Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[Skycoastin Steve]

^^They have some colored lights for effect, but it's still dark. Not in the broad daylight like your spaghetti bowl coaster.

[SFA Regular]

I have a question to ask about Flight of Fear. Have they been keeping the spaghetti bowl lights, off this season? Or have they been on?

 

It's kindof semi-dark, at least the times I went. It's very dimmed, but lights are on.

 

Reason why I asked is because a couple times I went last summer, they were completely off. It made it more fun.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I have a question to ask about Flight of Fear. Have they been keeping the spaghetti bowl lights, off this season? Or have they been on?

 

It's kindof semi-dark, at least the times I went. It's very dimmed, but lights are on.

 

Reason why I asked is because a couple times I went last summer, they were completely off. It made it more fun.

 

It was pretty dark when I rode a couple weeks ago.

 

Just got back an hour ago from my group trip to KD today & man was it hot!!!! not to mention suprisingly busy for a thursday but not as crowded as a saturday.Got in two more laps on 305 with the 2nd being a ride in the brief shower that hit the park & ended up stuck near the top for about a minute.I also finally sucked up to it & rode WWC for the first time ever & man was it great to be able to cool off from the insane heat,we only stayed til about 5 pm or so but I've got another trip planned in a couple weeks.

[pogoism9]

I got there around 7 last night and I-305 was closed for the rest of the day. I wa shocked that everything had a line (even Anaconda). Wonder what was ailing 305.

[pkdcoaster]

Went last week to Waterworks with my cam and climbed Pipeline peak to get some good shots.

not really worth a whole PTR so I will post the best ones here.

 

Enjoy, JEFF

 

If anybody wants full size pics they can all be found on my smugmug page (over 500 pics of I305)

Wallpaper material

still photogenic

racing Rebel yell on a weekday!

view from Tidal Wave bay

Neat view of Volcano

nice timing

wide view

The internet rumors are true!

hopefully she will be returned to one of the best first drops in the world soon

I305desktop.zip

Full size pic for wallpaper of 1st pic

[rcg19]

Deleted by user

Edited December 29, 2010 by rcg19

[coasterfreak101]

You didn't happen to go last Thursday, did you? I was there then, and they were racing Rebel Yell each time! First time I had ridden in a while too, and it hasn't gone downhill like a lot of people say, if you ask me.

 

And those straps on I305 are fantastic. Now take off them trims!

[Hayzle]

Just a quick thought, is there any chance Intamin manufactures a wider turn for the first drop to allow the ride to run without trims, or will we just have to deal with the trims the way they are? The best part of most rides is the first drop (imo) and from what I've heard the trims ruin what may have been the best first drop in the world

[coasterfreak101]

^As far as I can tell, the first turn already gets within feet (probably an exaggeration, but you get the point) of Rebel Yell's far turnaround. Unless they tunnel through those supports, then the turn isn't changing. Plus, that's much less cost-effective than keeping the trims on what the majority of people still realize as the craziest and best coaster they've ever ridden.

[CPmaverick]

I was finally just able to ride I305 on Thursday and Friday and I had some interesting experiences with it. On Thursday, the park was dead empty (the longest wait I had was 10 minutes for Volcano) and I got on I305 twice, in row 3 and 15. Row 3 was a very uninteresting ride with row 15 not being much better. I could not believe how much of a letdown the ride was. It felt like the train was crawling over each of the hills, giving very little airtime. About an hour later I305 went down for the rest of the night and all Friday, until about 7.

 

Friday evening I was able to get two rides in row 15, and wow was it a different ride. While I still hate the trims, I got so much more airtime. The ride seemed to be going much faster and was more along the lines of what I was expecting. I305 currently ranks 8th for me (Just by a small amount, Dominator ranks higher than I305). It makes me wonder what happened with the ride to close it for 24 hours and cause it to run completely differently. I did notice that the red train kept stopping on the lift hill for a few seconds and when it didn't stop, it would make a weird jolt near the top. And if it makes any difference the wheel sprayers were working on Thursday but not on Friday.

 

Also Volcano was closed Friday morning and when it opened the back row was once again closed.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I was finally just able to ride I305 on Thursday and Friday and I had some interesting experiences with it. On Thursday, the park was dead empty (the longest wait I had was 10 minutes for Volcano) and I got on I305 twice, in row 3 and 15. Row 3 was a very uninteresting ride with row 15 not being much better. I could not believe how much of a letdown the ride was. It felt like the train was crawling over each of the hills, giving very little airtime. About an hour later I305 went down for the rest of the night and all Friday, until about 7.

