Rollercoaster Advice | Summer 2022 Amusement Park Review and Ideas

spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
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Easily top 10 coaster for me, better than Wicked Cyclone!
 
Mickeynerd17

Mickeynerd17

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Nice job @spacemt354 ! Intimidator was easily one of my favs on my trip. I only got one ride in the front row because it broke down later in the day.

In case you haven't done it, beware Grizzly. It's the single worst, most painful coaster I've ever ridden. You have been warned.

Also, if Tumbili has a long line, skip it. It's way too short of a ride and only flips once. Also, its a little painful.

If you ride the bobsled coaster you can see some remnants from Volcano: the Blast Coaster, even if it's a pile of chewed up concrete.

Dominator is pretty solid for a floorless. I recommend that one in the front row if you can.
 
Mickeynerd17

Mickeynerd17

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Twisted Timbers suffered from me having ridden Steel Vengeance first. It felt a little too simple, but still a good ride.

I unfortunately didn't get to ride its predecessor Hurler at Carowinds because it was down the entire day, but oh well. Fury 325 is a blast in the front row!
 
spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
Mickeynerd17 said:
Nice job @spacemt354 ! Intimidator was easily one of my favs on my trip. I only got one ride in the front row because it broke down later in the day.

In case you haven't done it, beware Grizzly. It's the single worst, most painful coaster I've ever ridden. You have been warned.

Also, if Tumbili has a long line, skip it. It's way too short of a ride and only flips once. Also, its a little painful.

If you ride the bobsled coaster you can see some remnants from Volcano: the Blast Coaster, even if it's a pile of chewed up concrete.

Dominator is pretty solid for a floorless. I recommend that one in the front row if you can.
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Ohh..it is painful but cacklingly great
 
spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
Taking a little break, it's exceedingly hot today but been on everything but the Bobsled, Dominator, Racer 75

Will do those plus another Twisted and I305 ride before the night's end
 
Mickeynerd17

Mickeynerd17

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
spacemt354 said:
But suffice to say this is an incredible park! Well worth the visit and can be combined with Busch Gardens for people who would fly in from elsewhere.
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Here here!

FYI for those considering, KD is around an hour drive north of BGW and located right off the interstate (forgot which number)
 
spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
Kings Dominion
Ride On Review​
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As one could imagine from the positive reactions yesterday, this park impressed me and lived up to the hype I had perhaps worrisomely set too high. New to Cedar Fair parks, upon researching the park among the ranks of others in the chain, it consistently tended to rank #3-5 on average. While my first trek was to Dorney Park (ranked towards the bottom in the chain) I was expecting a step up - and got it. Kings Dominion is a beautiful park. From the International Street entrance, to the appropriate background music within the lands.

For example @Voxel I'm not sure if Kings Dominion is where you got this music from, but I'm standing in the queue for Reptilian and hear this background music...I'm like where is this from? I know I've heard this before... Then I remembered - from your video in the #VBB project in SA4!


The park looked great from the start. Especially on such a hot day, the plentiful shade was appreciated.

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Our first stop on this journey was the main reason for the trip...Intimidator 305​
 
spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
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So for me - I love intense roller coasters. But intensity is a vague term that can apply to an eclectic variety of styles. For example, something like an S&S 4th Dimension Wing Coaster - can be very intense, however incessant flipping over and over isn't my cup of tea.

I like speed, that adrenaline boosting exhilaration you feel when you fly around a corner or over an airtime hill. I like big drops too...all that pent up potential energy being released all at once as you careen down the decline. I also take aesthetics into account. I get pumped when I see towering structures in the distance, or uniquely designed styles that give off a certain energy to an attraction. The approach to the attraction as well as its appearance goes a long way as well into the calculation of 'intensity' for me - which may vary based on individualized definition.

All that to say - Intimidator 305 after several rides and giving thought - is my new #1 favorite coaster!

I305 is an Intamin Giga coaster that reaches speeds of 90 mph as it blasts through nearly a mile of track.

The first drop is absolutely breathtaking. I would recommend the front row for this attraction, the turn up into the airtime hill has been adjusted since its opening in 2010. I could not imagine how that must have felt with its original configuration as this design is the most intense section of a roller-coaster I have experienced. And the remained of the ride is just sheer adrenaline.

You go tearing through the course at breakneck speed, with whippy curves and airtime hills at speeds ranging from 70-90 mph, it's hard to put into words the sensation of the blistering wind in your face, it felt like an extended cut of Kingda Ka or Top Thrill Dragster.

