Vortex (Carowinds) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vortex
The vertical loop
Carowinds
Location	Carowinds
Park section	Carousel Park
Coordinates	35°06′13″N 80°56′30″W / 35.1036°N 80.9416°W / 35.1036; -80.9416
Status	Open
Opening date	March 14, 1992
Cost	$5,500,000
General statistics
Type	Steel – Stand-up
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Stand-Up
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	90 ft (27 m)
Length	2,040 ft (620 m)
Speed	50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions	2 (Vertical Loop, Corkscrew)
Duration	2:19
Height restriction	54 in (137 cm)
Fast Lane available
Vortex at RCDB

Vortex is an exciting roller coaster at Carowinds theme park. It's a special type called a stand-up roller coaster, meaning you ride it standing up! This steel coaster first opened on March 14, 1992. It was built by a famous company called Bolliger & Mabillard, and it was only their third roller coaster ever!

Vortex is known for its two thrilling upside-down parts: a big vertical loop and a twisting corkscrew. In 2011, the ride got a fresh new look with bright red tracks and gray supports. Vortex was one of the first of a new kind of stand-up coasters that became popular in the 1990s.

Experience the Vortex Ride

When you get on Vortex, you stand up in your seat. The ride then takes you up a 90-foot (27 m) tall lift hill. After a small pre-drop, which is common for Bolliger & Mabillard coasters, you zoom down a curved drop.

Next, you'll go through the exciting vertical loop, turning completely upside down! After that, the track curves and banks before leading into an upward spiral. Then comes the fun corkscrew, which twists you around. The ride finishes with another upward spiral and a wide turn before slowing down into the station.

Building the Vortex Coaster

Building a roller coaster like Vortex takes a lot of work and materials! Here are some cool facts about how it was made:

• It needed 109 strong columns and foundations to hold it up.
• About 411,000 pounds of steel were used for the tracks and supports.
• Workers poured 931 cubic yards of concrete to make it super stable.

Vortex Ride Elements

Vortex features several exciting parts that make the ride unique:

• Loop: A full circle that turns riders upside down.
• Corkscrew: A twisting inversion that spins riders sideways.
• Banked Turn: A turn where the track is tilted, like a race car on a track.

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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