Paramount's Kings Dominion 6/4/00

I'm going to keep this short because I don't have much to say. The park wasn't terribly crowded, but the day started off poorly when a group of adults, many coaster enthusiasts, waiting to go to Volcano from behind the swinging ship were treated rudely by some punk security guard. They tied off the "back way" for crowd control, which is fine, but then they guy does his little speech about how we'll walk and not pass him blah blah blah. "The sooner you're quiet and listen the sooner we'll go." Do I get a detention if I don't? What a jerk.

That aside, I waited for the front seat of Volcano for about an hour. The capacity was hurting for those little 16-passenger trains, but it was made worse because they were only running two. Still, brilliant ride! The double launch and climb is insanely intense! The barrel rolls are the most weightless I've ever felt. I only wish it was longer. This is my favorite launched ride, easily. God bless Intamin!

Outer Limits: Where've I been on this before? ;) I was on the second train out after a delayed opening. The first train got to ride with all of the lights on. Restraints seem soft enough to keep your ears from bleeding. I don't think this one is rough either, but it has the same harsh transitions.

Anaconda: Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Arrow never did figure out that they should make the inverstions bigger, not higher off the ground.

Avalanche: Fun little Mack ride. Odd restraints. Doesn't look well kept and is rusting badly.

Ghoster Coaster: Where've I been on... nevermind.

Shockwave: One train. Ugh. Seven minute dispatch interval. Ugh. I can see why someone would want to jump out of their restraint. Far rougher ride than its counterpart at PKI.

Rebel Yell: When the train is howling it's time for lubrication! It was really missing something since they ran the two sides apart.

