Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[ajm1240]

Rode I305 20 or so times today. I would say this thing is once again crapping on Cedar Point.

 

First drop is back to the intensity of last April. And I don't remember the second hill being this great last April. WOW! I'm a back row rider most of the time, and you get gorgeous, sustained floater airtime there on hill two. But near the front, it is totally different. That "floater air" becomes crazy ejecter air. It really is like two coasters in one now.

 

Also, after talking with many folks who rode it before the drop was trimmed last year, we all seem to think that the trims on the backside have been reduced from then. The braking seemed less jarring than we remembered and the speed kept up better, giving decent air on the last hills. Could have been an illusion. None of us were 100% positive that was the case.

 

All in all, I was more than pleased. I just hope it stays this way. The G's are still there, they just don't seem to last nearly as long. But the speed and airtime appear to be up near where they used to be. Hopefully the wheels will wear better and this is the last of the tinkering.

 

Long live I305, 2.0.

[Intimidator305]

^ Another good review! I haven't heard a negative review about the new version yet! That's shocking... Even those who complained like crazy when the trims were on the drop seem to be loving it once again!

 

Here is a good photo trip report from CoasterFusion! http://coasterfusion.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?11556.post

CoasterFusion Photo.

[Skycoastin Steve]

This new video on youtube shows the new layout, which appears to have solved all of last years problems. This is clearly another EPIC Intamin design.

 

 

Yeah, that's my video. Here it is embedded.

 

 

 

It was actually not running that fast when I took this video early in the day. Towards the end of the day when the ride got nice and warmed up it was FLYING. Pretty much the same speed as it was last year before the trims were added, only now they have the soft straps. They've definitely done an excellent job getting this ride back to its original form, now let's hope it stays that way. I'll have a more in depth report after I get back from BGW today.

[coasternut]

This new video on youtube shows the new layout, which appears to have solved all of last years problems. This is clearly another EPIC Intamin design.

It was actually not running that fast when I took this video early in the day. Towards the end of the day when the ride got nice and warmed up it was FLYING. Pretty much the same speed as it was last year before the trims were added, only now they have the soft straps. They've definitely done an excellent job getting this ride back to its original form, now let's hope it stays that way. I'll have a more in depth report after I get back from BGW today.

 

Steve thank for the complete video post. I've got to get back to Virginia to ride! Looks like maybe I can stop calling it "In-Trim-Adator." . I'm looking forward to your future posts. I too loved the new restraints. I've ridden it with both sets.

[TXman308]

How much longer is it before we get a POV?

[Brashnir]

Made a stop by the park on my way home from Norfolk and took a few laps on the new and improved I-305.

 

As everyone else has said, it's bask to its former ass-kicking glory. (and then some, as the new restraints are much better than the ride opened with last year) The airtime going over the first hill is back in all seats of the train. The airtime going over hill 2 is back, and as others have reported, it seems like there are fewer trims on the third hill now as well. They felt less jarring and I took a front row ride to get a good look at them, and I'm pretty sure there was 1-2 more rows of them last April. Could be my mind playing tricks on me, but I think with the amount of others who have said the same thing, there has to be something to it. They might add more back as the weather heats up. It was about 20 degrees warmer opening weekend last year.

 

Airtime is most forceful on hills 2 and 3 in the front, but it's best over the first drop further back. I think the first drop might actually be best from right in the middle of the train. I rode rows 1, 9 and 16.

[crazywolf88]

As said earlier the changes were to reduce wear and tear on the wheels and not the forces, the turn rises so it is not going at top speed but the turn tightens so you still get the blackout g forces. Since the turn is tighter the second hill has to have a steeper drop which means more airtime .

 

See what a simple change can do? KD reverted InTRIMidator back to it's nearly original, almost untrimmed epic form.

[Brashnir]

As said earlier the changes were to reduce wear and tear on the wheels and not the forces, the turn rises so it is not going at top speed but the turn tightens so you still get the blackout g forces. Since the turn is tighter the second hill has to have a steeper drop which means more airtime .

 

See what a simple change can do? KD reverted InTRIMidator back to it's nearly original, almost untrimmed epic form.

