certifiedcoastergeek

I just got home from Kings Dominion's new Soak City. Although I knew that the lines would be insane due to the holiday weekend, my Platinum Pass grants me the ability to get a fifteen-minute head start over the day ticket scrubs, and I couldn't wait to ride the Hurricane Heights complex slides after reading cfc's awesome Passholder Preview Day TR. Since I arrived at around 11:35, I strolled through the security gate and right up to the Hurricane Heights complex to wait for the 11:45 passholder opening. The waterpark looks FANTASTIC for 2015. I'll run through the pros and cons of the waterpark renovations quickly before talking about the new slides: +HURRICANE HEIGHTS SLIDE COMPLEX. This brings Soak City one huge step closer to Water Country USA. +Fresh coat of paint for almost everything; Soak City looks brand new +New kiddie complexes +New food and souvenir locations, such as a second full-service Rita's, a third Coca-Cola Marketplace, a Kona Ice, a Boardwalk Fries, and some park restaurants with Meal Deals available +New cabanas available in Tidal Wave Bay wave pool for rent +New inner tubes for every ride +More restrooms +Another First Aid location +10% Passholder discount now available at every food location, even franchises like Rita's (stands, trailers, and trucks excluded) +Waterpark still included with admission (here's looking at you, BGW and WCUSA) -Waterpark Chick-fil-A removed -Shoot the Curl slide complex removed -Lockerz cost more than in previous years -Lazy River now has two exits, and you must exit on the side that doesn't say "Exit". What?!? Now that the pros and cons are covered, I can get on to the big attraction, Hurricane Heights. This insane complex consists of six unique slides over two platforms. On the taller platform, there are three trapdoor-style body slides (Paradise Plunge), which are red, orange, and yellow. When you enter, you are instructed to put your head back and to cross your ankles and arms. Once the glass door closes, a soft female voice delivers a menacing countdown: 3, 2, 1, goodbye (No Drop Tower: Scream Zone operator tricks here, folks). The initial short drop on Paradise Plunge induces more adrenaline than anything else at KD. If you chose the orange or yellow slides, you then make a sharp turn left and twist through multiple helices, splashing down with blistering speed to finish the ride. If you chose the red slide, you make a sharp turn right, then left, then one helix, which is followed by a slow descent into the splashdown, definitely reducing the intensity of the ride. If you're new to trapdoor slides, I'd recommend the red slide, since it's a little slower. The body slides were fast and smooth; my only concern was that the yellow slide broke down after about ten minutes of operation (yikes, Windseeker deja vu?), although it was up and running again in about thirty minutes. Now, on to the lower platform: Thunder Falls and Aqua Blast, three very different tube slides. Strangely, these slides were originally planned to feature double tubes as well, as it's still listed as so on the KD website, but this was scrapped and only standard inner tubes are available. The light blue body slide, on the far left of the platform, is one half of Thunder Falls. This slide consists of a three-quarters helix, featuring a neon-lit portion, followed by the most insane drop that I've ever experienced on a tube slide, into a pool. As a matter of fact, you will often flip head over heels due to your momentum from the drop into the shallow pool, so heed my advice and brace yourself. The darker blue slide, which neighbors the light blue slide on the platform, is the other half of Thunder Falls. This slide starts out with the same three-quarters helix and with the neon lights like its brother, but is unique in that it features a double drop. It's not as intense as the lighter blue side, but it's still freakin' crazy. The third slide, which is purple on the platform but switches between purple and orange during the ride, is located on the far right of the platform and is known as Aqua Blast. Unlike Thunder Falls, Aqua Blast is pitch-black for most of the ride, with fast turns that will leave you breathless. However, if it doesn't have a drop, what's its gimmick? The 360-degree quick turnarounds. This slide features not one, not two, not three, but FOUR turnaround enclosed "bowl" elements, during which your tube will seemingly defy gravity and wall ride, creating an insane experience that rivals any waterslide. All in all, these slides are unique, fun, intense, smooth, and probably worth Cedar Fair's multi-million dollar investment in them, although time will tell if these slides will prove reliable or not. My rating: If you're visiting Kings Dominion in 2015, make sure to pack a swimsuit so that you can plunge into paradise.

