Discussing Land and Space in and around Vortex

[disco2000]

^Plus, they have to save all their nickels to pay back the One Billion Dollar note they took out earlier this year that is due in 2025 or risk losing the parks.

[coaster sally]

Guys I am sure coaster nation(gforce1994) already knows this and is just stirring the pot.

[standbyme]

It’s kind of like one of those clickbait “news” articles...you see “Is there Construction Going On at Vortex Site?” and punch on it...and after 24 pages later it simply says “No”! 

[robintodd]

Seeing the site in person I'm really hoping for a dive coaster that uses the natural ravine.  Could easily have a drop of 210+.

[Shaggy]

15 minutes ago, robintodd said:

Seeing the site in person I'm really hoping for a dive coaster that uses the natural ravine.  Could easily have a drop of 210+.

I'm not.  While I understand some enjoy them, I've ridden 4 of those suckers and for me are a let-down... a one-trick pony.  I hope KI goes a complete different direction - whenever they do add another marquee coaster attraction.

 

[BeeastFarmer]

Another post to get attention.  It's fairly obvious that they are cleaning up the site.  Footings are being dug up, debris is being triaged and removed.  There are still footings in the ground, I counted at least 5 in the picture.  The company hired to demolish Vortex, ORourke, is plainly displayed on the equipment.  When I was at the park on Tuesday, they were using the jackhammer to get the large footing destroyed up by the train storage shed of The Beast.  

The ignore option is a refreshing thing to have on this site.

[gforce1994]

10 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

I'm not.  While I understand some enjoy them, I've ridden 4 of those suckers and for me are a let-down... a one-trick pony.  I hope KI goes a complete different direction - whenever they do add another marquee coaster attraction.

 

A Gerstlauer Infinity coaster would be amazing, especially if they used the ditch to the ride’s advantage.

[OrionandDiamondback]

22 minutes ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Another post to get attention.  It's fairly obvious that they are cleaning up the site.  Footings are being dug up, debris is being triaged and removed.  There are still footings in the ground, I counted at least 5 in the picture.  The company hired to demolish Vortex, ORourke, is plainly displayed on the equipment.  When I was at the park on Tuesday, they were using the jackhammer to get the large footing destroyed up by the train storage shed of The Beast.  

The ignore option is a refreshing thing to have on this site.

But yet you are always commenting on everything in a passive aggressive way? Browsing old post before becoming a member. you're the one I noticed that seems to be a constant debbie downer..  you should sometimes utilize your option of ignoring,  would be better for others

[BeeastFarmer]

2 minutes ago, OrionandDiamondback said:

But yet you are always commenting on everything in a passive aggressive way? Browsing old post before becoming a member. you're the one I noticed that seems to be a constant debbie downer..  you should sometimes utilize your option of ignoring,  would be better for others

Oh, you have read all 2200 of my posts?  I'm sorry if pointing out the things that are obvious makes me passive-aggressive and a downer.  I have used the ignore option, very recently.  If my posts bother you, maybe you should too!

 

[Tr0y]

11 hours ago, gforce1994 said:

In the last few days there has been more work being done at The Vortex site. There has been a significant amount of soil moved around within the site (even though all footers are removed).

Furthermore the site doesn’t match the recent CF trends to fill in the sites of prior rides.

It looks more like a grading project is going on rather than a fill project, creating a flat plot of land for future projects.

Vortex:

Stinger:

 

Volcano: 

 

While it seems like expansion is far off, the fact they’re not filling the site is peculiar. Thoughts?

 

Bring back The Beast pond and water feature!

[lifetimecoaster]

2 hours ago, BeeastFarmer said:

Another post to get attention.  It's fairly obvious that they are cleaning up the site.  Footings are being dug up, debris is being triaged and removed.  There are still footings in the ground, I counted at least 5 in the picture.  The company hired to demolish Vortex, ORourke, is plainly displayed on the equipment.  When I was at the park on Tuesday, they were using the jackhammer to get the large footing destroyed up by the train storage shed of The Beast.  

The ignore option is a refreshing thing to have on this site.

You also have to keep in mind, there were still footers on that site from The Bat, that are what, almost 40 years old now? There was a lot that needed to be removed from that site, and the footers that were there from The Bat were pretty large in a few locations. There was one you could see from Vortex station that was about the size of a 1 car garage floor!! 

[IndyGuy4KI]

I moved @gforce1994's thread here. There has been construction on the site since January.  There is no need to have a separate thread that looks like there is some new construction going on.  Please use this thread for further discussion. Thanks!

[Outdoor Man]

Had a much longer post before trying to upload to a now-deleted thread.

