Paramount's Kings Dominion
Encyclopedia
Kings Dominion is an amusement park
located in Doswell, Virginia
20 miles (32.2 km) north of Richmond
and 75 miles (120.7 km) south of Washington, DC off of Interstate 95
.
The 400 acres (1.6 km²) park in Hanover County
was originally built and owned in a joint venture between the Taft Broadcasting Company and the Kroger
Company. Kings Dominion opened in 1975 and is currently owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company who purchased Paramount Parks
from CBS Corporation
on June 30, 2006. It offers over 60 rides, shows and attractions including 15 roller coasters and a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) water park. The name given to the park is derived from the name of its sister park, Kings Island
, and the nickname for the state of Virginia
, "Old Dominion".
Following the success of Kings Island in Mason, Ohio
, Family Leisure Centers (a partnership formed between Taft Broadcasting Company and Top Value Enterprises) decided to expand into a new region of the country by opening a second park. A 400 acres (1.6 km²) site was chosen in Doswell, Virginia in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic
, and construction began in the summer of 1973. The new park was designed with Kings Island in mind as the blueprint using similar themes, rides, and activities.
Kings Dominion officially opened on May 3, 1975 offering fifteen attractions including the Rebel Yell
, the Lion Country Safari Monorail, Galaxi
e, and a junior wooden roller coaster known as Scooby Doo. Also present at the opening was a log flume
, steam train, a collection of flat rides and a cable-car sky ride that transported visitors between Old Virginia and The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera
. In addition, Kings Dominion's 1/3-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower
and the International Street Fountain greet visitors near the main entrance to the park. Original themed areas included The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera, International Street, Lion Country Safari, Old Virginia, and Coney Island.
Kings Dominion added their fourth roller coaster, a Schwarzkopf
shuttle loop known as the King Kobra, in 1977. The King Kobra featured a 50-ton counter weight drop launch and was the park's first launched roller coaster. It was in the park for nine seasons before being relocated to Jolly Roger Amusement Park in Ocean City, Maryland
and later to Hopi Hari
in Brazil
where it exists today as Katapul. Also in 1977, Kings Dominion was one of several amusement parks used as a set for the film Rollercoaster.
A campground was completed in time for the 1978 season and the park's well-known Lost World mountain debuted in 1979. Originally, the Lost World featured three rides: a flume ride called Voyage to Atlantis, a children's attraction mine ride known as Land of the Dooz, and a rotor
called Time Shaft. Only a year later in 1980, the flume ride was rethemed Haunted River. Kings Dominion later expanded Old Virginia with the addition of the park's second wooden roller coaster, the Grizzly
, in 1982 and a river rapids ride called White Water Canyon
in 1983.
would later purchase KECO in 1987 but allowed KECO to continue to manage operations at the amusement parks.
One of the first additions under the new management group was Berserker - a looping starship
ride added to International Street in 1984. Also that year, Smurf Mountain
would replace the mine ride Land of the Dooz, transforming the Lost World into The Smurfs
theme. Kings Dominion unveiled a TOGO
stand-up roller coaster
in 1986 called Shockwave, the first of three roller coasters to be added under KECO. Shockwave has one loop like the older King Kobra but adds a helix. King Kobra was removed at the end of the season. A water slide complex known as Racing Rivers would open in 1987, and Avalanche
, which remains the only Mack bobsled roller coaster
in the United States, would debut the following year in 1988. The trains of Avalanche are themed after the United States'
, France's
, Germany's
, Canada's and Switzerland's
bobsleds, so that riders in different trains can simulate being in a bobsled race in the Winter Olympics.
Kings Dominion continued to expand over the next few seasons starting with Hanna-Barbera Land in 1990 with the addition of more children flat rides. A new, looping roller coaster from Arrow Dynamics
called Anaconda
was introduced the following year in 1991 featuring the world's first underwater tunnel which travels under part of Lake Charles. Anaconda was also originally billed as having six loops, but unlike Arrow's six-inversion coaster Drachen Fire
that opened at Busch Gardens Williamsburg
the following year, the Anaconda actually has only four inversions: a vertical loop, a sidewinder, and two consecutive corkscrews.
A new 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) water park addition called Hurricane Reef opened in 1992. To build the water park, Kings Dominion filled in two-thirds of Lake Charles near the Candy Apple Grove region of the park. Originally it featured the Monsoon Chutes (two pairs of free-fall body slides, at 70 and 50 feet (15.2 m) high, respectively), the Torrential Twist (two enclosed body slides which wrapped around each other), the Pipeline (four open body slides), Cyclone (three enclosed body slides, the center of which was a free-fall), Tidal Wave (two open slides, which riders rode on inner tubes, Splash Island (an area for children with five water slides), and a lazy river
.
Kings Dominion continued its growth when it became part of Paramount Parks
in 1993 and switched its name to Paramount's Kings Dominion. New attractions and areas of the park themed to Paramount's television shows and films appeared at Paramount's Kings Dominion almost every season that they were under Paramount's ownership. In 1993, they added a motion simulator
attraction, originally featuring the Days of Thunder
film, and Lion County Safari was removed at the end of the season. The 1994 season saw the addition of a new area of the park themed to the 1992 Paramount motion picture Wayne's World
, which featured their third full-size wooden roller coaster, The Hurler, a shop called the Rock Shop, and a Stan Mikita's restaurant similar to the one featured in the film. Since then, the Wayne's World section has been merged into the Candy Apple Grove (since renamed the Grove); the Stan Mikita's was converted to the Happy Days Cafe
, and the Hurler no longer has Wayne's World theming, except for a few spray painted "Wayne's World" logos near the exit of the ride. In the next year, another children's area, known as Nickelodeon Splat City, opened near the Shockwave roller coaster, this was a product of Viacom
purchasing Paramount in 1994. This was later converted into Nick Central. Also Smurf Mountain
was removed in 1995, leaving a dormant fiberglass mountain in the back of the park.
In 1996, Paramount's Kings Dominion introduced its second launched roller coaster, and first LIM
-launched roller coaster, The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear. The Outer Limits had a 56 miles (90.1 km) per hour launch, four inversions, and an identical "spaghetti bowl" layout to the ride of the same name at Kings Island
. Almost as notable as the launch of The Outer Limits was the fact that the entire ride was in semi-darkness; the riders could not see where they were going. (Six Flags America
, a nearby park in Maryland, features another "spaghetti bowl" roller coaster with the same layout as Flight of Fear, known as Joker's Jinx. Joker's Jinx, however, is an outdoor coaster.) Five years after The Outer Limits opened, Paramount Parks' licensing agreement to use theming from the television show after which the ride was named
expired; the Outer Limits-related theming in the ride and its queue was removed, and the ride was renamed Flight of Fear.
1997 featured the debut of Kidzville, a re-theming of the Hanna-Barbera section. Added was the new Taxi Jam roller coaster, and Scooby's Playpark became a construction themed playpen called Kidz Construction Company. Yogi's Cave was rethemed to Treasure Cave and filled with scrappy theming from other rides. Many rides in Kidzville, such as Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster, George Jetson's Spaceport, and Huck's Hot Rods, continued to bear the names of Hanna-Barbera characters.
