Carolina Boardwalk · Roller coaster
Vortex
Standing steel coaster with loops and turns taken from an upright riding position.
Roller coaster
High thrill
54"
min height
Before you ride
Standing restraint position, inversions and strong lateral forces.
Expert tip (Nov 2026)
Plant your feet comfortably before dispatch; the stand-up posture feels different from seated coasters.
⏱ Live wait times · Powered by ThemeParks.wiki
⏱ Typical wait by hour
✅ Best time to ride: around 2 PM (~4 min) · also good around 5 PM (~4 min)
Busiest around 11 AM (~5 min)
| 11 AM | 5 minutes |
|---|---|
| 12 PM | 5 minutes |
| 1 PM | 5 minutes |
| 2 PM | 4 minutes |
| 3 PM | 4 minutes |
| 4 PM | 4 minutes |
| 5 PM | 4 minutes |
Average standby wait from 4 days of live waits, in park time (ET). Real waits vary with crowds, weather and breakdowns.
Vortex stats
Vortex is a 90-foot roller coaster at Carowinds that reaches 50 mph, drops 80 feet and turns riders upside down 2 times. It was built by Bolliger & Mabillard, opened in 1992 and lasts about 2 minutes. Riders must be at least 54 inches tall. The best time to ride is usually around 2 PM or 5 PM, when waits are shortest.
- Type
- Roller coaster
- Manufacturer
- Bolliger & Mabillard
- Model
- Stand-Up Coaster
- Opened
- 1992
- Track length
- 2,040 ft
- Top speed
- 50 mph
- Height
- 90 ft
- Drop
- 80 ft
- Inversions
- 2
- Duration
- 1 min 55 sec
- Height requirement
- 54 in
💡 Fun facts
- B&M stand-up coaster dating to 1992
- Two inversions
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