After 25 years operating as a stand-up looping coaster Vortex was re-themed, renamed Patriot, and the original stand-up trains were replaced with two, new floorless trains. This nine-story tall, steel roller coaster at California's Great America has two inverting elements, a vertical loop and corkscrew. But what made Vortex different than a traditional roller coaster is that riders originally stood-up throughout the two-minute ride in specially designed seven-car trains. Now thrill-seekers ride seated in floorless trains with no floor between your feet and the tubular steel track.
Year | Track | Type | Designer |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Steel | Floorless Multielement | Bolliger & Mabillard |
Inversions: Vertical Loop, Corkscrew
2017 – Vortex renamed, repainted, and the two stand-up trains are replaced with new floorless, sit-down trains with station modifications.
Opening date: March 9, 1991
Train has seven cars with one row each, seating four abreast per row.
Height requirement: Riders must be at least 54 inches tall
Find Where to Coast™ with Ultimate Rollercoaster® Database
Where to Coast™, Rollercoaster Yellowpages™ are trademarks of Ultimate Rollercoaster®.