Vortex (Carowinds)
History
On August 15, 1991, Carowinds announced that a new stand-up roller coaster would be added to the park in 1992 called Vortex. It was the first coaster built at Carowinds since Carolina Cyclone in 1980, and also became the park's most expensive ride to date at $5.5 million. Built by Bolliger & Mabillard, Vortex was the sixth stand-up coaster to open in the United States. Construction began in September 1991, and officials believed it would be completed by January 1992.
Vortex officially opened on March 14, 1992. It was repainted for the 2011 season with red track and gray supports, similar to Thunder Striker.
Ride Layout
Riders depart from the station in a standing position, then ascend a small 90-foot (27 m) lift. A pre-drop, characteristic of early Bolliger & Mabillard coasters, follows the lift hill, preceding the curved right drop. A vertical loop follows the drop and is followed-up by an upward right and downward banked turn. An upward helix follows the downward turn and is followed by a corkscrew to the right. After another upward helix and a wide turnaround, the train enters the final brake run before entering the station.
Construction Data
- 109 columns and foundations
- 411,000 pounds of steel
- 931 cubic yards of concrete
Ride Elements
- Loop
- Corkscrew
- Banked Turn
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Vortex's drop
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Vortex's loop
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Vortex's drop directly before the corkscrew
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Vortex's corkscrew
References
- ^ "A GUIDE TO WHAT'S NEW IN THEME PARKS".
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Vortex (Carowinds)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
- ^ Brown, Tony (August 16, 1991). "All rise for new roller coaster". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved July 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Limbacher, Patty (December 27, 1991). "Stand-up idea brings thrills to Vortex ride". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 10, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "4K Vortex POV Carowinds". TheCoasterViews. July 19, 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved September 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
External links
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