 

The drop on the second hill isn't any steeper than before. The crest and downslope are 100% unchanged from last year. The first turn isn't any tighter, either. I believe it's the same radius as before, actually. People were still getting blackout forces on the trimmed version last summer, so I wouldn't have expected this to change that.

 

Edit - Did a quick google image search and found a shot from last year. here it is next to the shot posted on the last page.

 

 

[Intimidator305]

^ That's a great comparison! With all these great reviews, I don't think I can wait all the way until next weekend!

[coasterfreak101]

Just got back from the park, and I305 is fantastic! The drop is back, the second hill's airtime is great, and the trims on the third hill aren't biting too hard (I agree, there's definitely fewer of them there). Here's a few pictures from the Eiffel Tower!

And here's the old track!

[Intimidator305]

^ Nice photos and nice to hear another positive review! That's very interesting that the old turns track is back behind Hurler and Grizzly. I wonder if KD gets to keep it or if it just hasn't been shipped back to Intamin yet?

 

6 days left until I get to try out 305 2.0!

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^ Nice photos and nice to hear another positive review! That's very interesting that the old turns track is back behind Hurler and Grizzly. I wonder if KD gets to keep it or if it just hasn't been shipped back to Intamin yet?

 

6 days left until I get to try out 305 2.0!

 

I was wondering what that was while up on the tower but then remembered that it was the old track when I got a better view on hurler.

 

As for the ride itself,let me say that I'm not a real fan of the new reprofiling as IMHO the airtime isn't near as intense as it was before the trims were installed last season,could be due to wearing my jacket which made for a tighter fit my first ride but even on the second ride later in the day I found it to be more of a floater as opposed to ejector air experience with even more positive G's going into the turn than before....I have to admit that I liked the ride better with the trims plus original turn than now but that's just me.

 

The rest of the park seems to be picking up quite well granted a few rides were down during the day.Volcano really threw me around a bit too much but Dominator is back to it's 08 smoothness & the rattle that was present last year appears to be gone,hurler was it's usual POS self(can't wait for Grizz to reopen next month & I must say I was impressed with shockwave's ride as wel as the new paintjob.

 

Rebel yell had some downtime on southside this afternoon & they had to evac riders from the base of the lift but at least they got it going an hour or so later,I did notice some discarded track next to the ride on the return leg of southside's course so I guess they must've retracked parts of it during the offseason.

[coasterfreak101]

^I305 was stopped at the top of the lift around noon today - I think they came pretty close to evacuating, but I looked back like 15 minutes later and it had just gotten started again. I was jealous! Where did you ride on Dominator? The front was pretty good, and so was the back, but the rattle was definitely noticeable, especially through the corkscrews. And that terrible jolt entering the loop killed me like usual - does anyone know where that came from? It looks like it happens right when the train passes over the track joint just before the lowest loop support.

 

I definitely like this version better than with the trimmed-drop - there's a real freefall again, plus airtime (none with the trims on that second hill). And the twists are even crazier than they have been for the past 10 months, as if that should've been possible.

 

Oh, and on the greyouts: I was fine in the morning, especially up front, but later in the day (even though it was only like 64* out) I was close to losing all my vision - the reprofiling definitely doesn't take away from that! And I didn't hear a single guest complain, only say how it was the best ride in the park and they wanted more like it!

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^First lap was in row #3 while our 2nd was in row#4 more towards the end of the day(we left around 7:30 or so) & both rides were far smoother than last seaso's rides in october were.

 

I remember seeing I305's silverback train stuck near the top for a good while s hortly after getting off after our first lap...good thing they got it running later in the day.

[chickenbowl]

I just saw Bert the Conquerer at KD. He calls the transitions on Intimidator, "twisties." It made me think of Robb's video.

[Astrojack]

Guess I'll finally post my review on I305. Last year I only got to ride i305 with the trims, and while I knew the coaster was holding back some of the speed, I really enjoyed the ride. But know the ride has one of the best first hills, awesome airtime hill, and amazing speed that feels like the coaster never has the chance to slow down until the 3rd hill.

 

You can really feel the G's going around the turn now, but they ease up some(clear vision) when your about 1/2 -3/4 into the inclined turn. I'd say the turn is a bit more intense now then it was with the trims.

