Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[pianojohn]

17 hours ago, SharkTums said:

Exactly. I've always had the mantra "You can put more layers on, you can only take so many off!"

I'm sure it will be much more tolerable in the US than Japan. When we went to Fuji-Q Highland park in December 2003, they would not allow any loose articles on the coaster. And by loose articles they meant ski hats, scarves, and gloves. So we rode Dodonpa in 30 degree weather with NO hats or gloves. THAT was torture!

[Hilltopper39]

Did they not make an announcement for year round operations for King Island? I feel like that's the park in the market where it makes the most sense compared to Carowinds and KD, similar climate to KD but a much more well run and attended park. Maybe they just haven't made their announcement yet.

[coasterbill]

I have less confidence in this working out here than at Carowinds, but I'm glad to see them trying something bold. The climate is fine for it, but is the demand there? BGW is a very different park that appeals to very different people and has a lot more to offer on a day with sub-optimal weather.

PS: Watch them "Cedar Fair" this up and not run Flight of Fear for some reason.

[Zand]

23 minutes ago, Hilltopper39 said:

Did they not make an announcement for year round operations for King Island? I feel like that's the park in the market where it makes the most sense compared to Carowinds and KD, similar climate to KD but a much more well run and attended park. Maybe they just haven't made their announcement yet.

Cincy's average high is 10 degrees colder in January and they average 3x the snow annually that Richmond does. Plus Cincy can sometimes get in on that bullshit Arctic cold that the midwest gets but usually modifies before reaching the east.

Similar places in the summer but winters are very different.

[coasterbill]

If this works well at KD, they might try it at KI. It's colder, but it's also a park with MUCH more demand.

[jarmor]

55 minutes ago, Hilltopper39 said:

Did they not make an announcement for year round operations for King Island? I feel like that's the park in the market where it makes the most sense compared to Carowinds and KD, similar climate to KD but a much more well run and attended park. Maybe they just haven't made their announcement yet.

I think what we fail to realize is parks don't compete/compare to other parks, they do to themselves.  KI may have more attendance than, say, Carowinds, BUT carowinds has been showing record growth year after year.  Percentages matter more than hard numbers which is why carowinds has been getting the pork.  Also are you aware of the temps in north and south carolina in jan and feb?  It barely gets 30 degrees lol.  

[Hilltopper39]

Yeah I didn't realize it was that different in the Winter but like Bill said if this works at KD it wouldn't surprise me see KI open for Weekends starting in like early/mid-March instead of Late April/early May.

[hoppedup]

Spent almost 8 hours in the park Saturday. I got a lot of laps on TT. Only got I305 once as it was being fickle. I returned at one point for re-rides and the line was backed up to the entry bridge/tunnel and the FL+ line was back to the entry attendant. I knew the crowds would pick up in the evening for the haunts, but wow! Glad we had FL+ I also rode Windseeker and you could see that a lot of track has been removed from Grizzly. The haunt lines were insane. I've never done one and wasn't about to start. The french fry stands were insanely busy. Do they put crack in the fry salt?

The locker system at TT is awful, just like its big brother in Sandusky. The queue for TT at times was almost to the entrance attendant. I noticed the wait time sign only goes up to 75+ minutes. My daughter and I had a great day due to Twisted Timbers and FL+ Our first four rides or so were walk-on or a station wait. We probably waited 20 minutes at the longest for a ride on TT.

 

ETA: I don't think I've ever seen that many people smoking in the park, even back when they had smoking sections. People weren't even trying to hide it and even congregating to smoke and I never saw a park employee say anything.

[AmyUD06]

8 hours ago, hoppedup said:

ETA: I don't think I've ever seen that many people smoking in the park, even back when they had smoking sections. People weren't even trying to hide it and even congregating to smoke and I never saw a park employee say anything.

In the smokers' defense, KD did not create a smoking zone inside the park during the "No-Reentry during Haunt" period, as every other CF park did, so it's kinda on the park - they didn't leave any option for smokers.  When I was there at the end of September, several security officers told me they thought it was dumb too, and just told me to not smoke right in front of them.

[AmyUD06]

Well, we'll soon know what all that Grizzly lift hill nonsense was about...

No hints in the comments.

[AmyUD06]

Well, nothing too surprising.  Just sounds like a near-complete re-tracking.  If you click through for the pictures, it does look quite extensive.  No mention of who's doing the work.  They also mention rebuilding the PTC trains, which is kinda a bummer...was hoping for Millennium Flyers.

https://www.kingsdominion.com/blog/2022/the-rebirth-of-the-grizzly---part-1

Quote

Restore the Roar: Rebirth of The Grizzly - Part 1

November 7, 2022

Part 1 - A RUMBLE IN THE BACKWOODS OF OLD VIRGINIA

Many online sources and coaster watchers have recently noticed that The Grizzly coaster is closed for repairs and that sections of track are missing. The theories behind the nature of the changes are as wild as the ride itself. The theories range from massive hurricane damage to large trees toppling onto the first drop and taking out a large section of track. None of these are correct. The truth is that Grizzly is undergoing extensive renovations and retracking and will re-emerge some time next season more fierce than ever before.

The Grizzly closed on Labor Day of 2022 and work began almost immediately removing trains and bringing them into the Kings Dominion wooden coaster  maintenance shop for their annual inspection and routine maintenance. During this process, seats, wheels, etc. are all removed and thoroughly inspected. Any worn parts are replaced, and the train is spruced up over the winter in preparation for the following season.
Track work began almost immediately as large sections were removed to be rebuilt as part of the project.

Stay tuned as The Grizzly Gang follows the project to "Restore the Roar" and brings you exclusive reports and photos of the work in progress. 

Be careful what you wish for, it’s not wise to poke a sleeping bear – especially one as ferocious as The Grizzly.