PRE-COVID: my guess is that CF had plans already in motion when the decision was made to bring Vortex down as a 2021 attraction(s).  It's too marquee a location to not have an equally marquee attraction inhabit the spot.  Just like SOB stood SBNO for a few years even though there was no intention to reopen- it stood until Banshee was ready to build.  It would have been easy to leave Vortex standing until something new was ready.  

CONTEXT: prospect to first ride can take 3+ years to do; so, at a minimum, Vortex's demise has been in the making since at least 2018, maybe sooner- well after the decision of Orion's location was made.  COVID has likely drastically changed the timeline.

PRESENT DAY: had they known the future, Vortex would probably still be standing.  But, now that it's down, you have to do something there while you figure out time- it really depends on where they were in the design process.  My guess is that the internal conversations within CF have been punted to after Opening Day 2021- and this may end up being an attraction(s) for 2023.  It may be after that, but I'm assuming CF has already invested a chunk of change for this and whatever it is will be done sooner or later.

 

WHAT I THINK: First, doesn't matter.  Second- will give anyway.  I think that the location where the loading station across from WindSeeker will become a larger pedestrian area- possibly extending back to SRR.  My guess is that when KMAA was built they knew that "soon" the walkway would be widened.  The footprint of Vortex itself will become a small handful of attractions with an eventual coaster installed to bookend the back of the park once again- possibly built in phases.

[IndyGuy4KI]

Sorry about that @Outdoor Man.

I envision a new ride there with the entrance plaza across from the BLSC entrance. 

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

6 hours ago, Outdoor Man said:

Had a much longer post before trying to upload to a now-deleted thread.

PRE-COVID: my guess is that CF had plans already in motion when the decision was made to bring Vortex down as a 2021 attraction(s).  It's too marquee a location to not have an equally marquee attraction inhabit the spot.  Just like SOB stood SBNO for a few years even though there was no intention to reopen- it stood until Banshee was ready to build.  It would have been easy to leave Vortex standing until something new was ready.  

CONTEXT: prospect to first ride can take 3+ years to do; so, at a minimum, Vortex's demise has been in the making since at least 2018, maybe sooner- well after the decision of Orion's location was made.  COVID has likely drastically changed the timeline.

PRESENT DAY: had they known the future, Vortex would probably still be standing.  But, now that it's down, you have to do something there while you figure out time- it really depends on where they were in the design process.  My guess is that the internal conversations within CF have been punted to after Opening Day 2021- and this may end up being an attraction(s) for 2023.  It may be after that, but I'm assuming CF has already invested a chunk of change for this and whatever it is will be done sooner or later.

 

WHAT I THINK: First, doesn't matter.  Second- will give anyway.  I think that the location where the loading station across from WindSeeker will become a larger pedestrian area- possibly extending back to SRR.  My guess is that when KMAA was built they knew that "soon" the walkway would be widened.  The footprint of Vortex itself will become a small handful of attractions with an eventual coaster installed to bookend the back of the park once again- possibly built in phases.

My idea is the area where Vortex's station was would be a flat ride. Then a new coaster on the Rivertown side using the arcade building as the entrance and queue area. 

[silver2005]

^You really want to put said new ride's entrance/exit and Beast's entrance/exit that close together?  

[brenthodge]

Seeing it in person now I suggest nothing but a lake and green space. It’s beautiful seeing from Beast load  across open space all the way to coney. There is undeveloped land all over this place. I’d hope they finish clearing, create a water feature that brings Beast station back to its original design AND gives that marque ride the visibility it has earned. OR incorporate a flume ride into the lake going back into the woods trying to keep as much or the tree line as possible as a nod to Kentons. It would be cool if they could make it look like it connects to the Diamondabak lake and really make water the centerpiece of (wait for it) RIVERtown. Enough coasters for now. Really, didn’t we just get one????

[FOFirehawkFAN]

On 7/5/2020 at 10:25 PM, SonofBaconator said:

I feel the same way. It would take away from the Eiffel Tower in my opinion.

You guys give me a lot to think about I always just figured it would be a matter of time before an updated entry plaze like Carowinds or Ceadr Point was inevitable I never realized there were people against it.

[KI Guy]

17 hours ago, brenthodge said:

Seeing it in person now I suggest nothing but a lake and green space.

Do you know what? That is an excellent idea!

With the addition of Diamondback, and the removal of Swan Lake, Rivertown lost a lot of it's old look and charm. A return of a real, nicely landscaped lake would help so much to restore the look at least in another location.

For those of you too young to remember, this was Swan Lake. Today it is the site of the Diamondback splashdown pool, brake run, and station.

Credit to the fine folks of KIExtreme.com.

 

[BringBackOurEagles]

4 hours ago, KI Guy said:

Do you know what? That is an excellent idea!

