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Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

p. 777: Winterfest starts on November 29!

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I'm not a fan of Shockwave, but I'd rather ride it than many of the B&M stand ups. The first drop and loop are fun in the front row, but the rest of the ride is pretty shaky, and the restraints are very uncomfortable.

 

Agreed. Shockwave is better than both, Vortex @ CGA and Mantis. I'm a CP fanboy but Mantis is crap.

 

I like the restraints much better on all b&m coasters because u don't have to mess around with a lot of buckles and stuff so, yeah. It's just get in, stand up, pull down the restraint, buckle in, and go.

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Dale the ride op is a very nice gentleman and i see him every time i visit. He is a credit to KD and great with the riders. Watching riders come back from a ride is amusing. The ride OP says "How was your ride?" and everyone is silent and looks disoriented. AWESOME!

 

Dale is probably the best ride op I have ever had. He does a routine during long lines where he tells jokes.He's awesome!

 

Is that the old guy that does the voice? Cause if so, he's cool.

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While we're on the subject of speculation, am I the only one that thinks Backlot Stunt Coaster is the coaster that most badly needs to be replaced? It doesn't make any sense since there are no other movie-themed rides in the park. It's ugly, outdated, takes up a lot of land, it's redundant (right by two other launch coasters), I'm sure it must be pretty expensive to run with multiple launches and the effects. Makes that whole area feel closed off, the ride experience itself is "meh"... need I go on?

 

I know between the aliens and NASCAR that end of the park is mixed-up theming-wise anyway, but Backlot *particularly* feels out of place, like a wannabe Disney Hollywood Studios ride.

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Backlot seems to be popular as a family coaster. It usually has a line waiting for it. The first time I rode it, I was a bit confused as none of the effects were working. I got what it was supposed to be doing, but it did take a lot away from the ride. Yes, it may be out of place, but it is a fun little ride, just wish they would get ALL the effects working and maybe even try to make it fit in appearance wise with the area a bit more. It seems a bit stark. I really dont see it going away anytime soon.

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backlot isn't going anywhere. Its one of the coasters in the park that everyone in the family will like. Its pretty much Backlot and Avalanche, so if you remove one, you will get complaints. Plus it gets popular, and it can get a long line.

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Backlot stunt coaster also is launched, so if KD removed it they would have a much harder time getting the "launch capital of the world" title. Avalanche is just unique, and is from Mack rides. I would like to see hurler go, not because it is rough but because I find it one of the more boring coasters in the park. I could see them remove any of the following:

 

1. Anaconda- unlikely - because of the minor renovations this year. Also it is in a challenging location.

 

2. Hurler- unlikely - low ridership and rough, even with the retracking. However, KD keeps sprucing it up.

 

3. Shockwave - maybe - it is in a tough location, but a family coaster or anything with a small footprint could go there.

 

4. Grizzly- likely - rough, low ridership, in an unpopular area of the park, could be taken down with hurler for a GCI woodie.

 

These are the possible coasters that could be taken down for a new coaster or dark ride. I think KD needs either an invert, new water park, family coaster, woodie, or B&M hyper.

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I can't see King's Dominion getting a hyper at this stage in the game. The GP would look at it as a down grade, "OH we already have one taller then 230 feet, it can't possibly be as good." I could see the park getting a nice new B&M though, perhaps an Invert or Wing-Rider.

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i think some kind of huge modern woodie would be perfect, especially if it replaced Hurler. i love Grizzly, but it has been dealt an awful hand with its entrance back behind the Dinosaurs Alive gift shop, and having its unique "through the woods" feel partially destroyed by Hurler's construction. maybe tearing down Hurler and Grizzly for one mega woodie does make sense (i doubt this would be happening next year though).

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I definitely think KD's next coaster will be a B&M or a GCI, as those are two companies KD has no NEW coasters in. Dominator is an above average floor less, but it was relocated. As for the hyper idea, I would like to see them put in a "step down i305", as that would be very marketable as an option for people who don't want to experience the height/ g-forces of i305 but also want a good thrill. Any style of hyper (wing, invert, etc.) would not only be a good fit but may possibly break records.

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With Busch Gardens only an hour away they need something different and the only thing I can think of would be CF's next wing coaster. They don't need an invert with Volcano nor a hyper since they have Intimidator.

 

Grizzly, IMO, is a signature ride despite it not having a high ridership. You can blame that on it being hidden behind the Dinosaurs Alive entrance and gift shop. I'd rather keep it than Hurler.

