Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[certifiedcoastergeek]

Just dropping by to analyze some of the (RMC Hurler) teasers that have given people headaches for a while.

(For reference, you can see most of the teasers here and today's teaser here.)

I'll go in chronological order. Feel free to update me/roast me if I'm spewing old news or missing anything. I'm also speculating, and operating on the assumption that all of these teasers pertain to RMC Hurler rather than Haunt. Stick with me, the explanations are long-winded but will make more sense as they progress.

 

Teaser #1: "816". Pretty obvious IMO, this is the announcement date, and Screamscape reported the same three days ago.

 

Teaser #2: "20. BE⊥TER than 4." I think this is probably a reference to airtime moments, since I remember four major airtime hills on Old Hurler (two after the first turn, two after the second). See Teaser #3 for more on this.

 

Teaser #3: "3. BE⊥TER than none." This is definitely a reference to inversions. I am hedging my bets that this ride will be very similar to

, another I-Box coaster, in size, speed, and layout. A YouTube channel did a rough estimate of the new Hurler height (they came up with about 110 feet), which is very similar to Medusa's. Medusa Steel Coaster has three inversions, including the inverted drop that would fit Hurler's drop well. This also lends credibility to the airtime explanation for Teaser 2 because both follow the "better than" format, which seems to compare RMC Hurler and Old Hurler.

 

Teaser #4: "28. Makes it BE⊥TER." This teaser is one of the hardest to decode, but I'm pretty sure I figured it out. Obviously, it follows a slightly different format than the previous two, since there's no concrete point of reference to Old Hurler. However, as discussed in Teaser 3, the new height of RMC Hurler should be somewhere around 110 feet. The height of Old Hurler was 83 feet. Simple addition leads to the realization that adding 28 feet of height to Old Hurler would make it 111 feet tall. 28 feet makes it BE⊥TER.

 

Teaser #5: "It left everything TA⊥TERED and torn in its wake." This one has the highest probability of being a reference to RMC Hurler's real name, and suggests that it will be themed after some sort of beast or monster, an interesting choice given the ride's original Wayne's World theme.

 

Teaser #6: "It can be a bit KNO⊥TY." I think this is another inversion reference, although as with #5, this one is harder to pinpoint as it contains less concrete references and will probably require context to understand when we get more details in two weeks.

 

TL;DR I am pretty confident that I decoded RMC Hurler's first four teasers, which are references to the ride's announcement date and new stats. As for the last two, well, 816. Thanks for reading!

[Keetz]

^I can get behind these theories, especially since I want to believe they can fit 20 airtime moments onto this conversion! I'm excited to see the full details on 8/16.

 

Between this and RMC Mean Streak, I will certainly be getting a Platinum pass.

[bill_s]

Hurler had 5 airtime moments, 6 in the back due to the drop. 3 on the backstretch alone. However it might have had about 4 seconds of air. I still think it's just 2018 vs. 1994 .

 

It's clear what we're getting but these teasers are aggravating enough to be their own thing.

[alilstronger]

Hello everyone....

 

I can not find a general Cedar Fair page when I search for one...

 

Does Cedar Fair do a huge season pass sale like Six Flags does over Labor Day Weekend every year? I am planning on getting a platinum season pass next year for KD with the added food, drink, and funpix options. It looks like this will end up being well over $200.00 and if they have a sale I would rather wait.

[CP Maverick]

Short answer: No.

 

Season passes go on sale usually in August. Prices gradually rise until May/June. The difference between early and late purchase is less than $20.

[njcoasterguy34]

Most Cedar Fair parks also have a monthly installment plan you can use to spread the cost over about 6 months.

[Keetz]

Does anyone remember when the KD FL+ season pass went on sale? With RMC Hurler coming next year I might need to indulge myself.

[VACoasterdude]

They went on sale in early March for $149 and quickly sold out. Got an email early last month, saying the FL+ season passes were available again but when I checked the price increased to $199 + taxes and fees.

[alilstronger]

Thank you for all the feed back guys!

 

Plan on getting the platinum pass so I can go to KD, Dorney (LOVE this park), Cedar Point and hopefully throw in Carowinds since I've never been and Kings Island because I think its a great park and never got to enjoy their water park.

[Jobo]

Short answer: No.

 

Season passes go on sale usually in August. Prices gradually rise until May/June. The difference between early and late purchase is less than $20.

 

 

Prices last year stayed the same until spring. Platinum was $189 from August announcements till the end of April.

[boldikus]

New flix making the FB rounds

[michaellynn4]

[CedarFanboy]

I see they are still missing a couple ledgers for the lift hill. Wonder what that's all about.

[CP Maverick]

Looks like some lateral bracing going up. Is this a sign of that inverted drop?

[bill_s]

^^-- The banking of the elevated turnaround is higher, the drop into that banked turn is higher and faster, no matter what there's more stress. The increased height is increased stress by itself. The steel track does offset some of this. None of these in themselves are a sure sign of a rollover except probably getting up so much speed in the first place. The extra width they're adding is more interesting and it's starting to look like a mirror of Medusa Steel Coaster, with the inversion more on the outside of the original structure (see the TPR video right at the beginning). However Medusa's first curve is not mirrored, it's the opposite direction of the pre-drop, so that might make the end of the drop more like Storm Chaser's straight hill after the drop (or include an extra hop).

[Bmanscool]

It looks like Busch Gardens Williamsburg filed permits for a 315 ft. attraction that may likeley be a coaster. If so, it would surpass Intimidator 305's maximum 305 ft. height and break the record as Virginia's tallest coaster! I'm skeptical about the intensity of the newly propsosed ride and curious about what KD has up its sleeve for 2018.

Edited August 5, 2017 by Bmanscool

[ytterbiumanalyst]

Europe Higher in the Air confirmed!

