Specific Type: Floorless Coaster
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What is in a coaster name? Would a Goliath by any other name still be a Goliath? It could give you expectations of what the experience is like, a type/model, or it could just be confusing when it is not unique. California's Great America is guilty of the last circumstance and then they double down. In 1991 CGA installed the very first B&M stand-up model called Vortex. Vortex is a swirl of confusion as a coaster moniker. In the US several coaster installations were named Vortex starting in 1987. The first was Vortex at Kings Island, and Arrow custom looper. In 1991 a pair of Vortexes were installed. Canada’s Wonderland installed an Arrow suspended coaster, and California’s Great America installed a B&M stand-up. The final Vortex was installed the very next season in 1992 at Carowinds, another B&M stand-up. However the CGA Vortex was facing a change for the 2017 season. Following the success of the Mantis to Rougarou conversion at Cedar Point, CGA’s Vortex was changing from a stand-up to floorless complete with a new paint scheme and name. So did CGA shake off the confusion of Vortex? No, they renamed the ride Patriot, a name that is shared with a B&M invert at Worlds of Fun. Despite all the name confusion what is certain is that the transformation from a stand-up named Vortex to a floorless named Patriot is an upgrade. The new blue and white paint scheme looks great and the ride quality has improved breathing new life into this aging ride. The floorless trains allow riders to sit down, and be much more comfortable for riders with their feet dangling as the train races around the track. It is a win win for the park with happier guests and an easier procedure for ride operators the ride can operate much smoother.
When riders board one of the two new floorless trains and are lock in the floors fold away and the gate opens to allow the train to roll away. The train makes a gentle left hand turn and lines up with the 91 foot tall lift hill. At the top the train releases from the chain does a small dip and dives down a sweeping banked drop to the left. The train reaches its maximum speed of 45 MPH, and transitions immediately into a vertical loop. Next the train negotiates a turn around and drops into a serpentine turn, that turns into a continuous banked turn. The train does a quick hop and the into the second inversion, a corkscrew. The track continues to curve around and then lines up with the brake run. Riders re enter the station with their feet swaying as the floor folds back into place. The 1,920 foot long lap is over, and riders can hop out of their seats without a pain in the seat. |
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