 

People who liked, enjoyed, or already loved I305 will love the new changes. People who hated on I305 because of the boring layout or grey outs will probably still complain about it. I personally loved the new version. I just hate how KD is 6 hours away and probably won't beable to ride I305 again until next year. I just hope they keep the trims off, since everyone needs to experience this ride at it's full potentinal.

[robbalvey]

That's very interesting that the old turns track is back behind Hurler and Grizzly. I wonder if KD gets to keep it or if it just hasn't been shipped back to Intamin yet?

You never know where it might end up! Parks will either re-use it for something else, or sell it as scrap. And when I say "re-use", I've seen parks like Blackpool use the old Pepsi Max Big One track as part of the support structure for Valhalla. I've seen SFMM use old wood coaster track to help hold up sides of a mountain, etc....

 

If there's a use for it...they'll find it!

[DJeXeL]

^My favorite example of this, is at Alton Towers.

 

 

[ShannonSomerville]

It is soo much better with the new changes. My bf didn't even gray out at all.. Like I said before,we don't have to drive a long distance to experience this type of ride..yay!

[palmerleeberry]

It's great to be reading the reviews and seeing the videos about my favorite park and I definately cannot wait to ride the brand new INTIMIDATOR 305 and feel how the ride feels without the trim brakes (for the record - I''ve ridden the ride last year before and after the trim brakes were put on, so I should know). Since I have the Platinum Pass, I'll have many opportunities to ride (or not to ride - it's a free country).

 

Moving onward to the other rides inside the park, my two favorite flat rides are the Scrambler and the Triple Spin. I saw that the Shockwave has been given a fresh coat of paint to match what it looked like back in 1986. By the way, Shockwave turns 25 this season (maybe they should have painted it SILVER for the occasion. I will try to ride it at least once for celebration sakes (althought I hate riding stand-up coasters). Speaking of celebrations, the Anaconda turns 20 this season! That coaster I will ride many times for celebration sake.

 

I'm planning to be there on Saturday, April 9 where it's calling for sunny 70 degree weather, not to mention a special event called The Cheer and Dance Championship. I'll have to leave my Snoopy Star Glasses at home for this trip; Snoopy's Starlight Spectacular won't begin until June 18.

 

Here's to another great season!

 

"Are you done yet? Good, I miss you in bed."

[Intimidator305]

^ I'll be also be there Saturday... and I'm going Sunday. I can't wait to see how many times I can ride Intimidator 305! 70 degrees on Saturday and 76 degrees on Sunday so it is going to be perfect weather!

 

Oh and Shockwave has never been lime green and teal until 2011...

 

This was it's first color scheme.

[braztaz]

So, which paint scheme do people like better? The old black one or the new green one?

 

I'm kinda leaning towards green at this point...it makes it "stand out"

[eddie200330]

So, which paint scheme do people like better? The old black one or the new green one?

 

I'm kinda leaning towards green at this point...it makes it "stand out"

 

I don't recall it ever being black either?? Just navy and yellow, and then the rainbow crap it was the last few years. I really think the orange trains stand out (no pun intended LMAO) pretty well with the new track colors.

[Intimidator305]

^ It was a really dark navy, I could see where people get it mixed up...

 

^^ I actually really like both the new and original color schemes, but I absolutely hated the neon one!

 

The new lime green track, teal supports, and orange station (& queue) rails/train color scheme definitely just "fits in" with the atmosphere of the Grove perfectly. The lime green and orange tie end with Drop Tower across the midway and teal is used on a few of the Grove's buildings. KD/CF did a great job picking a new color scheme!

 

Triple Spin looks great as well now. I'm glad they didn't change the color, because there are a few building in the Grove (like Victoria's Pizza and Johnny's) that have the same maroon color so it all goes together as well too.

 

I can't wait to see the changes in person this weekend though!

[KDCOASTERFAN]

So, which paint scheme do people like better? The old black one or the new green one?

 

I'm kinda leaning towards green at this point...it makes it "stand out"

 

I definitely like the new Raptoresque colors better,but even the old school 80's colors would've been better than what we had to put up with over the past decade.

 

Looking at Grizz in the pic I just noticed something.....it looks as though the tunnel has been removed!! I hope I'm just looking at the wrong spot or they just temporarily removed it for retracking cuz the tunnel is among the best parts of that ride.