Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[thrillrider]

If he is talking about an impulse coaster, they have volcano.

[DBru]

^Volcano isn't considered a shuttle coaster because it runs a complete circuit. (Well, not in my book, anyway.)

[atem122]

I could picture SFOG's defunct Deja Vu fitting quite nicely in that spot,granted of course it's not CF's style to aqquire used rides from other parks outside the chain but anything's possible. I just thought I'd throw that idea into the mix & see what everyone's thoughts on it may be.

They'd have to take a long trek down to Brasil in order to buy SFOG's Deja Vu...

[FeelTheFORCE]

I assume you mean this picture:

 

 

I'm not so sure. Shuttle coasters don't seem as prevalent as they used to be. It's been 7 years since a new Impulse, and Vekoma's GIBs, Invertigos, and Boomerangs are potential maintenance nightmares, so unless there's a used one that could get moved, I doubt a new one would be purchased. I guess it's possible a new coaster from Premier could get built, but it would look like a kiddie coaster next to I305. Nonetheless, I doubt KD will be getting any new coaster for a while. Those are probably still left to touch up the land a bit, because the spot I305 is on is still one giant dirt lot.

 

 

 

If he is talking about an impulse coaster, they have volcano.

 

Impulse coasters aren't complete circuits, like Wicked Twister, Possessed, V2, etc.

 

Edited August 17, 2010 by FeelTheFORCE

[themeparkman25]

delete

Edited January 20, 2011 by themeparkman25

[Intimidator305]

I was there all day Thursday and Friday and they were just slightly pushing around dirt, so its nothing to get excited about. But, I did notice something interesting... On the "gravel road" behind 305, an old Kings Dominion truck was driving on it. It was old because it had the parks FIRST logo on the side of it and looked like the one you see in the movie Rollercoaster.

 

On KDFansite we were discussing about a train going from the 305 area to the Hurler area. A guy can only wish...

[KDCOASTERFAN]

Well you've gotta admit that they've had all season & plenty of dry weather to move dirt around just in an attempt to spruce up t he ride area....I agree that,after 305's installation another coaster won't be installed next season(possibility in 2012 maybe) but it's just something to keep an eye on I suppose.

 

Not many new shuttles have been built simply because the parks havn't been requesting them lately but that doesn't mean that KD wouldn't consider adding one in the future as it would give many folks a new type of ride experience & seeing as SFA yanked their invertigo now there are no shuttle coasters in the immediate vicinity.

 

They really need some new flats in the meantime,I wonder how they'd theme a flat to fit in with the whole nascar theme of the 305 area?

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Last time I was there (over a month ago), they were working on landscaping the land under the ride. Just because it's been open a while doesn't mean they aren't going to keep trying to get grass to grow in there.

[themeparkman25]

delete

Edited January 20, 2011 by themeparkman25

[JJtor]

^^

What I'm thinking KD should do in the off-season is finish tweaking the I-305, and make that $25million investment reach its full potential. I'm not saying that they have to eliminate all the complaints about the trims, because there will always be people complaining, but I'm sure that KD could really work with intaman to make it the best that it possibly can be.

 

 

On another note, my trip to KD yesterday was amazing! Got there at 10am for the national anthem, and left at 8pm for park closing. Rode everything in the park except ricochet and avalanche. The park was surprisingly more crowded than I expected it to be, with the I-305 pretty much packed for most of the day, (30-40min wait one train operation) but it was all worth it. The Volcano was surprisingly not packed for the whole day, with around a 20 minute wait. We ended up riding it twice, once in front, which was amazing, but all I could look at and think of when on top of the volcano was the I-305, which was still the best and a ton of fun, but I just don't feel right about it now.

 

I didn't get a chance to ride in front yesterday for the I-305 (wait was around 1 and a half hours for the whole day) even though we tried around 7:30 to ride front seat only the back seats were open. I sat in the second row and I tried to peer in the middle of the seats in front of me to take a look at the trims. I absolutely saw them and felt them, and I think that they are about the same as before. It was the first time I had ever rode the Intimidator and think: "Man, I really wish those trims were gone." I just felt like I had been robbed of an extra second of that amazing, amazing, amazing drop feeling and that I had been jipped of great airtime on the second hill as well. I really just wished that they would just go. Don't get me wrong, I still absolutely love the ride 1,000 times more than any other ride that Iv'e ever ridden, but I just felt like I was robbed, and the Intimidator kind of was too. Ive ridden it 10 times now over the course of 3 months, and I just feel like Ive been on it long enough for me to not just say "that was awesome" but just notice every detail of it, and realize how much more potential the ride has.

