Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[prozach626]

Trip report 07/07/15:

 

The trip from St. Louis to KD is something I'd been thinking about ever since I saw the first TPR videos. I was especially excited since KI is a park my wife really enjoys and it's probably our favorite park. We drove to the area in about 11 and a half hours the day before. We were able to get plenty of sleep, hit the gym, eat a hearty/healthy breakfast with the day's cup of coffee, and we were finally off!

 

For once we actually got to the park before opening. We waited outside of the parking lot gates for a few minutes until finally we were allowed to enter the parking lot. We still had time to burn, so we walked around to snag some quick pictures before waiting at the front gates. After about 10 minutes the national anthem played and we were in the park! (TAKE YOUR HATS OFF FOR THE ANTHEM, PEOPLE!)

 

We got hooked up with our fast lane plus bands (just in case) and we were off! Or... so I thought. We went toward I305 toward Planet snoopy, but there was an employee blocking the way. So... we headed north of the tower and... again. Another employee. Finally I asked an employee when the rest of the park was going to be open and I was told eleven. Wtf? OK. No big deal. We checked out the top of the tower, snagged a couple more pics, and saw Dominator was open. We headed down and took a lap on it. This was probably my favorite of the B&M floorless coasters I've been on. Good pacing, decent forces, and a really attractive coaster to look at.

 

Finally it was time to head toward the coaster I've been waiting so long to ride! I walked toward the entrance of I305, had the wife snag a quick pic, and it was on! First impressions weren't good. We walked through the stale NASCAR theme toward the red steel monster... sitting in a field of high weeds... all by istelf... running one dirty/ugly train... We waited about ten minutes for the first row and it was hard to even build excitement with nothing to entertain us but watching the one train operation and the lackluster ride ops. It was finally time to board the train and we were secured into our front row seat. We got pulled up the extremely fast lift hill, crested the top, and HOLY SH**! The rest was non stop smooth positive G's (my favorite), mixed with ejector air, and lightning fast transitions. I305 is really something you have to experience to understand. My wife wasn't quite sure what she was in for and she was completely surprised.

 

I'll write the rest of my trip report as more of a trip review, so as not to go over every detail of the trip. Quickly, I'll just say that the rest of the day most rides were walk on or one train waits. The FL plus was a bust... oh well. It was good for peace of mind. We brought our own food for lunch and skipped out early for wings and beer for dinner. After that, we stayed until closing. My wife wanted to ride the Windseeker at the end of the night, so we took in the views and relaxed.

 

Overall, I was actually a little bit let down with the park, but I think my expectations might have been set a little high. I will say that the non-ride staff was great. People raved about Dollywood customer service, but the treatment we got during our visit far exceeded our experience with the famour TN park with a reputation for hospitality. Several staff members offered to take our pictures when we did't even ask. Everyone was really friendly and helpful. The Fast Lane staff member we encountered went out of her way to be very friendly and explained everything.No that the explanation was needed but she was so friendly I didn't want to interject to tell her we knew what we were doing, haha.

 

Other than that, the Singing Mushrooms didn't sing once.. damn. Also, the ride ops just sucked. Almost all of them. The ones that weren't moping around were too busy joking with each other or having conversations with other staff that were far from professional. I know it was hot and I know the park was dead, but come on... Even the "supervisors" didn't seem to care. The layout of the park just seemed weird, like the path from Dominator to the back side of Planet Snoopy. The back side of the park closer to Rebell Yell, Ricochet, and Hurler was just completely lacking any kind of up beat energy. Even I305 was just kind of plopped down in the back corner of the park and it just seemed so isolated. The park seemed more beginner Roller Coaster Tycoon pieced together than any other park I'd ever been to. Some of the restaurants in the area had sports bar themes, so we were kind of hoping for a place to go in, sit down, grab a beer, a cheat meal like wings or something else, and just relax. I think KI has something like this, despite the fact that we always leave for our early dinner break for a local wing/beer spot... but... the sports bar facades/themes ended when you walked through the doors an saw typical cafeteria style lines/food with beer tappers. Coooool... So after we did our healthy lunch in the car, we ended up bouncing for dinner and making our cheat meal worth it at Hooters. Merica... To add to the laid back coaster with a couple beers experience we like to have at the end of the night, the staff serving alcohol were impotent. I'm a young looking 30 year old, but the girl who looked at my ID had to have help with her supervisor and they both struggled making the call. We took our first warm beers, sipped them on the patio, and decided they were going to also be our last beers for the night. *sigh*

 

On a positive note, the entry way was really nice. KD also has a ton of trees and decent landscaping. Again, KI is one of our favorite parks, but the extra greenery and landscaping here was a nice touch. The buildings seemed more decorative. Back Lot Stunt coaster's water features were actually working and the coaster actually blends into the area well as opposed to being a weird eye sore at KI. The "Snoopy" light show area at the end of the night was really awesome, to the point where it might have been the highlight of the day slowly walking through the area with my wife. In typical Cedar Fair style the park looks fantastic at night. The lighting packages on the Ferris Wheel, the Windseeker, and the Eiffel Tower look fantastic.

