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Vortex Is Leaving After This Fall Season


THE_BEASTmaster

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3 minutes ago, Ben43065 said:

That’s kind of pointless In my honest opinion. they could easily just hire a firm and produce a better produce.

I see what you are saying, but think about where else they could use those lights. Like for orion for example, or and extension to Racers lights.

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Just now, Klabergian Empire said:

I see what you are saying, but think about where else they could use those lights. Like for orion for example, or and extension to Racers lights.

The tracer lights are fairly dated (and not in the best looking condition) yeah they could put in on another ride but at this point it’d probably be easier to just order new ones.

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A day I never hoped would come. Deep in the back of my mind, I would always know this could and would happen, but it was always easy to push it off as "That's still years away."

It's no longer years away. I'm going to miss Vortex. More than I ever thought I would.

They can replace it with something new and that will take away some of the sting of the closure. The problem is, to me, that whatever they replace it with, it just won't be Vortex. I can't have it back. No second chances, no more re-rides. Others like it remain, but they will not be the same.

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Vortex will honestly probably be the most loved coaster to leave the park. It will easily replace The Bat for the one everyone talks about that used to be around. The Bat was just elusive, and very few actually rode it to have a say. But Vortex has been an SOHO region staple for decades and across generations.

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Mantis and Vortex (CA Great America) got overhauls while remaining largely the same ride (stand-up to floorless conversion). Obviously that's not happening to Vortex, as nobody makes floorless trains compatible with Arrow track.

Hurler at Kings Dominion and Mean Streak both got RMC'd. However, I would argue those are a whole new coaster. If there were any RMC-like treatment for steel coasters, this would be the most likely chance of Vortex not *really* going away. But no such conversion exists, so this won't be happening.

The Flying Cobras at Carowinds got a new Vekoma train upon its relocation to replace the old Arrow train it ran at Geauga Lake. If anything were happening to Vortex that would cause it to not actually be leaving, this is it. Though, I don't think the park would try to claim the ride was being "retired" if that were the case, but rather renovated. Especially with Vortex being a staple of Kings Island and one of the most immediately recognizable coasters in the world, nobody would fall for it as a "new" ride the way they did with Rougarou. If there is some plan to upgrade Vortex in some way, this is what it would be, though the odds of that are a million to one. Frankly, if Vortex were in a good enough state that new trains would breath new life into it, then there would be no reason to do that as it still gets great ridership with the old ones.

The interesting one to take note of was at a SIX park. Ninja at Six Flags over Georgia (a Vekoma, but in terms of track design they are Arrow's closest relative) got new paint, trains, and extensive track work in its conversion to Blue Hawk. If Vortex has any future (and that's a big if, and one that I've already come to terms with simply not being the case) then that would be it. Technically speaking, you could maybe get away with marketing it as a new coaster so it would explain the "retired" verbiage, but the 99.9% certain reality is that Kings Island is going to look very, very weird, empty, and wrong to a lot of us next year.

All that said, don't get your hopes up guys. There are very few people on this planet who love Vortex more than me, so believe me that it brings me unbelievable pain to say this, but the old girl is done. Get your rides in before the 27th and say your goodbyes because you aren't getting another opportunity. I would absolutely love to be wrong. It would literally make my year if I'm wrong. But I just don't think that I am. And as much as I would have loved a farewell season, at least we got a little bit of warning and time to say our goodbyes. That's more than the Son of Beast or Tomb Raider fans got, and for that much, I'm grateful.

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On 10/11/2019 at 11:59 AM, Ben43065 said:

The tracer lights are fairly dated (and not in the best looking condition) yeah they could put in on another ride but at this point it’d probably be easier to just order new ones.

What will be really interesting is whether or not like tracer lights are on for Winterfest... or will the electrical components already begin to be removed by then?

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7 minutes ago, BoddaH1994 said:

What will be really interesting is whether or not like tracer lights are on for Winterfest... or will the electrical components already begin to be removed by then?

Did they turn on Vortex's tracer lights at Winterfest the last two years? Seems weird to turn those on for a coaster that's closed for the year. They never ran Son of Beast's lift hill lights after it went SBNO.

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47 minutes ago, homestar92 said:

Did they turn on Vortex's tracer lights at Winterfest the last two years? Seems weird to turn those on for a coaster that's closed for the year. They never ran Son of Beast's lift hill lights after it went SBNO.

I want to say they did, but admittingly I'm not sure.

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56 minutes ago, flightoffear1996 said:

Have we even seen demolition permits for it yet?  Could be SBNO for a bit. 

No one has posted them if we have.  Likely it'll follow a similar timeline as Firehawk and the structure won't be touched until after the first of the year.

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1 minute ago, collin.klopfstein said:

After they tear Vortex down during the winter, Will they just leave the land vacant or do you think by next season we will see markers?

I'm thinking that since Orion is such a big addition, that they will at least keep that land vacant for a few years. I hope i'm wrong because I want to see something in that plot of land as soon as possible.

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1 minute ago, Kodistict said:

I'm thinking that since Orion is such a big addition, that they will at least keep that land vacant for a few years. I hope i'm wrong because I want to see something in that plot of land as soon as possible.

Orion is going to be an amazing coaster but you cant lie, its a little short.... I know its a huge investment but if Kings Island wanted to go bigger they could of, but i think they knew Vortex was on its last years and once they tear it down they are gonna have to replace it with something huge, i think thats why they didnt go all out with the giga

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1 minute ago, collin.klopfstein said:

Orion is going to be an amazing coaster but you cant lie, its a little short.... I know its a huge investment but if Kings Island wanted to go bigger they could of, but i think they knew Vortex was on its last years and once they tear it down they are gonna have to replace it with something huge, i think thats why they didnt go all out with the giga

That could be possible. All of the concepts in the Discussing Land And Space Around Vortex thread are amazing, and I would love to see any of them there.

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Plot twist, the plot of land is used for bathrooms. See what I did there?

 

 

 

 

 

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I went into a huge nostalgia trip riding Vortex last night.  Part of it was that the RT LaRosa's had a really strong, pleasant smell, so swooping over it on Vortex really triggered my  nostalgia a ton as that was commonplace in the 90s.  I also rode it in 6-2, which, is a spot where I did my biggest marathon on it.  Back when Paramount owned the park, my family went on P&G day in the late 90s (dad worked there).  Paramount allowed re-rides, or at the very least, they did on P&G day, and I got 6 rides in a row without leaving my seat on 6-2 on Vortex.   Got a ride in the Ron Toomer seat (5-1), 7-2, and in 1-1 as well.  

Its such a cool ride despite its flaws, especially how the 2nd hill looks during a sunset with a train soaring up.  I'm really going to miss it. :(

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