Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^As mentioned earlier in this thread, the park was already planning at one point to put up what would have been the longest wooden roller coaster in the world earlier this decade (but decided to drop it after Son of Beast's failure). That would have been a Paramount decision though.

 

I for one am glad they chose to drop it because it would've been just as much of a failure as SOB turned out to be.Now a new hyper,be it a B&M or an Intamin would be a welcome sight at the park because they really need one.

[ajm1240]

I bet that Cedar Fair goes with the B&M hyper Tri-Fecta by adding yet another one to KD.

 

We can hope. I am sooo jealous of KI with Diamondback! I think KD has plenty of space for expansion and in fact NEEDS some sort of signature coaster. Dominator is a great ride, but that kind of coaster just does not work as a signature ride. You put a Diamondback clone in there, call it "Copperhead" or something, and you have great photo ops for years to come. The theming takes care of itself by using the wooded areas as much as possible.

 

Also, as classic as some of the woodies are at KD, I could see them possibly getting rid of one to make some room and re-use some good wooded real estate. It's been 12 years since I rode The Grizzly and it nearly beat me to death back then. I can't imagine it's gotten any smoother. Just a thought.

 

Regardless, if Diamondback is a big hit at KI this coming season, I'd say KD has a shot at something similar in the next few years.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I bet that Cedar Fair goes with the B&M hyper Tri-Fecta by adding yet another one to KD.

 

We can hope. I am sooo jealous of KI with Diamondback! I think KD has plenty of space for expansion and in fact NEEDS some sort of signature coaster. Dominator is a great ride, but that kind of coaster just does not work as a signature ride. You put a Diamondback clone in there, call it "Copperhead" or something, and you have great photo ops for years to come. The theming takes care of itself by using the wooded areas as much as possible.

 

Also, as classic as some of the woodies are at KD, I could see them possibly getting rid of one to make some room and re-use some good wooded real estate. It's been 12 years since I rode The Grizzly and it nearly beat me to death back then. I can't imagine it's gotten any smoother. Just a thought.

 

Regardless, if Diamondback is a big hit at KI this coming season, I'd say KD has a shot at something similar in the next few years.

 

If KD is getting a coaster(as rumored for 2010) then the design/layout & manufacturer have already been chosen by CF by now & we can only speculate on what it might be....remember,it takes a good couple of years to design a new coaster from concept to finished product so if we are getting a new ride in 2010 then most of the design work has already been completed by now.

 

Grizzly is still a decent ride,now if any woodie in the park were eto go I'd give my vote to Hurler hands down & by removing that piece of firewood it would give the park a little bit more room to work with.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

I really don't know what to make of this topic. I would like to talk about KD, I've been there more than any other park in my lifetime. However, when this thread basically consists of locals stating what they think would make KD perfect in there minds, AND blatantly ignoring that KD just got a great coaster this year, and has been rapidly expanding ever since CF bought the park, I really can't say much I guess.

 

I say, be happy with the park: they don't NEED anything, other than a better staff and a revitalized atmosphere, something the park used to thrive on but now has kind of lost. In my local area, KD is still KD, and people love it, but if they don't fix the service and the "overall experience" factor, I think they will loose their reputation fast.

 

I really think ANYTHING: B&M hyper, Intamin hyper, Intamin pre-fab would be a welcomed addition. I mean, the park has like 13 coasters, many of them pretty good, and 2 new coaters over the past 3 years. It is not like their need is urgent. But anything with some actual airtime (I think Hurler has the most airtime in the park, which is sad) would be good.

[ajm1240]

I really don't know what to make of this topic. I would like to talk about KD, I've been there more than any other park in my lifetime. However, when this thread basically consists of locals stating what they think would make KD perfect in there minds, AND blatantly ignoring that KD just got a great coaster this year, and has been rapidly expanding ever since CF bought the park, I really can't say much I guess.

 

Dude, it's an Internet forum of coaster nerds trying to wish our dreams into existence. It's what the Internet is all about. Lighten up.

 

Of course there are other things the park needs. It needs to get rid of the damn asphalt inside the park for one thing. But if Cedar Fair has an agreement for "X" number of coasters from B&M at their parks, then KD could get one in 2010, two years after Dominator. Or Maybe Dorney get's one next and KD get one in 3 or 4 years or some other CF park after that.

 

After the failure of HXLC, Dominator really just kind of brings them back up to where they already were as far as thrill atractions go. And it's obvious from where they put Dom, that they already have plans for the more scenic land that they did not want to mess up with Dom.

 

No one is saying it WILL happen. Just that it might and it would be cool if it did.

[Kingbooba]

KD is my home park, and I can honestly say that they need to replace the asphalt with paths like in the entrance plaza. The asphalt is very ugly, and it just needs to change.