Paramount's Kings Dominion continued what became a trend of adding launched roller coasters in 1998, when they opened Volcano, The Blast Coaster
in the former Lost World mountain. The mountain's previous rides had all been removed several years prior, and Volcano gave the mountain a major transformation. Volcano, which was manufactured by Intamin AG
, was the world's first LIM-launched inverted roller coaster. The ride featured two separate launch sections, an Immelman style loop out of the top of the mountain, and three heartline rolls on the way back down. (Huge explosions of fire are shot out the top of the mountain for added effect.) Volcano was themed to the 1997 film Volcano; the other Paramount Parks added inverted
or suspended roller coasters themed to Top Gun
around the same time. During the next two seasons, Paramount's Kings Dominion expanded Hurricane Reef behind the Rebel Yell and renamed it WaterWorks
. (Most of the original Hurricane Reef remains open as of 2006; the two areas are joined by a path under the Rebel Yell.) The new portion of WaterWorks includes Pipeline Peak, a set of four enclosed water slides, one of which (the Night Slider) is the world's tallest dark free-fall slide. In 2000, Nick Central opened on what was Nick Splat City and part of Kidzville.
The park added its third launched roller coaster, Hypersonic XLC
, in 2001. Hypersonic XLC, a Thrust Air 2000
air-launched coaster made by S&S Power
, launched riders from 0 to 80 miles (128.7 km) per hour in 1.5 seconds, taking them up a 87-degree incline and down a 87-degree drop. The entire ride takes about 25 seconds. Hypersonic XLC broke down frequently and was closed for the first three months of its second season; no other Paramount Parks installed a similar ride. Nevertheless, Hypersonic XLC helped establish Paramount's Kings Dominion's reputation as "the launched coaster capital of the world". Hypersonic XLC was removed after the 2007 season.
The early 2000s saw Paramount's Kings Dominion opening new rides similar to existing rides at other Paramount Parks. In 2002, the park opened its new wild mouse roller coaster
, Ricochet. Carowinds also installed their Ricochet
in 2002. Diamond Falls, the giant flume
ride at Paramount's Kings Dominion, also closed that season, leading to several seasons of speculation from park visitors over which ride would take its place. The 2003 season saw Kings Dominion become the final of several of the Paramount Parks to open a Drop Zone Stunt Tower. The Drop Zone at Paramount's Kings Dominion, at 305 feet (93 m) high, was the tallest freefall ride in the world at the time it opened. In 2004, Paramount's Kings Dominion added Scooby-Doo! And the Haunted Mansion
; similar Scooby Doo-themed dark ride
s had opened at three other Paramount Parks during the three previous seasons. In the next season, Paramount's Kings Dominion added an inverted top spin called Tomb Raider: Firefall, now The Crypt, which was an outdoor version of a similar ride named Tomb Raider: The Ride
at Kings Island
. The differences between the two were that at Kings Dominion riders' feet dangle freely and at Kings Island there is a floor. In the 2006 season, Paramount's Kings Dominion opened the Italian Job Turbo Coaster
, its fourth launched roller coaster. Unlike the previously built launched coasters at Paramount's Kings Dominion, each of which was faster than its predecessor, the Italian Job Turbo Coaster is designed more as a family ride and features several launches at 40 miles (64.4 km) per hour. Renamed the Backlot Stunt Coaster in 2008, the ride is similar to the Backlot Stunt Coaster rides at Kings Island
and Canada's Wonderland, which both opened in 2005.
Control of the Paramount Parks had been transferred from Viacom to CBS Corporation
at the start of the 2007 season; the parks had themselves been up for sale since the previous off season. CBS made several controversial moves with Paramount's Kings Dominion during the 2006 season. First, a roller coaster based on The Italian Job
had been advertised on television as being open at the start of the park's 2006 season, whereas it did not actually open until late May, almost two months into the season. The placement of the ride was rather dubious; some enthusiasts ridiculed the park management for placing the entrance of The Italian Job, which was themed to a street chase, in the middle of the park's African-themed Congo section near the Anaconda
roller coaster. Second, visitors to the park during the 2006 season found that the trees in the queue of the Grizzly were cut down to make room for a new upcharge go-kart
attraction called Thunder Raceway. Third, Paramount's Kings Dominion closed Flight of Fear. Paramount's Kings Dominion gave no indication in the previous season that Flight of Fear would be closed for 2006. Rumors had suggested that it would be relocated to another former Paramount Park; since Cedar Fair acquired Paramount's Kings Dominion, the park worked to get the ride operable again. Flight of Fear reopened on August 18, ending speculation of the ride's relocation and/or sale.
On May 22, 2006, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. announced that they were purchasing all five Paramount Parks. The sale was finalized on June 30, 2006 for $1.24 billion. The park retained its Paramount's Kings Dominion name through the end of the 2006 season and reverted to its original Kings Dominion name beginning in the 2007 season. For the 2007 season, the park lowered its single-day admission by $
5 to $44.95, one year after Cedar Point
had made the same change to their ticket prices. This was the first time that Kings Dominion has ever lowered their ticket prices for a full season. In addition, they brought back their Starlight discount, which allows admission to the park for $29.99 after 4pm. Kings Dominion expanded WaterWorks for the 2007 season, adding a second wave pool called Tidal Wave Bay, a four-person family raft slide called Zoom Flume, and a ProSlide
Tornado.
In December 2006, Kings Dominion also put Hypersonic XLC up for sale. The park announced plans to keep it running until a buyer was found. It remained in operation during the 2007 season and was closed and dismantled several weeks before the 2008 season started. Also during the 2007-2008 offseason, Cedar Fair renamed the park's last two rides to open with Paramount theming. Drop Zone Stunt Tower became Drop Tower Scream Zone, The Italian Job: Turbo Coaster became Backlot Stunt Coaster, and Tomb Raider: Firefall received the name The Crypt. The Paramount Theater also changed its name to Kings Dominion Theater.
The 2008 and 2009 seasons saw Kings Dominion receive three rides which had operated at Geauga Lake
during its dry amusement park's final season. On October 23, 2007, Kings Dominion announced that Dominator
, a floorless roller coaster
, would be moved to Kings Dominion and located in the International Street section. Dominator opened on May 24, 2008, becoming Kings Dominion's first roller coaster with five inversions. For the 2009 season, two flat rides once located at Geauga Lake, like Dominator, opened in 2009. Located near Rebel Yell, Americana became Kings Dominion's first Ferris wheel. El Dorado, a pendulum ride, opened in the former site of Hypersonic XLC next to the Xtreme Skyflyer.
For the 2010 season, Kings Dominion has installed Intimidator 305
, a 305 ft (92.464 m) tall gigacoaster by Intamin AG
. The ride features a cable lift hill, an 85° first drop and a maximum speed of at least 94 mph (145 km/h). The ride, which is themed to the late NASCAR
driver Dale Earnhardt
, was announced on August 20, 2009, and represents the park's largest-ever capital investment. It is open as of May 2010. Also for the 2010 season, the Kidzville and Nickelodeon Universe areas of the park are being re-themed to Planet Snoopy, as are the children's areas at Canada's Wonderland and Kings Island
. The park has renamed the Hanna-Barbera themed rides in Kidzville to match the Planet Snoopy theme, ending the park's 35-year run with Scooby Doo and other Hanna-Barbera characters.
For the 2012 season, Kings Dominion will install WindSeeker
in the Grove section of the park next to Juke Box Diner. This ride has versions in other Cedar Fair parks such as Canada's Wonderland, Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Knott's Berry Farm, and one will also go up at Carowinds. The ride will stand 301 ft tall and will give riders a view of the surrounding area. Kings Dominion will also add Dinosaurs Alive!
, an upcharge dinosaur walkthrough which will be located in the Old Virginia section of the park, this time by Grizzly's entrance. This attraction has also appeared at Kings Island, and Cedar Point is also building one.
During the Cedar Fair era, the park introduced the Halloween event "HAUNT". While the park had always had a Halloween event, the new HAUNT event has been received very well.
