Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

Has this ever been confirmed by any reputable source ever? I've heard it a million times, but the source is always "the internet". Asking for a friend.

People really overestimate how much 99.99% of park patrons care about this stuff.

Well, we're all park patrons. We're all the "GP" unless we're executives that work for a park, its corporate office, or are an engineer at a coaster designer firm. I don't see how our preferences would deviate wildly from non-enthusiasts. I can understand what you're getting at to a certain degree. In addition to being a coaster enthusiast, I'm also a cinefile as well, so I care about more about foreign films, awards festival films,artsy indie films, and films by favorite directors than I care about Transformer or Harry Potter movies. But there's still overlap.

I don't think that you have to be a coaster enthusiast to be a coaster snob. The parks get thousands of victors, maybe millions in some cases. I'd imagine that many of them nitpick about little things and complain "This Batman is the same as the other park's" or "Why do they keep giving these rides DC names, it doesn't even make any sense to put Wonder Women next to Batman if they're going to call it Gotham City" "Where's my path connecting the park into a loop?"

The reason that the 300 mile radius is important is because its assumed that people will travel some locally. If you live in Maryland or Virginia, there's a good chance that you'll be going to KD, BGW, SFA, and Hershey Park in your lifetime. If your signature attraction is the same ride as something that's at another park you're kind of caught with your pants down. And it looks even worse, as casual coaster rider doesn't even go to many parks, and they're probably looking for reasons not to come back.

I don't think that you have to be a coaster enthusiast to be a coaster snob. The parks get thousands of victors, maybe millions in some cases. I'd imagine that many of them nitpick about little things and complain "This Batman is the same as the other park's" or "Why do they keep giving these rides DC names, it doesn't even make any sense to put Wonder Women next to Batman if they're going to call it Gotham City" "Where's my path connecting the park into a loop?"

And to the victors, go the spoils!!! AmIrite???

 

I don't think that you have to be a coaster enthusiast to be a coaster snob. The parks get thousands of victors, maybe millions in some cases. I'd imagine that many of them nitpick about little things and complain "This Batman is the same as the other park's" or "Why do they keep giving these rides DC names, it doesn't even make any sense to put Wonder Women next to Batman if they're going to call it Gotham City" "Where's my path connecting the park into a loop?"

I'm pretty sure I had read that most people aren't even aware of the other six flags parks because they are so regional so the name thing doesn't mean anything to them to begin with.

A lot of people go to their local park, get on the rides, have some fun and go home. They don't nitpick everything like most enthusiasts do.

People really overestimate how much 99.99% of park patrons care about this stuff.

 

Well, we're all park patrons. We're all the "GP" unless we're executives that work for a park, its corporate office, or are an engineer at a coaster designer firm. I don't see how our preferences would deviate wildly from non-enthusiasts. I can understand what you're getting at to a certain degree. In addition to being a coaster enthusiast, I'm also a cinefile as well, so I care about more about foreign films, awards festival films,artsy indie films, and films by favorite directors than I care about Transformer or Harry Potter movies. But there's still overlap.

 

I don't think that you have to be a coaster enthusiast to be a coaster snob. The parks get thousands of victors, maybe millions in some cases. I'd imagine that many of them nitpick about little things and complain "This Batman is the same as the other park's" or "Why do they keep giving these rides DC names, it doesn't even make any sense to put Wonder Women next to Batman if they're going to call it Gotham City" "Where's my path connecting the park into a loop?"

 

The reason that the 300 mile radius is important is because its assumed that people will travel some locally. If you live in Maryland or Virginia, there's a good chance that you'll be going to KD, BGW, SFA, and Hershey Park in your lifetime. If your signature attraction is the same ride as something that's at another park you're kind of caught with your pants down. And it looks even worse, as casual coaster rider doesn't even go to many parks, and they're probably looking for reasons not to come back.

I disagree with essentially all of this, and I would argue that if any of this were true then parks wouldn't routinely be doing all of these things and (in many cases) seeing record profits.

Side question: Anyone know how to find the new 2018 park map? It's not where it always is: Directions & Park Map

Makes no sense to me, No company is going to turn down a 15 + million dollar sale, because a park has something similar 100 miles away. They are in the Business to sell, not limit their product. Could be wrong, but I don't see it when we're talking about Millions of Dollars.

Makes no sense to me, No company is going to turn down a 15 + million dollar sale, because a park has something similar 100 miles away. They are in the Business to sell, not limit their product. Could be wrong, but I don't see it when we're talking about Millions of Dollars.

It's entirely possible that a coaster company could sell exclusivity to a park for a certain price. For the right price it makes a lot of sense for them to do so.

...That doesn't mean any of this actually happened though. I've heard this repeated ad nauseum over the years but never once heard it from a reputable source.

Well, KD has postponed Media Day for Twisted Timbers until Friday March 23 due to the weather forecast for the next couple of days.

Yeah, the weather this week can go f**k right off. 3-5 inches of snow on Wednesday?! Can't it be spring already?! Although Thursday and Friday look okay as of now, so I guess they just want an extra day to prepare.

Well, KD has postponed Media Day for Twisted Timbers until Friday March 23 due to the weather forecast for the next couple of days.

So does this mean TT will be closed to the public for Passholder Preview Night?

Media Day is in the early morning hours and should wrap up by lunchtime with plenty of time to clean everything up for Passholder Preview Night.

While the original event on Thursday was supposed to start at 6:00am and continue to around noon, the event on Friday has been condensed and runs from 10:00am until 1:00pm. So those early morning news casts from Richmond and DC with the live shots of TT won't be happening on Friday!

Yeah I really want to get down to KD this weekend but those temps have 2015 passholder day ride closures written all over them. Weather is mean.

^Interesting. Perhaps it was colder than I realized when I went in 2015.

^ Nevermind Twisted Timbers!

at 2:30 in that video (with the terrible soundtrack), Apple Zapple is testing!!!!

Right?!?!? I was thinking the same thing. Long live Apple Zapple!!!!

A video of Twisted Timbers testing with 2 trains. I can see where it become sluggish towards the end, but I do believe it will pick up more speed over the next couple months when it gets warmer outside. It may not be the best RMC but it will easily be the 2nd best coaster in the park and a surprise for most guest since they will think it’s a typical wooden coaster.

can't wait to ride in august when i finally get back there. i don't mind if it slows towards the end. nearly all the other rmc's hit the brakes at high speed. so i'd be happy if one uses all it's energy.

As a simpleton, I am so happy that those three big hills in a row are all hills, as opposed to silly rolls, wave turns, or stalls.

^

This thing is gonna be Bunnyhop: The Ride and I can't wait for it.

Are people new to this whole "how roller coasters work" thing?

If you test a coaster with an empty train and no water dummies when it's (according to the National Weather service) approximately bullsh*t degrees fahrenheit and it most likely hasn't been cycling for very long, of course it's going to crawl into the brakes. The only coasters on earth that wouldn't would be the Intamin Rocket coasters with variable launch speeds and Batman the Ride because physics apparently don't matter on that ride.

Curious, how loud are the RMC lift hills?

I've been watching this thing test over my breaks this past weekend, and I even almost got to ride it Sunday. But that lift hill is LOUD. I haven't been on any other RMC to compare, so I figured I ask around here.

I remember when Storm Chaser’s first POV came out and it barely made it to the end. Now the biggest complaint about that ride is how much their thighs hurt the next day because of how relentless it is till the end