Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[jarmor]

Im actually looking foward to a more bearable experience. Its not like they took an inline roll out of it or something guys ! Less intense doesnt mean a far inferior ride...

[Josh Linn]

From the original artist renderings I was skeptical of the turn at the bottom of the first drop. Hurler and Hercules albeit wooden coasters featured this concept. That was pretty brutal on the body even as short as the drops were on those rides. I didn't really think 90+ mph was gonna be any better. If this helps the GP, which I am sure somewhere along the lines were complaining about the forces and whatnot, then I guess it needs done. C'est la vie......

 

The pain suffered during Hercules' lake turn could've been prevented had it been built better, plus I think wood coasters at high speeds are completely different animals than steel coasters are.

[Hercules]

 

The pain suffered during Hercules' lake turn could've been prevented had it been built better.

 

That is a very vague statement.

[Capitalize]

Im actually looking foward to a more bearable experience. Its not like they took an inline roll out of it or something guys ! Less intense doesnt mean a far inferior ride...

I think it does when it so drastically effects the best part of the ride - the first drop and second hill.

[ScottBrown]

From the original artist renderings I was skeptical of the turn at the bottom of the first drop. Hurler and Hercules albeit wooden coasters featured this concept. That was pretty brutal on the body even as short as the drops were on those rides. I didn't really think 90+ mph was gonna be any better. If this helps the GP, which I am sure somewhere along the lines were complaining about the forces and whatnot, then I guess it needs done. C'est la vie......

 

But Schwarzkopf had it down to a perfect science Jet Stars Jumbo Jets and The Whizzers managed to pull a turn at the base of the drop with no problem at all

[AnEscapeArtist]

Im actually looking foward to a more bearable experience. Its not like they took an inline roll out of it or something guys ! Less intense doesnt mean a far inferior ride...

I think it does when it so drastically effects the best part of the ride - the first drop and second hill.

 

QFT

[netdvn]

But Schwarzkopf had it down to a perfect science Jet Stars Jumbo Jets and The Whizzers managed to pull a turn at the base of the drop with no problem at all

 

I doubt either of those coasters took the turn at the base of the first drop at 90+ miles an hour, nor had a steep drop going into said turn.

[G$ Kurt]

I guess it's now safe to say Millennium Force gets the "fastest gravity driven coaster in North America" record back.

 

Actually, i:305 never took that record from Millie as it is a little bit shorter. And anyways, Kinda Krap and Dragsters second halfs are both gravity driven and go much faster.

 

But alas, I'm very disappointed in not being able to ride this beast as intended. I'm pretty sure it is still a great ride though.

[B-RadG]

I guess it's now safe to say Millennium Force gets the "fastest gravity driven coaster in North America" record back.

 

Actually, i:305 never took that record from Millie as it is a little bit shorter. And anyways, Kinda Krap and Dragsters second halfs are both gravity driven and go much faster.

 

But alas, I'm very disappointed in not being able to ride this beast as intended. I'm pretty sure it is still a great ride though.

 

Fastest gravity-driven coaster, as in GRAVITY... from falling. As in has a lift hill take it up to its highest point, not a launch.

Also, it held the record as it reached 94 mph while Millennium Force only reached 93. Though Millennium Force is 310 feet tall, both Intimidator 305 and Millennium Force have 300 foot drops.

[larrygator]

I guess it's now safe to say Millennium Force gets the "fastest gravity driven coaster in North America" record back.

 

Actually, i:305 never took that record from Millie as it is a little bit shorter. And anyways, Kinda Krap and Dragsters second halfs are both gravity driven and go much faster.

 

But alas, I'm very disappointed in not being able to ride this beast as intended. I'm pretty sure it is still a great ride though.

 

Fastest gravity-driven coaster, as in GRAVITY... from falling. As in has a lift hill take it up to its highest point, not a launch.

Also, it held the record as it reached 94 mph while Millennium Force only reached 93. Though Millennium Force is 310 feet tall, both Intimidator 305 and Millennium Force have 300 foot drops.

 

The launch drives KK and TTD trains up the hill, gravity pulls the trains down the hill. That's how gravity works!

[G$ Kurt]

^ I stand completely corrected on i:305 being faster. I was completely unaware. But as far as the rocket coasters go, the launch functions as a lift as it gets the ride to its highest point, the ride falls by power of gravity from that point. But the point is moot, there's barely enough ride left in the second half of either Dragster or KK to even count as rides. But anywho, it's sad that i:305 has been neutered.