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Like Kings Island, the centerpiece of Kings Dominion is its 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower
, located just across the International Street fountain from the main entrance gate. Kings Dominion’s famous replica of the Eiffel Tower was designed and fabricated in Austria with steel imported from Zurich, Switzerland. From the observation deck, guests can enjoy a view of more than 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) of Virginia countryside.
theme, complete with singing mushrooms, large candy apples, and three apple themed flat rides which were Adam's Apple, Apple Turnover, and Bad Apple. Candy Apple Grove lost much of its theming during the 1990s and changed its name to The Grove by 2001.
Today The Grove is known for some of Kings Dominion's thrill rides like Rebel Yell and Drop Tower, along with family rides like Wave Swinger and Americana. Besides rides, visitors can play games like Water Racers, play arcade style games in Grove Arcade, eat great foods like pizza, lasagna, or burgers at Victoria Pizza or Juke Box Diner, and shop name brand items at the Rock Shop.
, previously opened as Nickelodeon Central in 1996 and KidZville in 1997. Following the 2009 season, Cedar Fair introduced Planet Snoopy theming and characters to the children's areas of Kings Dominion and the other Paramount Parks.
train through a nature preserve, the safari attraction closed in the 1990s. The Congo section remains and now contains some of the park's most technologically innovative rides, such as Volcano, Anaconda, Flight of Fear, and Intimidator 305.
, Kings Dominion's water park, can be thought of in terms of its two sides, Northside which was formerly known as Hurricane Reef, and Southside which is the newer section of WaterWorks. The rides that WaterWorks had as Hurricane Reef in the mid-1990s are all located in front of the Rebel Yell roller coaster; the newer rides are behind the Rebel Yell and are accessible by walking under the Rebel Yell on a walkway between Baja Bends and Shoot the Curl. The original Hurricane Reef attractions received new names when Kings Dominion renamed the water park WaterWorks in 1999.
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
located in Doswell, Virginia
Doswell, Virginia
Doswell is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the Central Region of the U.S. state of Virginia. Originally called Hanover Junction, it was located on the Virginia Central Railroad, which later became part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad at a crossing of the Richmond,...
20 miles (32.2 km) north of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and 75 miles (120.7 km) south of Washington, DC off of Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Virginia
In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Interstate 95 runs through the state. It runs concurrently for with Interstate 64 in Richmond, and meets the northern terminus of Interstate 85 in Petersburg. Though Interstate 95 was originally planned to go straight through Washington, D.C., it was instead...
.
The 400 acres (1.6 km²) park in Hanover County
Hanover County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 86,320 people, 31,121 households, and 24,461 families residing in the county. The population density was 183 people per square mile . There were 32,196 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...
was originally built and owned in a joint venture between the Taft Broadcasting Company and the Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
Company. Kings Dominion opened in 1975 and is currently owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company who purchased Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks was an operator of theme parks and attractions, which annually attracted about 13 million patrons. Viacom had assumed control of the company as part of its acquisition of Paramount Pictures in 1994....
from CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
on June 30, 2006. It offers over 60 rides, shows and attractions including 15 roller coasters and a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) water park. The name given to the park is derived from the name of its sister park, Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
, and the nickname for the state of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, "Old Dominion".
Early history as Kings Dominion (1973-83)
Mason, Ohio
Mason is an affluent city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States, 22 miles away from Cincinnati . As of the 2010 census, Mason's population was 30,712. Mason has experienced fast growth, with its historic Main Street remaining at the center of the community...
, Family Leisure Centers (a partnership formed between Taft Broadcasting Company and Top Value Enterprises) decided to expand into a new region of the country by opening a second park. A 400 acres (1.6 km²) site was chosen in Doswell, Virginia in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
, and construction began in the summer of 1973. The new park was designed with Kings Island in mind as the blueprint using similar themes, rides, and activities.
Kings Dominion officially opened on May 3, 1975 offering fifteen attractions including the Rebel Yell
Rebel Yell (roller coaster)
Rebel Yell is a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. It opened with the park in 1975.Rebel Yell is a racing roller coaster featuring two individual tracks that parallel each other. Its design was inspired by the Racer, another wooden racing coaster at Kings...
, the Lion Country Safari Monorail, Galaxi
Galaxi
Galaxi is the common name of a series of mass-produced roller coasters manufactured primarily by Italian company S.D.C, which went bankrupt in 1993...
e, and a junior wooden roller coaster known as Scooby Doo. Also present at the opening was a log flume
Log flume
A log flume is a flume specifically constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain to a sawmill by using flowing water. These watertight trough-like channels could be built to span a long distance across chasms and down steep mountain slopes...
, steam train, a collection of flat rides and a cable-car sky ride that transported visitors between Old Virginia and The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera theme parks
Through its history, Hanna-Barbera was also operates theme park attractions, mostly as a section in Kings Island , Carowinds, Great America, Kings Dominion, Canada's Wonderland, and recently, Six Flags Great America.Outside the North America, the theme parks was also available in several countries,...
. In addition, Kings Dominion's 1/3-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
and the International Street Fountain greet visitors near the main entrance to the park. Original themed areas included The Happy Land of Hanna-Barbera, International Street, Lion Country Safari, Old Virginia, and Coney Island.
Kings Dominion added their fourth roller coaster, a Schwarzkopf
Anton Schwarzkopf
Anton Schwarzkopf was a German engineer of amusement rides, and founder of the Schwarzkopf Industries company, which built numerous rides and large roller coasters for both amusement parks and travelling funfairs....
shuttle loop known as the King Kobra, in 1977. The King Kobra featured a 50-ton counter weight drop launch and was the park's first launched roller coaster. It was in the park for nine seasons before being relocated to Jolly Roger Amusement Park in Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area...
and later to Hopi Hari
Hopi Hari
Hopi Hari is a Brazilian theme park located at Km 72 of Bandeirantes Highway, Vinhedo in the state of São Paulo. It is located 30 km from Campinas and 80 km from São Paulo....
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
where it exists today as Katapul. Also in 1977, Kings Dominion was one of several amusement parks used as a set for the film Rollercoaster.
A campground was completed in time for the 1978 season and the park's well-known Lost World mountain debuted in 1979. Originally, the Lost World featured three rides: a flume ride called Voyage to Atlantis, a children's attraction mine ride known as Land of the Dooz, and a rotor
Rotor (ride)
The Rotor is an amusement park ride, designed by German engineer Ernst Hoffmeister in the late 1940s. The ride was first demonstrated at Oktoberfest 1949, and was exhibited at fairs and events throughout Europe during the 1950s and 1960s...
called Time Shaft. Only a year later in 1980, the flume ride was rethemed Haunted River. Kings Dominion later expanded Old Virginia with the addition of the park's second wooden roller coaster, the Grizzly
Grizzly (roller coaster)
Grizzly is a wooden roller coaster at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The grounds of the ride are densely forested, with the intended thrills heightened from the illusion of inadequate clearance between the track and trees. The attraction opened in 1982, and the double-figure-eight layout is...
, in 1982 and a river rapids ride called White Water Canyon
White Water Canyon
White Water Canyon is a river rafting ride originally named White Water Rafting Adventure. It is found at the Cedar Fair parks of Canada's Wonderland, Kings Dominion, and Kings Island. It features six seat tubes.-Locations:...
in 1983.
