Vortex Review, Carowinds Bolliger & Mabillard Stand-Up Coaster | Should it Become a Floorless?
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2022
- Vortex at Carowinds is the oldest remaining Bolliger & Mabillard stand-up coaster. The only older ones have since been converted into floorless coasters, and will this one meet the same fate?
Video Credits
Batman (psyclonesteve)- • Batman The Escape, Six...
Iron Wolf Off-Ride (coastercrutchfield)- • Iron Wolf (Off-ride HD...
King Cobra Off-Ride (psyclonesteve)- • King Cobra,Stand Up Ro...
Patriot Off-Ride (coastercrutchfield)- • Patriot (Off-ride HD) ...
Vortex Great America (psyclonesteve)- • Vortex, Paramount's Gr...
Vortex POV (Carowinds)- • Vortex Official On-Rid...
Background Music
Trailer Epic Background Music by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / Sky Comes Falling Down- • Trailer Epic Backgroun...
Maybe if it was able to be retrofitted with surf coaster trains somehow, Vortex would be more comfortable while still preserving the uniqueness the standing provides to the ride experience. Considering that its layout was designed for a stand up, a floorless version could be underwhelming especially compared to the rest of the park's lineup.
That would be interesting if B&M did that.
The new surf coasters are designed for launches and air time hills (surf effect) so it wouldn’t make much since to go that route imo
I’m with you. I like stand ups. Even this one which everyone dislikes. I loved Mantis and was sad when it was converted. Hopefully the surf coaster will remove the problems with stand ups and reinvigorate the genre. Thanks for the review!
I wish I could've tried Mantis.
I LOVE Vortex. It’s one of my favorite coasters and I enjoyed riding Mantis because of my experience on Vortex. I will make friends join me on Vortex on any trip and it was our first ride on my most recent trip.
I will say that a friend started getting panicky on the ride in the brake run. On a sunny day, you have full sun on you and the wait can be lengthy.
I wish I could've experienced Mantis.
If CGA scraps Patriot, maybe they will ship its floorless trains over to Carowinds to make Vortex become a floorless coaster.
Maybe!
The only stand up I’ve been on is Shockwave at Drayton Manor, I wasn’t too keen on it but a zero g roll standing is awesome.
I'm intrigued by that element.
I enjoyed this coaster! Now that I know how to ride a standup coaster without hurting myself, I really have grown to love B&M stand ups! I’ve done 3 of them (Mantis, Riddlers revenge, and Vortex)
It's an important method.
I like the low to the ground turns. Vortex was still a letdown as one of my first B&Ms ~1997.
I think the time for conversion has passed, all the more after Firebird's reviews, and Vortex is even smaller.
Some trains from Patriot may be available soon.
I actually got a chance to ride this last week! I actually took your advice in an earlier video and kept my head forward and tried very hard to keep the harness as low as possible. I also recommend standing on the balls of your feet, just enough for your heels to be off the ground, this way your legs act like springs and your joints aren't dealing with all of the positive Gs (my knees and ankles were in a lot pain when I rode Mantis 12 years ago).
I will also add, it may be because we went on a Saturday but every ride at Carowinds had assigned seating, including Vortex (which had the shortest line despite being a rather busy day), my party got back row. So I was worried that we'd experience more pain due to being whipped round, but surprisingly, despite it's rattle and being a little unlucky with the bicycle seat arrangement, it was still a fun ride.
Finally, although I really like the color scheme of Vortex by itself, I just don't like it how it and Intimidator have the same colors, and sorry Vortex, but due to your lesser popularity, you'll have to be the one who needs a shirt change. That being said, if Carowinds decide to give it the floorless treatment, they probably will paint it a different color. Maybe nice lavender/dark purple color?
I've found the ops usually honor seating requests at Carowinds if you ask nicely.
This ride tracks uncannily smooth
It does track well.
The only stand up I've been on is Green Lantern at Great Adventure, and I didn't like it all that much at first until I figured out how to get the restraint set correctly. Once I figured that out, I don't mind stand ups at all now.
