Unfortunately, KD is the ultimate "Maybe next year" park. After that new water park expansion, they desperately need the stand-out ground-up coaster if they want to keep up.
KD has been my home park for 28 years, and the decline in quality the last decade has been extremely noticeable. I used to be a season pass holder but not anymore, and only go a few times a season, the coasters and water park heavily being the reason I go back. I'm really hoping they hit a home run with whatever they replace Volcano with, because it really needs it, I just don't feel the same standards when I go to the park that I did 15 years ago. I prefer the extra hour drive to go to BGW, especially with Pantheon now making their coaster selection overall better imo
Me too sadly, I really really hope they make some new changes and add more rides, I’m sad the cedar fair isn’t giving them as many rides, I don’t want to see it die and I really love the new rides they add when they do add some, don’t get me wrong, the ones they have now are great but after awhile they lose a lot of magic after riding them so much. I hope the park doesn’t go down hill
People went there for the volcano I loved getting there in the morning and waiting for the staff to unhook the line and everyone speed walks towards it smiling. I can't believe they didn't just repair it the volcano was a staple to the park
Why doesn't King's Dominion consider investing in landscaping? Holy moly, the aerial shots of K.D are depressing, whereas BGW is full of trees and looks far more inviting. Sure, you go for the roller coasters, but it'd be nice if the park was pleasant looking while walking around, too.
People don't walk around amusement parks 300+ feet in the air and when you are in the park during the summer when everything is live it is very pretty to walk though but they could add some more it can't hurt.
@R T You need to spend sometime outside the states plenty of parcs as good looking or better in Europe. I do admit the coasters in BGW are better then in those parcs in europe.
I actually think Kings Dominion looks pretty nice when you're actually walking through it. They put in a lot of nice trees and flowers, and the only place without shade is Safari Village. Aerial footage doesn't do it justice
KD needs to focus on improving the overall visitor experience. This is why Busch Gardens is hitting it out of the park. One off investments in a high-profile attraction will barely make a dent because guests would rather go get lost in "Europe land" for a day, with its immersive guest experience suitable for all ages. KD needs transformational Investments in guest experience, because everything in the park feels kind of random in comparison to Busch Gardens. If Cedar Fair doesn't see the potential in making those transformational Investments, then right on them to let the park decline. Busch wins. 🏳️
@@coasterland325 Most GP park guests outside this hyper-niche community don't decide to spend their vacation at a particular park based on the efficiency of the rides at the particular park. Efficiency is important, but too in the weeds, and we need to _zoom out_ a bit. If a park improves its dispatch efficiency, guest satisfaction indirectly increases, but the effect on ticket sales is marginal. CF needs to think _bigger_ about the kind of escape guests are looking for in their KD/BGW theme park experience.
@@tedpiano thats a great point, i suppose i may be a bit nitpicky, on a more broad note the park didnt announce the temporary closure of i 305 for the day until after we started our visit, this would not have been as angering if i had not been told by a ride supervisor that the park knew it would be down in advance and yet they did not mention it on their website, that was really frustrating tbh
@@iglive3603 maybe it was a bad time to go however alpengeist consistently had 5 to 7 minute dispatches, griffin was slightly less terrible, and admittedly the other rides were for like 4 to 6 which is slightly less bad I suppose
Having a season pass for both parks, I much would rather go to BGW than KD. BGW is quality over quantity and is really good and just has a good vibe. KD just has quantity and doesn’t get frequent good additions like BGW.
There's a difference between surviving, and thriving. The closest parks to me are King's Island and Holiday World. Though King's Island has more thrill rides, I actually prefer Holiday World because it's prettier, and more friendly. And hey, the coasters that they DO have are pretty damn good! I would not make a trip to VA to go to King's Dominion. I will eventually go check out BGW, though. I've been to BGT many times, and it's great! K.D may survive. But it'll only draw locals. Without investment, it will not grow or become a destination, such as Cedar Point or BGW.
I work the prowler at Worlds of Fun..and yes we need a new coaster in the mix..thats what everyone is talking about when is Worlds of Fun going to get a new coaster..there is plenty of room for expansion and in 2 years it will be our 50th anniversary so hopefully cedar fair takes that into account..lol
Kings Dominion is a top-tier Cedar Fair park for me, as I had a fantastic time there. Although I've only been to CGA, KBF, CP, KD and Carowinds, so maybe my perspective is screwed. They sure as hell have a fantastic lineup though, with i305, TT, FOF and even Dominator.
IMO KD needs something that will meet or exceed what Volcano was. Personally would like to see a record breaking launched wing coaster. Also make the lockers at the rides free of charge. KD could learn a thing or two from parks like Universal who does that. That may go a long way in people’s eyes.
the fact that they haven't gotten rid of volcanos station (i think) has to mean they definitively have something planned. i love KD, i really hope it doesn't fall into neglect
It's unfortunate to see this happening to KD, having it as my home park All we can hope for at this point is a reasonable Volcano replacement, which really is unfortunate to have to hope for
@@thoosienick5178 same. dorney is going downhill. they gotta add another coaster cuz rn there’s only 4 main coasters(talon, hydra, steel force and thunderhawk) and it isn’t enough. i also heard they’re removing possessed(which im not sure is true?) but if that’s the case.. im gonna be pissed.
A good way for Kings Dominion to escape this position is to make The Battle for Kings Dominion playable again, as well as them adding a few minor tweaks to make the game more interesting
At this point when it comes to my two home parks. It always comes to Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens, and at this point I almost always end up choosing Busch Gardens. I feel they have a better line up, and just a better overall vibe
It’s the county’s fault as well. Before Cedar fair invested heavily in Carowinds, Cedar Fair approached the county for tax incentives to invest more in the area. The county that Carowinds is in gave them the tax incentive. And the county that Kings Dominion is in did not. Citing they’re going to invest anyways. And now we are getting under invested in.
The rumor amongst the enthusiast community is that Intimidator was such a failure that they chose not to invest any further in the park much like how SFA went downhill immediately after batwing was installed because it too was an utter failure for the park.
Speaking from my own experience, the park seems to have fallen quite far from where it was 10+ years ago. I recently went there, and the day I went, quite a few of the rides were down. The stunt coaster, the flight of fear, and the dominator. Maybe it was just a bad luck day, but it definitely left a sour taste in my mouth, considering what I paid to get in. I don't know when I'll go back, but I hope it's not like this again.
I love KD but it’s really unfortunate that they’ve taken out so many rides. Just imagine if they still had Volcano AND the insane hypersonic XLC (I’m old enough to remember it and it was more intense than top thrill dragster) along with what they’ve got now.
Great video man, i love KD! Been vlogging here a lot lately and i would love to see this coaster addition. I would also love a wing coaster… either or really :)
KD needs to step up and add more staff/security to keep the heathens in check. When people act like animals in a park with fighting, running, cussing, people start leaving to go to elsewhere. It’s a shame, We have been going there for over 40 years, park has really gone downhill the past 10. Real Shame.
@@jaydenchrist6152 Just seems like a long time without a new coaster. We got Patriot in 2006 then Prowler 3 years later. I keep having hope they'll rebuild Orient Express with somebody like B&M. The queue house is still there and the landscape is still empty where it was. Would be a huge draw as many people from KC feel that OE is the OG WoF coaster.
@@slammedniss yea yall need a new coaster defently but worlds of fun is still a pretty good small park like dorney and I think yall could get a new coaster in like 5-10 years
I’m 90% sure the seatbelts on some of the trains on Racer 75 literally don’t work, I was wondering why I got so much airtime and I was genuinely impressed that I went for the reride the first time as it is my home park and that is where I noticed it, they’d pull up despite being buckled in as if they were broken from the other side. I don’t know if it was a problem with ride ops or a mechanical issue, and I don’t know whether to embrace it or to fear it because the lap bar is pretty wack.
I've been going to KD since I was little back when there was hanna barbera land and smurf mountain. Absolutely love I 305 and FOF. Unfortunately several of the older coasters are becoming increasingly rough rides. The Grizzly used to be one of my favorites but it now the amount of a beating you take riding it takes a lot of the fun out. Haven't been to BGW in a long time, but it has a better atmosphere but at that point the coasters were pretty tame I reckon they have gotten better since then.