 

Overall though, Kings Dominion's lucky to have it and I'm lucky to have rode it, and whatever KD or intaman does to it I can't control and I'm sure things will eventually work out and the ride will really become as good as it possibly can. All I can do for now is ride it! Still had a ton of fun yesterday, and I wish I could do it every day!

[FeelTheFORCE]

^ When I rode, not only could I feel them, but I could hear them, and they were fairly loud.

 

Fast forward to about 0:52, and that's similar to what they sounded like:

[JJtor]

^^^ I agree with the sound. I could hear a faint sound lake that as well. I just really hope that KD and intaman can work something out with this... weather that's designing new wheels, or how about putting the trims at the very bottom of the hill so you don't loose any of the drop? You might still loose airtime but its better than loosing both, The coaster is young, and I really am just hoping that this is a temporary fix to a bigger problem that intaman and KD can solve and work out. I still absolutely love it, I just know that there is still more that it can do, and I'm hoping that that intaman and KD can squeeze the rest of potential out of the coaster.

[imawesome1124]

^ I know, I haven't ridden it but from what I've heard it had the potential to be a top 5 coaster. Now with the trims it doesn't even sound like top 10. Whatever it will be ranked at, and whatever the trims situation is, I still can't wait to ride it at East Coast Bash.

[braztaz]

^ I know, I haven't ridden it but from what I've heard it had the potential to be a top 5 coaster. Now with the trims it doesn't even sound like top 10. Whatever it will be ranked at, and whatever the trims situation is, I still can't wait to ride it at East Coast Bash.

 

The trims don't make that big of a difference to knock it from top 5 to not even top 10.

[JJtor]

^ I know' date=' I haven't ridden it but from what I've heard it had the potential to be a top 5 coaster. Now with the trims it doesn't even sound like top 10. Whatever it will be ranked at, and whatever the trims situation is, I still can't wait to ride it at East Coast Bash.[/quote']

 

The trims don't make that big of a difference to knock it from top 5 to not even top 10.

 

I agree. It's still definitely a top 5/10 coaster, regardless of the trims (and the best coaster Ive been on by far). I think that you'll be impressed, but I do agree that it really could be a lot better. The trims are a big disappointment though, and I know that it has a ton more potential that I really want to see show. but you should still be exited! Word of advice for riding it though: ride in the front. You will get a good second or two of airtime on the second hill, but only if you sit close to the front (I'm talking about rows 1-5, the closer you get the better). When I rode in the back/middle I was pretty disappointed in the airtime, but in the front you can really feel it! Regardless, have fun! I know that you will like it, but I also know that the trims might really hammer down its potential a lot. But have fun!

Edited August 19, 2010 by JJtor

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^ I know, I haven't ridden it but from what I've heard it had the potential to be a top 5 coaster. Now with the trims it doesn't even sound like top 10. Whatever it will be ranked at, and whatever the trims situation is, I still can't wait to ride it at East Coast Bash.

 

The trims don't make that big of a difference to knock it from top 5 to not even top 10.

 

The only negative regarding the trims is the 2nd hill,but the increased rideability through the "twisties" makes up for it IMO.I still think we may see the trims removed by the start of next season but even if not I'll still be riding it.

[Skycoastin Steve]

^Agreed. The 2nd hill is the huge loser in the decision to add trims to the drop, but the rest of the ride is exponentially more bearable for the regular coaster rider. As much as I LOVED that ride on opening weekend, it wore me out.

[braztaz]

Actually, the further back you are the more air you get. I've ridden in the front row, row 2, 4...all those, NOTHING compares to the back two rows. Nothing. That's how good they are.

