Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[KDCOASTERFANI prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

Was looking at CP's live webcam for a couple hours & was thinking that KD sure could use one....they could mount it on ET & have it aimed at the grove/congo area or facing south toward rebel yell/americana/windseeker.

[bull24471This B&M donkey is so smooth!]

Was looking at CP's live webcam for a couple hours & was thinking that KD sure could use one....they could mount it on ET & have it aimed at the grove/congo area or facing south toward rebel yell/americana/windseeker.

I believe there was one at one time many years ago but it only showed International street. Half the time it was working then rest of time it was down...

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

And then we also had the world's worst webcam when Intimidator 305 was being constructed!

KD has stepped it up a bit on their wesbite and Facebook recently, so a webcam is possible now. Kings Island and Carowinds all have them too.

[sfgamguyI teach at the school of donkey!]

Hey, me and my dad are planning on hitting KD during our trip to DC in late July and we'll be at the park August 2nd. How crowded do you all think it will be, and do you guys have any tips or tricks for fitting everything in one day, also what to hit when and stuff.

[cfcI've gone pantless!]

How often do you go to Kings Dominion and learn something—other than fully loaded funnel cakes and the Triple Spin ride don’t mix? Starting this year, the park is offering you a chance to learn something about our planet’s primeval past and have fun doing it with Dinosaurs Alive, a six-acre “animatronic” dinosaur park next to the Grizzly wooden coaster in the Old Virginia section.

But not to worry—the park hasn’t abandoned thrill rides, thanks to the new 301-foot-tall Windseeker, which is just around the corner from Dinosaurs Alive.

KD invited Theme Park Review to take a closer look at their new offerings for 2012, and I was happy to accept their invitation last Thursday (June 7). Gene Petriello, the park’s manager of communications marketing, gave me a personal tour of both attractions that afternoon. (I squeezed in a few rides on Volcano and Intimidator 305 while I was at it, too.)

The prehistoric monsters have a great habitat in Dinosaurs Alive. The woods next to Grizzly are the perfect natural setting for the 3,000-foot-long path that winds around to the end of the coaster and back. Thirty-six animatronic, motion-activated dinos roar and strut their stuff as visitors wander along, taking in the sights and the numerous educational signs along the way. Many of the dinos represented hadn’t even been “discovered” until 2010, so I wasn’t familiar with many of them. (Your average eight-year-old kid probably know more about dinosaurs than me.) How many of you have heard of “Huayangosaurus,” “Ruyangosaurus giganteous,” or “Mojoceratops” (my personal favorite)?

There are three “interactive” dinos, as well, and I imagine kids would (and plenty of adults) would enjoy pushing their buttons and making them roar, lurch, and reach. Some scenes, such as “Pack Attack” and “Predator Trap,” involve multiple monsters, and there’s a “dig site” where kids can “discover” their own dinosaur.

Dinosaurs Alive is not included with park admission, and requires a $5.00 up charge. The prehistoric beasts were built by Dinosaurs Unearthed, a company in British Columbia, Canada.

But what about Windseeker? This ride provides a “different sort of thrill,” according to Gene. It’s a good compromise for those who want something more thrilling than the observation deck on the park’s Eiffel Tower, but less gut-churning than the plunge of Drop Tower. I’d say Windseeker is a very pleasant ride as it twirls around, giving you views of the park and of about 18 miles or so of the surrounding countryside. The ride even provides 19 different music tracks. (Gene and I heard “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” on our ride; the next cycle featured the theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.)

A ride on Windseeker lasts about three minutes, at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour (or 8 rotations per minute). The manufacturer is Mondial, a Dutch ride company. Riders must be at least 52 inches tall.

Let’s have a look at Dinosaurs Alive and Windseeker.

[Geauga DogThe only thing better than a naked woman is a naked donkey!]

Nice photos, Chuck.They did a great job with Dinosaurs Alive and I think a part of that is due to the natural wooded setting at KD. Glad you also posted a photo of the entrance as I probably would have had a hard time looking for Grizzly when I visit next week.

[KDCOASTERFANI prefer to mate with donkeys over humans!]

And then we also had the world's worst webcam when Intimidator 305 was being constructed!

KD has stepped it up a bit on their wesbite and Facebook recently, so a webcam is possible now. Kings Island and Carowinds all have them too.

Did you take notice of the new blog KD's added to their site? this should prove interesting in the coming seasons.

I might be able to make two trips in the span of one week soon,first is a group trip during the last week of june & then the usual trip on the 23rd with the guys so I'll definitely end up with another KD hangover after that week is over.

[SharkTumsSite Admin]

I'm going to humor myself and say that the writer for the attraction is a Yo Gabba Gabba fan!

[KingB24What's with the donkeys anyway?]

I have yet to go through Dinosaurs Alive. Is it worth the upcharge?

[Coaster_FanaticAss is another word for Donkey!]

^It depends if you are into dinosaurs or not, or have kids or not. I saw that many children had a blast moving the dinosaurs around with the buttons, and I saw parents enjoying seeing their kids have fun. I, personally, thought it was 'OK'.