Great video. You put what I’ve been thinking for so long into words. When I went to this park in 2010 for the first time I was blown away and thought of it as the best park in the southeast and 2nd best Cedar Fair park. I found it better than BGW, better than Hershey, and even thought it was better than its sister park Kings Island. Since then, those 3 parks have grown tremendously, and Kings Dominion has shrunk. It’s insane how fast it declined. The removal of Volcano was the KO punch for me. What was once an amazing 1-2 punch of two unique, top-tier coasters is now just the still awesome I305 and a middle of the road RMC. I like Twisted Timbers a lot but it pales in comparison to other RMCs for me and is nowhere near enough to make up for the loss of Volcano.
I think the fact that They are replacing the crypt with a free spin is a good sign. Cedar fair always likes to pit in cheap "filler" coasters before adding a bigger investment. Adding a free spin will also be great because there's nothing else like in the area, so it will be super unique. This will also give Cedar Fair more time to prepare a proper replacement for Volcano. I think the closure of Volcano combined with the opening of Pantheon will make Cedar Fair put a bit more attention on this park. As someone whose home park is KD, I can say that Cedar Fair still takes great care of the actual park itself, they just need to start focusing on attractions again.
I remember being bummed out when Cedar Fair bought the park and they renamed so many attractions, BUT then being super stoked a few years later when I saw all the amazing new additions they were adding. But then as you've pointed out, it has slowly declined over the years.
Makes sense. They built up Kings Dominion after they bought it and now it's good for a few years. They're shifting to Carowinds since that actually has a possibility of return on investment. Growth to the park is possible, since Raleigh is like fastest growing area in country (or one of them) and no nearby real competition.
KD never had the any of the attributes that have historically ranked Busch Gardens so highly, but they historically had unusual, whacky, and intense rides. They have removed many of those rides, and what is left is a relatively dreary park with a strange layout whereas BG is constantly adding new things and continues to maintain a park with world-class theming, landscaping, dining, family rides, thrill rides, and entertainment. KD lacks the family atmosphere, they lack any real draw for those who aren't big coaster people (which Hersheypark and BG both nail), and now they are starting to lack the very rides that is really their only draw. I'm not even sure if a single coaster will be enough to right the course. It's a good start, but they need to improve the overall visitor experience, which Cedar hasn't done a very good job at IMO.
The soul of any large theme park is a steam railroad. Once they are gone or removed the decline will begin and the warmth will eventually vanish. Thanks for sharing, the park will make it. It's just not what it could be to those who really remember. 👍
Plz Cedar Point I beg you too put work into this park you can’t just have a top tier park fall, we need a inverted coaster, a wing coaster, and a record breaking coaster at least in all in the year from 2022-2030 and multiple investments, this amusement park has the most people being it a home park, don’t let them down, even you think kings dominion has no hope, it does, as being a thrill fan park I want you to make it a fan thrill favorite park once again, I promise it will be worth it, If I had unlimited money, I would put it all in kings dominion and all of the other cedar fair parks, Plz Cedar Fair see this message and make Kings Dominion a Legendary Park once again
@@michaezell4607 It's embarrassing. Kings Dominion was actually one of the Top 5 best Amusement parks in the world... Now it barely makes Top 10 (Because of the Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion barely made top 10)
The problem is that Cedar Fair took a risk with I305, and unfortunately it didn't pay off. I305 is a great coaster, but it's far from GP-friendly - most people find it way too intense. And for such a big investment that's a HUGE problem. Truth is, it's the GP that makes these parks money, not enthusiasts, and KD doesn't really appeal to the GP as much as other parks. It's not exactly the best landscaped and its selection of rides is heavily skewed towards high-intensity even compared to other Cedar Fair parks. And this especially hurts it due to its relative proximity to Busch Gardens Williamsburg which is a FAR more GP-friendly park.
Not sure where all this doom and gloom is coming from. Cedar Fair has removed 2 coasters and transformed, what evolved into a miserable wood coaster, into a unique RMC creation. Shockwave was removed because the Japanese company that made it is no longer in business. Parts were scarce and very expensive to replicate. Keep in mind that the TOGO stand-ups were removed at sister parks Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland within 2-3 years of Shockwave's removal at KD. Volcano was a unique coaster and was popular with the public. But, it was Intamin's only full circuit launched suspended coaster. No other coaster of this type was built by Intamin. They did a hand-full of short shuttle coasters. This ride was plagued with major down time; especially, in the later years of its life. Since it was "one of a kind", Intamin most likely did not stock parts for it. If KD needed a replacement part, they would have to order it and have the part custom made. That is down-time and expense the park did not want to deal with anymore. To complicate things more for Volcano, the ride was designed to fit in and around an existing structure, the mountain. But, that mountain was not designed for Volcano. It had large openings cut through for the train to pass through in several places and a couple hundred holes to allow the coaster supports to come through it. The mountain looked like swiss cheese. I firmly believe that was causing the mountain to deteriorate even faster than expected, with water taking its toll on the steel supports and causing the concrete skin to break up in freeze-thaw cycles in winter. With the Crypt, it was manufactored by Huss. They put out some unique flat rides; but, those rides did not have long life spans. As they aged, Huss rides were tearing themselves apart. Kings Island took out their model of Huss's top-spin ride several years ago. Another CF park removed their version 2-3 years ago. I realize that some feel Cedar Fair has not replaced attractions fast enough. But, to say Cedar Fair is ignoring KD is wrong. We have the region's only RMC coaster and the tallest coaster in I-305. We have Delerium pendelum ride. The park is putting back theming and increasing landscaping, improving the food quality and variety. Been working on the entertainment offerings for the last 5-6 years. We have new attractions for the waterpark this year and it sounds like 2022 is already in the bag. If your underlying complaint is we don't have a 20+ million dollar coaster going into the park anytime soon, then that is the reality of things, we either accept it for now or take our money elsewhere.
KD was my home park growing up as well and I have so many fun memories. My cousin and I used to ride on Anaconda over and over again, despite how jarring and headbanging it was, just because it was the biggest and most intense ride we were able to go on (we weren't tall enough to ride Volcano and others yet). The change in the park was definitely noticeable once Cedar Fair took over and you are right that the park has felt neglected for a long time now. I sincerely hope KD can regain its former glory with time. RIP Volcano
I went to Kings Dominion for the first time in 2018. I was impressed. It was clean and just a beautiful park. I do not think Kings Dominion is in that much "trouble". They will add something nice after getting their 4-D freespin. As far as the coaster removals go, the only one that would be missed would be Volcano. I do understand the reasoning removing Volcano though. Kings Dominion will not fall into Cedar Fair's lower tier parks. The park is just too beautiful for that to happen.
The park has dropped a lot since cedar took over. It used to have so much. This video talks about ride removals but that's not all thats been cut. Theming has been cut everywhere except the safari area.. And not sure why that was the only one to survive. , the backwards train for their Racer been scrapped. Water rides been scrapped a couple years after they put em in. Hypersonic was removed the same year the company had solutions to the problem.. But instead of taking that investment they removed it giving that spotlight to Japan. Water rides like the rapid had a lot of water effects removed, You used to actually get wet now you're hoping to get a good splash at some point. Special effects were removed as well on various rides. They cut a lot of fun aspects from their Halloween events because it was too scary before.. They do have some things right but they don't make up for all the bad. Im glad you still enjoyed it but if you seen the park before you'll see why it's feels like a ghost town now.
It is because CedarFair is not getting the tax breaks like they get at Carowinds for investing in the park at KD. If they got a break or something like that, I think they would reinvest. Also I 305 was too intense to be a good return on investment, and needed to be a more traditional Giga than what it was. I think if they added an airtime hill right after the drop with a big & tall turn around with another airtime and then turning into the hill under the lift hill with a midcourse break run would really improve the ride for the GP, and I think most enthusiasts would like redesign as well.