 

Here are my impressions of the rides:

 

Anaconda: Not too bad for a typical head banger. The fact that it was on the lake made it neat. Still, one and done for me.

Avalanche: This was fun. My wife and I laughed and had a decent time. I could have ridden it again, but we didn't have time.

Back Lot Stunt Coaster: Better than KI. More of the themeing worked and the water effect was actually functioning unlike KI.

Dominator: We got three laps. Front row was my favorite. I liked the layout and the coaster was smooth. This was probably the best re-riding coaster at the park for me.

Flight of Fear: Smoother than the one at KI, or at least this year. Typical Premier Spaghetti Bowl, but not bad.

Great Pumpkin Coaster: Didn't ride.

Grizzly: I'm not a woodie fan, so it was just OK for me. I like how it went through the woods. The entrance was hard to find. One and done for me.

Hurler: What a total piece of crap.

Rebel Yell Wood: This was fun and it was much smoother than KI! We rode both sides!

Ricochet: These do nothing for me. One and done.

Shockwave: Kill it with fire. It was nice to look at, but easily the most uncomfortable steel coaster I've ever been on. One and done.

Woodstock Express: Fun JR knee cap banging woodie.

Volcano: I expected a lot from this coaster. It was OK, but a little jerky. Our best ride of the three times we rode it was at night in the front. We got a real sense of speed. Other than that, I really don't get the hype, especially after the launch, which IS cool. However, aimlessly circling around a cheesy looking volcano and doing barrel roll after barrel roll was only so much fun. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed this coaster, but I think if it didn't have the Intamin name and the rarity of and Intamin invert it wouldn't have the hype behind it. I'll take an underrated due it's duplication B:TR clone over an overrated Intamin Invert due to it's rarity. Just my $.02

Intimidator 305: God.... I305 I wanted SOOO badly to love you. Front row... back row... five laps later and I left feeling 'some type of way.' It really was almost too much and I HAAAATE to say that, since I LOVE positive G's. What also took away from this coaster is the extremely bland themeing... and again I'm not a themeing nerd but damn... there was just nothing to it but concrete, ugly black red neck NASCAR trains, a field of untended weeds, an incredibly bland station, an obnoxious "start your engines!" sound effect, and on this day... a one train operation for a coaster tucked away from almost everything in the back of the park, where this thing needs to be a centerpiece. Now... aside from that the coaster has awesome power. Awesome power is what I thought I've always wanted in a coaster. Hell, I'd be the first one to say, "Who gives a crap about the name, the themeing, the location, the trains, the music, the staff, or anything else BUT the coaster!" However, I learned something about myself. I learned that I really do appreciate those things, although not to the level of being cheesy or over the top. The coaster itself just happens almost too fast and the coaster completely takes control. It's totally neat and you really feel like you're at the mercy of the coaster, but it just didn't leave me with the feeling of wanting more and more and more. For ME I305 really is the definition of too much of a good thing and not enough of a balance of all of the other small things that make up a great ride. I enjoyed the coaster in itself to an extent. If I believed in top 10 lists it would probably be in it just for the experience itself, but if I had a list of rides I just wanted to ride over and over again this ride wouldn't be on it. I can only explain it like it's comparable to the feeling you get when you realize that all you ever wanted was to be with someone who is awesome, beautiful, and intelligent as opposed to that extremely hot girl you meet that you thought was going to be... awesome... but it ended up being an empty experience. Call me crazy, but at the end of the day I ended up holding some of my favorites like Banshee and Diamondback closer to my heart than the awesome power of I305. I should have known since "the biggest and the fastest" has never really been my thing. I'm definitely more of an overall experience type of guy.

 

When it was all said and done I liked this park, but I don't know if I would jump in the car for 12 hours just to come here. Maybe for BGW, though... Especially since my next two days were followed up with one of the best park experiences I've ever had at BGW. But that being said, there's no doubt I'll most definitely come back to KD and if this were my local park I've be thrilled to have it. I just won't be thirsting to come back for more laps on I305, like I thought I would, which is probably a good thing since the much more enjoyable to us sister park KI is under 5 hours away from us.

 

Here are some pictures we took throughout the day:

 

Getting a few pictures out of the way before opening:

 

Early morning pictures taken offered by friendly staff.

 

The area before the Eiffel tower was really well put together.

 

Right before my first ride that I'd been looking forward to for years!

 

Tooling around on the cars in the late afternoon after hearing an interesting conversation by the ride OPs about how the new girl is attractive and probably into another ride operator. Then they lead you into the cars and ignore you and send you on your way. Awesome teenagers are awesome. (sorry about the filter. oops)

 

Singing mushrooms are not singing? Usually I don't like things this corny, but I was looking forward to it.

 

This ride was really fun:

 

Just playing with my camera:

 

Why couldn't I have liked you more, like everyone else?!?!?

 

There is it... just tucked back into the corner. Don't mind me.

 

That's pretty much it for the pictures. See you again someday, KD. Good luck with the whole Shockwave removal project.