Join the dark side.
I was dreading this one since most stand ups beat me up but it was the smoothest one I’ve ever done! It’s a good ride surprisingly
I enjoy it.
I've been on 3 stand-up coasters, Mantis, Vortex at Carowinds, and Skyrider at Canada's Wonderland, I enjoyed Skyrider the most of the 3.
Skyrider was pretty good minus that trick track.
I remember when I went on this last week, my seatbelt fell off, but I was fine. Then, a few seconds after, another persons came off who was in front row. Im really excitied for the new B&M stand-up
Those belts are redundant thankfully.
I also love an upWARD helix. They a relatively rare. It's a nice paint scheme too.
It does look good.
Vortex still holds up. However it really doesn't have much of a line at times. Yes, it's a headbanger, especially on the corkscrew, for people of certain size, but it's still a nice ride. Gives some nice positive Gs on those last pairs of helices. I've gotten like 2 zen rides on Vortex.
I like it.
The first Bolliger & Mabillard stand up coasters, built in 1990, 1991 and 1992, were small and compact stand up coasters consisting of just a chain lift hill, a twisting drop, a vertical loop, a helix, a corkscrew, and the final brakes. Then the 1999 stand up coaster also had a modest layout with a vertical loop, turns, helixes and a corkscrew before the final brakes. What?
The last one you described is Georgia Scorcher.
Imagine some enthusiast families who went to ride Apocalypse at Six Flags America and Vortex at Carowinds in 2013 with a technique of how to give enjoyable rides on those two Bolliger & Mabillard stand up coasters and how did they think about them in terms of smoothness or roughness?
Apocalypse was very rough in all positions. Vortex is fine for me.
For me, stand-ups are ok. The only one I’ve ridden is green lantern - and the biggest issue there for me is head banging. Try as I might, despite being tall, I can’t get the OTSR low enough.
Try having a bend in your knees while setting the harness. Then stand up straight.
I have only been on this in terms of stand-ups, I was so excited and thought I would love this model. To this day I still say I would never ride another unless for the credit. I did not know of your technique before hand and may have to give my least favorite coaster ever another try. You owe me a drink next time you attend BGT if it doesn't ;)
Hope it works!
So if you could have ridden all Bolliger & Mabillard stand up coasters, including the converted ones, what do you think about Vortex at Carowinds and Apocalypse at Six Flags America?
Not a fan of Apocalypse but I like Vortex.
I think many people found Vortex at Carowinds to be a painful ride, and you? What would you think about it, Canobie Coaster?
I find it tolerable with my stand up method.
haven't ridden yet... however, I have ridden Green Lantern and it has a nasty rattle in the back because I always sit in the back for some reason. Hopefully, I get a front-row seat on vortex thanks to Fast Lane.
They usually honor seating requests at this park.
I like vortex at carowinds and you know i can see why canada's wonderland removed skyrider it never had a line due to it being an uncomfortable ride with lots of headbanging which makes sense to why they removed it
That could have been a reason.
I think many people found Vortex, the Bolliger & Mabillard stand up coaster at Carowinds, to be a painful ride. And you, Canobie Coaster?
Not me.
Canobie Coaster, what do you think about Vortex at Carowinds in terms of smoothness or roughness? And all other B&M stand up coasters, both operating and converted?
I can tolerate it.
What colors are the trains and restraints on Vortex at Carowinds?
Black. They have over the shoulder harnesses.
I rode this in the front and thought it was a decent looping coaster. Nothing mind-blowing, but not a bad ride at all
I like it.
How do you ride Vortex at Carowinds, how do you put the bike seat and the restraint?
You want the bike seat low so it doesn't touch your groin.
only rode this ride one time on my first trip to carowinds, i didn’t necessarily find it rough or uncomfortable, i just thought it was very forceless.
I think there's some force to it.
The trains on Vortex at Carowinds are comprised of how many cars and how many riders in total?
6 rows of 4 for 24 riders.
What do you hope more, that it would become a floorless or that it would stay as a stand up?
