Kings Island Vortex roller coaster reaches 40 million rider mark

By | July 1, 2013

KI_VortexMASON, Ohio — The Vortex roller coaster at Kings Island gave its 40 millionth ride on Saturday, June 29, the sixth-most in park history. Vortex rockets riders through 3,800 feet of track at speeds exceeding 55 miles per hour through two vertical loops, a double corkscrew, boomerang turn and a 360-degree helix. The Arrow Dynamics coaster was the first roller coaster in the world to send riders through six inversions on a continuous circuit ride when it debuted April 11, 1987. Overall, riders have been flipped upside down more than 240,000,000 times while riding Vortex. Only The Racer (98 million), Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad (50 million), Beast (47 million), Woodstock Express (43 million) and Race for Your Life Charlie Brown (43 million) have given more rides than the Vortex since Kings Island opened its gates in 1972.