[mike541x]

Great report/pictures. I'm actually going to have to agree with what you said about the ride ops. So far this year they seem terrible, especially on Anaconda and Rebel Yell. I would see trains make it to the brake run before the ride ops would even open the air gates to let people board the other. Ridiculous!

[coasterbill]

Great report. I actually prefer KD to KI (barely) but KI has the better coaster lineup, KD just seems nicer to me as it's more heavily wooded and that area by the flume (and the flume itself) almost makes you forget you're in a corporate park. I305 is the exception to this of course, the placement is ALMOST reminiscent of Six Flags America. I agree with you, a high profile ride like that could really use a nicer surrounding area.

Edited July 20, 2015 by coasterbill

[RollerManic]

Your trip report sounds a lot like my day there Thursday! One train on i305 and all woodies, and slow operations on most rides. I have always wanted to go just for the sake of going, surprisingly not tempted by i305 almost at all. Bonus for the workout and hearty breakfast - thats my style too (though resort gym only went to 50lb dumbells, FML ).

[Vonni]

My draw to KD is Volcano, and not I305. Of course I'll ride it, but its not the coaster that makes the park intriguing for me.

[TB305]

Honestly, Volcano has become pretty meh after riding so many times. After the launches it just meanders around repeating a roll that isn't all that exciting and then curves into mountain/brakes 30 seconds after launch. If I miss opening time and it has more than a 20 minutes wait, I'll skip it. It has just become not worth it for me. I305 on the other hand I would gladly wait a generous time for it, even though it never has a wait (SCORE!!). Seriously, graying out isn't uncomfortable, you just feel heavy and you can't see very well for like 3 seconds. No big deal. That airtime is great though!

[Vonni]

^ I've greyed out on Titan at SFOT and Goliath at SFMM. It really isn't bad. Actually its kind of cool.

[PhantomPoster32]

My draw to KD is Volcano, and not I305. Of course I'll ride it, but its not the coaster that makes the park intriguing for me.

 

Same here. I find Volcano (post launch) to be very relaxing, which is a plus in my book.

[Coaster Hero]

Here's my TR, and though I just copied and pasted out of notepad, I'm gonna add my 2 cents at the end.

 

King's Dominion Ride Count:

 

Volcano x1

Avalanche x1

Dominator x1

Drop Tower x1

Windseeker x1

Grizzly x2

Hurler x1

Rebel Yell x1

Intimidator 305 x3

Flight of Fear x1

 

 

I arrived at the park at about noon due to heavy traffic on the way. I took the general advice of heading straight to Volcano, and the wait was about 2 hours because I arrived so late. The tv's in the queue made the wait a bit less mind-numbing. The station was pretty empty though so we waited for the front. The launches were a lot better than expected, and I loved the part after the second launch where you go inside the Volcano and you can see all of the supports inside. Overall: 8/10 Dispatches: Relatively quick

 

At this point I knew that If I didn't buy a Fastlane I would get maximum 3 coasters so I went ahead and bought it once I saw I305's line extending way out of the queue all the way to the entrance plaza past the gift shop. I walked right up to the entrance and hopped on the 4th row (I hate how you can't get front row access with the Fast Lane). It was great, but not as great as the last time I rode it. The drop was really lackluster and really stood out as forceless. I blacked out the first turn though. I would ride a few more times later in the day. Overall :8.5/10 Dispatches: Fast

 

I decided to try out Avalanche next since it looked like a cool concept. It was also my first bobsled coaster, and it was a fun experience. Overall: 6/10 Dispatches: Fairly quick

 

I headed over to Dominator next. Walked right on and got the second row. It was very smooth, even smoother than the last time I rode it. I got lots of air on the drop after the (really high) MCBR. Overall: 7.5/10 Dispatches: Relatively slow

 

I was thinking of going on Shockwave for the final time but I saw the line extending way out of the queue and knowing Shockwave's historically slow dispatches I figured it was a 2+ hour wait due to there being no Fast Lane entrance. I skipped since I rode it last year

 

I headed to Drop Tower after that. The drop had tons of air and it provided a nice view. Dispatches: Very slow

 

Windseeker was next. I had already been on SFGadv's Skyscreamer so I was a little prepared. It's a very pleasant ride; great view, a nice entrance area, relaxing music, and very comfortable seating. I loved it, not too thrilling but a very nice breather in my day. The metal bar feels much more "secure" than the chain on the Skyscreamers so that takes away from the thrill of it a bit. Dispatches: Extremely slow

 

I saw Grizzly nearby so I went on (had a little difficulty locating it with the gift shop in the way). It was completely empty, no need for the Fast Lane! The ride ops kept warning people not to touch the fence on the catwalks (and even joked that she would stop the lift if she saw anyone doing it!) but people still did it anyway. It had some great air and lats too. I went on twice because of the non-existant lines. Overall: 6/10 Dispatches: Mediocre

 

I decided to see if Hurler really was as bad as everyone keeps saying. Short answer: Yes. Long answer: It had some airtime, but the turns were absolutely brutal, especially the first one (which was like illegally rough). #RMCHurler2017 (I actually heard someone who seemed to be a GP mention that they should bring in RMC to upgrade the ride. Maybe an enthusiast? ) Overall: 3/10 Dispatches: Decent