In that case, I have one message for Cedar Fair, on behalf of all Kings Dominion faithful and tourists alike... P.S. I wonder how KD will try to convince people that its minor improvements and/or small flat rides are some large investment, like they have for the PAST FIVE YEARS! 2011. Minor improvements 2012. Flat rides 2013. Flat rides 2014. Minor improvements 2015. Water rides 2016. Minor improvements

A hyper GT-X isn't a very large investment - it's around the same price tag as a Windseeker ($6-8M range), so that would be the third coaster. For a second coaster, I'd still put money on Kings Dominion over Valleyfair, with 2017 being VF's year. 2016: Cedar Point (Dive Coaster), Kings Dominion (unidentified mid-sized B&M), Michigan's Adventure (Hyper GT-X) 2017: Canada's Wonderland (unidentified mid-sized B&M), Valleyfair (unidentified large B&M), Worlds of Fun (unidentified mid-sized B&M)

Generally, Cedar Fair installs one or two large coasters and one or two smaller coasters at its parks (no more than three total per year). Say what you want, but it's pretty much beyond debate now that Cedar Point is getting the largest coaster in 2016 with "Valravn", the B&M Dive Machine. This leaves Kings Dominion, Worlds of Fun, Michigan's Adventure, Valleyfair, and Canada's Wonderland due for a coaster with little to no hints given yet. In terms of attendance, Canada's Wonderland takes the number one spot among these parks in terms of potential returns, but I think that CF will wait until 2017 to make Canada's Wonderland's addition the crown jewel of its 2017 budget, since Canada's Wonderland has received both Leviathan and Wonder Mountain's Guardian in the current decade. Although a new coaster would be nice at Worlds of Fun or Michigan's Adventure, CF just doesn't see the foot traffic and therefore potential quick returns from these parks. I would anticipate a gigacoaster or another large B&M to hit at least one of these parks by 2019 or 2020. This leaves two parks open to consideration: 1. Valleyfair Valleyfair's last new coaster was the relocated Cosmic Coaster (formerly Dragon Coaster at Dorney Park) in 2011, with its most recent coaster originating at the park being the GCI woodie Renegade in 2007. This is a long time, especially for coaster-centric chains like Six Flags and Cedar Fair. Cedar Fair sees plenty of potential in Valleyfair, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a B&M gigacoaster at the park in 2016 - except for one small problem: The FAA has placed a strict, no-ride-over-275 feet policy on Valleyfair due to the adjoining airport. The park already has a fantastic Morgan hypercoaster, a GCI woodie, a prototype Arrow hybrid coaster, an Arrow looper, a wild mouse, an Intamin Impulse, a kiddie coaster, and a classic wooden coaster - a solid lineup for a park of its size and foot traffic. So the real question is, what DOES Valleyfair need? Due to size, Valleyfair would have to remove a coaster to build a new one - unless you're talking a Triotech, which Cedar Fair is currently rolling out to a number of its parks over a few years in a manner similar to WindSeeker. So I'd bet on a Triotech. 2. Kings Dominion Kings Dominion's last new coaster was Intimidator 305 in 2010. Although Cedar Fair doesn't see as much potential in KD as in other parks, its established base is one of the best at any CF park, rivaling Carowinds, despite the park's rural location. Because of this, KD is long overdue for a new coaster. Kings Dominion has to remove something to build something, and the Hurler, Grizzly, and Anaconda ain't goin' nowhere with their recent refurbishments. This leaves the Shockwave, a TOGO standup coaster which was last repainted in 2011 as the only coaster which might get removed. Unfortunately, this coaster is very compact, meaning that to build something new and large, Kings Dominion would have to remove trees in Old Virginia (killing the vibe) and/or the entire freakin' Blue Ridge Tollway antique cars ride to do so. Worth it? IDK. Could it happen? Yes. Will it? IDK. So the real question is, what DOES Kings Dominion need? Nothing the park builds will eclipse I305 as the premier ride, so there'd be no point in demolishing an entire section of the park in order to build a B&M hyper. On the other hand, KD doesn't have a bona fide chain-lift invert, although a wing coaster, swooping and soaring through the trees of Old Virginia would be pretty nice. So I'd bet on a B&M invert or a wing coaster (redundant, I know).