Kings Dominion is still the preferred park in the greater Washington Metropolitan area. I know, because I live there and most of the people in the greater DMV region prefer KD. The company knows this.
As a fellow Washingtonian I agree with this analysis. However this may not be the case much longer. A coworker convinced me and the family to go Hersheypark instead of KD back in 2015 and we haven't been back to KD since. It's crazy because we lived in DC for 11 years and had never visited Hersheypark because when we moved here we were told KD was best park in the region. But after having a pleasant experience and realizing the distance from DC was actually quite similar to KD, we're convinced, as many are, that it's simply a better park (coaster line up, food, even the waterpark) for our money. It's going to take more than a 4D spin (already available at multiple Six Flags) to bring us back to KD. We'll pass it to visit Busch Gardens.
KD is my home theme park for nearly 45 years and have seen a lot of change. Most people dont even know they had a “wild animal” section or gondolas. I love this park…but since Paramount left the park has been in decline but the top reason for the negative impact is the closing of Volcano. Hands down that was the BEST roller coaster of ANY thrill ride I have ever been on. I know maintenance cost were high but once that ride left it felt the park was nurtured. They need to bring back a Volcano replacement and in my opinion that should be the #1 priority.
I think they should move wicked twister to KD instead of selling or demolishing it. It’s compact size would be perfect for KD as it would still allow space for another coaster or 2, and the novelty will help bring in more customers. Also with the 4d free spin and the relocation, KD could realistically still add a new major coaster and BOOM 3 new attractions in a short period of time. I think that would help to fix KD’s issues (although to be fair, I do enjoy the THRILLS at KD more than BGW)
I just went to KD last night for winterfest and it is falling apart, tons of rides are closed, rides we're getting frozen in SnoopyLand and they didn't even open until 5
My family has season passes to both KD and BGW. KD is always going to be the one closest to our hearts for various reasons, but if I had to choose one pass to keep, it would probably be BGW. It really just has more to offer at the moment. I wasn't pleased when I saw so many great rides being removed and the big upgrade was to the water park.
I’m 15 minutes away from the park and it’s not even worth it. Personally, I think the park is getting closer to being on life support. The community around KD just doesn’t have the money to go and it’s not a place to visit. Especially with Busch Gardens dominating now
I am sad seeing this happen to KD, I have lived about 30 minutes away from it my whole life and went many times almost every summer that I can remember. I didn't get to enjoy many of the rides until it was too late as while I was younger I was absolutely terrified of coasters with anything upside down. I realized I was missing out when going on the volcano, but I did not get to ride it nearly as many times as I could before it closed down.
I think that he's right on the money on building the Gerstlauer to replace Volano:The Blast Coaster. After that, they still need to add a great B&M hyper, and then, they will be back in business. They also need to fix whatever has turned Dominator into a headache inducing jackhammer. It was once a class A roller coaster. Anyone who rode this when Kings Dominion first acquired it, and then again in the last 4-5 years, knows what I'm talking about.
I'm surprised Cedar Fair has not put more priority into this park as it's near three major cities (Baltimore, DC, Richmond) and not far from Busch Gardens
One thing you didn't mention was demographics. I remember DC being a very dangerous place when I was younger. Then, in the late 2000s, DC became gentrified and the surrounding areas became degraded. Dont get me wrong, DC is still a pretty dangerous city in certain areas but definitely not what it used to be. This phenomenon hit Six Flags America HARD! I remember in the early 2010s people were planning mass gang fights on twitter to take place IN Six Flags America. I don't think anything like that happened at KD but I do think there is a correlation there.
Fury at Bobbejeanland is amazing! It was my 300th credit and It’s good forwards, but tremendous backwards. Love it, and I’d love to see a similar model anywhere in the states!
Infinity coaster would be fantastic but they need a crowd pleaser to replace volcano and drive attendance up. B&M may not be the best option but it's usually a safe bet.
Cedar point is my new home park, but because they closed Geauga Lake. So as much as I understand your point, I also hope you don’t take what you got for granted, especially that awesome relocated coaster called Dominator.
I’m here now. It’s spotless. The lines were 25 min tops. Everyone was friendly. Twisted timbers was amazing. I305 was intense. The dark coaster was wild. At one point I don’t know which way was up. 2022 was solid.
Fury at Bobbejaanland is an amazing coaster, I live 1h30m away from it and it is in my opinion the 3th best coaster in Belgium. The price of this ride was also very low, with the ride only costing 4 million. The only downside is capacity.
I grew up closer to Busch Gardens. Now, back in the 1980s to early 1990s (the King Dominions Golden Age) there was something magical about Kings Dominion. Being a kid in the early 80s Hanna Barbara Land was a big thing.
I went this weekend and all the rides had delays due to mechanical issues. I had fun but it was a little irritating waiting longer on line when you have a fastlane pass 😆. I do miss volcano though and I hope they redo the ride. I was disappointed that intimidator 305 never recovered on Saturday. I hate to see anything go wrong and lose the park. This is my childhood park.😢
It does make me sad. Kings Dominion is my 2nd favorite Cedar Fair park. They have 2 of my all-time favorite coasters, plus a nice supporting collection, and an easily accessible waterpark. On my Virginia week in 2018, even with Volcano closed, I liked it more than BGW. I hope they get it turned around.
@@TheCoasterJosh I think Kings Dominion is the nicest and prettiest looking Cedar Fair park the only thing I wish is that they would build a B&m giga coaster like Orion and fury 325 And then make a hyper coaster like diamondback and then build a B&mwing coaster like gatekeeper And then make a intimate coaster like sky rush at Hersheypark in that park would be perfect because then you have all those coasters at Busch Gardens that’s an hour away to me that would be the perfect two theme parks because I have my issues with intimidator 305 But I absolutely love Kings dominion as a park It’s just as beautiful as Busch Gardens Williamsburg
I live by Dorney Park and trust me, Kings Dominion is in WAY better shape. Dorney is lacking so far behind and what's sad is that Hersheypark and Six Flags Great Adventure are literally not far away.
Unfortunately Kings Dominion cannot increase the attendance to accommodate another huge coaster versus cost etc. The attendance has dropped at that park per season since Cedar Fair took over ownership. One big problem besides losing too many coasters, is the fact of the much downtime that I 305. There is talk now the Anaconda coaster is going to be removed next ?
KD is just not making enough money or high attendance. Cedar point and Canadas wonderland destroy this park money wise and KD just isnt doing anything for the company. Def not a top elite park.
I used to love KD and I still go there but I work at BGW and the employees at KD are just getting ruder and the service is dropping I hope they can make a come back in the future but I think BGW is the best place for me to stay right now
If the park ever closes, relocate I305 to Valleyfair and relocate Twisted Timbers to Cedar Point as a mini Steel Vengeance for children not tall enough to ride SteVe (Steel Vengeance), and relocate Dominator to Busch Gardens Tampa after Iron Gwazi
As a former KD employee, Cedar Fair 100% neglects rides nowadays for KD. They focus more on entertainment and theming in current times. In my opinion, it's bad balancing. Instead of an overall makeover, they choose one area and half ass it for years and move one. As a person who's lived DC and Richmond area my whole life, hands down have never once willingly chose KD over BG, only doing so because of costs. But KD's treatment to employees and guests is an absolute disaster. Literally disgusting. Theme park employees have similar complaints but other Cedar Fair Parks and BG definitely all treat their employees less like trash than at KD. Employees reflect the park. If anything should be their next focus- it's that.
I remember when they rebranded to Paramount King's Dominion. As a kid, Six Flags and Kings Dominion was one of two places your family went in the summer or spring break. Busch Garden was never the first choice for any kid growing up in the Maryland/DC area. When they became Paramount KD, the Joker and Superman rides overshadowed alot of old favorites like the Avalanche bobsled ride.
I haven’t been to KD since covid started. Just went back this summer and the short lines were honestly has made the park and we even got a season pass because of the short lines for some fun rollercoasters. I stopped going because it was to crowed before covid.