 

Rebel Yell had some pretty decent airtime, but the dispatch was really off sync so the other side ended up destroying us in the race XD. We made it first back to the station though so technically we won! Overall: 4.5/10 Dispatches: Slow

 

The lines for all of the other rides were really long so I decided it was time for some more rides on I305. I hopped on the third row just to see if the previous ride was really as stange as the one before and it was. I blacked out again after the first drop, which was again forceless for some reason. Overall 8.5/10

 

Right after that I would discover the secret of I305. I discovered it's definitely a back seat ride. I hopped on the back car right after, and the cable lift was much more nerve-racking because by the time you exit the station the lift is at full speed. Now the drop: It was 10000x better in the back. With all that speed from the lift and being in the back, you get absolutely DRAGGED over the crest. I got so much airtime I slammed into the OTSR's and I had the most insane blackout on that ride I had ever experienced. (Did I mention it was 90 degrees with the RealFeel at 105 degrees and I had not that much to drink that day?) I could see *nothing but black until the bottom of the airtime hill (usually I can see halfway up the first hill, and that's what most people tell me). It was definitely the best ride on I305 I've ever gotten and the best ride I've ever been on. It blew my expectations away in all honesty. Overall: 10/10

 

I had a few minutes left so I decided to try out Flight of Fear. I didn't know much about it at all and didn't expect anything. The launch was pretty intense and the ride was infinitely better than I had expected. The trains though were very cramped. Overall: 7.75/10 Dispatches: Fast

 

After that it was time to leave. I had an absolute blast at the park, and the Fast Lane was definitely worth it. I loved the park itself and the rides were great. I hope to come back really soon!

 

*Note. It was so hot that day that our car overheated and wouldn't start. We were lucky enough to find a really nice policeman who helped us jumpstart it!

 

RANT

Now for the spare change (see what I did there?). I305 is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Especially with the blacking out; it's not really a design "flaw", but an unintended consequence which has become a core part of the ride. I went Saturday and paid extra attention to the people at the park, conversing and asking what others think. The first question I always got asked (after being asked if it was my first time) was "Did you black out?" I know not everyone enjoys blacking out, but from what I saw it's an exhilerating experience that people actually seem to enjoy. I paid attention to people's faces at the brake run, and every single one of them had the "WTF just happened?" look on their face. People were laughing and clapping, and I didn't see a single look of regret. The only other manufacture I can think of that can get those "WTF" reactions is RMC, especially with Wicked Cyclone. Carowinds and King's Dominion got very different rides for different types of people. Fury 325 is a well rounded coaster, doing well in every category and basically surpassing I305 in every statistic. But I305 eats it alive in the intensity department.

 

Intensity is a very raw and new aspect/factor of roller coasters. I305 was first (unless you count Maverick), followed by Skyrush, then some of the RMC's. A focus on positive g's and quick transitions is rather new, and it's a polarizing one. The majority love it, but there are a few who simply don't enjoy the experience. I guess people just love having their body's limits pushed around and being scared for their lives until they realized that their lives aren't in danger at all, and that the whole thing was exhilarating. I305 was like nothing anyone had seen when it debuted, and whether the public was ready for a ride of that intensity is debatable, but you have to take that first big step eventually, and that's what I305 did. Now people are getting used to highly agressive rides and love them, and this category will definitely continue to be opened up.

 

By the way to all of you complaining about the lack of airtime on I305, I got slammed into my restraints more than I can count yesterday. The only complaint is the trim hill, but whatever .

 

I have a lot more to say, but I'll wait until a few more thoughts get posted because this post is getting excessively long . For now let's get back to our regular discussion!

Edited July 20, 2015 by Coaster Hero

[PhantomPoster32]

I still think I305 would have better with a Millennium Force style 2nd hill curve instead of what is there.

[certifiedcoastergeek]

Here's my TR, and though I just copied and pasted out of notepad, I'm gonna add my 2 cents at the end.

 

King's Dominion Ride Count:

 

Volcano x1

Avalanche x1

Dominator x1

Drop Tower x1

Windseeker x1

Grizzly x2

Hurler x1

Rebel Yell x1

Intimidator 305 x3

Flight of Fear x1

 

 

I arrived at the park at about noon due to heavy traffic on the way. I took the general advice of heading straight to Volcano, and the wait was about 2 hours because I arrived so late. The tv's in the queue made the wait a bit less mind-numbing. The station was pretty empty though so we waited for the front. The launches were a lot better than expected, and I loved the part after the second launch where you go inside the Volcano and you can see all of the supports inside. Overall: 8/10 Dispatches: Relatively quick

 

At this point I knew that If I didn't buy a Fastlane I would get maximum 3 coasters so I went ahead and bought it once I saw I305's line extending way out of the queue all the way to the entrance plaza past the gift shop. I walked right up to the entrance and hopped on the 4th row (I hate how you can't get front row access with the Fast Lane). It was great, but not as great as the last time I rode it. The drop was really lackluster and really stood out as forceless. I blacked out the first turn though. I would ride a few more times later in the day. Overall :8.5/10 Dispatches: Fast