Also, Cedar Point removed their antique cars and 3D theater, both of which could be demolished along with the Shockwave at KD to make room for a VERY LARGE coaster.

I'd bet everything against that, as well. That ride might be even MORE rough even IF that happened (which it won't). Shockwave will be gone by 2017, amigo. Actually, it would be less rough as a sitdown. Lower heartline=less exaggerated transitions=less rough ride Not really how it works. The track and transitions are engineered for a heartline at a specific height range. Taking it out of that range can actually increase the variability of the heartline, making the ride even rougher/jerkier. Mantis was possible to convert because the heartline allowed for such variability--not sure if Shockwave is designed like this. And because its a B&M, and B&M produces sit down/floorless trains with the same track guage. Togo does not, especially since they are not in business. But let's ask ourselves the important questions here: A. Would it really be worth it to pump a few million into converting an old TOGO? I seriously doubt changing the seating type will drive attendance, even under a new name. Even if the coaster could be made slightly smoother (which Password121 pretty much debunked, kudos to you, man), it will take parkgoers about five seconds to realize that they paid for a ticket to ride the same, mediocre-at-best, aging, unreliable TOGO, which I will remind you CF isn't afraid to remove. B. Could the land be repurposed for the better? I say ABSOLUTELY YES. Two scenarios play out in 2016, based on my current information and what makes sense for the park, and both involve the Shockwave's removal. 1. Shockwave removed and replaced with a freakin' huge, thrilling flat ride. Does it sound stupid, since KD has one of the best flat ride collections worldwide (Gyro Drop hype)? Yes. Will it drive attendance? No. Has CF done it before? Yes. Will it give KD another year to bolster their case for a $25-30M+ B&M in 2017? Absolutely. 2. Shockwave removed, trees between "roadways" for Blue Ridge Tollway cleared, and new B&M invert, wing coaster, or even flying coaster put in its place. If this doesn't happen in '16, it's going to happen in '17 - mark my words. Even a launched wing coaster could be implemented with that plot of land (look at Google Earth and then look at Dominator, another inverting B&M at the park, for comparison). I'm >99% sure that nothing that KD builds will ever come close to the legend of Intimidator 305, so there's no point in building a hyper due to space constraints and logic. Look for a Thunderbird-type ride in '16 or '17.

I'd bet everything against that, as well. That ride might be even MORE rough even IF that happened (which it won't). Shockwave will be gone by 2017, amigo.

Might I refer you to page 1118 of this discussion thread? (My post, btw)

They're super thrilling and fun, you guys will love them! My tip: Go on the tallest ones first, and work your way down. On the trapdoor slides plug your nose! Good to know, since Kings Dominion's clone of the complex opens on Friday!

^That has to do with horrendous capacity, not popularity - yet another reason to give the coaster the axe. Very few coasters (except for maybe Tempesto, IMO, and Tempesto dispatches faster because it's a sit-down rather than a stand-up) have such a low capacity. The ride is also prone to breakdowns and has an awful lift hill that takes forever to ascend, despite how small it is in reality. Have I mentioned how rough it is? They should rename it the "world's most realistic Concussion 'Simulator'" .

