Kings Dominion announces 4-D coaster Tumbili for 2022

Cedar Fair has decided they don’t even want to be competitive in Virginia. They are just going to go for selling cheap season passes.

Busch has a huge attraction ready for next year. They are operating normal hours while KD closes at 7 in the blazing heat.

It’s such a shame because it could be a great park. Cedar Fair just doesn’t try at all there.

If they too are selling passes for $99, maybe they think that is competitive. BGT starts at $162 with block out dates and no parking.

I can't imagine that these S&S 4D coasters are any fun. Before everyone knew they were getting this, I was hoping for something a lot better to replace Volcano.

Actually, KD is giving them away for $89. I really think this is the Richard Zimmerman and Tim Fischer way. They're all about cheap season passes. Gate integrity is totally out the window. People blow more in a night or two at the county fair, one sporting event, or concert than on a whole season pass for a Cedar Fair park. I really don't get it. I'd be asking a lot of questions if I was a big investor. Their labor costs have doubled since the last time they did the cheap passes at CP and they still price it the same. I am pretty sure I paid about $160-170 for the then equivalent of the gold pass (CP, Soak City, Joe Cool Club, and Parking) in 2002. It's almost 20 years later, and they've added 5 more parks to their offerings. They are either complete idiots or I just don't get the way things work with how to make the most money in the amusement business.

LostKause said:

I can't imagine that these S&S 4D coasters are any fun. Before everyone knew they were getting this, I was hoping for something a lot better to replace Volcano.

Technically this is going where "The Crypt" was, so I think the fanbase down there sees it as a replacement for that, and are still waiting for more to come in that new area.

***Speaking of which; just a brief tangent (promise). I think this game is called AITA? (am I the @$#hole)?***

I started talking in a BGW/KD forum recently, mainly because I was curious about the status of Pantheon and their mask requirements before our trip this past June. Nothing to speak of. Nice crowd. Helpful tips.

But last night I happened to log in and saw that they had posted the details about Tumbili early, along with some blog post about how they weren't invited to the media day, so they were just going to go ahead and release everything they knew (they have since conveniently deleted that part of the post). Someone asked if that was a smart thing to do, and my response was more or less..."well, not if you want to have any type of working relationship with the park in the future". I suggested it was in poor taste for a site that claims to adore the park.

I wasn't "pissed", but I was going to have some free time in the office this morning and was actually looking forward to kicking back and watching the announcement, because that's what amusement park nerds do, and it sucked to have everything just laid out like that. The response from the regulars was more or less..."we're just doing our job!", and "we don't cater to some massive publicly traded company!"

Whatever. I guess I've just gotten used to a certain Buzz that doesn't spoil announcements even if they could, because we're not in junior high anymore.

***That's the end of the tangent.***

I couldn't agree more with the cheap-ass season passes. The price you charge is a reflection of how much you value your product, and I had convinced myself there was no way CP was going to go the $99 route again. And $89??

We just spent $107 at Dave and Busters for 3 hours of fun. Maybe I can convince them that since I paid that much they should let us play all season without paying another dime. Or not.

LostKause said:

I can't imagine that these S&S 4D coasters are any fun.

They are very uncomfortable and I hated the one in Chicago. Never have to ride another, I much prefer a boomerang or SLC... Serious.

I said something to this effect over on Pointbuzz, but I guess its worth repeating here as well.

The last time Cedar Point offered a regular pass, the pre-season price was $137. If you were to adjust that for inflation, it would be $149 today. That's the regular pass, so none of the gold pass perks. Its almost as if Cedar Point were paying YOU $50 to give YOU the added benefit of: -Admission for the rest of the current year, -free parking, -waterpark admission, -Early Entry.

All roads lead to Cedar Point’s Gold Pass.

Kings Dominion only gets decent crowds on the weekends. Even this year when most theme parks are busy, KD has a small attendance on weekdays. Cheap season passes on a park with low investment is not drawing crowds

They removed a major ride with no replacement. Then a flat with no immediate replacement. They had Avalanche closed all year. 8 hour daytime operating days in the VA heat only brings locals to the water park.

They don’t compete with Busch either in the non rider category as Paramount removed all of the transportation rides except the cars And they have 1 whopping indoor theater

The park is beautiful with its grand entrance and trees all over. Despite the Paramount and Keco damage (lake removal, replacing the railroad with a sky coaster etc)

It’s located on one of the busiest interstates on the East Coast and easy reach of the DC metro market. It has so much potential…..

I can get a Platinum Pass, the dining and drinks plans *and* all season all park Fastlane for less than a Disney pass that blocks me out and makes me stand in lines with the common folk

LostKause said:

I can't imagine that these S&S 4D coasters are any fun.

They're not.

Give me a SBF figure eight spinner over a S&S 4D any day of the week.

You have to pay more for a droid at Disneyland than a Gold Pass to KD.

And no, you're not the a-hole, Ohiostater. What do they gain from releasing information early? That's just being a jerk for the sake of being a jerk. If they didn't get an invite, it's more likely because the park doesn't view them as an important and reliable media channel and this sure as heck isn't going to help their case.

I don't mind the S&S 4D's. I don't feel the need to ride any of them again (of the 4 I've ridden) but I won't skip one for the credit. Some of the rides have been meh, some have been pretty flippin' fun, but none has been uncomfortable or actively bad.

I enjoyed Joker at SFGAdv, I'll look forward to this one as well.

The youngest kid is over 52" so we are due for another trip there sooner or later...

As for the idea that Cedar Fair doesn't want to be competitive in Virginia, this is the only new ride they announced in the entire chain. They appear to be more concerned with competing in Virginia than anywhere else.

I like the name and theme.

One small detail I appreciate is the paint scheme on the supports. Looks like they are going to paint them to intentionally look like bamboo. I've seen this trick before on Untamed up at Canobie (painted supports to look like birch trees), and it looks really cool in person.

A small extra effort in labor, yet makes a big difference in appearance/theming.

Would like to see more of this....

Later,
EV

hambone said:

“As for the idea that Cedar Fair doesn't want to be competitive in Virginia, this is the only new ride they announced in the entire chain. They appear to be more concerned with competing in Virginia than anywhere else.”

It’s been sitting in the parking lot since early last year Apparently purchased before CF recent financial failure It’s only being added because it was bought.

Also it was their response to Pantheon No competition there

They don’t have to install the biggest rides I305 was a failure to attract crowds because of its horrible neck snapping, blackout inducing design It must have the cake for CF to stop investments in KD RMC small coaster conversions are not that expensive

The park needs original new attractions, family rides (train, skyway, dark rides) and more indoor live entertainment (if it’s ever safe) They compete with Busch on landscaping and park beauty, but no other category

it’s only a step up from the way Dorney etc are run Only to attract smaller local crowds

What makes people think that all parks “need to” attract customers from all over the world? Some are set up for that and can operate quite well, most can not.
I’m from Ohio, so my home parks are considered power houses with some of the highest attendance. I also have traveled around the country and a while back came to the realization that most amusement parks started as “local parks” and are just as happy to remain so. And we’ve all seen what happens when a park gets too big for its britches and can’t sustain the crowds.
(And for the record I don’t believe slashing prices for season passes is the answer to that…)