Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

^I don't like it, per se, but I am not as vehemently against it as other people. I'm indifferent. After the first curve after the drop, I rather enjoy it.

As do I. I actually get some nice pops of airtime on it.

As do I. I actually get some nice pops of airtime on it.

All I got out of it was pain.

I'd so love to see the ride either gone or drastically reprofiled within the next couple of years.

Am I the only one that likes Hurler?

i rather enjoy it, the brake run sometimes hits a little hard for me, but really, no complaints.

My policy on Hurler for the past several years is to torch the thing and insert GCI in its place.

My policy on Hurler for the past several years is to torch the thing and insert GCI in its place.

I second that.

Not only was the first turn bad(as expected) but just about every curve afterward....it was one ride where I wanted it to end ASAP.Perhaps adding new trains from either GCI or GG would help?

^^I could definitely live with that.

Brief TR from last night:

Went to the private event at KD last night for Brother Help Thyself which also happens to be Gay Night. This would also be my first night rides on the KD coasters in about ten years.

This was my first trip to KD since the second weekend I305 was open.

Volcano: First rides of the night. Rode multiple times and they even allowed re-rides. We didn't have to get off in the exit area and reboard. They let us stay on after everyone else got off and we stayed on while they moved the train up. Nothing special I guess but I got a kick out of it.

First launched seemed slower, second launch seemed more powerful from what I remember. Just all round great ride. I was wearing dark sunglasses to help enhance the ride experience at night and to keep rain/bugs out of my eyes.

I305- first rides with the soft strap and brakes. I won't beat this one to death as everybody else already has. I liked the soft strap and feel the new restraint makes I305 re-rideable. I rode I305 15 times on Media Day and I was very sore the following days. I could've re-ridden I305 for the rest of the night but my friend didn't want to. Two rides, one in the front, one in the back. Trim was definitely noticable, ruined air on second hill and killed the speed. Rest of the coaster was still amazing though. I've only been on 170 coasters and for me I305 is now a sub-Top 10 coaster whereas it was definitely a Top 10 coaster pre-trim.

Anaconda- I didn't get stapled so I had plenty of room to manuever myself in the restraint to prevent getting neck chopped. I don't recall coming to a full stop on the MCBR but it helped with the latter part of the ride.

Backlot Stunt Coaster- good fun family ride. Special effects were turned off which was ok by me.

Rebel Yell- ejector air in the back seat coming off the lift of the first drop. Rest of the ride was not pleasant. Too much shuffling, very shaky. RY was running great back in April, what happened over the course of the season?

Hurler- I didn't notice any of the "TLC" this coaster allegedly received in the off-season. KD's Hurler is still in my opinion the worst wooden coaster on the planet. Scrap it and sell it as firewood. I didn't Hurl when I came off the coaster but I thought I was going to need a chiropractor.

Grizzly- first two rides were in the backseat and I was the only rider on the coaster. Pure heaven. While Grizzly is no Voyage, this coaster will always be special to me as it was my first adult coaster when I was seven. Like RY, ejector air in the back coming off the lift. First turnaround was painfully slow, the dip into the tunnel and the tunnel itself was INSANE. The racing back to the second turnaround felt a lot faster than previously? Maybe that's the darkness differential? Lower turnaround pulled decent laterals. Last ride was in the front, good ride, felt more shaky than the back but my love is for the back on this ride. Side note- Now that Hypersonic is gone, I think the setting is back even with the missing trees. The thing that kills Grizzly even with sunglasses on is the spotlights on the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Dominator- rode six times, always fun ride, surprised how smooth this coaster is despite it's age.

Total attendace for the event was 2500. Rides were open from 8pm to 11pm and there was a dance party from 11pm to 1am under the Eiffel Tower. Everything was virtually a walk on. Very few places to get something to eat or drink which I assume is because of the low attendance. Ran into a lot of people I haven't seen in a long time. This was my first Gay Day in about seven years. All rides were open except what rides were in Planet Snoopy including Boo Blasters. I've never seen Americana lit up before and it looked really nice. Added to the overall park atmosphere. KD already had the evil red eyes up on the Eiffel Tower like they did last year. No other noticable signs of the Haunt were in place yet.