Growth under KECO management (1983-92)
Taft Broadcasting Company sold its theme park division in late 1983 for $167.5 million USD to Kings Entertainment Company (KECO), a new company formed by senior executives and general managers of Taft's Amusement Park Group. Three parks were involved in the sale — Kings Island, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds — along with a 20-percent stake in Canada's Wonderland. American Financial GroupAmerican Financial Group
American Financial Group Incorporated is a holding company based in Cincinnati, Ohio whose primary business is insurance and investments. American Financial Group's purpose is to enable businesses and individuals to manage risk using insurance products and services tailored to meet their specific...
would later purchase KECO in 1987 but allowed KECO to continue to manage operations at the amusement parks.
One of the first additions under the new management group was Berserker - a looping starship
Looping Starship
The Looping Starship is an amusement ride manufactured by Intamin AG of Switzerland. The ride is a swinging ship that can spin a complete 360-degree revolution, which can be very scary at times...
ride added to International Street in 1984. Also that year, Smurf Mountain
Smurf Mountain
Smurf Mountain was a powered train ride located at Kings Dominion amusement park in Doswell, Virginia. It was located in the Safari Village section of the park inside the Lost World Mountain, a giant styrofoam mountain that hosted many rides. The ride itself was a small train coaster that traveled...
would replace the mine ride Land of the Dooz, transforming the Lost World into The Smurfs
The Smurfs
The Smurfs is a comic and television franchise centred on a group of small blue fictional creatures called Smurfs, created and first introduced as a series of comic strips by the Belgian cartoonist Peyo on October 23, 1958...
theme. Kings Dominion unveiled a TOGO
TOGO
TOGO was a Japanese roller coaster design company, famous for inventing the stand-up roller coaster. TOGO went bankrupt in the early 2000s due to a lawsuit by Knott's Berry Farm for problems with their Windjammer roller coaster. TOGO is also credited with creating the first working pipeline roller...
stand-up roller coaster
Stand-up roller coaster
A stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
in 1986 called Shockwave, the first of three roller coasters to be added under KECO. Shockwave has one loop like the older King Kobra but adds a helix. King Kobra was removed at the end of the season. A water slide complex known as Racing Rivers would open in 1987, and Avalanche
Avalanche (Kings Dominion)
Avalanche is a bobsled roller coaster at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, USA. Avalanche opened in 1988 and is the only Mack bobsled coaster running in the United States today. It is located in the African-themed Congo section of the amusement park. There are seven cars per train and the...
, which remains the only Mack bobsled roller coaster
Bobsled roller coaster
A Bobsled roller coaster is the generic name given to any roller coaster that uses a track design that is essentially a "pipe" with the top half removed and has cars that are sent down this pipe in a freewheeling mode...
in the United States, would debut the following year in 1988. The trains of Avalanche are themed after the United States'
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, France's
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany's
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Canada's and Switzerland's
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
bobsleds, so that riders in different trains can simulate being in a bobsled race in the Winter Olympics.
Kings Dominion continued to expand over the next few seasons starting with Hanna-Barbera Land in 1990 with the addition of more children flat rides. A new, looping roller coaster from Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
called Anaconda
Anaconda (roller coaster)
Anaconda is a steel roller coaster built in 1991, located at Kings Dominion theme park in Doswell, Virginia. It was built by Arrow Dynamics and designed by Ron Toomer; it was one of the few Arrow looping coasters built in the 1990s and was Kings Dominion's first roller coaster with more than one...
was introduced the following year in 1991 featuring the world's first underwater tunnel which travels under part of Lake Charles. Anaconda was also originally billed as having six loops, but unlike Arrow's six-inversion coaster Drachen Fire
Drachen Fire
Drachen Fire was an Arrow Dynamics roller coaster that operated from 1992 to 1998, at Busch Gardens Williamsburg.- History :Initially, Drachen Fire was to be designed and built by Bolliger & Mabillard. Busch Entertainment contacted the young company to build two multi-inversion sit-down coasters at...
that opened at Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Busch Gardens Europe
Busch Gardens Williamsburg is a 383 acre theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles southeast of Williamsburg, originally developed by Anheuser-Busch and currently owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group...
the following year, the Anaconda actually has only four inversions: a vertical loop, a sidewinder, and two consecutive corkscrews.
A new 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) water park addition called Hurricane Reef opened in 1992. To build the water park, Kings Dominion filled in two-thirds of Lake Charles near the Candy Apple Grove region of the park. Originally it featured the Monsoon Chutes (two pairs of free-fall body slides, at 70 and 50 feet (15.2 m) high, respectively), the Torrential Twist (two enclosed body slides which wrapped around each other), the Pipeline (four open body slides), Cyclone (three enclosed body slides, the center of which was a free-fall), Tidal Wave (two open slides, which riders rode on inner tubes, Splash Island (an area for children with five water slides), and a lazy river
Lazy river
A lazy river is a water ride found in many amusement parks or water parks. They are also found at some resorts and recreation centers. It usually consists of shallow pool that flows similarly to a river....
.
Paramount's Kings Dominion (1993-2006)
Paramount Parks
Paramount Parks was an operator of theme parks and attractions, which annually attracted about 13 million patrons. Viacom had assumed control of the company as part of its acquisition of Paramount Pictures in 1994....
in 1993 and switched its name to Paramount's Kings Dominion. New attractions and areas of the park themed to Paramount's television shows and films appeared at Paramount's Kings Dominion almost every season that they were under Paramount's ownership. In 1993, they added a motion simulator
Motion simulator
A motion simulator or motion platform is a mechanism that encapsulates occupants and creates the effect/feelings of being in a moving vehicle...
attraction, originally featuring the Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...
film, and Lion County Safari was removed at the end of the season. The 1994 season saw the addition of a new area of the park themed to the 1992 Paramount motion picture Wayne's World
Wayne's World (film)
Wayne's World is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Penelope Spheeris and starring Mike Myers in his film debut as Wayne Campbell and Dana Carvey as Garth Algar, hosts of the Aurora, Illinois-based Public-access television cable TV show Wayne's World...
, which featured their third full-size wooden roller coaster, The Hurler, a shop called the Rock Shop, and a Stan Mikita's restaurant similar to the one featured in the film. Since then, the Wayne's World section has been merged into the Candy Apple Grove (since renamed the Grove); the Stan Mikita's was converted to the Happy Days Cafe
Happy Days
Happy Days is an American television sitcom that originally aired from January 15, 1974, to September 24, 1984, on ABC. Created by Garry Marshall, the series presents an idealized vision of life in mid-1950s to mid-1960s America....
, and the Hurler no longer has Wayne's World theming, except for a few spray painted "Wayne's World" logos near the exit of the ride. In the next year, another children's area, known as Nickelodeon Splat City, opened near the Shockwave roller coaster, this was a product of Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
purchasing Paramount in 1994. This was later converted into Nick Central. Also Smurf Mountain
Smurf Mountain
Smurf Mountain was a powered train ride located at Kings Dominion amusement park in Doswell, Virginia. It was located in the Safari Village section of the park inside the Lost World Mountain, a giant styrofoam mountain that hosted many rides. The ride itself was a small train coaster that traveled...
was removed in 1995, leaving a dormant fiberglass mountain in the back of the park.
In 1996, Paramount's Kings Dominion introduced its second launched roller coaster, and first LIM
Linear induction motor
A linear induction motor is an AC asynchronous linear motor that works by the same general principles as other induction motors but which has been designed to directly produce motion in a straight line....
-launched roller coaster, The Outer Limits: Flight of Fear. The Outer Limits had a 56 miles (90.1 km) per hour launch, four inversions, and an identical "spaghetti bowl" layout to the ride of the same name at Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
. Almost as notable as the launch of The Outer Limits was the fact that the entire ride was in semi-darkness; the riders could not see where they were going. (Six Flags America
Six Flags America
Six Flags America is a family theme park and water park located in Mitchellville, Prince George's County, Maryland. It is situated east of Washington D.C. and southwest of Baltimore. The park covers , 131 of which is currently used for park operations...
