Reviews: Paramount's Kings Dominion: Hurler is reborn.

Posted at 9:44 PM EDT (0144 GMT)

Jun. 2nd, 2006 -- August 2005 – The ride operators gawked at me, as the train holding me and approximately 6 others returned to the station. Its Wednesday, its raining and I was returning from my 32nd consecutive ride on the Hurler, the employees must likely think I'm nuts (they're probably right), wondering if I will ever get off.

While I loved the Hurler, the ride has certainly changed since its 1994 debut, next to Stan Mikita’s Donuts. Mikita’s is long gone, but the Hurler remains. The 11 years of wear and tear has slowed down the Philadelphia Toboggan Coaster trains reducing the airtime, and making the entire scream machine rough, almost painful. Kings Dominion realized the mighty Hurler lost much of its glory and many of its riders, but they didn't lose their admiration for the coaster. Kings Dominion did Wayne and Garth proud when they devised a plan to restore the most excellent-ness of the coaster which was themed in their honor.

May 2006 - It was 9:30 AM on yet another rainy day and I headed towards the rear of the park, on the off chance that the Huler might be open. This was a ritual I had performed numerous times this year, thanks to my Gold season pass. As I passed the entrance to the Grizzly, I looked up towards the 83’ peak of the Hurler, and low and behold I saw an empty train making a test run on the brand-new track.

The Huler was open for the first time in 2006! Excellent!

Due to my excitement, I sprinted the remaining 200 or so yards to the entrance. I scrambled through the empty queue and up the steps into the station, just as the light blue, Mirthmobile-esque train returned from its journey. The station is pretty quiet, as I was the only person there, except for the operating team. I hopped into the front seat, on the "slam-side" (left side of the train which passengers get slammed into, on the first and second turns), for the first public, passenger ride of the season. My lap bar was checked along with those of my non-existent fellow riders, and then I was finally off, for the ride that I longingly awaited.

As the train peeled out of the station to the right, the first thing I noticed was the shiny (although slightly wet from the rain) new track and the absent squeaking sound that used to characterize the turn prior to the lift hill. It was apparent that everything was well-oiled and ready to go, including the chain, which slithers up to grab hold of the underside of the conveyance. The train was tugged smoothly up hill, to the 83’ apex. Once the train reached the top, it glided through the curve and positioning me in front of the first drop. Within a split second, the train flew down the hill, and instantly I was aware of how much the new track had affected the speed and smoothness of the Hurler.

It felt like the train was traveling at least 5 miles per hour faster than it used to. My thoughts pertaining to speed were fleeting, as I slammed into the "slam-side" of the car, while we rocketed around the heavily banked turn at the base of the opening fall. It was remarkable, how smooth this curve now was. I would classify it as Millennium Force smooth (ok, maybe not that smooth, but as close as a woodie can get). This same curve was painfully rough last year, and in previous years, the awesome job that was done during the restoration was clearly evident.

As the train continued, it went in and out of the turns and onto the three air hills next to the opening lift hill. The Hurler didn't let up, it was rocketing over each hill with incredible speed and airtime. Next, I was unceremoniously hurled (pun intended) into the side of the train again as we flew through another once-rough, now extremely smooth, bank curve at the far end of the course. Two more air hills, another banked turn, and up into the brake run, the train was now back in the place where it all started, Sound Stage 31.

It was amazing how the Hurler felt like an entirely different roller coaster from the one which stood in the same spot, the year before. It’s incredible how much of a difference the new track has made. Knowing how much I love the Hurler, it was obviously, I wasn't going anywhere after just one ride on the reborn coaster. I stayed on the Hurler, moving from one empty seat to another, on the rare occasion that someone showed up in my row, until I broke my old consecutive ride record of 45, which was achieved in 2005.

So on this special day in May (2006), I rode the Huler 50 times before running off to visit Volcano: The Blast Coaster, Hypersonic XLC and the rest of Kings Dominion’s coaster collection. At some point I also had to poke around the Italian Job site, just to see how things were progressing. I was so happy that it didn't matter what I did the rest of the day. However, as you may have suspected, I went back for more rides on the now most-excellent Hurler. Wayne and Garth must truly be proud of this baby. This roller coaster deserves four cups of coffee, a half-dozen crullers, and one jelly donut (you have to have seen Wayne’s World)!

The Hurler is way too awesome to stay away from, even if you thought it was too rough (which it use be), I would advise to you give it another chance. Honestly, thanks to the new track which has resurrected the Hurler, this woodie will definitely begin to appear on the top 10 list of many coaster enthusiast. However, don't tell too many people about its newly acquired greatness, because a line might start to form!

None the less, look for me the next time you visit Paramount’s Kings Dominion, I will probably be in the park somewhere, possibly on the train with you, pulling out of Sound Stage 31, for a thrilling ride on the Hurler!