Grizzly: See Rebel Yell. I love the close proximi礀 漀昀 琀栀攀 琀爀攀攀猀 琀漀 琀栀椀猀 爀椀搀攀℀ 䤀 最椀瘀攀 椀琀 琀栀攀 戀攀猀琀 眀漀漀搀攀搀 焀甀攀甀攀 愀眀愀爀搀⸀ 䰀漀琀猀 漀昀 昀甀渀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 愀最愀椀渀Ⰰ 愀 氀椀琀琀氀攀 氀甀戀爀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀 眀漀甀氀搀 戀攀 最漀漀搀⸀㰀戀爀㸀਀㰀戀爀㸀਀䠀甀爀氀攀爀㨀 䤀 挀漀甀氀搀 搀漀 眀椀琀栀漀甀琀 琀栀攀 圀愀礀渀攀✀猀 圀漀爀氀搀 渀漀渀猀攀渀猀攀 ⠀眀栀漀 眀椀氀氀 最攀琀 椀琀 礀攀愀爀猀 昀爀漀洀 渀漀眀㼀⤀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 䤀 爀攀愀氀氀礀 攀渀樀漀礀攀搀 琀栀攀 爀椀搀攀℀ 吀栀漀猀攀 氀漀渀最 氀漀眀 琀甀爀渀猀 愀爀攀 最爀攀愀琀 昀甀渀Ⰰ 攀猀瀀攀挀椀愀氀氀礀 愀昀琀攀爀 琀栀攀 昀椀爀猀琀 搀爀漀瀀⸀ 一椀挀攀 愀椀爀琀椀洀攀 漀渀 愀氀氀 漀昀 琀栀攀 栀漀瀀猀⸀㰀戀爀㸀਀㰀戀爀㸀਀䄀猀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 昀漀漀搀Ⰰ 椀琀 猀甀挀欀猀 眀漀爀猀攀 琀栀愀渀 愀渀礀琀栀椀渀最Ⰰ 攀瘀攀渀 戀愀氀氀瀀愀爀欀 昀漀漀搀⸀ 䤀琀✀猀 椀渀猀愀渀攀氀礀 漀瘀攀爀瀀爀椀挀攀搀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀 焀甀愀氀椀琀礀 栀愀猀 愀 氀漀琀 椀渀 挀漀洀洀漀渀 眀椀琀栀 欀攀渀渀攀氀 挀栀漀眀⸀ 䴀愀礀戀攀 䤀 眀愀猀 猀瀀漀椀氀攀搀 戀礀 戀攀椀渀最 愀琀 䈀䜀圀 琀栀攀 搀愀礀 戀攀昀漀爀攀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 眀栀愀琀 愀 爀椀瀀漀昀昀 昀漀爀 漀甀琀爀椀最栀琀 挀爀愀瀀℀㰀戀爀㸀਀㰀戀爀㸀਀吀栀攀渀 琀栀攀爀攀✀猀 琀栀攀 漀瘀攀爀愀氀氀 挀漀渀搀椀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 琀栀攀 瀀愀爀欀⸀ 䴀漀猀琀 愀爀攀愀猀 氀漀漀欀 氀椀欀攀 甀渀欀攀瀀琀 攀洀瀀琀礀 氀漀琀猀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀爀攀✀猀 琀爀愀猀栀 攀瘀攀爀礀眀栀攀爀攀⸀ 匀琀愀渀搀椀渀最Ⰰ 搀椀爀琀礀 眀愀琀攀爀 挀愀渀 戀攀 昀漀甀渀搀 攀瘀攀爀礀眀栀攀爀攀 礀漀甀✀搀 攀砀瀀攀挀琀 琀漀 昀椀渀搀 挀氀攀愀渀 昀漀甀渀琀愀椀渀猀⸀ 倀䬀䤀✀猀 眀漀爀猀琀 搀愀礀 椀猀 戀攀琀琀攀爀 琀栀愀渀 琀栀椀猀⸀㰀戀爀㸀਀㰀戀爀㸀਀圀攀 氀攀昀琀 戀礀 琀栀爀攀攀 昀攀攀氀椀渀最 愀 戀椀琀 攀洀瀀琀礀 愀渀搀 眀愀渀琀椀渀最 洀漀爀攀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 嘀漀氀挀愀渀漀 眀愀猀 琀栀攀 漀渀氀礀 爀椀搀攀 琀栀愀琀 爀攀愀氀氀礀 猀琀漀漀搀 漀甀琀⸀ 吀栀攀 欀椀搀猀 愀爀攀愀 氀漀漀欀攀搀 最爀攀愀琀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 椀琀 爀攀愀氀氀礀 椀猀渀✀琀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 愀瘀攀爀愀最攀 琀眀攀渀琀礀猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最⸀ 䬀椀渀搀 漀昀 搀椀猀愀瀀瀀漀椀渀琀攀搀 椀渀 琀栀攀 瀀愀爀欀⸀㰀戀爀㸀਀㰀戀爀㸀਀䤀昀 礀漀甀 瘀椀猀椀琀 愀渀搀 眀愀渀琀 琀漀 最攀琀 愀 爀漀漀洀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 䠀漀氀椀搀愀礀 䤀渀渀 䔀砀瀀爀攀猀猀 椀猀 瘀攀爀礀 渀椀挀攀 ⠀漀渀攀 攀砀椀琀 渀漀爀琀栀 漀渀 䤀ⴀ㤀㔀⤀⸀ 䔀渀樀漀礀攀搀 愀 渀椀挀攀 猀瀀漀琀 漀昀 一䈀䄀 愀挀琀椀漀渀 漀渀 琀栀攀 琀攀氀攀Ⰰ 琀栀漀甀最栀 椀琀 瀀甀琀 洀攀 椀渀 愀 昀漀甀氀 洀漀漀搀 眀栀攀渀 倀漀爀琀氀愀渀搀 搀爀漀瀀瀀攀搀 愀 ㄀㔀 瀀漀椀渀琀 氀攀愀搀 琀漀 䰀⸀䄀⸀℀㰀戀爀㸀਀㰀戀爀㸀਀ⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀⴀ㰀戀爀㸀਀䨀攀昀昀㰀戀爀㸀਀圀攀戀洀愀猀琀攀爀⼀䄀搀洀椀渀 ⴀ 䌀漀愀猀琀攀爀䈀甀稀稀⸀挀漀洀

