The Making of the "Feel The Grip" Vortex Commercial - 1987

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Features, History

Looking Back: 1987- Making the "Feel The Grip of Vortex" Commercial

July 25, 2024

Located in Kings Island's Coney Mall, Vortex was a guest favorite from the day it opened on April 11, 1987 through its final day of operation in 2019.  Designed by Arrow Dynamics, the roller coaster featured a 148-foot high lift that dropped 138 feet at a 55-degree angle into a series of twists and turns including two vertical loops, a corkscrew, a boomerang turn and 360-degree helix at the end.

To create excitement for the opening of the ride in 1987, Kings Island released one of its most famous commercials, "Feel the Grip".  You can view it here:

SCRIPT:
"Kings Island introduces a new thrill ride that runs circles around the rest. That lifts you twelve stories into the sky before you plummet into the most twisted web of loops, corkscrews and boomerangs you've ever faced. [SCREAMS] Feel the grip, Vortex. [MONSTROUS LAUGH] Open weekends."

And, here are photos from the Kings Island Archives of the making of the commercial:

Vortex closed on October 27, 2019, reaching the end of its service life. After 33 seasons, the ride gave more than 46 million rides and flipped riders upside down more than 275,000,000 times.