1) KD has to build around with current land constraints, and likely needs to remove some things as well. 2) I'm aware of this - but this is the start of a trend. Canada's Wonderland tends to be the pilot park for a number of ride types, programs, and strategies which later see usage at other CF parks. Two examples that come to mind immediately are Wonder Mountain's Guardian and Leviathan. While both of these rides seemed innovative at first, Triotech and B&M have built (and are currently building) very, very similar rides at other CF parks (Voyage to the Iron Reef, Fury 325). This also shows that CF recognizes the unpopularity of the TOGO stand-up coasters and isn't afraid to remove them. 3) Actually, you'd need to put the station there (or alternatively by the former CornStalkers maze), since there's not enough room in Old Virginia to build a large-scale queue, but there is room to put supports for a new coaster around existing rides. 4) That's not my logic at all. The fact that it hasn't been painted or refurbished, and that the Hurler, Grizzly, and Anaconda have in the past two years, makes it a more likely candidate for removal.

My point is that B&M has built around rides many times before, and that the Shockwave is widely unpopular. Cedar Fair is on a TOGO removal kick recently, so Shockwave is more than likely next in line. Remember, the ride last received a new paint job shortly after the Cedar Fair takeover, and hasn't received much love since. That there's prime real estate that it's sittin' on, that head-bangin' eyesore.

BGW did it, with Chariot and with Alpengeist. And Shockwave is due for removal anyway.

Updated picture with (hopefully) confusion-proof labels... *EDITED* Look at Dominator for comparison and tell me you can't put a large B&M in Old Virginia, snaking through some trees and between existing rides... P.S. For all you naysayers...

Correction: This is the ideal location for a new coaster, since the Shockwave is up for removal, KD wouldn't need to remove too much (save the Shockwave and the barren wasteland that is the Action Theater and maybe the CornStalkers maze)... Yes, it looks like the Loch Ness - Busch Gardens Williamsburg-inati CONFIRMED (insert X-files theme song) Not bad for a large B&M invert, wing coaster, or flying coaster, although a hyper is out since there's not enough for airtime hills...

I'm at least 99% sure that it's always done that and I highly doubt that the ride motion is able to be modified on such short notice. P.S. Who even rides the Crypt? That piece of scrap metal is empty on the Fourth.

I don't know.... If I had to guess, I'd say that Cedar Point gets a dive machine 2016, and Kings Dominion might get an invert or hyper (or a combination of the two, that'd be pretty hype) or a Triotech, but KD is definitely due for a coaster-like contraption of some sort. In 2017, I think that Kings Island gets a Fury-esque B&M giga and that Valleyfair gets a Triotech. In the next ten years or so, I would expect to see a Triotech at each Cedar Fair park. In the next fifteen years, I think that we'll see a gigacoaster at each CF park, since they're expensive but are nice draws. On a side note, Kings Dominion and Carowinds both applied for new coasters in 2014 and 2015. Guess which park got the coaster? Park execs request roller coasters all the time, but only corporate CF can approve these requests.

Leviathan, Behemoth, Fury325, and Intimidator say "Hi." Whoops, forgot about that. The irony is that I went to CW over Spring Break, my bad.

More like negative two... What do you mean by "you better get your last rides in before late July"? Where's your source that the Sh!twave is due for removal? This might be an awesome development, but we need a source, man. P.S. If this is from Screamscape, that's old news and very improbable. Why in the world would you put two B&Ms with similar elements practically on top of each other? This is Cedar Fair, not SeaWorld.

Thanks! I've never completely grayed out on any coaster (on I305 I get pretty close to it) but once I nearly grayed out during the helix on the Stunt Coaster. Strangely enough, that was the day that I forgot to pack water (for those who don't know, it's an unwritten rule that outside water and sports drinks are allowed in Cedar Fair parks).

