Rumors on Vortex closing?
Kings Island: Is there any truth to the rumor of PKI closing the Vortex?
From Ellen A
Posted July 31, 2005 at 5:36 PM
I have heard countless rumors of PKI closing the Vortex. Every year it seems to start again. Can anyone verify or dispove the rumor? Just thought I'd check before I begin whining like everyone else. :-) Thanks!
Oh good gosh, I hope not! I hadn't ever heard this rumor, but if it is true, I don't know that I'll go back unless they replace it with something mind-blowing. Ever since the park became Paramount, I swear it has gone downhill. They seem more focused on the theme of promoting movies than coming up with great new attractions. I was shocked when they took out the King Cobra a few years back. I'm not one of those people who go to an amusement park for one specific ride, but if they take out the Vortex, the only great coasters they'll have left are the Beast and Son of Beast.
I sure hope this isn't true, but I hope to hear if someone has inside info.
From Joe Tatum
Posted August 1, 2005 at 3:56 PM
I loooooooooooooooove pki and I seriously, seriously hope that the roumor isn't true. of course, i did hear that they were gonna shorten the beast 2 years ago to make room for crocodile dundee, and that wasnt true, so that gives me hope :)
This has been floating around on PKI fansites for a while now. While the Arrow looper is indeed aging a bit, it's still a good ride, and is by no means ready for the scrapheap (like some other Arrows) They just spent a chunk of change two years back on a brand new paint job, and the ride still draws, so I don't think it's going anywhere just yet.
The actual rumor that has been going around is that PKI will be removing a major ride sometime soon. The Vortex has been nominated by the fanboys as a possibility. My opinion?? I would tend to go with a ride that has pretty much been left to fade away, that ride is Top Gun. The station has lost a lot of it's set pieces, and the track needs a paint job in the worst way. I sure hope there are no ride removals, as PKI has done enough of those in the last 5 years. If in fact there is some truth to the rumor, the bettin man in me would put money on Top Gun.
I have heard rumers that this mega-coaster is sinking into the ground like some many centimeters a year and that is the reason the are removing it. I have also heard rumers of the PKI camp-ground being closed and they are building a new lodge/hotel in its place? Could you please e-mail me with some more information.
About the campground. I forsee it being rethemed with some kind of Nickelodeon theme. Whether it will be a campground or even a version of the Nickelodeon Hotel in Orlando I don't know.
About the Vortex sinking....one shouldn't believe everything they hear or read on the net. You seem to have fallen for one of the oldest tricks in the rumor book.
From Joe Tatum
Posted August 5, 2005 at 3:22 PM
about the campground...I went there two days ago and it was closed. I don't know if it usually closes this time of year, but it was closed. Also, when I went on Top Gun, I looked over at the field where it is/was, and it was full of dead grass and no trees whatsoever. Is it just me, or did it used to have alot of trees/ scenery?
The campground was closed indefinetly at the beginning of this year. I do believe that the new indoor waterpark/hotel is going in around that vicinity, so that could be another reason why it's closed right now. One of the latest Paramount Park surveys was focused on a Nickelodeon themed campground, and that's usually a sign of things to come. I still think that they could also transform the Kings Island Resort into a Nickelodeon Hotel.
As for Top Gun, yes it used to look a lot better than it does. It's overgrown, the track looks bad, and the theming has deteriorated significantly. That makes it a prime candidate for removal to me (although I hope that they keep it...it's a pretty good ride)
From Joe Tatum
Posted August 6, 2005 at 5:52 PM
I'm getting bored with all of the nickalodeon stuff. I think they should get an inverted coaster or something. Does anyone know if they have any more land in the back of the park in which they could expand outwards instead of even thinking about taking out perfectly good rides (like Top Gun and Vortex and King Kobra)?
They have plenty of land to expand, but for some reason have chosen not to do that. There is a large chunk of land between Son of Beast and the racer that is nothing but some storage and an access road.
Unfortunately for us mega thrill seekers, PKI isn't doing much to appease us lately. They have put in some decent flat thrill rides recently, but for some reason seem to have a phobia about working with B&M or Intamin or someone similar to deliver a really good coaster. The Italian Job is a good themed family coaster, but not high on the thrill scale. Next year seems to have Nickelodeon written all over it.
