Smurf Mountain at PKD

I don't remember Pirates Flight in 86 when I worked at the park. Certainly wasn't in it's present location.

To my knowledge KD never called that area "Coney Island." It was opened as Candy Apple Grove and remained so until latter years.

The slide, as with many rides, changed colors over time as it was re-painted. It had nothing to do with a re-theming of the area as far as I know.

Both the Galaxi and the slides (plus a part of the picnic area "Shady Grove" that was behind them)were removed for the addition of Shockwave in the mid-1980s. The remaining part of the picnic area has since given way to Nick expansion.

Someone above mentioned the Scrambler being located in 3 places at PKD. Actually, it has been located in 4. On International Street across the fountains from Berserker, on the CAG mall where the entrance to Waterworks is now, where Drop Zone is now located, and at it's current place... in Congo.

The Flying Eagles has been in three areas of the park and I think has also had three different names... In Congo as the Paratrooper (flying over Lake Charles) in Wayne's World (Cannot recall the name) and now in Old Virginia as the Eagles.

The greatest travesty in KD's history was the removal of the Old Dominion Line (Railroad) for the addition of Waynes World. PKI is the only remaining Keco/Paramount park to still have their railway. Both PKD, PCoW and PGA all removed theirs for what are, IMO, ridiculously absurd reasons all based on poor decisions and lacking foresight. Luckily PKI'S has so far avoided such a fate because it serves as transportation to the waterpark. However, officals at PKI often refer to the land on which the KIMRR lies as "valuable real-estate." :-(

IMO, one of the better additions to KD has been the Rugrats Pike. I am amazed by that thing and think it is fascinating to watch. I remember vividly when the Racing Rivers slides were put in (during that time many parks were installing these types of dry slide complexes... such as SFGADV, SFAW, CW, etc etc etc.) I mostly remember what a waste they were. Although some fun, they were extremely low capacity and not at all well recieved. They only lasted a few seasons from what I recall, and for years the land sat vacant.

My first time at KD was when Lost World: Fantasy Mountain was being built. My second visit was the year following. When LW:FM opened, it housed 4 attractions... "Professor Backenforth's Journey into the Land of the Dooz", "Voyage to Atlantis" (I think that was the name), "Time Shaft" and "Mt. Kilimanjaro." I was afraid of fast rides at the time, and after making my Dad wait over an hour in the "Time Shaft" line I finally got inside...took one look and said "Absolutely not." He was not pleased. But within a few years I was riding anything and everything. I attribute that to his not forcing me on any ride. Many parents make the mistake of doing just that, and kids often grow up afraid of rides because of a bad "forcing" memory.

What I distincly recall about the mountain was that it was delayed in opening. It was a huge project and only one or two of the rides opened with it at the start of the season. The others opened as the season progressed. Also, the "Atlantis" ride only lasted one season, and was quickly replaced by "Haunted River."

I visited annually until I moved from VA in 1991. After moving, my next visit was in 1998 and I was devistated by how poorly the park had been maintained and basically raped and pillaged of all it's former glory. It wasn't until recent visits (starting in 2000) that I saw marked improvements in the park. Significantly last year at Coaster Con, I was able to finally regain full enjoyment at the park.

Shaggy

*** Edited 6/9/2004 5:20:10 PM UTC by Shaggy***

When the flyers were installed by the lake, that was at least the second time they were put in. I don't remember if the first time was in the same location or not. I just remember that I thought it was lame that the new ride for that season was one they had before. KD always had a new ride every year back then.

I don't know if anyone else remembers this, but the railroad used to have a wild west stunt show. They would stop the train and guys would ride around on horses shooting guns and falling off buildings. My brother and I loved that show.

edit: I am not sure about this, but I think the first time the flyers were installed they were themed as ships with sails. *** Edited 6/9/2004 5:25:02 PM UTC by RavenTTD***

Shaggy: 'Scream Weaver.' :)

Raven,
I think you're thinking of the aforementioned Flying Dutchman. That was themed to ships with sails. Paratroopers/Screamweaver/Eagle was, to my knowledge, originally placed by the lake in what was then Safari Village.

also, unless I'm crazy, Apple turnover was always apple turnover. I'm pretty sure I rode it the first year it was put in. I also rode Atlantis the one year it operated, but it scared the crap out of me. All I remember is something with a wizard and a big scary drop.

Well from I saw on one site...I believe it was www.PKDPlace.com which has a timeline for the park & included in the timeline is an artist's rendering for a local newspaper of what the park would look like before it even opened to the public & in the rendering if you look at the area that is now the grove it was clearly marked on the map as coney island.

Coasterguts at one point in time Pirate's flight was located where Cyclone now sits & the old kurvin dirvish ride was where TOD is now at(at least in 89),KD was moved to where PF now sits in 95 but was removed for the 96 season.

