Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[marocg]

if it works as fast gardaland pass, then it is really useless done purely to make money and to lengthen the normal tail out of proportion, I prefer 1000 times q bot!

 

All of the "skip the line" programs (fastlane/flashpass etc.) work in the manner you described & yes it is a money making scheme....otherwise there'd be no incentive to do from the park's POV.

 

Coasterfreak:Grizz has been running both trains on all of my visits so far this season & that's on saturdays with minimal lines,I guess people still aren't aware of the ride's existence in that corner of the park because even during the day you can get on with a minimal amount of time spent in line....now if more additions are made nearby in the near future then that may change as all of the coasters in congo were packed to the gills on saturday given their close proximity to one another.

 

and that the problem with doing a Q bot virtual queue and when the salt! this system is that if 100 people come for the express these increases at the expense of the tail that extends normal excess is not right! I think that Cedar Fair has enough money to provide better service

[KDCOASTERFAN]

if it works as fast gardaland pass, then it is really useless done purely to make money and to lengthen the normal tail out of proportion, I prefer 1000 times q bot!

 

All of the "skip the line" programs (fastlane/flashpass etc.) work in the manner you described & yes it is a money making scheme....otherwise there'd be no incentive to do from the park's POV.

 

Coasterfreak:Grizz has been running both trains on all of my visits so far this season & that's on saturdays with minimal lines,I guess people still aren't aware of the ride's existence in that corner of the park because even during the day you can get on with a minimal amount of time spent in line....now if more additions are made nearby in the near future then that may change as all of the coasters in congo were packed to the gills on saturday given their close proximity to one another.

 

and that the problem with doing a Q bot virtual queue and when the salt! this system is that if 100 people come for the express these increases at the expense of the tail that extends normal excess is not right! I think that Cedar Fair has enough money to provide better service

 

I agree & in the end this is gonna come back to bite them in the rear end.

[cfc]

^I disagree. All Cedar Fair has done is read the writing on the wall. Disney, Six Flags, Busch, and Universal all offer some sort of "Fast Pass" system. CF had to follow suit eventually.

 

If guests didn't want this option, parks wouldn't offer it. What will tell the tale is how the CF parks handle Fast Lane.

[larrygator]

[All of the "skip the line" programs (fastlane/flashpass etc.) work in the manner you described & yes it is a money making STRATEGY THAT WILL HELP ENSURE THE FISCAL VITALITY OF EACH PARK AND ALLOW THOSE WITH A LIMITED TIME WINDOW AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER ENJOY THE PARK ....otherwise there'd be no incentive to do from the park's POV.

 

I fixed this for you.

[jynx242]

^

[Meteornotes]

[All of the "skip the line" programs (fastlane/flashpass etc.) work in the manner you described & yes it is a money making STRATEGY THAT WILL HELP ENSURE THE FISCAL VITALITY OF EACH PARK AND ALLOW THOSE WITH A LIMITED TIME WINDOW AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER ENJOY THE PARK ....otherwise there'd be no incentive to do from the park's POV.

 

I fixed this for you.

 

I think this needs to be posted every time someone whines about any sort of Fastlane service.

 

dt

[larrygator]

I think this needs to be posted every time KDCOASTERFAN whines about any sort of Fastlane service.

 

dt

 

 

I fixed this for you.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Was looking at CP's live webcam for a couple hours & was thinking that KD sure could use one....they could mount it on ET & have it aimed at the grove/congo area or facing south toward rebel yell/americana/windseeker.

[bull24471]

Was looking at CP's live webcam for a couple hours & was thinking that KD sure could use one....they could mount it on ET & have it aimed at the grove/congo area or facing south toward rebel yell/americana/windseeker.

 

I believe there was one at one time many years ago but it only showed International street. Half the time it was working then rest of time it was down...

[Intimidator305]

And then we also had the world's worst webcam when Intimidator 305 was being constructed!

 

KD has stepped it up a bit on their wesbite and Facebook recently, so a webcam is possible now. Kings Island and Carowinds all have them too.

[sfgamguy]

Hey, me and my dad are planning on hitting KD during our trip to DC in late July and we'll be at the park August 2nd. How crowded do you all think it will be, and do you guys have any tips or tricks for fitting everything in one day, also what to hit when and stuff.

[cfc]

How often do you go to Kings Dominion and learn something—other than fully loaded funnel cakes and the Triple Spin ride don’t mix? Starting this year, the park is offering you a chance to learn something about our planet’s primeval past and have fun doing it with Dinosaurs Alive, a six-acre “animatronic” dinosaur park next to the Grizzly wooden coaster in the Old Virginia section.