As a KD local and longtime park visitor, I find it completely relevant to provide my ratings for the park (on a scale of 0.0-10.0, 10.0 being the best), in a variety of categories: 1. Rides. Kings Dominion is home to two of the world's best roller coasters in the forms of Volcano: The Blast Coaster and Intimidator 305. These coasters are completely unmatched in smoothness, with the exception of a handful of other Intamin coasters, and Intimidator is easily in the top ten, most likely in the top five, and maybe even in the top three in most seasoned enthusiasts' intensity lists. The park also includes a number of classics, such as the ACE landmark Rebel Yell and park icon Woodstock Express (formerly Ghoster Coaster and Scooby-Doo). Adding to this lineup is one of the world's tallest and fastest drop towers. However, the park is home to some mediocre rides such as Dominator (a standard used B&M floorless), Grizzly (one-time park classic, now a literal and metaphorical headache), and Avalanche (unique, but not worth the wait time or mini-concussion), and some flat-out terrible ones (Shockwave, Hurler, Anaconda - TOGO, CCI, Arrow, respectively - you get the idea). On the other hand, the park features a TON of satisfactory family and/or thrilling flat rides in the (Candy Apple) Grove midway section and in the large, almost overdone Planet Snoopy kids area. For these reasons, I'll give Kings Dominion a 9/10 - significantly better than an average park but not anywhere near Six Flags Magic Mountain, Cedar Point, or Canada's Wonderland. 2. Appearance. Kings Dominion was known in the 1970s and 1980s to be a beautiful park, with flowers and greenery abundant throughout the relatively undeveloped, rural park. However, after the Paramount Parks acquisition in the 1990s, the park became a distant second to in-state rival Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Europe), with the focus applied to rides, and a total disregard for the park's appearance reigned. In 2007, the park's fortune changed once again for the better when Cedar Fair took the reins. Although the first few years of Cedar Fair ownership were focused on continuing to develop Kings Dominion's rides as part of a large, multimillion dollar expansion which included the relocated Dominator and Intimidator 305, in recent years the park has worked tirelessly on landscaping. While there is still much work to be done to catch up to Busch Gardens once again (which may admittedly be a near-impossible task), the investments have PAID OFF. This season, Kings Dominion looks absolutely beautiful for the first time in a long time. For the park's 40th anniversary, Cedar Fair has added high-quality restaurants themed to different countries, serving fine locally and internationally based cuisine. The park's entrance, while often criticized for its age, looks fantastic with flowers, bona fide flowers, lining the iconic fountains and Eiffel Tower plaza, and extending throughout the revamped Candy Apple Grove section (have you seen the floral clock?) However, the Safari Village/Congo area still needs some work, so I give Kings Dominion a 7/10 - looking good but still a work in progress. 3. Price - Each individual one-day ticket to Kings Dominion costs $55. Two-day tickets are available for $65 each. If you visit from 4 PM - 10 PM, tickets cost $40. Silver season passes, which are good for unlimited visits from Opening Day until Labor Day (you still pay for parking) cost $75. Gold season passes, which are good for unlimited visits from Opening Day until Closing Day in November (unlimited parking included) cost $115. Platinum season passes, which are good for unlimited visits at every Cedar Fair park (Kings Island, Kings Dominion, Cedar Point, Canada's Wonderland, Carowinds, Knott's Berry Farm, California's Great Adventure, Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, Dorney Park, etc.) any day that the park you want to visit is open (unlimited parking included) cost $200. To score this, let's compare it with equivalent tickets from rival Busch Gardens Williamsburg. For a one-day ticket, Kings Dominion is $20 cheaper (Busch Gardens doesn't offer a two-day ticket). For a Silver pass (BGW's equivalent is called the Fun Card), both parks are equal at $75 each. For a Gold Pass (BGW Season Pass), Kings Dominion is once again $20 cheaper. For a Platinum Pass (for BGW, this includes all SeaWorld parks), Kings Dominion is $15 cheaper. Therefore, Kings Dominion is cheaper in nearly every category, so I will give Kings Dominion a 7.5/10 in this category. 4. Food - Kings Dominion isn't really known for its food. However, the Jukebox Diner makes a pretty good burger, and the new higher-end restaurants really boost the park in this category. Unfortunately, you can expect to pay around $15 a meal, although one-day and season pass add-on meal deals are available, as are refillable drink bottles which are $10 online (free refills day of purchase/pickup, $1 refills rest of year). My advice: Avoid the meal deal and bottle, since it doesn't include the better restaurants near the entrance, so pack lunch (pavilions are provided outside the gate) and eat dinner by the Eiffel Tower. Other than that, expect standard amusement park fare - overpriced burgers, fries, pizza, fried chicken, and Coca-Cola products. Score? 6/10. 5. Atmosphere. Kings Dominion is definitely a family-friendly venue, IMO. Security is very tight at the park, and the metal detectors, a rare sight these days at an amusement park, slow down entrances lines a tad bit but make you feel safer. Of course, like all other public places, you'll need to keep a close eye on your little ones, but Planet Snoopy is the perfect place for parents to sit on a bench while watching the young'uns riding the various Peanuts-themed rides. The park isn't themed as well as BGW (and a far cry from Disney or Universal), but the park stays true to its rural roots with the Old Virginia section, a must-see during the busier hours of operation. Score? 8/10. Final thoughts - Kings Dominion is a fantastic park. If you ever venture to the DC corridor, I would highly recommend taking a day to visit. Even if you'll be visiting BGW during a Jamestown, Williamsburg, or Virginia Beach visit, still consider the drive to KD - you won't regret it. No, this isn't Cedar Point, SeaWorld Orlando, Disney World, or Six Flags Great Adventure, but this is still pretty close to the gold standard for mid-sized amusement parks. FINAL SCORE: 7.5/10 Rating: Should be on every enthusiast's, tourist's, and local's bucket list of destinations

