KI Vortex closing permanently October 27
To me this is an absolutely profound loss. It is my favorite coaster there and has always been part of my Kings Island experience. I breathed a sign of relief when it was Firehawk announced last year, but I was thinking.. you know.. i need to be kind.. that was somebody's favorite ride.
With this said, I can't say I'm surprised in the least. The coaster is on the rough and violent side of things, I am always hearing complaints from riders when it pulls into the breaks, the age of course plays a factor, and I mentioned years ago to my freinds that once the park built a Giga, it was a matter of time before Vortex would be out the door, I was hoping it would last about 2 more years before a new mega looper could take its place.
Cedar Fair itself came out a new years ago and said the average lifespan of a steel coaster is about 20 years, and this has by far surpassed that.
Life is in constant change. Our bodies, the earth, the technology, our ways of thinking. It's a natural way of evolving. We are but a blip through history and time and it is our responsibility to be the best blip we can, enjoy the moments and cherish the memories. Nothing lasts forever, so let's enjoy the ride while we're on it.
This is a true loss. I remember when Vortex opened up. The ad campaign was awesome with the metallic hand grasping the twisted track. That's what it looks like too. When I saw it for the first time it looked like a giant had grabbed some track and shook it hard a few times and threw it on the ground. 6 inversions. Cool layout. When it opened Kings Island was the king of coasters with this and the Beast it had the baddest wooden and steel coasters on earth. I hope I can sneak down to KI this fall to ride this Arrow legend at least once more.
Closed topic.
