Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[NozzyHoly crap you have a HUGE donkey!]

I'm looking at getting out here sometime in the next month. Can anyone who got to opening weekend tell me exactly how Fastlane works at KD- particularly, are there merge points for any rides or are they boarded not from air gates (I can't even fathom a way for that to happen on Volcano (not that I usually wait for it anyway), but am hopeful for Intimidator).

Thanks!

[KDCOASTERFANI prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

I'm looking at getting out here sometime in the next month. Can anyone who got to opening weekend tell me exactly how Fastlane works at KD- particularly, are there merge points for any rides or are they boarded not from air gates (I can't even fathom a way for that to happen on Volcano (not that I usually wait for it anyway), but am hopeful for Intimidator).

Thanks!

Fastlane guests board intimidator-305 from the disabled guest entrance & are then merged onto the platform.

[Coaster_FanaticI'm a know-it-all about donkeys!]

I really hope this Fast Lane thing does horrible like the last one 10 years ago, so it will be shut down..

^I'm hoping that they get it right and it works, myself.

[MooseWhy do I still have a donkey title???]

I used to hate the idea of stuff like fastlane, and then I used it. Now i am wholeheartedly behind it. I hope it goes well too.

[megametalWhich came first the turtle or the donkey?]

If it's done the right way, it doesn't cause anyone any real distraction or annoyance, like my experience with the Flash Pass system. However, if it's done wrong, like letting people go up the exit ramp, choose their own seat (come on, you know they'll most likely pick the front), and not merge at the station, I don't like it. It annoys me when I'm all set to be the next to ride, and then I'm not able to. Especially bad when it's done to me 3 times in a row, like I had happen to me at Busch Gardens a few years ago. (Though I don't know if that was the same sorta thing. People went up to the exit with these passes and it was like a constant stream of people doing it.)

[Intimidator305Challenge me at Donkey Kong...I dare ya!]

Is the queue still right next to the Go-karts? I always hate walking past them while getting on Grizzly.

That area is now the Grizzly and Dinosaurs Alive entrance plaza as the Grizzly queue has been cut in half basically. Overall it looks very nice!

Also, I was at the park opening day (Friday) and Saturday, and I can say Fast Lane is suprisingly being ran much better than I ever expected. I think what KD has come up with is completely fair and I don't see this causing many problems at all, unless they change it later on. Even on Volcano they were only accepting one "group" of people (those who were together) per train to keep the regular line moving (although that might be because the back 2 rows are closed).

I plan on posting a full length report (with a few photos) once I get unpacked and situated. Windseeker, Dinosaurs Alive, and Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia were all better than expected and there are tons of improvements throughout the park. And yes, what you've heard is true, the park was suprsingly packed!

[KDCOASTERFANI prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

Is the queue still right next to the Go-karts? I always hate walking past them while getting on Grizzly.

That area is now the Grizzly and Dinosaurs Alive entrance plaza as the Grizzly queue has been cut in half basically. Overall it looks very nice!

Also, I was at the park opening day (Friday) and Saturday, and I can say Fast Lane is suprisingly being ran much better than I ever expected. I think what KD has come up with is completely fair and I don't see this causing many problems at all, unless they change it later on. Even on Volcano they were only accepting one "group" of people (those who were together) per train to keep the regular line moving (although that might be because the back 2 rows are closed).

I plan on posting a full length report (with a few photos) once I get unpacked and situated. Windseeker, Dinosaurs Alive, and Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia were all better than expected and there are tons of improvements throughout the park. And yes, what you've heard is true, the park was suprsingly packed!

Looking forward to your TR & the pics....sure the new plaza looks great & technically it's the same distance from the entrance to Grizz's station but the fact that it's much more open till you pass the sign just makes it a much better walk IMO & the former arcade sure needed the new paint job.If it weren't for the $5 charge I would do the DA attraction but that's five bucks I'd rather hold onto for later.

I so wish I could've ridden windseeker at night just for the lightshow but alas I didn't get to thanks to being stuck with someone wanting to ride FOF....one thing that I don't really get is why the schedule is no longer printed on the park maps this year.

[AstrojackI'll drink donkey urine before I'll drink a Pepsi.]

I went to KD Friday and Saturday, and the Fast Lane was handled better then I was expecting. Dominator and i305 have the people merge into the station. Volcano the Fast Lane people were seated first, but they were denied the front seat when they tried. I can see complaints with Volcano if the line is full and Fast Lane users keep riding it. I'm not sure how the other rides were handled, but it seems like you can't get the front seat with the pass.

[Sue“Fear can make a donkey attack a lion”]

We witnessed Fast Lane at Volcano on both Saturday and Sunday and it's a total disaster! As someone else mentioned, the back 2 rows were roped off for whatever reason already reducing capacity. Although Fast Lane users couldn't take the front, they were given free reign anywhere else. They let them in from the exit there and they were constantly filling the ENTIRE train with them (aside from the front and the 2 roped off rows). The already slow moving regular line was hardly moving at all. I certainly hope they figure out a better way to handle this at Volcano or they're going to have a lot of irate guests to deal with!