 

I decided to try out Avalanche next since it looked like a cool concept. It was also my first bobsled coaster, and it was a fun experience. Overall: 6/10 Dispatches: Fairly quick

 

I headed over to Dominator next. Walked right on and got the second row. It was very smooth, even smoother than the last time I rode it. I got lots of air on the drop after the (really high) MCBR. Overall: 7.5/10 Dispatches: Relatively slow

 

I was thinking of going on Shockwave for the final time but I saw the line extending way out of the queue and knowing Shockwave's historically slow dispatches I figured it was a 2+ hour wait due to there being no Fast Lane entrance. I skipped since I rode it last year

 

I headed to Drop Tower after that. The drop had tons of air and it provided a nice view. Dispatches: Very slow

 

Windseeker was next. I had already been on SFGadv's Skyscreamer so I was a little prepared. It's a very pleasant ride; great view, a nice entrance area, relaxing music, and very comfortable seating. I loved it, not too thrilling but a very nice breather in my day. The metal bar feels much more "secure" than the chain on the Skyscreamers so that takes away from the thrill of it a bit. Dispatches: Extremely slow

 

I saw Grizzly nearby so I went on (had a little difficulty locating it with the gift shop in the way). It was completely empty, no need for the Fast Lane! The ride ops kept warning people not to touch the fence on the catwalks (and even joked that she would stop the lift if she saw anyone doing it!) but people still did it anyway. It had some great air and lats too. I went on twice because of the non-existant lines. Overall: 6/10 Dispatches: Mediocre

 

I decided to see if Hurler really was as bad as everyone keeps saying. Short answer: Yes. Long answer: It had some airtime, but the turns were absolutely brutal, especially the first one (which was like illegally rough). #RMCHurler2017 (I actually heard someone who seemed to be a GP mention that they should bring in RMC to upgrade the ride. Maybe an enthusiast? ) Overall: 3/10 Dispatches: Decent

 

Rebel Yell had some pretty decent airtime, but the dispatch was really off sync so the other side ended up destroying us in the race XD. We made it first back to the station though so technically we won! Overall: 4.5/10 Dispatches: Slow

 

The lines for all of the other rides were really long so I decided it was time for some more rides on I305. I hopped on the third row just to see if the previous ride was really as stange as the one before and it was. I blacked out again after the first drop, which was again forceless for some reason. Overall 8.5/10

 

Right after that I would discover the secret of I305. I discovered it's definitely a back seat ride. I hopped on the back car right after, and the cable lift was much more nerve-racking because by the time you exit the station the lift is at full speed. Now the drop: It was 10000x better in the back. With all that speed from the lift and being in the back, you get absolutely DRAGGED over the crest. I got so much airtime I slammed into the OTSR's and I had the most insane blackout on that ride I had ever experienced. (Did I mention it was 90 degrees with the RealFeel at 105 degrees and I had not that much to drink that day?) I could see *nothing but black until the bottom of the airtime hill (usually I can see halfway up the first hill, and that's what most people tell me). It was definitely the best ride on I305 I've ever gotten and the best ride I've ever been on. It blew my expectations away in all honesty. Overall: 10/10

 

I had a few minutes left so I decided to try out Flight of Fear. I didn't know much about it at all and didn't expect anything. The launch was pretty intense and the ride was infinitely better than I had expected. The trains though were very cramped. Overall: 7.75/10 Dispatches: Fast

 

After that it was time to leave. I had an absolute blast at the park, and the Fast Lane was definitely worth it. I loved the park itself and the rides were great. I hope to come back really soon!

 

*Note. It was so hot that day that our car overheated and wouldn't start. We were lucky enough to find a really nice policeman who helped us jumpstart it!

 

RANT

Now for the spare change (see what I did there?). I305 is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Especially with the blacking out; it's not really a design "flaw", but an unintended consequence which has become a core part of the ride. I went Saturday and paid extra attention to the people at the park, conversing and asking what others think. The first question I always got asked (after being asked if it was my first time) was "Did you black out?" I know not everyone enjoys blacking out, but from what I saw it's an exhilerating experience that people actually seem to enjoy. I paid attention to people's faces at the brake run, and every single one of them had the "WTF just happened?" look on their face. People were laughing and clapping, and I didn't see a single look of regret. The only other manufacture I can think of that can get those "WTF" reactions is RMC, especially with Wicked Cyclone. Carowinds and King's Dominion got very different rides for different types of people. Fury 325 is a well rounded coaster, doing well in every category and basically surpassing I305 in every statistic. But I305 eats it alive in the intensity department.

