Iconic Kings Island roller coaster turns 30 today

Kings Island will open for the season Saturday, when the sound of metal clicking and shrill screams will fill the air.

The park will debut a new roller coaster, Mystic Timbers, this week, too.

MORE: Kings Island’s Mystic Timbers gets national attention before first ride

And if that isn’t enough to celebrate this week, it’s also an anniversary for one of the park’s most iconic roller coasters.

The Vortex officially turns 30 today.

The coaster officially opened to the public on April 11, 1987, debuting as what the park called the tallest, full-circuit roller coaster with the highest drop in the world. Made with more than 750 tons of steel, The Vortex was also the first to feature six inversions.

WATCH: Take a virtual ride on Mystic Timbers

It was designed and built by Arrow Dynamics, setting Kings Island back around $4 million at the time. But the investment was well worth it, as for the first time that year, the park attendance exceeded 3 million.

Now with over 38 million rides given, The Vortex still remains one of the most popular attractions at Kings Island.

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