Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[technfxrick]

Kings Dominion just announced via there facebook that opening weekend is April 2nd (Good Friday). Wonder if there planning on Opening Intimidator 305 that day too?

[Capitalize]

I hope so, since they almost have all the track up and there's still a couple months before April it certainly seems possible.

[technfxrick]

They also just announced that there will be a first rider auction, i guess thats to be expected based upon the Cedar Fair parks previous coasters.

 

I just hope that Season Pass holders can get on there an hour earlier like they did for DB

[Skycoastin Steve]

I don't see why it wouldn't open with the park on Opening Day. It would be a pretty big letdown if it didn't.

[coastermoosh]

cough::cough::Intamin::cough::cough

[KDFAN]

The park has announced that I305 will open with the bottom of the park on April 2nd

[coastermoosh]

Parks announce opening days far in advance thinking "oh yeah, it'll be done...what can go wrong?" While I would assume that it's most likely I305 will indeed open as-scheduled there is always a chance is will not.

[Skycoastin Steve]

cough::cough::Intamin::cough::cough

 

The only coaster of Intamin's that hasn't opened the day it was supposed to was Maverick.

[atem122]

^Wasnt Superman: The Escape heavily delayed?

I believe Xcelerator was also delayed, but to be fair, both were dealing with very new technologies.

[robbalvey]

I'm not sure where the bad rap of Intamin coasters not opening on time came from. Sure, some of the larger, pushing the envelope or prototype coasters have had issues, but even some of the bigger rides, like TTD, KK, and Millennium Force actually opened on time I thought.

 

I mean, looking at the list of Intamin coasters -

 

- The Mine Train at Happy Valley Shanghai was late - but was this because of Intamin or the park? When we were there that entire area didn't look done.

 

- Inferno at Terra Mitica may have had some delays, but I'm not sure when the actual opening date was supposed to be.

 

- Maverick had obvious delays.

 

- Did Furius Baco open on time? I had thought it did, but had some issues.

 

But yeah, from what I can tell, other than those listed above: Mega-Lite, iSpeed, Tele2 Insane, Tornado, Fly Over Mediterranean, Senzafiato, Jet Rescue, Fahrenheit, Piraten, Voodoo, Avatar Airbender, T Express, Kawasemi, Mick Doohan's Motocoaster, Furius Baco, Desert Race, Kirnu, Surfrider, El Toro, Zaturn, Speed Monster, Stealth, 10 Inversion Roller Coaster, Flight of the Phoenix, Superman Escape, Skycar, Kingda Ka, Kanonen, Rita - Queen of Speed, Galaxy Express 999, Half Pipe, Storm Runner, Atlantis Adventure, Supersonic Odyssey, Steel Venom, Top Thrill Dragster, Thunder Dolphin, Balder, Xcelerator, Avalancha, Wicked Twister, Goliath, Colossus, Expedition GeForce, V2: Vertical Velocity, Vertical Velocity, Tornado, Colossos, Elf, California Screamin', Millennium Force, and both Superman - Ride Of Steel...

 

All opened without any significant delays, at least that I'm aware of. And that takes us back to the start of last decade worth of Intamin coasters.

 

Sure, some of them might have had mechanical problems that needed ironing out (some of the major) but still, I don't remember any huge delays.

 

That's a lot of rides to open in 10 years and I feel that's a pretty good track record!

 

--Robb

[pkdcoaster]

I think most people in VA are having flashbacks of our other Intamin.... Volcano (originally planned for memorial day weekend it opened on Aug. 3)

 

But that was very new technology, not to mention starting const. late due to structual tests with the existing then 20 year old mountain.

 

JEFF

[Capitalize]

If Kings Dominion could get Hypersonic running on opening day, I'm sure they can get I305 running on opening day...

[Skycoastin Steve]

^I don't see why not, it's not like any of the technology on I305 is new. Cable lift has been done tons of times before, as have the magnetic brakes. As long as there's no crazy last-second track layout change or construction snafoos, it should be a go.

[atem122]

^They are using a completely new track style...but it's not really mechanical so it wont matter.

[snowboard83]

I can't really fault KD for having short coasters. Many of their installations were prototypes.

 

Volcano- prototype

Shockwave- not "the prototype" but it's identical twin at King's Island was

Flight of Fear- both debuted at King's Dominion/Island same year

Hypersonic- prototype - was the coaster that S&S built at their facility at Utah

 

Rebel Yell is pretty long.

Hurler and Grizzly are decent, maybe average for woodies

Dominator- isn't this the longest floorless in the world?