 

Intensity is a very raw and new aspect/factor of roller coasters. I305 was first (unless you count Maverick), followed by Skyrush, then some of the RMC's. A focus on positive g's and quick transitions is rather new, and it's a polarizing one. The majority love it, but there are a few who simply don't enjoy the experience. I guess people just love having their body's limits pushed around and being scared for their lives until they realized that their lives aren't in danger at all, and that the whole thing was exhilarating. I305 was like nothing anyone had seen when it debuted, and whether the public was ready for a ride of that intensity is debatable, but you have to take that first big step eventually, and that's what I305 did. Now people are getting used to highly agressive rides and love them, and this category will definitely continue to be opened up.

 

By the way to all of you complaining about the lack of airtime on I305, I got slammed into my restraints more than I can count yesterday. The only complaint is the trim hill, but whatever .

 

I have a lot more to say, but I'll wait until a few more thoughts get posted because this post is getting excessively long . For now let's get back to our regular discussion!

*slowly applauds*

Fury 325 is a great ride, but Intimidator 305 crushes it in my books because I enjoy a good, intense, "I'm gonna die" feeling ride.

Unfortunately, we might be looking at a name change to Fury 305 or something else at the end of the season... liek if u cry everytiem mlg m9s

[I305isadrug]

Here's my TR, and though I just copied and pasted out of notepad, I'm gonna add my 2 cents at the end.

 

King's Dominion Ride Count:

 

Volcano x1

Avalanche x1

Dominator x1

Drop Tower x1

Windseeker x1

Grizzly x2

Hurler x1

Rebel Yell x1

Intimidator 305 x3

Flight of Fear x1

 

 

I arrived at the park at about noon due to heavy traffic on the way. I took the general advice of heading straight to Volcano, and the wait was about 2 hours because I arrived so late. The tv's in the queue made the wait a bit less mind-numbing. The station was pretty empty though so we waited for the front. The launches were a lot better than expected, and I loved the part after the second launch where you go inside the Volcano and you can see all of the supports inside. Overall: 8/10 Dispatches: Relatively quick

 

At this point I knew that If I didn't buy a Fastlane I would get maximum 3 coasters so I went ahead and bought it once I saw I305's line extending way out of the queue all the way to the entrance plaza past the gift shop. I walked right up to the entrance and hopped on the 4th row (I hate how you can't get front row access with the Fast Lane). It was great, but not as great as the last time I rode it. The drop was really lackluster and really stood out as forceless. I blacked out the first turn though. I would ride a few more times later in the day. Overall :8.5/10 Dispatches: Fast

 

I decided to try out Avalanche next since it looked like a cool concept. It was also my first bobsled coaster, and it was a fun experience. Overall: 6/10 Dispatches: Fairly quick

 

I headed over to Dominator next. Walked right on and got the second row. It was very smooth, even smoother than the last time I rode it. I got lots of air on the drop after the (really high) MCBR. Overall: 7.5/10 Dispatches: Relatively slow

 

I was thinking of going on Shockwave for the final time but I saw the line extending way out of the queue and knowing Shockwave's historically slow dispatches I figured it was a 2+ hour wait due to there being no Fast Lane entrance. I skipped since I rode it last year

 

I headed to Drop Tower after that. The drop had tons of air and it provided a nice view. Dispatches: Very slow

 

Windseeker was next. I had already been on SFGadv's Skyscreamer so I was a little prepared. It's a very pleasant ride; great view, a nice entrance area, relaxing music, and very comfortable seating. I loved it, not too thrilling but a very nice breather in my day. The metal bar feels much more "secure" than the chain on the Skyscreamers so that takes away from the thrill of it a bit. Dispatches: Extremely slow

 

I saw Grizzly nearby so I went on (had a little difficulty locating it with the gift shop in the way). It was completely empty, no need for the Fast Lane! The ride ops kept warning people not to touch the fence on the catwalks (and even joked that she would stop the lift if she saw anyone doing it!) but people still did it anyway. It had some great air and lats too. I went on twice because of the non-existant lines. Overall: 6/10 Dispatches: Mediocre

 

I decided to see if Hurler really was as bad as everyone keeps saying. Short answer: Yes. Long answer: It had some airtime, but the turns were absolutely brutal, especially the first one (which was like illegally rough). #RMCHurler2017 (I actually heard someone who seemed to be a GP mention that they should bring in RMC to upgrade the ride. Maybe an enthusiast? ) Overall: 3/10 Dispatches: Decent

 

Rebel Yell had some pretty decent airtime, but the dispatch was really off sync so the other side ended up destroying us in the race XD. We made it first back to the station though so technically we won! Overall: 4.5/10 Dispatches: Slow

 

The lines for all of the other rides were really long so I decided it was time for some more rides on I305. I hopped on the third row just to see if the previous ride was really as stange as the one before and it was. I blacked out again after the first drop, which was again forceless for some reason. Overall 8.5/10

 

Right after that I would discover the secret of I305. I discovered it's definitely a back seat ride. I hopped on the back car right after, and the cable lift was much more nerve-racking because by the time you exit the station the lift is at full speed. Now the drop: It was 10000x better in the back. With all that speed from the lift and being in the back, you get absolutely DRAGGED over the crest. I got so much airtime I slammed into the OTSR's and I had the most insane blackout on that ride I had ever experienced. (Did I mention it was 90 degrees with the RealFeel at 105 degrees and I had not that much to drink that day?) I could see *nothing but black until the bottom of the airtime hill (usually I can see halfway up the first hill, and that's what most people tell me). It was definitely the best ride on I305 I've ever gotten and the best ride I've ever been on. It blew my expectations away in all honesty. Overall: 10/10

 

I had a few minutes left so I decided to try out Flight of Fear. I didn't know much about it at all and didn't expect anything. The launch was pretty intense and the ride was infinitely better than I had expected. The trains though were very cramped. Overall: 7.75/10 Dispatches: Fast

 

After that it was time to leave. I had an absolute blast at the park, and the Fast Lane was definitely worth it. I loved the park itself and the rides were great. I hope to come back really soon!