I went this past weekend with my girlfriend, rode the grizzly Shenandoah log ride and Anaconda (which made my left leg shake very violently and gave me whiplash) but overall as a first timer rider it wasn’t to bad and I didn’t get sick 👍
Kings Dominion is opening a wing coaster where Volcano was and it will be the Tallest, Fastest and longest Launched Wing Coaster and its Called Rapterra
Of the coasters removed, all hit the end of useful life. IMHO Shockwave's useful life was done in 2001 and it stuck around for years. Hurler was rough and Volcano couldn't stay open, even for an Intamin... Oh and the Crypt don't have parts. King's Dominion I think got hurt with I-305 in a way it shouldn't with a giga. A giga should be increasing the attendance and so should an RMC. I honestly think a GCI could help though a Gerstlauer isn't a bad option either.
One thing that would help King's Dominion is to have more attractions in the area. While Busch Gardens is a great park, it also has Colonial Williamsburg and other historic sites as well as shopping and several restaurants, motels etc. It's also not that far from Virginia Beach.
Be happy your home park isn’t Knott’s Berry Farm lol Cedar Fair’s year round cash cow. The money we spend every month goes to Giga’s at carowinds and kings island. Meanwhile we get a mini infinity coaster. Every time we renew our pass we talk about whose park we are going to buy a Giga or Mack multi launch for next lmao
I305 is the perfect example of why intensity isn’t everything. They thought building i305 would have the same effect and popularity as millennium force, but it barely has a line most days. The same goes for skyrush. Most people would rather ride candymonium.
I grew up going to KD in the 90s and it always felt strange going out there after they got rid of the Hannah Barabara tie ins. My heart will always be with Smurf Mountain and Yogi Bears Cave.
Agree with you about KD's decline. Almost feels like it is getting the Geagua Lake treatment. I get that they have rebranded a few restaurants this season, and that's nice and all, but so much is lacking about this park. They need to focus on landscaping, maintenance, and improving the park. It's just sad. There has been no visible progress in the off-season at the Crypt site, short of removing the ride. The track has just sat in the lot. The future does not look good for KD at this rate.
Come on! Your telling me that KD doesn’t l take care of landscaping and maintenance! Yes, it isn’t as beautiful as BGW, but KD is one of the nicest looking parks in the Cedar fiat chain! No holds bar! International street has all those nice big trees and all through the park!
I worked in Planet Snoopy. I don’t know about the financial well being of the giant rides, but those kiddie ones are constantly breaking down. I literally almost got electrocuted at Joe Cool’s Driving school. Not almost, I did lol. Working there was pretty trash, they fire people who have worked there for years in a heartbeat, and make new employees supervisors. I don’t know why I’m here, I just saw KD in the title and started venting.
I’m just waiting for KD to find some funding for a new coaster. It needs to be something big like Pantheon at BG Williamsburg. An inverted would be nice considering there isn’t one anymore. But I’d rather see a Euro fighter. The 4D will be fun, but that’s not going to draw in enthusiasts like a highly themed multi launch like pantheon would.
In my opinion, the biggest reason Twisted Timbers didn’t bring people is because we had no clue! I live not too far from here and KD and Busch Gardens are staples for me. I knew about Verbolten months before it opened and was very excited(one of the best rides I’ve ever ridden). I went to KD the year Twisted Timbers came out and had no clue it was there till weeks later I heard about it on a video. While this ride is extremely fun and far more intense than I was expecting, if it was advertised more, definitely would’ve brought more people.
Kinda sad. Cedar Fair made big bank off this park only to leave it in the dust. Maybe they should just sell the property to some other company. At least Six Flags doesn’t have the issues.
i mean they had a good reason to take down tornado, (im pretty sure it was because someone died or was seriously injured on it) while every other ride (i think) was taken down for no reason other than shockwave being sold.
We have not been in two years. Just does not seem worth it without Volcano. I’m sure we will be back to ride whatever new coaster is built. Volcano was such a good coaster it almost seems sad to visit.
Its weird watching this video again right before KD hits the home run. Honestly, this park hasn't been neglected, I think a variety of reasons just harmed the image of this park. For starters, Paramount added tons of new coasters that brought the park to life. They didn't have much of a problem because Paramount basically has an infinite amount of budget. So when Cedar Fair bought KD, they had to deal with not only the older rides, but also isanely unreliable and expensive rides, like Hypersonic and Volcano. As great as these coasters were, Paramount completely set up Cedar Fair for failure, at least for the moment. And then there's the fact how I305 was a flop. We complain about how Cedar Fair never goes with Intamin, but Volcano and Intimidator show exactly why they don't do that. And then you also can't forget about covid, right after they were dealing with Volcano's removal. Its gonna be interesting watching Great Adventure follow the exact same path now.
Unfortunately, KD is the ultimate "Maybe next year" park. After that new water park expansion, they desperately need the stand-out ground-up coaster if they want to keep up.
I agree, that's the perfect description for them.
I propose a 300ft rmc ground up hybrid coaster with 12 inversions and a 110 degree drop. Problem solved cedar fair now hire me pls.
@@stephenlee1664 that’s not even possible
@@Meatloaf8 i see you're sticking true to your username.
Hope our sister park stays upright 🤞
- Kings Island Fan
KD has been my home park for 28 years, and the decline in quality the last decade has been extremely noticeable. I used to be a season pass holder but not anymore, and only go a few times a season, the coasters and water park heavily being the reason I go back. I'm really hoping they hit a home run with whatever they replace Volcano with, because it really needs it, I just don't feel the same standards when I go to the park that I did 15 years ago. I prefer the extra hour drive to go to BGW, especially with Pantheon now making their coaster selection overall better imo
intro? tf u doing here? u a coaster entusiast and smash player?
KD is also my home park and we went there all the time, mostly for the roller coasters, but now we haven’t gone in 3 years
Me too sadly, I really really hope they make some new changes and add more rides, I’m sad the cedar fair isn’t giving them as many rides, I don’t want to see it die and I really love the new rides they add when they do add some, don’t get me wrong, the ones they have now are great but after awhile they lose a lot of magic after riding them so much. I hope the park doesn’t go down hill
They should have redone Volcano with more seats!!! That would have been better than removing it!
People went there for the volcano I loved getting there in the morning and waiting for the staff to unhook the line and everyone speed walks towards it smiling. I can't believe they didn't just repair it the volcano was a staple to the park
Why doesn't King's Dominion consider investing in landscaping? Holy moly, the aerial shots of K.D are depressing, whereas BGW is full of trees and looks far more inviting.
Sure, you go for the roller coasters, but it'd be nice if the park was pleasant looking while walking around, too.
I agree, ambience is key.
People don't walk around amusement parks 300+ feet in the air and when you are in the park during the summer when everything is live it is very pretty to walk though but they could add some more it can't hurt.
Exactly. Not everyone in my family likes coasters but the do enjoy the BG scenery while me and my daughter wait in line for the scary rides.
@R T You need to spend sometime outside the states plenty of parcs as good looking or better in Europe. I do admit the coasters in BGW are better then in those parcs in europe.
I actually think Kings Dominion looks pretty nice when you're actually walking through it. They put in a lot of nice trees and flowers, and the only place without shade is Safari Village. Aerial footage doesn't do it justice
KD needs to focus on improving the overall visitor experience. This is why Busch Gardens is hitting it out of the park. One off investments in a high-profile attraction will barely make a dent because guests would rather go get lost in "Europe land" for a day, with its immersive guest experience suitable for all ages. KD needs transformational Investments in guest experience, because everything in the park feels kind of random in comparison to Busch Gardens. If Cedar Fair doesn't see the potential in making those transformational Investments, then right on them to let the park decline. Busch wins. 🏳️
i must say that busch gardens is floundering as well, 6 minute dispatches come to mind, at least kings dominion was doing better than that
@@coasterland325 Most GP park guests outside this hyper-niche community don't decide to spend their vacation at a particular park based on the efficiency of the rides at the particular park. Efficiency is important, but too in the weeds, and we need to _zoom out_ a bit. If a park improves its dispatch efficiency, guest satisfaction indirectly increases, but the effect on ticket sales is marginal. CF needs to think _bigger_ about the kind of escape guests are looking for in their KD/BGW theme park experience.