, a nearby park in Maryland, features another "spaghetti bowl" roller coaster with the same layout as Flight of Fear, known as Joker's Jinx. Joker's Jinx, however, is an outdoor coaster.) Five years after The Outer Limits opened, Paramount Parks' licensing agreement to use theming from the television show after which the ride was named
The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
expired; the Outer Limits-related theming in the ride and its queue was removed, and the ride was renamed Flight of Fear.
1997 featured the debut of Kidzville, a re-theming of the Hanna-Barbera section. Added was the new Taxi Jam roller coaster, and Scooby's Playpark became a construction themed playpen called Kidz Construction Company. Yogi's Cave was rethemed to Treasure Cave and filled with scrappy theming from other rides. Many rides in Kidzville, such as Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster, George Jetson's Spaceport, and Huck's Hot Rods, continued to bear the names of Hanna-Barbera characters.
Paramount's Kings Dominion continued what became a trend of adding launched roller coasters in 1998, when they opened Volcano, The Blast Coaster
Volcano, The Blast Coaster
Volcano, The Blast Coaster, or "Volcano", is the launched inverted roller coaster at Kings Dominion. It is one of the more popular rides since its opening on August 3, 1998. It is a custom designed ride designed by Paramount Parks and famous roller coaster designer Werner Stengel. The ride was...
in the former Lost World mountain. The mountain's previous rides had all been removed several years prior, and Volcano gave the mountain a major transformation. Volcano, which was manufactured by Intamin AG
Intamin AG
Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
, was the world's first LIM-launched inverted roller coaster. The ride featured two separate launch sections, an Immelman style loop out of the top of the mountain, and three heartline rolls on the way back down. (Huge explosions of fire are shot out the top of the mountain for added effect.) Volcano was themed to the 1997 film Volcano; the other Paramount Parks added inverted
Inverted roller coaster
An inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the...
or suspended roller coasters themed to Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
around the same time. During the next two seasons, Paramount's Kings Dominion expanded Hurricane Reef behind the Rebel Yell and renamed it WaterWorks
WaterWorks
WaterWorks is a water park owned by Cedar Fair, located at the back of Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. When it debuted in 1992, it was originally named Hurricane Reef...
. (Most of the original Hurricane Reef remains open as of 2006; the two areas are joined by a path under the Rebel Yell.) The new portion of WaterWorks includes Pipeline Peak, a set of four enclosed water slides, one of which (the Night Slider) is the world's tallest dark free-fall slide. In 2000, Nick Central opened on what was Nick Splat City and part of Kidzville.
The park added its third launched roller coaster, Hypersonic XLC
Hypersonic XLC
Hypersonic XLC was a roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. Hypersonic was the first compressed air launch coaster in the world. In 2007, Hypersonic XLC was closed and later dismantled...
, in 2001. Hypersonic XLC, a Thrust Air 2000
Thrust Air 2000
A Thrust Air 2000 is a unique form of launched roller-coaster created by S&S Power, Inc., that uses refrigerated, compressed air to shoot a rubber-wheeled car down a steel track...
air-launched coaster made by S&S Power
S&S Power
S&S Worldwide is a company known for its pneumatically powered amusement rides and roller coaster designing.-History:S&S Worldwide was founded by Stan Checketts as S&S Sports, Inc. S&S Sports manufactures bungee jumping and trampoline equipment. S&S Sports was sold in 1996...
, launched riders from 0 to 80 miles (128.7 km) per hour in 1.5 seconds, taking them up a 87-degree incline and down a 87-degree drop. The entire ride takes about 25 seconds. Hypersonic XLC broke down frequently and was closed for the first three months of its second season; no other Paramount Parks installed a similar ride. Nevertheless, Hypersonic XLC helped establish Paramount's Kings Dominion's reputation as "the launched coaster capital of the world". Hypersonic XLC was removed after the 2007 season.
The early 2000s saw Paramount's Kings Dominion opening new rides similar to existing rides at other Paramount Parks. In 2002, the park opened its new wild mouse roller coaster
Wild Mouse roller coaster
A Wild Mouse roller coaster is a type of roller coaster characterized by small cars that seat four people or fewer and ride on top of the track, taking tight, flat turns at modest speeds, yet producing high lateral G-forces...
, Ricochet. Carowinds also installed their Ricochet
Ricochet (Carowinds)
The Ricochet is a Wild Mouse roller coaster located at Carowinds. It is located in The Carolina Boardwalk, and was built in 2002 when the boardwalk had just transformed from the Blue Ridge Junction...
in 2002. Diamond Falls, the giant flume
Shoot-the-Chutes
Shoot-the-Chutes is an amusement ride consisting of a flat-bottomed boat that slides down a ramp or inside a flume into a lagoon. Unlike a log flume, a Shoot-the-Chutes generally has larger boats and one single drop....
ride at Paramount's Kings Dominion, also closed that season, leading to several seasons of speculation from park visitors over which ride would take its place. The 2003 season saw Kings Dominion become the final of several of the Paramount Parks to open a Drop Zone Stunt Tower. The Drop Zone at Paramount's Kings Dominion, at 305 feet (93 m) high, was the tallest freefall ride in the world at the time it opened. In 2004, Paramount's Kings Dominion added Scooby-Doo! And the Haunted Mansion
Scooby-Doo! And the Haunted Mansion
Scooby-Doo! And The Haunted Mansion, Scooby-Doo! And The Haunted Castle or Scooby Doo's Haunted Mansion are a series of amusement park rides manufactured by Sally Corporation in the early 2000s.- Dark ride :...
; similar Scooby Doo-themed dark ride
Dark ride
A dark ride or ghost train is an indoor amusement ride where riders in guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music, and special effects....
s had opened at three other Paramount Parks during the three previous seasons. In the next season, Paramount's Kings Dominion added an inverted top spin called Tomb Raider: Firefall, now The Crypt, which was an outdoor version of a similar ride named Tomb Raider: The Ride
Tomb Raider: The Ride
There were a number of amusement park rides based on the Tomb Raider franchise. The three previously featured in the Paramount Parks have since been renamed...
at Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
. The differences between the two were that at Kings Dominion riders' feet dangle freely and at Kings Island there is a floor. In the 2006 season, Paramount's Kings Dominion opened the Italian Job Turbo Coaster
Backlot Stunt Coaster
Backlot Stunt Coaster is a steel launched roller coaster currently open at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario; Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia; and Kings Island in Mason, Ohio.-History:The three roller coasters originally opened as Italian Job: Stunt Track at Canada's Wonderland and...
, its fourth launched roller coaster. Unlike the previously built launched coasters at Paramount's Kings Dominion, each of which was faster than its predecessor, the Italian Job Turbo Coaster is designed more as a family ride and features several launches at 40 miles (64.4 km) per hour. Renamed the Backlot Stunt Coaster in 2008, the ride is similar to the Backlot Stunt Coaster rides at Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
and Canada's Wonderland, which both opened in 2005.
