Kings Dominion (KD) Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

Been a strange day here at Kings Dominion... Not very crowded but having tough luck with breakdowns and 1 train ops. Twisted Timbers was amazing though.

Volcanos line is in the room above the station... Anyone know how long that is?

 

If the room is completely full (and just the first room) and the back car is closed to prevent rollbacks (I assume this is the case) it's about an hour max. Well worth it...

[bluestreak]

Been a strange day here at Kings Dominion... Not very crowded but having tough luck with breakdowns and 1 train ops. Twisted Timbers was amazing though.

Volcanos line is in the room above the station... Anyone know how long that is?

 

If the room is completely full (and just the first room) and the back car is closed to prevent rollbacks (I assume this is the case) it's about an hour max. Well worth it...

 

Awesome. Thank you!

[AndrewA86]

I visited Kings Dominion on Monday April 2nd and it was the highlight of my trip. Going in I had very high expectations for Intimidator 305 and Twisted Timbers and both surpassed those expectations. But the other supporting coasters were pretty good too. The park was pretty empty. Everything except Volcano and Twisted Timbers was a walk on. And I did end of getting a FL+ because not only was there a wait for Twisted Timbers, they were only running 1 train and the operations were gruelingly slow, which I will talk about later...

 

So Dominator was the first ride of the day and it was fun but a little too rough for my liking, especially the 2nd half. I rode it in the back first and then later in the day gave it another ride in the front and the experience wasn't too different. It's also not to intense, probably the most intense moment is the vertical loop, it gives some great hang-time, but the rest of the inversions are not all that intense. So because it's rough and not all that intense I have to say it is a below average coaster.

 

Then I rode Volcano and while I think it is a very good ride, it left me wanting a whole lot more. That first launch is amazing, and then the second launch actually caught me off guard because the train is just flying and then you go faster, it is very intense and very fun. Then shooting out of the volcano happens so fast it takes a couple seconds to realize what happened. Then you just kind of meander around the volcano and the ride goes from very intense to just Ok, and then it's over. It's an above average coaster because of those launches, but at the same time it's kind of a one trick pony.

 

Next was Avalanche and I loved this ride. Obviously it's not the most intense ride in the world, but I just think that Bobsled coasters are so fun and unique.

 

Then I hit Intimidator 305 and found my new favorite coaster, knocking Lightning Rod down to #2. It's easily the most intense coaster I have ever ridden. I wouldn't say it's perfectly smooth, especially in the back, but it's smooth enough. That first turn after the drop is insane. On one ride (of my 15+) I did start to see stars but I didn't fully grey-out, although I wanted to... Going in I thought the restraints could be a negative but they weren't, and I thought the ride time was a little short, but at the end of the ride it didn't leave me wanting more, so I think for as intense as a ride that this is, the ride time is perfect. Overall it's just a perfect coaster. Now with me still to ride Twisted Timbers and visiting Carowinds in a couple days the questions is how long with I-305 last as my favorite coaster...

 

After riding I-305 4 or 5 times in a row I hit Rebel Yell which surprised the hell out of me. It's pretty smooth, and it looked like parts had been rebuilt. THe only rough part was the turnaround. It provides some good air and it was mildly intense. It's probably me second favorite classic woody behind the Beast at Kings Island. For an older wooden coaster it's definitely above average.

 

Then we decided to eat and hit the drop tower. The drop tower was good but when we were on it we saw that Twisted Timbers was up and running.

 

We bolted for TT and thought the line was pretty short, it started on the steps up to the station, but it turned out to be about 40 minutes before we got on. when you get to the station there are still a coupe long switchbacks that you have to go through, and the operations were terrible plus they were only running 1 train. I'm not going to complain about the 1 train because leading up to the day of my visit there was word that it wasn't running at all, and it wasn't running the day I was there right away. Now the reason the operations were so slow is because there were a million walk's of shame and the ride operators really took a lot of time trying to fit these people into these seats.

 

So what my cousin and I did was immediately purchase FL+ (no discount on that for platinum pass holders BTW) and tell the person assigning rows that we were single riders instead of together. Because even with FL+, once you were assigned a row the wait could still be 20 minutes. With that system 95% of the time we were on the next train. And I did get to ride in the very back, and very front. Back is the best, but the ride experience is incredible no matter where you sit.

