Virginia is for Lovers, and for lovers of roller coasters, Paramount's Kings Dominion, located in Doswell, will satisfy your heart's desire. It offers an even dozen heart pounding scream machines. We visited the park during the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) convention in 2003.
Brochure courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion
King's Dominion, entitled after Virginia's nickname the "Old Dominion State", was opened on May 3, 1975. It is geographically situated between Richmond, VA and Washington, D.C. In 1993, Paramount Communications, Inc.
acquired the park and opened Days of Thunder, a stock car racing simulator.
Today, Paramount's Kings Dominion features Waterworks Water Park, and one of the last wooden carousels in the world. It also has many family attractions including interactive experiences like Spongebob Squarepants and Scooby-Doo and The Haunted Mansion.
Joni - got my season pass, got my sunglasses, got my fanny pack. It's time to ride some coasters! (Photo by Shredley)
The replica of the Eiffel Tower stands over 300 feet high, and is located next to magnificent fountains. The view from the top is spectacular, and it can be seen from many miles distant.
At the entrance, visitors are greeted with refreshing fountains and the Eiffel Tower (Photo courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion)
This park has four outstanding wooden roller coasters. The oldest operating coaster for the younger set is Scooby-Doo's Ghoster Coaster, a medium sized ride that's a cut above your average kiddie coaster. Built in 1974 by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters and designed by John Allen, it is an ACE Coaster Classic. It reaches speeds up to 35 miles per hour and its highest drop is 35 feet. This coaster is loads of fun.
Scooby-Doo is cool and blue (Photo by Gonchar www.coasterimage.com)
Rebel Yell has been operating since 1975. This wooden racing coaster was also built by PTC and John Allen. One side of Rebel Yell runs forward, and the other side runs backward. This was our first experience riding backwards on a woodie. Rebel Yell reaches speeds up to 56 miles per hour, and its maximum vertical angle is 50 degrees. This ride was featured in the 1977 movie "Rollercoaster" starring George Segal, Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Timothy Bottoms, and Susan Strasberg. A riding marathon to promote the film led to the creation of American Coaster Enthusiasts.
Rebel Yell - a coaster of star quality (Photo courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion)
Rebel Yell - an out-and-back with sweeping airtime (Photo by Joe Schwartz www.joyrides.com)
Grizzly is well hidden in the forest. We searched, and finally found the entrance.
Joni, sister Linda, and brother in law Norman near the coaster Grizzly (Photo by Shredley)
A very scary bear invites you to Grizzly (Photo by Gonchar www.coasterimage.com)
We walked on a wooden footbridge to the boarding platform.
Grizzly was designed by Curtis Summers and was built by Taft/King's Entertainment in March of 1982. Its highest drop is 78 feet. This wooden coaster is a spectacular twister made even more astonishing by the surrounding dense trees and foliage. An extra bonus is the tunnel located in the center of the ride that gives the impression of very low clearance (aka/ head chopper effect). We loved this ride.
Grizzly's first drop plunging into the forest (Photo by Gonchar www.coasterimage.com)
Next to Rebel Yell is the wooden roller coaster, Hurler. The ride's first drop ends in a hairpin turn. Riders are hurled back and forth on this unusual track layout.
Hurler was built in 1994 and designed by International Coasters, Inc. Its maximum height is 83 feet and it reaches speeds of 50 miles per hour. We enjoyed many rides.
Hurler - riders prepare for the hairpin turn (Photo by Gonchar www.coasterimage.com)
Taxi Jam is Paramount's Kings Dominion's kiddie coaster. This steel sit down ride has been operating since 1997, and was built by Miler Coaster, Inc. It's a great beginning for the keiki.
Taxi Jam - hail this pint sized coaster for pint sized people (Photo by Joel Rogers www.coastergallery.com)
Avalanche is a steel bobsled coaster. It has been operating since 1988 and was built by Mack. Bobsled coasters are a rarity, but are lots of fun when you can find them. This one was thrilling and smooth.
Joni and Shredley at the entrance to Avalanche (Photo by Joyce Harris)
Shredley and sister Joyce under the Avalanche (Photo by Joni)
Ricochet is a steel wild mouse ride designed by Mack. It has been operating since 2002. It reaches heights of nearly 52 feet and speeds up to 35 miles per hour. We've been on a lot of mouse rides. This one was smooth, comfortable, and very entertaining.
Ricochet - cars wind through the track (Photo courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion)
Joni, Shredley, Joyce and Wayne on Ricochet (On-ride photo by Paramount's Kings Dominion)
Shockwave is a stand-up steel coaster that features one vertical loop. It was built in 1986 by Togo of Japan. This coaster is 95 feet high and reaches speeds of 50 miles per hour.
The train framed in the center of Shockwave's vertical loop (Photo by Gonchar www.coasterimage.com)
Paramount's Kings Dominion's Anaconda is a Custom Looping Coaster built by Arrow. It has been operating since 1991, and is the only coaster to feature a 126 foot underwater tunnel. This ride turns guests upside down four times, and has a 144 foot drop.
Anaconda's double corkscrew and the Eiffel Tower (Photo courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion)
Anaconda's first drop enters the underwater tunnel (Photo by Gonchar www.coasterimage.com)
Stan Checketts of S&S Power, designer of many drop towers at thrill parks, used his thrust air technology to design Hypersonic XLC. This was the first coaster of its kind to launch riders from 0 to 80 miles per hour in 1.8 seconds using compressed air. It has been operating since 2001. XLC stands for "Xtreme Launch Coaster". This ride is a real adrenaline rush!
Shredley with friend and fellow ACE Member Lee Ann Draud at Hypersonic XLC entrance (Photo by Joni)
The train is a blur during the launch of Hypersonic XLC (Photo courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion)
Joni and Shredley on a Hypersonic thrill (On-ride photo by Paramount's Kings Dominion)
New for 2006 is the Italian Job Turbo Coaster, designed by Premier Rides.
Brochure courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion
It features a LIM launch beginning and reaches speeds up to 40 miles per hour. It has a maximum drop of 31 feet. The trains are designed like Mini Cooper cars as featured in Paramount's movie "The Italian Job". In Hawaii, Joni drives a yellow Mini Cooper named Buttercup.
Artist rendering of Italian Job Turbo Coaster (Photo courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion)
Inverted roller coasters have trains that are suspended from an overhead track. Volcano, The Blast Coaster is the first launched inverted roller coaster. It has been operating since 1998, and was designed by Intamin of Switzerland. It quickly attains speeds of 70 miles per hour and thrusts riders vertically through the rim of the volcano during an eruption of fire. This coaster turns riders upside down four times on its descent. This is the only roller coaster of its kind and the only active volcano in the State of Virginia. Riding in the front seat is spectacular because of the amazing visuals, and is well worth the extra wait.
Riders negotiate one of the three heartline spins on Volcano, The Blast Coaster (Photo courtesy of Paramount's Kings Dominion)
Shredley conquers the volcano (Photo by Joni)
Volcano, The Blast Coaster erupts with real fire (Photo by Gonchar www.coasterimage.com)
Our June column will take us to the land of the Great Greek Gods and one unbelievable wooden coaster called Hades.
Much Aloha!
-Joni and Shredley
Next Installment: Chapter XXXIV: The Parks; Mount Olympus Theme Park, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Related Links:
www.kingsdominion.com
www.coasterimage.com
www.coastergallery.com
www.joyrides.com
www.rcdb.com
www.aceonline.org