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Grizzly, IMO, is a signature ride despite it not having a high ridership. You can blame that on it being hidden behind the Dinosaurs Alive entrance and gift shop. I'd rather keep it than Hurler.

 

I agree completely! The Grizzly offers the 2nd best night ride in the state (besides i305), IMO. I really like the tunnel and the turn inside. Sadly, most of the GP doesn't feel the same about keeping it (at least the GP that I've been around).

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I hate grizzly it's rough and not fun I would love to see a b&m hyper go there like intimidator at carowinds or behemoth at Canada's wonderland. That's really what they need. At least hurler is accessible, and has some good airtime. Grizzly just hurts. And it's really slow on the turnarounds. And if kd is only getting either a water park revamp or a flat ride package I'm not coming unless they're REALLY SUPERB. cause you know with all this speculation about bg that they're going to have something better then whatever kd is going to build unless kd builds a GOOD coaster. Kd hasn't gotten a coaster in 5 YEARS and it's really sad.

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I think that if they chose the hyper route, they could find some success. For example, one of my brothers enjoys most roller coasters, excluding those that tend to be unusually intense (Xcelerator, SFMM Goliath's helix for some people, etc.) I'm sure he's not alone, so a B&M hyper could be a nice compromise between overall thrills and intensity.

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I think that if they chose the hyper route, they could find some success. For example, one of my brothers enjoys most roller coasters, excluding those that tend to be unusually intense (Xcelerator, SFMM Goliath's helix for some people, etc.) I'm sure he's not alone, so a B&M hyper could be a nice compromise between overall thrills and intensity.

 

Yes, I know several people who are like that. KD also has no hypers in General. it's giga is world class, but it needs some others to put I between Dominator/ Volcano and i305.

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KD's lineup is definitely just "average" with the exception of volcano and i305. I'm strongly hoping for a B&M hyper in the future. That'd really give them something that would really finalize that "Big 3." Not only that, but unlike this whole B&M Hyper/Giga in the same park, it would actually work at KD because i305 is nothing like a hyper. Personally, I think its marketable, I just don't think its likely. Its just wishful thinking.

 

ALTHOUGH! Here's something that I bet not too many people have thought of. So a while ago Cedar Fair said that they were trying to decide whether to pour a bunch of money into Carowinds OR Kings Dominion. And on top of that, knowing how long it takes to plan out a coaster, don't you think that that means that CF had started planning some attractions that would further improve KD? When they decided to choose Carowinds, it probably means that they put some of those plans on hold. And knowing how the Carowinds expansion is going, I'm betting that a water park expansion was part of those KD possible expansion plans. But because thats not as costly as a coaster, that's probably still gonna happen. So after this whole Carowinds expansion thing is finished, KD can probably go back to those plans for that coaster. So if you use that logic, then they probably will be getting an awesome new coaster in the future. Probably just not next year.

 

^ Hope that actually makes sense and that's not just me rambling...

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KD's lineup is definitely just "average" with the exception of volcano and i305. I'm strongly hoping for a B&M hyper in the future. That'd really give them something that would really finalize that "Big 3."

 

I don't understand why some people think of Flight of Fear as a big three member. Nice to see someone else doesn't think it is.. I would rank it 5th in their current lineup. But yes, same here. They could take out grizzly and put it in its old spot, utilizing the extra land and revitalizing the Old Virginia area. They could even include some grizzly elements like the tunnel with the turn... But I'm getting ahead of myself.

 

. So after this whole Carowinds expansion thing is finished, KD can probably go back to those plans for that coaster.

 

I would think 2016 or 2017, because of planning and all. MAYBE 2018 if the coaster is planned to be top 5 in the world (though doubtful).

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KD's lineup is definitely just "average" with the exception of volcano and i305.

 

what does this mean. what park's lineup isn't average if you take away their two signature rides?

 

This is mostly true, but I do see where he is coming from. Kings Dominion doesn't really offer much outside of those two rides. Well, enough for me to travel for.

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Even without those two rides I feel KD has a good lineup going with Drop Tower (best I've been on), Dominator (best floorless I've been on), Windseeker, Flight of Fear, and Rebel Yell (better than Thunder Road at Carowinds or Racer at KI), and more.

I do like rebel yell. Good airtime. Dominator honestly i'm not a fan of. Grizzly is ok. Flight of fear is good, I guess. Nothing to shout at. I do love the drop tower though.

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