[Intimidator305]

When I was there last Thursday and Friday I was actually getting some floater air on the 2nd hill (which is decent airtime... but compared to how it used to have MAJOR ejector air there, it makes gradual floater air just seem alright) when sitting in the front and back (the middle sucks compared to the front & back) all day long. The 3rd hill now provides incredible airtime since the trims were put on the drop. Overall, it is still my #1 coaster by far... which explains my username.

 

Every time I ride 305, I ride 2nd row (the higher up seating makes it seem like the front with 1/10 of the wait!) or back-row.

[JJtor]

Actually, the further back you are the more air you get. I've ridden in the front row, row 2, 4...all those, NOTHING compares to the back two rows. Nothing. That's how good they are.

 

That's understandable. In every other coaseter Ive rode the back gets the most airtime, and so it makes sense that it's the same for the I-305. Ive done the very back a few times, and I honestly just can't tell you why I think that the front airtime is better. Its probably just the fact that I haven't been in the very back for around a month. Yesterday, I rode close to the back (I think row 13) and I absolutely got zero airtime on the second hill, and that put the thought in my mind that the back didn't give you that much airtime at all. It was probably just because I wasn't far enough back.

 

When I was there last Thursday and Friday I was actually getting some floater air on the 2nd hill (which is decent airtime... but compared to how it used to have MAJOR ejector air there, it makes gradual floater air just seem alright) when sitting in the front and back (the middle sucks compared to the front & back) all day long. The 3rd hill now provides incredible airtime since the trims were put on the drop. Overall, it is still my #1 coaster by far... which explains my username.

 

Every time I ride 305, I ride 2nd row (the higher up seating makes it seem like the front with 1/10 of the wait!) or back-row.

 

2nd row is fun. Did it yesterday and I think I found my new favorite seat on the Intimidator. It was actually a lot shorter of a line then the middle lines (got on and the people I was with rode in row 10 and got out 4 rides later.) And the 3rd hill does have incredible airtime, my second favorite part of the ride. And great username!

[FeelTheFORCE]

I don't know if it was the straps (which are INCREDIBLE restraints, so I'm not complaining) or what, but I was underwhelmed on the amount of air I felt. I thought there would be a lot more than there actually was. I got 3 total rides, one in the very last row, towards the middle, and towards the front. I guess I had my hopes set too high, or I've been spoiled in riding Maverick so many times, and having been on El Toro...I dunno.

[Intimidator305]

I don't know if it was the straps (which are INCREDIBLE restraints, so I'm not complaining) or what, but I was underwhelmed on the amount of air I felt. I thought there would be a lot more than there actually was. I got 3 total rides, one in the very last row, towards the middle, and towards the front. I guess I had my hopes set too high, or I've been spoiled in riding Maverick so many times, and having been on El Toro...I dunno.

 

If ejector/insane airtime is what you are looking for... you would have loved the ejector air on the 2nd hill pre-trims!

 

But... I'm not sure how much I would enjoy that ejector/insane airtime with these restraints... Hmmm??? I think the air you get on the 3rd hill now is the perfect amount for those restraints IMO!

[Capitalize]

I unfortunately wouldn't be surprised to see KD keep the ride the way it is for the long haul. In all honesty the GP doesn't care, and even most enthusiasts seem to have come up with justifications to convince themselves that the ride is still great...

 

Frankly with the trims the only part of the ride that I thought was truly great (first drop, turn, 2nd hill) and made it a top coaster is a shadow of its former self. Its still a good ride, but really nothing compared to what it was.

 

I would love to see the park/intamin make the alterations needed to let the ride run like it once did, but the focus will soon be shifted away from the ride and towards some other new attractions within another season or two, so I'm not counting on it.

[Intimidator305]

I think I actually like the second half of the ride (after the 2nd hill) much better now because you hit the transitions at the near perfect speed and the airtime on the 3rd hill is fantastic where as before it was interrupted by the trims on that hill. I know it has been said many times... but the ride would be perfect IMO if they could put the trims right after the 2nd hill. That way you could have the freefall, 95+ MPH turn, ejector air, hit some trims trims, and go into the "twisties" & 3rd hill like the ride does now!

[robbalvey]

Do any of the games at KD give away Domo as prizes? I've noticed they had them at both Valleyfair and Carowinds. Does KD have them too?

 

Domo

Edited August 20, 2010 by Moose