Memorial Day Weekend Coaster Adventure: Kings Dominion (5/24/2025)

Preamble:
Back on Memorial Day Weekend 2023, I set out on a solo coaster adventure to two parks I’d never been to before: Carowinds and Kings Dominion. I had such an incredible time that I decided to repeat the trip this year—and make it an annual tradition. But while my first adventure was solo, this time I was joined by fellow CoasterBuzzer, TylerWS.

Over the last year, Tyler and I have become close friends. We’ve hit up Cedar Point and Kings Island a few times, and we’ve been visiting each other’s cities about once a month. Still, this would be our first time actually traveling together. Would our friendship survive? Let’s find out…

This year, we nixed Carowinds in favor of Hersheypark, Tyler’s suggestion. I agreed—I'd never been and was curious about the hype. After that, we’d hit Kings Dominion and end our trip at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I’ve already reviewed Hersheypark, so let’s move on to Kings Dominion.

The Park:
Walking into KD feels a lot like walking into Kings Island—but while I love KI, I really love KD. The abundance of trees throughout the park not only keeps things cooler but adds a peaceful vibe, even with coaster screams echoing in the background. Those mature trees give the place an “old soul” kind of feeling. True, KD was celebrating its 50th anniversary, but if you squint, it feels even older—in a good way.

Each section of the park has its own vibe. Candy Apple Grove channels the energy of the park's early years. Jungle X-Pedition is one of the best-themed areas in any legacy Cedar Fair park—lush with foliage and thoughtful design. And while I’m sad to see Anaconda go, its absence reveals a stunning view of Lake Charles. Honestly, I hope they never block it again.

There’s nothing groundbreaking about KD, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful.

The Staff:
When I visited in 2023, operations were rough—and not much has changed. Tyler and I had Fast Lane, but honestly, it wasn’t needed. For a busy holiday weekend, the park just wasn’t that crowded. We only saved about 15–20 minutes, except at Rapterra and Flight of Fear, which had longer waits.

That said, there must be something about RMC rides that motivates ride ops to hustle—just like at Hersheypark, Dollywood, and Cedar Point, these ops moved with urgency. They were the exception, though. Most of the staff were friendly but not particularly fast.

Shoutout to the woman on the mic at Flight of Fear—she had so much fun messing with people before the launch. Even with a bit of a wait, I was thoroughly entertained.

(Sidenote: The next day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg made it very clear why KD was so empty—it’s about the same distance from Richmond, VA.)

Skip-the-Line:
Unlike Cedar Point's QR code bands, KD uses a simple wristband for Fast Lane. It’s hard to judge its value since the park was so empty, but it definitely came in handy at Flight of Fear and Rapterra.

(One weird note: FoF doesn’t clearly mark the Fast Lane entrance, but it’s identical to KI’s version—it merges just before the station. Rapterra’s merges right before a short path to the station as well.)

The Food:
Standard Cedar Fair fare. We had burgers and fries at Jukebox Diner, which were solid, but I was bummed to see they no longer offer park-specific burgers. (In 2023, Carowinds and KD both had slightly unique ones.) We had dinner at Firehouse BBQ, which was also good... but also pretty much the same as other CF parks.

That said, the meal plan is worth it at legacy CF parks. The food might not be exciting, but at least it’s reliably decent.

The Rides:

• Rapterra (2x | 10 min): I have mixed, but mostly positive feelings here. I’m not a big fan of B&M wing coasters. They’re usually slow, lumbering, and kind of dull (GateKeeper, I’m looking at you). But Rapterra is probably my favorite of the type. The launch into the Wingover Turn is awesome, no matter which side you’re on (though try for the upper side if you can). The layout is interesting and engaging, but it’s missing those signature near-miss moments wing coasters should have. Also, to quote Tyler: “Rapterra does not ride better than Skyrush.” The ride isn’t painful, but it is shaky—unacceptable for a brand-new coaster. I’d expect this kind of aging on a 15-year-old ride, not something just built. If I were KD leadership, I’d be asking for a partial refund. Still, the theming is fantastic, and I can’t wait to see how it looks once the trees fill in. The launch sound effects and drumbeats in the queue are great touches. I just wish it rode smoother.
• Twisted Timbers (2x | Station wait): I remembered this as a fun but mild RMC. This time? Way faster and more aggressive. Maybe it was the heat or the train weight, but sitting up front, we felt every moment. The drop is a blast, and the airtime is just intense enough to be thrilling but still comfortable. Front or back—great rides either way. Note: Like at CP, KD won’t let you store even small fanny packs in the free lockers At CP, they said it was because people were trying to stuff large bags into the small lockers and breaking them. I imagine the same goes here. My fanny pack would have fit with room to spare, but I didn't argue. Just a heads-up before you get in line.
• Apple Zapple (1x | 10 min): Most of our wait was for testing before it reopened. I’m not big on wild mouse coasters (too many laterals, not enough padding), and I felt bad slamming into Tyler on every turn. But honestly…it was kind of fun. The second half mellows out a bit, and I regret not buying our photo. The girls in front were screaming like crazy, and Tyler’s face—covering his ears like he was terrified—was hilarious. In reality, he was just blocking out their screams.
• Racer 75 (1x | Walk-on): “Racer 75 rode better than Skyrush!” Just like its twin at KI, this is a super fun woodie. The retrack makes it feel fresh while preserving its classic charm. I do wish the layout ended with both trains pulling into the station side-by-side. Would love to actually see who won.
• Grizzly (1x | Station wait): Still one of my favorite woodies. Like Racer 75, it doesn’t rely on flashy elements. Not with the wild turns of CGI or the inversion from RMC. Just a classic coaster set in the woods. A couple potholes need fixing, but otherwise, it’s a gem. Would ride again and again.
• Reptilian (1x | Station wait): Tyler refused to sit in my lap, so we rode separately. Lame. I love this bobsled. It looks tame, but the second half is surprisingly intense. Not many of these rides left, and I hope this one sticks around forever.
• Backlot Stunt Coaster (1x | Station wait): *sigh* I’ve realized that while this is a fun, peppy coaster, when it’s not cared for, it’s just kind of a bummer. All of the effects on KD’s version were turned off for our ride. So much for theming. The coaster itself is fun, but its hard to ignore the sad state of the surrounding decorations. Instead of going the KI route, I think they should incorporate this into Jungle X-Pedition or Candy Apple Grove. I still think this would make an excellent dark ride.
• Dominator (1x | Station wait): With Pantherian still down, Rapterra and Dominator are holding the front line as KD's star attractions. Dominator had this same responsibility back at Geauga Lake. It’s still a powerful B&M—fast, intense, and with minimal headbanging. I do wish it had the newer restraints. And even after all these years, it still feels disconnected from the rest of the park—like it just set up shop next door instead of being fully integrated.
• Boo Blasters (1x | 5 min): I’d never done this and wasn’t sure if it was just for kids, but Tyler insisted. And I’m glad he did. It’s another shooting dark ride, and this time I won—finally got my revenge for Hersheypark. I probably wouldn’t ride again solo, but with friends? Totally worth it

Overall:
Aside from Rapterra being new and Pantherian being down, KD was exactly how I remembered it—solid, if somewhat generic, with little bursts of charm throughout. The slow ops aren’t a big deal when the park is empty, and it’s beautiful enough to enjoy casually. Would I go back? Definitely. But after two visits, I don’t think I’d need a full day there.

And like I said earlier—my opinion of Kings Dominion definitely took a hit after we experienced Busch Gardens Williamsburg. But we’ll talk about that one next…

Awaiting the report for Busch Gardens. BGW is my all-time favorite park, and anticipating your review, we usually stop at Kings Dominion on the way home (to Ohio) after spending time at Busch Gardens. While I do enjoy KD, it pales in comparison to BGW.