With the addition of Diamondback, and the removal of Swan Lake, Rivertown lost a lot of it's old look and charm. A return of a real, nicely landscaped lake would help so much to restore the look at least in another location,.

For those of you too young to remember. This was Swan Lake. Today it is the sight of the Diamondback splashdown pool, brake run, and station.

Credit to the fine folks of KIExtreme.com.

 

Diamondback was sorely needed but it was such a shame it had to come at the cost of this. I used to work in Rivertown back in those days and it really felt like you were somewhere else altogether.

[BringBackOurEagles]

12 hours ago, brenthodge said:

Seeing it in person now I suggest nothing but a lake and green space. It’s beautiful seeing from Beast load  across open space all the way to coney. There is undeveloped land all over this place. I’d hope they finish clearing, create a water feature that brings Beast station back to its original design AND gives that marque ride the visibility it has earned. OR incorporate a flume ride into the lake going back into the woods trying to keep as much or the tree line as possible as a nod to Kentons. It would be cool if they could make it look like it connects to the Diamondabak lake and really make water the centerpiece of (wait for it) RIVERtown. Enough coasters for now. Really, didn’t we just get one????

YES I said something similar a few pages back. Fill ‘er in! Screamin swing over the water back where Vortex’s station used to be. And eventually they could develop a ride that interacts with the water from the rivertown side if they wanted to. 

[coaster sally]

29 minutes ago, BringBackOurEagles said:

YES I said something similar a few pages back. Fill ‘er in! Screamin swing over the water back where Vortex’s station used to be. And eventually they could develop a ride that interacts with the water from the rivertown side if they wanted to. 

A terrain multi launch is best there.  If CF chose the new b&m surf coaster though i would say fill it in.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

Looking at the land, Idk if the valley is completely round enough to make a lake out of it. 

[brenthodge]

4 hours ago, BringBackOurEagles said:

Diamondback was sorely needed but it was such a shame it had to come at the cost of this. I used to work in Rivertown back in those days and it really felt like you were somewhere else altogether.

Needed, but that was a horrible spot. It interrupted so much and required so much reworking. Seemed like short sighted planning to get a massive “beast” right in the middle of everything. I think it could’ve been added AND had some of the visibility without wrecking the charm of the area. 

[brenthodge]

4 hours ago, BringBackOurEagles said:

YES I said something similar a few pages back. Fill ‘er in! Screamin swing over the water back where Vortex’s station used to be. And eventually they could develop a ride that interacts with the water from the rivertown side if they wanted to. 

And extend the seating at Larosas around the building with awesome waterfront dining and please replace pizza with a more theme appropriate “signature” dining option like fried chicken and great sides. Maybe even set up like a family style “buffet”. Even if you had to take over the arcade to do it, I do t think that would be a big loss. All of that, including the soccer game should go to coney or action. 

[IndyGuy4KI]

Just rode Windseeker, still lots of footings to still remove. Here are the pictures I got after the ride. 

 

[dbackdreams]

I saw that from the ifel towre.  It is quite back there now to I miss vortes.

[SonofBaconator]

12 hours ago, FOFirehawkFAN said:

You guys give me a lot to think about I always just figured it would be a matter of time before an updated entry plaze like Carowinds or Ceadr Point was inevitable I never realized there were people against it.

They could always add a facade to the front like they do for Haunt and Winterfest if they wanted something different.

[Hawaiian Coasters 325]

11 hours ago, brenthodge said:

And extend the seating at Larosas around the building with awesome waterfront dining and please replace pizza with a more theme appropriate “signature” dining option like fried chicken and great sides. Maybe even set up like a family style “buffet”. Even if you had to take over the arcade to do it, I do t think that would be a big loss. All of that, including the soccer game should go to coney or action. 

I don't think they'll ever remove that Larosas. 

[purdude86]

On 7/9/2020 at 7:11 AM, Shaggy said:

I'm not.  While I understand some enjoy them, I've ridden 4 of those suckers and for me are a let-down... a one-trick pony.  I hope KI goes a complete different direction - whenever they do add another marquee coaster attraction.

 

I can see that for some but feel the last few have really upped it. The first ones were all the same. I did still really enjoy Sheikra but think a lot of that comes from the scenery and themeing. If it was dropped in a bare plot of land like most regional parks would have i could understand the sentiment very much so. But I feel Valravn started some great step with adding the zero g roll and airtime hill toward the end that added a lot more to it. And Yukon Striker has a lot of different elements to it (have yet to ride it though). B&M has shown they can be more than just a simple dive and dive loop. The hold at the top of the first drop is amazing and they are photogenic. plus the wide trains allow for a very different feel depending on seat. So as long as the park didn't go cheap and get a very simple design it could still be a great poster that isn't one note.