 

*Note. It was so hot that day that our car overheated and wouldn't start. We were lucky enough to find a really nice policeman who helped us jumpstart it!

 

RANT

Now for the spare change (see what I did there?). I305 is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Especially with the blacking out; it's not really a design "flaw", but an unintended consequence which has become a core part of the ride. I went Saturday and paid extra attention to the people at the park, conversing and asking what others think. The first question I always got asked (after being asked if it was my first time) was "Did you black out?" I know not everyone enjoys blacking out, but from what I saw it's an exhilerating experience that people actually seem to enjoy. I paid attention to people's faces at the brake run, and every single one of them had the "WTF just happened?" look on their face. People were laughing and clapping, and I didn't see a single look of regret. The only other manufacture I can think of that can get those "WTF" reactions is RMC, especially with Wicked Cyclone. Carowinds and King's Dominion got very different rides for different types of people. Fury 325 is a well rounded coaster, doing well in every category and basically surpassing I305 in every statistic. But I305 eats it alive in the intensity department.

 

Intensity is a very raw and new aspect/factor of roller coasters. I305 was first (unless you count Maverick), followed by Skyrush, then some of the RMC's. A focus on positive g's and quick transitions is rather new, and it's a polarizing one. The majority love it, but there are a few who simply don't enjoy the experience. I guess people just love having their body's limits pushed around and being scared for their lives until they realized that their lives aren't in danger at all, and that the whole thing was exhilarating. I305 was like nothing anyone had seen when it debuted, and whether the public was ready for a ride of that intensity is debatable, but you have to take that first big step eventually, and that's what I305 did. Now people are getting used to highly agressive rides and love them, and this category will definitely continue to be opened up.

 

By the way to all of you complaining about the lack of airtime on I305, I got slammed into my restraints more than I can count yesterday. The only complaint is the trim hill, but whatever .

 

I have a lot more to say, but I'll wait until a few more thoughts get posted because this post is getting excessively long . For now let's get back to our regular discussion!

*slowly applauds*

Fury 325 is a great ride, but Intimidator 305 crushes it in my books because I enjoy a good, intense, "I'm gonna die" feeling ride.

Unfortunately, we might be looking at a name change to Fury 305 or something else at the end of the season... liek if u cry everytiem mlg m9s

Name change due to what??? As long as the ride itself doesn't change right

[I305isadrug]

The 4 best coasters atm in the USA are all Intamins. I305 Skyrush El Toro and Maverick.....

[DonkeysWaffles]

The 4 best coasters atm in the USA are all Intamins. I305 Skyrush El Toro and Maverick.....

 

*cough Fury 325 *cough

[coasterbill]

The 4 best coasters atm in the USA are all Intamins. I305 Skyrush El Toro and Maverick.....

 

Phoenix is an Intamin? Wow, they can travel back in time too... they really are amazing.

 

Oh, and great trip report Coaster Hero.

Edited July 20, 2015 by coasterbill

[I305isadrug]

The 4 best coasters atm in the USA are all Intamins. I305 Skyrush El Toro and Maverick.....

 

*cough Fury 325 *cough

No. MF is the 5th. Sorry fury. Ur out

[I305isadrug]

Or Bizarro. Hard to choose

[kcurry11]

Lets all agree to disagree. There is no way to ever actually put coasters in a list of "Best in the World". This is all opinion. Some people prefer Intamin, some prefer B and M, heck, some even prefer Vekoma. We all have our own Top 5. So why not respect other peoples, and not have pointless agruments against them. They might just feel that those rides are better the the others for hundreds of thousands of different reasons. Who knows? So please, stop bashing on everyone's top coasters, just because they don't agree with yours. Its like arguing favorite foods, everyone tastes something different. I know it's a popular thing to do, but please don't bash. I'm okay with the whole "This coaster does this better because these reasons" arguments, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion on their top, so do not just say "That coaster sucks because this one is better because it's on my top list" crap. Maybe it's not for them. Sorry for the rant, its over now, back to your regularly scheduled posting.

[coasterbill]

^No, you're wrong. This is serious business and we have to come up with a universal top 10 list that we all agree on so every opinion must be stated as fact with GREAT AUTHORITY. And it's all fun and games until some a**hole like me puts Mystery Mine in the top 10 out of 250 coasters and screws the whole thing up.