^I totally agree with your comments on Rebel Yell - I rode it on 5/1 and it was still fantastic, and then I rode it at the end of August for ECB and it was ridiculously painful. And Hurler is a piece of junk. And I love Grizzly. Basically, I agree with your entire post, except for I still put I305 in my Top 10 (out of ~150). But that's not important. What is important is the fact that there was a Gay Day at KD yesterday, and I wasn't aware. Damn!

^I totally agree with your comments on Rebel Yell - I rode it on 5/1 and it was still fantastic, and then I rode it at the end of August for ECB and it was ridiculously painful. And Hurler is a piece of junk. And I love Grizzly. Basically, I agree with your entire post, except for I still put I305 in my Top 10 (out of ~150). But that's not important. What is important is the fact that there was a Gay Day at KD yesterday, and I wasn't aware. Damn!

Which side of RY did either of you ride? I thought both sides have been running rather smoothly this year compared to how bad it was just a couple seasons ago.

^Standing on the center platform which is the exit for both sides, I rode the left side, which becomes the right side going up the lift hills.

Have not seen this posted yet but Google Earth just updated their satellite images of KD taken sometime this past summer.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.838440,-77.443310&spn=0.003192,0.002951&t=h&q=Kings+Dominion@37.838440,-77.443310

Busch Gardens got the treatment as well

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=37.233980,-76.648160&spn=0.003192,0.002951&t=h&q=Busch+Gardens+Williamsburg@37.233980,-76.648160

Still no birds eye view for either though

JEFF

Haha, did anyone notice the two trains on Griffin really close to one another?

I always thought that Dominator's cobra roll was oddly shaped, but man. That aerial really proves it!

I also rode on the same side as JEAPUgrad. It was great in May, but not so much in August. Regardless, I love how close it gets you to I305! Almost as close as that backstage tour!

Oh, here's something I've never understood about RY: the transfer tracks have a blue train on the red side, and a red train on the blue side. Does anyone have any idea how that makes sense?

^^Haha, that is funny. I wonder how Google takes it satellite images where trains would appear to be that close together?

^ I disagree about the "weirdness" of Dominator's cobra roll. The image wasn't taken directly above the ride as it appears to be slightly to the east/right of the park. As in, the camera wasn't directly down on the ride, and was shooting more to the west. Make sense? If it was shooting straight down, than Alpengeist has one terrible looking cobra roll as well.

I always thought that Dominator's cobra roll was oddly shaped, but man. That aerial really proves it!

 

I also rode on the same side as JEAPUgrad. It was great in May, but not so much in August. Regardless, I love how close it gets you to I305! Almost as close as that backstage tour!

 

Oh, here's something I've never understood about RY: the transfer tracks have a blue train on the red side, and a red train on the blue side. Does anyone have any idea how that makes sense?

I guess they just wanted to have one red,one blue running on each side when in single train mode.The park has always run one of each color on both tracks for years.

The park refers to the different sides of Rebel Yell as the North side and South side now, not red and blue (I believe that is a coaster fanatics thing).

JEFF

The park refers to the different sides of Rebel Yell as the North side and South side now, not red and blue (I believe that is a coaster fanatics thing).

 

JEFF

Yeah,they've been using that terminology since switching the north side to forward running trains.

Thank god they finally updated it.

The park refers to the different sides of Rebel Yell as the North side and South side now, not red and blue (I believe that is a coaster fanatics thing).

 

JEFF

Thank you! It does seem a bit odd to me that you wouldn't have one color on either side (seems confusing as far as racing's concerned). But I'm glad I know!

Also, is Kings Dominion ever going to update the pictures on their ride page?

http://www.kingsdominion.com/attractions/category.cfm?ac_id=13

It shows a picture of Flight of Fear with the OTSRs. Plus Anaconda and Shockwave have different paint jobs.

Also on the site:

Hurler

The Hurler is one of the best wooden coasters around!

If it was shooting straight down, than Alpengeist has one terrible looking cobra roll as well.

No, no, no, Jordan. Didn't you hear?

Alpengeist's cobra roll is sinking.

I enjoy the fact that they are still letting us know that "The Hurler will open for the 2010 season in mid-May"

Just incase anyone was wondering when it opened this year

^ across the chain I've noticed CF isn't as on top of keeping their sites updated as maybe we expect. Some parks are better at it than others and i doubt someone clicks on each page once a day or week to fact check.