If I can remember correctly the paratroopers was located just behind dodgem's in such a way that when the ride was going full speed you'd be flying right over the lake & of course the tubs were painted to look like giant parrots,back then that was another one of my favorites that I really wish they had never changed.

So I'm not the only one who had the crap scared out of them by Haunted river's final plunge? I'm glad that I'm not the only one to say that the drop on that thing was what kept me from ever wanting to ride it again.

For some reason there's just something about the park back then that's been lost today....maybe it was the old rides & themes that've been lost over the years or maybe it's just that KD was the first theme park I ever set foot in but it's just a feeling you never have again whenever you visit another park....even as a first timer,or perhaps it's just that there was a certain magic to the park back then who knows?

The 70's & early 80's were a rebirth for the industry of sorts & there was just something to the park back then that you just don't see anymore in parks today....I first visited BGW in 97 & while I was impressed with the theming & rides it just doesn't come anywhere near as magical or as exciting as my first visit to KD/PKD & I still remember two things from that era.

The first was driving down I-95 & seeing that huge mountain in the distance...back then you could see it before even the eiffel tower came into view & it looked even bigger when you were standing there right in front of it debating which of the 4 attractions you wanted to ride.

The 2nd,& this is rather funny was when someone accidently locked the car keys in the trunk of the car...we ended up being the very last car to leave the parking lot that night.

Coastertown.com has some nice pictures of Kings Dominion from Rollercoaster in the 70s. Hee-Hee, the singing mushrooms!

I agree with Super7 and Shaggy. Paramount is good at adding rides, but they have done a horrible job of keeping the parks intact. They seem to have an "out with the old" attitude, which is very unfortunate considering we’ve lost great attractions like the Carolina Sternwheeler and the Old Dominion Line for new high speed rides. Paramount is ok at theming, but I really like the older themes more than the movie ones.

Too bad Kings Dominion filled in Lake Charles. It looked really nice with the giant fountain in the middle. (Which I think stopped working in the mid 80s) *** Edited 6/10/2004 1:04:34 AM UTC by Dukeis#1***

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ThemeDesigner said:
almost every single one...
Also, there was a Flying Dutchman (not the Vekoma flyer, more like a Wave swinger where you sat in little boats) which was between the barbeque place and the entrance to grizzly.

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The ride is still offered for sale and it's made by (imagine this) Intamin. *** Edited 6/10/2004 2:41:06 AM UTC by Intamin Fan***

I believe the flying scooters were orignally called Parrot Troopers and the flying dutchman ride was called Jamestown Landing.

I also think that at one time the himalya was called Adams Apple, and the monster was called Bad Apple, along with the Apple Turnover to go with the Candy Apple Grove theme......

In their heyday, Carowinds, Kings Island and Kings Dominion were the perfect combination of thrill rides and syncronised theming. While the rides themselves were not necessarily heavinly themed, each ride was named to go with the theme of the area, each building gave you the feel of another place and time. I just find these parks messy and not that attrative anymore. Definitely not magical like they used to be.

One look at any pics with Lake Charles in tact or the water and trees of the Carolina Sternwheeler compared to what is there today verifies that. *** Edited 6/10/2004 1:07:41 PM UTC by super7***

Carowinds is certainly doing a good job at restoring atmosphere and theming slowly to the park. While the old feel is gone (Sternwheeler /cries), there are fun new areas like the Borg area and the Nick area which is great for the little ones. As they slowly redo the sections of the park things will get better and better.

Yes progress is always a good thing but if no effort is taken to preserve as much of the park's rich & vibrant history...well then that's just plain sad.

Just remembered another funny event that happened to me at PKD....this one however was more recently,back in 01 some friends & I went to the park & of course one of them had their rain gear of all things (to try & cheat on the water rides) anyhow during the course of the day he somehow managed to lose it in the park & of course reported it to GR.

Flash forward to last year we're at PKD again & after having a spent a day of fun on the rides it was time to head on home when wouldn't you know it? he decides he's gonna hit up GR to inquire about wether or not they found his missing rain gear from 2 years earlier,which of course they never did.

Then of course there was another incident between my brother & I that took place on Dodgem's way back in the day when just as the ride was ending he sent my car flying into at least 6 other cars.....I'm still to this day plotting my revenge against him for that little show of force.

The next time we meet on dodgem's at PKD (if ever) things are gonna be quite different because I've been practicing quite alot on the fine art of bumper car driving over the past few years hee hee.

I think i counted 29 actual rides at Carowinds this year..........the same count they had back in 1980. The other parks except Wonderland have followed the same trend..........remove a ride for every ride added.

Then there are parks like Hershey that actually grow while keeping its old rides and areas. True, Hershey is not a master a theming, but that park has actually grown over the years with very little removal.