Vortex is leaving Kings Island
- Thread starter Intricks
- Start date
I’d hope so, as it’s ironically one of the most historic structures in the park.
ultimate poaster
Roller Poster
They should just take the whole park with it, amirite?
SilverArrow
Certified Ride Geek
So both Firehawk and Vortex trains seem to have travelled together to Carowinds. Firehawk is obviously for Nighthawk and I am assuming Vortex is for Carolina Cyclone, but interesting to see that they've chosen Carowinds over say KD (or pretty much any of their other parks with arrow loopers). Wonder if it's any indication of ride longevity or whether it's just what was required mechanically (or even cheap truck space).
BansheeBerry
Roller Poster
Wasn’t it only one of the trains that went to Carowinds? I don’t recall all 3 of them going there.
SilverArrow
Certified Ride Geek
No idea. When I said both I meant both Firehawk and Vortex had at least one train sent there.
In all likelihood all Firehawk trains were sent, as Carowinds would use them as spare part inventory for Nighthawk. (And same with using Vortex parts for Carolina Cyclone, which also received Geauga Lake’s Double Loop trains when that was retired in the same fashion)
It’s very common Cedar Fair practice to send spare trains from decommissioned rides to parks with the same ride type.
BansheeBerry
Roller Poster
That wasn’t really why I asking that question, I asked if all 3 trains went to Carowinds. His post was talking about how it was intresting that it was sent to Carowinds instead of KD when that may not be the case if the other trains get sent else where. Yes I get why trains would be sent around.
Lori Marie Loud
Giga Poster
Looks like stuff in Ohio and Indiana is plunging into the abyss.
Geagua, Son of Beast, Wildwater, Nickelodeon, The Crypt, Firehawk, Vortex, Indiana Beach.....
Geagua, Son of Beast, Wildwater, Nickelodeon, The Crypt, Firehawk, Vortex, Indiana Beach.....
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
Not really about the demolition of Vortex but an interesting article on what could have been.
The article mentions the bids from various companies to KI for what eventually became Vortex (schwarzkopf multi looper sounds interesting) but mostly just looks at the Togo proposal which was essentially a precursor to the ill-fated windjammer at Knotts.
coasternation.com
The article mentions the bids from various companies to KI for what eventually became Vortex (schwarzkopf multi looper sounds interesting) but mostly just looks at the Togo proposal which was essentially a precursor to the ill-fated windjammer at Knotts.
Long Lost Kings Island Proposed Coaster Rediscovered – Coaster Nation
coasternation.com
Antinos
Slut for Spinners
Quite an interesting article but I'm most interested about the Schwarzkopf proposal. I know that Vortex was state of the art in 1987, but the thought that there could have been something like Shockwave, Mindbender, or hell, even SooperDooperLooper (as weak of a ride as it is) at a park that I frequent irks me.
EDIT: not sure how old this photo is, but it gives a good overview of the back of the park: Vortex's cleared plot of land, Onion, and a good depiction of how rides are encroaching in The Beast's isolation.
EDIT: not sure how old this photo is, but it gives a good overview of the back of the park: Vortex's cleared plot of land, Onion, and a good depiction of how rides are encroaching in The Beast's isolation.
Last edited:
That is so fascinating! Especially after the debacle Windjammer ended up being. 
Also made me remember the Wacky Soap Box Racers Knott's used to have too - a very different park before the 2000s!
Whatever comes to pass in the Vortex lot - I really hope there's some restoration of the Beast sight line with that opening turnaround. It's petty, but Beast is becoming less and less remote, especially after Orion's addition which will have clear view from Beast's turn 2. The station has already seen a downgrade of thematic effect, including a massive amount of water feature (the station was originally themed as a full-blown saw mill), but has always had a cute charm that would be a shame to lose.
Here's some fun photos from the opening year of Beast as reference: https://www.themerica.org/blog/2019/02/24/kings-island-03
Also made me remember the Wacky Soap Box Racers Knott's used to have too - a very different park before the 2000s!Whatever comes to pass in the Vortex lot - I really hope there's some restoration of the Beast sight line with that opening turnaround. It's petty, but Beast is becoming less and less remote, especially after Orion's addition which will have clear view from Beast's turn 2. The station has already seen a downgrade of thematic effect, including a massive amount of water feature (the station was originally themed as a full-blown saw mill), but has always had a cute charm that would be a shame to lose.
Here's some fun photos from the opening year of Beast as reference: https://www.themerica.org/blog/2019/02/24/kings-island-03
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
When King's Island first looked at building what would become the Beast the park originally planned to build a clone of concinatti Coney Islands famous Shooting Star.
While clearly this changed (the shooting star was eventually bought back at Canada's Wonderland as Mine buster) Kings Island could have been a very different park with a different out and back woodie and a Togo racing coaster.
Although I assume the same is true of any park. There must be tons of plans for unbuilt rides out there that we will never get to see.
While clearly this changed (the shooting star was eventually bought back at Canada's Wonderland as Mine buster) Kings Island could have been a very different park with a different out and back woodie and a Togo racing coaster.
Although I assume the same is true of any park. There must be tons of plans for unbuilt rides out there that we will never get to see.