 

Ok, so as for the ride experience. The new trains were said to make the ride smoother and that is absolutely the case. Easily the smoothest roller coaster I have ever been on. After going up the loudest lift hill ever, the drop is awesome, just like Storm Chaser, but IMO that's where the comparison's of the 2 rides end's. IMO TT is vastly superior. After the drop the turn around the station is as intense as any turn on any other RMC, then the 3 back to back air time hills IMO is the best part of the ride. They are definitely ejector hills, but I kind of floated down back into my seat. So it was like a hybrid of ejector and floater and it was something I have never experienced before, which made it super cool! Then to have that inverted cutback (or whatever it's called) right after that is icing on the cake. All the rest of the airtime hills are great ejector hills, and the final inversion is awesome. It's just an amazing ride and it completely shattered my expectations.

 

So after riding TT we hit Grizzly and that thing is just garbage. Easily the roughest roller coaster I've ever been on. Throughout the whole ride I was thinking that they RMC'd the wrong coaster...

 

After that nightmare I figured we could add to it so we got on Anaconda. I usually don't mind the old Arrow loopers, but this one is trash.

 

So the est of the day we just rode I-305 and TT most of the time with some stops at Volcano and Avalanche. We didn't ride Flight of Fear or Backlot because we go to Kings Island all the time and I didn't want to waste time riding something we have already experienced. We also didn't ride Apple Zapple because, well, it's right next to Twisted Timbers and every time I thought about riding it I just said screw it, let's go on TT again...

 

Overall it was an amazing day. Probably the most fun I've had at a park in a long time, and easily the highlight of my trip.

[larrygator]

Rode it twice yesterday, 2nd to last row and the 2nd row. The ride is really good in the second row, but much more intense in the 2nd to last row. The minor looking back-to-back humps are perfectly timed to provide ejector air (for those back cars) and then pop you right back into the air right as you land from the previous hump.

[CoasterInk]

^^Awesome Trip Report! Sounds like you had an incredible time! All of these reviews for TT and Kings Dominion is really hyping me up for a trip to KD... Can't wait.

[AndrewA86]

Rode it twice yesterday, 2nd to last row and the 2nd row. The ride is really good in the second row, but much more intense in the 2nd to last row. The minor looking back-to-back humps are perfectly timed to provide ejector air (for those back cars) and then pop you right back into the air right as you land from the previous hump.

 

When I went they had the 2nd row blocked off so it's good to hear that they fixed the problem they were having with that row.

[AndrewA86]

^^Awesome Trip Report! Sounds like you had an incredible time! All of these reviews for TT and Kings Dominion is really hyping me up for a trip to KD... Can't wait.

 

It was an incredible time, and I wish I could go (and maybe I will) in the summer when everything will be running faster!

[steamedturtle]

I visited Kings Dominion on Monday April 2nd

 

I was at the park that day too, and it was a great day at KD! It was almost perfect, with the exception of the slow TT operations - nevertheless, I was still able to get several rides in. Plus Drop Tower, The Crypt, and the Eiffel Tower were all open, which were not open the previous weekend.

 

I strongly disagree with you about Dominator. I enjoy it better in the back, even if there is a slight rattle. The front is really smooth though; you probably would have enjoyed it more there. The only thing this ride is missing is a zero-g roll. But I love the inversions, I love the way it meanders to add length, and I especially love the airtime after the MCBR.

[DoinItForTheFame]

So Dominator was the first ride of the day and it was fun but a little too rough for my liking, especially the 2nd half. I rode it in the back first and then later in the day gave it another ride in the front and the experience wasn't too different. It's also not to intense, probably the most intense moment is the vertical loop, it gives some great hang-time, but the rest of the inversions are not all that intense. So because it's rough and not all that intense I have to say it is a below average coaster.