@@tedpiano thats a great point, i suppose i may be a bit nitpicky, on a more broad note the park didnt announce the temporary closure of i 305 for the day until after we started our visit, this would not have been as angering if i had not been told by a ride supervisor that the park knew it would be down in advance and yet they did not mention it on their website, that was really frustrating tbh
@@coasterland325 Busch gardens do not have 6 min wait times ur over doing it
@@iglive3603 maybe it was a bad time to go however alpengeist consistently had 5 to 7 minute dispatches, griffin was slightly less terrible, and admittedly the other rides were for like 4 to 6 which is slightly less bad I suppose
Having a season pass for both parks, I much would rather go to BGW than KD. BGW is quality over quantity and is really good and just has a good vibe. KD just has quantity and doesn’t get frequent good additions like BGW.
I 100% agree! BGW has much better quality and is overall a much better park, but KD is still good for I305 and TT.
BGW is also much prettier
It isn’t in trouble. It attracts enough attendance to survive.
I know that, I explained what I meant by trouble in the video.
@A.A. V let's not tear it down please
There's a difference between surviving, and thriving. The closest parks to me are King's Island and Holiday World. Though King's Island has more thrill rides, I actually prefer Holiday World because it's prettier, and more friendly. And hey, the coasters that they DO have are pretty damn good!
I would not make a trip to VA to go to King's Dominion. I will eventually go check out BGW, though. I've been to BGT many times, and it's great!
K.D may survive. But it'll only draw locals. Without investment, it will not grow or become a destination, such as Cedar Point or BGW.
@A.A. V Thats a little far my dude
I work the prowler at Worlds of Fun..and yes we need a new coaster in the mix..thats what everyone is talking about when is Worlds of Fun going to get a new coaster..there is plenty of room for expansion and in 2 years it will be our 50th anniversary so hopefully cedar fair takes that into account..lol
Fury is a pretty good coaster with surprisingly intense elements
It looks really good!
Kings Dominion is a top-tier Cedar Fair park for me, as I had a fantastic time there. Although I've only been to CGA, KBF, CP, KD and Carowinds, so maybe my perspective is screwed. They sure as hell have a fantastic lineup though, with i305, TT, FOF and even Dominator.
IMO KD needs something that will meet or exceed what Volcano was. Personally would like to see a record breaking launched wing coaster. Also make the lockers at the rides free of charge. KD could learn a thing or two from parks like Universal who does that. That may go a long way in people’s eyes.
With the free spin replacing crypt a B&M wing coaster can be ruled out in the future.
They do have lockers that are free to use for their ride twisted timbers. If they're smart they'll do the same for the other ones
I would personally love a B&M or Vekoma flying coaster, both are amazing in their own ways!
the fact that they haven't gotten rid of volcanos station (i think) has to mean they definitively have something planned.
i love KD, i really hope it doesn't fall into neglect
It's unfortunate to see this happening to KD, having it as my home park
All we can hope for at this point is a reasonable Volcano replacement, which really is unfortunate to have to hope for
@@thoosienick5178 same. dorney is going downhill. they gotta add another coaster cuz rn there’s only 4 main coasters(talon, hydra, steel force and thunderhawk) and it isn’t enough. i also heard they’re removing possessed(which im not sure is true?) but if that’s the case.. im gonna be pissed.
@@thoosienick5178 cool, but this isn't a competition of what park has it worse
both are going downhill, that is all that matters
A good way for Kings Dominion to escape this position is to make The Battle for Kings Dominion playable again, as well as them adding a few minor tweaks to make the game more interesting
I Honestly forgot that still exsisted, I remember it having a lot of bugs.
@@TheCoasterJosh
Maybe if we can get more people talking about it, they’ll update it and fix those bugs
Haven’t been to King Dominion since 1995... they need to bring back the summer concerts!!
At this point when it comes to my two home parks. It always comes to Kings Dominion or Busch Gardens, and at this point I almost always end up choosing Busch Gardens. I feel they have a better line up, and just a better overall vibe
I agree!
I like the shows at BG, too. Plus horses. Shame there is no more free beer, though.
I’m going to Busch gardens in around 2 weeks and I really hope they kept up the amazing vibe they had a year ago
@@microooo Well you may see me, I work there. Just bring water because you will need it
The worst part is how the set up those locker rental system to replace the old free lockers which is bs
the other day I needed to stick my bag in a bush there
I don’t think those lockers work half of the time
“Freespins are super cheap at $6 million”
Me: I got $20 ._.
Lol😂😂😂
Can I borrow $10.00 ???
@@500erider six flags america buying Iron Wolf be liek
It’s the county’s fault as well. Before Cedar fair invested heavily in Carowinds, Cedar Fair approached the county for tax incentives to invest more in the area. The county that Carowinds is in gave them the tax incentive. And the county that Kings Dominion is in did not. Citing they’re going to invest anyways. And now we are getting under invested in.
The rumor amongst the enthusiast community is that Intimidator was such a failure that they chose not to invest any further in the park much like how SFA went downhill immediately after batwing was installed because it too was an utter failure for the park.
Speaking from my own experience, the park seems to have fallen quite far from where it was 10+ years ago. I recently went there, and the day I went, quite a few of the rides were down. The stunt coaster, the flight of fear, and the dominator. Maybe it was just a bad luck day, but it definitely left a sour taste in my mouth, considering what I paid to get in. I don't know when I'll go back, but I hope it's not like this again.
Worlds of Fun : " You wanna talk about being neglected by Cedar Fair...... people don't even know that Worlds of Fun is owned by Cedar Fair. "
I love WOF!!!
Actually the failure of KD, KI, and Carowinds all began with the Paramount Era... 70's and 80's were the epic years for these parks ~
I love KD but it’s really unfortunate that they’ve taken out so many rides. Just imagine if they still had Volcano AND the insane hypersonic XLC (I’m old enough to remember it and it was more intense than top thrill dragster) along with what they’ve got now.
I loved Hypersonic XLC!! I was upset when they removed it. It was only there for about 4-5 years. Volcano was also awesome and taken down in error.
@@cracklinrosie11 yeah I loved hypersonic and it was totally worth keeping just for the launch alone hahaha. Was like being shot out of a cannon.
Wait, Volcano Isn't there anymore?!
@@viceadmiralben Unfortunately, Volcano was removed in 2018.
Why was Volcano and Hypersonic XLC taken away?
Great video man, i love KD! Been vlogging here a lot lately and i would love to see this coaster addition. I would also love a wing coaster… either or really :)
KD needs to step up and add more staff/security to keep the heathens in check. When people act like animals in a park with fighting, running, cussing, people start leaving to go to elsewhere. It’s a shame, We have been going there for over 40 years, park has really gone downhill the past 10. Real Shame.
Worlds of Fun is in the situation. The last new coaster they got was a GCI called Prowler in 2009.
Hey that's only 11 years that's not a bad gap at all atlest your bot Valley fair
@@jaydenchrist6152 Just seems like a long time without a new coaster. We got Patriot in 2006 then Prowler 3 years later. I keep having hope they'll rebuild Orient Express with somebody like B&M. The queue house is still there and the landscape is still empty where it was. Would be a huge draw as many people from KC feel that OE is the OG WoF coaster.
@@slammedniss yea yall need a new coaster defently but worlds of fun is still a pretty good small park like dorney and I think yall could get a new coaster in like 5-10 years
I’m 90% sure the seatbelts on some of the trains on Racer 75 literally don’t work, I was wondering why I got so much airtime and I was genuinely impressed that I went for the reride the first time as it is my home park and that is where I noticed it, they’d pull up despite being buckled in as if they were broken from the other side. I don’t know if it was a problem with ride ops or a mechanical issue, and I don’t know whether to embrace it or to fear it because the lap bar is pretty wack.
Dude your insane!!! You should have way more viewers!!! What a video!!! Keep it Up!!!