 

But not to worry—the park hasn’t abandoned thrill rides, thanks to the new 301-foot-tall Windseeker, which is just around the corner from Dinosaurs Alive.

 

KD invited Theme Park Review to take a closer look at their new offerings for 2012, and I was happy to accept their invitation last Thursday (June 7). Gene Petriello, the park’s manager of communications marketing, gave me a personal tour of both attractions that afternoon. (I squeezed in a few rides on Volcano and Intimidator 305 while I was at it, too.)

 

The prehistoric monsters have a great habitat in Dinosaurs Alive. The woods next to Grizzly are the perfect natural setting for the 3,000-foot-long path that winds around to the end of the coaster and back. Thirty-six animatronic, motion-activated dinos roar and strut their stuff as visitors wander along, taking in the sights and the numerous educational signs along the way. Many of the dinos represented hadn’t even been “discovered” until 2010, so I wasn’t familiar with many of them. (Your average eight-year-old kid probably know more about dinosaurs than me.) How many of you have heard of “Huayangosaurus,” “Ruyangosaurus giganteous,” or “Mojoceratops” (my personal favorite)?

 

There are three “interactive” dinos, as well, and I imagine kids would (and plenty of adults) would enjoy pushing their buttons and making them roar, lurch, and reach. Some scenes, such as “Pack Attack” and “Predator Trap,” involve multiple monsters, and there’s a “dig site” where kids can “discover” their own dinosaur.

 

Dinosaurs Alive is not included with park admission, and requires a $5.00 up charge. The prehistoric beasts were built by Dinosaurs Unearthed, a company in British Columbia, Canada.

 

But what about Windseeker? This ride provides a “different sort of thrill,” according to Gene. It’s a good compromise for those who want something more thrilling than the observation deck on the park’s Eiffel Tower, but less gut-churning than the plunge of Drop Tower. I’d say Windseeker is a very pleasant ride as it twirls around, giving you views of the park and of about 18 miles or so of the surrounding countryside. The ride even provides 19 different music tracks. (Gene and I heard “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” on our ride; the next cycle featured the theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.)

 

A ride on Windseeker lasts about three minutes, at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour (or 8 rotations per minute). The manufacturer is Mondial, a Dutch ride company. Riders must be at least 52 inches tall.

 

Let’s have a look at Dinosaurs Alive and Windseeker.

"Welcome to Kings Dominion! Why don't you go in and enjoy some nice fattening food, like funnel cake, fried chicken, and ice cream, then come back here so I can eat you?"

This dino has the sweetest spot at KD, with all that shade and water. Too bad he doesn't eat fish.

The entrance and exit to both Dinosaurs Alive and Grizzly is through this gift shop.

You can buy your $5.00 ticket at one of two kiosks, or from a cashier in front of the shop.

Grizzly is to the left . . .

. . . and Dinosaurs Alive is to the right.

The "fossils" in the sidewalk are a nice touch.

Be careful--you just might learn something!

"Oh, gawd, a predator on my back. Lousy way to start the day!"

"And it's about to get a lot worse, pal."

Definitely not our dino!

What's this? A "yogabbagabbasaurus"?

"Push my buttons, and I will like fish for you."

Hmm--I wonder what the rocks say?

Very interesting . . . there once was a young man from Nantucket . . . hey!

This is the "Predator Trap" scene. These young predators are trapped in a bog. I think the wily vegetarian dino on the left suckered them in.

You don't say?

"Yes--I do say!"

Gene has made a discovery! What should he name it?

How about "Chuckasaurus" or "Campbellodon"?

Here's a nice thematic touch--a "dig area" that's divided into a grid. They use some ambient noise, too, such as distant rumbles and breaking branches.

Here is is, workin' his mojo, profilin' for the ladies!

What's that you say . . . oh, crap!

We escaped the T-Rexes and made it to Windseeker.

I thought the seats were very comfortable (more so that your average chair swing or Star Flyer seats).

Here's the control booth for you truly obsessive control-booth fans.

From here, you're probably thinking, "It doesn't look that high."

But when you ride, you realize that it is, indeed, "that high"!

The seats flare out at a 45-degree angle when Windseeker really gets going. The capacity is 64 riders in 32 seats. The ride carriage is 81 feet in diameter on the ground, but 110 feet when the arms are extended.