 

This makes me so sad to hear!!! When I rode Dominator it BLEW me away!! It was such an amazing ride!! This was my review of the ride when I rode it in 2016:

 

Dominator: Dominator is by far the best floorless coaster I have ever been on. I really like how the pre-lift is a little different than the standard turn into the lift that you see on most B&M coasters. That loop though. . . Oh my! Words can not describe how massive it is. I don't know if it was because it was a slow day and the train was running a little slower than usual, but the amount of hangtime in the back row was un-real! I have never experienced anything like that on a B&M before. Also, I noticed throughout the day that none of the trims were actually being used, (again probably because it was a cold day, and the train was already running slow enough.) The MCBR never slowed the train down which made for some amazing airtime on the drop off the MCBR in the back row! The ride was glass smooth, and shockingly forcefull! A great way to start the day! 18 rides! 10/10!

 

Sad to hear that you didn't have the same experience. But hey, at least you got to enjoy i305, and TT!!

[thrillseeker4552]

I thought Dominator rode very well for a Floorless when I went last summer (probably because I'm used to the square wheels on Scream at SFMM), but my biggest gripe with the ride is the lack of an awesome zero-g roll. Those are my favorite elements on B&M loopers.

[coasterbill]

We thought Dominator was running amazing on opening day.

[CedarFanboy]

I try my best to enjoy Dominator, but it gives me a headache every time I ride it. It's probably not the rides fault, as it's a really good coaster, but I am very prone to headaches. Doesn't stop me from riding it at least twice each trip though!

Taken 3/25/18

[zburns999]

Overall it's just a perfect coaster

 

Regarding Intimidator305...

Let me preface this by saying that I really do love this ride and would place it high among the "elite" coasters I've ridden. It's wildly intense, super fast, and has some of the most mind-numbingly awesome transitions outside of Maverick. That said, I guess I still just don't "get it" the way some people seem to--especially those who refer to it as perfect. I've probably ridden it upwards of fifteen times in all different types of weather and in all different seats and rows, and I still can't shake the feeling that the first drop is a bit of a letdown. Don't get me wrong...the pullout of the drop into the first airtime hill is bonkers, but the drop itself has always been kind of "meh" for me. I would compare it to something like riding Lex Luthor or one of the other huge Intamin drop towers: sure, it's a big drop and it's great, but it somehow doesn't have the kick to it that one of the Larson towers has. Similarly, I find I305's drop to pale even in comparison to something like Grizzly just across the park, which seems to leave your stomach 90 feet in the air while the rest of your body falls into the forest.

 

Also, I still haven't been able to get past the fact that the last 1/3rd of Intimidator feels very Great Bear-ish in the sense that it's essentially just a long preamble to the brake run. Once the train hits that trim coming into the first of the lower airtime hills parallel to the lift, the ride is essentially over, with all the relentlessness sucked from the experience. Sure, you get one last quick side-to-side transition, but I cannot help but wonder how much fun the end of the ride would be without the heavy trim. And look, I get that trims are necessary, but they don't necessarily need to neuter the ride experience. I think of a coaster like Diamondback, for instance. Trims galore, but you still feel like it's running the way it was designed to run. I still feel like the end of I305 was supposed to be bat-out-of-hell awesome, but instead is just okay. And for me, it's that lack of awesomeness where it seems that awesomeness should be prevalent that hurts so much. I'd almost prefer it just rocketed into a Leviathan-esque brake run at the top of that first airtime hill--then at least it would feel like you're going out with a bang.

 

I don't know. Just one man's opinion. I really do love the thing, just not as much as some, apparently.

[Rayj]

Overall it's just a perfect coaster

 

Regarding Intimidator305...

Let me preface this by saying that I really do love this ride and would place it high among the "elite" coasters I've ridden. It's wildly intense, super fast, and has some of the most mind-numbingly awesome transitions outside of Maverick. That said, I guess I still just don't "get it" the way some people seem to--especially those who refer to it as perfect. I've probably ridden it upwards of fifteen times in all different types of weather and in all different seats and rows, and I still can't shake the feeling that the first drop is a bit of a letdown. Don't get me wrong...the pullout of the drop into the first airtime hill is bonkers, but the drop itself has always been kind of "meh" for me. I would compare it to something like riding Lex Luthor or one of the other huge Intamin drop towers: sure, it's a big drop and it's great, but it somehow doesn't have the kick to it that one of the Larson towers has. Similarly, I find I305's drop to pale even in comparison to something like Grizzly just across the park, which seems to leave your stomach 90 feet in the air while the rest of your body falls into the forest.

