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Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

P. 767: WinterFest Media Night Report

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Think about next year? We have seen Execs walking around the dated kids area, the question to be asked is what is it missing? For me, two things: 1) another large scale kiddie ride (like a til-a-wirl) and 2) a step up kiddie coaster. For younger kids looking to jump up from Taxi Jam they have Scooby Doo. From Scooby Doo where then? Rebel Yell? Backlot? Anaconda? Log Flume? The park needs another step up coaster like a Roller Skater. I have heard rumors that the ole' slime zone is at its end. Maybe we'll see a Marquis kiddie ride put there?

 

The park is getting goods next year, relative at least. Rumored phase 1 of the Rebel Yell renovation? Rumored station renovation of Volcano? If everything is true that's a pretty big year for the park.

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The thing that gets me about a rumored retheme of the kids area is that they had an opportunity to do this in 2011 to finish up what they'd started in 2010 with the retheme of the former nick central area & all the park did was add starlight spectacular so why wait two or three years to finish what was started in 2010?Also for any sort of work to be done in kidzville we'd be seeing at least some sort of markings by now,or sometime in the near future otherwise they may be working on something totally different & might be trying to throw us off since nobody saw what exactly was on those blueprints after all.

 

CP has/had their signs around the DT area hinting at their 2013 attraction,perhaps we should be looking out for this rocket sign/graphic near the kidzville entry points as a clue in the coming weeks as to what's going on?..I do recall KD putting up a sign showing windseeker around the ED site during haunt after they fenced it off & were in the process of removing the ride to prep the site so that's why I think we may see these signs in the KV area if in fact a retheme is taking place.

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My guess as to why Kings Dominion did not do a full Planet Snoopy makeover in 2010 or 2011 is that they just spent 25 million dollars on a NASCAR themed roller coaster that year.

 

Cedar Fair did not renew the Nickelodeon / Hanna-Barbera license agreement for the 2010 season and all of the theming related to both had to be removed. Kings Dominion did the minimum required that year to eliminate those names and related characters by changing out the ride signage and ride vehicle decorations. Those rides that were impacted got a new Snoopy related name and theme.

 

I've stated here and on other sites that the most likely candidate for the new 2013 attraction would be a full Planet Snoopy expansion/renovation of the kid's area. I been posting my thoughts on this for the last 4-5 months before this teaser came out.

 

I also stated in previous postings that a water park expansion/renovation could be the "Dark Horse" as far as possibilities go in the near future (2013 to 2015) for the new attraction for KD.

 

We will have the answer for what is in store for 2013 in about 4-5 weeks.

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^ If a water park expansion happened in the next few years KD doesn't need a taller water slide than Pipeline's Peak (not saying it wouldn't happened) The park has a few missing likes in its water park line up.... Some version of a water coaster (like Wildebeest or Mammoth) or a Proslide whirlpool. They could take a chance on a Aqualoop though Water Country USA has a similar slide. It doesn't have a mat racer (once again something WC USA has) but it could benefit from one. Maybe a longer, faster, rapids like alzy river could be built. Lots of options. But by looking at the water park trends. I would make the guess a water coaster COULD come to the park by 2014/2015.

 

I know everyone is asking, when will we see the next major coaster installation? With a Planet Snoopy expansion (Space ship teaser anyone?) and a probably water park expansion in 2014 (These only happen at KD every 7 years or so), I wouldn't expect it until 2015 at the earliest. Just my $0.02

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My group was commenting during ECB that it was odd that Kings Dominion did not have a Mine Train type ride. I know for me - that was the "step-up" coaster from the kiddie. Perhaps they will be getting some sort of Vekoma Mine Train ride which will help fill out Planet Snoopy. Not sure of the space theme - but anything is possible... I'm interested to find out what they have in store.

 

David

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Rebel Yell isnt the one that needs a renovation. Its racer at KI that thing is PAINFUL!

 

Rebel yell is running pretty smoothly this year.

 

Regardless, rumor mill says that GCII is beginning a 3 year "Thunder Road-esque" renovation. I'm excited the prospect. With a new coat of paint.

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Rebel Yell isnt the one that needs a renovation. Its racer at KI that thing is PAINFUL!

 

Rebel yell is running pretty smoothly this year.

 

I rode it last weekend and if that's smooth, I'm glad I didn't ride it when it was rough. It was just painful and not fun the whole time. I felt like my spine was being compacted at least once a second the whole ride.

 

Now, Grizzly is a different story. I very much enjoyed that one.

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Rebel Yell isnt the one that needs a renovation. Its racer at KI that thing is PAINFUL!

 

Rebel yell is running pretty smoothly this year.

 

Regardless, rumor mill says that GCII is beginning a 3 year "Thunder Road-esque" renovation. I'm excited the prospect. With a new coat of paint.

 

I rode thunder road about a year ago & it was horrid.

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I rode it last weekend and if that's smooth, I'm glad I didn't ride it when it was rough. It was just painful and not fun the whole time. I felt like my spine was being compacted at least once a second the whole ride.

 

Now, Grizzly is a different story. I very much enjoyed that one.

 

I was pretty much the opposite when I went last year. Rebel Yell was by far the best/ most fun of the woodies, Grizzly was the roughest/ least fun, and Hurler was in the middle; I didn't get a chance to ride Ghoster Coaster.

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I found Rebel Yell and Grizzly to be amazing at ECB. Especially the pop of airtime you get on Grizzly right before the tunnel. But I found Hurler to be horrible sitting in the third seat I was done after the first turnaround and just held on the entire ride. The shuffling was ridiculous in the turns, I found Shockwave to be more comfortable.

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If any of you is riding a woodie at KD on a wheel seat, you have no ground to stand on by complaining that they're rough. Use some common sense and don't sit on wheel seats and it'll never be a problem. The 2nd last row on Grizzly is amazingly smooth every single time.

It says something, to me, if I have to ride in a "special" seat to get an enjoyable ride...but, thats just me. I dont think common sense has anything to do with that...

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Oh an a tip. Big guys and wooden roller coasters aren't a good combination. My KD vacation was 3 weeks ago and my hips are still a bit sore....Never riding Hurler ever again. Even my mother, who is a medium sized woman, almost got stuck in those seats

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It says something, to me, if I have to ride in a "special" seat to get an enjoyable ride...but, thats just me. I dont think common sense has anything to do with that...

It's not just the KD woodies, it's basically every woodie on the planet that runs with PTC's. There are a few exceptions, of course, but a large majority of them are astronomically more enjoyable if you don't sit on a wheel seat. Anyone claiming to be an enthusiast should at least be aware of the difference between wheel seats and non wheel seats on PTC trains. And that is what we call common sense.

 

Edit: And just because a coaster train has a "special" seat or row that provides a better ride doesn't mean it's a bad ride. Phoenix is AMAZING in the 3rd row (a wheel seat, how ironic), as is Magnum. Grizzly and several other woodies are fantastic in the "magic PTC seat," which is the front row of the back car, most B&M hypers are best in the back row, and if you want to get REALLY specific, Apollo is insane in the back right seat. None of those are bad rides because they have a row/seat that provides the best ride experience.

Edited by Skycoastin Steve
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