I've been going to KD since I was little back when there was hanna barbera land and smurf mountain. Absolutely love I 305 and FOF. Unfortunately several of the older coasters are becoming increasingly rough rides. The Grizzly used to be one of my favorites but it now the amount of a beating you take riding it takes a lot of the fun out. Haven't been to BGW in a long time, but it has a better atmosphere but at that point the coasters were pretty tame I reckon they have gotten better since then.
Great video. You put what I’ve been thinking for so long into words. When I went to this park in 2010 for the first time I was blown away and thought of it as the best park in the southeast and 2nd best Cedar Fair park. I found it better than BGW, better than Hershey, and even thought it was better than its sister park Kings Island. Since then, those 3 parks have grown tremendously, and Kings Dominion has shrunk. It’s insane how fast it declined. The removal of Volcano was the KO punch for me. What was once an amazing 1-2 punch of two unique, top-tier coasters is now just the still awesome I305 and a middle of the road RMC. I like Twisted Timbers a lot but it pales in comparison to other RMCs for me and is nowhere near enough to make up for the loss of Volcano.
I think the fact that They are replacing the crypt with a free spin is a good sign. Cedar fair always likes to pit in cheap "filler" coasters before adding a bigger investment. Adding a free spin will also be great because there's nothing else like in the area, so it will be super unique. This will also give Cedar Fair more time to prepare a proper replacement for Volcano. I think the closure of Volcano combined with the opening of Pantheon will make Cedar Fair put a bit more attention on this park. As someone whose home park is KD, I can say that Cedar Fair still takes great care of the actual park itself, they just need to start focusing on attractions again.
I remember being bummed out when Cedar Fair bought the park and they renamed so many attractions, BUT then being super stoked a few years later when I saw all the amazing new additions they were adding. But then as you've pointed out, it has slowly declined over the years.
I’d rather go to Kings Dominion than Six Flags America.
It hurts to see this title with KD as my home park but I still enjoy it every time I’m there.
@@staceyh7656 agreed
i work in bobbejaan land as an ride operator for dreamcatcher etc, i can confirm, fury is really nice, backwards is crazy
Fury backwards looks great!
Makes sense. They built up Kings Dominion after they bought it and now it's good for a few years. They're shifting to Carowinds since that actually has a possibility of return on investment. Growth to the park is possible, since Raleigh is like fastest growing area in country (or one of them) and no nearby real competition.
Carowinds is in Charlotte not Raleigh
KD never had the any of the attributes that have historically ranked Busch Gardens so highly, but they historically had unusual, whacky, and intense rides. They have removed many of those rides, and what is left is a relatively dreary park with a strange layout whereas BG is constantly adding new things and continues to maintain a park with world-class theming, landscaping, dining, family rides, thrill rides, and entertainment. KD lacks the family atmosphere, they lack any real draw for those who aren't big coaster people (which Hersheypark and BG both nail), and now they are starting to lack the very rides that is really their only draw. I'm not even sure if a single coaster will be enough to right the course. It's a good start, but they need to improve the overall visitor experience, which Cedar hasn't done a very good job at IMO.
The soul of any large theme park is a steam railroad. Once they are gone or removed the decline will begin and the warmth will eventually vanish. Thanks for sharing, the park will make it. It's just not what it could be to those who really remember. 👍
Plz Cedar Point I beg you too put work into this park you can’t just have a top tier park fall, we need a inverted coaster, a wing coaster, and a record breaking coaster at least in all in the year from 2022-2030 and multiple investments, this amusement park has the most people being it a home park, don’t let them down, even you think kings dominion has no hope, it does, as being a thrill fan park I want you to make it a fan thrill favorite park once again, I promise it will be worth it, If I had unlimited money, I would put it all in kings dominion and all of the other cedar fair parks, Plz Cedar Fair see this message and make Kings Dominion a Legendary Park once again
It's the management. Every since the Shockwave was removed, Kings Dominion has been going down hill.
Its not management per se it's the damn CEO who's the problem for the park.
@@michaezell4607 It's embarrassing. Kings Dominion was actually one of the Top 5 best Amusement parks in the world... Now it barely makes Top 10 (Because of the Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion barely made top 10)
I wouldn’t consider dominator to be a large investment considering it was r relocated
RIP geauga lake :(
Damn. That backwards coaster even had the same color supports and track as volcano
The problem is that Cedar Fair took a risk with I305, and unfortunately it didn't pay off. I305 is a great coaster, but it's far from GP-friendly - most people find it way too intense. And for such a big investment that's a HUGE problem. Truth is, it's the GP that makes these parks money, not enthusiasts, and KD doesn't really appeal to the GP as much as other parks. It's not exactly the best landscaped and its selection of rides is heavily skewed towards high-intensity even compared to other Cedar Fair parks. And this especially hurts it due to its relative proximity to Busch Gardens Williamsburg which is a FAR more GP-friendly park.
I totally agree with the coaster recommendation!! That would be the perfect addition to the park and its location within the park!
Not sure where all this doom and gloom is coming from. Cedar Fair has removed 2 coasters and transformed, what evolved into a miserable wood coaster, into a unique RMC creation.
Shockwave was removed because the Japanese company that made it is no longer in business. Parts were scarce and very expensive to replicate. Keep in mind that the TOGO stand-ups were removed at sister parks
Kings Island and Canada's Wonderland within 2-3 years of Shockwave's removal at KD.
Volcano was a unique coaster and was popular with the public. But, it was Intamin's only full circuit launched suspended coaster. No other coaster of this type was built by Intamin. They did a hand-full of short shuttle coasters.
This ride was plagued with major down time; especially, in the later years of its life. Since it was "one of a kind", Intamin most likely did not stock parts for it. If KD needed a replacement part, they would have to order it and have the part custom made. That is down-time and expense the park did not want to deal with anymore.
To complicate things more for Volcano, the ride was designed to fit in and around an existing structure, the mountain. But, that mountain was not designed for Volcano. It had large openings cut through for the train to pass through in several places and a couple hundred holes to allow the coaster supports to come through it.
The mountain looked like swiss cheese. I firmly believe that was causing the mountain to deteriorate even faster than expected, with water taking its toll on the steel supports and causing the concrete skin to break up in freeze-thaw cycles in winter.
With the Crypt, it was manufactored by Huss. They put out some unique flat rides; but, those rides did not have long life spans. As they aged, Huss rides were tearing themselves apart. Kings Island took out their model of Huss's top-spin ride several years ago. Another CF park removed their version 2-3 years ago.
I realize that some feel Cedar Fair has not replaced attractions fast enough. But, to say Cedar Fair is ignoring KD is wrong. We have the region's only RMC coaster and the tallest coaster in I-305. We have Delerium pendelum ride. The park is putting back theming and increasing landscaping, improving the food quality and variety. Been working on the entertainment offerings for the last 5-6 years. We have new attractions for the waterpark this year and it sounds like 2022 is already in the bag.
If your underlying complaint is we don't have a 20+ million dollar coaster going into the park anytime soon, then that is the reality of things, we either accept it for now or take our money elsewhere.
Lol look a smart person and not a kid that is worried about roller coasters that thinks they know everything in the amusement industry
KD was my home park growing up as well and I have so many fun memories. My cousin and I used to ride on Anaconda over and over again, despite how jarring and headbanging it was, just because it was the biggest and most intense ride we were able to go on (we weren't tall enough to ride Volcano and others yet). The change in the park was definitely noticeable once Cedar Fair took over and you are right that the park has felt neglected for a long time now. I sincerely hope KD can regain its former glory with time. RIP Volcano
Thanks for the comment! Rip Volcano!
I went to Kings Dominion for the first time in 2018. I was impressed. It was clean and just a beautiful park. I do not think Kings Dominion is in that much "trouble". They will add something nice after getting their 4-D freespin. As far as the coaster removals go, the only one that would be missed would be Volcano. I do understand the reasoning removing Volcano though. Kings Dominion will not fall into Cedar Fair's lower tier parks. The park is just too beautiful for that to happen.