 

Also, I still haven't been able to get past the fact that the last 1/3rd of Intimidator feels very Great Bear-ish in the sense that it's essentially just a long preamble to the brake run. Once the train hits that trim coming into the first of the lower airtime hills parallel to the lift, the ride is essentially over, with all the relentlessness sucked from the experience. Sure, you get one last quick side-to-side transition, but I cannot help but wonder how much fun the end of the ride would be without the heavy trim. And look, I get that trims are necessary, but they don't necessarily need to neuter the ride experience. I think of a coaster like Diamondback, for instance. Trims galore, but you still feel like it's running the way it was designed to run. I still feel like the end of I305 was supposed to be bat-out-of-hell awesome, but instead is just okay. And for me, it's that lack of awesomeness where it seems that awesomeness should be prevalent that hurts so much. I'd almost prefer it just rocketed into a Leviathan-esque brake run at the top of that first airtime hill--then at least it would feel like you're going out with a bang.

 

I don't know. Just one man's opinion. I really do love the thing, just not as much as some, apparently.

I always wondered why the trim break wasn’t placed right after the airtime hill instead of before because the trim really kills it, but it is what it is, still a phenomenal coaster.

[AndrewA86]

I'm sure Dominator has it's good days, and maybe the good days outnumber the bad days.

 

As for I-305, I thought it was relentless from start to finish. They were only running 1 train so is it possible that I experienced it with the trim off? As for the drop, I thought it was as good as anything I have ever experienced besides the beyond vertical drop of Maverick, and maybe Lightning Run. Saying that it pales in comparison to Grizzly?!?!?! I can't comprehend that because I thought every part of Grizzly just sucked.

[cfc]

As for I-305, I thought it was relentless from start to finish. They were only running 1 train so is it possible that I experienced it with the trim off? As for the drop, I thought it was as good as anything I have ever experienced besides the beyond vertical drop of Maverick, and maybe Lightning Run. Saying that it pales in comparison to Grizzly?!?!?! I can't comprehend that because I thought every part of Grizzly just sucked.

 

I share your confusion, even though I don't hate Grizzly.

[JRice92]

We thought Dominator was running amazing on opening day.

 

Agreed, when me and my group rode Dominator opening day we all commented on how wonderful smooth it was running. We rode multiple times that day.

 

As for I-305, I thought it was relentless from start to finish. They were only running 1 train so is it possible that I experienced it with the trim off?

 

The trim on I305 is in a fixed position. It can’t be turned off.

[chaos]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but does the trim on I305 ever get switched off (like Holiday World does for the Voyage)? How long has it been in place? Cause I could have sworn that two years ago when I rode it for the first time, I felt no trim and it was one of the most incredible rides ever.

[AndrewA86]

 

The trim on I305 is in a fixed position. It can’t be turned off.

 

Ahh, well then I didn't feel it.

[thrillseeker4552]

The trim is always on, but it really makes a difference with a full train versus an empty one. In the middle of the day, when it's warm out, with a full train, you barely feel it at all.

[bluestreak]

Just fyi Kings Dominion closed at 1 today due to weather. Timbers was down all day but everything else was open. Got on a load of stuff in the 3 hours it was open including 10 times on I305.

[DoinItForTheFame]

...Got on a load of stuff in the 3 hours it was open including 10 times on I305.

 

And you're still alive?!

 

I don't think my body could handle 10 times on i305.

[bluestreak]

...Got on a load of stuff in the 3 hours it was open including 10 times on I305.

 

And you're still alive?!

 

I don't think my body could handle 10 times on i305.

 

Oh yeah I'm alive and well haha. I agree though that it was pushing it. Well worth it though. Such an amazing ride. I had forgotten how much I loved it.

[CoasterAuditor]

...Got on a load of stuff in the 3 hours it was open including 10 times on I305.

 

And you're still alive?!

 

I don't think my body could handle 10 times on i305.

 

I went for a 2 hour marathon on I305 of 10 times. Would of went more too but I needed to take advantage of my meal plan before the park closed. Granted the next day I was completely useless all day.

[I love pie]

So has I305 finally been dethroned as the best ride in the park?