I'm going to Kings Dominion this wendesday (July 26) and I was wonder if I could get some questions answered by whom ever has gone before.
1. Im going to try and get to the park as close to opening as I can, but I dont think I'll make it, what ride should I do first? Or should I say what ride gets the worst line and should be riden soon as possible? Im thinking either Volcano or XLC.
2. How bad will crowds/lines be? Im deffinately expecting a pretty good amount considering it's the peak of the summer travel season, but I'm hopping it being the middle of the week will make it not to bad. What would you think my average wait would be for the major attractions?
3. Is the Water Park worth checking out? If we did, it would be right before the water park closes for only like an hour, mainly because I know thats when they are the least crowded. I am a water park fan, but if the slides are crap, I just wont bother. (although pipeline peak looks pretty cool.)
and any other comments hints or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
thanks!

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I'm heading out there in early august myself<I hope> & am hoping toget some laps in on IJTC.

Anyhow your best bet would be to try Volcano or HS:XLC first as both have low capacity...last year I stood in the queue for HS:XLC for all of about two minutes before leaving when I heard it would be a two hour wait...since CF took over I don't know if they've tried running more trains on it or not so my advice is to get there early.

Your average wait shouldn't really be more than an hour or so with some rides like hurler<aka firewood> being a walk on....HS:XLC,TR:FF,Volcano & perhaps IJ:TC might be a bit longer but not really anything unbearable unlike at SFA.

Don't know much about waterworks myself..especially the newer expansion behind rebel yell as I'm more into coasters & flats than water rides myself but I'm sure you'll find something good there.

thanks for the advice.
TR can sometimes have a good line? well thats one I can deffinately skip if I have to.
as for FF. are you talking about Flight of Fear? Because it is my understanding that it is still SBNO. unless thats changed recently?

Ill most likely try and hit XLC first, then go straight to volcano. of course they have to be on completely different sides of the park >_<

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TR:FF=Tomb Raider Firefall.

Personally I hated TR:FF when I rode it last year,those restraints hurt & the queue for the ride was unbearably long to boot. Too bad FOF is closed & I hope that if CF gets rid of it they'll replace it with something far better like a rocket or floorless.

sry to bring this up again, but if theres anyone thats been to the waterpark at KD before (and I know your here...) Id really aprecciate some feedback on whether or not its worth going to.
Thanks!

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If you've been to water parks before, than you've probably rode all of the water rides at Kings Dominion. They don't have anything special.

I'm going to King's Dominion next week and the coasters are spread out. Volcano is in the bottom left of the park and HyperSonic XLC is in the top left of the park with the wooden coasters. Here's a map.

http://www2.paramountparks.com/kings...t_park_map.cfm

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28 parks
21 wood coasters
59 steel coasters
80 total coasters

Yeah. but both rides always have very long slow lines.. So its worht walking across the park from one to the other.. So you can get on them.

In May when I was at PKD I waited over an hour for XLC just because my mom hadnt been on it yet (I rode it back in 02) so we waited it out.. I hate the ride.. And its not worth a wait more then 10mins.. But its never that short.
VTBC I got in line right after a breakdown.. So most people left the line... But it was still a good 30min wait (But I did the front row.. So I waited 8 trains more then I had to)

Then in June.. My dad wanted to ride XLC.. as he still hadnt been on it.. So we went over to that first... Got in line right in back of all the seasonpass people who get in before the park openes.. Waited about 20mins for the ride to even open.. then 30more in the line.... So not worth it. (VTBC was closed on this vist)
But yeah.. If you want XLC.. RUN TO IT FIRST!

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So I should do XLC first? One of my friends who had been before told me Volcano, but I'm taking your advice, considering my friend is just part of the GP. And not a theme park junkie like us, haha.
Ill hit XLC then run to Volcano.
And I've also decided not to bother with the waterpark this time, I want to get everything big in the Theme park done and I'm afraid I wont be able to if I hit the waterpark. Plus the fact that its suppose to be 92 degress tommorow which means the waterpark will be overflowing with people.
Thanks for all the help!

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Long time PKD person here. I'll try to sum things up as best I can...

Longest and slowest moving lines will be Hypersonic and Volcano.

Hypersonic is not worth the wait but is a "neat ride" but the wait just kills your day. Hyper also ALWAYS opens late because a problematic coaster. It also will most likely breakdown about 10 times during the day. If you can catch it right after it comes back up you may be ok but to be honest with you I would just fit it in during the day somewhere.