The park has dropped a lot since cedar took over. It used to have so much. This video talks about ride removals but that's not all thats been cut. Theming has been cut everywhere except the safari area.. And not sure why that was the only one to survive. , the backwards train for their Racer been scrapped. Water rides been scrapped a couple years after they put em in. Hypersonic was removed the same year the company had solutions to the problem.. But instead of taking that investment they removed it giving that spotlight to Japan. Water rides like the rapid had a lot of water effects removed, You used to actually get wet now you're hoping to get a good splash at some point. Special effects were removed as well on various rides. They cut a lot of fun aspects from their Halloween events because it was too scary before..
They do have some things right but they don't make up for all the bad. Im glad you still enjoyed it but if you seen the park before you'll see why it's feels like a ghost town now.
It is because CedarFair is not getting the tax breaks like they get at Carowinds for investing in the park at KD. If they got a break or something like that, I think they would reinvest. Also I 305 was too intense to be a good return on investment, and needed to be a more traditional Giga than what it was. I think if they added an airtime hill right after the drop with a big & tall turn around with another airtime and then turning into the hill under the lift hill with a midcourse break run would really improve the ride for the GP, and I think most enthusiasts would like redesign as well.
Kings Dominion is still the preferred park in the greater Washington Metropolitan area. I know, because I live there and most of the people in the greater DMV region prefer KD. The company knows this.
As a fellow Washingtonian I agree with this analysis. However this may not be the case much longer. A coworker convinced me and the family to go Hersheypark instead of KD back in 2015 and we haven't been back to KD since. It's crazy because we lived in DC for 11 years and had never visited Hersheypark because when we moved here we were told KD was best park in the region. But after having a pleasant experience and realizing the distance from DC was actually quite similar to KD, we're convinced, as many are, that it's simply a better park (coaster line up, food, even the waterpark) for our money. It's going to take more than a 4D spin (already available at multiple Six Flags) to bring us back to KD. We'll pass it to visit Busch Gardens.
KD is my home theme park for nearly 45 years and have seen a lot of change. Most people dont even know they had a “wild animal” section or gondolas. I love this park…but since Paramount left the park has been in decline but the top reason for the negative impact is the closing of Volcano. Hands down that was the BEST roller coaster of ANY thrill ride I have ever been on. I know maintenance cost were high but once that ride left it felt the park was nurtured. They need to bring back a Volcano replacement and in my opinion that should be the #1 priority.
I think they should move wicked twister to KD instead of selling or demolishing it. It’s compact size would be perfect for KD as it would still allow space for another coaster or 2, and the novelty will help bring in more customers. Also with the 4d free spin and the relocation, KD could realistically still add a new major coaster and BOOM 3 new attractions in a short period of time. I think that would help to fix KD’s issues (although to be fair, I do enjoy the THRILLS at KD more than BGW)
Great ideas!!!
I just went to KD last night for winterfest and it is falling apart, tons of rides are closed, rides we're getting frozen in SnoopyLand and they didn't even open until 5
that's terrible! I really hope things improve!
@@TheCoasterJosh same do I, I just hope Kings Dominion makes their breakthrough
My family has season passes to both KD and BGW. KD is always going to be the one closest to our hearts for various reasons, but if I had to choose one pass to keep, it would probably be BGW. It really just has more to offer at the moment. I wasn't pleased when I saw so many great rides being removed and the big upgrade was to the water park.
I used to visit KD all the time when I was younger but I haven't been in yearssssss and it's an 80-90 minute drive to the park for me.
I’m 15 minutes away from the park and it’s not even worth it. Personally, I think the park is getting closer to being on life support. The community around KD just doesn’t have the money to go and it’s not a place to visit. Especially with Busch Gardens dominating now
I am sad seeing this happen to KD, I have lived about 30 minutes away from it my whole life and went many times almost every summer that I can remember. I didn't get to enjoy many of the rides until it was too late as while I was younger I was absolutely terrified of coasters with anything upside down. I realized I was missing out when going on the volcano, but I did not get to ride it nearly as many times as I could before it closed down.
I think that he's right on the money on building the Gerstlauer to replace Volano:The Blast Coaster. After that, they still need to add a great B&M hyper, and then, they will be back in business. They also need to fix whatever has turned Dominator into a headache inducing jackhammer. It was once a class A roller coaster. Anyone who rode this when Kings Dominion first acquired it, and then again in the last 4-5 years, knows what I'm talking about.
Or, they could do a nice, big B&M Wing in place of the hyper, and that would still work.
I'm surprised Cedar Fair has not put more priority into this park as it's near three major cities (Baltimore, DC, Richmond) and not far from Busch Gardens
SFA was no threat to KD even before SFI took over that park.
I thought you should know BGW is going through as much a struggle, if not, Pantheon would be open now.
Exactly!
One thing you didn't mention was demographics. I remember DC being a very dangerous place when I was younger. Then, in the late 2000s, DC became gentrified and the surrounding areas became degraded. Dont get me wrong, DC is still a pretty dangerous city in certain areas but definitely not what it used to be. This phenomenon hit Six Flags America HARD! I remember in the early 2010s people were planning mass gang fights on twitter to take place IN Six Flags America. I don't think anything like that happened at KD but I do think there is a correlation there.
Fury at Bobbejeanland is amazing! It was my 300th credit and It’s good forwards, but tremendous backwards. Love it, and I’d love to see a similar model anywhere in the states!
Infinity coaster would be fantastic but they need a crowd pleaser to replace volcano and drive attendance up. B&M may not be the best option but it's usually a safe bet.
Though, seeing as they worked with S&S for the first time since Hypersonic, it would be cool if they took a chance on the first axis coaster :D
Cedar point is my new home park, but because they closed Geauga Lake. So as much as I understand your point, I also hope you don’t take what you got for granted, especially that awesome relocated coaster called Dominator.
I’m here now. It’s spotless. The lines were 25 min tops. Everyone was friendly. Twisted timbers was amazing. I305 was intense. The dark coaster was wild. At one point I don’t know which way was up. 2022 was solid.
I would kill for Dorney Park to get a 4D free spin instead of a new park bench and a trash can every year
Fury at Bobbejaanland is an amazing coaster, I live 1h30m away from it and it is in my opinion the 3th best coaster in Belgium. The price of this ride was also very low, with the ride only costing 4 million. The only downside is capacity.
Fury looks amazing!
I grew up closer to Busch Gardens. Now, back in the 1980s to early 1990s (the King Dominions Golden Age) there was something magical about Kings Dominion. Being a kid in the early 80s Hanna Barbara Land was a big thing.
New Subscriber here, you’re stuff is dope af
Thanks man!
I went this weekend and all the rides had delays due to mechanical issues. I had fun but it was a little irritating waiting longer on line when you have a fastlane pass 😆.
I do miss volcano though and I hope they redo the ride.
I was disappointed that intimidator 305 never recovered on Saturday.
I hate to see anything go wrong and lose the park. This is my childhood park.😢
It does make me sad. Kings Dominion is my 2nd favorite Cedar Fair park. They have 2 of my all-time favorite coasters, plus a nice supporting collection, and an easily accessible waterpark. On my Virginia week in 2018, even with Volcano closed, I liked it more than BGW. I hope they get it turned around.
first video i’ve seen from you and i’m already subscribing
Thank you so much!!! It means a lot!
I think kings Dominion noon will eventually get back on track
I agree
@@TheCoasterJosh I think Kings Dominion is the nicest and prettiest looking Cedar Fair park the only thing I wish is that they would build a B&m giga coaster like Orion and fury 325 And then make a hyper coaster like diamondback and then build a B&mwing coaster like gatekeeper And then make a intimate coaster like sky rush at Hersheypark in that park would be perfect because then you have all those coasters at Busch Gardens that’s an hour away to me that would be the perfect two theme parks because I have my issues with intimidator 305 But I absolutely love Kings dominion as a park It’s just as beautiful as Busch Gardens Williamsburg
1 coaster in a decade? How about Valleyfair not getting any for 13 years... 😅
I live by Dorney Park and trust me, Kings Dominion is in WAY better shape. Dorney is lacking so far behind and what's sad is that Hersheypark and Six Flags Great Adventure are literally not far away.