Ricochet- pretty standard for a mouse

Avalanche- only bobsleigh I've been on, not sure how this one fares.

Anaconda- about the average length of the other Arrow loopers of it's time.

 

Granted I'd say I305 isn't a prototype but maybe a second generation giga.

 

Cut KD some slack.

 

I don't think they or Cedar Fair/Paramount/Taft set out to make short coasters.

 

Well...lets break this down... Dominator did not originate at KD, therefore will be thrown out.

 

Anaconda wanted to have the underwater tunnel gimmick...its 2700 ft. Very short for an average arrow looper. Lets compare this to Viper, Great American Scream Machine, Shockwave (SFGAm), Drachen Fire... All much much longer.

 

Grizzly and Hurler are relatively decent length, but still quite short for...well almost any woodie that is modern...

 

Richochet...well thats a (pretty tame) mouse...actually longer than most mice but thats like an argument over who's short bus is longer.

 

Avalanche is a good size for a bobsled. That doesn't mean its long by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Volcano...Prototype yes...could it have been longer...oh yeah...could it have done something more than 3 of the same element? oh yeah...Did it have to drop into the brakes at almost full speed with plenty of energy to do something else? Yeah

 

H:XLC- welllllllll lets put it this way... the original design in Utah was longer in track length than the one they installed a KD... In reality that was the prototype, not KDs. Later the same year...S&S built Dodonpa! Same ride design...same year...nearly 4000 feet long (vs H:XLC's 1560).

 

Rebel Yell- Around average length for a wooden racer, helped bring wooden coasters back (with help from KI's Racer), so not going to criticize it.

 

Shockwave...well, I don't know what to say about it other than its' 2,231

feet are VERY short...but fun, but no it is not a clone of King Cobra at KI. Last half is different, yet I do like Shockwave more.

 

FoF: not bad at all as far as length goes for what it is...but still track length barely over 2,705 feet.

 

Just always has seemed that no matter who owns the park, nobody can create a coaster is a fair length! KD gets shafted time and time again!

 

I:305 is 1500ft shorter than its 10 year old counterpart in CP...

 

You starting to notice the problems with KD's coasters yet?

 

Recap:

 

I:305- 5100 ft (Millennium Force 6,595)

Hypersonic XLC- 1560 ft

Grizzly- 3150 ft (even as an in house job...Same as the Beast's situation)

Hurler-3157 ft (OMG 7 more feet of pain than Grizzly!!)

Anaconda 2700 ft (GASM and Vortex (KI) 3800)

FoF: 2705 ft

Italian Job- 1960 ft

Rebel Yell- 3368' 6"

Volcano - 2757 ft

 

Average these out, you start getting some of the shortest average coaster lengths in the industry for parks as large as KD...

 

Kyle "No I will not cut KD a "break"" Olson

[JEAPUgrad]

^And that my friends is how you make a blanket statement and allow someone else to prove you wrong by backing it up with measurements!

 

Re: other Intamin's not opening on time...

 

SFA's SROS did not open on time as the park decided to give the county a giant middle finger and started vertical construction before they had approval.

 

That's why the coaster that has a ridiculously insane amount of footers went up so fast.

 

When the park finally received approval, footers had been poured and assembly of the lift supports and track had already started on the ground. All the cranes had to do with lift each section into place.

[pkdcoaster]

Well...lets break this down... Dominator did not originate at KD, therefore will be thrown out.

 

why? it is there now.

I bet if KD had got the boomerang that would not have been "thrown out"

 

All former paramount parks had short coasters (except the Beast, SOB, Vortex at KI)

 

JEFF

[cfc]

I bet if KD had got the boomerang that would not have been "thrown out"

 

 

JEFF

 

Because it would just come back, anyway.

 

When you get down to it, most coasters at most parks aren't all that "long" once you top the lifthill (or get past the launch). Volcano is a "wham bam thank you mam" sort of ride (although I do like it).

[ginzo]

I'd take a short, great ride like Piraten, Raven, or Ravine Flyer II over a long and boring one any day.

 

To me, length is kind of like height, a meaningless stat hyped up by parks for the GP. It says little about the overall quality of the ride.

 

Joe "It's not the size of the wave" C.

[pkdcoaster]

I'd take a short, great ride like Piraten, Raven, or Ravine Flyer II over a long and boring one any day.

 

To me, length is kind of like height, a meaningless stat hyped up by parks for the GP. It says little about the overall quality of the ride.

 

Joe "It's not the size of the wave" C.

