Vortex (Great America)
Encyclopedia
Vortex is a stand-up roller coaster
at California's Great America. It has a different layout but is generally the same size as Vortex at Carowinds
. It was Bolliger & Mabillard
's second coaster after Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America
and officially opened on March 9, 1991. The ride has a reputation for the uncomfortable head-banging some experience while riding. The coaster currently has a paint scheme of purple track with yellow rails and gray supports.
The coaster makes a left handed first drop into its first loop then executes a left turnaround. The train next travels in another left turnaround through its loop. The train then travels to the other far end of its layout into another turnaround after which it enters the corkscrew element and finally into the final brake run. The course used to cross over the park train's railroad tracks by the corkscrew. The coaster's lift hill stands parallel to the footers of the former Tidal Wave looping shuttle coaster.
Stand-up roller coaster
A stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
at California's Great America. It has a different layout but is generally the same size as Vortex at Carowinds
Vortex (Carowinds)
Vortex is a steel stand-up roller coaster at Carowinds that was built during the last year before Paramount bought the park in the year 1992. This ride, which was unusual at its time, officially opened on March 14, 1992, on the former site of the Carolina Speedway miniature car ride...
. It was Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
's second coaster after Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
and officially opened on March 9, 1991. The ride has a reputation for the uncomfortable head-banging some experience while riding. The coaster currently has a paint scheme of purple track with yellow rails and gray supports.
Ride elements
- LoopLoop (roller coaster)The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360 degree circle. At the top-most piece of the loop, riders are completely inverted.-...
- Corkscrew
The coaster makes a left handed first drop into its first loop then executes a left turnaround. The train next travels in another left turnaround through its loop. The train then travels to the other far end of its layout into another turnaround after which it enters the corkscrew element and finally into the final brake run. The course used to cross over the park train's railroad tracks by the corkscrew. The coaster's lift hill stands parallel to the footers of the former Tidal Wave looping shuttle coaster.