Was it the Dippin' Dots guy? Yes, KD has a strong coaster lineup, and yes, Cedar Fair has brought the park's atmosphere up to rival or surpass Busch Gardens (ugh - SeaWorld), and yes, other parks may be due for a roller coaster as well, but Kings Dominion has one of the strongest local bases around. I myself live in Hanover County, just due south of KD, and I'd bet that anywhere from one-half to two-thirds of the households in the county are passholders, many for multiple years running. Keeping this in mind, there's a definite demand for a new coaster in the DC corridor. Since 2010, Busch Gardens Williamsburg has put in both Verbolten and Tempesto, and Six Flags America has added Apocalypse and Bourbon Street Fireball. While all of these coasters combined still pale in comparison to Intimidator 305, which most seasoned enthusiasts will tell you easily makes their top five or ten, they are newer, making it sort of a "No coaster? Again? Let's go to BGW and ride the Tempesto" situation for many locals and Richmond/DC-area travelers. Valleyfair, Worlds of Fun, California's Great Adventure - these parks are small and have untapped markets, but their competition is very limited, if there is any in the area at all. Because KD needs to stay competitive, it needs a new coaster and soon. I've been saying all along - if not 2016, 2017 is the year. I would be holding my breath for a number of reasons: 1. The only land available to clear is unable to be viewed clearly from the air, so if there are markers behind the Hurler or elsewhere, you can't see it. Don't strain your eyeballs trying. 2. Since the Shockwave is probably the only candidate for removal, you can't exactly put survey markers on a ride. Does that ride really need another accident? 3. KD has historically been late in the game to announce coasters (remember Volcano?)

^Since 2011: Leviathan, WMG CoastRider, Triotech (can't remember the name) GateKeeper, Rougarou Banshee Nothing (nada) Fury 325 Again, something's definitely missing here..

Nah, I read somewhere that KD is #4 behind KBF, CP, and Canada's Wonderland, in that order in terms of annual visitors.

What has VF, Dorney, WOF, MIA, and CGA received in that same time KD receives much more foot traffic than its little siblings. Not saying that they aren't due as well, but it makes sense financially to invest where the highest potential for a large return is.