Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[AmyUD06]

I'm not Robb, but I can answer. I've been riding it every year for the past 8+ years, including 2018 before it closed, and it hadn't degraded at all during that time. In that time it's always had issues and from 2010-2017 it was "one ride only on FL+" and always had a substantial line.

 

I have to admit I'm not happy about this at all. Volcano was in my top 10 steel coasters just for that launch and the uniqueness of the ride. I'm definitely sad to see it go and am happy I was able to get a ride in this past year.

 

On the plus side, at least it wasn't Avalanche too.

[CarolinaJay]

Sooo, to replace Volcano, yet still pay homage to it, I say they do a Mack (or Intamin again...) launch coaster and name it "Vulcan" which was the god of fire, volcanos, and metalworking. See the concept here?

[Erik Johnson]

While this announcement is sad, it isn't very surprising. I think the law of diminishing returns finally caught up with Volcano. I'll miss this unique coaster, which I always had to ride first thing in the morning before the days of Fast Lane Plus. Those two launches were incredible.

 

I guess I have been lucky to have been able to get in quite a few rides of it over the years. Our purchase of the Fast Lane Plus passes last April proved to be a wise decision. Who knew that they would be our final front row rides on the ride?

[Ed Farmer]

Ouch. I visited Kings Dominion for the first time this past summer and thought the park was great. Volcano standing there dormant was a definite bummer, though. I had tentative plans to give it another shot this year, but I'll likely put it off for the time being.

[Married a Canadian]

don't skip Racer. ..the retracking they did had it running AMAZING in the summer of 2018.

(sure it's just an out and back racing woodie. . but man, was it fun. . and in the rain it was *flying*)

 

Thanks Bert, your advice for Kennywood was spot on last year, so we will definitely be doing "Racer". While it is disappointing that Volcano will be gone, we picked KD for this years trip (along with BGW) because they have an excellent line up of rides. I'll be on this thread in a month or so asking for further tips and general preferences.

 

We have our Florida trip coming up in a week, so I haven't really turned my attention to our June schedule yet. The Volcano news just caught my eye this morning....and given that my son wanted to ride it, I had to break the news to him this morning! At the moment he is more focussed on "Rip RIde Rockit" and "Hulk" at a certain park in Orlando. I am focussed on dressing up as a princess in the upcoming races in Disney (seriously!!). KD will soon be my focus after I let my inner princess out!

[_FuryBull_330_]

What, they are removing it, but I had planned a trip to Kings Dominion for the summer and I was hyped for this ride. Well I guess I will never ride it in my life .

[SharkTums]

^ Just a question based on your personal experience, Robb, but how well had it aged over the years for you? I mean, you used to live nearby so I'd imagine you know the coaster well.

 

I'm not Robb but I visited him quite often from 2001 and started riding Volcano and made sure to ride it on every visit after! I never remember any 'roughness' on it, and it always took my breath away with those launches. I also think it used to have way more down time (late 90's early '00's) and had been doing better up until last season when it was down the majority of the year. Sad to see it go.

[JT325]

Man this really sucks. I loved that ride, despite it's capacity and other issues. It could be saved or rebuilt, but oh well. It's a shame all the new stuff is all so same-y and the really cool stuff gets trashed.

 

Meanwhile, in the burbs of Chicago...

 

 

"Oh, so happy so happy so happy. So happy they spent a little money on me and I'm even more popular now. Happy Happy Joy Joy."

[Genx24]

What a shame, it looked like such a great ride. Wish I could have gotten a spin when I visited KD last June.

[robbalvey]

^ Just a question based on your personal experience, Robb, but how well had it aged over the years for you? I mean, you used to live nearby so I'd imagine you know the coaster well.

I haven't lived "nearby" since 2001 so I'm probably not the best judge. That being said, the last time I rode it would have been 2015 or 2016 and I feel like it ran "fine" without any real noticeable issues.

[bert425]

don't skip Racer. ..the retracking they did had it running AMAZING in the summer of 2018.

(sure it's just an out and back racing woodie. . but man, was it fun. . and in the rain it was *flying*)

 

Thanks Bert, your advice for Kennywood was spot on last year, so we will definitely be doing "Racer". While it is disappointing that Volcano will be gone, we picked KD for this years trip (along with BGW) because they have an excellent line up of rides. I'll be on this thread in a month or so asking for further tips and general preferences.

 

 

I was in the minority of the group on the TPR trip in that I didn't care for Twisted Timbers (I only rode it once during the day, and skipped the evening ERT) -- the extreme ejector air is a bit too much for me, and I found it painful. Could have been that I was just stapled in a bit too tight, not giving me enough room against the rubber restraint?

 

But the rest of the group seemed to love it, it just wasn't for me. LOVED the inverted 1st drop tho.

 

Racer 75 (aka: Rebel Yell) was an extremely pleasant surprise, so that's why i mention it.

 

Loved, loved, loved Dominator - here's Robb's video of it from our trip:

 

(train full of TPR folks! - I'm back right - we were asked to keep our hands down for the filming of this particular ride, just FYI, if you're wondering why none are up)

 

[youtu_be]

[/youtu_be]

 

but I think my favorite coaster in the park was I305. The nighttime rides were insanely fun (keep those butt cheeks clenched on the first helix to not grey out. . LOL). The rides were so awesome, I purchased the on ride pic as a magnet for my fridge:

[Condor]

Fun ride, but a maintenance nightmare.

 

I predict they'll replace it with a Copperhead Strike type ride in the near future.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Working with Mack opens up a lot of possibilities for this space. I'd love to see something like an Xtreme Spinner that utilizes the volcano.