The Cedar Fair era (2007-present)
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
at the start of the 2007 season; the parks had themselves been up for sale since the previous off season. CBS made several controversial moves with Paramount's Kings Dominion during the 2006 season. First, a roller coaster based on The Italian Job
The Italian Job
The Italian Job is a 1969 British caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley and directed by Peter Collinson. Subsequent television showings and releases on video have established it as an institution in the United Kingdom....
had been advertised on television as being open at the start of the park's 2006 season, whereas it did not actually open until late May, almost two months into the season. The placement of the ride was rather dubious; some enthusiasts ridiculed the park management for placing the entrance of The Italian Job, which was themed to a street chase, in the middle of the park's African-themed Congo section near the Anaconda
Anaconda (roller coaster)
Anaconda is a steel roller coaster built in 1991, located at Kings Dominion theme park in Doswell, Virginia. It was built by Arrow Dynamics and designed by Ron Toomer; it was one of the few Arrow looping coasters built in the 1990s and was Kings Dominion's first roller coaster with more than one...
roller coaster. Second, visitors to the park during the 2006 season found that the trees in the queue of the Grizzly were cut down to make room for a new upcharge go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
attraction called Thunder Raceway. Third, Paramount's Kings Dominion closed Flight of Fear. Paramount's Kings Dominion gave no indication in the previous season that Flight of Fear would be closed for 2006. Rumors had suggested that it would be relocated to another former Paramount Park; since Cedar Fair acquired Paramount's Kings Dominion, the park worked to get the ride operable again. Flight of Fear reopened on August 18, ending speculation of the ride's relocation and/or sale.
On May 22, 2006, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co. announced that they were purchasing all five Paramount Parks. The sale was finalized on June 30, 2006 for $1.24 billion. The park retained its Paramount's Kings Dominion name through the end of the 2006 season and reverted to its original Kings Dominion name beginning in the 2007 season. For the 2007 season, the park lowered its single-day admission by $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
5 to $44.95, one year after Cedar Point
Cedar Point
Cedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
had made the same change to their ticket prices. This was the first time that Kings Dominion has ever lowered their ticket prices for a full season. In addition, they brought back their Starlight discount, which allows admission to the park for $29.99 after 4pm. Kings Dominion expanded WaterWorks for the 2007 season, adding a second wave pool called Tidal Wave Bay, a four-person family raft slide called Zoom Flume, and a ProSlide
ProSlide
ProSlide Technology is a Canadian manufacturer of water rides and water park resorts. They manufacture both traditional slides and innovative rides such as water coasters with conveyor belts, funnel-shaped Tornado slides, and Bowl slides...
Tornado.
In December 2006, Kings Dominion also put Hypersonic XLC up for sale. The park announced plans to keep it running until a buyer was found. It remained in operation during the 2007 season and was closed and dismantled several weeks before the 2008 season started. Also during the 2007-2008 offseason, Cedar Fair renamed the park's last two rides to open with Paramount theming. Drop Zone Stunt Tower became Drop Tower Scream Zone, The Italian Job: Turbo Coaster became Backlot Stunt Coaster, and Tomb Raider: Firefall received the name The Crypt. The Paramount Theater also changed its name to Kings Dominion Theater.
The 2008 and 2009 seasons saw Kings Dominion receive three rides which had operated at Geauga Lake
Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom
Wildwater Kingdom is a waterpark located in Aurora, Ohio, United States, originally founded in 1888 as Geauga Lake.Geauga Lake had operated primarily as an amusement park...
during its dry amusement park's final season. On October 23, 2007, Kings Dominion announced that Dominator
Dominator (roller coaster)
Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The ride originally operated at Geauga Lake before Cedar Fair announced the park would no longer operate as an amusement park.Dominator is a notable floorless...
, a floorless roller coaster
Floorless roller coaster
A floorless roller coaster is a roller coaster with trains that ride above the track and allow the passenger's legs to dangle. It is a fairly new concept in roller coaster design brought forth by manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard. The first ever floorless coaster debuted in 1999 at Six Flags Great...
, would be moved to Kings Dominion and located in the International Street section. Dominator opened on May 24, 2008, becoming Kings Dominion's first roller coaster with five inversions. For the 2009 season, two flat rides once located at Geauga Lake, like Dominator, opened in 2009. Located near Rebel Yell, Americana became Kings Dominion's first Ferris wheel. El Dorado, a pendulum ride, opened in the former site of Hypersonic XLC next to the Xtreme Skyflyer.
For the 2010 season, Kings Dominion has installed Intimidator 305
Intimidator 305
Intimidator 305 is a steel roller coaster designed and built by Intamin located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia in the United States. Standing at tall and reaching speeds of , it is the tallest, fastest roller coaster at Kings Dominion...
, a 305 ft (92.464 m) tall gigacoaster by Intamin AG
Intamin AG
Intamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
. The ride features a cable lift hill, an 85° first drop and a maximum speed of at least 94 mph (145 km/h). The ride, which is themed to the late NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was an American race car driver, best known for his involvement in stock car racing for NASCAR...
, was announced on August 20, 2009, and represents the park's largest-ever capital investment. It is open as of May 2010. Also for the 2010 season, the Kidzville and Nickelodeon Universe areas of the park are being re-themed to Planet Snoopy, as are the children's areas at Canada's Wonderland and Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
. The park has renamed the Hanna-Barbera themed rides in Kidzville to match the Planet Snoopy theme, ending the park's 35-year run with Scooby Doo and other Hanna-Barbera characters.
For the 2012 season, Kings Dominion will install WindSeeker
WindSeeker
WindSeeker is a thrill ride at several Cedar Fair parks. The Mondial rides were opened for the 2011 season at Ontario's Canada's Wonderland, Ohio's Cedar Point and Kings Island, and California's Knott's Berry Farm. Charlotte's Carowinds and Doswell's Kings Dominion will open their models in 2012...
in the Grove section of the park next to Juke Box Diner. This ride has versions in other Cedar Fair parks such as Canada's Wonderland, Cedar Point, Kings Island, and Knott's Berry Farm, and one will also go up at Carowinds. The ride will stand 301 ft tall and will give riders a view of the surrounding area. Kings Dominion will also add Dinosaurs Alive!
Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction)
Dinosaurs Alive! is an animatronic dinosaur themed area for children at several Cedar Fair parks. The version of this attraction at King's Island is the world's largest animatronic dinosaur park. A $5.00 fee is required in order to enter into this attraction....
, an upcharge dinosaur walkthrough which will be located in the Old Virginia section of the park, this time by Grizzly's entrance. This attraction has also appeared at Kings Island, and Cedar Point is also building one.
During the Cedar Fair era, the park introduced the Halloween event "HAUNT". While the park had always had a Halloween event, the new HAUNT event has been received very well.
Current attractions
International Street
International Street is the park's main walkway area, which greets guests when they enter the park. Both sides of the walkway are lined with shops, including two park related souvenir shops just inside the park's front gate. International Street also has one thrill ride, Berserker. Originally, only the walkway and its shops were considered part of the International Street area; during the park's Paramount seasons, the boundaries of International Street expanded to include the Action Theater.Like Kings Island, the centerpiece of Kings Dominion is its 1/3 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
, located just across the International Street fountain from the main entrance gate. Kings Dominion’s famous replica of the Eiffel Tower was designed and fabricated in Austria with steel imported from Zurich, Switzerland. From the observation deck, guests can enjoy a view of more than 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) of Virginia countryside.
- Eiffel Tower
- Berserker
- Action Theater
- DominatorDominator (roller coaster)Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The ride originally operated at Geauga Lake before Cedar Fair announced the park would no longer operate as an amusement park.Dominator is a notable floorless...