Still, the ride is over quick, but it leaves it mark on you. I would return later in the day to find the ride broken down (so no night ride) but it is officially my favorite and would remain that way the rest of the day despite some very close competition from another in the park. If all goes to plan for the remainder of the year, it's highly likely that something else will surpass Intimidator 305, but for now it should enjoy its time in the sun as #1.

---------------------------------

Where to go after this? Right across to Flight of Fear. Inspired by an old TV show from the 90s, The Outer Limits, this Premier LIM coaster debuted in both Kings Island and Kings Dominion back when they were owned by Paramount, and served as a clear inspiration or at the very least prototype version of Rock n Roller Coaster which would open in 1999.

While RnRC is faster and a bit less rough, I shockingly found Flight of Fear to be more 'fun' - mainly because of the lap bars...no over the shoulder restraints. At first I was confused. I was thinking to myself, isn't this a ride with like 4 inversions, how is this going to work? Before my I305 brain could ponder further we launch off at a less intense pace than RnRC, but then go straight into the inversion. Okay...when in doubt, go with lap bars.

Next up was the Backlot Stunt Coaster, another Premier rides launching coaster that is at both sister 'King' parks - this was pretty interesting, it was jerky but I did like the indoor section, that took me by surprise. Overall very fun.

What followed was not fun...Anaconda. One of the most uncomfortable coasters ever. I hope they remove this soon, it's seen better days..and it's in such a prime location in the park over the water.
View from the top of the Eiffel Tower
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spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
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Next we head over to Twisted Timbers - easily my 2nd favorite in the park and most re-rideable attraction, this I got both a day and night ride on, back row, and it just got me so excited for the potential of future RMCs. I also very much liked the apple orchard theme they kept throughout the queue and into the loading station.

This reminded me for some reason of Big Thunder Mountain mainly being a coaster with a quirky atmosphere - but just on steroids. I really love this ride and ended up getting a coffee mug from the ride's gift shop that I am sipping from as I type this.

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Next up is @Mickeynerd17 's favorite attraction - Grizzly. This wooden coaster is certainly bumpy, and the supports sway as the trains go over them. Vividly sway, visible from the queue. So that is ...nice. Either way I don't mind rough wooden coasters, I laugh manically on them. I ended up doing this twice actually, figured I would keep my chiropractor in business.
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I didn't snag a picture of it but Racer 75 is a dueling wooden coaster as well - it was much smoother.

Reptilian is the recently redone bobsled attraction that used to be called Avalanche - it was a unique ride, but the thrills were family oriented. A nice chance of pace.
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Dominator is a floorless B&M and one of the better ones I've been on. I definitely liked it better than Hydra at Dorney and Medusa at Great Adventure. Had some nice wide turns and not too many inversions so you could appreciate the views and especially in the front row it made it feel like you were floating through the air. Cool experience!
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spacemt354

spacemt354

Chili's
Some ambiance shots
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Overall, we ended up staying till park close for some final rides on Twisted Timbers. And left after dusk. Really a great park - would highly recommend if in the area and/or with a Cedar Fair Season Pass for the free parking and discounts.

1. Intimidator 305
2. Twisted Timbers
3. Dominator
4. Flight of Fear
5. Racer 75
6. Backlot Stunt Coaster
7. Reptilian
8. Grizzly
9. Anaconda

Thanks for reading - hope you enjoyed!
 
Mickeynerd17

Mickeynerd17

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'd rank my experience similarly to yours, but with a few changes, most noticeably moving anaconda up and grizzly + flight of fear down.

So, something more like this:

1. Intimidator 305
2. Twisted Timbers
3. Dominator
4. Backlot Stunt Coaster
5. Racer 75
6. Reptilian
7. Tumbili
8. Flight of Fear
9. Anaconda
10. Grizzly

I must be in the minority, but I found Flight of Fear quite painful. Then again I only rode the kings island one because I didn't have the time at dominion. I'd much rather ride RNRC for being more comfortable and having a much faster load time.
 
D Hulk

D Hulk

Well-Known Member
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Greetings, fellow enthusiasts. Comin’ atcha live from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon! While I’ll be making no major coaster trip plans this year, instead I’ll be spending the next 11 days enjoying “nature’s roller coaster”: Rafting the Class 5 white water rapids of the Colorado! (Expect lots of airtime.) It’s a true Western River Expedition!

FWIW, I’ve ridden the Kings Island FOF, which I found far superior to the RnRC in either Paris or Orlando. Lap bars > OTSRs, by a wide margin. Better pacing too. I’d go so far as to say FOF is better themed, even.
 

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