Kings Island's "Vortex" is closing

It opened in 1987 as the tallest, full-circuit roller coaster with the highest drop in the world and the first roller coaster in the world with six inversions, but in the coming weeks Kings Island’s Vortex steel roller coaster will be closing for good.

Kings Island: Vortex roller coaster is closing

I remember the first time riding this, we went on it three times. Always loved the loops & corkscrews. Hard to believe it's been open for over thirty years, but it seemed like it became one of the roughest rides in the park.

Will you miss it or does it not really matter to you?

Definitely not sad to see it go. My least favorite ride at KI hands down. Just way too rough for a steel coaster.

Loved it when I was young. Now as an older fella not so much!

Loved it when I was young. Now as an older fella not so much!

You are not kidding. You feel like you've gone eight rounds with Ali after getting off this ride.

You are not kidding. You feel like you've gone eight rounds with Ali after getting off this ride.

I've never felt as beaten up though as I did after riding the Blue Streak...it's a wooden coaster up at Cedar Point.

Good. That ride is awful.

I agree with everyone, I thought the Vortex was rough and not much fun.

I agree with everyone, I thought the Vortex was rough and not much fun.

I still always liked it. I remember going to Kings Island for P&G Dividend Day when the park was closed to the public...it was a drizzly Friday night that year and the park was an absolute ghost town. We got to ride it 4 times straight without even having to get up out of our seats.

My 7 yr old road her first adult coasters recently. 1st thing she told me today. She's going to KI tomorrow for one last hurrah on the Vortex.

I still always liked it. I remember going to Kings Island for P&G Dividend Day when the park was closed to the public...it was a drizzly Friday night that year and the park was an absolute ghost town. We got to ride it 4 times straight without even having to get up out of our seats.

Now that you put it that way CWB...

Pretty wild thinking that the Vortex was the world's tallest roller coaster and had the longest roller coaster drop in the world when it opened....and now Cedar Point alone has 6 coasters that are taller and have longer drops.

Kings Island's Banshee and Diamondback are the only current roller coasters taller than the Vortex at the park.

It’s as iconic as the Racer or Beast, sad day.

Vortex was much smoother and better in its early years. It has become more rough as it ages. Believe it or not when it 1st opened the attraction to it was how smooth it was.

It’s as iconic as the Racer or Beast, sad day.

I don’t know if I’d go that far. The Brady Bunch didn’t ride Vortex haha

I don’t know if I’d go that far. The Brady Bunch didn’t ride Vortex haha

Too intimidating in the 70’s. Heck, it’s still one of the most intimidating rides they have, standing next to it listening to the cars rip through the tracks is second to none.