I'd prefer stand-up.
I feel like if Vortex had wing coaster restraints (minus the vest), it'd be a lot better, then again it wouldn't fix that rattle.
I don't think the layout would maximize the wing style train as much as others.
At Carowinds, what do you think about Carolina Goldrusher, Carolina Cyclone, Flying Cobras, and Vortex?
I like Vortex and Carolina Cyclone. I don't usually ride the other two.
I still see the chain converting and moving it to a smaller park.
With CGA closing, I wonder if this will get Patriot's trains.
See Vortex at Carowinds, what do you think about the ride in terms of pacing?
It's good.
Would be cool if they sent Vortex to Michigan's Adventure. Along with Patriot from CGA.
That would be nice for them.
CGA will likely send Flight Deck to Valleyfair in Minnesota
The first Bolliger & Mabillard stand up coaster was built and opened in 1990 and the last Bolliger & Mabillard stand up coaster was built and opened in...
A) 1997
B) 1998
C) 1999
Technically they just opened one this year if you count Pipeline. But of the old school ones, 1999.
I find the ride smooth and don’t think it would be better as a floorless.
I personally hope it stays as a stand-up.
If you could have ridden all Bolliger & Mabillard stand up coasters that originally opened in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, did you find all rideable or painful between, for example, those three:
Apocalypse at Six Flags America
Vortex at Carowinds
Riddler's Revenge at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Apocalypse is the one I didn't like.
Rode this a couple week ago. It's pretty awful, only rough B&M I've been on. Those transitions are pretty painful. I don't think converting to a floorless would help much, it's just a bad ride
I like it with my method.
Once I got past the novelty of riding a rollercoaster standing up, I realized standups are kinda shitty ride experiences, painful or not. I just don't find waiting in line for 20+ minutes only to stand up on the ride as well all that appealing. It's one model of roller coaster I don't think I would mind dying off tbh, whether it be Togo, B&M, or Intamin/Giovanola. This is coming from someone whose home park has one of the better b&m standups in Riddler's Revenge.
That's fair. I don't mind the different experience.
I personally really enjoy this ride and I don’t think they should convert it into a floorles coaster because b&m stand up coasters are becoming rare to come across
I hope it stays as is.
The trains are black. And I was asking the restraints Vortex at Carowinds use and the colors the restraints are?
Over the shoulder restraints. I believe they are red.
Imagine going to Carowinds and trying to ride again those coasters:
Hurler
Carolina Cyclone
Vortex
Flying Cobras
Carolina Goldrusher
Kiddy Hawk
What would you think about the rides?
Kitty Hawk is the worst of those. I can tolerate the others.
Weather or not this ride gets floorless trains, it definitely needs a repaint. It doesn’t look bad, it just looks too similar to Intimator.
That's fair.
Especially given how faded it looks now
How many stand up coasters did Bolliger & Mabillard build in the world?
A) 5
B) 6
C) 7
D) 8
8 if you count Pipeline
I think some found the ride to be painful, but Vortex at Carowinds was not in Canobie Coaster's video of top 25 worst roller coasters in the world (2020).
I find it tolerable with my stand-up technique.
1:55 you forgot Rougarou
I was referring to the small scale B&M stand-ups with that statement.
Some hated coasters are liked by some
Yes
Brett made sounds at the tail end that were more like severed trachea gasps than a death rattle. WTF kinda dark videos has he been watching?😳
Who?
@@CanobieCoaster Sorry, wrong video!
I thought I was commenting on TwoSetViolin. (I'm a classical violinist too, not to mention a musician of other instruments) Sorry: my bad! (and it's very bad. Never go onto the dark web, stick to roller coasters!)
I’d prefer them build a new b&m flooorless instead of converting this, much better ROI
I wonder if the old Patriot trains will come over at some point.
@@CanobieCoaster now that is a good question. I could see them moving patriot to Michigans Adventure or worlds of fun. Speaking of that I think railblazer will go to Dorney/MA/VF and flight deck to valley fair
The trains on this are odd. You can tell they are the old Intamin stand up trains with a new shoulder harness
I thought they were B&Ms?