[certifiedcoastergeek]

It looks like Busch Gardens Williamsburg ... could very well [get] a coaster that surpasses Intimidator 305's maximum height of 305 ft. If this becomes true, then it would break the record as Virginia's tallest roller coaster! I'm still skeptical about the intensity of the newly proposed ride and curious about what KD has up its sleeve for 2018.

 

If they put a coaster there...

 

This is an exceptionally optimistic at best prediction.

BGW -just- got InvadR this year, and now a gigacoaster?

And curious? We're getting RMC Hurler next year (confirmed), with a very high probability of a significant side attraction (thrill ride, Knott's Boomerang, Winterfest, etc.), given the billing as the "biggest addition in KD's history", per the park.

[Taylor Finn]

Visited the park on Wednesday with my friend, who has really only ever been to Kennywood and Disney World. So her coaster experience was limited. She came in pretty much only down to ride non-looping coasters, but we worked our way up to riding Flight of Fear, Dominator, and Volcano. She didn't ride i305, but that was alright. I can understand her hesitation.

 

Just some thoughts on my visit:

 

Rebel Yell runs really well in non-wheel seats, but it's actually quite jolty and rough elsewhere. I know this is on its way out sooner than later, which makes me sad.

 

Grizzly also ran pretty bad. It was spooky, because we stopped going up the lift hill and when we resumed, we CRAWLED up the lift and hit the first turnaround at a ridiculously slow speed.

 

Avalanche also seemed really questionable at parts. Like after the lift and first little bit of course, you go up a straight section and get slammed back and forth until your car runs flush with the track, which was really awful. I want this to stick around, just needs a bit of work I would think.

 

Dominator was great, great and reminded me why it's one of my favorite floorless models.

 

Volcano is another ride that I find highly underrated. The double launch is fun and flying straight up is a sensation you don't get on a lot of other rides. It's a fun, smooth ride that is forceful enough.

 

i305 was every bit as intense as I remember. First ride in the second row, I came off with a bit of head rush and slight neck pain. It had been such a long time since I had ridden it and you truly have to "ride" the turns to prevent some pain afterward. I got a second ride before we left and someone called me up to fill in an empty seat in the front row (another single rider), which was really nice. I told them how much I appreciated it. I wasn't about to keep my friend waiting 8 trains (1 train operation) to ride in the front. It's a whole 'nother experience in the front. Going up the hill with nothing to look at but the sky and the pending peak is just incredible. That and the eye watering.

 

I really enjoyed my day at the park. I think I prefer Kings Island by a hair, but it's pretty close I think. I found a dole whip float at the park, which was delicious, albeit expensive at $8. Did the flyers and they were solid as I remembered them. Got some small snaps going and scared the crap out of my friend who has never been on flyers before. All in all, solid day.

[grsupercity]

I am kind of guessing a sky screamer

[anonymouscactus]

Short answer: No.

 

Season passes go on sale usually in August. Prices gradually rise until May/June. The difference between early and late purchase is less than $20.

You also have to remember there is usually a perk for the previous year for buying early. I know at Wonderland and Cedar point if you renewed you got a FL+ for the current season (no Saturdays at CP) and if you were a new passholder you got a ticket for the current season. Something to keep in mind.

[certifiedcoastergeek]

Hurler was topped off last night...

Enjoy some low quality pics for proof!

[bill_s]

Rebel Yell runs really well in non-wheel seats, but it's actually quite jolty and rough elsewhere. I know this is on its way out sooner than later, which makes me sad.

 

Grizzly also ran pretty bad. It was spooky, because we stopped going up the lift hill and when we resumed, we CRAWLED up the lift and hit the first turnaround at a ridiculously slow speed.

 

Avalanche also seemed really questionable at parts. Like after the lift and first little bit of course, you go up a straight section and get slammed back and forth until your car runs flush with the track, which was really awful. I want this to stick around, just needs a bit of work I would think.

 

No way on RY, it will probably be at the park as long as they exist. Notice they just rebuilt a lot of the lift hill? Among the smoothest I remember it ever being. However, the south side has something odd going on, usually it's ahead in the race and it still is for the first 2/3, but then suddenly (from the north side which I usually ride) it's like what happened to it, so far behind you can't even see it.

 

Avalanche has always been like that. It would almost be better if it went straight to the final/main sequence, it seems like they wanted to make it longer though. Re: Grizzly, should have ridden again! Someone probably had their phone out, maybe taking pics of Hurler construction.

[Taylor Finn]

I did notice the work that was done on Rebel Yell and it seems like both times I rode it, one side dispatched a good second or two early which made all the difference for the race. I obviously want it to stick around!

 

I mean, I know it's been like that and I guess that's just the difficulty of the design,but it seemed a little worse than 5 years ago.

 

And yeah, that's what we both assumed since it started back up so quickly thereafter. I dunno, it was still a little rough for my liking.

[Nitro1118]

Hey guys, I will be making my first trip to the park since 2005 on Wednesday the 23rd. I am very excited to finally get on I305, ride Dominator for the first time since I visited SFWoA in 2003, and hit up missed credits from last time (Grizzly and Drop Zone, both of which were down). I will be staying at the Centerstone Inn, which is essentially on-property and saves me $ on parking. I know the general advice is to hit up Volcano and FoF due to capacity issues, but I had a few general questions:

 

-For anyone familiar with the drive from central NJ, are there any options to avoid the crazy DC traffic without going too far out of my way? If not, how do you guys think traffic will be on 95 in that area around 8-9pm on a weekday?

 

-Any suggestions on where to eat? Preferably something a sitdown place a little nicer than your usual theme park food.

 

-Not expecting to deal with rain, but if it happens will the coasters continue operation as long as there is no lightning in the area?