Vortex (Canada's Wonderland)

Infobox roller coaster
name=Vortex

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caption=
location=Canada's Wonderland
section=
type=Steel
type2=Suspended
status=Open
opened=1991
manufacturer=Arrow Dynamics
designer=
model=Custom Suspended
track=Terrain
lift=Chain lift hill
height=91
drop=85
length=2631
speed=55
inversions=
duration=1:36
angle=
capacity=
cost=
acceleration=
gforce=
restriction=48
rcdb_number=65

Vortex at Canada's Wonderland is a suspended roller coaster, which enables it to swing under the track like Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Europe (formerly Busch Gardens Williamsburg). It officially opened during the 1991 season. In the "Vortex" riders are taken up through the top of the mountain and dropped at high speeds. At some points in the ride, the rider will feel they are literally inches away from touching water in the wonderland lake but really, they are many feet away. They feel like they almost touch the water because the cars swing side-to-side near the water at a great speed. Although being considered an "old" coaster, Vortex still holds the record for being the fastest suspended coaster.

Ride Elements

*Cars are able to swing side-to-side

Ride Experience

First, the train of Vortex goes up an almost 30 meters lift hill that brings the riders over Wonder Mountain. Then, the ride goes down the first drop which is about 20 meters. At this point, the ride is speeding at over 80km/h. After that, Vortex goes through some turns that make the cars swing from side-to-side over a field about 10 meters below. The ride goes a little closer to the ground with each turn. Soon after, the ride still does turns that make the cars swing but these turns are over a lake. After the train goes far out into the lake, it does a 180 degree turn that makes the trains swing sideways. On the 180 degree turn, passengers will feel like the train is inches away from the water, when really the train is a couple meters away from the water. The special suspended roller coaster cars make passengers feel this way. After the 180 degree turn, the train heads back across the lake going through more turns until it goes through the final break run and reaches a stop.

References

1.http://www.pcwjunkies.com/pcw/coasters/vortex.htm

External links

* [http://coasterimage.com/pictures/canadaswonderland/vortex.htm Pictures]