One other thing--they take two pictures of you at the entrance to Dinosaurs Alive (no obligation to buy). One is a peaceful scene with some pteranodons flying around in the background. Then there's this one. Thanks for reading.

[Geauga Dog]

Nice photos, Chuck.They did a great job with Dinosaurs Alive and I think a part of that is due to the natural wooded setting at KD. Glad you also posted a photo of the entrance as I probably would have had a hard time looking for Grizzly when I visit next week.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

And then we also had the world's worst webcam when Intimidator 305 was being constructed!

 

KD has stepped it up a bit on their wesbite and Facebook recently, so a webcam is possible now. Kings Island and Carowinds all have them too.

 

Did you take notice of the new blog KD's added to their site? this should prove interesting in the coming seasons.

 

I might be able to make two trips in the span of one week soon,first is a group trip during the last week of june & then the usual trip on the 23rd with the guys so I'll definitely end up with another KD hangover after that week is over.

[SharkTums]

I'm going to humor myself and say that the writer for the attraction is a Yo Gabba Gabba fan!

[KingB24]

I have yet to go through Dinosaurs Alive. Is it worth the upcharge?

[Coaster_Fanatic]

^It depends if you are into dinosaurs or not, or have kids or not. I saw that many children had a blast moving the dinosaurs around with the buttons, and I saw parents enjoying seeing their kids have fun. I, personally, thought it was 'OK'.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^It depends if you are into dinosaurs or not, or have kids or not. I saw that many children had a blast moving the dinosaurs around with the buttons, and I saw parents enjoying seeing their kids have fun. I, personally, thought it was 'OK'.

 

Havn't gone through it yet but I must say that I really like the way they revitalized that whole area of the park....now if they can just squeeze in a new ride or two back there to spread the crowds more evenly through the park so that congo isn't so busy I'd be really pleased.

[bull24471]

I have yet to go through Dinosaurs Alive. Is it worth the upcharge?

 

For what you get it is well worth the $5 up charge. I did it a few weeks ago and it was really interesting to me as a 39 year old . I was never into Dinosaurs when I was little and for the money where can you go and see them move for less money . There are a few other Dino's out in the park and yes the one on the right just inside the gate scared the crap out of me one day.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Havn't gone through it yet but I must say that I really like the way they revitalized that whole area of the park....now if they can just squeeze in a new ride or two back there to spread the crowds more evenly through the park so that congo isn't so busy I'd be really pleased.

What about a dinosaur-themed B&M invert?

[bull24471]

^ A B&M Inverted would be a nice addition to KD. Then there be a Inverted coaster at KD my fat butt could get on!!!!

[willh51]

^Interestingly enough, I find the seats on Volcano more forgiving than the typical B&M seat in depth and accessibility. I think it's due to the hydraulic restraint instead of the ratcheting ones that B&M uses.

[Intimidator305]

Halloween Haunt 2012 (XII) News:

 

While we’re talking about blood... we’ve got some new Halloween Haunt rumors according to a source that wants to be credited as “Bovee”, I’m told that all of the Haunts from 2011 will return to Kings Dominion for the 2012 season, in addition to the addition of a few new ones to make the event bigger than ever. While I wasn’t told just how many new mazes may be added, I was told that we will see one added to the old unused side of the Action Theater.

http://screamscape.com/html/kings_dominion.htm

 

And apparently at the Coaster Crew Virginia is for Coaster Lovers event held at the park on June 2nd, they stated that 2 new mazes would be added to Halloween Haunt this year along with what was at the park last year.

 

If this is all true, the park will be at 12 mazes for Halloween Haunt XII. Oh and obviously The Asylum will be completely different this year since the Dinosaurs Alive Dinostore is in the former Grizzly Arcade... I could see that possibly being the maze being put into the Action Theater considering it would be kind of similar to Urgent Scare at KI (which is located in their Action Theater).

 

Let the Haunt speculation begin!

[Hilltopper39]

This might be the first real report I've seen from a Dinosaurs Alive attraction at any of the Cedar Fair parks so far and for what it is it's fairly impressive. If I had kids I'd definitely spend the $5 extra to check it out. It's nice to see Cedar Fair investing in some well done family themed attractions, it really does adds a lot to the overall experience at the park.

 

And as always, great report Chuck!

[cfc]

^I thought Kings Dominion did well with Dinosaurs Alive. The wooded setting is a definite plus, and kids and families should really enjoy it.