- Snoopy’s Starlight Spectacular
Old Virginia
Along with International Street, Old Virginia is the only original section of Kings Dominion that has kept its same name throughout the park's history. In the 1970s, Old Virginia had an Intamin Flying Dutchman flat ride called Jamestown Landing; behind it, Old Virginia had a steam train ride, Old Dominion Line, which ran through the woods in the back of the park. Jamestown Landing closed by 1980; the Old Dominion Line stayed until it closed in the 1990s. Today, Old Virginia is the center for outdoors themed water rides including Shenandoah Lumber Company and White Water Canyon. It is also the location of the second oldest wooden coaster at Kings Dominion, the Grizzly.- Kings Dominion Theater
- Flying EaglesFlying EaglesFlying Eagles is a Flying Scooters type amusement ride at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia in the United States. It consists of a center post with ride vehicles suspended from arms attached to the center post....
- Shenandoah Lumber Company (Log Flume)
- White Water CanyonWhite Water CanyonWhite Water Canyon is a river rafting ride originally named White Water Rafting Adventure. It is found at the Cedar Fair parks of Canada's Wonderland, Kings Dominion, and Kings Island. It features six seat tubes.-Locations:...
- Blue Ridge Tollway
- Grizzly
- Thunder Raceway Go-Karts
The Grove
The Grove section opened with the park in 1975, and it has also been named as Coney Island and the Candy Apple Grove. Currently it is Kings Dominion's largest section in the park. Candy Apple Grove opened with an orchardOrchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
theme, complete with singing mushrooms, large candy apples, and three apple themed flat rides which were Adam's Apple, Apple Turnover, and Bad Apple. Candy Apple Grove lost much of its theming during the 1990s and changed its name to The Grove by 2001.
Today The Grove is known for some of Kings Dominion's thrill rides like Rebel Yell and Drop Tower, along with family rides like Wave Swinger and Americana. Besides rides, visitors can play games like Water Racers, play arcade style games in Grove Arcade, eat great foods like pizza, lasagna, or burgers at Victoria Pizza or Juke Box Diner, and shop name brand items at the Rock Shop.
- Carousel
- Ricochet
- Dodgem Bumper Cars
- Drop Tower: Scream Zone
- Hurler
- Rebel YellRebel Yell (roller coaster)Rebel Yell is a wooden roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. It opened with the park in 1975.Rebel Yell is a racing roller coaster featuring two individual tracks that parallel each other. Its design was inspired by the Racer, another wooden racing coaster at Kings...
- Shockwave
- WindSeekerWindSeekerWindSeeker is a thrill ride at several Cedar Fair parks. The Mondial rides were opened for the 2011 season at Ontario's Canada's Wonderland, Ohio's Cedar Point and Kings Island, and California's Knott's Berry Farm. Charlotte's Carowinds and Doswell's Kings Dominion will open their models in 2012...
- Wave Swinger
- Xtreme SkyFlyer
- Americana
- Dinosaurs Alive!Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction)Dinosaurs Alive! is an animatronic dinosaur themed area for children at several Cedar Fair parks. The version of this attraction at King's Island is the world's largest animatronic dinosaur park. A $5.00 fee is required in order to enter into this attraction....
Planet Snoopy & KidZville
Planet Snoopy, a children's area themed to the PeanutsPeanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
, previously opened as Nickelodeon Central in 1996 and KidZville in 1997. Following the 2009 season, Cedar Fair introduced Planet Snoopy theming and characters to the children's areas of Kings Dominion and the other Paramount Parks.
- Peanuts Meet & Greet
- Peanuts Showplace
- Snoopy's Splash Dance
- Joe Cool's Driving School
- Flying Ace
- Treasure Cave
- Boo Blasters on Boo Hill
- Road Rally
- Swing A Round
- Boulder Bumpers
- Red Baron
- Space Port
- Hot Rods
- Jeep Tours
- Junior Turnpike
- Virginia Clipper
- Taxi Jam Coaster
- Ghoster Coaster
- KidZville Gazebo
Congo
Congo is Kings Dominion's easternmost and predominantly African-themed section. It was inspired by one of the park's original attractions, the Lion Country Safari. Containing a boat ride and a monorailMonorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
train through a nature preserve, the safari attraction closed in the 1990s. The Congo section remains and now contains some of the park's most technologically innovative rides, such as Volcano, Anaconda, Flight of Fear, and Intimidator 305.
- AvalancheAvalanche (Kings Dominion)Avalanche is a bobsled roller coaster at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, USA. Avalanche opened in 1988 and is the only Mack bobsled coaster running in the United States today. It is located in the African-themed Congo section of the amusement park. There are seven cars per train and the...
- Scrambler
- AnacondaAnaconda (roller coaster)Anaconda is a steel roller coaster built in 1991, located at Kings Dominion theme park in Doswell, Virginia. It was built by Arrow Dynamics and designed by Ron Toomer; it was one of the few Arrow looping coasters built in the 1990s and was Kings Dominion's first roller coaster with more than one...
- Backlot Stunt Coaster
- The CryptThe Crypt (Kings Dominion)The Crypt is a HUSS suspended top spin located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The Crypt is also the name of a giant top spin at Kings Dominion's sister park, Kings Island...
- Volcano, The Blast CoasterVolcano, The Blast CoasterVolcano, The Blast Coaster, or "Volcano", is the launched inverted roller coaster at Kings Dominion. It is one of the more popular rides since its opening on August 3, 1998. It is a custom designed ride designed by Paramount Parks and famous roller coaster designer Werner Stengel. The ride was...
- Intimidator 305Intimidator 305Intimidator 305 is a steel roller coaster designed and built by Intamin located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia in the United States. Standing at tall and reaching speeds of , it is the tallest, fastest roller coaster at Kings Dominion...
WaterWorks
WaterWorksWaterWorks
WaterWorks is a water park owned by Cedar Fair, located at the back of Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. When it debuted in 1992, it was originally named Hurricane Reef...
, Kings Dominion's water park, can be thought of in terms of its two sides, Northside which was formerly known as Hurricane Reef, and Southside which is the newer section of WaterWorks. The rides that WaterWorks had as Hurricane Reef in the mid-1990s are all located in front of the Rebel Yell roller coaster; the newer rides are behind the Rebel Yell and are accessible by walking under the Rebel Yell on a walkway between Baja Bends and Shoot the Curl. The original Hurricane Reef attractions received new names when Kings Dominion renamed the water park WaterWorks in 1999.
- Baja Bends
- Big Wave Bay
- FreeStylin'
- Lazy Rider
- Lil' Barefoot Beach
- Pipeline Peak
- Shoot the Curl
- Surf City Splash House
- Tidal Wave Bay
- Tornado
- Zoom Flume
Timeline
- 1974: Preview center opened featuring a film theater, Ghoster Coaster (then called Scooby-Doo), and Lion Country Safari (at that time, visitors had to drive their own vehicles through the safari section, later to be replaced by a monorail a few years after). Rebel Yell had been completed at that time, but did not open until spring of 1975 along with the rest of the park.
- 1975: Park opened in spring of 1975 (One week after Busch Gardens "The Old Country" in nearby Williamsburg, VA)
- 1976: Apple Turnover (Enterprise flat ride)
- 1977: King Kobra (Steel coaster)
- 1978: Kings Dominion Campground
- 1979: Lost World (Themed area); featuring Journey to Atlantis, Land of the Dooz and Time Shaft
- 1980: Haunted River replaced Journey to Atlantis
- 1982: Grizzly and Amphitheater
- 1983: White Water Canyon; Galaxie coaster closed
- 1984: Berserker; Smurf Mountain replaced Land of the Dooz
- 1985: Diamond Falls and Scooby's Play Park
- 1986: Shockwave; King Kobra removed
- 1987: Racing Rivers
- 1988: Avalanche
- 1989: Sky Pilot (Flat ride, took the place of Apple Turnover)
- 1990: Hanna-Barbera Land expansion
- 1991: AnacondaAnaconda (roller coaster)Anaconda is a steel roller coaster built in 1991, located at Kings Dominion theme park in Doswell, Virginia. It was built by Arrow Dynamics and designed by Ron Toomer; it was one of the few Arrow looping coasters built in the 1990s and was Kings Dominion's first roller coaster with more than one...