Unfortunately Kings Dominion cannot increase the attendance to accommodate another huge coaster versus cost etc. The attendance has dropped at that park per season since Cedar Fair took over ownership. One big problem besides losing too many coasters, is the fact of the much downtime that I 305. There is talk now the Anaconda coaster is going to be removed next ?
KD is just not making enough money or high attendance. Cedar point and Canadas wonderland destroy this park money wise and KD just isnt doing anything for the company. Def not a top elite park.
I used to love KD and I still go there but I work at BGW and the employees at KD are just getting ruder and the service is dropping I hope they can make a come back in the future but I think BGW is the best place for me to stay right now
If the park ever closes, relocate I305 to Valleyfair and relocate Twisted Timbers to Cedar Point as a mini Steel Vengeance for children not tall enough to ride SteVe (Steel Vengeance), and relocate Dominator to Busch Gardens Tampa after Iron Gwazi
As a former KD employee, Cedar Fair 100% neglects rides nowadays for KD. They focus more on entertainment and theming in current times. In my opinion, it's bad balancing. Instead of an overall makeover, they choose one area and half ass it for years and move one. As a person who's lived DC and Richmond area my whole life, hands down have never once willingly chose KD over BG, only doing so because of costs. But KD's treatment to employees and guests is an absolute disaster. Literally disgusting. Theme park employees have similar complaints but other Cedar Fair Parks and BG definitely all treat their employees less like trash than at KD. Employees reflect the park. If anything should be their next focus- it's that.
Until they start popping up ima keep saying axis because it will 100% be a huge standout wherever it goes in
The Axis would also be perfect!
I wish the parks where an hour apart. More like 2 hours at best with no traffic.
I remember when they rebranded to Paramount King's Dominion. As a kid, Six Flags and Kings Dominion was one of two places your family went in the summer or spring break. Busch Garden was never the first choice for any kid growing up in the Maryland/DC area.
When they became Paramount KD, the Joker and Superman rides overshadowed alot of old favorites like the Avalanche bobsled ride.
I haven’t been to KD since covid started. Just went back this summer and the short lines were honestly has made the park and we even got a season pass because of the short lines for some fun rollercoasters. I stopped going because it was to crowed before covid.
I went this past weekend with my girlfriend, rode the grizzly Shenandoah log ride and Anaconda (which made my left leg shake very violently and gave me whiplash) but overall as a first timer rider it wasn’t to bad and I didn’t get sick 👍
Kings Dominion is opening a wing coaster where Volcano was and it will be the Tallest, Fastest and longest Launched Wing Coaster and its Called Rapterra
Does Kings Dominion still have bumper cars?
Yes they do!
@@TheCoasterJosh cool
the coaster could be called revenge of the volcano
I like that name!
@@TheCoasterJosh It’s like Hydra The Revenge replaced Hercules or “Hurt Your Knees” in Dorney Park back in 2005
Of the coasters removed, all hit the end of useful life. IMHO Shockwave's useful life was done in 2001 and it stuck around for years. Hurler was rough and Volcano couldn't stay open, even for an Intamin... Oh and the Crypt don't have parts.
King's Dominion I think got hurt with I-305 in a way it shouldn't with a giga. A giga should be increasing the attendance and so should an RMC.
I honestly think a GCI could help though a Gerstlauer isn't a bad option either.
One thing that would help King's Dominion is to have more attractions in the area. While Busch Gardens is a great park, it also has Colonial Williamsburg and other historic sites as well as shopping and several restaurants, motels etc. It's also not that far from Virginia Beach.
I agree! Williamsburg is a popular tourist area while Kings Dominion needs more things around it.
There’s a Burger King and Gas Station near by
Don’t forget forget the 7-Eleven, Wendy’s and truck stops too.
hey don’t knock that one mcdonald’s everyone goes to when the park closes
A single rail coaster would do well at kings Dominion rail blazer can easy fit into volcano plot of land with a moving station.
I’ve heard those aren’t easily to disassemble and relocate
Be happy your home park isn’t Knott’s Berry Farm lol Cedar Fair’s year round cash cow. The money we spend every month goes to Giga’s at carowinds and kings island. Meanwhile we get a mini infinity coaster. Every time we renew our pass we talk about whose park we are going to buy a Giga or Mack multi launch for next lmao
I'm not happy with my money going to finance CP's next new toy either.
Kings Dominion needs a B and M inverted coaster
I agree!
I305 is the perfect example of why intensity isn’t everything. They thought building i305 would have the same effect and popularity as millennium force, but it barely has a line most days. The same goes for skyrush. Most people would rather ride candymonium.
I live 2hrs away. And have seen absolutely zero marketing
I grew up going to KD in the 90s and it always felt strange going out there after they got rid of the Hannah Barabara tie ins. My heart will always be with Smurf Mountain and Yogi Bears Cave.
Agree with you about KD's decline. Almost feels like it is getting the Geagua Lake treatment. I get that they have rebranded a few restaurants this season, and that's nice and all, but so much is lacking about this park. They need to focus on landscaping, maintenance, and improving the park. It's just sad. There has been no visible progress in the off-season at the Crypt site, short of removing the ride. The track has just sat in the lot. The future does not look good for KD at this rate.
Come on! Your telling me that KD doesn’t l take care of landscaping and maintenance! Yes, it isn’t as beautiful as BGW, but KD is one of the nicest looking parks in the Cedar fiat chain! No holds bar! International street has all those nice big trees and all through the park!
As a belgian watching this video I certainly did not expect Fury popping up!
I worked in Planet Snoopy. I don’t know about the financial well being of the giant rides, but those kiddie ones are constantly breaking down. I literally almost got electrocuted at Joe Cool’s Driving school. Not almost, I did lol. Working there was pretty trash, they fire people who have worked there for years in a heartbeat, and make new employees supervisors. I don’t know why I’m here, I just saw KD in the title and started venting.
I’m just waiting for KD to find some funding for a new coaster. It needs to be something big like Pantheon at BG Williamsburg. An inverted would be nice considering there isn’t one anymore. But I’d rather see a Euro fighter. The 4D will be fun, but that’s not going to draw in enthusiasts like a highly themed multi launch like pantheon would.
In my opinion, the biggest reason Twisted Timbers didn’t bring people is because we had no clue! I live not too far from here and KD and Busch Gardens are staples for me. I knew about Verbolten months before it opened and was very excited(one of the best rides I’ve ever ridden). I went to KD the year Twisted Timbers came out and had no clue it was there till weeks later I heard about it on a video. While this ride is extremely fun and far more intense than I was expecting, if it was advertised more, definitely would’ve brought more people.
Kinda sad. Cedar Fair made big bank off this park only to leave it in the dust. Maybe they should just sell the property to some other company. At least Six Flags doesn’t have the issues.
Six Flags wouldn't buy King's Dominion because it's too close to Six Flags America. Not that they care about Six Flags America, but the point remains.
i mean they had a good reason to take down tornado, (im pretty sure it was because someone died or was seriously injured on it) while every other ride (i think) was taken down for no reason other than shockwave being sold.
We have not been in two years. Just does not seem worth it without Volcano. I’m sure we will be back to ride whatever new coaster is built. Volcano was such a good coaster it almost seems sad to visit.
Its weird watching this video again right before KD hits the home run.
Honestly, this park hasn't been neglected, I think a variety of reasons just harmed the image of this park. For starters, Paramount added tons of new coasters that brought the park to life. They didn't have much of a problem because Paramount basically has an infinite amount of budget. So when Cedar Fair bought KD, they had to deal with not only the older rides, but also isanely unreliable and expensive rides, like Hypersonic and Volcano. As great as these coasters were, Paramount completely set up Cedar Fair for failure, at least for the moment. And then there's the fact how I305 was a flop. We complain about how Cedar Fair never goes with Intamin, but Volcano and Intimidator show exactly why they don't do that. And then you also can't forget about covid, right after they were dealing with Volcano's removal.
Its gonna be interesting watching Great Adventure follow the exact same path now.
Since I made this video the park took a massive turn in the right direction.