 

I agree

Alot of people complain about MF having alot of flat track where it is doing nothing which certainly adds up to its length. (although they were trying to fit it in certain areas)

I305 looks like one of those rides that won't let you catch your breath till the brakes then your first breath is WOW!

 

JEFF

[snowboard83]

Well...lets break this down... Dominator did not originate at KD, therefore will be thrown out.

 

why? it is there now.

I bet if KD had got the boomerang that would not have been "thrown out"

 

All former paramount parks had short coasters (except the Beast, SOB, Vortex at KI)

 

JEFF

 

Actually yes, It would have been thrown out (Good joke on that Chuck ( cfc)), not only because it was not from the park but because it is hard to measure shuttle coasters lengths. Track length is not equal to ride length.

I'm very happy to have Dominator at KD though. But in my mind, a coaster that is moved and arrives at your park is not part of the original plan for the coaster. KD likely got Dominator because it DOES have the room for it, and it was going to have to go somewhere with GL's closing. Behemoth was being built in Canada, so they chose KD. It is the only coaster in the park I would say has an above average length as well.

 

All I know is that when I am waiting in these 3 hour lines KD can get, I do not want to have the ride last 30 seconds from leaving the station to returning.

 

True Paramount-Taft-Kings Entertainment built short coasters in their parks, but most other parks are not as large. Take Carowinds as an example. Carowinds, from what I understand, does not touch KD's attendance, and is a small park in size as well. They can be more excused than KD IMO.

 

For the flagship parks of Paramount being KI, CW, and KD, they sure screwed CW and KD in quality and longevity of a ride experience.

 

CF seems to be continuing this with KD with I:305. Behemoth, Intimidator (Carowinds), and Diamondback all have much shorter heights, yet longer track...following me yet, why does this make sense to them? Less than 100 miles away there sits S:ROS with 5350 ft...197ft high...

 

That said, looking at I:305 really makes me think it could be quite an experience. I'm not knocking I:305 as much as I am knocking the park.

 

Maybe on the other hand, they were afraid of I:305 being too constant and intense so cut down length.

I don't have a problem with rides that are short, as long as the experience makes up for it and there are other places in the park to find long rides, which KD has only one of.

[Skycoastin Steve]

I'd take a short, great ride like Piraten, Raven, or Ravine Flyer II over a long and boring one any day.

 

To me, length is kind of like height, a meaningless stat hyped up by parks for the GP. It says little about the overall quality of the ride.

 

Joe "It's not the size of the wave" C.

 

I agree

Alot of people complain about MF having alot of flat track where it is doing nothing which certainly adds up to its length. (although they were trying to fit it in certain areas)

I305 looks like one of those rides that won't let you catch your breath till the brakes then your first breath is WOW!

 

JEFF

 

MF doesn't really have that much flat track. There's a very short section before the 2nd overbank on the island, a very short section before the 2nd tunnel, and then the longer stretch before the final overbank. By comparison, the two Rides of Steel have nothing but straight, flat track between their transitions.

[Skycoastin Steve]

 

For the flagship parks of Paramount being KI, CW, and KD, they sure screwed CW and KD in quality and longevity of a ride experience.

 

CF seems to be continuing this with KD with I:305. Behemoth, Intimidator (Carowinds), and Diamondback all have much shorter heights, yet longer track...following me yet, why does this make sense to them? Less than 100 miles away there sits S:ROS with 5350 ft...197ft high...

 

That said, looking at I:305 really makes me think it could be quite an experience. I'm not knocking I:305 as much as I am knocking the park.

 

I already said this once about track length, but the reason I305 is shorter than the B&M hypers is because it doesn't have the amount of airtime hills that they have. Airtime hills have way more track length than low to the ground turns. And I don't think I could say this enough, but NOBODY in Virginia cares about Six Flags America.........NOBODY. I used to live in northern VA and I could tell you without any shadow of a doubt that if you asked them where they would want to go for a theme/amusement park, they would say KD or BGE 100 times out of 100. I guarantee you KD doesn't see SFA as any kind of competition at all.

[ginzo]

All I know is that when I am waiting in these 3 hour lines KD can get, I do not want to have the ride last 30 seconds from leaving the station to returning.

 

Unless it's opening day for the ride or something, 3 hours is too long for anything. I'd look into going on other days or finding a less busy park to visit.

 

The one time we went to KD we managed to get all the credits in about 4 hours on a random weeknight in July.

[cfc]

^The big thing to remember when it comes to KD, BGW, and most other parks in the summer: Saturdays bad. Sundays better. Weekdays best.