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Vortex (Canada's Wonderland)
Encyclopedia
Vortex at Canada's Wonderland is a suspended roller coaster, which enables it to swing under the track. It officially opened during the 1991 season. On "Vortex" riders are taken up through the top of the mountain and dropped at high speeds. At some points in the ride, the trains swing just above a river running through the middle of the park, giving riders the illusion that the train will touch the water.
) was built in 1993 at Wonderland's sister park Kings Island
. It has a near identical layout to Vortex, but there are notable differences. They include speed and height variances, a near miss with Son of Beast on Flight Deck, and the addition of another car to each train, allowing for 28 passengers per train as opposed to 24.
From that point until the end of the season, Vortex ran with five cars, reducing the capacity to 20 passengers per train. Although the units were removed, the wheel assembly which held the unit was still present on both trains. For the 2006 season, the missing cars were replaced. It is said that one of the cars was repaired while another was shipped from Chessington World of Adventures
. The car was used on the Vampire roller coaster, which now uses floorless trains designed by Vekoma
.
Ride Elements
- Cars are able to swing side-to-side
- It is considered to be a terrain roller coasterTerrain roller coasterTerrain roller coasters are roller coasters which, as their name suggests, take advantage of the natural undulations of the land upon which they are built. Such rides may often weave through forests, and some may even dive down cliffs...
due to the influences of the ride track by the mountain and the river
Similar Rides
Flight Deck (formerly Top GunTop Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
) was built in 1993 at Wonderland's sister park Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
. It has a near identical layout to Vortex, but there are notable differences. They include speed and height variances, a near miss with Son of Beast on Flight Deck, and the addition of another car to each train, allowing for 28 passengers per train as opposed to 24.
Ride Experience
The train climbs the 91 feet (27.7 m) lift hill immediately after departing the loading station. The lift takes riders up and over the park's mountain centerpiece. Upon cresting the lift, the train slowly turns to the right adding to the suspense of the upcoming drop. The train then quickly dives off the side of the mountain, sweeps to the right and climbs up the "fan-turn" element of the ride that flies over guests on the midway. It then sweeps back down over the grass and above the river, swooping left and right at 55 mi/h. The train dives into a downward helix, which swings only a few feet above the surface of the water. Upon returning to the station, the train swoops left and right a few times more until it charges into the brake run. The immense swinging force as the train enters the brake run causes the cars to swing even after the train stops moving. The ride then turns right back into the station. Vortex is also the tallest suspended coaster in the world; according to the Guinness Book Of World Records2005 Five-Car Train Operation
Midway through the 2005 season Vortex ran with five cars on each train as opposed to the usual six car operation. It is speculated that the first car and the last car of the trains were damaged, possibly as the result of a collision due to a blocking error. Although there is no information to confirm this, it is still considered a possibility due to the fact that the unit numbers on the trains were 6, 2, 3, 4, 5 from front to back on one train, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 on the other.From that point until the end of the season, Vortex ran with five cars, reducing the capacity to 20 passengers per train. Although the units were removed, the wheel assembly which held the unit was still present on both trains. For the 2006 season, the missing cars were replaced. It is said that one of the cars was repaired while another was shipped from Chessington World of Adventures
Chessington World of Adventures
Chessington World of Adventures Resort is a theme park and zoo in South West London, England. It lies south of Central London. Historically opened as Chessington Zoo in 1931, a theme park was developed alongside it, opening in 1987...
. The car was used on the Vampire roller coaster, which now uses floorless trains designed by Vekoma
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
.