 

Friday evening I was able to get two rides in row 15, and wow was it a different ride. While I still hate the trims, I got so much more airtime. The ride seemed to be going much faster and was more along the lines of what I was expecting. I305 currently ranks 8th for me (Just by a small amount, Dominator ranks higher than I305). It makes me wonder what happened with the ride to close it for 24 hours and cause it to run completely differently. I did notice that the red train kept stopping on the lift hill for a few seconds and when it didn't stop, it would make a weird jolt near the top. And if it makes any difference the wheel sprayers were working on Thursday but not on Friday.

 

Also Volcano was closed Friday morning and when it opened the back row was once again closed.

I was there thursday on a group outting & the park was somewhat busy,ended up stuck near the top of 305's lift on the 2nd ride we took right when it started raining...we were in the silver train I believe.

[braztaz]

Those photos..when I viewed them, they'd been viewed 305 times!

[KDCOASTERFAN]

What's the policy regarding souvenir bottles? I purchased one last week at the park & was wondering if I can bring it in & get a wristband for free refills on my next visit?

[Capitalize]

What's the policy regarding souvenir bottles? I purchased one last week at the park & was wondering if I can bring it in & get a wristband for free refills on my next visit?

It should be fine, the bottle designs will be the same so its not like they'd have a way of knowing...

[Pingu1651]

^ That's why I get the kids cup. Same design at EVERY CF park!

 

But anyways, I will be visiting KD tomorrow and I want to know how I can get the good coasters in with some flats too. We'll be there from open until 7. Thanks!

[Capitalize]

I'd get on Volcano at opening followed by FoF, other than those two rides none of the other lines are never bad in my experiences.

[Griffonluv]

I finally got the chance to ride I305 yesterday and it completely kicks ass. I wish I could've gotten on before the trims, but even after, the ride was still super fast and I love the feeling of the transitions. Especially the first and second. The last one (not the turn into the finals) seemed to throw my weight to the left before it even changed banking. And the turn into the finals was a decent bit rough. Overall, I love this ride.

[tmaarch]

the new intimidator straps are a lot better and plus they let you get more air

[Skycoastin Steve]

Got my 3rd different reincarnation of the ride yesterday, and I gotta say, those black straps are a monumental improvement on the ride. They did press on my shoulders a bit (I'm 6'5") and made them sore when I held my hands up the whole ride, but the ride is exponentially more comfortable than before.

 

Also got my first night ride on 305, which had to be one of the most insane ride experiences I've ever had. It was nearly completely pitch black out with it being almost a new moon and very cloudy. I could barely even see anything the entire ride, it was like riding it for the first time again!

 

Grizzly was also running amazingly well yesterday, got some spectacular rides on it. The only negative of the day was that Volcano was down the entire day, with empty trains getting launched periodically throughout the day, but as far as I know, guests never got on it.

[bgwfreak777]

Not including the first drop, can you tell much of a difference in the speed of the ride during the rest of the course?

 

I really liked the ride back in May before they stripped it.

[carolinacaniac]

The straps are a huge improvement! Got about 3 rides on it over two days when I went with a friend and while the overall speed is down quite a bit from before, the overall experience is better now that I don't find myself anticipating getting neck chopped.

 

-Gary

[Skycoastin Steve]

Not including the first drop, can you tell much of a difference in the speed of the ride during the rest of the course?

 

I really liked the ride back in May before they stripped it.

 

Yeah, if you rode it before the trims, you can definitely feel the difference in speed, but everyone that I was with yesterday said they still thought it was fast as crap. The consensus was they couldn't imagine it going 10-15 mph faster.

[SFA Regular]

I was at Kings Dominion yesterday and I was very pleased with the place. They seem to do a good job running their theme park. Volcano and both Drop Tower were closed, but Flight of Fear was just enough for me. They had it moving pretty good. The launch is pretty good. They could have turned off the lights in the spaghetti bowl. Intimidator 305 was good as well. That ride is very quick around the turns and the partial black out experience is good too. Only thing I wish they would not do, is slow it down on the first drop. The ride was meant to be intense. As for park service, I was pleased. The employees seemed to be in a happy mood, all throughout the place. Even when U got pizza, the people were friendly. When you get a drink they always remind you that the large one is just 20 cents more than the regular size cup. Very good at making the extra 20 cents.

 

Best amusement park in the world.

[ginzo]

^What a coincidence. My criterion for "best amusement park in the world" is also whether or not they remind me that the large drink is only 20 cents more.

[Wes]

^ Huh, my criteria for "best amusement park in the world" is when two major rides closed in the middle of the summer season.