 

I also think The Crypt needs a makeover. The program is old now (same since it opened in 2005) and it breaks down a lot more often now than it used to- and it used to break down a lot.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

But seriously, there is ABSOLUTELY no reason at this time to believe some sort of B&M will come to KD in 2010. There has been no weird construction/destruction, no news on Screamscape, and they have added four "adult" rides in 2008-2009. I don't know why everyone is sold the park is going to add something.

[ajm1240]

But seriously, there is ABSOLUTELY no reason at this time to believe some sort of B&M will come to KD in 2010. There has been no weird construction/destruction, no news on Screamscape, and they have added four "adult" rides in 2008-2009. I don't know why everyone is sold the park is going to add something.

 

Alright then! Take a deep breath dude. This is THE INTERNET. Again, please try not to take this so seriously or somehow be offended by some people shooting the breeze on a fansite message board. Sports nerds fantasize about their team trading for players they have no chance of getting and coaster nerds fantasize about our park getting the next big thing. Let us have our fun with our delusion.

[redfoot12]

And actually there's pretty good reason to speculate the park might get something big within the next few years. Apparently Cedar Fair is pretty enamored with KD and its potential. Let's draw some parallels--KI received a transplant from Geauga Lake in 2007 and two years later they're getting a B&M hyper. KD received a transplant from GL in 2008 and in 2010...we'll see.

[coolhandluke]

^^^I wouldn't expect to see "weird construction/destruction" for a 2010 project yet. They haven't even put up their stuff for 09. And of course there is reason to believe something is going in in 2010. As I said a couple pages ago, coasters are oftentimes bought in bulk. KD *could* be the 3rd CF park to get a B&M hyper. Sure, no guarantee, but it's plausible. And yes, they got Dommy this year, but that thing doesn't count as a B&M installation in any current deal with CF. It's just a coaster from an old CF park that happens to be a B&M and happened to end up in KD. I don't think it would be any different if KD had gotten X-Flight or Superman or Headspin instead--they needed new homes, so CF just split them up among their other parks. And then went on with the plans to expand and grow.

 

And no, I'm not a local, I'm not wishing for something there--hell, I've never even been to the park. I'm too preoccupied with my Diamondback to fantasize about a park 8 and a half hours away.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

Apparently Cedar Fair is pretty enamored with KD and its potential.

 

Wow.....that is just amazing!

 

How in the world have you arrived at this conclusion?

[redfoot12]

^Dick Kinzel (CEO of Cedar Fair) at a Q&A session said something to this effect in 2007. A seasoned poster on here told me about this.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

^Funny things can be said at Cedar Fair Q&A sessions. Ask any seasoned poster on the East Coast/Canada TPR trips about that.

 

Anyway, I still find the quote funny, but whatever. If you all want to believe Cedar Fair is enamored by KD compared to what else is in the chain and in the world, that's fine with me.

[redfoot12]

Ok. You win. The park will never receive a decent addition again.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

^Because that's exactly what I was getting at!

[KDCOASTERFAN]

^Because that's exactly what I was getting at!

 

I think you've gotten KD mixed up with a certain SF park up north in your home state that won't be getting anything anytime soon.

 

KD has ALWAYS brought in money,and the crowds for the various companies that have owned & operated the park since it opened in 1975 & CF recognizes this....there were plenty of days this season where the park was filled to capacity & they actually had to turn people away so that definitely means that they're doing something right & with numbers like that new additions are gonna be necessary in the coming years to spread out the crowds & give them more to do.

[Wood Dragon 1988]

^Because that's exactly what I was getting at!

 

Sorry, I didn't know this was an anti-sarcasm forum. Hence the

[Superstar94]

The park has been crowed this year, sometime I wish the park entrance was biger, so people can get in and out faster.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

The park has been crowed this year, sometimes I wish the park entrance was bigger, so people can get in and out faster.

 

Well they did make a change to the front entry plaza by removing many of the old ticket windows that were there so that's a start but there's not much that can be done to expand the number of entry turnstiles unless they were to widen the I-street midway first.

[Superstar94]

I really think it would be worth it, I have stood in line for a hour to get in.

On June 29, 2008, Bank of America had had their company picnic there, they had a private link on the Internet, for employees to get 15 dollar tickets, the bank of America employees forwarded the link to friends, the park was crowed, there was cars parked on the street, because the parking lot was full, there was a three hour wait for dominator, both wave pools were over crowed, they had police and park security, directing traffic leaving the park, I should have taken pictures, but I forgot my camera.

[RinkyDink94]

wow

[Wood Dragon 1988]

The day Superstar94 is talking about was an attendance record for the park, and there is an entire thread about it. It is not a normal occurance. The park would not expand its entrance to cater for a once-a-year (or once a decade) event.

[Superstar94]

I am the least patient person on earth.

[KDCOASTERFAN]

I am the least patient person on earth.

 

Well whenever you visit a theme park part of the process involves standing in long & sometimes slow moving lines....both for rides as well as for food & admissions.

[Superstar94]

I know, It is terrible.