Gee- I guess PKD has dipped in the past few years. I was there last in 98 (Volcano still wasen't working so I haven't done it yet). I agree with the food (it sucked then, too). Spent two days there and came out satisfied. I guess I don't notice things like standing water. I would notice an overflowed toilet, but water around the fountain- well, I guess I'll have to be more critical. One thing you might have considered was a night ride on Grizzly just before closing. It is literally pitch black in those woods- you can't see your hand in front of your face. Big fun. Let's hope the highly rumored Stelth gets put in to give me an excuse to go next year.

I'm going to PKD on the 6/22 its going to be a Thursday so hopefully the crowds will not be that bad. I haven't been there in about 3 years even though its considered by many who live near me their home park. I actually grew up on Hersheypark which is about 3 hours away rather than PKD which is only 1 hour and 45 minutes away.
Last time I was there Volcano was being constructed and I had a horrible experince on Outer Limits where I experinced a horrible headaches. I hope this time it will be better. It'll be about three years(1998-2001) since they installed a new coaster.

We go to pkd almost every weekend and I worked at bgw for years (I only visit once a season now) so I feel as though I can comment on your experience. BGW has it all over PKD, I will agree but pkd has it's own charms. I will agree that the food is overpriced but the quality depends on where in the park that you eat. The food on Main street is much cheeper and of better quality than in the back of the park. Alpine Deli has the best food for the price. I have never noticed that the park was dirty. Keep in mind that BGW prides itself on being the most beautiful park and works very hard to keep that rating. I think that you were spoiled by going to BGW first but for us locals PKD is cheeper on the passes.

Now I am kinda happy I didn't go there. I had the choice to go there and BGW but I just did BGW for two days. I was disappointed that I couldn't get on Volcano and Anaconda, but 12 rides in a row on Alpengeist was well worth it. O well, I would go ther if they got Stealth though.

Great TR.

Regarding that security guard, he must have switched parks. He sounds like the same jerk who was at PKI the day I came. He also had a similar demeaning spiel about backing away from the rope and then walking, which everyone briskly ignored. Not to be left out, we began to run and were soon heading the pack strait for the Beast.

As for being spoiled by BGW... You may have been. Busch parks seem to rival Disney in cleanliness. And I am a HUGE Disney fan, so please nobody jump down my throat on that one.

Volcano is a blast. We rode this last year and were pleasantly surprised by the dual lIM launch. The wait in line is the worst part... way too long.

Outer Limits seemed the roughest to me on my first visit two or three years ago. During last year's visit, the train was noticeably slower. I almost felt as if the train was not going to make some of the elements. Less rough definately, but also far less exciting.

I almost forgot about the wooded que for the Grizzly. It was quite nice to see in the evening, kinda spooky dark, but not too dark. Also, I might mention that the entrance was hard for us to find... we walked past it three times before we noticed it.

Lastly, I especially liked the comentary on the food. At least they are consistant with PKI, where the "P" might as well stand for Purina. ;)

Great TR and nice replies, now my two pennies. I've only been to PKD once as well (1998). I wanted to go because I really wanted to ride Volcano. Even though we went mid August, Volcano was not yet completed. I remember me and my sister searching and searching for Grizzly. I dont remember being very impressed by it though. Anyway, beside back by Grizzly and the Skycoaster-type ride, I dont remember hardly any trees or shubbery. Especially by OL:FOF and Anaconda, I remember thinking it looked like we were in a big parking lot w/ a man-made lake. I am really disappointed with the Paramount chain. They are introducing some great rides (V:TBC, SOB, Stealth) but their operations seem to be suffering. I must admit though, I really like Carowinds as a park. Their TOP GUN: The Jet Coaster inverted is top notch and the park was in good (read clean) shape. Shame on PKD and PKI