Kings Dominion

 

Welcome to Kings Dominion - Celebrating 50 years

Lots of nice decorations around the main area of the park for the 50th

New this season is Rapterra, a B&M launched wing coaster

Rapterra is built on the former site of Volcano the Blast Coaster.  To pay homage to the ride, there is a caldera that will rumble occasionally in the queue line area

The station is themed to a dig site for the Whey Foundation and honestly it works

The launch is through some very cool looking arches

Overall it is a very fun ride

We did notice some bouncing with the train as it goes through the course, but this can be minimized by riding closer to the front and/or riding in the inside seats

Next door is Reptilian and this might be our favorite ride in the park

Tumbuli is also in this area.  It is a 4D Spinner.  This is the same model as the one at Adventureland, but it is not even in the same league.  I think we got maybe 2 flips total on our ride

Flight of Fear has received a new outside paint scheme to fit into the newly expanded Jungle X-Pedition area.  The inside is basically the same

Also in this area is Backlot Stunt Coaster.  Strange how it hasn't been rethemed yet.  They rethemed I-305 to Pantherian this season (even though it is not open yet) so this is the lone hold out

Heading back to get the two coasters at the front we stopped at Boo Blasters

Woodstock's Express ... will always be Scooby Doo to me

Dominator was running quite well today

Heading over to the "neglected" side of the park - seriously they need some new attractions on this side of the park - we pass the Shenandoah Logging Company log flume

We took a lap on Grizzly.  It has been recently retracked and is running amazing.  Wish it was running more than one train because we would have liked to have ridden it multiple times

We will always ride these when we visit.  Yes we got several snaps

Twisted Timbers gave us bruises on our thighs reminding us once again that not all RMC coasters are worth binge riding

Apple Zapple wins the award for worst ride ops of the day. 

Windseeker - the placement in the park is weird.  There's not much to see when you're up on the ride

Americana.  I have never understood the need for this ride.  You have the Eiffel Tower and Windseeker - both do a better job because of their height.  Why did Cedar Fair bring this here after Geauga Lake closed?

Most of the day, the park only had the blue side of Racer 75 open - running only one train.  You can imagine how long the line was

Mid-afternoon they finally opened the red side - again only running one train

But at least they decided to finally race the trains, right?

Very pretty carousel

Delirium was open this time.  Not my favorite version of this ride type

Mad Apple - never going to pass up a ride on a Troika

Drop Tower.

They finally got the Eiffel Tower fixed for this season so it's time to go up and look around

Here's the main entrance area

Dominator

This area looks so different from the last time we were up in this tower

There's Pantherian (not open) and a lake without Anaconda (was removed last off season)

Candy Apple Grove area

Grizzly hiding in the woods

Heading back down

Happy 50th anniversary Kings Dominion

Thank you for a fun day

Busch Gardens Williamsburg

 

Welcome to Busch Gardens Williamsburg - celebrating 50 years

The first hamlet you visit is England

Moving into Scotland now - this is the home of the Loch Ness Monster

Now to Ireland - the home of Finnegan's Flyers

Italy is next and it is home to the most rides - this is Escape from Pompeii

The multi-launch coaster Pantheon is a great ride.  Some insane elements

Tempesto - a Sky Rocket II clone but still a thrilling ride

Apollo's Chariot is the park's B&M hypercoaster.  Lots of good airtime

Roman Rapids

Moving into Germany now.  Verbolten the multi-launch coaster with an indoor section that includes a drop track was unfortunately not operational today

This building is Das Festhaus

Inside you can get some delicious German-inspired food

The best part of the experience is that they have a show to watch while you eat

This is DarKoaster

This is an indoor launched straddle-coaster that features thematic elements and has a unique layout that sends the coaster around the layout twice before returning to the station

Alpengeist is still one of the largest B&M inverted coasters to be built

Moving into New France we find InvadR - the park's wooden coaster

They also have a really good smokehouse restaurant here

France is the final hamlet and it is home to Griffon, the park's B&M dive coaster

One fun thing to do here is ride the Skyway

The course is a triangle configuration with stations in France, Germany and at the front of the park

You get some very neat views while riding

Plus it is a great way to get away from the crowds when the park gets too "people-y"

New this season is Big Bad Wolf - The Wolf's Revenge

Yes, the coaster trains have a wolf head that has glowing eyes

This is a B&M family inverted coaster

To us, it reminded us of a larger Dragonflier - which is a good thing

The thematic elements along the course really add to the ride.  It was a lot of fun

It was great to get back to BGW.  Another awesome day at the park