June 12, 2023

Kings Dominion

 


Welcome to Kings Dominion - Park 11 of our Eastcoaster 2023 Road Trip

We are just going to do the natural layout of the park with our photos.
This is Dominator, a B&M floorless coaster.  Fun fact, we are so old that we rode this at Geauga Lake way back in the day

Again, showing our ages, everyone in Crew still calls this Scooby Doo.
I am actually very jealous of these former Paramount Parks that have these junior wooden coasters because we'd love one at WOF

Usually our Crew loves a shooter ride, but this one is poor shape.  The guns really need to be recalibrated or replaced.  Could barely hit any of the targets

First off, I love the paint scheme of Tumbuli.  However, we went in expecting the same intensity as Dragon Slayer at Adventureland, because it is the same model, boy were we disappointed.  We barely flipped at all one side and DIDN'T flip at all on the other.

If Kings Dominion ever wants to get ride of this ride, I call dibs.  Reptilian might be my favorite coaster at the park.  Stupid fun.

So last time I was here, the ride attendant forced me to sit in the back of a cart even though I don't fit due to my height, they didn't care.  Well I got a seat in the front of a cart this time and the ride didn't suck too much.  Would ride again

I-305 is probably the most polarizing coaster in the US.  There are some out there that cannot get enough of it and I am happy for them.

For me, I find the ride very uncomfortable due to the sensation that it creates on the first turn.  That's not fun for me.  Looking at the ride, I can only lament on how amazing it could have been if it was properly engineered.  I mean did we learn nothing from Hurler on what happens when you have a low tight curve after your first drop?

The differences between the Kings Island and Kings Dominion Flight of Fear were very glaring.  Up keep of the theming in the hanger was very noticeable - and not in a good way.  Also do they purposefully make the ride hanger darker or are the bulbs in the lights just burnt out?

I will always ride these.  That tunnel ending is the best

Gliders that you can actually snap? Sign me up

The Grizzly received a lot of work this off season.  The park made a big deal out of it.

The sections that they worked on were amazing.  However, what they failed to mention was that they didn't finish the job.  About 2/3 of the way through the ride you get to where they didn't retrack and you get to enjoy that the rest of the way to the station.  Surprise!

Weird loading patterns aside, Windseeker was a lot of fun and getting the see the old remnants of Hypersonic from the air was pretty neat - and yes are old enough to have ridden that too

Apple Zapple has one of the best names out there for a coaster

So we were really looking forward to riding Twisted Timbers finally

Unfortunately it did not - in our opinions - live up to the hype. Very vanilla layout that lacked variety.   Now if you want painful ejector bunny hills, there's plenty of those.  They just aren't very comfortable for us taller riders and that stupid shin guard that forces us to contort to even fit in the restraints

The lack of ANY left turns still boggles me.  We respect it for what is, but it does not rank very high on list of RMCs ridden

Racer needs to received the same treatment that the one at Kings Island got.  Pick your seat wisely

Troika time - love the name

Another swings credit.  I really need to ask her how many she's ridden

Yes, we had to visit the Mushrooms

I always have a good time at Kings Dominion and I wanted to share a photo of one of those big reasons for me (I snapped this before the others got to our table).  I love how serene and peaceful this area is to just sit and relax - soaking up the ambience.  Even Kings Island doesn't have this in their similar area.  I love it.

At the end of the day, Kings Dominion will probably never the biggest or most in your face park and that's just fine.  We need parks where you can just relax and hang out.  This one is perfect for that