@@CanobieCoaster It's odd. B&M were actually the ones who designed the Intamin stand ups that's why they use the box track. The B&M stand up is actually their second internation of their stand up concept. If you look at pictures of Batman the Escape or Cobra you can tell Vortex's trains are identical except for the new shoulder harness design (only half the harness lowered on the Intamin stand ups). With Mantis B&M updated these trains again by changing the nose care shape and making yet another interaction of the shoulder harness
I definitely did not ride vortex this way, seems like a good method
Works for me.
@@CanobieCoaster I wish I did ride it that way, it was very painful the one ride I had
I'm not a fan of this coaster. I've ridden 59 B&M coasters and this is #59. I would prefer they just replace it at some point down the line. Riddler's at SFMM is the best stand-up and overall I would say it is an average coaster for me. If it were a sit down like Kumba, it would move up significantly.
I can understand why this isn't for everyone.
It’s not a bad ride as a standup, I just don’t think the layout is unique enough to make a good floorless coaster.
That's fair.
(*Cough*) You forgot Rougarou (*Cough*)
I was mostly talking about the OG trio of stand-ups. I thought I mentioned Rougarou in passing.
1st, even though this is my home park ive never ridden this.
Why not?
@@CanobieCoaster Umm, i guess being told this was a very rough ride by my siblings, and you bang your head on the restraints. But im not a positive g force person, so i dont think i would like this.
I’d rather see it converted to a floorless. I much preferred Patriot at Great America.
RIP CGA! 😭
I prefer the stand-up experience, but I know I'm in the minority.
I think the roughness is way overhyped on Vortex.
It doesn't bother me.
I love stand ups my home park has Ga Scorecha at over ga and it's smooth and enjoyable fun whipy the coaster channels be lying about stand ups foreal
That's the most comfortable B&M stand-up.
I find it kinda funny how the worst B&M in the world is only 200 meters away from the best B&M in the world. I think this should definitely either get a floorless treatment or be removed. Honestly, because Floorless coasters aren't being produced, I'd kinda rather they make it into one than scrap it.
I don't think this is the worst B&M, but it is towards the bottom.
I want this ride to get relocated or removed from the park, It shouldn’t be at this park because it’s one of the better parks in the Cedar fair chain. It should be at Michigan’s Adventure or Valleyfair but not Carowinds they should put a single rail in is place.
It definitely would work better at a smaller park.
I use the same method, and I also like Vortex. I enjoy those leg-crushing forces also. Considering my dislike of Firebird and how I think Mantis was far better than Rougarou, I want Vortex to remain a stand-up. Floorless coasters are everywhere, but we're running out of stand-ups.
I'm worried this will eventually get Patriot's trains.
Gonna be v disappointed when I ride this for my 150th credit and it's actually decent
It's not decent, it's pretty bad honestly. Everyone was saying yelling in pain the whole ride lol.
Nothing wrong with decent.
Vortex at Carowinds is the worst ride ever, very tight fit on my shoulders, takes two ride operators to get the safety belt to latch, which it did . Ride was unenjoyable.
Sorry to hear that!
Can't help but feel like if you've designed coaster that requires multiple instructions to have a somewhat enjoyable ride, you've made a failed product.
That's fair.
mantis shouldnt have been converted
Neither Rougarou or Mantis were that successful. Rougarou hasn't gotten the ridership the park was hoping for
I wish that stayed a stand-up.
Just remove it. The layout is boring and doesn't do a whole lot. Honestly removing both Nighthawk and Vortex to combine both those areas to make one larger scale coaster would be a better idea if you ask me
I agree that would be a great spot for a marquee ride.
Perhaps a b&m flying coaster similar to Flying Dinosaur at Universal Studios Japan. Ooh that'd make Carowinds perfect
Wild and BAD
I like it.
I hate standup coasters
I know they aren't for everyone.
Never liked this ride.
To each their own!