Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

^^ Actually Paramount didn't come around until like 1994. Before that it was KECO in the 80s and the company that was spun off from before that in the 70s.

 

I have to say though, the current spot of Shockwave would be a great place for a ferris wheel. Heck, that spot would be a great place for any large flat. I'm not saying Shockwave needs to go, as I like it, but others hate the TOGO death machine.

The only thing wrong with shockwave IMO is that horrid color scheme,please someone change it back to the good old black & yellow of days gone by.

I don't know how it's running this year as I skipped it due to the crowds & time constraints but the last few seasons have delivered some good rides in 4-1.

Well, I usually ride in the very back of Shockwave, which should be the most painful area. Sure it's really jerky back there, but it's a good forceful ride in my opinion.

And yes, the color scheme sucks. It's in The Grove, not Nickelodeon Central, so why is it green and yellow? I think they should repaint it dark red for the track and black for supports. That is if it's not replaced.

I still think placing the three new rides all in one area is a bad idea. Eldorado would fit in fine to the right of the former Stan Mikita's, but the view from Americana, the ferris wheel would be blocked by X-Treme Skyflier. Maybe they could finally build that path from between Ricochet and Hurler to the waterpark and put Americana and the Spider over there?

It is interesting that Kings Dominion is ( or maybe ) be getting a Ferris Wheel considering that back in the 70's that park vowed never to get one.

 

"...you can ride those at carnivals !!"

 

Well those were the Paramount days, Cedar Fair clearly has different plans for the park. Paramount would have never added Dominater the way CF did.

And they certainly wouldn't have added one of those awesome DJ booths in the line.

Where I've never seen a DJ, by the way.

Where I've never seen a DJ, by the way.

Thats weird, I've seen one there both times I've been in line. They don't really do much... Like they don't seem to interact with the guests as much as the CP ones do, but they're there.

I've only been on Dominator and to KD on Saturdays so far this season, though, might just be a weekend thing? I'll be going down this Thursday so I shall see.

Where I've never seen a DJ, by the way.

The DJ booth is over by the first set of switchbacks over to the left....lord knows he was pumping out tunes like crazy saturday afternoon.

I still think Americana will fit in nicely in it's chosen location....how can we be absolutely certain that all three rides are even going over there when there's potential room for Americana & spider elsewhere in the grove,or maybe even old virginia or I-street?

That's true. I can still remember the Scrambler and Cinema 180 being on the other side of International Street from Berserker. I think the employee cafeteria is there now though.

I guess maybe Berserker could be going perhaps...

Everytime I've been there this season Berserker has been packed with Dominator's opening next door, seems unnecessary to remove it at this point to me.

They just painted berserker too.

If this has been confirmed that we are getting 3 new flats for next season. I'm really not looking fwd to it.. These are so old school. There're suppose to be located in XLC's old location. WooooW, I cannot see KD with a Ferris Wheel!!!!

Dude if this is true that means your park is getting four additions in two years. I cannot see how you have anything to complain about.

 

--Robb "Your posts is EXACTLY why parks get annoyed with enthusiasts." Alvey

 

For his case, it's about QUALITY not quantity.

 

Just because you have a bunch of rides doesn't mean the park is any better. No, what it means is that you have less space to build an attraction of a quality which is worth everybody's time. Once that space is filled, its going to be there for awhile.

Right now I'm drooling over the prospects of a ferris wheel at Kings Dominion. It will bring much needed character to the park. Anyways, these flatrides take up minimal space, so you can't complain they're taking up "valuable room for expansion"

They just painted berserker too.

Berserker was jam packed back on saturday so it's no suprise that having Dominator over there has increased rider throughput & interest.

A good location for Americana would be in the grove in between drop zone & wave swinger,there should be enough room for them to shoehorn it in so as to be able to provide for greaqt views & photo ops of the park.

Just to clarify, I didn't say Berserker wasn't popular. It always has been, even before Dominator. I'm just saying it's been a rumor, but it's been a rumor for years, just as Shockwave's and Avalanche's removals have.

(However I will be pissed if they get rid of Avalanche, as it was my first coaster.)

