors are coming from. Open a Banshee invert in 2014. in 15 either do nothing, a small upgrade elsewhere, or flesh out a new area/expanded Action Zone. And in 16 open a giga or whatever.

Got inspired to join and add my own opinion to the fray. Used one of your pictures with photoshop and google maps to do some figuring, and, at least IMO, there's no way its a giga. Here's why I've come up with this: I think the train leaves the station following the red line going left and down through the curve and between the rectangular footers. This should be the start of the lift. Using google maps, the distance between this point and the old KC round footers is right around 200 foot. Probably a little less. Even if you assume a really steep 45 degree lift, that just puts you at a height of 200 foot. Just beyond on this line about 50-75 foot away is Adventure Express, making it impractical to continue the lift any further. I believe most of the B&M inverts are closer to a 35 degree angle which puts the lift height increase of 140 foot. Add in the starting distance off the ground and you are probably looking into a height no higher than 150-160 foot. That fits more into the typical invert range. Granted, my guess at the lift direction could be wrong, but given everything we've seen so far, I think we are in for an invert.