 

I got to ride Volcano once in 2014 and it was closed in 2018. My sample size is too small to properly critique it, but I wasn't wowed by it like many of you were. Thought it was more "unique and cool" than "great."

[cfc]

^ Just a question based on your personal experience, Robb, but how well had it aged over the years for you? I mean, you used to live nearby so I'd imagine you know the coaster well.

 

I'm not Robb but I visited him quite often from 2001 and started riding Volcano and made sure to ride it on every visit after! I never remember any 'roughness' on it, and it always took my breath away with those launches. I also think it used to have way more down time (late 90's early '00's) and had been doing better up until last season when it was down the majority of the year. Sad to see it go.

 

Speaking as a "local," I agree with this. Volcano was always a smooth, fun ride (with intense launches), and I'm glad that I got a chance to ride it again last spring before they shut it down for good.

[Samuel]

Rats! It was always closed during my trips to KD, and the closest I got to it was watching it test for a few hours while maintenance worked on it. At least I got to see the fire effect erupt out of the volcano -- such a unique attraction!

 

I've always been interested in the queue, mountain, and any leftover features from the Smurfs/log flume that I've only caught glimpses of on YouTube and in old pictures. I hope the mountain will live on!

[bill_s]

I'm not "devastated" by the news but definitely stunned.

 

I think Volcano had become slightly rougher. On a normal ride this was no problem, but on a lightly loaded or solo ride it was probably always rough. I managed to swing at least 10 solo rides in the past 10 years and they were so amazing and vicious usually had to assure myself they test ran it every day going even faster. Supposedly the board showed the speed would reach 75 MPH. I really had a system for not having to wait and also enjoyed many rerides.

[CarolinaJay]

Fun ride, but a maintenance nightmare.

 

I predict they'll replace it with a Copperhead Strike type ride in the near future.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Working with Mack opens up a lot of possibilities for this space. I'd love to see something like an Xtreme Spinner that utilizes the volcano.

 

I got to ride Volcano once in 2014 and it was closed in 2018. My sample size is too small to properly critique it, but I wasn't wowed by it like many of you were. Thought it was more "unique and cool" than "great."

 

Looking at the entire size of the space being used for Volcano, Mack (or whomever else they choose to go with) would have quite a great deal of room to work with for sure! If they do decide to go with Mack, I can totally see them going for another launched coaster, but it being even bigger and faster than Copperhead Strike. As sad as I am about it, I'm greatly looking forward to see what they do with the space.

[JJLehto]

Yeah wait times were heinous due to its capacity, honestly I only ever rode it once per visit because I never felt it was good enough to warrant the waits it usually had. Id go there right at opening to get a ride in, and that was my one for the day. Exception being ERT we had on the 2012 (?) trip. Did it 3 times that day, then no more for the rest lol it seemed that within minutes of park open it was already a massive wait. On a vaca my family took here the line for Volcano was (way) longer than Hypersonic XLC even

 

Goes to show just cause something is a classic doesnt mean it has to stay. I just hope its replacement is awesome.

No idea what could utilize the small space well, some type of eurofighter? Or maybe it can be part of something larger.

[JonnyRCT3]

I'm sad to see this unique coaster go. Was such a one of a kind roller coaster

However, the throughput for this ride was downright AWFUL. I queued 45 minutes in a line that looked to be 15 minutes, ridiculous. With the ride being a capacity & maintenance nightmare.

 

I predict the future attraction in its place to be the opposite. Possibly a new area with new dining, shops ,flat rides, and a possible up-charge slingshot, with a "Congo" theme (i.e. Carowinds' expanded County Fair area). Avalanche could get a re-theme as well to tie in the area better. Bringing back classic flats, new dining options, and utilizing/expanding current assets has been a win-win for Cedar Fair.

 

I can definitely see this happening in the near future. And a great way to turn a cost issue into a bigger profit for the park. Opposed to a new $15M+ coaster that wont generate significant revenue past the first season.

[cal1br3tto]

Volcano is being removed from the park

I am quite sad now.

[Rayj]

This is sad to hear. I hope they at least keep the volcano structure and build a ride through/around it to pay homage to this iconic coaster.

[BDD27]

This one really hits home. I never really even considered that volcano might be near the end of its life. I was always worried about Anaconda and Shockwave, at least when Shockwave was around. I'll say whatever replaces it has big shoes to fill. Volcano was a special ride and it will definitely be missed. I will say I must have been lucky because in my five trips to Kings Dominion I have never actually seen Volcano break down, so I am very thankful for all the rides I got on it.

[Vonni]

One of my biggest bucket list coasters. I'm sad I'll never get to ride it.

[Yamez]

It was a cool coaster in concept, and the launches were really great! That said, the entire rest of the ride after you popped out of the volcano was kind of...plodding? It seemed to just lazily roll through the inversions, and what seemed like should have been a really cool finale or even second half turns into a brake run.

 

I'm sad that more people won't get to experience it, but I don't think it was particularly 'great' outside of the unique factor. Whatever replaces it will have a nice footprint of land to work with so I'm excited to see what comes next.

[Rougarou]

Love it!

Great Coaster...

The only acceptable replacement for an Intamin multi launch invert is a B&M multi launch invert. That Volcano stucture better not be removed.

Enough said!

[prozach626]

It was a cool coaster in concept, and the launches were really great! That said, the entire rest of the ride after you popped out of the volcano was kind of...plodding? It seemed to just lazily roll through the inversions, and what seemed like should have been a really cool finale or even second half turns into a brake run.

 

Yeah, I liked Volcano. It was fun, but I didn't get the hype. I probably just didn't ride it enough. Emily really liked it. I actually hope they get rid of the volcano. I think it looks ugly.