As for Americana offering photo ops, this is Cedar Fair we're talking about. They of the "cameras are not allowed on any ride in the park" ilk.

They should build it as close to 95 as possible, great views of the traffic on 95 North and South! "Oohh! Is that Aunt Sarah's Pancake House?!"

UPDATE! August 20th. - Official 2010 Announcement - See Below

Kings Dominion to Introduce $25 Million Steel Giga-Coaster In 2010

Intimidator 305 will be the Biggest, Baddest and Meanest on the East Coast

Doswell, VA. (Aug. 20, 2009) – The most exciting ride in Kings Dominion’s 35-year history will

debut in the spring of 2010, as the amusement park introduces a mammoth 5,100-foot long steel

Giga-coaster. Intimidator 305 takes it name from one of stock car racing’s most beloved and

tenacious drivers, Dale Earnhardt, “the Intimidator™” along with the height of the coaster’s lift hill,

305 feet.

Intimidator 305, only the second Giga-coaster ever built in North America, will be the tallest and

fastest roller coaster of its type on the East Coast. The lift hill will stand a towering 305 feet at its

highest peak; descend 300 feet at an 85 degree-angle and thunder along the track at speeds in

excess of 90 miles per hour during its three minute race to the finish. The trains, fashioned after

Dale Earnhardt’s signature black car, will roar through six airtime humps plus three high-speed

turns and the experience will have guests screaming for another lap around the track.

“Intimidator 305 will break records as the single largest capital investment in the history Kings

Dominion,” said Pat Jones, Kings Dominion’s vice president and general manager. “The numbers

speak for themselves, at a cost of $25 million, a lift hill and first drop close to the height of the

park’s landmark Eiffel Tower; you’ll have to see it to believe it.” Intimidator 305 will be located in

the park’s Congo section and becomes Kings Dominion’s 15th World-class roller coaster.

Dale Earnhardt, Inc. will partner with Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, owners of Kings

Dominion, to bring the massive coaster to life. “We’re excited to see this new roller coaster

celebrate the speed and intensity of the legendary career of Dale Earnhardt,” said Jeff Steiner,

executive vice president and general manager of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. “there are millions of fans

that still honor their racing hero and this is a very real way for them to connect with the spirit and

passion of the Intimidator™.”

Guests will have the opportunity to see the ride being built from the ground up during the

remainder of the park’s 2009 season, as well as follow its progress by watching the online

webcam, set up to overlook the entire work site. Those who cannot wait until 2010 may take a

virtual ride on Intimidator 305, access exclusive updates, features, virtual renderings, ride

statistics, and more at http://www.intimidator305.com.

Intamin AG of Wollerau, Switzerland, a recognized industry leader in roller coaster development,

designed Intimidator 305. The ride is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010.

Ride Stats

- Track Length: 5,100 feet

- Maximum Height: 305 feet

- Lift Hill Angle: 45 degrees

- Length of First Drop: 300 feet

- Angle of First Drop: 85 degrees

- Length of Other Drops: 150 feet

- Airtime Humps: 6 including S-curve transitions

- High Speed Turns: 3 at ground level

- Fastest Speed: Excess of 90 MPH

- Ride Time: 3 minutes

- Hourly Capacity:: 1,350 riders

- Number of Trains: Two

- Vehicles: Four passenger open design trains with overhead lap bars but no over-the-shoulder harnesses

- Investment: $25 million

About the Designer

Intamin AG is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Gary Palmer, MD and Arnold Bernsteiner.

Intamin is a major player in the amusement park attractions industry, supplying some 22 different styles of rides to a variety of parks.

Intamin is well known for being innovative and creative with their rides. They were some of the first to create a magnetic propulsion system (Linear induction motors/Linear Synchronous Motors) and remain one of only a handful of manufacturers continuing to use such technology on roller coasters. Intamin also created the first hydraulic launch system.

Intamin is known for their massive "Giga" (over 300 ft/91 m) coasters. Their designs currently occupy the top 2 spots of the Golden Ticket Awards.

lol, where in Va.

Um, Doswell, outside of Richmond.

What kind of question is that anyway?

I mean how much undeveloped land does KD have

Maybe if you were a bit more clear with your question, gave us readers more information and a reason for why you are asking you'll get a more serious answer.