In upcoming installments we'll take a look back at the 1982 introduction of The Grizzly and meet the engineers involved in the current project. Stay Tuned!

 

[cfc]

I was hoping for new trains, too, as the old ones were pretty uncomfortable (at least to me).

[KBrylczyk]

I haven't been to KD in quite some time.  Are the trains buzz bars or those godawful orange lap bars that inexplicably curve inwards to your knee?

[AmyUD06]

1 hour ago, KBrylczyk said:

I haven't been to KD in quite some time.  Are the trains buzz bars or those godawful orange lap bars that inexplicably curve inwards to your knee?

The latter.  I'd be happy with buzz bars.

[coasterbill]

Can we all just stop and admire the fact that Kings Dominion is now a year-round park and they've given everyone absolutely zero indication of what that means? They've cut hours from 10-5 to 11-5, probably because they won't have anything to do but if you look at the website it would appear that everything in the park will be open this weekend except for Grizzly, Drop Tower and White Water Canyon.

In reality they'll probably have 2 coasters open... maybe... I don't know. They're going to piss a lot of people off who actually buy day tickets.

Carowinds seems to be doing a fine job with this. Kings Dominion is acting like they forgot that they're open for the next 2 months.

[KBrylczyk]

You'd think they'd have done a modicum of planning and research for year-round ops.

[coasterbill]

This is why I laugh when enthusiasts come out talking about parks having super-secret 5 year plans. They may for some things, but other times I feel like they get thrown things like this and have absolutely no plan whatsoever. This is a shitshow. lol

[Zand]

Given the forecast for this weekend (50ish, dry) I feel like whatever is open will be the best case scenario for the rest of the winter when it inevitably decides to actually become winter.

Watching this carefully because the skiing up here in New England is bound to suck for the foreseeable future, so might as well go ride coasters instead.

[KBrylczyk]

18 hours ago, coasterbill said:

This is why I laugh when enthusiasts come out talking about parks having super-secret 5 year plans. They may for some things, but other times I feel like they get thrown things like this and have absolutely no plan whatsoever. This is a shitshow. lol

Something about best laid plans and all that?  Someone at Cedar Fair needs to read Of Mice And Men.  This park is Lenny.

[tndank]

https://www.kingsdominion.com/blog/2023/kings-dominion-year-round-operations

RIDES
Americana
Apple Zapple
Bad Apple
Berserker
Boo Blasters
Carousel
Charlie Brown’s Wind-Up
Dodgem
Dominator
Flying Ace
Flying Ace Balloon Race
Great Pumpkin Coaster
Kite Eating Tree
Linus Launcher
Lucy’s Crabbie Cabbies
Lucy’s Tugboat
Peanuts 500
Peanuts Turnpike
Snoopy’s Junction
Snoopy’s Space Buggies
Twisted Timbers
Wave Swinger
Woodstock Whirlybirds

FOOD
Apple Ida’s Funnel Cake
Auntie Anne’s
Boardwalk Fries (Grove and Arbor locations)
Border Burrito
Cinnabon
Country Kitchen
Foutain & Floats
Grain & Grill
Grove Bar
Juke Box Diner
Rita’s (Grove and International Street locations)
Starbucks
Sweet Frog
Sweet Tooth Refresh
Victoria’s Pizza (featuring live entertainment)
World's Greatest Funnel Cakes

 

[AmyUD06]

28 minutes ago, tndank said:

https://www.kingsdominion.com/blog/2023/kings-dominion-year-round-operations

RIDES
Americana
Apple Zapple
Bad Apple
Berserker
Boo Blasters
Carousel
Charlie Brown’s Wind-Up
Dodgem
Dominator
Flying Ace
Flying Ace Balloon Race
Great Pumpkin Coaster
Kite Eating Tree
Linus Launcher
Lucy’s Crabbie Cabbies
Lucy’s Tugboat
Peanuts 500
Peanuts Turnpike
Snoopy’s Junction
Snoopy’s Space Buggies
Twisted Timbers
Wave Swinger
Woodstock Whirlybirds

So basically Winterfest minus Delirium and Blue Ridge Tollway plus Apple Zapple.  I'm very surprised to not see Racer 75 on this list.  I wonder if the list will change as the "off-season" progresses?

And though I'm too much to a clutz to ever do it, I'm glad they're continuing the ice skating.

[pianojohn]

So 4 out of 13 coasters running? And the indoor one (which should be able to run in any weather) is CLOSED?

Hard pass.

[JJLehto]

Yeah iunno about the parks during winter thing, much as I admire people for riding coasters, like hypers and gigas, when its in the 30s lol  but I do know I'm excited for the Grizzly news. I used to love the ride in the day, superb coaster in the back row but the roughness just really sapped its life. Not even that its too rough but just sluggish now, like it rattles all its speed and airtime away. Happy its getting a touch up. 

[coasterbill]

On 1/5/2023 at 10:26 AM, pianojohn said:

So 4 out of 13 coasters running? And the indoor one (which should be able to run in any weather) is CLOSED?

Hard pass.

Yeah, Carowinds did a good job with this. Kings Dominion is a shitshow. lol

It would be fine if they communicated it, and enthusiasts might have been able to anticipate this but selling tickets, saying "We're open all year!" and then 2 days before it all started quietly throwing it on the website that only 3 coasters would be open is just going to piss people off.

[AmyUD06]

On a more positive note, the park has posted its next update in the Grizzly "Restore the Roar" blog, and despite the obvious newness of their Digital Communications Manager, the video is quite informative.  This is going to be more of a Beast-style re-tracking, with re-profiling of the first drop (steeper and longer) and other minor changes to the layout around the course.  Gravity Group is doing the work with their "vertical wooden beam" track, but no news yet on new trains or not.