OHIO, USA — After three decades of operation, Kings Island is saying goodbye to one of its roller coasters at the end of its current season.
In a press release, Kings Island announced that the park is closing the steel coaster Vortex on October 27. The coaster was designed exclusively for the park and opened on April 11, 1987. When it opened, it was the tallest, full-circuit roller coaster with the highest drop in the world and the first roller coaster in the world with six inversions.
While the ride is still a crowd favorite, the park said it has “simply reached the end of its service life”. Most steel coasters last around 25-30 years and Votex has been in operation for 33 years.
Since it opened, over 45 million guests have screamed through its loops and turns. Only six attractions have given more rides since Kings Island opened in 1972. Overall, riders have been flipped upside down more than 275,000,000 times while riding Vortex.
Final rides will begin Friday night when Halloween Haunt opens at 6 p.m. For the rest of the season, 2019 and 2020 Gold and Platinum season pass holders will get the opportunity for exclusive early ride times on Saturdays and Sundays before the park opens to the public.
While Kings Island says goodbye to this ride, a new one is currently under construction. Orion, expected to be the park's longest and fastest roller coaster, is expected to open in the spring of 2020.
For more park information, visit the Kings Island website.
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