[kcurry11]

And it's all fun and games until some a**hole like me puts Mystery Mine in the top 10 out of 250 coasters and screws the whole thing up.

[coneyislandchris]

Awesome trip reports, guys. I'm back in the office this morning after a killer Saturday there, and hopefully I'll have time to type up a TR and post some photos myself during my lunch break. But a lot of it is probably going to just be echoing what everyone else has been saying.

[blk_mamba]

Went to Kings Dominion this Sunday and it was brutal. It was high 90's all day and they kept reminding us on FunTV that it was 95 but it felt like 110 degrees outside. I even noticed in some parts of the park they were announcing over the speakers that today was a heat advisory day and they where encouraging everyone to stay hydrated and eat in one of the air conditioned restaurants or catch a show in one the air conditioned buildings. While it was brutal the lines were actually NOT that bad.

 

We got to the park later than expected and went against everyone's advice and got on Dominator first and it was a walk on however I like the fact that B&M trains can hold larger people b/c I a tall guy and not very skinny.

 

I thought about being a credit whore and riding Woodstock Express but it was too hot to play around with that coaster so we kept going. I did notice there was some work done to the ride. It looks like they replaced some big portions that are yet to be painted.

 

Next up was Volcano however when we got there it was shut down for repairs but I think it is still one of the themed coasters in the Cedar Fairs chain and it always is great to look at day or night.

 

We did Avalanche next. Nothing to write home about, but riding alone the G's are more intense.

 

Crypt as usual was down. It did have the car attached today. I go to Kings Dominion at least twice a year and have only seen this ride operating once. I think you have a better chance spotting a unicorn than getting on this ride.

 

Next up was the Flight of Fear, damn those seats are tight!

 

Then we went to ride i305 and it broke down! It was interesting watching it get fixed. We stayed because it was basically a walk-on and I was intrigued to see how they handled the breakdown.

Something was wrong with the second train. The technicians were working on the trains, track and the controls but eventually decided to just run one train however we got first dibs and walked on for another ride

 

After i305 We hit up Bubba Gump Shi... I mean Outer Hanks. I had the Shrimp Basket and my friend had the fish and chips. I love the signs around the restaurant. This is one my personal favorites.

 

Next up we did the obligatory Anaconda-Stunt Coaster doubleheader.

 

Then we hit up the other side of the park

 

SHOCKWAVE- I rode it, it wasn't as bad as I remember but it is time to go. First it is a loading nightmare. It takes about 5 mins to get everyone on the thing. However it runs well. It was not as bumpy as I remember, actually it was kinda smooth for the first half and a little more rough on the backend. I thought it would be a line but it was a walk-on.

 

I did notice in the distance a pink survey marker in the woods!

The space the coaster takes up I think is larger than people think and when you look at all that wooded un-used space it would be a great place to add a roller coaster. The coaster might be compact and probably would not break any records but still it can be done.

 

Walking to Drop Zone I got to really look at the improvement in Candy Apple Grove and they are beautiful. This is a great addition the park ascetically and well shaded. Bad Apple is more intense than it looks.

 

After the Candy Apple Grove section we went to Windseeker and then the wooden coaster trifecta (Rebel Yell, Grizzly and Hurler).

 

All of them were walk on's however my friend got beat up pretty bad by Hurler and has the scars to prove it! He scraped his knee in two places.

 

Overall it was a great day at Kings Dominion despite the oppressive heat. We stayed for 6 hours and hit all the major rides and most of them were straight walk-ons with the exception of the Volcano. I assume that everyone was in the newly expanded waterpark, which was not a bad idea!

 

On the way out I saw a friend I met a few years ago that use to operate the drop tower, Fran. When I stopped to speak she sadly told me that she has a pace maker now and because of the electro-magnetic fields near the rides she has to work the front of the park. Ironically my friend and I were talking about how our first ride on the Drop Tower was with her and we both recalled how proud she was to have opened the ride and how she loved to see in seat 39. Talking to her at the end of the day and her telling us how she appreciated us remembering her and stopping past to talk really was the highlight of the day.

[LiftThrill]

The 4 best coasters atm in the USA are all Intamins. I305 Skyrush El Toro and Maverick.....

I think "imo" should be in there somewhere.

(although to be fair, Intamins are awesome. I've only been on an Intamin bobsled, but even that had ejector airtime in the transitions)

Intamins are definitely the most forceful when it comes to negative g, but some people aren't big fans. It's not that they can't "handle the heat" or whatever, it's just that they prefer something else.

Sort of how I prefer a family out-and-back woodie to a Schwarzkopf.

But I'm weird so whatever lol

[DonkeysWaffles]

If KD is going to re-theme I305, they should call it Kilimanjaro and theme it to Africa's highest mountain. It would fit in very well with the area.

[michaellynn4]

If KD is going to re-theme I305, they should call it Kilimanjaro and theme it to Africa's highest mountain. It would fit in very well with the area.

 

While I kind of like that name, with Backlot Stunt Coaster and Flight of Fear still being there, it doesn't do much to fix the themeing mess that is Safari Village.

 

They should just rename the section "Hodge Podge". Problem solved.