- 1992: Hurricane Reef (Water park)
- 1993: Days of Thunder (Motion simulator theater)
- 1994: Hurler; Old Dominion Line steam train removed
- 1995: Nickelodeon Central; Smurf Mountain is removed
- 1996: Flight of Fear and Xtreme SkyFlyer
- 1997: Taxi Jam; Hanna-Barbera Land renamed KidZville
- 1998: VolcanoVolcano, The Blast CoasterVolcano, The Blast Coaster, or "Volcano", is the launched inverted roller coaster at Kings Dominion. It is one of the more popular rides since its opening on August 3, 1998. It is a custom designed ride designed by Paramount Parks and famous roller coaster designer Werner Stengel. The ride was...
; Action Theater replaces Days of Thunder - 1999: Expansion of Hurricane Reef to WaterWorks
- 2000: Pipeline Peak added to WaterWorks
- 2001: HyperSonic XLCHypersonic XLCHypersonic XLC was a roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. Hypersonic was the first compressed air launch coaster in the world. In 2007, Hypersonic XLC was closed and later dismantled...
(Xtreme Launch Coaster); Shockwave and Anaconda both receive a new color scheme for the year - 2002: Ricochet and Triple Spin; Diamond Falls closes
- 2003: Drop Tower and SpongeBob SquarePants 3-D
- 2004: Scooby-Doo & The Haunted Mansion
- 2005: The Crypt
- 2006: Backlot Stunt Coaster and Thunder Raceway Go-Karts; Flight of Fear shut down until mid-August when it reopened; FearFests last year before stepping to a new level of fear
- 2007: Tidal Wave Bay, Tornado and Zoom Flume added to WaterWorks; last year for Hypersonic XLC; the park welcome Halloween Haunt, a new level of fear inspired from another Cedar Fair park, Knott's Berry Farm (Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt)
- 2008: DominatorDominator (roller coaster)Dominator is a steel floorless roller coaster designed by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. The ride originally operated at Geauga Lake before Cedar Fair announced the park would no longer operate as an amusement park.Dominator is a notable floorless...
(Originally from the now close amusement park Geauga Lake) - 2009: El Dorado and Americana (Both relocated from Geauga Lake); Grizzly retracked
- 2010: Intimidator 305Intimidator 305Intimidator 305 is a steel roller coaster designed and built by Intamin located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia in the United States. Standing at tall and reaching speeds of , it is the tallest, fastest roller coaster at Kings Dominion...
(Intamin AGIntamin AGIntamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
Giga Coaster), Planet Snoopy (Retheme of Nickelodon Central) and Boo Blasters on Boo Hill replaces Scooby-Doo & The Haunted Mansion; Rebel Yell retracked; installed trim brakes on Intimidator 305Intimidator 305Intimidator 305 is a steel roller coaster designed and built by Intamin located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia in the United States. Standing at tall and reaching speeds of , it is the tallest, fastest roller coaster at Kings Dominion... - 2011: Snoopy's Starlight Spectular - a lightshow featuring Snoopy and the gang. Removed trim brakes from Intimidator 305Intimidator 305Intimidator 305 is a steel roller coaster designed and built by Intamin located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia in the United States. Standing at tall and reaching speeds of , it is the tallest, fastest roller coaster at Kings Dominion...
and made modifications to first turn; Shockwave painted with a different color scheme; Grizzly retracked. - 2012: WindSeekerWindSeekerWindSeeker is a thrill ride at several Cedar Fair parks. The Mondial rides were opened for the 2011 season at Ontario's Canada's Wonderland, Ohio's Cedar Point and Kings Island, and California's Knott's Berry Farm. Charlotte's Carowinds and Doswell's Kings Dominion will open their models in 2012...
and Dinosaurs Alive!Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction)Dinosaurs Alive! is an animatronic dinosaur themed area for children at several Cedar Fair parks. The version of this attraction at King's Island is the world's largest animatronic dinosaur park. A $5.00 fee is required in order to enter into this attraction....
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Retired rides and attractions
- 1974-1993: Lion County Safari
- 1975-19??: Adam's Apple (himalaya ride)
- 1975-19??: Flying Carpets
- 1975-1983: Galaxie (Galaxi) made by S.D.C.
- 1975-1994: Old Dominion Steam Line train
- 1976-1993: Apple Turnover (Enterprise ride next to Lake Charles)
- 1977-1986: King KobraThunder looperThunder Looper was a Schwarzkopf Shuttle Loop roller coaster, that operated at Alton Towers Theme Park between 1990 & 1996. When it opened it was classed as part of Aqualand, which is now split between Mutiny Bay & Katanga Canyon, although its actual location was situated where Forbidden Valley is...
(Steel Coaster) - 1979-1980: The Lost World Mountain: Journey to Atlantis (Replaced by Haunted River)
- 1979-1997: The Time Shaft (located in the mountain of Volcano)
- 1980-1997: The Haunted River (located in the mountain of Volcano)
- 1984-1995: Smurf MountainSmurf MountainSmurf Mountain was a powered train ride located at Kings Dominion amusement park in Doswell, Virginia. It was located in the Safari Village section of the park inside the Lost World Mountain, a giant styrofoam mountain that hosted many rides. The ride itself was a small train coaster that traveled...
(located in the mountain of Volcano) - 1985-2002: Diamond Falls (Big Splash ride) (located where Black Lot Stunt coaster sits)
- 2001-2007: Hypersonic XLCHypersonic XLCHypersonic XLC was a roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. Hypersonic was the first compressed air launch coaster in the world. In 2007, Hypersonic XLC was closed and later dismantled...
compressed air-launched coaster made by S&S PowerS&S PowerS&S Worldwide is a company known for its pneumatically powered amusement rides and roller coaster designing.-History:S&S Worldwide was founded by Stan Checketts as S&S Sports, Inc. S&S Sports manufactures bungee jumping and trampoline equipment. S&S Sports was sold in 1996... - 1989-19??: Sky Pilot (Located near Rebel Yell in Candy Apple Grove)
- 1975-19??: Chairlift (Two entrances, one next to the Rebel Yell and one in Hanna-Barbera)
- 1975-1993: Safari Monorail
- 2009-2011: El Dorado (Located in the current Windseeker location)
External links
- Official website
- Official website of Intimidator 305
- Historical Kings Dominion Gallery
- Photos of Kings Dominion c. 1981.
- Kings Dominion to open section featuring five water attractions - 1992 article from Travel Weekly announcing the opening of Hurricane Reef (requires subscription)
- Kings Dominion attraction timeline
- The people's park: Kings Dominion always takes you back - article in the Hook weeklyThe Hook weeklyThe Hook is a weekly newspaper published in Charlottesville, Virginia and distributed throughout Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. It was founded in 2002 by a number of former employees of another Charlottesville weekly, C-ville Weekly, including its co-founder and editor Hawes Spencer.In...
- Kings Dominion Timeline: 1971-2005
- Old Kings Dominion Photos: 1975-2004
- KDfansite | Unofficial Fansite of Kings Dominion
- VaThrills | Unofficial Fansite of Kings Dominion
- Kings Dominion photo book from 1981