While this isn't the way some of us would like to see the park going, they have indeed had some success pursuing the family market. They have brought back Winterfest, improved customer service, and developed some good themed rides recently. I'm glad to see PKI having it's success in the family market, I just hope that they don't forget about the adult thrillseekers entirely.
From Joe Tatum
Posted August 8, 2005 at 7:33 PM
I wish they actually WOULD put something with a 5 rating in. They only have what?like..... 4 rides rated 5 and they're all getting old. If they CAN expand they SHOULD expand, especially if they have the LAND TO expand. B.T.W. What rides does B&M do anyways?
Votex is one of the only THRILL rides they have there. While the BEAST is fun, it should also come with a free back massage after. Top Gun is what should go. They NEED a big coaster PERIOD!
From Joe Tatum
Posted August 18, 2005 at 6:25 PM
I agree... and at the same time, I disagree. Vortex IS one of the most thrilling rides there, but I think that NOTHING deserves to go. They, without a doubt, need a big coaster!!!By the way: update on the campground thing,I went there the other day, and the campground was pure dirt (with a couple bulldozers and such), but whatever they're doing for next year somehow involves that space.
Just heard news this weekend of the Vortex closing in 2 years from a "Vortex" employee. He stated that the company who made it had been bought out, resulting in difficulty obtaining parts and mainteneance support. This young "kid" just kept relaying that it is getting too old to keep up on the maintenance... made me feel ancient considering I remember riding this one as a teen within a 1/2 hour of it's Grand Opening way back when!!
I believe that Arrow still makes spare parts, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Arrow is now owned by S&S Power, and no...spare parts are not hard to come by. Think about how many Arrow coasters are still out there. I could round off about 25 off of the top of my head. Granted a lot of them are past their prime, but there is still a big market for Arrow spare parts. If Vortex closes, it won't be because of that. They are still running it full steam ahead through October, so I think it will stick around for next year. I
Arrow is now owned by S&S Power, and no...spare parts are not hard to come by. Think about how many Arrow coasters are still out there. I can think of about 25 off the top of my head. Granted a lot of them are past their prime, but there is still a big market for Arrow spare parts. If Vortex closes, it won't be because of that. They are still running it full steam ahead through October, so I think it will stick around for next year. I can't see Vortex going anywhere until they have a replacement for it, which could very well be 2007. As stated in my last trip report, I do think that the ride should be retired within the next few years, because it won't be long before the ride quality takes a turn for the worse. I'd rather remember it as a good ride than to see it go past it's prime as a really bad headbanger. Steel coasters just aren't ageless like wooden coasters are.
Seriously though, I was at the park this past weekend, and I think it's about time for a new big coaster. T
Turns out that the ride closure this year may turn out to be Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster. It's not quite the major ride that PKI makes it out to be, but it's a coaster nonetheless The Nickelodeon expansion has been announced as expected, and with Top Gun and Vortex both running during Fearfest, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Scooby coaster go in favor of one of the new Nickelodeon concepts, and there are quite a few of them on tap for next year.
I am fairly new to the board and just kind of browsing the old forum topics, sorry that this is kind of belated. (well, WAY belated actually). I don't think Vortex will be going anywhere in the short term- but I do wish they'd add padded seats in the trains. If anything, PKD in Virginia has closed Flight Of Fear this year, (probable re-themeing) and are debuting Italian Job. Since PKI debuted IJ last year, the only thing I could expect that is if FOF does get a facelift in Virginia, that it's twin at PKI may undergo the same next year and be out of commission for 07. However, if PKD removes FOF, then PKI may do the same. We shall see.
I'm going to try calling PKD again and see if I can find anything out. I don't think that they would take out FOF because it's such a high volume ride. As to what you said about the closing of FOF at PKI for 2007, I read somewhere that they would be doing any work to it during the off season.
wow i hope they dont take out vortex cuz i havent ever rode it i heard it was alot of fun and it looks like fun too it doesnt look as scary as diamondback but diamondback looks fun too so i would like to ride that haha but anyways wats with the nickleodean stuff? i mean ya gr8t for little kids but a teenager like me? no thank you(;
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