[coasternut]

Didn't KD have a webcam on Intimidator like Carowinds. I'd like to watch it...

[Josh Linn]

 

The launch drives KK and TTD trains up the hill, gravity pulls the trains down the hill. That's how gravity works!

 

[Skycoastin Steve]

Well if someone else with an "outside, non KD regular" point of view can't provide insight in the next week or so, I'll be at the park on June 1 and can report back how much differently the ride feels from when I rode it opening weekend. It's a bit disappointing to see a 300 foot drop get neutered a bit, but it's certainly for the best. As many have said already, this could just be one of several "phases" of attempting to limit the forces on this ride, so I guess we'll have to wait and see if this is a permanent change.

[Josh Linn]

Well if someone else with an "outside, non KD regular" point of view can't provide insight in the next week or so, I'll be at the park on June 1 and can report back how much differently the ride feels from when I rode it opening weekend. It's a bit disappointing to see a 300 foot drop get neutered a bit, but it's certainly for the best. As many have said already, this could just be one of several "phases" of attempting to limit the forces on this ride, so I guess we'll have to wait and see if this is a permanent change.

 

And if we're lucky, we might get trimless rides during Hurlfest or any other enthusiast events they have.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^If the trims on the first drop are like the trims later in the ride, they're fixed magnets that are always on (much like the brakes at the end of TTD and KK). Unfortunately, the only way to "turn them off" is to remove them from the track.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Honestly folks we're making a big deal out of nothing here & if the ride needs to be trimmed to keep the forces in check,as well as to keep maintenance costs down(wheel replacements) then so be it....the ride is still there & it's not as if the park is dismantling it & sending it to the scrapyard or something.

 

If people want to avoid riding it because the drop is trimmed then hey it means less peeps in line ahead of me when I queue up to ride.

[braztaz]

Honestly folks we're making a big deal out of nothing here & if the ride needs to be trimmed to keep the forces in check,as well as to keep maintenance costs down(wheel replacements) then so be it....the ride is still there & it's not as if the park is dismantling it & sending it to the scrapyard or something.

 

If people want to avoid riding it because the drop is trimmed then hey it means less peeps in line ahead of me when I queue up to ride.

 

Agreed.

[ScottBrown]

This just popped up on Facebook . . .

 

"Dearest fans of Intrimidator 305, we are deeply sorry for the biggest mistake we have made in our 36 year history: the trim brakes on this ride's drop. Our first intention was to get rid of the "blackout" on the first turn. Once we had installed the brakes, we realized that this prolonged the blackout. This coaster will soon regain its reputation as the biggest, baddest, and meanest roller coaster on the East Coast!"

[KDCOASTERFAN]

This just popped up on Facebook . . .

 

"Dearest fans of Intrimidator 305, we are deeply sorry for the biggest mistake we have made in our 36 year history: the trim brakes on this ride's drop. Our first intention was to get rid of the "blackout" on the first turn. Once we had installed the brakes, we realized that this prolonged the blackout. This coaster will soon regain its reputation as the biggest, baddest, and meanest roller coaster on the East Coast!"

 

Just saw it myself & was gonna post it but ya beat me to it.

[FeelTheFORCE]

^ I second that. I "like" 3 different KD pages and an I305 page and haven't seen this. Am I missing something?

[yournamehere]

thats most likely bs one of the i305 facebook pages said there wouldnt be trims on the first drop yesterday

[cal1br3tto]

www.facebook.com/pages/Doswell-VA/Intimidator-305/286899794190

 

Not that anything in my post isn't blatantly obvious, but just for the record:

This is false information. I know I'm not the first to notice this, but I was tipped off for sure when they called it "Intrimidator". That would be unbelievably unprofessional for the park.

[FeelTheFORCE]

^^ While I agree, there is a slight (HUGE emphasis on the word slight) chance it could be a typo, considering the "r" is right next to the "t." I do, however, have a hard time believing, that after all the wheels and train problems they seemed to have had so far, their FIRST priority is the blacking out. I understand guest safety is and should ALWAYS be number 1, but still.

 

I also highly doubt they'd be letting the world know "their biggest mistake in history" through Facebook.

 

 

Thanks for the link.

Edited May 22, 2010 by FeelTheFORCE

[cal1br3tto]

^I understand your point that there could hypothetically be a tiny chance.

 

But also, I don't think any park would openly call anything their "biggest mistake" when they could put a much more positive spin on the issue, or simply not bring attention to it at all.

 

Pre-post edit: Sorry, apparently didn't read the last part of your post, which says basically what I just said. Well, obviously, I agree!