Posting one sentance isn't going to get you much in response.

As it is now, I would suggest reading this thread before you post again:

http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31454

--Robb

A lot of this may very well have since changed but back in the 70s and early 80s I had family who worked for KD.

from what I was told, the land behind where the Rebel Yell is, that is pretty close to the end of the land ( in the southern part of the park ) that KD owns. As I remember I believe there was some factory located not too far south of KD perhaps that plant owned that land however it has been many years since I have been to KD so I am not sure if that factory is even still there.

West of the park I am pretty sure KD owns the land all the way to I-95. But still I doubt KD could extend their park to "touch" I-95 since I am pretty sure the state of Virginia ( VDOT ) required some kind of buffer ( such as tress ) between the park and I-95. I am sure this is to protect the drivers on 95

The east of the park...I really don't know.

The front of the park on the other side of the road....last time I was at KD..a truck stop/motel ( not talking about Kings Quarters ), a 7-11 store and one or two fast food places was in that location. I have heard that KD actually owns that land as well or partially owns it Again here, I am not totally sure if that is still the case.

I know back in 1986 a group of us went to KD and our car broke down at the 7-11 that was( might still be ) in front of KD. I remember the guy who came over to fix our car telling us that KD owns the land where that 7-11 was sitting on and pretty much everything else on that side of the road..all the way to I-95. Whether or not how much this is true..I don't know.

Most of KD's undeveloped land lies in the southeast quadrant of the current developed park between the railroad tracks and I-95.

KD does not own the land directly south of the hurler (close to I-95). The park does own the land south of the Rebel Yell. Most of the undeveloped land consists of the old animal safari that was closed at the end of the 1992 season.

There are a few arial/satellite photos that are 5-6 years old that shows a good portion of the property. You probably have to google it to find them. You can see the park boundary by viewing the service road that runs behind the Hurler (east-west) and then turns right and goes behind the original wave pool (north-south). The service road continues south past the wave pool and come to a major electric transmission line right of way. The transmission lines are angled in a southwest to northeast path. If you follow the transmission lines to the northeast, the lines cross the railroad tracks that run right along KD's eastern boundary.

That whole chunk of land east of the service road, north of the electric lines and west of the railroad tracks belongs to KD. They also own a large amount of land east of the railroad tracks (campgrounds and fields behind it as well as a green house and some other land parcels behind that.

I was just wondering, because a conversation has started on many forums about KD getting a B&M hyper in 2010, but I just don't see it.

Here is an arial shot of KD.

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=37.837954~-77.444043&style=h&lvl=15&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

I can't get a screen shot.

^What about the land where the Lion Safari Monorail used to run through (you can see it on Anaconda's lifthill)? A hyper could fit in there.

I heard that at one point there were plans to build the world's largest wooden coaster around that area but the park decided against it due to maintenance costs (not sure of the reliability of that tidbit anyway).

It could wrap around anaconda, and rebel yell, in an L shape. If they own all that property.

I was just wondering, because a conversation has started on many forums about KD getting a B&M hyper in 2010, but I just don't see it.

 

Here is an arial shot of KD.

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=37.837954~-77.444043&style=h&lvl=15&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

I can't get a screen shot.

That is exactly the shot I had viewed before. The only thing I messed up was that the service road turns back to the east and then runs into electric transmission lines right of way. It is hard to see the railroad tracks due to the road that runs parallel to them on the east.

Anyway, that whole section of land bordered by the service road to the west; the electric transmission line right of way to the south; and the railroad tracks to the east belongs to KD. You can see the old roads for the animal sarfari winding through that area. In 1974 you drove your car on those roads. When the whole park opened in 1975, the monorail track was installed on the road bed and you rode the monorail until the animal safari was closed at the end of the 1992 season.

That land wraps around the back turnaround of the rebel yell and along the Anaconda lift hill and ends at its current northern most point at FOF.

That undeveloped piece of land is almost 70% the size of the current developed park (NOT including the parking lots). That is a tremendous amount of land for Cedar Fair and Kings Dominion to work with in the future.

So all the land where all those paths are, is owned by KD.