Volcano is by far the best coaster at PKD and is back up and running now from what I am told. Lines move sluggishly due to the low capacity on the ride but they do run multiple trains. While sometimes the wait can be 2 hours it is WAY more worth it than Hypersonic ever will be. If you get a chance close you day with this ride at night as its very good.

Anaconda - almost always a walk on. Typical looping arrow and a little rough but worth it to ride at least once

FOF - SBNO but I dig the ride personally.

Shockwave - I HATE THIS THING! Standard stand up coaster and painful. Very slow moving line and typically doesn't get better at any point.

Italian Job - MASSIVE LINES. I have not been able to ride it yet this year but every time I have been its been packed with 2+ hour waits.

Ricochet - fun mouse ride. Can get a little bit of line but they run so many cars that it moves pretty quick. Minimal wait all day

Avalanche - bobsled ride. Love this ride too but its just too short. Lines tend to get long because its a more family oriented ride than the big ones so watch out for it. If you go to Volcano first jump over the Avalanche right after it since they are next to one another and you should be able to knock out both quickly.

Rebel Yell - CLASSIC. Love this ride and you should be able to have a walk on on either side (backwards or forwards). Also ride this at night as its a blast.

Grizzly - great ride but has gotten very rough as of late. This ride always rode a little rough but the last 2 times it was painful. Lines move quickly so long as they are running 2 trains. 10 min wait max almost every time I go.

Hurler - walk on. I like this ride. Not great but not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Sadly all the theming and videos are no longer used which made it cool (Wayne's World stuff) but still a solid ride in my book. Should have no wait at all here -- all day

Scooby Doo coaster - kid ride but pretty good considering its size. Minimal to no wait all day

TR: Firefall - typically always a solid wait time (30 mins).

Log flume - will be a long line tomorrow due to the heat but a lot of the time is only about 10 min

White Water Canyon -- same as above but with typical 20 min wait unless its cold out

DropZone usually has a line but it moves very quickly

As far as park layout goes:

Volcano, Avalanche, TR: Firefall are right by each other.

Anaconda, and Italian Job (FOF as well) are all next to each other and a short walk from Volcano

Shockwave and DZ are right near each other and are on the way to RY area if you are coming from Volcano

RY, Hypersonic, Hurler, Ricochet are all right next to each other as well and can be done together.

Grizzly is a little by itself but is on the way to the Log Flume and White Water Canyon if you are coming from the RY area.

Basically do the coasters by area to save on the walking otherwise you will be dead before day's end.

I would go for the Volcano area first and hit Volcano, Avalanche, TR, Italian Job, and Anaconda. This will tie you up for a while (at least til lunch).

Move over to the Rebel Yell area next and hit RY (Backwards and Forwards), Hurler, Ricochet, Hypersonic (maybe). On the way there you can hit DZ and or Shockwave.

Move your way over to Grizzly, Log Flume, WWC.

Save the scooby coaster for later in the day when the kiddies have begun to leave (say 7ish) so that you don't have to hassle with all the people. Also the Scooby coaster isn't near any other big attractions since its in the heart of the kidz zone.

Basically all the main stuff is doable in one day even Hypersonic. Try to go to lunch and dinner at odd times to free up ride time. Rides clear a fair bit around 12:30-1:00 and then again right 6pm. Be prepared for the rides to get busy around 7:30 - 8:30ish since the Water Park closes at 8pm but then I usually get all the rides I can muster from 9pm - 10pm particularly if I stay in one part of the park (ie Volcano area or RY area).

Good Luck and enjoy ...

Incidentally the wife and kids are there today and got there at 1pm. According to her all the rids are walk-ons today and she is trying to talk me into heading up there tonight after work. I may do that and I bet I can get all the big rides in tonight too.

Greg

wow thanks for all of that. Ill definately take it all into consideration!

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Does anyone know if they've completed construction on the new go kart track that's supposed to be located by Grizzly? & if so how have they rearranged the queue entrance for the coaster?

It was tough enough finding the entrance before the karts went in,now it's gonna be even more of a challenge if the queue has been relocated.

the Go-Karts are open (At 8 dollars a ride! WHAT THE HECH!?!?)
and I have never been to KD before, so im not sure if the entrance has been relocated, although I did notich what seemed like new wood on some of the que around the go/karts and/or entrance to Grizzly, So im guessing the did redo some things about it.

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Eight bucks! man that's pretty steep compared to SFA's fee for use of their go Kart course.

I'm going next week so I'll have to check out the changes they've made to Grizzly's queue area when I get down there,hopefully I'll get in a few night rides since I missed out on that last year.